Andy Goldsworthy

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Happy Brrrrthday

Mom and I spent 5 days in Silverthorne , Colorado visiting Beau, Jessica and Summer. During our first few days is snowed constantly and we felt like we were in a winter wonderland. We celebrated Mom's 50-cough Birthday with a special breakfast of black berry pancakes and fruit creme cake. Yum! We also got to go on a great sleigh ride that day. I will post more pics and video later, I'm tired!!


Update: Here are a few short video clips.


Vega loves to fetch, and she will fetch the ball or frizbee almost anywhere you throw it. She does not mind 4 feet of snow! She will dive right in and loves it!



This video shows the sleigh as it pulled up to pick us up for our ride. That was my favorite part of the trip.



And, here is Summer riding the sled down the hill, she wasn't going very fast, but this is cute....

sorry, if this posted side ways.

Going on Vacation

Mom and I head out to Colorado to visit Beau, Jessica and Summer at 5am Thursday. I will post pics when we get back.

Special thoughts and prayers go out to Bailey, Larry and Judy's dog. Larry learned today that he has lung cancer. I feel especially sad for all of them right now.

Jip is going on an extended overnight with his Auntie Anya while I am away, and he will get to have a great time hanging with his brother Duff.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Lucas going on 4 Mos!

What a delight it is to spend time with the little guy! His personality is coming out more and more each day. He loves being tickled. Here is some pics from lunch with Anya today. I wish I could record his laughter and post it....

David Tait Calls Off Double Traverse

Bowing out on a high

Few men could climb Everest and come away with a gnawing sense of failure.

But David Tait sets his sights higher than other men.

So it was with a heavy heart that the 44-year-old hedge fund manager announced he would be returning home to Cobham next week after failing in his attempt to become the first man to complete a double traverse of Mount Everest, the world's highest peak.

Mr Tait successfully reached the top of the 8,858m peak last Wednesday, but will not attempt to retrace his steps and climb over the mountain again to complete the double traverse.

He said: "There might be some supermen in this world, but I discovered I am not one of them.

"During the latter part of the endless painful descent I realised I was not going to be able, in all seriousness, to motivate both mind and body to turn around and do it all again - at least not in the time-scale allowed."

This was the second time in two years that Mr Tait has reached the summit of Everest and was notable for the hazardous and rarely-trodden north-to-south route he followed.

But as the descent unfolded, he endured 36 hours without sleep, which took its toll to such an extent he could no longer ignore his mental and physical fatigue.

Mr Tait also paid tribute to fellow climber Phurba Tashi, claiming he would have been unable to justify holding him back just so he could grab the world record for himself.

He said: "In order for me to pander to my ego and claim to be the first person to double-traverse Everest, I would have to simply ask Phurba to step aside, the moment before we hypothetically summitted a second time. This was unacceptable to me.

"The fact is we both traversed Everest the first time as equals, despite his immeasurably superior experience and skills, but if I indeed had the surplus energy to attempt a second summit, I would have been a fraud in asking him to let me summit first."



Mr Tait has raised almost £96,000 for the NSPCC, which he hopes will be used for the Children in Court appeal, allowing victims of child abuse to give evidence electronically.

He has also announced preliminary plans for a book about his life and the remarkable experiences of the challenge, which started on March 29.

He added: "I also hope the charity finds a way of using both the significant money and minor profile I have raised in a positive way."

Larry & Barry Celebrate 60 yrs

My Mom and Michael had a 60th Bday party for Larry and Barry. Mom went all out with cowboy decorations and a special cake. It was a lot of fun and we all had a good time.

Octobe

Lucas 2 Mos!

Asta LaVista Homies

Tonight we met up at Panda's Chinese Buffet to send off Beau, Jessica and Summer. They head to colder pastures in the morning. I wish them a safe trip. I have loved getting the chance to get close with Summer and will miss her very much. I appreciate all she has taught me. It was hard to say goodbye, especially for Mom.

Happy Birthday to me!

I am 34 today and I got this cute photo this morning! Thanks so much!
I had a great dinner last night at Horizon and ate some awesome sushi with Mom and Michael, Beau, Jessica, Summer and Dori. We drank champoon and had some good laughs.:)

Thursday

Jax and Juliette awake from nap.


Lucas rides in the car.

Me & Lucas

Good ol Boy

I was happy to spend the last week helping Anya with Lucas while she recovered from oral surgery. What a great time we had together! I love him so much and enjoyed getting to know his quirks and different cries (he didn't cry much with me though). He is growing so quick and is eating cereal and moving his legs and arms alot! He busted me in the lip a few times when I didn't get his bottle quick enough. I know Anya needed to rest and I was only too happy to be there with both of them.

Recycle Plastics

** the word TRASH is spelled with golf balls.


I want to be more pro-active with recycling. Recently there was another study out about the quality of bottled water and showed in some states that the drinkingwater tested perfectly safe and the high priced bottled water was coming from a tap source - not a pure spring. One idea I have is to use the old plastic bottles (cleaned) and refilled with tap and kept on hand for use. This would help stop the constant pollution from plastic water bottles in land fills and floating around in the oceans.
Just think about where all this plastic stuff goes?! or where that plastic packaging ends up? It's so easy to just throw these items in the trash. But what about the journey that plastic item takes around the world, where does it end up (it doesn't disappear it will NEVER go away). Start thinking of it and maybe find a way to recycle in your home. Start helping make a difference.



If you've ever walked the beaches after a storm, you can see the remnants of our throw it away society. Bits of plastic debris litter the shore: Bottle caps, toys, cigarette lighters, fishing line and other plastic garbage. Scientists are now documenting this surge of plastic trash that leaves a wake of death and disease that directly affects seabirds.

In many areas of the globe, birds inadvertently feed on plastic floating on the water, mistaking it for food, and many times this ingestion leads to death and even the death of their young.

9/11 We Remember

This is a photo from the troops in Iraq.

Spencer Tunick

I posted a piece about the glacial nude photo done by Spencer Tunick recently. I found this clip regarding that photo. check it out.


and if you would like to get an idea of Spencer Tunick's work check out this clip for samples of his photographs. What I find interesting is all the people in the photos are volunteers (no models) and he usually finds willing participants easily. There is alot of people willing to get naked out there!

Meet Fez

This is Dori's pet iquana Fez. Fez is 5 yrs old and is around 5ft from head to tail. He is a vegetarian and enjoys mixed green salads and long soaks in the tub. My favorite part on his body are his grey/blue cheeks. He sure seems to be a layed back lizard.

Pcola Beach

Jip Gets Free!

Dang! that's one tough malti-poo!

Jip was excited to have his cone off for a play session with Duff and Duke last night. Although his eye is healing very well, he will need to wear the cone for atleast 5 more days - Friday he can be done with it!