Through my eyes

Saturday morning at Blanche Park

2014-02-04T12:33:00.001-05:00

In keeping with our new Saturday morning ritual, Sydney and I got out of the house early so we could grab some breakfast and head to the park. I'd heard great things about the Starbucks in Coconut Grove so I decided to check it out and asked mom to meet us. I have to say, this time people were right on the money. This Starbucks is located in the shopping plaza where Monty's restaurant is and has a lovely patio with several tables and umbrellas that face South Bayshore Drive. What I enjoyed most however was the crowd. It wasn't your typical Miami latino crowd, rather, very all-American, a nice change of pace. I ordered my regular tall blonde roast and pumpkin loaf and chatted up some of the folks sitting around us that were admiring Sydney. Turns out two of the people we spoke to were from Winnipeg, just like Sydney. What are the odds of that?

After breakfast we headed over to Virginia Street to find a small park someone I ran into the previous weekend at the park told me I should check out. He had said the best thing about it was it was all artificial turf so the dogs don't get as dirty as in other local parks, especially around the water bowl where it tends to get very muddy. Another aspect I liked was when he told me the owners were very responsible and always vigilant. Anytime a dog gets out of control, they are asked to leave by the other pet owners. After our experience last weekend at Tropical Dog Park with a large German Shepherd puppy that wouldn't leave Sydney alone and whose owner's response to me was "I can't do anything about it, that's how he plays", this park seemed a lot more our style.

Sydney's First Time At The Dog Park

2014-01-23T12:38:00.000-05:00

The day finally arrived! Sydney's last vaccinations. My little guy is now part of the real world. After waiting a little over two months, I think I was probably more excited than he was at all of the new possibilities and experiences that awaited him.

I've lived in Miami over 30 years and never been to the dog park. I can hardly believe it. I guess the reason was that none of my dogs were very social with other dogs so I never took the chance. I wasn't going to make the same mistake with Sydney. We were going to get him socialized.

Like a nervous first time mom, I packed anything and everything (except maybe the kitchen sink). Towels, wipes, ear cleaner, hairbrush, water bowl, water, food, leash and a frisbee. I later changed my mind about the frisbee realizing that toys and food are triggers for aggressive behaviour and didn't want to take any chances Sydney's first time at the park could be ruined.

I suppose a weekday instead of the weekend would have been a better choice for our first time at the park but the weekend is all we had. As I pulled up into the parking lot, I noticed there must have been well over 20 dogs already there. I was a little ambivalent and almost turned around and went home, but decided to tough it out and see how things played out.

The minute we entered the fenced in area, Sydney began pulling on his leash and in less than 30 seconds was surrounded by two dogs that had come to say hello. I released Sydney and the poor little darling tried to run as far away from the dogs that were chasing him as possible. He just didn't understand what was going on. In less than five minutes, he had dogs everywhere.

It didn't take long before Sydney began to feel right at home. I can't begin to express the joy it gave me to see him running around the playground, chasing the other dogs, going up to the people to say hello. After about 25 minutes of running around non-stop, Sydney was all tuckered out and ran up onto one of the obstacle course platforms and just layed down. Not only did it give him an opportunity to rest, it gave him a great vantage point in which to check things out.

Needless to say, Sydney's first day at the park was a big hit. I don't know which one of us enjoyed it more. This will be the first of many, many afternoons spent there. Although I'm thinking about trying out a different one next time just to see the difference. Will keep you posted.

How Sydney Came Into My Life

2014-01-13T14:45:00.000-05:00

Wow! It's been quite a long time since I posted anything. Life and work just kind of caught up with me and I couldn't find the time. I'm hoping to stay more organized in 2014 and find the time to check in and write something from time to time....

So where to begin? SYDNEY, he's my new little monkey. As I write this, he turns 16 1/2 weeks old !! Hard to believe. But I should start at the beginning and tell you how it all began, and why.

Sydney a/k/a White Velvet Labrador Sweet Nectar

As most of you know, on July 4, 2013 I had to say goodbye to Jax, my beautiful 13 year old Golden Retriever. He was my best friend, the one constant in my entire life, my true companion, my shoulder to cry on when I was down, my joy, my love. Even though he's no longer with me physically, I carry him in my heart every minute of every day and I feel his presence with me always.

Jax

After loosing him, of course I still had my sweet and precious Emma and figured she and I would manage together quite well. How wrong I was. Not only was Emma totally lost without Jax, the emptiness left by his passing was palpable.

Almost as if a higher force or destiny, or even Jax himself knew we needed something to fill the void, my condo association decided it would be passing a new rule allowing each unit owner to have only one dog; however, if you already had more than one at the time the rule was passed, the dogs would be "grandfathered" in. I always knew I would eventually get another dog, but I just wasn't quite ready.

Left with no choice, I began looking for a breeder out of state (too many backyard breeders in Florida). Also, to those that would condemn me for going to the breeder in the first place, and not rescue a dog, let me explain. Both Cody and Emma were rescue dogs. Unfortunately Cody passed away too young. He was only 10. I have been heartbroken each and every time I have had to say goodbye to one of my babies so I just wanted to try to give my new puppy and me, the best chance at a long and happy life together. I know nothing is guaranteed or set in stone, and maybe it's wishfull thinking, but I thought if I knew where the puppy came from and everything that happened to him since the day he was born, it could make a difference. Only time will give me the answer.

In as much as I would have loved another Golden, I felt it would have been unfair to the new puppy, as I'm sure at some point or another I would compare him to Jax. To play it safe, I decided on getting a Labrador Retriever instead, the closest in temperment to the Golden.

As I began looking for available breeders online, I came across White Velvet Labradors (www.whitevelvetlabradors.com) and the wonderful Lois Janz. The only problem was when I looked at their location. They were in Winnipeg, Canada!!! Yes, Winnipeg...in the middle of nowhere. Yet fate would once again intervene and help make my decision an easy one. I quickly remembered that one of my dearest childhood friends, Dana, lived in Winnipeg, Canada and had been asking me for years to come and visit her and her family. Coincidence? I think not.

I quickly contacted Lois on the phone and sure enough, she had just had two litters of puppies and did have a few male puppies available from both litters. After speaking with her, I quickly realized I had found the right breeder.

Lois, her husband and her 8 children (yes 8, it is not a typo) are a small, hobby breeder of the most beautiful cream/white labradors you have ever seen. The entire family is involved in raising the puppies until they are ready for each one to go to their forever homes, and what a wonderful job they do. By the time the puppies go home, they are extremely socialized.

After checking out both sets of parents, I made the decision that I wanted a puppy from their Sire Journey / Dame Mylie litter born September 6, 2013.

Sydney's daddy "Journey"
(photo courtesy of White Velvet Labradors)

Sydney's mommy "Mylie" (photo courtesy of
White Velvet Labradors)

A few weeks later came the almost IMPOSSIBLE task of trying to decide via photos, emails and conversations with Lois, which of the 5 puppies I would be taking home with me, especially given the unbelieavably adorable pictures Lois would send me of the puppies. After a lot of back and forth, the decision was made - White Velvet Labrador's Sweet Nectar would soon be coming home with me, and I couldn't be more thrilled!!

Sydney at 6 weeks old (photo courtesy of White Velvet Labradors)

(photo courtesy of White Velvet Labradors)

A little side note: During all this process, I happen to tel my neighbor about the new puppy I was getting and sent the pictures so he could see them. Right away he fell in love and also decided on getting one of Sydney's litter mates, White Velvet Timber (which was my second choice) a/k/a Bailey.

So on November 2, 2013, when the puppies were 8 weeks old, I, together with my neighbor's friend, flew up to Winnipeg, Canada to meet the newest members of our families...AND as an added bonus, got to visit with my dearest friend Dana and her family as well as Lois and Sydney's daddy - Journey.

The first time I saw Sydney

Sydney and I with proud Papa Journey and Bailey
in the background

November 3, 2013: After one very LONG night with two, eight week old puppies running around a house that is not puppy proofed, it was time for the long airplane ride home. In as much as both puppies were very good on the plane and didn't make a sound, it was quite a different story at the airports where they made sure everyone knew they were not happy campers being shut in those little airline carriers....so my friend Robert and I, with a little extra liquid courage from Don Julio and Jack Daniels, did everything in our power to make sure the puppies stayed as quiet as possible so we would all make it home safe and sound.

(Pssst...don't tell the airline, but I snuck him out of the carrier and put him on the seat next to me. Everytime the flight attendant walked by, we'd cover him with the blanket).

As soon as Sydney arrived, he sniffed around his new surroundings, checked out all of his new toys, and right away decided that bunny was going to be his favorite. (As of today, two months later, bunny doesn't have any ears, is missing one of his little arms, but no matter how many toys he has, he's always looking out for bunny.) About an hour after we arrived, he went right to sleep.

Following is more of a photo / video journey of Sydney's first two months at home and how very quickly he is growing and how much joy he is bringing into my life each and every minute. Even when he's being bad, I can't help but turn away and laugh or smile because everything about him is so darn cute!

November 4, 2013: Sydney and Bailey's first visit at the vet for their second set of shots. They were such good boys. Sydney weighed 14.6 pounds. Everyone fell totally in love with them. One firefighter outside saw us in the waiting room sitting there and came in to volunteer to be their baby sitters if we ever needed one.

Below, Sydney decided that it was more fun for him to be in his toy box, rather than his actual toys...something he did all the time, until he realized he didn't fit anymore.

Sydney loves playing with his toys...here he found Jax's favorite old bone.

After we returned from Canada, I decided to take the first week off from work so that it wouldn't be too much of a shock for the puppies so my place was designated the "day care". Bernie dropped Bailey off everyday and other than to take little 10-minute cat naps, the boys didn't stop playing the entire time. The great thing about that was that they were so wiped out by the end of the day, they slept through the night (most of the time). Here are the boys at nine weeks old.

Sydney and I went to go visit my good friend Luisa one day and she took these pictures of us in the car. Because I live alone, I don't have many pictures of Sydney and I together as it's always me taking the pictures so I'm glad she was able to capture these.

My neighbor Bernie is always telling me that I should stop treating Sydney like a baby because I'm always cuddling him and holding him in my arms as though he were a baby, but darn it, I just can't help it! I know how fast he's going to grow and pretty soon I won't be able to pick him up (sooner than later at the rate he's going).

Here is Sydney's "official" first portrait. Just kidding. I took this the first time he tried coming down the stairs and I just thinks he looks SCRUMPTIOUSLY ADORABLE!!

Sydney's first attempt at walking downstairs

As you may or may not know, puppies should not go outside where other dogs have been before they get all their shots to prevent them from getting sick. (In my case it would probably be around 4 months of age. In the meantime, I came up with the brilliant idea (if I say so myself), to buy Sydney a little stroller so he could go outside and sniff around the neighborhood without actually coming into contact with the ground. At first he was somewhat reluctant, but after a couple of tries, the first thing he did every morning was try to jump into the stroller himself. (He still does it now but he's outgrown it and doesn't understand why I won't take him out on it anymore). The first couple of weeks, the boys were small enough that they both got to ride in it together. It was quite a sight!

Slowly but surely we managed to get into a regular routine. Bailey would sometimes spend the day at my place, and while both Bernie and I were at work, my mom looked after the puppies. They literally spent hours on end playing and rough-housing with each other...so much so that now Sydney has a couple of scars on his nose and a big one on his side to prove it :0(

As they continue to grow, so to do they continue to play together; each trying in their own way to figure out which one is the toughest. Having watched them quite a bit, I frankly can't tell. They each have their moments when one takes charge and asserts himself more over the other. Sydney tends to go for the ears, Bailey for the neck. Bailey always seems to grab the toys first and Sydney spends most of his time running after him trying to take them away and always seems to be the one on top when they have their little wrestling matches; he's also always in control of the water bowl, not letting Bailey drink from it until he's good and ready.

Labrador Retrievers are to water like peanut butter is to jelly, one can't possibly exist without the other. For that reason, I tried to expose Sydney to water as quickly as possible after he arrived. After all, he was no longer living in Canada, but Florida; we are surrounded by water on all sides!
Below is the first time I took him outside to play with the hose. As you can see, he took right to it.

Before bringing the puppies home, I purchased a little kiddy pool at Toys R Us. I remember how much Jax loved his little pool, even when he was 78 pounds and could barely fit in it. In the Summer when it was really hot and muggy, he would go out onto the patio and just lay in the water and splash around with his toys. I'm almost certain that these little guys will be doing just the same.

Below is a short video of their first time in the kiddy pool.

And then there was Sydney's first bath. Obviously that was the first and last time he fit in the kitchen sink. The next bath was in the bathtub and the one after that on the patio with the hose. He loves water so bathtime becomes more of a game and makes for a very wet and slippery situation!!

A big part of bringing a new puppy into your home is figuring out what kind of diet to give them, as well as daily training in order that they can become well-behaved members of our family. Nothing worse than a 90 pound terror running around your house. After hours of research, I finally found a website www.dogfoodadvisor.com that rates the various different dog foods on the market. It was extremely helpful and after reading everything they had, I was finally able to make a decision on what kind of food to give him. Unfortunately, no stores in Miami carry it so it has to be delivered to the house. I use www.chewy.com. They have very fast delivery and incredible customer service.

The day the box of food arrives is one of the most exciting for Sydney. He can't even wait for me to open it and always takes it upon himself to lend me a helping hand. Mommy's little helper.

I must have made a great choice because eating his food really excites him.

As with everything else he does, he turns it into a little game. I could literally watch him for hours.

A BIG part of having a puppy is the training. This time around, I have made it a point to devote a lot of time to doing so. I am amazed at how fast Sydney learns. One month into the training he was already housebroken, knew how to sit, lay down, shake, roll-over, up, speak, fetch, drop and we're in the process of learning stay and heel. Just enrolled him in his first puppy class which begins on January 19th, 2014.
It's incredible just how smart he really is. He's decided to learn a few tricks on his own. One of these tricks (which I'm not so thrilled about) is how to open the front door. I have a lever handle so he jumps up and pushes it down and voila, he's out the door. Now I have to remember to lock it even if I'm just going to the mailbox. There's a good probability he's also learning or learned how to get water from the refrigerator's water dispenser. He just can't seem to reach it everytime he jumps up on it when he sees me getting him his water.

Oh yes, and then there are the famous bells. I remember reading on one of the many websites I researched regarding puppy training, that you should hang some bells on your front door. That way you can train the puppy to ring the bells when he needs to go out. Wonder who the genius was behind that idea???!!! Sydney took to that quickly but as usual, turned it into yet another game. We spend the entire evening like this: Sydney rings the bells, I open the door to let him go out, he comes back in without going to the bathroom, five minutes later he rings the bells again, I open the door to let him out, he comes back in and so on and so forth. You get the picture. I have now become his personal door man and I don't know how to make it stop. One day I decided to tie the bells to the side of his crate and again, another game.

And the next time Bailey came over, Sydney decided to teach him the game.

In the meantime, Sydney continued to grow. It didn't take long before he began to enter that lanky stage. Long snout, long legs, long body.

November 29, 2013: In his short little life, Sydney has become quite the traveler. He was born in Winnipeg, flew by plane to Minneapolis/St. Paul, changed planes, flew to Miami and in November, for the Thanksgiving holiday, visited Savannah, Georgia. Not bad for only being almost 3 months old.

We loaded up the car and together with Emma, made the eight hour car ride to Savannah and my little monkey slept the entire time, except when we stopped for bathroom breaks! He was such a little trooper.

Savannah is a very dog-friendly town and strolling along the squares and parks with Sydney in his baby stroller and Emma alongside, we were the talk of the town. By the end of our stay, everyone at Gallery Espresso knew who we were.

With each passing day, Sydney continued to grow and I continued to baby him.

December 24 and 25, 2013: Our first Christmas together! Even though he was still very much a puppy and had entered the "teething stage", I couldn't let our first Christmas together come and go without putting up a Christmas tree. Of course you may all remember the famous story of Jax reaching up into the Christmas tree and picking out one of the ornaments, eating it, getting a blockage in his intestines from the wires and having to have surgery to remove it (for a total cost of almost $3000). Needless to say I was weiry but I decided to go for it. I am happy to report that except for a few pine needles that he decided to lick off the floor and two instances when he attempted to pick off a couple of the ornaments from the bottom branches of the tree, we ended up spending a very special Christmas at home and also together with my dearest friends, Piloto and Zori who have become Sydney's "official" uncle and aunt.

December 31, 2013

January 11, 2014: Sydney's last vet visit for his final set of shots!!! The vet couldn't believe how big they've gotten. For the first time Bailey out-weighed Sydney by almost one pound. Sydney weighed 41.8 and Bailey 42.7. They are FINALLY out on parole and can begin to investigate the world around them. Yippeeee!!

January 12, 2014: Sydney's first time at the beach. Woke up today and it was an absolutely glorious day. One of those very rare occasions. There was not a cloud in the sky, a cool breeze was blowing from the north and there was no humity. It was the perfect day to take Sydney out on his first visit to the beach and the ocean. I thought about it early enough that we got there before all of the crowds.

The minute we got out of the car, there were a couple of guys with the most adorable Newfoundland puppy, about the same age as Sydney, and was also there for the very first time. At first, Sydney was a little hesitant to get close to the guys or the puppy, which I found weird, after all, he is a Lab and is suppose to love people. I guess it's the fact that his entire world for the past two months has only been me, Bernie, Emma, Bailey, Piloto and Zori, Bella, Robert and his nanny, Nina. The puppy's owner was great. Took Sydney from me and began walking both puppies on the leash together. After about 5 minutes, Sydney was ready to play.

No problems with the ocean. I threw in the frisbee and he jumped right in after it. It was low tide so it didn't give him an opportunity to really swim, but he ran around chasing the frisbee and all of the other dogs on the beach. He even got to see a couple of manatees from the sea wall which caught his attention. It was a great day for monkey!! Hopefully the first of many, many more beach days to follow, and hopefully next time his brother Bailey will join us.

January 15, 2014: Took Sydney and Emma out for a quick walk this morning before I left to work and Sydney managed to get loose. He took off like a speeding bullet. I almost had a heart attack. The words "NO" and "COME HERE" fell on deaf ears. He ran around the corner out of my sight and I had to quickly throw off my high heels and chase after him. Once I turned the corner I caught a glimpse of him again as he darted towards Bernie's house, ran up to the front door and proceeded to sit down and bark. I guess he misses his little brother Bailey, but he knows that playtime with Bernie is on the weekends. Good to know he's already learned his way around the neighborhood.

In Memoriam

2011-03-10T11:02:00.001-05:00

He had a nature you could not help loving; And a heart that was purer than gold; And to those who knew him and loved him, His memory will never grow cold.

To My Dearest Beloved Daddy....I miss you more today than any other day in the past 12 years.

March 27, 1930 - March 10, 1999

Secret Admirer Revealed

2011-03-09T13:32:00.011-05:00

Think about it. I live in a large metropolitan city. There must be hundreds, if not thousands of heterosexual, single men. So what are the chances that out of all of those available men, my Secret Admirer should turn out to be someone that works with my Ex in the very company he does and lives right around the corner from me? Wait, it gets better, he’s also from the same country….oh and wait, he seems to have a poetic flair, just like my Ex did. So much so, that yesterday when I walked out to my car, I was surprised by yet another card and a poem. It almost sent chills down my spine when I read it. It seemed eerily similar to an email that my Ex wrote me when he was first trying to win over my affection. I fell for that sweet talk once, I’m certainly not going to do it twice. Words on paper are just that, and in the beginning, it seems everyone will promise the world and everything in between, with no thought as to whether or not they can follow through with it.

I was brought up by a father whose moral code was exemplary. His word was his life. His word meant everything to him, as it should be. I honor him by doing just the same and trying to live my life in much the same way as he did. Others, like my Ex, love the sound of their own voice, constantly reminding everyone that their word is sacrosanct and therefore should never be questioned or judged; yet their actions indicate the complete opposite. I feel truly sorry for people like him and others that live by such a sub-standard moral code….lying to the very people they claim to love and even to themselves, so much so, that they begin to believe the very lies they tell to be their truth.

I’m sure there are one or two people out there that would venture to say I’m taking a harsh or somewhat radical stand towards what should otherwise be thought of as a very simple, romantic gesture. True. I probably am. Unfortunately, experience has taught me otherwise. Being naive and taking everything at face value seemed to work when I was 20+ but can't possibly be a smart alternative at my age. My very nature is to believe in the goodness of people, it's who I am, how I was brought up and what has brought about the most heartache in my life. Your word is and should always be your truth, it's who you are. It hurts me to say this but it is not how most people operate anymore. It seems a person's word is only as good as how it may benefit them in the long run.

It is going to be six months since my relationship ended. Life is pretty much back to normal for the most part. However, I still have not been able to come to terms with the betrayal; the loss of innocence (as silly as that sounds coming from a 44 year old woman). Almost everyone I know has asked me how I believed the "promises" for as long as I did - I just did. You make a promise to someone, especially to someone you love or claim to love, you have to know in your heart, in your very being, that you intend or are capable of keeping that promise, otherwise, what do you have left?
As I venture out into the dating scene again, I pray that I can once again find that childhood innocence that was such a part of who I was that was stolen from me by my Ex. The belief that people are for the most part good; that they don't always have hidden agendas. If I don't, I fear the road ahead will be a very long and lonely one. As for my Secret Admirer, the fact remains that now that I know who he is, there is absolutely no interest on my part. Oh well, the fantasy was nice while it lasted.

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T20:36:00.004-05:00

Funny thing this "Valentine's Day". In all the years I've been in a relationship over Valentine's Day, I have inevitably had to hear from my so called "significant others" how Valentine's Day is so over-commercialized that they just don't want to buy into the whole charade. Silly old me has always agreed. Mind you, I truly do believe that this, like so many other holidays, is a ploy from big marketing company executives to get you to over-spend, buying all kinds of stuff you have absolutely no need for. How many stuffed animals and balloons can a girl get?? But....and there is a big BUT here, that doesn't mean that if you do happen to be blessed to have that someone special in your life, that you shouldn't go the extra mile and try to be "creative", or make some sort of small gesture to acknowledge how much they mean to you. So as long as I can remember, and in all of my past relationships, I don't recall ever having had someone do anything for me....that is, until today. Funny how you have to NOT BE in a relationship to have men go the extra mile.

I was pleasantly surprised this morning when I walked up to my car to find someone had left a little Valentine's Day balloon and small card. It was from a "Secret Admirer". Can you believe it? A secret admirer at my age. I remember the last time I got a note from a secret admirer on Valentine's Day....I was in Junior High. I have absolutely no idea who this person is, and I really couldn't care less. It was nice that someone out there noticed me....even if it was just for a brief moment, and took the time out to let me know. As silly as the whole thing is, it does make you smile.

Throughout the day today I was showered with beautiful email messages, text messages, candy, chocolates and even cupcakes from friends and co-workers and even many of the guys I'm writing to on Match that have never even met me. I've felt more appreciated and loved on this Valentine's Day that I'm single, than in all of my past Valentine's Days when I wasn't....who'd have guessed.

Happy Valentine's Day to all of my friends, both near and far.

An Evening to Celebrate Love

2011-02-13T15:52:00.014-05:00

Last night, I had the pleasure to be part of the 20th Anniversary Wedding party for two of my dearest friends, Piloto and Zoraida. Yesterday, together with many of their closest friends and family, we were able to once again, see up close, that true love, friendship and committment still does exist - in spite of the overwhelming negative statistics indicating the opposite.

As I walked in the door of their beautiful home in Coral Gables, Piloto reminded me that our trip to Italy, the first they had ever been on, had been 16 years ago. How quickly time passes by. And yet, there they were, as in love and committed to each other and to their family as when they first met. They have truly become my inspiration, my measuring stick if you will, as to what it is that I'm looking for in a relationship. People may say that I'm too picky, but I don't believe so. I'm holding out for the real thing, and unless I can have what they have, what is the point of it all; to become another statistic? It was a night filled with love, music (Amaury Gutierrez, Alex Ubago, Lena, Elain Morales, Alexis Valdes and so many more) were some of the guests that honored them and all the other guests with their music.

I celebrate their love for each other and hope they will be blessed with another 20 years.

Alexis Valdez, Gloria Ordaz, Lena, Elain Morales, Alex Ubago and I

Here are a few of the wonderful songs we were treated to by some of their friends:

http://www.youtube.com/user/muchachita1111#p/u/7/nIkEn52Xs6U

http://www.youtube.com/user/muchachita1111#p/u/9/gOzGrxPtrh4

http://www.youtube.com/user/muchachita1111#p/u/1/NPjPzSUSGLk

http://www.youtube.com/user/muchachita1111#p/u/3/32I2WV1mDAU

http://www.youtube.com/user/muchachita1111#p/u/8/-Ag0F4r2UVI

http://www.youtube.com/user/muchachita1111#p/u/6/aHD7noZ1kME

What a Difference...17 years make

2011-02-12T10:32:00.013-05:00

So get this. I woke up yesterday with the intension of looking for an old photo album I was suppose to take to work. I was going to show someone photos of a friend we had in common. When I finally found it, and began looking through it, I found a photograph that was taken 17 years ago of Raul Di Blasio and I.

Raul Di Blasio and I - Cafe Abbracci
April 1994

For those who don't know who Raul Di Blasio is, check out this link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecJZafbsaWc . Raul Di Blasio is in town for a concert he's having this weekend in Miami (I'm going on Sunday). In any event, I get to work, go upstairs to show my friend the picture and out of the blue he says "do you know that Raul is downtairs right now? Come on, let's go down there and show him the pictures." Can you believe what a coincidence that is? I had absolutely no idea or reason to think he'd be at our office yesterday. I'm still having trouble wrapping my head around it. Here's a picture I haven't looked at in over a decade of someone I randomly met years ago, and the very day I look at it, he suddenly appears....17 years later....Wow. What are the chances of that happening twice?? I should play the lottery this weekend.

My friend drags me downstairs and show his PR person the pictures. She can't believe it either. She grabs me by the hand and takes me over to where he's sitting and shows them to him. Of course he couldn't remember who or when or where they were taken; never thought he would. He smiled, stood up, gave me a big hug and insisted we take another picture together because as he put it, we look so much better today. Here it is...How are we doing for 17 years later?

Raul Di Blasio and I, Mega TV Miami
February 11, 2011

What a difference a year makes

2011-02-06T15:15:00.012-05:00

So here we are again....in just a few hours, Superbowl XLV will kick off between the Steelers and the Packers. Should be a great game and looking forward to watching it.

However, I can't help but think about where I was this time last year. In fact, reading back on my blog, this time last year was a day packed full of "Americana" as I called it. If you had asked me a year ago that I would be sitting here now, a 44 year old woman, once again having to enter the dating scene - I would have never believed it. I spent last year watching the Superbowl with the man I thought was the love of my life and the last man I would ever date again. Boy was I wrong. In fact, one year later I am back on the dating scene....just joined Match.com about two weeks ago. I will be writing a blog about that as it deserves it's own forum, it's so hillarious, weird, interesting, fun and exciting....

We never know what is waiting for us just around the corner, good or bad. For this reason, I truly believe more than ever, that if you're living a moment of bliss right now, in the present.....devour it, enjoy it, savour every moment of it because it may not be there again tomorrow, or the very next second for that matter. And if you're going through a phase in your life that you'd rather not be living through, take comfort in knowing that it too shall pass as nothing is permanent.

It intrigues me to think about where I will be a year from now....however, I won't think about it right now. I've got a Superbowl game to watch (with my first date from Match) and that's all that matters right now. Can't wait to see how it turns out.

Go Packers......neither one is my team but it makes it more fun to cheer one team on!!!

Mother Nature

2011-01-29T15:54:00.019-05:00

Today, as I came home from picking my car up at the mechanic, my neighbor walked up to me to tell me that some newborn ducklings had fallen into a stormdrain. As most of my friends know, that's all I needed to hear. I ran to the storm drain and tried to get a plan in action in order to rescue them. It didn't take long before a crowd of on-lookers gathered around. I asked one of the men to remove the cover off of the storm drain as I quickly ran home to get a loaf of bread to see if we could get them to come out of hiding. At the same time, the mother duck and her remaining two ducklings were circling around anxiously. I started throwing pieces of bread into the drain hoping the ducklings would come out so we could grabe them.Sure enough, as I threw the first piece in, six tiny little ducklings appeared. I tried grabbing one of them, but they were too fast, and as quick as can be, they hid further down inside the drain where they were impossible to catch. I asked someone to bring the skimmer from the pool and we tried several times to no avail. Again, they were too fast. All of a sudden, a lightbulb went off in my head. Why don't we call the Fire Department? How many times have we heard and seen stories on T.V. of cats stuck up a tree or in a storm drains rescued by firefighters? I dialed 911 non-emergency and within five minutes the fire truck, along with five or six very willing and able firefighters came to the ducklings' rescue. They tried everything, even flooding the storm drain with water, but in the end, only managed to rescue one of the little ones. After over an hour of trying, they eventually called it quits and were on their way. Mama duck, anxiously circling the drain the entire time, also called it quits and went on her way, now with three little ducklings in tow. There I sat, my heart aching for the five tiny, defenseless ducklings that I had to abandon, knowing of their pending demise.

I guess Mother Nature knows what she's doing. There is a method and a perfect balance to her cruelty and beauty. A neighbor told me the mother duck had 19 little ducklings that hatched a few days ago. If all were meant to survive, we would no doubt be faced with an over-population of ducks sooner than later. Instead of the 19, only 3 will most likely survive - ensuring the survival of the species but not an over-population. It might be perfect, but none-the-less, sad. I'm going to have a hard time sleeping tonight. The idea of those five little ones, scared and alon,e just breaks my heart to pieces. As I conclude this post, almost six hours have past. I have gone back to the storm drain on numerous occasions and tried getting them out, but nothing has worked. I just hear the little things chirping away anxiously. Night falls and with it, the scavengers are sure to emerge shortly. Poor little, defenseless creatures....they don't have a chance.

Update on My Previous Post...Tardiness

2011-01-24T15:39:00.001-05:00

Just a little P.S. on my previous post. Yesterday, I was invited to a baby shower for a friend of mine. The invitation I received said "2:00 p.m.". Years ago I would have arrived at the event at exactly 2:00 p.m.; yesterday however, knowing my peeps, I decided to arrive "fashionably late".....or so I thought. The surprise was on me. I arrived at 2:40 p.m. (on purpose). I still can't believe it myself but the majority of the guests did not arrive until about 4:00 p.m. I even saw a few arrive at 5:00 p.m. What's wrong with this picture??? At 5:00 p.m. I was headed out the door.....so you see, it's not that I'm making this stuff up. People think this is alright. What do you think?

One of my greatest pet peeves

2011-01-09T17:00:00.003-05:00

So, I know that I am far from perfect, but if there is one thing that I take very seriously, it's being considerate about other people's time. I don't know if I'm extra sensitive; but living here in Miami seems to give everyone "carte blanche" to be inconsiderate just because as they say, it's the "Latino way." I seem to spend most of my time waiting for everything and everyone.

Since when is being Latin or Hispanic a God given right to be disrespectful or inconsiderate of others? I was born in Latin America, I grew up there, why can I tell time and they can't?

Being "fashionably late" has always been the norm; however, here in Miami, fashionably late seems to take on a meaning all it's own. How can anyone plan any social event, make an appointment, plan a wedding, anything for that matter, if 95% of the population thinks there is absolutely nothing wrong in showing up to a 7:00 p.m. invitation at 10:00 p.m.? With that mentality, throwing a suprise party is out of the question. Why do people think it's ok for others to just sit back and wait for a person to show up when they feel like it? Mind you, there's never a good reason. It's not like they get a flat tire or their child is sick; nothing like that. The plain and simple reason is that they couldn't care less about what the person on the other end might have planned. In the age where most people have at least one phone, if not two, they don't feel the need to let others know how late they will be, or in some cases, if they plan to show up at all. R.S.V.P.'s - what a joke!! If they R.S.V.P. "yes", they don't show up; if they don't bother to R.S.V.P., they just simply show up in a heard, and don't think there's anything wrong with that either.

I don't know about the rest of the State, the rest of the country, or the rest of the world for that matter, but civility here in Miami is dead. It just doesn't exist. Take me for instance. I had an appointment with someone to come to my house and remove some cabinets yesterday afternoon. An hour before, I called to confirm and got no answer. I sent a text which was answered at the exact time when the person should have in fact been at the appointment, indicating they would not be able to make. They re-scheduled for today. Today's appointment has come and gone, no call, no answer to my calls - nothing. I have sat here for two days waiting, yet this person didn't think it necessary to make me privy of his intentions of not showing up. This drives me insane. Why? Why should I have to tolerate this? Why can't people put themselves in the other person's shoes to see their time is just as valuable as everyone else's?

I believe most people around me end up thinking "if you can't beat them, join them". It's hard being the only fish swimming upstream all the time. I just can't seem to do the same. If you see someone jump off a bridge, are you going to jump off as well? Or is it simply that this is what the future holds - communities & civilizations with no civility whatsoever?

If that's the case, then I'll gladly stay behind. I want to live in a society where "please" and "thank you" are the norm and not the exception.

Gratitude for the things in my life

2010-12-31T11:42:00.009-05:00

"He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has." - Epictetus

I believe we often put too much pressure on ourselves this time of year. We make a list of "resolutions", things we hope to change, improve upon or eliminate altogether in the New Year. Unfortunately, we know all too well that most of us fail miserably at most, if not all of them. We set ourselves up for dissappointment from the get-go. In an effort not to begin the New Year on the wrong foot, instead, I'd like to make a list of things that I'm greatful for in my life. We're surrounded by so much negativity most of the time, it's hard to take stock in all the things that we have in our lives that we can be greatful for. Sure, I know I'm human, and as such, I have flaws and far from perfect, but if I really think about it, there is so much more good than bad. So here goes:

New beginnings. Every day that I am here I have the opportunity to start over, to change, to grow, to renew myself.

Being at peace.

The love and continued support of my family and friends.

My health.

My dogs and all of the funny and loving things they do each and every day. How they teach me unconditional love and how to live in the moment.

How every day I touch the lives of the people around me, and I do make a difference.

My house. Especially this year when so many others lost theirs.

My car. It may be old, but it hasn't let me down yet. There are so many others that don't have the luxury of a car to get from place to place.

My morning cup of coffee, as the sun comes up, listening to the birds singing in the trees as the wind chimes blow. It always brings a smile to my face.

When a friend looks at me and says, "I love you".

Music.

Hope.

Nature, trees, flowers, animals and the fact that I am able to enjoy them each and every day.

The food on my table.

Fresh, running water.

My ability to still be able to empathize with people, in spite of some very negative experiences I've had to live through.

When I realize that I am not all alone as I sometimes think I am. Instead, I am surrounded by people that love me and am finally rid of the people that don't have my best interests at heart.

The joy I get seeing the first bud come out of the ground from the seeds I've planted, then watching them grow and thrive.

How good it feels to lay my head down on my pillow at the end of a long day.

That I'm slowly learing that nothing is permanent - both good and bad so I should try to enjoy the good to the fullest, and take comfort that the bad soon shall pass.

"If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough." - Meister Eckhardt

Reflections on a year gone by....

2010-12-30T10:38:00.028-05:00

I woke up a few moments ago after tossing and turning all night long unable to sleep. I've been doing so for the past couple of days. There's a certain restlessness I haven't quite been able to pinpoint. I believe it may have something to do with the fact that this year, 2010, is one day from coming to a close. Most of the time, on the last few days of the year, most of us are too busy making plans for the parties we're going to attend, cleaning up after the Christmas chaos and some, like me, trying to come up with a few New Year's resolutions - I'll be trying to do that shortly. However, I think my restlessness comes from trying to make sense of what has turned out to be one of the most difficult years I can remember having had in a long time. I would like to reflect for a moment, try to put things into perspective, if possible, and see what are some of the life lessons I need to learn, in order that I can move on, grow and be at peace in my heart, maybe becoming just a little wiser along the way.

The old saying "when it rains it pours" comes to mind when describing the year I've had. Like thousands of other Floridians, my years started off on the unemployment line, one of the states hardest hit by the recent recession, followed by having to say goodbye to one of my companions, Cody. I believe Cody was an angel trying to disguise himself as a dog. He came into my life when he was almost two years old after having been surrendered to the animal shelter twice. I remember the day I adopted him like it was yesterday. He stole my heart the minute I saw him in the cage as he jumped towards me, put one paw on each of my shoulders giving me a hug and a big kiss. He continued doing so every single day for the next eight years. He brought me so much joy, showed me the meaning of pure, unconditional love each and every moment we were together, managed to give me his fair share of headaches, which only made him seem that much more human. I miss our morning hugs, the twinkle in his eyes, his gentle soul. Years earlier, when I first adopted him, someone gave me a present - "A Dog's Prayer". There was never a moment when I read the last paragraph that I didn't cry like a baby (just as I'm doing right now).

"And beloved master, should the great Master see fit to deprive me of my health, do not turn me away from you. Rather, hold me gently in your arms as skilled hands grant me the merciful boon of eternal rest - and I will leave you knowing with the last breath I drew, my fate was ever safest in your hands."

At the time, I never stopped to imagine what it would feel like the day I would actually have to say goodbye to one of my own. Those last few moments driving him to the vet late that night, knowing I would be driving home alone, knowing he had placed all of his trust and faith in me to do the right thing, were some of the most difficult in my life. I'm proud to say I did the right thing in spite of the unbearable pain and sorrow I felt that night. I sat down on the floor, lay him on my lap as I held him in my arms, wrapped him in his favorite blanket and looked into his eyes. I told him how much I loved him, how much better my life had been because of him, how much I was going to miss him and that I would carry him in my heart every day of my life. I did this over and over again as he slowly closed his eyes and took his last breath in my arms. My heart broke that night, May 10, 2010. It happened to be Mother's Day and one day before my birthday. He had been so brave, fighting his kidney disease for over a year, probably more for me than for him. A year earlier, on the day of his diagnosis, I swore that together we would fight the good fight but I would never allow myself to keep him here with me if he was going to be in any sort of pain. I hope he's looking down on me now and he's proud that I was able to live up to that promise, even though it was the hardest thing I ever had to do.

"CODY"

In Loving Memory

Always and Forever in My Heart

1998 - 2010

The silver lining, if there can ever be such a thing after something like this (for us animals lovers I mean, as I'm sure you non-animal lovers are cringing in disbelief) is that I was able to finally get a job. I was able to keep busy working with people I care about and doing something I enjoy. Of course, things didn't remain that way for long.

My best friend, my partner, my lover for ten years decided to send me an email after a recent trip to see his daughters, to let me know that he didn't wish to continue our relationship anymore. How's that for the icing on the cake!!!?? It's bad enough your heart gets broken, but in an email???? I admit things had been very bad for a while, but nobody with an ounce of integrity spends ten years making promises and then, after not living up to a single one, doesn't have the decency to look you in the face, like a true man and end things in person. This is a person whom for ten years I gave the benefit of the doubt to, in spite of all the signs, of the "I'm warning you, he's lying" of my own gut. I trusted him completely, I believed he was looking out for both of our best interests. It turns out he had only one agenda - his needs, his desires, his dreams and those of his family and his "so-called ex". To my surprise, as I write this, he's already back together and vacationing in New Orleans and as one big, happy family. How many people do you know that go on vacation with their "ex's"? My sentiments exactly. It seems the "ex" part of the story was only for my benefit. So much for being a man of honesty and integrity (his favorite words to use when describing himself). For months and months I began to question my own sanity, as my heart wanted to believe one thing and my gut continued telling me something else. Through it all, I still wanted to believe in this person whom, for ten years, stuck to his story, in spite of breaking one promise after another with no remorse whatsoever. Every few months there was another perfectly good explanation or reason why his "promises" had to change - and I had no right to ask any questions. "You don't have to understand my reasons, just accept them" (another one of his favorite remarks to me). After months, no, years of questions and fighting, he no longer had a good enough reason to justify his actions. His web of lies and deceit were unraveling. So instead, he had the audacity to throw the typical accusations my way: you're insecure, jealous, paranoid and even went as far as to call me negative, sick and crazy. I heard this so much, I actually began believing I was. I began not trusting myself, my thoughts, my behavior, my actions. How do you NOT turn into all those things when the person you trust most on earth BETRAYS you in such a way and at the same time can look at you straight in the eyes, at your very weakest, and lie to you - over and over and over again without flinching?? Everyone has a breaking point and I finally, after ten years of believing, having faith, trusting him, reached mine. Actions speak louder than words and his spoke volumes. They pointed out everything I always suspected and felt. Who's the crazy one now? How do you live with yourself when you lie to everyone you say you care about; your children, your girlfriend, your "ex"? What a shallow life that must be. How can someone keep up the sharade for so long? He said he got tired of the questions....I would like to say, I think he got tired of the web of lies he created. There's only so many hours in a day and living a double life has to be exhausting.

To have loved someone so much, trusted so completely and been betrayed in the manner I was leaves me wondering at the very least, how will I ever trust again? If there is such a thing as self preservation and instinct, where was mine all of these years that I could not see it, and if I did see it, why did I choose to ignore it? Why was believing his lies more important than trusting myself? That is what hurts most of all. The truth is, it's like he said, "I didn't put a gun to your head" in order that I believe all the lies...I did that all on my own. Hearts and dreams get broken everyday. How we use those experiences, those lessons, is what is most important of all. Some people choose to become victims/martyrs and ask themselves over and over again, "why me?". I'll be honest here, I did. Then you go through the rage, anger and bitterness phase. We all do - shock, disbelief, anger and then hopefully acceptance and finally moving on. Unfortunately, some people are never able to quite move on, the rage, the anger and the bitterness consumes them and they shut themselves off from loving or connecting with others, never able to move on. I have to be honest, I went through all of the different phases, sometimes more than once and in no particular order I might add. But I don't want to be one of those people that gets stuck. I want to love again, believe in the goodness of people again and I feel confident that I will have all of those things again, in due time. Just because I've made some very poor decisions in the past, doesnt mean I will always make them. At least I hope not.

I will be honest in saying that there is still a lot of hurt, anger and bitterness towards him but I know I have to let it go. I don't want to consider that the last ten years were wasted years, there were a lot of good moments. However, the longer I hold on to the anger, the hate, the bitterness, the more of my precious time is being consumed over someone that doesn't deserve a single thought or second of my life and all the goodness that I have to give wasted on him.

So here I am, two days before the end of this year filled with loss, pain and heartache. I am closing the book on it all. I am opening my heart and my soul to ALL of life's blessings and possibilities, knowing that I am well deserving of them all.

I wish all of you a Healthy, Happy and Prosperous New Year 2011. I know in my heart that it's going to be a great year!!!

A day of true "Americana"

2010-02-08T20:56:00.027-05:00

I woke up yesterday, completely unaware of what an unforgettable day was in store. My only real plan was to watch the Superbowl. As everyone else in America, I was looking forward to an incredible game and hoping the Saints would bring home the Vince Lombardi trophy to New Orleans - a city well deserving of good news and celebration.

Being Superbowl week, Miami had been filled with hundreds of activities all around town, and I am ashamed to say I had not made it to a single one. However, the week was not yet over.

For those of us that don't necessarily enjoy standing among hundreds of half naked bodies at some free concert on South Beach, or attend a high fashion, all star-party for $1,000 a pop (not that I was invited), there were still some events in and around town that didn't revolve around the big game. One of those events was American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell at the Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale. My boyfriend and I had made a previous attempt to see it back in November when it first opened. We drove up to Fort Lauderdale, only to find out the museum was closed on Mondays. Although disappointed, we knew we'd have plenty of opportunities to come back. Not so.

It was 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, the last day of the exhibit, when we walked up to the museum only to find the line for tickets was almost around the block and with only 2 hours before the museum shut the doors. Having driven so far, we decided to give it a shot and wait to see if we'd have enough time to buy tickets, see the exhibit and drive back to Miami in time for Superbowl kick-off at 6:30 p.m. I am thrilled we tried!!

Before yesterday, I really didn't know much about Norman Rockwell. I had seen a few covers from The Saturday Evening Post which he became famous for and always found them charming. After yesterday's exhibit, however, I am now intrigued about his work and definitely intend to learn more about him. I found the exhibit to be just what the critics have written about him through the years, Norman Rockwell has a way of painting the reality of daily life in America in a somewhat idyllic way. His attention to the smallest detail; his unique way of telling a story and drawing the viewer into the picture and into the story are synonymous of his work. He represents American society in the 20th Century as "idyllic". Just a minute sampling of the hundreds of paintings I was fortunate enough to see.

It was now 6:15 p.m. when we headed back towards Miami. Obviously we were not going to make it home in time for kick off, but driving right by the stadium, we managed to see the fighter jets fly right above us - incredible!!

The entire world knows the final score of the game. It was an unbelievable game. Both teams gave it their all and I really don't think anyone lost the game. The Saints wanted and needed it more. Of course it didn't hurt that they probably had almost the entire country pulling for them!!! Tomorrow should be an unforgettable homecoming and what a great kick-off to next week's Mardi Gras.

As if the day's events hadn't been exciting enough. After the game, my boyfriend began surfing the channels and came across the NASA channel. Don't ask me how, but one minute I was cleaning up our Superbowl snacks, and the next minute, 12:15 a.m. to be exact, I was packing up empanadas, my camera and my dog Cody. We had decided to drive up to the Kennedy Space Center to try and see the Shuttle Endeavor take off on its last nightime launch before the space shuttle program is cancelled. Lift off was at 4:14 a.m.

We arrived at the Kennedy Space Center at 3:40 a.m. As I write this, I still can't believe we actually did it. What's more, I can't believe that I was fortunate enough to see something so incredible in my lifetime. I really can't find the words to describe it. You read all about it, you see it on t.v. but nothing can prepare you for that moment - "we have lift off". The entire night sky lights up before your eyes as you watch a giant fire ball rise up into the sky above you and then disappears. It is something everyone should see at least once in their lifetime. After seeing such an incredible sight, I'm sad to know that there are only 4 more shuttle missions left before the program is cancelled, and as of today, no other program to take it's place.

The launch itself took only a few minutes, but the memories will be engraved in my mind for the rest of my life.

In the last 24 hours I have experienced the best of America and what makes this country great - art, sports and space discovery!!! What a truly blessed day it was.

Saints are the Superbowl Champions!!!!!

2010-02-07T23:33:00.000-05:00

Superbowl Weekend Kicks Off - Go Saints!!!

2010-02-05T17:37:00.002-05:00

Made in the U.S.A

2010-02-05T14:28:00.022-05:00

Over the past week, we have been bombarded by the media with news of various Toyota recalls. At first it was the floor mats, then the accelerator on four of their most popular models, then there was news that the Prius may also be experiencing some problems...and finally this morning, the Lexus Hybrid. Although this is bad news for Toyota owners, it seems that the media has been focusing almost all of it's attention on "poor old Toyota"...as if there was anything poor about them. Public Relations gurus have been interviewed ad nauseum as to the long-term effects of the "brand's image" and how Toyota can bounce back from all of this negative publicity, if at all.

Our economy is at the lowest point it has been since the Great Depression and unemployment rates were at 10% (apparently the new numbers came out today and they have gone down slightly). For those reasons alone, it amazes me that almost every item we as American consumers can get our hands on these days is "Made in China", or some other country other than the good old USA. Instead of worrying about the future of Mr. Toyota, why aren't people considering the option that Toyota's public relations nightmare could maybe be the US auto makers' blessing in disguise? Why don't the Big 3 take advantage of this situation and try to gain back some of the market share lost to Toyota and Honda over the past who knows how many years (too many I might add)? Why don't we as Americans try to understand the simple concept that we should all strive to help our economy by keeping products from being manufactured overseas instead of here in the USA.

The other day I was at a store shopping for a few things. As a consumer, I have never much cared about where things were made; that is, until this past year when I couldn't help but read and hear about the dog food recalls, children's jewelry and toy recalls, drywall recalls, etc. from products made in China. Now I try to make it a point not to buy things that say "Made in China" if I can help it. (As you know, that is almost impossible nowadays). In any event, I picked up a plate and read "Made in the USA" and it brought a smile to my face. Something so simple and yet so rare in the world of fast growing Capitalism where making a buck seems to come at the cost and health of the consumer, not to mention much needed jobs.

I'm sorry for Toyota, I've never owned one of their cars myself, but I hope that someone out there in Detroit will see this as a golden opportunity and run with it.

Friendship

2010-02-04T14:59:00.013-05:00

Friendship means so many things to so many different people. Some people see their friends as someone to hang out with during their spare time, others actually see friends for what they can do for them or give them - maybe they can get them into the right social circles, into the "in" clubs. Some of us, like me, see friendship as something to be treasured, cherished, nurtured and valued.

As far back as I can remember, I was never one to have a ton of friends or find it particularly important for those friends to be part of the "in" crowd. Having moved around so much when I was young would make a person think I'd be good at making friends. Not so. Never being in a place long enough to establish great friendships made it all the more difficult to start new ones and to let people in.

So here I am, almost middle aged - I should have a rolodex full of friends but I don't, and I don't mind either. I know that the friends I have, value and cherish my friendship as much as I value and cherish theirs. We've been through thick and thin together, the good, the bad and the ugly. We have laughed together and cried together. Most importantly, we understand the value that each one of us has in the other's life. We respect each other's space and sense when that space is in fact a cry for help. We understand that friendship is a living, breathing thing and cannot be taken for granted.

Yet I'm sad to say that this has not always been the case. I have been disappointed more than once. Maybe I'm too naive. For years I believed that men and women could be friends. I have come to the realization that this is almost impossible. I say "almost" because I'm sure there are the exceptions...but that is what they are...exceptions. I think that when a man and a woman say they are friends, it means that only one of the two consider themselves a true friend. The other is only there hoping things will change or settling for whatever they can get. Everything is done hoping to change the feelings of the other person. It has happened to me more times than I would care to remember. The problem with this kind of friendship is that in the end, both of you loose. The person that hopes to win the other's affection looses because they will never get what they hope for, and the other looses when one day their friend is gone and they don't have the faintest idea why.

It really is true what they say - you can count (or should be able to count) your real friends in one hand.

I'm freezing down here....

2010-01-10T12:47:00.009-05:00

Woke up today to a breezy, grey unusually cold winter's morning - not a typical Sunday morning in Miami by any means. I've lived in my house for nine years now and I've never had to turn on the heat - that is until this morning when I looked at the thermostat and realized it was 53 degrees inside!!! We're just not equipped to deal with this kind of weather. My beautiful flowers in the garden are in shock, frozen iguanas are dropping from the trees all over town and my poor babies don't know what to make of it all. Cody was shivering so I decided to wrap him up in his "binky". He wasn't so sure about the idea at first, but when he realized how cozy it felt, he decided to just go with it - doesn't he look adorable!!!

He wasn't the only one in shock with this morning's temperature. I walked out onto the patio and found a poor little salamander frozen on the ground. Grey and stiff as an icicle. I picked it up to throw it out and realized it wasn't dead when one of it's little feet moved. I felt so bad for it that I brought it inside. I know, I know, I'm nuts...but the older I get, the more difficult it is for me to think of myself as not being part of a "whole". Every little creature plays a small part in the big scheme of things. At least I think so. I find I can no longer just think of me as the center of it all, as though all the things that surround me don't matter somehow - because I think they do. Maybe my Buddhism studies helped change my perspective. Of course that doesn't apply to roaches...I haven't gone completely insane. Anyways, I'm very proud to say my new little friend is doing great. He's back to his beautiful green color and seems to be enjoying the cozy indoors.

Just as soon as things begin to warm up a bit in a day or two I'll say goodbye, with a warm fuzzy feeling that I did something really, really good today.

New Year's on Tybee Island

2010-01-08T15:37:00.015-05:00

I began the New Year and the new decade on the beautiful island of Tybee. I had the incredible luck of coming across the most charming and quirky of cottages, Fish Camp, and on December 30th, 2009 I embarked on the long road trip from Miami with my boyfriend and 3 dogs in tow...yes, you read correctly...3 dogs (and we're not talking Taco Bell...more like Marley) towards the beautiful island of Tybee on the Georgia coast.

Fortunately, the road trip up was fairly uneventful - stopped for gas, the occasional bathroom breaks and some food. Listening to NPR, we were grateful we'd decided to drive instead of fly, especially given the nightmare at airports nationwide due to the latest Christmas Day terrorist attack.

I'm usually meticulous about researching my vacation destinations, but due to various un-forseen occurrences, I never got an opportunity to do so for this trip. We really had no idea what to expect when we got to Tybee, and boy, were we pleasantly surprised. Tybee reminded me of what Key Biscayne used to be 30 years ago before the cement towers and million dollar mansions took it over - a casual, down-to-earth, beach town where "everybody knows your name".

I can't say enough wonderful things about this quirky little cottage...it's blue facade and brightly painted shutters; the colorful sunroom overlooking the garden as well as the very cute flip flop room. I can only imagine it in its full splendor during the summer months; windows open, a soft ocean breeze, the smell of BBQ in the air, the sound of children's laughter as they ride past on their bikes, the faintest hint of salt in the air from the marshes nearby, not to mention the beautiful shade of gold that washes over everything at sunset.

Having visited in the winter, activities are somewhat limited on Tybee. Too cold to go to the beach, at least for this Miami girl - but not for the majority of the crazy locals, which I experienced first hand on New Year's Day. A hundred or so of what I can only categorized as "out of their mind" locals gathered at the beach on a grey, freezing, rainy morning on Tybee to partake in an annual tradition - The Polar Bear Plunge. These insane people, some dressed as Santa, Smurfs, brides, crabs and everything in between, decided there was nothing better to do than to jump into the freezing cold water while other smart people like me, all bundled up in our winter's best outfits (and were still freezing), watched them. I do hope that it was for charity and not just for a silly t-shirt.

Memories I will take away from my few days on Tybee are many. But if one stands out more than any other, it's the reminder of old days gone by; when everyone had time to say hello, go the extra mile to help and just be kind. It's amazing how accustomed we've gotten living here in Miami to rudeness. Being kind should be the norm but has unfortunately become the exception. Thank you Tybee and it's locals for an unforgettable New Year's. Oh...and did I forget to mention...how about them Fried Green Tomatoes....I finally got to try them...and OMG...to die for.