New pictures of Fiona at 15 weeks

When is Clean ...clean enough?

Confession:

I get panicked about the appearance of my home prior to having a certain sect of people visit me. Typically, these are people that:
A) Don't have pets... especially hairy dogs
B) Don't work outside the home (currently or ever)
C) Have young children

Why?

A) I can live with the tumbleweed of dog hair that appears between my weekly fight with the Oreck but I don't have a clue how others do it... I have given in to the work / life balance that life is messy but haven't gotten over I care about other's opinions of me yet.

B) Since I work remotely from home, some have the impression that it is easy for me to get everything done. WRONG!! I may be able to slip in a 10 AM run to the dry cleaners easier but I am working from 7AM to 7 PM often and the draw of my lap top and clients will always beat out the laundry mound or vacuum beast.

C) We don't have children. Our house is set up for adults and dogs. I worry about all the PC stuff that is suppose to enable kids never to experience pain and that they are closer to those hair balls than the rest of us.

That being confessed, I LOVE having company. I love to entertain and fairs' fair... I like the motivation and valid business reason to scrub the shower and door jams.

I like knowing what delights my guests. For example, my dad would be a home baked sugar free dessert. My best friend would be flowers in her room and a pile of magazines she hasn't read yet along with a shot of tequila. My good friend and house sitter loves having her shampoo in the guest bathroom. My nephews love the lolly pops, teddy grahams and matchboxes.

So as I am waiting for guests to arrive this week, if I answer the phone like a grump... tell me to put down the sponge.... everything is going to be okay....

I think the kool-aid has finally settled into my DNA

When do you realize an adoption of a new way to communicate? How do you know when it is pervasive in your life? I had such an Epiphany last night at the dinner table. We had planned a family dinner party by connecting with each other on Facebook. Yes, I did have to have one conversation with a family member that is not "LinkedIn" with "Facebook". However, this device and communication tool has allowed me to establish a faster and easier relationship with a new member of our family than I would have ever with the phone. Because of the following:

1) Our schedules are completely different.
2) There is about 14 years difference in age. (She is younger)
3) It makes sense to be able to put one thing out into the universe and keep everyone updated.

I just now have to get her to Twitter and I will be golden! The non kool family members at the table were a bit shocked at how we organized the get together without speaking and without email. I looked at their 3.5 year old boys and said... time to figure it out or you are going to be so far behind the times when they reach whatever is the future of the MySpace generation.

It also dawned on me how people are able to stay engaged more with remote friends and family with social networking. Have a sister in California or neighbors in Georgia? It is easy not to have to find the time for a conversation if you can update them on your life through a feed on Facebook, Twitter or an old fashion blog post.

Start counting the times people mention connecting with others via the social networking tools like a blog entry, FaceBook or MySpace page or tweat. I bet even you Barney Rubbler's will be amazed and prompted to look at joining the party!

Credit Crisis

I was listening to the Mike Church radio show on Sirius on Wednesday morning. He said something very interesting about the credit crisis and pending bail out. He was right on!

These people that have the sub prime loans and can't pay their bills aren't losing THEIR homes. The loans were no down payment type loans. They have NO equity. They were basically renters okay renting to own. Why are we bailing out people on home loans that they SHOULDN'T have qualified for in the first place?

I am not even going to start on bailing out financial institutions that knowingly lent money to people that didn't qualify.

Talk Radio.... Old time Community

Only children often pick up strange habits that are more adult like than other children that have siblings to influence them. That can be seen with food choices, reading material, and sports. As an only child, one of the weird habits I picked up from my mother was an interest in talk radio. I would set my clock radio to a huge Boston AM station to listen to Larry Glick nights as I went to bed. During Basketball season, I went to sleep (or eluded it) listening to the famous Johnny Most giving the play by play for Larry Bird, Danny Ange, and Tiny Archibald and the rest of the Celtics.
Today, I am still a talk radio junkie. I do this in a more technically upgraded way from an old clock radio. I stream it on my laptop and have satellite radio in my car. It dawned on me the other day how talk radio is a community. There is a host or a site. There is a group of like-minded people which congregate to talk and listen to others on issues that are important to them. People participate by calling in with their own UGC (User or 'Listener' Generated Content). Many lurk and just listen. Others take the information and have discussions with family and friends. They become better informed as even the SME (talk show hosts and guests) learn from the masses. It is an original technology based We Are Smarter than Me concept. The next time your radio dial hits a talk radio station figure you are part of an old time grass roots community.

What is more valuable ... Time or Heath?

Monday, I was spending a planned day off doing a bunch of to do items like getting the hitch finally installed on the car, dry cleaning, going to the gym to meet with my trainer at 9 AM. You know the stuff you can't normally do during work hours...

As I was sitting in the waiting area of the place that was installing the hitch reading my book, my head started to hurt and then pound. I related it to the machine across the street pounding into the rock wall trying to create more retail worth land into ledge.

By the time I got home, I was so sore and had a throbbing headache. Okay... It was early to be sore from my work out. Then about an hour later the chills and sweats started. By tour time (y'all know what that is... it is July at Brannydoon... There is only one channel.. VS. for the Tour de France... A month of Phil & Paul & Bob),

My fever was so bad. It reminded me of the ones I had as a kid where it got so high I would hallucinate. However, it seem to be better in the morning although the headache was still there. I struggled to work on Tuesday being back at work. My heart though wasn't in it. I was still having fever effects. By the night, I was right back there.

Beyond this, the horse fly bite, I had noticed on my hip over the weekend was throbbing and made it difficult to lie on my right side. For those of you in CT/NY, you probably know what I have. For those of you in NH/MA/GA and beyond, stay tuned.... By Wednesday, Mr. B told me to make an appointment with the doctor. Honestly, I think he thought I was faking it or was deathly afraid I was going to make him sick. I was still point person to take out Miss Fiona. I could barely move. However, I was dragging myself around the yard and up and down the street to make sure the 5 days of no mistakes was continued.

Go to the doctor for a fever? Why? All I am going to be told is to take Advil/Aspirin, fluids, and bed rest. However, I got a better look at the bite on my hip. The redness around it was now about 6 inches in the middle and didn't look normal 5 days after I noticed the bite.

So I picked up the phone and called the doctors office. Thankfully, they could see me almost immediately. (This typically isn't a good sign by the way). I started to think what if this is a tick bite? Could it be Lyme? I went to this trusty computer and typed in "Lyme disease and symptoms" into the Google search box. The Mayo clinic delivered the following link that pretty much confirmed all of my symptoms. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/lyme-disease/DS00116/DSECTION=symptoms So did the doctor within taking my temperature and looking at my hip. Antibiotics and a promise that I should start to feel better in 48-72 hours but it would still be rough in between. Wednesday night was probably the worse but I finally started to feel better last night.

It got me to question my belief that 'you can always make more money but you can't create more time.' However, without your health do either money or time make a difference? I swear my head hurt so bad on Wednesday night I thought a guillotine would be a nice device? I know people with severe migraines have had similar thoughts.... What is your take?

A Letter to My Uncle Rob from Seamus

Dear Uncle Rob -

How are things at camp? How are cousins Winston and Sidney and Auntie Jen? I hope all is well and everyone has plenty of treats! Daddy said you had inquired about my near death experience last month. So here goes...

It was late in the afternoon on June 12th. Mommy had been very busy at the computer all day. I was bored and went into her bag where some times there are these tasty treats called "breakfast bars". I found a plastic bag but all it had in it were a couple of pills that weren't too filling.

The next morning (Friday the Thirteenth) there was a lot of commotion in the house when Daddy noticed the parts of the baggy I left as what he refered to as "evidence" in front of his bureau and my upstairs nightime beddie.

My human isn't too good. Here is what I got from the conversation. Mommy was upset because the baggy contained a couple of emergency "aleve and zyrtec" in it for when she goes "away" (Uncle Rob, I apologize for my language. I know "away"is a four letter word.)

Anyway, I got to go for an early morning car ride to visit the doctor. Neither of them were very happy with me. I got blood taken among an number of horrid tests and had this nasty charcoal stuff forced down my throat. It wasn't even flavored like beef or chicken. I had to stay there all day. Daddy stopped in for a talk with the doctor and to calm Mommy down. I don't know why she was soo upset. I was the one stuck in the cage with a needle in my arm with this bag of water handing off it. I got another dose of the charcoal again. Another four letter word.. YUCK.

I didn't see them for a couple of hours. They came back and we were off in the car. We stopped at this place that I got to go in. It didn't smell great. It smelled like fear. I went in with them. We went into what looked like another doctors office. I thought I was going home!! I got so upset I threw up. How embarrassing! Mommy and Daddy talked to the doctor and then handed over my leash to him. I didn't see them again until Monday. During this time, I had forced lots of water through my arm and I was confined to a cage. Prison with torture. I didn't even feel well. My tummy was very sore. The only good thing was the can food I got to eat.

I was so excited to go home with Mommy. However, when I got there .... I had a surprise named Fiona. I will tell you about that at a later time. I will say ... it wasn't the best surprise.

I didn't feel well the next day and I had well... problems with my bowels and Mommy had to go "away" again. She did have the pet sitter come.. but I couldn't hold it a couple of times. I was so ashamed. I ruined the living room rug. Daddy was quite upset when he came home.

I had medication and control issues for two weeks and several more trips to the vet. I am not sure what is to done about this. However, I thought you wanted to know. Hope to see all of you soon.

Your Furry Nephew,

Seamus...

Introducing Lady Fiona... of Brannydoon

In my mind I'm goin' to North 45

As I was putting on the sneakers to go to the gym this morning, Seamus started his dance. He was sooo excited because he thought we were going for a walk. Since it had been about a week given our trip to Florida and the bloody heat, I changed my plans from 45 minutes on the elliptical to an hour walk with Sir Seamus.

It was a good choice. I can go and lift tonight. The fields have been plowed. The smell of morning on a farm. The good smell of freshly cut hay. The absolute quiet and deafening noise of nature. Birds that were large and small. Chickadees, Cardinals, Bluebirds, Robins, Crows, Turkeys ... joined us along our walk. The smile of a happy dog. The greeting from the farm dairy cow and the nod from the Llamas.

But most of all the smell of the fresh cut hay, transported me back to summers romping at our hunting camp on the 45th Parallel through the dairy fields. Making friends with the dairy herd. Torturing frogs in the pond and climbing through the abandon barns that we were suppose to stay out of ... but never did. I was seven years old again. Not a bad way to start the day.

I stopped and breathed in.... I recommend it ... Breathe Relax and Remember.... Have a happy summer day... each one is a gift. Unwrap it, appreciate your time, and impact someone's else day in a positive way. I did. Seamus is in the corner dreaming of the squirrels that he encountered and smiling...

A letter from the Duchess

Dear Mommy and Daddy -

Seamus and I missed you but we had fun with Aunt Leslie spoiling us. However, someone really needs to teach that beast of a dog (Ruger) that I am force not to be reckoned with!

When I am lounging on the sofa, I do not appriciate being sniffed and licked. Oh the horror! I mean really, who knows where that dog's mouth has been. I am sensing Seamus' arse is a good bet. Silly dogs iwth their snifing and licking. Yuck! I'll teach that Ruger a lesson or two. OR perhaps one lesson with five points next time.

Yours Truelly ( yes I spelled that wrong .. I am a cat after all),

The Duchess of Brannydoon.

Full Weekend - Baby pictures

I started the weekend Friday evening on a Spin bike at 5:45 PM. After the instructor,kicked my ass on the bike for an hour, I went home to make a carb heavy dinner to recover from the beating and to prepare for the next morning....
Saturday came very early. Seamus had to go out and there was a spin bike that had been bought and paid for a charity event. I got on the bike at 7:45 AM and then proceeded to have Alan .. the psycho pirate, kick my ass again for 2 hours. The spin a thon a was for a set of conjoined twins in our town. They are adorable but obviously have very special needs and expenses. For those of you that are curious... two legs, four arms, and two heads. They are joined at the chest and attend elementary school. They are really happy. Yes Nancy, we saw them in the Big Y... we weren't seeing things that day.

Anyways, we were raising money to help send them to camp this summer to help them to cope in the future.

I spent the rest of the day trying to move... I treated myself to a pedicure. We went to our favorite little restaurant in Washington Depot, JD Tucker's. They have an updated menu. I tried the Chicken Milanese... LOVELY.

Today, Seamus and I were up again early. I wonder if he will ever decide that sleeping in is a good thing. Annie was great at sleeping in mornings til at least 9 AM.

Speaking of Annie, I then got into the car and drove north of Portland Maine to check out the litter of Golden puppies that we are getting the new addition from. There are 6 little girls. They are all lovely and not a bad dog in the bunch at first view. I know are little girl will be one of the darker pups but they are not dark in terms of being really Irish setter red. More strawberry blonds.

interesting quote - Food for thought today....

After I got on the scale today, which is dangerously located next to an upstairs window.... I read this quote in Paula Deen's autobiography,

" A balanced diet is having a cookie in both hands"

How I spent Mother's Day

Five years ago, we brought home Seamus to be a combo birthday present for Annie and Mother's Day present for me. I was able to help 5 puppies into rescue yesterday. They are the cutest thing! They are Llewllyn Setter and Brittany mixes from Tennessee. The mother was a brittany and well loved. She just found love in the wrong place. Perhaps, there is a relation to Seamus? They will be available on Petfinder.org. Search Brittany babies in New England. Here is a picture from their Bed and Biscuit and spa... on Saturday night!!!

visit http://www.nebrittanyrescue.org/.

Where the heck has Mrs. Branny been?

Well I can apologize again as I did only about 3 posts and 3 months ago but that doesn't make you as a reader any happier. I will attempt to get back in the habit of sharing something fun or insightful daily or at least weekly.

Where have I been? Well the honest answer is a bit down in the dumps since Annie passed away. I think I had a dose of Post Move Depression combine with losing my best friend and little furry girl just pushed me over the edge and away from even people that care. I think ... I hope that I am back in the present looking forward and will be a happy blogger again.

What is going on in my life. Job is going well .. at least I think. I have a couple of deals looking to close and the pipeline is healthy so ... that is enough on that front.

Personally, the second spring here at Brannydoon. I love the pictures I posted below. The sun is out and that really helps my mood. I have joined the gym downtown. I have been successful in making 2-3 spin classes weekly and attending a PiYo and Pilates class twice a week. That helped when I was in Kennesaw... it seems to help here too! Lots of happy people at the gym. I finally got cleats on the spinning shoes to help. I had my best spin class on Friday as a result. I am painfully getting out of bed every day. That has to equate that deep beneath the blubber work on the muscles is being accomplished.

We had a lovely dinner here at Brannydoon on Saturday night with the Vara's. I understand the trip home was a bit foggy and troublesome with directions. I will work on reverse directions! I promise!

Seamus has settled into being an only dog. I am not sure if he is going to stay that was or not. I am doing a transport for a litter of Brit/Setter pups on Sunday. I may deliver my load ...one short!

Mr. B is happy with the gift of lovely weather we have had... Life is good and the bad makes you appreciate the good.

Have a great day everyone.

Spring Photos

With the rain the past two days... I wanted to share with you two pictures I took last week. Spring has come to Brannydoon!!

This is the crabapple tree in the front yard. We are doing our part to help with the bee problem. They have been busy at work with this tree.

My tulips have also come up and didn't become a meal over the winter for rodents or deer. I was quite happy with my purchase at the Christmas Tree Shoppe!

Never Argue with a Woman

One morning the husband returns after several hours of fishing and decides to take a nap. Although not familiar with the lake, the wife decides to take the boat out. She motors out a short distance,anchors, and reads her book.Along comes a Game Warden in his boat. He pulls up alongside the woman and says, "Good morning, Ma'am. What are you doing?''

"Reading a book," she replies, (thinking, 'Isn't that obvious?')

"You're in a Restricted Fishing Area," he informs her.

"I'm sorry, officer, but I'm not fishing. I'm reading'', she retorts.

"Yes, but you have all the equipment. For all I know you could start at any moment. I'll have to take you in and write you up.'', said the officer.

"For reading a book", she replies,"If you do that, I'll have to charge you with Sexual assault," says the woman.

"But I haven't even touched you", says the game warden.

"That's true, but you have all the equipment. For all I know you could start at any moment".
"Have a nice day ma'am," and he left.

MORAL: Never argue with a woman who reads. It's likely she can also think. As well as steal your boat while you are sleeping.


(courtesy of M. Regan)

Are the only people running and elected to office shear idiots?

I have to just comment I am amazed how power hungry people in office are today. It really makes me sick. Do they not learn from example? Do you think that they are MORE likely to get caught than others? Somehow , they forgot they are held to a higher standard because their peers voted for THEM to represent the best of the population... not the worst.

Understandably, to err is human. It is divine to forgive. Okay ... I will accept that... However, there is a line in the Installment of Officers for Rainbow... every elected official and Senior Manager, Military officer, Religious official ... the list goes on.. should have embossed on their brains: (This is not part of the secret work and is said during an open meeting)

" My sister, your Assembly, in its wisdom and judgement, has elevated you to the office of Worthy Advisor, the highest honor it can confer. With this honor, comes responsibilities and duties. These duties should be discharged with your utmost thought, prayer and ability. As your decisions should be characterized by thought and tempered with judgement, so should you life be influenced by kindness and tempered with the fine steel of charity. You should be an example to the members of the Assembly not only in your every day life but in your association with them, and remember THOUGH ELEVATED FOR THE TIME BEING, YOU TO MUST RETURN TO THE RANKS. May God speed you and aid you in your term of office ... " Ritual, Order of Rainbow for Girls rev. 1948 page. 68.

Obviously, the Gov. of New York, former President Clinton, former Gov. Rowland (CT), former Gov. MacGreevey.... and the list goes on haven't gotten the message. Let me be perfectly clear... I would not be on the podium next to these weasels. They put the lives of their wives at risk and their families future. In the most recent scandal, it seems he broke federal laws that he prosecuted others breaking. I can't comprehend the stupidity! I wonder if in Governor residences across the country there are conversations like this:

First Lady: " Bubba, I won't stand beside you. Do you hear me? Can you calculate HALF? I said HALF! That is what you might be lucky to get." "That is IF I decide not to have the State Police shoot your cheatin ass" DO YOU HEAR ME!"

Governor: "Yes, dear"

So, it brings me to ask the question... Why aren't more humble qualified individuals doing the public service we need to keep this country viable? They are too scared and too smart to put their lives under a microscope. Smart individuals say... hmmm... How would my family be impacted by that transgression in my past (doing drugs in college, hiring an illegal to clean the house, getting creative on a tax return)? The answer is they don't. I am amazed at the public analysis at even a local level were public servants are often volunteers and they still are faced with mud from a local reporter. The reporter doesn't like their political decision so they get personal. It happens all the time.

Yes, I think that Gov. Spitzer has no choice but to resign. He made STUPID choices. However, we need to have a re-examination of the our public officials and our public officials need to smarten up on their practices in their everyday life.

off the soap box.

Irony with a dash of Cayenne pepper

Well, Seamus has a disgusting habit. Our vet says it is typical for both Spaniels and dogs that have been on the lamb at some point. It is called "coprophagy". I will let you Google that for a definition.

She suggested an over the counter solution that sometimes has an affect on the grotesque action. I went out and purchased this product called "Deter". Well, Seamus thinks these pills are treats. He can't wait to have them put in his food. They aren't deterring anything! Note to family and friends.... sniff first before excepting a kiss from the dog.

Aren't you glad I started blogging again!

Sorry about the Poor Blogging Behavior

Okay. I apologize. I didn't even bother to be the lazy blogger and re-purpose other's content. So what have I been up to over the winter? I guess perhaps I can blame it on hibernation? Blame it on being busy at work? Depressed over Annie's passing? A little bit of all of the above is probably correct.

January ... I can't even remember what was important and occurred. I did a transport of the cutest Brittany. I upgraded my blackberry and started shopping for a new car.... oh that would make for an excellent series of rants ... I could call it the good the bad and the ugly of car salesmen ship.... Ever notice there is a lack of women in this profession? I think they just can stomacher the greasy sales style of 90% of the dealerships!

February ... Okay... The Giants won... it was a happy day for Mr. B. Whoopie! I went to Atlanta for a long weekend to spend time with great friends. Shopped WAAAYYY too much. I forgot how much fun it is to shop with sales people that actual help. Kristi was making fun of me refusing the sales people's help for awhile. The northern aggression had taken hold of me yet again. There is nothing like a couple of days of sunshine and sweetness to melt the winter doldrums. I recommend a dose of Southern cuisine and hospitality to everyone in New England and especially y'all nasty New Yorkers at least once a year. It goes along with a new word by introduced at work... it is a bit foreign... Breathe...

March is upon us. I just finally upgraded the car. I needed to get AWD again. I feel liberated ... I can now leave the ridge anytime I feel like it. Perhaps this is why I felt compelled to blog again.

Here is to a quick end to old man Winter. I am sure we will have another wing banger of a storm sometime around St. Paddy's day. However, I am looking forward to spring blooms, lilacs and rock gardening again. If those deer don't stop eating my arborvitaes... venison will be on the Barbee this summer.

Granite Staters - VOTE FOR MIKE HUCKABEE

Vote for the Fair Tax - Abolish the IRS and make everyone pay their fair share including illegal aliens.
Vote for the 2nd Amendment - Hunter's rights
Vote for Honor - Mike is an honorable man
Vote for Executive Experience and Coalition building - Gov. of AK understands how to improve a bad economy and keep taxes in check.
Vote for States Rights - Sick of the Federal Government - Huckabee supports states rights
Vote for Humanities - Huckabee supports art, music and drama education!

But by all means ... Just Vote. Otherwise you have no right to comment or complain for the next four years.