good-bye 2008

Hi everyone! Well, it's that time ... we'll be ringing in a new year in less than 12 hours ... a fresh start, a clean slate. Do you have any resolutions? I'm curious, let me know! I guess mine is to clean up the mess in my scrapbook studio. Again. I can hear Sal laughing already.

My friend Kyoko in Japan just e-mailed me to say that it's already 2009 there. How cool is that?

Tomorrow, one of my local scrapbook stores is having a New Year's Day sale ... the ENTIRE store will be 50% off (except adhesives) ... that's completely irresistible! I'm making a shopping list, LOL !!!

Happy 2009 everyone! Looking forward to another year of fun and sharing with you here at Where In The World?.

it's Dana's special day!

Happy birthday today to my niece, Dana, in Philadelphia! She's turning 4, wow!

Have a super fun day, Dana! :-)

Love,

Aunt Susan, Uncle Sal, Buddy & Aruba

Marley & Us

Hey everyone, hope you're enjoying the holidays this week. Sal and I spent Christmas with our families in the Tampa Bay area and had a nice time. And Sal totally surprised me with a giftcard to The Spa at the Breakers Resort in Palm Beach. Woo hoo! Now the tough part ... deciding on a treatment ... should I get the Harmony massage? or maybe the Ocean Breeze massage? perhaps the kiwi-coconut salt scrub? hmmmm.....

Seen any good movies lately?

Sal and I finally got to see Marley & Me today, we've been waiting anxiously for months. We were extras in a few scenes that were being filmed in Miami last spring (see my April 22 blog post). The scenes were early on in the story, where you see John (Owen Wilson) dropping off his wife Jenny (Jennifer Aniston) in a brown, beat-up hatchback at Miami airport. Unfortunately, we didn't see ourselves, the camera shots weren't wide enough to capture us in them. Bummer! Oh well, it was still such a unique experience to be extras and to see the filming process. It was also great to see so many familiar sights, since it was filmed right here in our neck-of-the-woods, SoFla. Even Delray Beach gets a mention in the script!

A few neat factoids about the movie:

• Marley is actually played by 22 different dogs because the story spanned his entire life, and puppies grow so fast. For the adult Marley, trainers chose an acting dog from a pool of dogs, depending on the mood of the scene and on which obedience skills it required.


• The book's author, John Grogan, and his wife were extras in one scene -- the obedience class, where Marley gets kicked out for bad behavior. {chuckle}


• Sal and I have been asked if we were paid to be extras ... yes, we were ... $100 each.


• Go to this website to watch behind-the-scenes fun video clips, a preview, and interviews with the cast, including Jonah (one of the Marleys)! The site also has links to the articles that started it all...the author was a columnist for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel in the 90s, and the tales (or should that be tails?) that he wrote about Marley became the basis for the book.

Overall, the movie is a (family-friendly) story about a couple's journey through life with their lovable, albeit maniacal, dog by their side. So grab some popcorn (and a few tissues) {sniffle} and check it out! It's a great tail-wagging story of doggie love.

Woof.

the weekend before the holidays

Wow, the holidays will really swing into full gear this week.

Calling all procrastinators: just 3 shopping days left until Christmas, get going!

And to my friends who are celebrating Hanukkah starting tonight, best wishes to you.

I spent part of the weekend doing Christmas-y stuff.....wrapping gifts, last-minute shopping, etc. And I look forward to our annual tradition tonight. Sal and I and Buddy and Aruba all hop in the car and go cruising around looking at Christmas lights. We roll down the windows listening for carolers and play fun Christmas music CDs. And the dogs just love the excitement of it all!

My fave holiday tunes are by Mannheim Steamroller (love their modern and funky sound) and a collection of songs that I grew up with, John Denver & The Muppets: A Christmas Together (you can listen to samples at that link, too!). It's such a fun and witty CD, and it's not just for kids; if you like John and/or the Muppets, then RUN don't walk to buy it (be sure to get the full version, with all 13 tracks, not the edited one which only has 10 of the songs). It's a HOOT! I had a big crush on John when I was a teen, he was a cutie --- and a treehugger! If you're familiar with his music, you'll know why I wished that I was Annie. {wink!}

Have a fun and festive week.....

have camera, will travel

OK, picture me excited! I've registered for a way cool travel photography seminar! It's not until March, but already I can't wait!

I saw an ad in my National Geographic Traveler magazine for a one-day seminar called "A Passion For Travel: Photos That Tell a Story" and, wow, it spoke to me.

Passion for travel? Check!
Do I want to take pics that tell a story? Check! (I'm a scrapbooker, after all)

So how perfect is this? And they happen to be holding it in St. Petersburg, Florida, where my family lives, so I can combine it with a weekend visit.

It'll be taught by 2 veteran NGT photographers, and of course National Geo is known for their über-stunning photographs! What I like most about this seminar is that it's not a traditional photography course; we won't be learning about lenses, apertures, F-stops, and all that stuff. In fact, we're not even bringing our cameras with us. Instead, we'll be learning about creating photos that "showcase our passion for travel" and that "capture the spirit of a place." I love that! It's what I already try to do...just scroll up to the photo in my blog's header...I wanted to capture how the blue of the ocean seemed to blend seamlessly with the blue of the sky as I looked out the window during a flight to Europe.

For an entire day, I'll be in an auditorium filled with others that have "a passion for travel"...it's so neat to chat with fellow travel buffs about places we've been or can't wait to go.

And they even offer a vegetarian lunch option, woo hoo!

The seminar will be just before we go to Utah.....so I'll get a chance to put what I learn into practice right away on some gorgeous geology. Yeah baby!

stopping the presses

The other day I heard that the 2 major newspapers in Detroit will soon be limiting home delivery to only 3 days a week in an effort to pare down expenses. {insert sound of my heart sinking here}

It upset me because I absolutely love reading the newspaper, indeed some might characterize me as an addict! I even buy local papers when I'm traveling...the stories, the editorials, even the ads, give me a sense of the place. A good example: when we were in Alaska in June, the local papers, as usual, contained revelations about the state, and its politics. From that, I discerned (dare I say predicted?) that McCain would see Governor Sarah Palin as an appropriate VP pick. Yes, I really did! (Just ask Sal)

It pains me to see the newspapers struggling, but I guess they're just yet another casualty of the sour economy. I have subscriptions to both of our local papers, The Palm Beach Post and The South Florida Sun-Sentinel (whose parent company just filed for bankruptcy protection, btw), and I read them everyday. I can tell they're both facing difficulties...they're thinner now, and have done away with some feature sections altogether...but I can't imagine not being able to start my day with my papers and a glass of OJ. I already anticipate that both probably can't survive forever as competitors in our local market, and they may merge at some point. But if they eliminate some delivery days??? Please no!

I realize that in today's world we get so much info from the Internet, and that includes me, I love to be online....I mean geez I have a blog after all, right?!? But to me there's something special about a newspaper. It's not old-fashioned. I'm constantly amazed at what an incredible compilation it is...tidbits from around the globe, including our own hometowns, all in one place. The paper brings the world to my doorstep...current events/issues/viewpoints/concepts that I may not think to look up online.

Some argue that newspaper publishers should stop printing their paper versions and have only a web presence. But pointing and clicking just wouldn't be the same. It just wouldn't.

blog features

Hi everyone....I've had a couple of questions about my blog....

First, about leaving comments to a post. I've modified my blog's settings to allow anyone to leave a comment, it's no longer limited just to users with Google accounts, etc. Many of you who prefer not to register or don't want to login have opted to e-mail me your thoughts instead of leaving a comment, and that's still perfectly fine with me. But, if you'd rather leave a comment on my blog for all to see, or to respond to another reader's comment, you can now opt to just list your name by choosing the "Name/URL" option. You'll notice that it's optional to input a URL; for instance, if you have a blog or other website of your own, you can enter the address. Or, you can even choose "Anonymous" (but please don't keep me guessing!). So, there's no more need to create any accounts or sign into anything. Whew, much better, right?

Second, I gather that sometimes readers want to look for a particular subject or post...there are 2 options to help with this...(1) scroll down on the sidebar to look for "View My Posts By Topic", and/or (2) use the "Search Blog" feature in the far upper left corner of my blog. Just type in your keyword(s) and all applicable posts will come up.

Hope this streamlines things a bit...

And as always, thanks for stopping by Where In The World?. I love your company! :-)

greatest snow on Earth

This is cool. The resort where Sal and I are going skiing (Alta Albion Basin in Utah) in March has its own webcam...here's a live shot:

(Of course, if you're reading my blog during the night (Utah time), it'll show up as pitch black...you'll have to check back later!)

{getting excited}

impromptu photo shoot

Hi everyone and happy Friday!

I recently decided to play around with our camera's features, starting with the "macro" setting. It allows you to get really close-up to a subject, while staying in focus. I'm no photography expert, and as a scrapbooker, I want to learn how to snap better pics.

So I figured what better subjects to practice on than the cute faces of my sweet fur angels?

Thought I'd share some close-ups of Buddy (top 2) & Aruba (below):

Precious huh? Oh, how I love these sweet pups!

But Aruba is especially difficult to photography, she's so camera-shy. Every time I aim the camera at her, she cowers...looks at the floor...won't look up at me with those adorable eyes and ears. So I have to lift up her head (hence my fingers are in the photo). She won't sit still either! But, I did finally manage to get her to look up on her own, excitedly, at her favorite toy, a stuffed squeaky hippo (bottom-most photo), but the lighting was poor. It's no easy feat, getting her to look up AND holding the camera steady AND snapping at just the right time, all as she pounces on me to grab the toy! Buddy, on the other hand, is Joe Cool...he'll walk right up and lick the lens, so curious....and no doubt all the while wondering if I'll slip him a treat for his trouble. {wink}

Enjoy the weekend.....

it's Ruth's special day!

Happy birthday today to my sister-in-law, Ruth, in Philadelphia!

We hope you have a FUN & FABULOUS day!

Love,
Susan, Sal, Buddy & Aruba

holiday party + scrapbooking = FUN !

Tonight I went to a holiday party at one of my local scrapbook stores, Scrapbook Your Art Out & Cafe, in Boca Raton. The invitation (which was beautifully handmade from scrapbooking supplies, of course!) promised fun, food, and surprises, and the event didn't disappoint!

First, we were each greeted with a peppermint mocha coffee, complete with a candy cane garnish. YUM!

The evening also included a cookie and gift exchange. Now let me preface what I'm about to say with the admission that I'm not particularly "domestic", and that I've never baked anything (unless frozen French fries count? LOL).....so, I bought (GASP !!!) a couple dozen cookies at a grocery store bakery and brought those. I know, I know, shame on me! But there was full disclosure, I didn't take credit for baking the cookies. I took the Christmas tree-shaped, green sprinkle-laden cookies out of the bakery packaging and assembled them on a platter, and it made for a pretty, albeit phony {wink}, presentation.

Then it was on to the fun gift exchange. To participate, each of us brought a wrapped $10 scrapbooking-themed gift, and everyone went home with a new treasure. I received a giftcard to the store, hurrah! It was in a nice little tin package that was decorated with lots of bling, so perfect for me. And of course I used the giftcard right away (read on and you'll understand why).

And we were all treated to a nice surprise "reveal" of a new scrapbooking product line. The store had all 4 of the new designs in the My Mind's Eye Laundry Line collection of papers and embellishments ("Natural" and "Sundress" are my favorites). They're gorgeous! Beautiful patterns, colors, textures.....and they're glittered! (aha, bling! now you know why my giftcard is already gone!)

Here's me and Ann, who owns the store with her mom, in our festive Christmas reds:
(If you attended Creative Escape '08, you might recognize Ann because she was there too.)

The party was a great chance to socialize with nice gals who are just as crazy about scrapbooking as I am! Fun stuff! :-)

celebrity status

Do you ever wish you were a celebrity? I do. Not for the posh lifestyle or adoring fans, but instead for the dubious power that a celebrity has when speaking up for a cause. Oprah can get just about anyone to try or buy just about anything, right? If Al Gore says to drive a hybrid, then maybe that's what we should be doing, right? And who can forget Sarah Palin's glasses? Like it or not, celebrities' preferences/habits/tastes have a strong influence on societal norms.

So where am I going with this?

Something I saw from PETA recently got me thinking about it. Not that I've never considered it before, but it got me thinking about it more deeply. I'm glad to see that celebs are stepping up more and more to use their name value and star power on behalf of animal welfare. Take a look at the latest ad from longtime vegetarian Paul McCartney:


In the ad, he says, "Many years ago, I was fishing, and as I was reeling in the poor fish, I realized I am killing him --- all for the passing pleasure it brings me. And something inside me clicked. I realized as I watched him fight for breath, that his life was as important to him as mine is to me. I am Paul McCartney and I am a vegetarian".

I had lots of similar "aha" moments when I chose to become a vegetarian many years ago. See which of your fave stars are vegetarians -- I think you'll be surprised by who's on the list!

And for what it's worth...I am Susan Lepore and I am a vegetarian.

open house

This morning Sal and I attended an open house, a grand re-opening of sorts, at our local fire station. The public was invited.....this was kind of a special event because this particular station, which is only 1/2 mile from our neighborhood, was virtually destroyed by Hurricane Wilma back in 2005 {sad}. For the 3 years that it took to get a new one planned, financed, and built, the firefighters relocated to a temporary building behind a church around the corner.

So now the firefighters have great new digs! I love the architecture, kind of a Key West style. Really brightens up the corner! After checking out the trucks (I climbed up and sat in the fire engine's driver's seat), we toured the living quarters. It was cool to see how they live while they're on their 24-hour shifts. Seems comfortable, functional. Tax dollars well-spent. They deserve it!

Someone even brought their 2 dalmations, how appropriate! Overall, it was a nice way to spend a Saturday morning, meeting some fellow Delray Beach residents and chatting with the folks who spend their lives bravely protecting us.

...tis the season...

Are you getting into the holiday spirit yet? I have been, all this week.

I've got my Christmas cards going out (almost done!), and I really enjoy writing them up. Despite my love of the Internet and e-mail, I still love sending cards by old-fashioned snail mail. If one of my cards arrives in your mailbox, you'll notice that I had some fun blinging them up this year with Stickles. You'll have to let me know what you think! Scrapbooking supplies + plain-jane cards = pretty stuff !!!

I've also been enjoying another holiday tradition...Tim Holtz, scrapbook artist and product designer extraordinaire, is doing his 12 Tags of Christmas project again this year. Every day, he teaches new techniques using his fabulous products, all in full color and step-by-step on his blog. He's already on Day 5 (Day 2's tag is pictured above). He's giving away fun prizes too! If you're a crafter of any kind, check it out, you'll love it!

Another holiday tradition that I think rocks is Trees For Troops. I first heard about this program last year.....you can either donate cash or choose a live Christmas tree to be delivered (courtesy of FedEx) to a soldier and his/her family that is stationed....wherever! In 2007, nearly 17,000 trees were delivered to troops in 15 different countries. This weekend (Dec 5 - 7), you can go to a participating tree lot or farm to choose a tree to be donated to a military family. You can also send a holiday message to our troops.

I'll catch you back here over the weekend.

holiday fun

Hi everyone and happy December! Wow, we're in the home stretch of 2008.

Hope you enjoyed the Thanksgiving holiday. Sal and I spent most of the weekend with our families in the St. Petersburg, Florida area. We enjoyed 2 holiday dinners - whew! - first at Sal's Mom's, and then later in the day at Terry & Heince's, my sister and her husband. Both made delicious meals, with lots of yummy veggie-friendly alternatives. Thanks again!

And I especially enjoyed Black Friday this year. Terry, my Mom, and I got up early to do a little shopping, but not at the mall - at Whim So Doodle, a scrapbook store! They indulged me and went there for a Black Friday sale they were having....the entire store was 40% off, incredible! And this is in addition to the birthday gift that Terry gave me in October.....a trip to a scrapbook store with spending cash! So. Much. Fun. Then we went out for lunch (pizza) and afterwards, since the weather was so gorgeous, we went for a walk through the Florida Botanical Gardens in Largo. It's filled with lush tropical foliage and flowers, all my favorites. Here's Terry, my Mom, and me in front of a small bamboo grove:

And Terry caught me checking out some amazingly giant leaves:

We plan to visit again over Christmas for their Holiday Garden Lights 2008 event....all of the gardens will be lit up and decorated for the season. Should be gorgeous!

Have a great week.

more moose love

I woke up thinking about Alaska this morning. Could be because I saw an amazing moose story and pics on the Internet yesterday. I miss seeing moose roaming around. It was such a "wow" for me when we were there this summer (see my June 29 post for more on our unforgettable moose encounter).

Anyway, back to the story. A woman in Michigan's Upper Peninsula captured these images of a newborn moose calf (~ 12 hours old). Mommy moose apparently decided that she wanted to give birth in someone's front yard in downtown Naubinway, Michigan!

OK, say it with me now.....awwwwww!

And since today is Thanksgiving Eve, I wish everyone a holiday filled with warmth and happy times. Safe travels to you if you're hitting the road, rails, or sky.

I'll catch you back here sometime during the weekend.

I can't sleep

Hello there.....yes, it's 2:00 AM right now and I'm W -- I -- D -- E awake, geez! I can't sleep for some reason (usually it's because I drank an iced chai tea too late in the evening). I thought I'd hop onto my blog and see who else is up too (besides the CEOs of big banks and auto companies who are probably losing some sleep, or at least should be)? So I'm sitting here sipping a beer (you know, A&W's specialty brew), surfing the Net.

I've been online looking at some fun new scrapbooking goodies that just came out. Some of them are highlighted in an online scrapbooking "class" that I'm taking. It's a FREEBIE being offered right now by Stacy Julian at Big Picture Scrapbooking.....they have great online workshops and downloadable classes, I've taken several. If you've never tried one and have been considering it, I say jump in!

One of the great new products introduced in this class is "Flair" from American Crafts (pictured, left). Love, love, love these things! They're just the 1" diameter shiny, metal buttons that we're used to seeing people wear, but instead of having a pin on the back, there's adhesive. This is one of those why didn't I think of that??? concepts. And the designs are SO doggone cute! My faves are the travel ones (duh), but I also love the "friends", "smile" and "candy" varieties. I already have tons of ideas for using them on sb pages and in mini-albums. And if you're a fan of the movie Office Space (like me), you'll remember how "flair" had a role of its own in the storyline. But this is much more fun.

On another note, it's almost the end of November which elicits a collective sigh of relief from Floridians (and surely other coastal residents). It marks the end of hurricane season. Whew, we made it unscathed! So December 1 always begins our annual 6-month reprieve from watching "tropical activity" weather reports on the evening news, stocking up on bottled water and batteries, and hoping and praying that our hurricane insurance doesn't get canceled. And at this time of year, most Floridians are making plans to eat their hurricane food supplies before they expire, or rot. Not so for me and Sal....since I, um, tend to procrastinate when it comes to grocery shopping, we have to break into our hurricane food stash now and then just to have ingredients to prepare dinner. Shame on me!

Thanks for staying up late with me. Good night.

are you a Pepper?

I sure am!

I l-o-v-e Dr. Pepper! 23 flavors combined into YUMMY! And they're having a (very short) giveaway, only for 24 hours.....that is, until tonight!......get a free Dr. Pepper just for filling out an online form. Of course, you'll have to wait the requisite 4 to 6 weeks for the coupon to arrive in your mail.

And for diehard Dr. P fans - did you know that there's a Dr. Pepper Museum in Waco, Texas? And that the Museum has its own blog? Yikes! I didn't either. Maybe I'll stop in for a visit, if I'm ever in Waco. Dr. Pepper is a soda with a unique history.

Bye, I'm off to the fridge for a cold one!

anti-freeze

Wow, what a cold snap much of the US is enduring right now, huh? Even here in SoFla, it has been in the 40s and 50s (F) this week! Brrrrr....

So, if you're in need of some warmth as winter sets in, The Travel Channel is giving away a trip for 2 to the beautiful island of Antigua. Now that would be a nice place to thaw out! Go HERE to enter the sweepstakes daily, all month long.

Every month, The Travel Channel has a trip giveaway, and some of the destinations are pretty cool, so check back in December and each month thereafter to see where you and your best travel buddy could be going!

Good luck!

what's on your menu?

Let me start by saying that I know that no one wants to hear this.

And I am not trying to be a party-pooper.

But with the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday being an American tradition revolving around food, I ask you to please re-consider your holiday menu this year.

Please visit this website to see what a recent PETA investigation of a turkey factory farm revealed (warning: it's graphic!) and/or to sign a petition for turkey welfare. Please join me in taking action, and giving 270 million defenseless birds something to be thankful for. These creatures suffer, enduring HORRIFIC treatment and living conditions !!! This will not stop until we all choose to enjoy delicious alternatives to turkey on our holiday plates.

Thank you for considering new traditions on your family's Thanksgiving menu!

must-see TV

Hi everyone, hope your week is off to a great start. I meant to post about this yesterday, sorry.....The Today Show aired a great series over the past 2 days, "Ends of the Earth: Warming Waters".











I love stuff like this, it combines 2 of my passions, travel and the environment. The hosts were each broadcasting from a cool location around the globe: Meredith in Australia, Matt in Belize, Ann was climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa, and Al was in the land of fire and ice, Iceland. (I've been to Belize, but have yet to visit the other locations...someday. I'm impatient!)

Anyway, they showed very cool footage and discussed the delicate ecosystems of each locale, highlighting the challenges that the world's animals and the environment are facing. If you didn't catch it, you can read about it and/or watch video clips HERE. Enjoy!

You can also enter to win an eco-vacation to Costa Rica in their "Green Your Routine" sweepstakes. Check it out and good luck!

it's Theresa's special day!

Today is my sister Theresa's birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO HER !!!! And since Sal and I are in town anyway (she lives in Clearwater), we'll get to celebrate with her....how fabulous!

Enjoy your day, Theresa! :-)

remembering Pasquale today

We've been visiting with Sal's family this week, remembering his Dad. The funeral was today, and the service was a nice time to reminisce about Pasquale's life.

As a way to celebrate life and enjoy a special evening together after a difficult day, Sal and I, along with Sal's cousin Danny, his wife Mary, and his Aunt Michele and Uncle Sam, went to the beach and enjoyed a beautiful sunset. Seemed to be a fitting tribute.

Pasquale's obituary will be available online for about 30 days on this webpage. It also offers the chance to view and/or sign an online guestbook, if you wish.

Thanks to everyone for your condolences.

sadness

Today is a sad day.....Sal's Dad passed away this afternoon. He and Sal's Mom were married for 52 happy years. The family is gathering together.

The family very much appreciated everyone's thoughts and wishes while Pasquale was in the hospital. Thank you.

some animals won on Tuesday too!

I guess we're all still getting over our election fever. Amazing! The results of my blog's poll were interesting too.....51 votes total, here was the breakdown: 26 for McCain, 23 for Obama, and 2 undecided. Thanks for voting!

Obama wasn't the only winner on Tuesday. Some states had amendments on their ballots that would greatly benefit animals, and I'm so pleased to announce that they passed! First, in California, voters approved Proposition 2, which will ban some of the worst cruelty to animals raised for food in that state: keeping egg-laying chickens in battery cages so small that they can't spread their wings, keeping veal calves in crates for their entire miserable short lives, and keeping pregnant pigs in crates so small that they can't take a step forward or backward or turn around. Unfortunately, animals in California won't be given these basic rights until 2015 (why must the animals wait???), and hopefully the rest of the nation will follow suit in the interim.

Since many consumers often don't get to see firsthand (or choose to ignore) the living conditions that their food source endures, PETA took the conditions directly to the consumer. Many Californians supported Prop 2 after seeing PETA's lifelike displays of pig gestation crates in front of grocery stores:

Shoppers were asked to reconsider their purchase of sausage, ham, bacon, pork chops, and ribs. And to vote for Prop 2. And they did.

Another significant victory for animals came on the east coast. Voters in Massachusetts passed Question 3, which will ban greyhound racing across the state by 2010. Fabulous! Dogs who are used for racing typically spend 20 hours per day confined to cages that are too small for many of these large dogs to stand completely upright. The animals are also highly susceptible to injuries, including fractures, dislocations, lacerations, and amputations. And because injured dogs are no longer of use to the industry (i.e., they no longer turn a buck), they are often just killed.

A landmark day for animals!

Sal's Dad: Wednesday PM update

Hello everyone.....

Unfortunately, we are hearing tonight that Pasquale does not seem to be improving. He is fighting infections, and needs significant assistance from a ventilator in order to breath. He is on morphine to keep him comfortable, but has not been responsive over the past few days.

He has been in the hospital for more than 5 weeks now. Hopefully, the infections will subside soon and allow him to strengthen and recover.

HISTORY

Wow, what an incredible election day! Obama was my candidate of choice, but even if you were a McCain supporter, it can't be denied that history was made and that we all have something big to celebrate. I was overwhelmed as the results came in, watching history unfold before my eyes! Finally, there is diversity in The Oval Office. Martin Luther King, Jr had a dream, and last night we watched it come true. May President-elect Obama lead our country into an even brighter future!

Election Day!

"There never will be complete equality until women themselves help to make laws and elect lawmakers."
--- Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906), abolitionist & pioneer in the women's suffrage movement

My friends*, it has finally arrived. Election Day. After nearly 2 years of primaries, caucuses, Super Delegates, campaign ads, debates, conventions, Joe The Plumber, and SNL political skits, today we choose our new President.

*opening phrase courtesy of John McCain, Maverick

I'm always reflective on Election Day, thankful for the right to cast my vote. It was only in this country's recent history, starting in 1920 --- only 88 years ago! --- that women could vote without being mocked, arrested, sent to prison.

That seems almost unimaginable to us today, doesn't it? Now, the candidates clamor & compete for women's votes, Senator Clinton was a viable candidate for the Democratic party, and Governor Palin is the VP candidate on the GOP ticket. But there are still women in the world struggling for the basic right to vote. In 2008.

Ladies, please vote today! I consider my vote a tribute and a symbol of gratitude to those who sacrificed so much for my right to cast it.

election fun and other stuff

Hi there, hope you're enjoying the weekend. Thanks to everyone for your support with my mailman ordeal (see my Nov 1 post). Isn't life too short for such nonsense? I'll let you know how it turns out. I certainly don't plan to just tolerate it!

On a lighter and certainly funnier note, did you catch Saturday Night Live last night? John McCain made a special appearance, and did the opening skit alongside Tina Fey (a.k.a. fake Sarah Palin). It included a parody of QVC, and was clever. JM was a good sport about it. You can see it here. And don't miss SNL's "Presidential Bash 2008" on Monday night at 9:00 PM Eastern on NBC. Those shows are a hoot, Sal and I love 'em!

So, wow, voting starts in less than 48 hours. Finally! I'm excited, can't wait to vote! I love all the commotion at the polls on Election Day. My blog's own poll will be open until the real polls close on election night, so you can scroll down to "vote" (in the sidebar) if you haven't already. Interestingly, the results are still mirroring the national polls, a statistical dead heat for the 50 votes tallied so far.

And for my crafty friends....5 new colors of Shimmerz paints have just been released for winter.....they're called Shimmerz Blingz, and they're supposed to be even more shimmer-y than the original Shimmerz! They look gorgeous, check 'em out:


And you can go to the Shimmerz blog to see some beautiful projects they made with these new paints.

Later!

venting...

Hello and happy November! Wow, we're in the 11th month of 2008...already!

It's gray and gloomy here in SoFla today, and the weather matches my mood unfortunately. I've had a long week. On top of everything else going on....Sal's Dad's stroke, our garage door opener broke, etc etc etc....I've been having a lot of trouble with our mailman. For months, I've complained about him to supervisors at the post office, but he just keeps finding new ways to harass me. It started with him yelling at me (yes, yelling!) in our driveway after I simply requested that he leave packages at the door rather than bring them back to the post office, which meant I had to go pick them up. It was a scarey situation actually, and I now avoid all contact with him. Then he started mockingly waving at me from his truck, and then he decided it would be funny to leave the flag up on our mailbox after picking up our mail everyday. Now, his new petty game is to ring our doorbell about 10 times when he brings a package to our door, which of course disrupts the entire household. Real professional, huh? I think he's a disturbed individual, at the very least he must have an anger management problem, and no one at the postal service can seem to put a stop to his behavior. Pathetic. Who works for whom over there? Geez, I just don't need this! The arrival of mail and packages used to be a bright spot in my day. I heard on the news yesterday that, due to the sour economy, the postal service is looking to lay off employees for the first time ever, and I can only hope that he's among them.

Thanks for listening. :-/

I'm off to try to enjoy the rest of the weekend.

boo!

Happy Halloween!

I'm looking forward to seeing all the cute little ghosts and goblins out trick-or-treating tonight.

Have a fun day!

Sal's Dad: Wednesday late PM update

Hello everyone.....

Pasquale had the tracheostomy today, and the surgery went OK. He is recovering from it and is fairly responsive tonight. Hopefully, this will allow the pneumonia to subside more quickly.

Sal's Dad: Tuesday afternoon update

Hello everyone.....

Sorry that I didn't update you sooner about Pasquale, but the family has been in and out of lots of meetings and conference calls with his doctors, etc.

He has stabilized somewhat, especially his kidneys. The nephrologist saying that, at this point, dialysis is not necessary, which is very good news!

Pasquale's breathing has unfortunately not improved though. He still needs the assistance of a ventilator, and now the pulmonologist suggests that a tracheostomy be done. That's a minor surgical procedure whereby a breathing tube is inserted into the neck. Then, the ventilator will be re-inserted though it instead of the mouth. This will hopefully minimize infection and allow faster healing of the pneumonia. The surgery is tentatively scheduled for later this week, probably Friday.

Sal and I are heading home to Delray Beach tonight. I'll post again soon.

Sal's Dad: Sunday afternoon update

Hello everyone.....

The news is not good today.

This morning, Pasquale's doctors said that his kidneys are failing, and the family is being asked to consider dialysis. He is still on a ventilator, he has a high fever, and unfortunately he's not responding to the strong antibiotics that are being administered for the pneumonia.

Sal and I are on our way to Gulfport this afternoon. I'll post updates from there.

movie review(s)

Hi there, hope you're enjoying the weekend. It's a gray & rainy weekend here in south Florida, but nonetheless Sal and I managed to sneak in a few hours at the beach this morning before the dark clouds rolled into Delray Beach.

I forgot to mention earlier that I finally went to see The Secret Life of Bees this week. It was a pretty good movie, not excellent though. It's unfortunate that it's not generating more buzz (pun intended), because the story is moving. Emotionally heavy subjects are front-and-center in the plot, particularly the racism of the 1960s. For me, it's so difficult to watch the unfairness, the blatant ignorance and hatred. Makes me sick...and angry! But I was pleased that the screenplay was true to the book. Not like Under The Tuscan Sun, which was a fabulous book but a cinematic disaster. What were they thinking? They deviated so far from the book, it was almost another story entirely. The only thing I liked about that movie was the scenery in Italy. And, by the way!, do you remember that scene where Diane Lane (who played Frances) and her new "friend" (aka Italian hunk) had a *ahem* fun evening? Sal and I have stayed in that same hotel (Albergo California) in Positano where that was filmed, on the gorgeous Amalfi Coast!

But I digress, geez....getting back to the Bees movie. Overall, it was well-acted and had its sweet-as-honey moments. Worth the price of a matinee ticket.

Gotta run. The Office just came on.

40

Yep, today's the day.....I'm turning 40! The big Four-0. Gosh, how did that happen? Wasn't I just in college?.....getting married?.....starting out as an engineer? I really look forward to this new decade though! A fresh start......40 Is The New 30.

To kick off my 40s, and to celebrate my passion for travel, I plan to make a scrapbook page with the theme "40 places I still want to visit". Thought I'd share a preview of the locales my list will include, in no particular order (unless otherwise noted, these are places that I've never been, but some places warrant a 2nd, 3rd and 4th visit for sure!):

(1) Iceland
(2) Spain
(3) Hawaii (again!)
(4) Morocco
(5) Niagara Falls
(6) an African safari
(7) Kodiak Island, Alaska
(8) Tahiti
(9) Yellowstone Nat'l Park
(10) northern Italy (again!)
(11) Provence, France
(12) Japan
(13) The Seychelles
(14) autumn "leaf peeping" in New England
(15) Bermuda
(16) Mount Rushmore
(17) Yosemite Nat'l Park
(18) Poland
(19) Galapagos Islands
(20) Easter Island
(21) Peru
(22) New York City (again!)
(23) a polar bear safari in Canada
(24) St. Lucia
(25) England
(26) Indonesia
(27) St. Augustine, Florida
(28) Utah (we're going in 2009, woo hoo!)
(29) Antarctica
(30) China
(31) Australia & New Zealand
(32) Greece
(33) India
(34) Panama Canal
(35) Egypt
(36) Russia
(37) Hoover Dam
(38) South Korea
(39) Anguilla
(40) Costa Rica

So I'm hoping for a "bon voyage" in my 40s! Thanks for sharing the journey with me here on my blog!

P.S. ~ Today is also my niece's birthday...Rebecca is turning 2 today, and she lives in Gulfport, Florida. Happy Birthday, sweetie!

Ratchet update

Wonderful news!

Remember my blog post about Ratchet on Oct 14? He's the puppy who was rescued from a burning pile of trash by an American soldier in Iraq. But the military confiscated the dog from her. And the soldier is coming home soon and wanted to bring the pup with her, but the military prohibited it. Well, the military relented and turned the dog over to an animal rescue group, Operation Baghdad Pups, who flew into Baghdad and loaded the pup onto a charter flight! Ratchet arrived in the soldier's home state of Minnesota earlier this week, hurrah! You can read the full story here.

THANK YOU to everyone who signed the online petition for Ratchet, I'm sure the public pressure made a difference!

Woman's Best Friend:

Enjoy your new life, Ratchet!

And in other military animal news.....on Tuesday, a new hospital opened in Texas for dogs injured in the line of duty. It has been dubbed "the Walter Reed of the veterinary world". It offers advanced medical treatment for combat-wounded dogs, including rehabilitation facilities. Click here for the full article and a photo gallery.

mystery getaway destination revealed!

Thanks for your patience while waiting for the reveal of my mystery getaway, I had planned to blog about it earlier.....Sal and I are back home now from visiting his family; Pasquale is still in a critical period of recovery.

OK, so Where In The World? did Sal take me for a special birthday getaway weekend?

On Saturday, we drove to my parents' house in the Tampa Bay area, where my family and some of my longtime friends had gathered for a surprise party! WOO HOO

I walked in to see decorations (including personalized balloons in a gorgeous teal color), a big spread of food (all yummy veggie-friendly Mediterranean stuff!), a birthday cake, gifts, and my wonderful friends JoAnn (pictured with me, below) and Milton! It had been a long time since I had seen them, and I was so stunned to see their faces that it took a few seconds to register in my mind! I've known JoAnn for 23 years, she and I worked together at my first job at a department store back when I started college.

And Milton and I have known each other for over 20 years, and he was the Best Man at our wedding 18+ years ago. How fabulous to have them with me to celebrate my milestone 40th birthday! We all had fun chatting, laughing, reminiscing, and....eating!

Milton, my Dad & me:

Me, my Mom, and my sister's husband, Heince:

from left: me, JoAnn, my sister Theresa, and Milton:

And as I opened gifts, someone caught my reaction on camera....here I'm just realizing what Sal had in store for the weekend:

The fun and surprises continued after the party when we drove to Orlando! Sal took me to Discovery Cove on Sunday. What a fabulous park! It's operated by SeaWorld (and is right across the street from it), and is a tropical paradise full of fun. They allow only 900 people into the park each day, so it never felt crowded. We swam with a dolphin named Cindy and had a lot of one-on-one time with her.

They allow only tiny groups at a time to interact with a dolphin and a trainer, so you really get up-close-and-personal with these magnificent creatures (the dolphins, that is, not the trainers, ha ha!). It was so special to touch her smooth (and warm!) skin, look into her soft eyes, and to hug and kiss her too! (I appreciated that they provided a wetsuit because the water was about 70 or 75 degrees F, brrr).

She was 9 feet long, and weighed 550 pounds. That perpetual dolphin "smile" on their faces is deceiving, they're so powerful.

But apparently Sal wasn't finished surprising me! He had arranged with the Discovery Cove staff for Cindy to give me yet another birthday surprise! The trainer told our group that Cindy was going to the other end of the lagoon to get her favorite toy, and he "volunteered me" to step to the front of the group so that she could bring it back to me. I was thrilled, but thought that I was chosen completely at random and suspected nothing! So then Cindy pops up out of the water right in front of me with a toy in her mouth that had been personalized to read "Happy Birthday Susan! Love, Sal". OH. MY. GOSH. !!! I was SO stunned! You can see the surprise all over my face in the photos:

I'll never forget it! Sal, you sure got me! Even Cindy seemed to be happy about it!

Discovery Cove is absolutely beautiful, with lush tropical foliage everywhere, so very Florida.....loved it! And the weather was spectacular that day, so fortunate. Not a cloud in the sunny blue sky. Perfect.

The fun was to continue on Monday, with a day at SeaWorld. But, as I mentioned in an earlier post, Sal's Mom called to say that his Dad was unfortunately doing worse, so we felt that it was only appropriate to get to the hospital to be with Sal's family on Sunday. So, we canceled the final part of our trip. SeaWorld has kindly extended the dates of our tickets, so we plan to go back to Orlando sometime in 2009 and continue the celebration. Can't wait to go to their manatee rehabilitation center!

So thanks for sharing the excitement of my fun surprise getaway! I hope you enjoyed all of the surprises as much as I did!

And a BIG special thanks to Sal, my sweetheart, for all of your planning and thoughtfulness! I felt like a princess and really enjoyed all of the surprises! My 40th has been extra special! Love you! XOXOXO