Everybody loves tacos!

Every year we are lucky enough to be invited to a great White Elephant family party.  This was my contribution, and I thought it was perfect:  a bulky set of festively decorated taco accoutrement.  Like who really needs a taco holder?  That only holds 4 tacos?  AND comes with a tortilla warmer.  This is what makes it the perfect white elephant gift.

I did not count on the fact that Colin had been surreptitiously admiring my unwrapped gift on the dining room table.  When his number was called, he STOLE this present from another guest!  He asked me to help him hide it so that no one would steal it from him.  Never fear, no one did.  So I got to take my bulky, festive gift home.

This morning I told Colin, "You know, if we don't use that Taco Set, we can return it, and you can get a gift card to buy whatever you want..."  Luckily for me, he was totally sold on this idea.  He loves gift cards, and got himself a new Bakugon and a notebook.

So much easier to find room for that than the fiesta set!

Reminder

We have a great new injectable antibiotic that lasts for 10 days. Its quite pricey for large dogs, but for cats it only costs $10 more than the $25 liquid or pill that you have to give your cat BY MOUTH twice a day. Since cats don't mind shots the way kids do, but really hate that bubblegum flavored liquid, and really abhor a dry pill being shoved down their throats, I haven't had any feline owners decline yet. Worse case scenario, the cat has to come back for a second injection in 10 days.

Today I saw a cranky, painful, febrile kitty with an infected bite wound on her leg. Her owners of course opted for the magic shot. "This only lasts 10 days," I said. "That would be Christmas Day, and we are closed. So if she's not completely better by Christmas Eve, come back that morning for a second injection."

Yikes! 10 days to Christmas! How did that happen?!?

Haddipa!

Sorry for the atrocious lack of posting, but my list of holiday projects is long, and then there is still work and school and piano and ballet and you get the idea.

Sunday nights I go to my Bollywood dance class with my friend Susan.  Its a lot of fun and a great workout.  We moved to the 5 o'clock class which is full of older Indian women, then there is Susan (half Japanese, half Indian), and then there is me.   We have a blast.

Five minutes before I walked out the door, Anna begged to come with me, and how could I resist?  Several of the ladies commented that she looked just like me, and with two blonde ponytails and black yoga paints, we really did look alike.  Anna thought it was weird to dance barefoot (such a ballerina) but she followed along.

One of our songs is "Dil Bole Haddipa," from a recent Bollywood film.  It means "My heart goes Haddipa!" and Haddipa is the equivalent of Ole!  Bravo!  Opa!  Halleluia!  As we are dancing our bhangra and sweating up a storm, Anna is laughing and boogying along.  The chorus comes along and she shouts, "HADDIPA!" right with the music.  The Indian ladies were so impressed.  "Did she really sing along with the song?" they asked.  Yes, she did!  That is my beautiful, irrepressible Anna!

Welcome Bonnie

If you haven't read the post below titled "Spencer," scroll down and read that first.

Incredibly, the day after my MIL Marion lost Spencer, a friend of hers called out of the blue.  "Would you be interested in having another sheltie?  I have an elderly friend who is moving in with her son.  He is allergic to dogs so she can't keep her."  The woman had not heard about Spencer, but her timing was good.

Soon Marion was driving to meet "Bonnie," although she told me she felt a little guilty after just losing Spence.  I told her not to be, because even if he had not died, I'm sure she would have taken Bonnie in.  For some people, getting another dog right away helps the healing process; others need a lot more time.  Marion needed another dog.

She is an older dog but looks like a puppy because she got a haircut.  Marion cannot understand why anyone would cut a sheltie's beautiful coat, but it will grow back.  They have already been for lots of walks, and Bonnie follows Marion everywhere.  "Looks like we have a little sweetheart," she says.

Grand

I'm all tired out from having too much fun again... Anna and I returned late last night from Houston, where we traveled for my sister Steph's annual Ladies Christmas Tea.  It is a giddy excuse to get all dressed up and celebrate the season with the girls.   Anna adores it, and this was my niece Paige's first year to attend.  Emily flew in for 24 hours from NYC.  I just wish Stephanie could dress me, and do my hair and make up for all my events.

As we drove down in the rain on Tuesday, and I turned on the President's speech.  I told Anna, "President Obama is giving this speech at West Point, where (my cousin) Robert goes to school.  He's actually there, seeing and hearing him live."

Anna said, "Oh, wow!  I wish he would come speak at T. Elementary (her school).  Wouldn't that be grand?"