Happy trails, contrails, trail mix. Whatever makes you happy.

This is the last official working day of 2006, at least for me. I'll more than likely be in the office this weekend, but I won't count that now, because I may just put everything off until next year. Like most people I have a billion and one things to do before the ball drops at midnight on December 31, 2006. How is it that we have created these imaginary deadlines for ourselves and just about run ourselves into the ground trying to meet them?

Sunrise ~ Placencia, Belize ~ Aaron McGrath

I propose we, as a collective, make 2007 the year of less stress. No, not a new years resolution, just a conscious effort to see things for what they are, take time to sit on the beach without worrying about how horrid the commute home from said beach will be. Make an effort to stamp out our personal road rage and enjoy the hour commute to and from work. It can be a time of solitude and reflection on the prosperity (although it doesn't always seem like prosperity when this type of thing is out there) we have as Americans. It is true, we have so much as Americans compared to most of the world.

Sunrise II ~ Placencia, Belize ~ Aaron McGrath

I guess what I'm trying to describe is a form of Zen. If we could find a buzz word that would bring us back to reality whenever we get wound so tight we forget that life is now. If we would stop for one minute to look out the window at a sunrise that defies description.

Sunrise III ~ Placencia, Belize ~ Aaron McGrath

May your days be merry and bright.

God bless us all in 2007.

XO

Just Read: When Madeleine was Young

Author: Jane Hamilton

Not the type of book I would ordinarily pick up. But, it had good reviews and I was desperate for something very different from my normal genre(s) of what lately has been maritime disaster and old Steven King. Ms. Hamilton won awards (click on the book above) for other books she has written, so I thought I'd give it a shot. Although, interestingly enough, I've had "A Map of the World" on my night stand for years and haven't picked it up to read.

The book is written by a woman in the voice of a man. There were many times in the book that this was obvious, at least it seemed that way to me. The book isn't as much about Madeleine as you would think either. Its more about a boy, who grows up by the end of the book, and how his family lives their lives through the personal trajedies and political upheaval of the VietNam war. I don't really have much to say about this book. I read it and I'll probably forget about it in 6 months. I guess this isn't all that glowing a review.

Oy, that was a boring post, but, there you go. I'm dedicated to writing reviews of the books I've read, however short and boring the post may be.

Oh, that dedication only actually corresponds to books I'm not embarrased to have read. And don't ask why I'd be embarrased by books I've read, but, well, you know, its like admitting to watching some decadent and brainless television, oh something like, Wife Swap or Nanny 911. Not that I've watched those. You know, just seen the commercials. Yeah, that's it, the commercials. I admit, I'm a rubber-necker, these kinds of train wrecks, if I accidentally come across them, draw me in for the sheer freak nature of them. There are actually those people out there and examples of them are on our prime time television for all to see.

I guess if I'm confessing, I'll just get it out, I just also reread Stephen King's "The Talisman". I read it 100 years ago, sounds better to say 100 than the actual number which is a crazy long time ago. Yes, its still a classic King novel. If you've read any King, you know of what I speak. Oh, and also, I finished reading his Gunslinger series, awesome. Yes, I said awesome. You either like King or your don't, but this is really the least King-like thing he ever wrote.

So, can you tell at what point in this post the 16oz latte kicked in?

I've got to go, ya'll have a wonderful new year. See you in 2007.

the long haul ~ edition X

am i too young to have a mid-life crisis?

so, your answer should be, yes, way too young!

oy, what is up with me? i am irritable the minute i get to work. i stay that way most of the day and only after i leave does my mood improve. i've been contemplative for a while now. the new year is coming. do i have the strength, because i really believe that is what it takes, to make a major change? you may be wondering what the big deal about this is. i'm so stable in a good way and i'm so static in not necessarily a good way. its a big deal for me.

i'm ready for this life now.

its just not an option, right now.

so how do you change your personality to fit what you want? how do you uproot yourself when your roots are buried deep and entwined with everything? how do i make the first move? how do i let go of the fact that i think others may be hurt/offended by my choices? how do i care about my own happiness more than the perceived happiness of others?

seriously?

So, New Years Resolutions

... I'm not a New Years resolution kind of gal. They don't usually work out. I prefer to make life altering decisions (for that's what resolutions are usually about) around Thanksgiving. I don't know why, I'm just that way. But, in that light, this year I didn't really make any promises to myself that I may or may not break. I tried the no sugar thing for about 4 days and then decided to give it up.

• Maybe I'll try a 40 day sabbatical from sugar beginning Jan 1.

• In accompaniment to that, I may add a detox/cleanse beginning Jan 2. That will be 7 days (maybe 14), depending on how crazed I am on day 8.

• I have a couple other things I want to return to in my life, going to church on a more regular basis and also Wednesday Bible studies during my lunch hour. I used to do those things weekly and somehow, I got really lazy. I'm really not all that wild about organized religion. For some reason, for wrong or right, I don't mind and actually prefer to be a little anonymous in that venue. I think that may be why I stopped attending regularly, I was starting to meet people and they were starting to ask me to do things with them. I know, I'm an anomoly. But, I do miss the way I feel when I do these things regularly. There is a peace and a calm that enters your life. It can center me like nothing else. I need that.

So, there's the list. I'll need to post that somewhere so I remember what I promised myself.

Oy, so easy to break promises to yourself.

Joyeux Noel

... et une bonne annee.

Back to life, back to reality

Mixed bag of things brought back with me from my trip. The amazing beauty of the people and the place and the atmosphere. The beauty of the land and seascapes. The overwhelming poverty and joy. There's so much I haven't processed as of yet.

Sunrise - something I don't see much being here on the west coast.

Good Morning

Well, I guess I'm back. No, it's good to be back. I was ready to come home when the time came to do just that. The trip was fantastic. Nothing went majorly wrong and we have all our luggage, which is just short of a miracle when you see how many people handle it.

It may take me a few days to get back into the swing of things so, for now, here's a pic of the dive computer on Nick's wrist in the blue hole. 130 feet is the maximum recommended depth for recreational divers unless one has additional training. Nick ended up with a 134 feet max depth and I ended up with a 137. My deepest dive to date. It was amazing and a blur all at once.

Somehow I have to figure out how to step back into reality today. Wish me luck.

Anticipation

I don't photograph well, never have, this includes underwater. So, here are my yellow fins in Curacao. That's as good as it gets. Those fins will again be in the Caribbean very soon. Oh, and me, diving in. Getting a little excited about the trip now.

Ok, so, here I go. XO

Inspiration

My dad's always been my hero. The reasons are many, uncountable even. Here he is in Okinawa.

He always loved to dive. He talked about it like it was one of the best experiences of his life, still does in fact. He had his tanks stored in our basement (probably still does) all my childhood. We'd go look at them, touch them, imagine where Dad had been when he used them last. When my parents got married, my Dad wanted to move to Florida or the Bahamas so he could dive at his leisure. My mother was having none of the hurricane threat, she wanted to live in California. Somehow, they compromised and ended up in a small coastal town in Oregon. I've always wondered what my life would have been had my father gotten his way. I pictured myself as a tanned, lanky beach comber with a carefree attitude that naturally must come with such an environment. I am thankful we didn't end up in gator / hurricane country though. I see the news of hurricanes every year and wonder why those people stay and rebuild just to be hurricaned down again the next year. Anyway...

I know, how does any of that add up? My Dad had heard the diving in Oregon, although cold water, was good diving. Turns out the few times he went, the diving wasn't so great, at least where we lived. That in addition to having three children, a wife and at least one full time job pushed diving to the back seat.

I always sort of revered my Dad as my own personal Jacques Cousteau. He'd been places and seen anomolous things like giant squid. Not many people can say that. Anyway, I finally talked my siblings into getting certified to dive with me and have understood, at least in part, what he felt as he slipped below the surface with air on his back. Floating through the sea, part of the food chain.

So, there you go. I'll be diving in the Caribbean next week at this time. Thanks to my adventurous father.

Giving Thanks

I spent this Thanksgiving being thankful and its running over into this week. I am so fortunate to have a family, to have always had a family. We don't always all get along. We don't always see eye to eye. We don't actually communicate in a real way very often. I think they think I'm the weird one. I prefer to think of myself as the black sheep. It's more mysterious and less hurtful that way. But, I know they'd be there if I was in trouble and I would do anything in my power to help any and all of them out if needed.

I am thankful for my mom.

I am thankful for my dad. I am thankful for my brother and sister.

Do you just love our hair-dos!!

I've got, got, got, got, got no time

Name that tune in 4 notes.

Anyway, work is crazy right now, simultaneously getting ready for Thanksgiving and then Belize are taking up all my minutes. A short hiatus may ensue whether I intend it or not.

Regressing back to my film camera has been a hindrance to the blogging. I like to post pictures and the film camera has its obvious disadvantages. You have to take an entire roll of film before you can develop it. You have to then have it developed and pay for it before the blogging can begin. I am whining, which bugs me. So, here is a pic from two summers ago. We hiked with some friends a trail that was supposed to be like 8 -10 miles. We were looking for this waterfall which was supposed to be a couple miles in. We know about what our average hiking time is and expected to be at this falls at a certain time. Well, we missed the not very clearly marked side trail and just kept on hiking looking for it. At the place we decided to turn around, we figured out we'd hiked about 8 miles already and had to hike back. Not really a big deal normally, except that we hadn't planned for that long of a hike. We all ran out of water on the way back and it was a hot, humid day. Never so glad to see the Jeep in the parking lot. Another wonderful adventure for us. Oh, and on the way back, we found the side trail to the falls (obviously) and marked it clearly with a cairn of rocks for the next hikers.

Petra on the path.

Me and Nick and the falls.

Me and Aaron in the ferns. It could only be us, the other two didn't find the humor in the super sized foliage.

On that note, have a wonderful Thanksgiving and I think I should have time to post at least something next week.

Never Ending Story

We were going camping last Fall. Mr. One would have to stay home for the weekend alone. Now don't worry, he had drop in cat-sitter, Fran, Nick's mom. She'd come over, she lives next door, and talk to him and pet him and feed him and hang out with him. She is allergic to cats.

Mr. One didn't like when the suitcases or the duffle bags came out. He knew it meant time alone, time without his doting mother to coddle and pet and chat at him. While we were out of the room, he settled himself in the dufflebag then began to chatter away, in his usual "Marco! Polo!-esque" way until we 'found' him. He was, first - so flippin' cute and second - surprised by the camera in his face when I returned to find him.

... Maaaaar

coooOOOOOOO ...

... Oh! Hi, there you are.

Yes, I'm very cute, in fact incredibly sweet and innocent.

Oh, yes, and take me with you please. I'm cute, remember!

Miscellany

Ok, so I didn't last my 40 days of no sugar. I did make it past Halloween, but when the Thanksgiving prep baking set in, I lost my resolve. I really love gingerbread. Does that count as sugar? I'm thinking it might, so, even though I'm not big on New Year's resolutions, my 40 days may just start 1/1/07. Now that I make some simple calculations, that will be perfect timing for Nick's birthday and the ever present German Chocolate Cake (GCC). I have to confess, I make a mean GCC. It ends up weighing a ton by the time all the ooey, gooey coconut frosting is spread between three layers of moist, chocolately cakeyness. I'll probably have to make more gingerbread since the first batch made for Thanksgiving didn't last. I told you, I really love gingerbread. I have the BEST recipe. When I snap a pic, I'll share, if anyone is interested.

Oh, and did I say 16 days until I fly away to Belize for relaxation with my best friends. I can't wait to spend 2 weeks hanging with my brother in the sun. I wish we lived closer to each other, he's the most awesome. In fact, he's the bomb of brothers and of just guys in general. I've probably had this pic on here before, but, its just a really good pic.

Well, I guess that's it for today.

Ahhh, Tofutti

I've had vegetarianism on my brain again for about a year now. Its just easier to eat meat when everyone else in your life does. That said, I'm leaning toward my old meatless ways. Fortunately for me, Nick is amenable. And, I've recently been inspired to tackle tofu.

So, check out some new links in the sidebar. I'll be looking for new veg sites with interesting and tasty recipes. Anything I find looking moderately interesting will be noted there. If you know of any great (or even mediocre) sites, I'd appreciate the nudge. And if you have a veg recipe you love, let me know about that too.

Here's another site I found yesterday. Post Punk Kitchen. This is the recipe index. The home page just had too much info for me.

That's all folks, well, for today.

The One and only

Everyone has been amazingly supportive.

Thank you.

In loving memory

One

February 1989 - October 2006

Depth

I actually got out my camera equipment, if you can call it that, and commandeered my tripod from Nick. Now all the 'stuff' is laying in a pile in the hall between the spare bed and bathroom. Its a start. At least its there where I can see it and eventually it will bug me enough that I'll take care of it. After I take care of all the other things that require my attention. I've said it before and will say it again, I don't know how people with children get things done. No kids, still don't have everything done. So, these were taken with the dig out of convenience or laziness, you pick.

After watching Born into Brothels, I realized, or re-realized, that depth of field is so important and what makes many photographs so interesting. Hence, the importance of it, duh. Anyway, I took these pics working on depth. I'm looking foward to getting better with time and more pics.

I took these two focusing on the leaf imprints on Frans' Prelude. The car is this wonderful yellow and the leaves left very detailed images behind. After I started looking, there are some really great reflections of the fall trees and the house.

That's Monday.

Just Watched: Born into Brothels

I just watched an amazing documentary. Born into Brothels.

I'm a Netflix advocate, just ask anyone, I don't know what I did without it. Well, I know what I did, I wandered around the video store with the other wanderers looking for something interesting that was in stock, paid too much money for the videos on the occassions they had what I wanted and then either made late night runs to the video store returning movies just before the clock struck midnight and the late fees kicked in or just paid lots of late fees. See, I can go on and on, but I digress.

Once in awhile, I'll search through the Netflix archives (tons of movies, tons). Somehow, I came across this Oscar winning film Born into Brothels by Ross Kaufman and Zana Briski. I had it sitting around the house for a month (no late fees with Netflix) before I decided I should give it at least a chance. I really didn't think I'd care for it, but wanted to at least check out a few minutes so I'd know for sure. I couldn't stop watching this amazing film. A group of children in the red light district of Calcutta are given cameras and instruction. I was amazed at some of the photos these children took.

This is one of my favorites at the moment. Ok, so I had to put more than one here because, I think they are amazing.

Click for more amazing photographs in the children's gallery. Suchitra, 14 "Girl on a Roof"Gicleé print

Avijit, 11 "Bucket"Gicleé print

I am fascinated by photography so that may be why I liked it so much. There's also the story of this woman who is an outsider who is trying to make the smallest difference in the world by helping this group of children into schools so they have some kind of future outside of prostitutes and pimps. So, this is their story. A tiny glimpse into another world.

CA ~ I thought of you given your field of work. I think this is something you'd like.

Wow. I am a changed person.

The Digital Age

I was a staunch film camera gal for so very long. I have lenses and cleaners and carrying cases. No professional, but a healthy investment for a single gal on a budget. Wait for paycheck, pay bills, wait for next paycheck. It never stretches quite like I think it should. Digression happening...

So, Nick got a digital camera and I was won over to the dark side of snapping away with reckless abandon without worry of running out of film. No need to remember to take the film to the developer person who charges an arm and a leg for the processing. No need to remember to pick them up. No need to save up the small fortune it will take to pick them up. Just plug in the camera to the cord that connects to the computer and digitization commences. Amazing really if you think about where we were a mere 10 years ago.

That said, I'm leaning back toward my old standby camera. I don't have the patience to learn how to use the fancy digital and all its fabulous functions (maybe I should just do that in my spare time -- seriously, I should since I just wrote the above, I'm realizing its probably way less expensive to just do some learnin' rather than reverting back to archaic habits). Anyway, I'm pretty sure I'm going to pull out my now dusty SLR camera and see if I can't make it do what I want once again. I miss the macro ability and the ability to focus on what I want to focus on rather than what the camera thinks I'm focusing on (very frustrating). Its a function I have actually tried to master on the digital and, like home made bread dough, have had much difficulty with. So, there you go. My thoughts on that. I hope to have more exciting and beautiful, even if only to me, photos for this here blog o' mine.

We'll see, digital is just so convenient.

See what I mean... I can just snap away and the next thing I have exciting pictures of my office 'junk' drawer for this blog. Lucky you!

A huge box of building keys lovely, salt shaker, pepper grinder because freshly ground pepper can't be imitated, drugs for those days when only drugs will do, lint roller for all my sheddings, uncrystallized ginger for snacking but not this month, instant oatmeal in case I am starving, car keys for the end of the day get away, sunglasses ~ I am an optimist, scrap of pink wrapping paper from the last nieces birthday gift I wrapped at work, USB camera cord and misc papers and other junk.

the long haul ~ edition IX

last year at about this time, i went something like 50 days without sugar. that included halloween, thanksgiving and Christmas. for some people this may not seem like much of an accomplishment, but for me, it was pretty hard. at least the first couple weeks were difficult. after that, i had a base to work from and it became easier every day.

i've been thinking i need to do this lately, but haven't been all that motivated. slight depression will rob the best of my motivation. the big bowl of left over halloween candy brought in to the office this morning was the catalyst i needed for my no sugar month.

i decided, november 1 was a perfect starting point. to me this means no cake, candy, pie or icecream. it also means no flavored syrup in my coffee, unless its sugar free and since i don't do sugar substitutes (they can and will kill you) . (an aside/digression, whatever you wish to call it. i started researching sugar substitutes when i found out my dad has parkinson's disease. he also has diabetes which means he drinks diet soda when he drinks soda and my parents use sugar substitutes a lot. parkinson's isn't completely understood, but i decided that if that if it was, in fact, hereditary, i didn't want it. hence no sugar substitutes. there's tons of info on this topic on-line and in magazines and i am sure tongs of other places too. without trying to ride this high-horse too far, parkingon's isnt' the only reason to stay away from sugar substituted products. do a little looking around and you'll be frightened, well, i was. adn yea, i know i've heard this in the internet myth too. who knows, who really knows. i believe neither the fda nor the government at large would give us a straight answer if that's the only answer they had to give us. i'm not a conspiracy theorist, but i also don't believe we are ever given the whole truth. in part because they don't know it themselves.)

anyway, this means no flavored coffee. that's ok. i drink soy when I do latte's and it has a slight nutty flavor to me which is appealing all on its own. ok, so my first slip up, which really wasn't a slip up since i decided to do this no sugar thing after i drank my coffee people latte this morning, was the vanilla flavored syrup in said latte. i'll not beat myself up over this due to timing. i'll need to figure out exactly what no sugar means to me. does this inlcude things such as jam, syrup or the zone bars i eat at 3:00 to get me through to dinner. i also just bought some trader joes "uncrystallized" ginger which i'll keep air tight or just give away. life goes on.

wish me luck. i may/will need it.

Don't get scared or turned off just because it says vegan

Fat Free Vegan Kitchen

*******

A new site I came across because I was looking for a dairy free pumpin pie recipe, what with the holidays coming up and all. I haven't had a piece of pumpkin pie for so very long. The dairy kills. Anyway, I came across, was recommended to, this site and WOW! So many recipes that look amazing, whether you are vegan or not, so worth checking out. I plan to try many of the recipes, again, in my spare time and will report of the outcome. The photography is great too. This woman has a kitchen that must be amazing and stocked with so many wonderful ingredients and gadgets. She has way too much time on her hands if you ask me. I only say that because I would love to have that kind of time and money and creativity.

So, check it out, even if you are carnivorous. I'm sure a lot of the recipes are side dishes or desserts that could be paired with a nice steak, or whatever. It's worth a look see.

Trick or Treat... smell my feet... give me something good to eat...

---

This is the most festivity I can muster today.

Happy Halloween.

---

More Fall Color

---

Callas are one of my favorite flowers. These are a wonderful fall orange. The leaves have white specks which sort of act like little opaque skylites. You can sort of see it in the third pic, which, I have to give credit to Mister for taking.

---

Vegan Apple and Cranberry Crisp

Thanks to EarthBalance this once buttery recipe turned vegan was amazing. Apples in my parent's orchard and some cranberries I found in my freezer from last year. Whole cranberries are amazing. Freeze them and they will last, depending on your freezer I guess, a couple years. Boil these two together with some sugar, Grand Marnier, cinnamon and allspice, cover it with crumbly wonderful EarthBalance, brown sugar and oatmeal. Oy! The perfect cool weather dessert. Nick, who would rather everything be covered in chocolate, actually really liked it. We topped it with Soy Dream vanilla and it was super yummy.

You might be surprised how difficult it is to photograph still life. The pictures just didn't do it justice. The cranberries made it very pretty. And when I think back to the way the house smelled while it was baking and after it came out of the oven.... mmm. Cinnamony, brown sugary, appley and toasty, warm goodness. Hungry yet?

Signs of Autumn

Autumn in the great northwest is amazing. The days are bright and sunny, cool enough to need a light jacket, crisp enough to make your cheeks pink and your nose run. The air starts to feel a little cleaner and the wind will whip up and blow the fallen leaves in a rustle making a sound only dry leaves on the Autumn air can. These last days of October 2006 are here and soon to be behind us. Last weekend was incredibly beautiful, a perfect example of the wonder I relish so much.

Nick's mom's clay pots drying out on her deck seemed at once lonely and peaceful.

These are the last of the peppers on the vine, some vine maple leaves starting their turn from summer green to yellow and oranges. The photos don't do justice to how wonderful everything looks and smells and feels this time of year. I should take some photography classes.

A date with death

Seems very strange to make a phone call for death.

Me:   dialing phone ring...ring...

Vet: Dr. McNeill

Me: Hi, Dr. McNeill. This is Lucy, my cat is One, the 17 year old orange tabby with the liver failure. Vet: Hi. How's the little stud doing? Me: Well, I think he's ready to be.... I think that I need to.......

he's, well, you know, not doing so well.....and, you know,

well, it might be Time.

You know I can't imagine how that phone call will go. What words will I actually be able to make come from my mouth? I need to make that call this afternoon. I'm still in denial about it. I will be to the bitter end. How do I tell someone I would like them to come to my home and end the life of the sweet little orange hairy love of my life. Granted, his quality of life has gone down the toilet. (I'll need reminded of that.) I know he's had a wonderful life with me. I have the scars to prove it. No, really, I have scars. He was a monster (but a lovable one) during his day. I'll actually carry him with me forever, through the scars.

Nectar

Its really the only thing keeping me going right now.

Beauty is but fleeting

Beatiful things, friends and memories can all wilt, wither and fade. Its just a matter of time and timing. My mantra this year has been enjoy life now there really isn't a second chance to do this life over. Depending on your beliefs you may have another lifetime(s) to live again, but this life, this time, this here and now are the only time we'll have to live it. Life isn't like PlayStation (or whatever the game system of the day is). There is no reset button. Live, love, enjoy, take time to help others, make someones day with a smile. Sometimes that's all it takes.

Stuck in a rut...

Its easy to get stuck in a rut. Haven't we all been there? I feel it necessary to talk about ruts this morning, because the little, orange, hairy, love of my life, my 17+ year companion is not feeling very well. I will be leaving this here space in an hour or so to take him to the vet to find out what can be done. More on that later, can't quite deal with it.

Anyway...this is the view from my desk toward the office. The world as seen by me umpteen hours of each weekday and occassionally a weekend too. Not really that exciting. You can see the b/w pics of my beautiful nieces. They keep me company all day and my scanner and, well, actually, not too many piles of work this morning. I'm in before 7:00 each morning, as a general rule. Quiet time to #1 blog a little and #2 get some things done that require my full attention. As you can see, the desk next to me is quite close. My bookkeeper sits there. We don't have a part-time person right now. Just can't quite get myself to try and replace the perfect girl we had in that position last. She decided to use her masters degree and go on to real life rather than hanging out with me filing and running errands. I have to get my own Coffee People ;-)

View from my desk

I digress (and pretty well I might add). This next view is from my desk out the window or through the door onto the deck and over the river...to somewhere equally as interesting I am certain. There's my printer (woohoo) and more piles of work and well, thats about it. The picture quality isn't that great. I've discovered that the panarama function on the camera is sort of fun to play with. The problem arises in that I don't feel like taking the time to really figure it out right now, so I sort of cut and paste and don't care that the perspective is off. We'll just call it "arty" for now.

View toward the world

Well, here's the last pana for today. View toward my desk. Its a kind of still life representation of my world. I sit and work and blog occassionally and rule with tyranny (just kidding).

View toward my desk.

That's my rut for now. Well two of them, my office life, yeehaw and I'm stuck in panarama mode. So, excellent weekends to all. Go do something new and exciting or new and boring or old and exciting, but don't do the same old thing. Live life now. It can't and won't wait for us.

xo

Ack!

Blog layout troubles. Bear with me. This black background is not exactly what I was going for, but, its growing on me. Crap!

Switch

Ok Ms. A. You've got to switch to Beta so I can comment on your Blog. Everybody's doing it. I'll be your friend. No pressure.

Ms. A: Comment ~ You look great! But, I understand so, much luck to you. Not that you'll need it :-) Hope all is fantastic. How's Fall in Phoenix? w/b f/f (heehee)