Lucky Seven Snowflake ** * * *** * **** * * **

Back after a break!

2009-09-22T19:14:00.005-04:00

OK -- so it's been TWO months since I last updated and wowee what changes! Samantha now:

* has 2 bottom teeth

* crawls all over the place

* pulls herself up on everything she can reach

* cruises along

* climbs stairs

* loves her puffs

* loves cupcakes more!

* sleeps through the night

* makes us smile every day!

Naps aren't really much of the above highlights (hence the lack of time for doing things like blog updates!) but if that's the trade-off, I'm good with it!

Very Busy Lady!

2009-07-28T21:58:00.005-04:00

We're crawling. We're painting. We're playing with our big plastic house!

Cruising on the Party Barge!

2009-07-28T21:40:00.006-04:00

This weekend we headed up to Papa Joe's to take a ride on the boat -- we'd bought this snazzy life jacket ages ago, but thanks to the crummy summer weather, we haven't had much of a chance to use it! When we did finally get her in it and on the boat, she fell asleep about 5 minutes into the ride!

Love this girl!

2009-07-08T20:11:00.001-04:00

Enough said!

First Swim!

2009-07-05T18:51:00.005-04:00

Celebrating the 4th of July, we went over to Tarah's parents' place in Acton after a fun time at the Sussmans. The pool was heated to a glorious temperature and we took advantage of it -- Samantha's first time in water besides the tub! She had a great time kicking and splashing... :)

My First Balloon!

2009-06-27T20:01:00.001-04:00

Today we visited Nana at Ashburnham's "Downtown Days." Samantha had her first experience with a balloon and had a good time trying to hold it!
Click here for a short video...!

The Clean Green Machine

2009-06-15T20:41:00.004-04:00

All of a sudden, Samantha has become a huge fan of the tub! She's always been perfectly happy in there -- never cried once -- but now she likes to play with her toys in the water and splash around!

Getting close!

2009-06-15T08:37:00.003-04:00

Samantha is getting the crawling motions down -- butt in the air and lots of rocking back and forth. Of course, who wouldn't want to move forward when the prize is Tankee!

Fun with Tankee

2009-06-15T08:25:00.001-04:00

Faster than a Speeding Bullet!

2009-06-10T21:40:00.001-04:00

First Date

2009-06-10T21:31:00.005-04:00

Last week we headed over to Brooke's -- the kids had a chance to hang & play while the moms got caught up on our crap TV! Jack is just one month older than Samantha and all smiles!

We want food! We want food!

2009-06-10T21:21:00.004-04:00

Samantha LOVES her baby food and loves to bang stuff on her tray! Here she sampled carrots (I think that's what it was based on the color of her mouth and bib!) and let me know she wanted more more more!

Hooray for Groton!

2009-05-25T19:11:00.005-04:00

After lots of hard work getting our Westford house ready to sell, a bazillion showings, and four buyers, we're so happy to be in our new home. The dogs have settled right in, and Samantha has a proper room that's turned out pretty cute. The enormous jetted bathtub is a true highlight, as is the black and white checkerboard floor in the kitchen that I've dreamed about for years! Here's to many happy memories!

I'm forever blowing bubbles

2009-05-17T20:04:00.002-04:00

This video was actually taken about 2 weeks ago, but I never got around to posting it...!

Firsts!

2009-05-17T19:51:00.005-04:00

It's been a crazy few weeks, but we're finally in the new house and amazingly almost totally unpacked. OK, maybe not *totally* but pretty close! While computer time is at a premium these days, I did want to get these "firsts" up on the blog because today was a day of not one but two new things -- oatmeal and the jumparoo!We've been feeding Samantha the rice cereal for several weeks now, and it's time to start adding some new foodstuffs to the mix. I think she really liked the oatmeal -- she gobbled it right up. The funny part about her and food is that she doesn't realize that it's not a "continual stream" like you'd have with the bottle. She gets very mad if the spoon does not reappear, like instantly!

The second "first" was the Jumparoo that Steve & Co. gave her for Christmas. We set it up in the doorway between the kitchen and dining room and she was happy bouncing and twirling around. (It's also quite nice for us to have another activity option!)

First Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T20:59:00.002-04:00

Not much time to update the blog due to the big move happening this week, but I had to share the super cute magnet Samantha made for me at daycare on Thursday! I know she worked very hard on it and it's the best gift ever! After letting me sleep in a bit today, Gary and I did a ton more packing and cleaning and then took the entire clan for a walk at the EBC. Poor Ronnie petered out about 1/2 way into the walk, so it turned into a rather long 1 MPH stroll, but it was a gorgeous day nonetheless!

Baby Beethoven

2009-05-03T09:31:00.003-04:00

Last week at daycare, one of the ladies set Samantha up with a mini piano and she really seemed to like it, so we picked one up this week and she's been doing lots of composing!

Horse show!

2009-05-02T18:06:00.003-04:00

While Samantha has been to the barn and around horses plenty, this was her first time at a show. We got to see lots of friends from VS (RIP!!) and had a great time watching the kids (and Frank in the instructors' class.)
Here's Frank warming up Fred, the horse with the crazy eye. And here he made fun of Oliver's looks!
Kayla checks out the course with Willow.

Brittany on her enormous mount -- correct "deeeeeagonals" and all!
Of course nothing could be cuter than little Jacob (even if he didn't want to finish his class!)

Fun with foodstuffs!

2009-04-26T07:40:00.007-04:00

We've experimented with a bit if rice cereal maybe twice, but after Friday's check-up, it's full steam ahead for introducing foods! Here Samantha takes what is her first official "serving" of big girl food.
I am happy to report that subsequent feedings were met with great enthusiasm and the actual swallowing of cereal!

Visit with Cathy

2009-04-26T07:29:00.003-04:00

Last weekend Cathy drove out to visit and we had a great time hanging out. A children's librarian, Cathy certainly brought some reading magic with her as Samantha has suddenly gone crazy for books!

School photos

2009-04-21T20:41:00.010-04:00

A few weeks ago, the photographers descended upon daycare to take photos of the little ones. I nearly died when I got the proofs from Samantha's first "school picture" day. While she may not be exactly smiling in any of these, the expressive eyebrows are enough to do me in! Here are a few of what we got:

This last one with the flower bouquet prop cracks me up. Like, "Here, let's toss some flowers on her lap!" Of course I'll be placing an order -- how can I not?!!

Hold your horses!!

2009-04-18T12:53:00.004-04:00

Today Samantha and I met up with Marie (the woman who has been leasing Oliver for the past year) for a walk in the woods. After the ride, I gave Samantha a little taste of bareback riding while Ollie was on the cross ties. I think she's a natural! (fyi, while it may look like you can see his ribs in this photo, it's just the imprint of the saddle pad after riding. trust me -- the boy is plenty plump!)
When we got home, I figured it was time to practice on our ponies. Giddyup!

Up-n-over, one day shy of 18 weeks

2009-04-16T22:29:00.006-04:00

While Samantha has rolled over a few times here and there, today was the first time she really hit it... again and again and again! I especially like the pre-roll "thump" she gives with her legs. (BTW, this video is a little dark since we were *trying* to take a nap...!)

Bathing beauty!

2009-04-15T16:23:00.003-04:00

While I'm still on the hunt for the perfect baby bikini, today's photoshoot features her first cute one-piece. Can't wait to hit the beach!

Coo coo crazy!

2009-04-15T14:26:00.002-04:00

BFF

2009-04-15T14:14:00.007-04:00

Tankee LOVES Samantha and she's really starting to interact with him, laughing and smiling at his big giant head. Today they spent some time hanging out in the yard enjoying the sunshine.

Let me tell you a story....

2009-04-14T21:03:00.002-04:00

Oh the stories, they keep on coming!

A perfect moment....

2009-04-14T21:00:00.002-04:00

Hardy har har!!!

2009-04-13T20:36:00.003-04:00

For a good laugh, click below!

Love them crazy chickens

2009-04-12T18:42:00.003-04:00

Since I couldn't get the video of Saucy Girl to upload directly to the blog, so here it is via YouTube. She LOVES the chickens. Very focused on the chickens!

Samantha had a little lamb, little lamb, little lamb...!

2009-04-12T18:36:00.007-04:00

It's a good thing the dogs didn't scare the Easter Bunny away today since it was Samantha's first! She LOVED the crinkly plastic wrapping around the basket and seemed to enjoy her little lamb as well as the bunny from Nana. Of course no photo opportunity would be complete without Tankee barging into the scene. After all, like the lamb, his fleece is white as snow!

Saucy!

2009-04-06T16:56:00.004-04:00

Samantha has really taken to her exersaucer that Auntie Laura and Grandpa gave her -- she LOVES the chickens! It's so nice to have another activity for her to do -- the mat with the dangly stuff is fun and all, but a big girl's gotta get vertical these days!

I tried uploading a video of her bouncing and saucering but blogger.com is having none of it. hrmpf

The blog is back!

2009-04-05T10:38:00.007-04:00

After spending a year in hibernation, the blog is back! Of course, our life has been anything but a dormant state since the last post! In fact, it was just this time last year (April 16, if my memory serves correctly) that we found out we were pregnant, and now here we are with our beautiful Samantha! She hit the 16 week mark this past Friday and if I don't get my act together documenting what's doing, I'm going to regret it. So thank you, Shauna, Charline and Shelby, for getting me back on the blog. I can only imagine how different things will be a year from now!

(*this photo isn't officially a 4-month photo -- I think it was a 3-monther...)

Birthday boy!

2008-03-04T20:19:00.009-05:00

Happy birthday Oliver! Today is his 12th birthday! I know, I know, last year I had a party for him with a carrot cake and everything, but this year was just too crazy with us having to be out of the house with the floors getting redone, and Gary in Israel and all... But I did stop by today and gave him and his buddies some snacks. I would have made him wear a party hat for the occasion, but I learned from past experiences that he's not a fan of costumes.

When I arrived at the barn, Chris had left this nice sign for all to read.
Here's Pilot, his BFF.

And here's Katie, the little pony. Note how Oliver's ears are pinned back in a nasty, squirrley face as I was handing out the apples and carrots. I know he was thinking he shouldn't have to share on his special day.
Happy birthday, Tootsie!

Toot toot!

2008-02-12T18:23:00.000-05:00

Toot toot -- that's me and my horn....! At long last I've found a way to bring together my writing and animals. I'll be writing for the Boston-version of "Tails" magazine (Beantown Tails to be exact.) It's not financially huge so that I can quit anything else, but it should be a great experience and a monthly gig. I'll be responsible for reporting on all the Boston events and news. Yay pets!

Fun stuff

2008-02-06T15:54:00.000-05:00

Here's my latest fun find. It's a little collage maker thru google that's terribly addictive. Click here and enter in any keyword: basset, cupcake, banana, daisy... whatever you want -- and then hit "create montage." It will give you a nifty tiled screen of all sorts of images based on your keyword. (It's actually easier to do than to explain it.) So try it. It's a good fiddly fart thing to do when you're on the phone, when you're procrastinating... when you just want to look at a whole bunch of images of cupcakes artfully displayed.....

Oh oh.

2008-02-06T15:30:00.000-05:00

Tankee Wankee took a diving leap off the couch and onto my keyboa d last night. I didn't ealize the e was damage until this mo ning when i found a little " " on the ug. I spent 2 hou s t ying to fix it and alas, I think it's done for. Needless to say it's a challenge without the " ", especially when you' e a write . UGH! Makes things inte esting at least.
Translation:
Tankee Wankee took a diving leap off the couch and onto my keyboard last night. I didn't realize there was damage until this morning when i found a little "R" on the rug. I spent 2 hours trying to fix it and alas, I think it's done for. Needless to say it's a challenge without the R, especially when you're a writer. UGH! Makes things interesting at least.

Frosty the Wisconsin Snowman

2008-01-27T09:09:00.000-05:00

This Christmas I sent a big box of gifts out to the Wisconsin crew. Inside was a jokey little thing -- a snowman making kit. I wasn't sure if they'd ever put it to use but seeing as they have so much snow, I figured the fake carrot nose and the felt hat could come in handy. Well, who knew it would be such a hit!
Here, Marley (l) and Dane (r) and a helping friend pose with their jolly friend.

And alas, it was only a matter of time before a warm front came through... !

Updates and whatnot

2008-01-21T17:55:00.000-05:00

So the arm is healing up nicely and the stitches come out on Thursday if all goes well. I would be happy to share pictures, tho I don't think it's something most of you want to see. It's really a bit gruesome and a much larger incision than I had thought it would be. The biggest hassle has been the stupid sling that totally threw off my back and neck. It's one thing to have a bum arm, but then to have a tweaked neck and shoulder on the opposite side on top of it all... ugh! I'm still out of commission when it comes to riding, and I'm not supposed to be doing much typing, which is a bit of a problem given my profession...!

Speaking of profession, I had a meeting up at the paper today and there may be some new projects ahead for me, so that would be exciting. Fingers crossed, please! I also finished up a big copywriting job for BBD and StrideRite, which has been a lot of fun. Life has been so much more enjoyable now that my scheduled has lightened up with CA. I'd forgotten what it was like to have a weekend. It was a long wait but well worth it.

Sluggies goes to his new home

2008-01-21T17:44:00.000-05:00

On Saturday, our Sluggies headed back up to Vermont to live with his new family. We had him for a month and what an amazing turn-around we witnessed. He went from a dog that wouldn't do anything but sleep in his crate, to one who truly discovered what it meant to be a pet, playing with toys, sitting on laps and just appreciating human attention and company. He also went from a dog that we didn't want to pet because his coat was so gross and smelly, to one that we loved having around (and those of you who are in the know, the white hair is softest!!) Anyhow, he's one of those dogs that reminds me why we foster. He really needed us and we got him to the point where he was ready to go to a new home. I heard from his new family today that he's doing great and they're loving him lots. We miss you Sluggies!!

Fun at the hospital!

2008-01-15T17:57:00.000-05:00

You know you're a wreck when the nurses in the pre-op department "remember you from last time!" Anyhow, I won't go into all the details but basically I had this elbow surgery thing yesterday that will (hopefully) stop the fireworks of "falling alseep" fingers in my arm. It's like a carpal tunnel thing but was most likely pushed into high gear after my riding accident and its related surgeries. Anyhow, we braved the storm yesterday and got this taken care of.

Here you can see where X marks the spot.

And here, after lots and lots of drugs and some graham crackers, I'm ready to go in my "bulky dressing" as my surgeon calls it. All I can think of is creamy dressing... ranch dressing... thousand island dressing.... ok. i'm not supposed to be typing. so there you have it!

PBR!!

2008-01-13T09:27:00.000-05:00

Last night Gary and I donned our cowboy boots and headed to the DCU center for some professional bull riding!

I was truly in my element. Not that I want to ride bulls, but I think I should be living in the west with lots of hosses. I loved the craziness of this sport and of course it was a great for people watching. We had seats in the 3rd row, which was a treat. Thankfully no one -- guys or bulls -- were hurt during the event.

I loved watching the horse, of course.

Spotted!

2008-01-13T09:15:00.001-05:00

Who would have guessed that the cashier lady at my Dunkin/Exxon would recognize me from my running photo in the newspaper! This morning when I was buying some milk she says, "Hey - you're in the newspaper! I see your photo in there all the time!" I'm sure the paparazzi will be outside our door in no time. Between me and Tankee, we're quite the household!

Tank's filming at WGBH

2008-01-05T15:01:00.000-05:00

Today was Tankee's big day at WGBH, shooting some footage during the auditions for the next season of PBS's Fetch!, the show that Riot had starred in. I was super nervous that he would be a bit of a wild man, but he really pulled through and was a total ham! Everyone loved him.

They had him wear a cute little t-shirt from the show, which fit perfectly (once we cut the sleeves and bottom off.)
We filmed some scenes of him pulling a wagon and running down the hallway. (He'll do anything for hotdogs!) We had to sneak him in the building but once we got him there, we had him sit while the kids (about 200 of the expected 2000 that would come thru during the day) were waiting in line for their auditions. He was great. Just sat there with his big face.
Here, he sits while the kids say hello to him.
While I was in line with my treats one little girl said, "Oh, is that the new Murray?" (For those of you who don't know, "Murray" was Riot's name on the show.) So I had to explain that yes, this was the new Murray, because Murray is no longer with us... :( But I told her that his 'brother' was taking his place in the show and his name is Tank! I think it's great that they're going to keep his name on the show. All in all it was a great day and I'm very proud of my star!

Tur...duck...

2008-01-05T14:35:00.000-05:00

....EN! Yes, it's a turducken! Dena and Frank (above) invited us over last night for dinner and to enjoy a turducken. Now, I don't eat duck but I figured that since it wasn't a turVENISONen or anything scary that Frank might shoot in the woods then I'd be ok with it. Well, let's just say it was quite tasty! The stuffing was spicy and the trio of meats was yummy. I had pictured a giant carcass thing, but so you know, the whole contraption is quite small as you can see here. Here, Gary is pretending to be a wild 20-something (like our hosts!) by shooting some Crown Royal down his trap as a turducken appetizer. After dinner we played Cranium, which is always a good laugh. Horray for the girls who won (even if it was by the slimmest of margins...!)

Wow Wii

2008-01-01T20:34:00.001-05:00

Yes, the Wii was Gary's Christmas present, but I have to say that I'm getting awfully attached to that silly game. It got to the point today where I had to stop because my "firing thumb" was spasming so bad I couldn't peoperly control my Mii (that is, my Wii avatar.) I guess it's a good thing that it's back to work tomorrow. Then again, my new schedule kicks in tomorrow and I'm only in the office on Wednesdays and Fridays... (maybe there are some strengthening exercises I can do....)

Yee haw!

2008-01-01T20:28:00.000-05:00

Next weekend Gary and I are heading to the DCU center for PBR. Yes, that's right, professional bull riding! After attending my first rodeo in Colorado this summer, I'm itching to see some more of this bad ass action. And I need a good excuse to wear my cowboy boots.

Say Hi to Sluggies

2007-12-30T19:39:00.000-05:00

After Uncle George the one-eyed basset left to live at Karen's, we brought in our latest foster, Sluggo! He came from some sort of animal hoarder situation and was in rough shape but with a good diet and a warm bed, he's doing great. He's quite possibly the ugliest, "junkyard dog" I've ever seen, but in a sweet, bulldog way. Good news is that he may already have a home pending. I'm glad for him. (Look at those teeth!)

Hit the slopes

2007-12-21T20:30:00.000-05:00

Here's my on skis a few years ago.

Here's me again, taking advantage of this week's crazy snow! Surprisingly enough, even though I hadn't skied in a decade, I did quite well. (And I also have to note that I posed like this especially for this photo comparison!) It's amazing how much better the entire experience is when you're appropriately bundled in the right, warm gear! We had fun. Gary, zoomed around on his snowboard. He wiped out once and I missed it was my camera. Dammit!

My pony friend

2007-12-15T17:04:00.000-05:00

While I usually meet my equine pals at barns, I met Butterscotch, a FurReal Friend at WalMart last weekend. If this pony was available 30 years ago, I'm sure she would have been at the top of my Christmas list...!

With Butterscotch, your girl will feel like she is interacting with a living, breathing pony. Butterscotch is soft to the touch, with a fur coat and mane that feel just like a real pony. Her markings and color are modeled after a Shetland pony. Butterscotch also has built-in sensors all over her body, which enable her to respond to children in amazingly lifelike ways. If talked to, she will cock her head toward the speaker quizzically and blink her eyes.She will also react to petting, showing her enjoyment by rubbing her head against your child, twitching her ears, and swishing her tail. In addition to her convincing movements, Butterscotch also makes a medley of different sounds. She'll neigh and whinny just like a real pony, and snort when she wants attention. Should the room become dark, she will begin to whimper, letting her owner know that she needs a consoling hug to know that she is safe.

Saddle Up!
At over three feet tall, Butterscotch is more than strong enough to support a rider up to 80 pounds in weight. Your little girl will be overjoyed to sit on Butterscotch's back and pretend to go for a ride. Although she doesn't move her legs, Butterscotch will bump up and down when her hindquarters are tapped, simulating the feeling of a real pony ride. She will also make clomping sounds with her hooves while riding. Your child's imagination will soar as she pictures herself out on the plains with Butterscotch.

Caring for Butterscotch
Much like a real pony, Butterscotch loves to be groomed and fed. Children will keep very busy taking care of her. When given her special carrot, Butterscotch will chomp and munch on it. She also enjoys having her mane groomed with her brush. Along with her brush and carrot, Butterscotch comes with a special adoption certificate, which will give your little girl a real sense that Butterscotch belongs exclusively to her.

A new star is born!

2007-12-11T16:09:00.000-05:00

Following in his big "brother's" footsteps, Tankee has been invited by PBS to appear in the upcoming season of Fetch! The creators have decided that Riot (aka Murray) is on hiatus, likely shooting Antiques Roadshow or something similar, and Tank has been summoned by the temp agency. We have a lot of work to do to get Tankee Wankee in trainable form by January 5, but I'm sure with lots of hot dogs, we can get the job done. I'm thrilled that the legacy of stardom will live on!

Metal no more!

2007-12-10T21:39:00.000-05:00

Obviously this is not my jaw, but many people have asked what exactly my jaw surgery was all about. The procedure, which I had done in the spring of '04, involved a removal of a section of bone along the line where you see the plates and screws in this image. I won't go into the details but let's just say that the reason why I had so much hardware is because they had to basically saw off my jaw, remove a portion and put it back together. Thank goodness I never let myself view any images or videos online prior to the procedure! I actually had double the amount of hardware (4 plates, 16 screws) than this fine model has, but you get the idea. I had the left hand side of the screws and plates out a year ago and the right side out today. SO glad it's done. And no hardware left in my wrist or my jaw (but I have a big collection of metal now!) The nurse said to me that when I was going under anesthesia I said, "You know, I don't know if I trust you guys with all this slicing and dicing!" ha ha

Uncle George

2007-12-10T21:26:00.000-05:00

After the ride, and after the Hanukkah celebration, it was off to Worcester to pick up my newest foster, Uncle George. Poor Uncle George must have had a tough life, as he lived outside, suffered from heartworm, and somewhere along the line lost an eye. But what a sweet dog he is! He is extremely skinny and I can see every rib, but he's a great eater and I'm sure we'll fatten him up in no time. He also came on the transport (another 20-leg journey from Tennessee) with a very cute blue sweater to help him brave the elements. He's a vey good boy with the most wrinkly legs -- like bunchy old lady nylons! Love Uncle George!

On another note, Artie went to his new home on Thursday and I think he'll be very happy there. The new family is semi-retired and will therefore be home with Artie a lot. He got to sleep in bed with them his first night and when I spoke with his new "mom" on Friday she said, "We're madly in love." Hooray for Artie!

Hanukkah time!

2007-12-10T21:21:00.001-05:00

This weekend we celebrated Hanukkah at Gary's dad's. It was a great day with tons of presents and a birthday celebration for me, which was an added bonus! Here, Gary and I pose wit the girls in our matching hats from the Pennsylvania crew. I love our hats! Below, Laura and I take time to pose with her dog, Bosco. Love that Bosco. And that Laura!!

Holiday trail ride

2007-12-10T21:12:00.000-05:00

This weekend was a busy one. Sunday I had the holiday party at the barn and it was so much fun. Four of us went out for a 5+-mile trail ride and it was amazing. We were a little unsure how the footing would as the ground was covered with snow and we weren't sure of the icing, etc. But it turned out to be great. Allie and Riley led the way, followed by Collette on Truckles (her first time riding with us), then Chris on Pilot and me and Olly-var. Oliver was by far the most pokey pony, but I love that. Here, Oliver and I pause by the century-old cemetery Allie found way out in the woods. It's crazy because the only way out there is by trails, yet it's very ornate. Makes you wonder how and why it came to be. The end of the ride had us walking back on the road about 1.5 miles and while I've never ridden Oliver that long on the road, he did great amongst the cars and barking dogs. I was very impressed! I also got to use my new trail riding GPS -- Fun!

Atari on the big screen

2007-12-04T22:20:00.000-05:00

Earlier this year, Gary and I puchased not 1 but 2 40-inch flat screen TVs. We've been doing a lot of wondering lately why we bothered to get one for the den, since we never use it. Well, we finally figured out a good purpose for it: my Atari 2600!

Pac Man, Ms. Pac Man, Circus, Donkey Kong, Kaboom... the list goes on!!

Visiting Santa Paws

2007-12-02T19:34:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I took Tankee and Artie to have their photos taken with Santa Paws. While the professional ones came out much better, these are still cute. Artie is going to his new home on Thursday. I'm going to miss him lots, but they seem like a great home. Below is a photo of Artie and Buford (the foster we had last week.) The best part is that this was not staged -- Buford put his arm around Artie all on his own!

A hunting we will go

2007-12-02T19:31:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, Chris and Allie an I went out on a 5+-mile trail ride. It was amazing (even if when I was leading Oliver over a small ravine he jumped and landed on me!) We came face-to-face with a few hunters who were nice and assured us they wouldn't take aim. They even radioed ahead to their pals to let them know we were out. The jingle bells really helped they said, so that's good to know. Oliver got a little spooky at the gun. Smart boy.

Guitar Hero

2007-12-02T19:27:00.000-05:00

I admit it. We're 30-somethings, and we're fans of Guitar Hero III. Here's Dena (first time player) rocking out. She proved to be a natural, even when Tankee was humping her leg. I continue to get booed off stage. Oh, now that I thoght about it, Dena's only a 20-something. Must be why she's so damn good.

The Mousinator

2007-12-02T19:23:00.001-05:00

When tackling the basement, Gary doesn't mess around. Having to deal with a scary ceiling project that was sure to reveal a colony of critters, he donned this fine Tyvek suit complete with a respirator. I think we've found a good idea for next year's Halloween costume.

The orange brigade

2007-11-24T18:29:00.000-05:00

Serena and I headed out in our orange regalia today for a long trail ride, which I mapped with Gary's GPS. The boys were great, even with the jingle bells we attached to their saddles to scare off the hunters. Sounded a bit like Santa coming down the trail!

Hunting apparel

2007-11-21T19:47:00.001-05:00

I never thought I would shop in the hunting section of Dick's Sporting Goods, but today was the day. Now, I'm not the one hunting, but seeing as it's BOW HUNTING season, it seemed like a good idea to clothe myself in some sweet orange for tail riding. Chris and I put the vests to good use today on a 2-hour ride. It was sleeting and gross but we had a good time exploring. And even better -- we made it back alive!

Of horse and hound

2007-11-21T19:35:00.000-05:00

It's been a busy few weeks! Mikey went to his new home on Sunday and I think it will be a great match -- 2 young kids that fell in love. Then Monday we had Samantha, a basset/lab mix who was adopted Monday night. She was a cutie... Now we've got Buford as a foster. And we're babysitting Artie (another foster whose foster 'parents' are away for Thanksgiving) until Sunday. So yeah. Lots of dogs. Tankee is being a nice sport! This photo is Artie. Doesn't he look like a little old man? He was found as a stray with his collar and leash on -- how/why noone came looking for him is beyond me. Anyhow... now on to the horses.

Sunday I went down to Frank's barn to see Brittany and Kayla's horse show. It was a fun day, even if it was freezing!

Here's the reserve grand champion of the leadline classes. Kayla did a great job, too, even if Cloudy work up on the wrong side of the stall that morning. I was very proud of the girls!

New Foster

2007-11-10T15:11:00.000-05:00

It's been a tough week with the loss of our Rye-Man, but we reached out to a very needy hound named Mikey who joined us as a foster on Wednesday. Mikey was a stray and taken in by someone who really had no room for a dog. She left him outside all day long in Tennessee and he got bad sunburns all over his back. Thankfully someone stepped in and pulled Mikey from that situation and helped him heal. I picked him up off a transport with about 30 other dogs and let's just say he's living the high life now. He is a real good snuggler altho he steals my socks. He's only 2 and what a cute boy. No, we're not keeping him -- he's far too adoptable and would be great with a family. I need another oldie -- some old grump that no one else wants... But I felt that with the loss of Riot we had to help another... He'd want that.... The folks at Fetch (the TV show) sent an amazing Riot tribute video with all of his clips from the show. It's such a treat.... he was the best... but it's nice to have a hound in the house again.... smells just right! :)

Goodbye, Rye-Man

2007-11-01T18:04:00.000-04:00

Goodbye my silly Rye-Man. No dog will ever be as giving and squishy and happy for even the shortest of walks. I'll forever miss your whistle and your goose honk and your big beautiful face. It's been a great four years... xxx

Happy Halloween!

2007-10-31T12:16:00.000-04:00

Happy Halloween from Rye-Man and Tankee. No costume for Oliver this year -- last time I had him in a costume parade he needed a little assistance from his friend Mr. Tranquilizer.

Faces in places

2007-10-28T21:17:00.000-04:00

Love this site. Scroll through and find all the faces. I think I may have found the place to submit my chocolate chip cookie with the likeness of Mother Theresa.

My new favorite

2007-10-27T22:00:00.000-04:00

I just bought this magnet today and love it. What more can I say.

Carve away (without the mess)

2007-10-24T22:30:00.001-04:00

Sometimes you just need a stupid web-doodling application. So in the spirit of Halloween, here's my latest favorite. Just click here and carve. And it's a lot less messy, too. (If you have sound, use it -- it's strangely addictive.)

More from NH

2007-10-21T21:49:00.000-04:00

It was a gorgeous weekend in NH -- foliage was unreal as was the weather, which was well into the 70s. After the Zipride, we wend for a little hike.

As we were sitting at the top, we ended up chatting with this guy who was rock climbing. As he was waiting for his partner to make it up the rock face, we got to talking about where we're from. Of course the guy would be from ASHBURNHAM!
As it turns out, she knew my brother. Funny...!!! Before we left on Sunday, Gary and I headed out to Jackson Falls where we got married in February. It was fun seeing the place with no snow this time around!We'll have to make this part of our annual visit. It was so pretty...

...and looks so heavenly!

Fear Factor on the Ziprider

2007-10-21T21:10:00.001-04:00

This weekend was the annual trip to NH with Gary's friends, some of whom have gone every year for 14 years. On Saturday, Gary, Joanna & Craig and I headed over to Wildcat to check out the Ziprider. Let's just say that we weren't all sold on the idea, but after lots of watching and convincing, we all did it. Below, Joanna looks on as other riders zoom past.
The ride is about 50 seconds long and goes about 45mph while the rider is suspended in a flimsy harness off a cable.

Craig and Joanna hustle off the chair lift.

Once at the top, Joanna makes peace with the situation at hand.

Here, Craig gets strapped in as he and Joanna ready for take-off. Apparently he mooned me and Gary from the bottom while he waited for us to take our turn. Sadly, I missed the show.

And this is basically the view from the top. I'll say this much: It's steep. I couldn't get any photos going down, but click here for a video that someone else posted.

Now, to the best part. When I was looking online for additional photos online tonite, I came across this notice on the mountain's website posted yesterday -- they day we went: "The ZipRider will not be open the remainder of today Saturday October, 20th or tomorrow Sunday October 21st. Unfortunately, the retrieval system that performs the necessary function of moving empty chair safety harnesses back to our starting deck is currently inoperable. We are working to repair as quickly as possible. Please check back here to know when the ZipRider will fly again." NICE!!!! Let's just say after reading that I doubt I'll be zipping again!

No more corporate uniformity; credit cards dress up

2007-10-18T14:00:00.000-04:00

(Editor's note: I wrote this for tomorrow's column for the paper but wanted to share this advance copy. I am going to order up... now!)

Ever been intrigued by a credit card simply because you like its design? From horse breeds to sports teams, there’s a company out there willing you charge you interest for use of its card. Now there’s a way to personalize any card with zero damage to your card – or your credit – which brings new meaning to an attractive offer.

It’s a simple idea, really – “skins” for your credit cards, debit cards, ATM cards, you name it. Just buy, remove the backing, apply the sticker and instantly you’ve got a cool-looking card.

Produced by CreditCovers of Madison, Wis., the stickers’ designs range from faux Burberry plaid to camouflage. “Blackout,” the company’s best-seller, blacks out all info but the subscriber’s name, card number, and expiration date.

According to the company’s website, CreditCovers will not damage cards or their swipe strip since the sticker is applied to the front only. They’re also safe to insert in ATMs. While removable (sometimes with a little help of such products as Goo-Gone) they are not reusable. And, while the company states the cover will last “forever,” if it does wear out, they’ll replace it for free.

Available in select retail stores (the closest is Prelude Gift Expressions in Needham), all are available online for $4.99 apiece.

Visit CreditCovers.com to browse the online catalog.

The Penguin Egg

2007-10-18T13:05:00.000-04:00

Who know this 69-cent impulse buy at "don't you just love a bargain" Christmas Tree Shops would be such a hit?! This cute little penguin is currently birthing itself from the confines of its egg thanks to a little water and hard work on his behalf. Granted, he might be a bit stunted since I did let the water evaporate a bit too much last night (woops) but he's still at it. I hope by tomorrow he'll be big enough to ride. (No offense Oliver, but with only 3 shoes, you're now out of commission until Saturday!)

DC Weekend

2007-10-14T19:37:00.000-04:00

This weekend the entire Hill/Green/Crews-Hill family headed down to DC to celebrate my cousin Pearson's wedding. It was a gorgeous weekend and it was fun to have the family together, even if it was a whirlwind of a trip. Gary returned home from Israel at 3:30 Friday morning and we left for DC just a few hours later... Needless to say it's been a crazy few days, but fun nonetheless. Below are just a few highlights of the weekend.
Above, Dane and Emily sample some fine water at the reception. Not too much now, kids...!

Here's me and my one and only cousin, Pearson, at the rehearsal dinner. He's hilarious.

Here's the entire, EXTENDED, family. That's right folks, this is it. And it includes Alison, our newest member, and my Aunt Johanna, Pearson's mom. I love how it looks like Gary and I are Emily's parents. Everyone's all jumbled up, so I guess it doesn't really matter...

As is only the case with wedding dance floors, David (my brother) and Pearson paired up for a quick dance. Just long enough for a photo, really, but long enough!

And, just as proof that we were in fact in our nation's capitol, (because honestly, it was such a crazy trip that we could have been anywhere) here's the Washington Monument from the back of the cab window.

Art class

2007-10-09T14:34:00.000-04:00

While enjoying a day off from work yesterday, Laura and I set to work in arts and crafts. I realized I am definitely more crafty than arty, but it is what it is. And if you don't know who it is, it's Tankee. I think the only good part is his signature spotted ear.

My customers

2007-10-08T12:12:00.000-04:00

I may not know any of my neighbors, but I sure am popular with the birds. Here are a few of my customers.

I'm still working on photographing something other than the chickadees. They're apparently of the brave variety. I'm also likely to go broke thanks to the ridiculous amount of birdseed I need to purchase, but now that I've started, how can I stop?!

Tankee teeth

2007-10-08T12:11:00.000-04:00

Aren't they nice?!

Scrub-a-dub-horse

2007-10-06T16:53:00.000-04:00

Taking advantage of the unseasonably warm weather, I treated Oliver to a bath while Tracy served as equine photographer. It's sort of like pressure-washing your deck, using the seering power of water to get the grime out. That, and his "SuperPoo" shampoo! Anyhow, he enjoyed grazing while I scrubbed and scrubbed (if only I could keep my Jeep this clean!) He loves to drink from the hose and toss his head around in the water. Which is funny for a horse that won't set foot in a puddle!

p.s. Gary has landed in Tel Aviv. As he put it, "I left Newark on Friday and it was dark. I arrive in Tel Aviv and it's dark... but I completely missed Saturday!"

Cheers to the newlyweds-to-be

2007-10-06T16:46:00.001-04:00

Last night I took Dena out for dinner and drinks to celebrate her soon-to-be marriage. She and Frank are heading to Jamaica tomorrow and will get married on the beach on Wednesday. Not shy about sharing her news with our waiter, Dena scored us free drinks and dessert, so three cheers to that! But my favorite part of the night was this conversation.

Heather: "Are you nervous about the wedding at all?"

Dena: "No. But I'm worried that Frank might get drunk."

Heather: "Oh, you mean the night before?"

Dena: "No, the day of! We're not getting married until 4pm!"

Drunk or not, congratulations guys!

On the road again

2007-10-06T16:25:00.000-04:00

Caught by the exploration bug, Chris and I took the boys out for another ride in the forest. The trails we found this time were amazing, and so many of them -- we really had our pick. Like the Colorado trip, this is again a snapshot of horses' butts while riding. I really need to learn how to take better photos while atop a horse.
At one point we ended up in a neighborgood (get it, NEIGH-borhood?!) on a paved road. No one seemed to mind. One woman even called out from her window to see if she could come bring the boys some apples. Chris, as you can see below, spent a little time on the phone (I basically took this photo to make myself feel better about the fact that I'm not the only one who does this.)

Then things got interesting. After riding and riding and riding (and hearing what I'm sure was a crazy chainsaw murderer chasing us thru the woods) we ended up on a road. Well, we THOUGHT we knew where we were, but alas, we did not. Here, Chris and Pilot navigate an intersection.

We finally had to flag down a car to ask the driver where the heck we were. I was sure he was going to say we were in Connecticut. Anyhow, we got on our merry way, having to walk over 30 minutes back on the road! Once again, it was a great trip and the boys were real troopers who got lots of apples and snacks upon their return. I was exhausted and all I had to do was sit there!

He's flying... on a jet plane.....

2007-10-06T10:14:00.000-04:00

As I type this, Gary's on his way to Israel for the week. Not exactly your typical business trip but he's looking forward to all the tasty hummus at least. Here's a look at where he is in the general, "over Europe" area. I don't know how anyone can manage a flight that's 14 hours long... It'll be a long week here stateside, but the dogs were mighty pleased that they got to sleep on the bed last nite!

Is that a horse on my lawn?

2007-10-02T21:33:00.000-04:00

Some people see deer on their lawns; others find wild turkeys. If you live in Lancaster and saw a couple of horses traipsing through your front yard and down your driveway, well I do apologize.

This afternoon Shereen joined me and Oliver, and Chris and Pilot the Brave for an exploration in the town forest. Chris and I had ridden out over the weekend but dead-ended after about 45 minutes. Today I served as the walking trailblazer with the 2 mounted pioneers behind me. It was simply gorgeous. Not hot, no bugs, and Oliver and Pilot were incredibly calm and happy throughout, including the walk back on the road by the dairy farm.

It was a great afternoon (even if Oliver had his nose pretty much in my pocket the entire trip trying to steal his cookies.) We walked for just over an hour. Oh those horsies are just amazing.

To view where we went, just zoom and drag around to the right of the arrow where you see all the trees. Do you see the painted pony?!

View Larger Map

Lions and tigers and fatties, oh my!

2007-10-01T21:46:00.001-04:00

OK, I've been really good about going to the gym, so what's the big idea here?! Once again, I was having fun Google-searching my name. The photo below is more like it.

Have a nice trip, see you next fall

2007-09-28T13:28:00.000-04:00

Who knew a tiny bird feeder would turn our property in to a bird sanctuary. I almost feel like we should charge admission. But, as anyone in the bird-feeding world knows, those friggin squirrels are so damn rude, nevermind smarter than any PhD I know! Much to their dismay, however, I put up my squirrel-proof feeder last night and let's just say I had a ball this morning watching the little creeps tumble to the ground. (Don't worry it was only a few feet and no animals were hurt venture.) Anyhow, with the free restaurant open for bird dining business, I watched umpteen chickadees enjoy their breakfast along with a woodpecker, some other gray bird I've yet to identify and a pair of cardinals. Love the cardinals.

Free show, lane 6

2007-09-28T10:18:00.000-04:00

Here's a good embarrassing story. When I broke my wrist 2 years ago, I stopped swimming at the gym. Makes sense, right? Well, now that I'm at a new gym with a bigger pool, I dediced it was time to take the plunge (literally.) So off I went. I had an enjoyable time, swimming my laps, getting a good workout, soaking in the hot tub afterwards. Oh yes, and admiring the cute old ladies doing their water aerobics class (I know that will be me in 35 years, so I might as well start learning the moves now.) Anyhow, I was a little annoyed because my suit felt awfully large and baggy in weird places. And let's face it -- it's not because I shrunk. So I go home, shower, change, hang the suit to dry. Well, I'm getting ready for bed and go to move the suit. And I notice it feels kind of gritty -- definitely not shiny and slippery like swimsuits -- especially those made for exercise -- are supposed to feel. So I hold it up to investigate and notice that the entire back is basically sheer like a tissue. You know how stuff loses its elacticity if you don't wear it for a long time? Well, say hello my suit. I think the shock of usage and chlorine was simply too much and it fell to pieces! Thankfully it's black but still, I DID walk around in the pool area. And like me, all the other swimmers wear goggles so if they happened to look into lane 6, they must have received a nice show! Guess who's going shopping this weekend?

Clothes in space!

2007-09-25T21:26:00.000-04:00

With storage space at a minimum, it was time to get creative with transitioning into the fall wardrobe... a la Space Bags. If you've been sucked into infomercials, or spent too much time at Linens-n-Things, you know what I'm taking about -- those vacuum-packed bags that make your clothes and linens appear like giant MREs as parceled out by the military. At any rate, it was fun stuffing a mountain of skirts and capris into a giant ziploc and suctioning out all the air with my Dyson. If one good thing can come from poor storage options, this is it... (Note to future users: these f-ers are deceptively heavy!!!)

Pods, glorious pods

2007-09-25T21:04:00.000-04:00

It's been three years since Kerry left for Los Angeles, and it's been three years since she's seen her stuff. Now that she's moved to Chicago, it was time for an archaeological dig to see what was relegated to the Boston pods back in 2004. I remember her moving out there and literally stufing these things to the gills. I'm not sure whether it was geographical logistics or the sheer reality of what lay inside that kept her away for so long, but I don't blame her for procrastinating on this one. Let's face it: moving sucks, but it was a great reason to get her out here. Kerry and I met on the plane to Scotland back in January 1993 when we were off on a study abroad program. That year was definitely the craziest time in my life, and I'm happy to have shared it with this wacky woman! As I type this, she's UHauling back to Chi-town... I tried to convince her that the Pottery Barn chair I always loved wouldn't fit in the truck, but no such luck. If Kerry looks familiar, you may have seen her in a few local commercials. The one I remember the best was when she was dressed an elf.

Little Suzi Sushi

2007-09-21T11:28:00.000-04:00

Move over Easy Bake Oven! And say hello to Bandai's sushi rolling machine for kids. In an age where even the little ones know a good California roll when they see one, this handy device churns out perfect rolls with the turn of a handle. I never had an Easy Bake but I always wanted one. This could be my answer. And it won't burn, either.

Je me rappelle le français.

2007-09-20T12:08:00.000-04:00

Learning through osmosis is one thing. Learning through the walls is quite another. In fact, if these walls could talk, they'd be speaking French! Pourquoi, you ask?! Well, beacuse the classroom next to my office belongs to the French teacher. Every now and again I hear familiar phrases and remember (with great enthusiasm) such phrases as Zut allors! and J'ai mal a la tete. In fact, I think I am mal a la tete most of the time when it comes to work. Yesterday we heard Pavarotti singing opera. But isn't he Italian? Anyhow, if you're looking for something fun, try a free translator online. You type in your English phrase, and it spits it out in your choice of languages. Can't speak for its accuracy, but it's c'est amusement pour parler français.

Woofstock or bust!

2007-09-16T09:35:00.001-04:00

While the weather was dicey in the morning, it amazingly cleared just in time for our guests to show up for Woofstock! We had an incredible turn-out, with HUNDREDS of Basset Hounds. Long, longer, big, bigger, drooly, droolier, droopy and droopier, they're all such characters. We had costume contests, a "Waddle" in the woods (i.e. a very short walk!) drag races, a maze, agility demonstrations and lots of houndly fun. Our silent auction items were a huge hit and while the final numbers aren't yet in, it looks like this was our most successful event in Woofstock history!
One of my favorite attendees was this crew in the cart on the left -- Muffie and Conan. Adopted by a family a few years ago, these hounds are ancient; one is blind. But what I can't get over is the love this guy has for his hounds, crafting this very hound-specific cart so they can attend such events! Seeing things like this makes all that time I spend with rescue worthwhile. What's even more amazing is that he and his wife just adopted a SECOND pair from us! Granted they're much younger, but it just doesn't get any better than this. Thanks to everyone who supported NEBHR and the hounds! Click here for the online photo gallery.

Rain, rain, go away....

2007-09-12T12:28:00.000-04:00

Figures. The one day with crappy weather for the next 10 days has to be Saturday. Woofstock! If anyone can do a rain dance to keep the rain AWAY, I would really appreciate it. I mean, Basset Hounds are stinky just in their normal world. They don't need to be rained on. :( While Woofstock will happen rain or shine, it's much more fun in the sun! Whether you have a hound or not, you're more than welcome to attend the event -- we've got lots of great raffles, goooood stuff in the silent auction, games, contests, and of ourse lots of lowriders to laugh at. Hooray for the hounds! Click for more info on the event and fundraising.

Adventures in gymland

2007-09-09T10:08:00.000-04:00

It happened again. I joined a gym. Unlike previous attempts at hard-core fitness, this time I have a few gym buddies with whom I can share my misery... er, fun. To begin with, I got Gary to sign up with me (got a good 'couples' rate) and then Dena, my morning walking buddy and her soon-to-be husband, Frank, are also members. It's a good little club (tho I miss the individual TVs my fancy Boston gyms provided) and the big plus -- it's close to home. So with two days already behind us, I feel quite mighty. And sore. The broken wrist (tho healed from my last surgery a year ago) is so stiff and uncomofortable. I had a hard time with push-ups before.... impossible now. And the current broken toe -- well, let's just say working out doesn't exactly agree with it. But I'm pushing thru the pain and treated myself to some cute new shorts. Is it bad that we stopped at Dunkin' after class???

Run Oliver, Run!

2007-09-07T08:42:00.001-04:00

Here's Oliver's digital flip book...

Love the crazy mane blowing in the wind.... (note his fine extension of the left front!)

And check this out -- not a single hoof on the ground!

BostonNOW

2007-09-05T09:31:00.000-04:00

Just to prove that this "busy with freelance work" thing isn't a lie, here's a link to my latest gig with BostonNOW. Living outside the city, I've never even laid eyes upon the publication but sources tell me it does exist. My piece is on page 11 about college ID discounts.

Here Kitty, Kitty... litter cake

2007-09-02T09:16:00.000-04:00

This is quite possibly the grossest -- and most hilarious -- confection that's ever been created in my kitchen. The Kitty Litter Cake. It's in honor of my brother's birthday and I know he'll love it. If for nothing else, he should appreciate my artful efforts, shaping the melty Tootsie Rolls to make it look like Kitty was a frequent visitor. If you'd like to make your very own tasty dessert, here's the recipe. Bon appetit!

Say Cheese!

2007-08-28T15:20:00.001-04:00

Cheese, glorious cheese....! Yes, that's what Wisconsin is all about, and I have to say, it's a wonderful thing. From cheese blocks, to cheese whips and cheese curds, it was definitely one of the highlights! Not to be outdone, however, Midwest airlines is a force to be reckoned with. Aside from the fact that it's a no lines, no waiting airline AND they held the plane so our luggage could join us, they serve not one but TWO freshly-baked, still-warm chocolate cookies to every passenger! As if the extra-roomy seats weren't enough of a treat, they give tasty desserts! I was mighty impressed. (I wasn't, however, so thrilled with the prop plane that seated all of about 10 people. But that's all behind us now...)

We spent the weekend at Cindy's cottage on Lake Michigan and did a lot of relaxing, cheese eating, wine drinking and hot tub soaking. Here we are out at dinner. No cheese, buy tasty wine. Note the wall decoration that looks like it's on my head. Like some Vegas show girl.

And speaking of my head, check out this fancy little number below.

As luck would have it, I got to meet up with my brother, David, and his family. I hadn't seen them in a year, so it was great seeing them after all this time. The kids are hilarious and, as always, thrilled to see their "Ant Hill." (Get it, like ANT-HILL?!)

Anyhow, we had fun tooling around in their groovy van and buying matching sweatshirts.

Hooray for trips! And huge kudos to my super husband who did his own version of that TV show, "While You Were Out." While I was off eating cheese, he re-did our office, complete with new paint, new furniture and a new home for all the hockey gear that once inhabited this space! I was floored, to say the least... Kinda makes me worried that he's got a big trip coming up next month -- what do I do to top this one? Buy a new house?!

Let them eat cake!

2007-08-22T14:42:00.000-04:00

Who says the 10 o'clock hour is too early for dessert? In an effort to sastisfy cravings (ok AND celebrate Shelby's birthday) we got the party started! After all, the Carvel (!!!) ice cream cake was going to melt anyhow, so we really HAD to dig in early and often. Nothing like some frozen confections to get the day going... and going in the right direction!

Fake-n-Bake

2007-08-22T14:35:00.000-04:00

Summer in New England has been anything but. Aside from a few days that ranked "triple H" -- hazy, hot and humid -- we've had a pretty paltry season to say the least. So last night we pull into one of the many plazas in the greater Nashua shopping mecca and Gary, upon noticing this sign says, "East Coast Tan -- what's that, like WHITE?!" Truer words were never spoken.

Beauty (& restoration) on the go

2007-08-21T11:49:00.000-04:00

WHY can't I find these in a bathroom near me?!

"The saviour of bad hair days has arrived, the Beautiful Vending Styer machine is now available in clubs, bars, gyms and shopping centres; so for those occasions when sleek and sexy turns to shock and horror, we have the solution."

Oh Dear

2007-08-18T19:41:00.000-04:00

Big Buck Hunter... "Pump your shotgun, take aim at the gathered wildlife, and hope for a nice, clean headshot. This revolutionary hunting simulator features fully rendered 3-D Whitetail Deer, Elk, Prong Horn Antelope and more in amazingly detailed landscapes. A sure shot will earn you fast paced bonus rounds where you can shoot up scurrying squirrels, rabbits, and even ducks."

Love the game. Love watching other people play the game while I sip my martini at the Westford Grill. Just can't say I'd ever seen an 8-year-old blast everyone away.

This girl was earning 'accuracy points' at a ridiculous rate... and was even giving her brother (age 3?-- you can sorta see him in his cammo pants to her right) a few lessons on proper gun handling and aim. I couldn't decide if I was impressed or a little sickened.

Then on the way home we saw two GIANT deer munching on grass right by our house. I'm sure Little Miss BangBang was hot on their trail.

Lucky Seven Snowflake ** * * *** * ** ** **** * * **