Contrast

After a really lovely trip to Southern California to visit Marnie's family for Thanksgiving, every once in a while I think I hear the music from the movie JAWS playing in the house. You see my mother arrives in 24 days.

Money

Do you suppose there is a 12 step program for people who are (gulp) middle aged and are finally ready, I mean really ready to face the fact that they don't know how to manage money.

"Hello my name is Ramsey, I am 42, I have lived on my own since I was 17, but I still don't get it. I still can't quite figure it out, I know it's not really that hard, for some reason it elludes me, that whole manage your money, pay yourself first, no or little consumer debt, save for retirement thing".

It's not a desperate situation, its just one I find myself in over and over and over and over again and again and I have finally grown so tired of it that I am ready to do something about it.

Anybody out there have any good suggestions, a good Susie Orman book or something?

Having a bad day?

Watch this...

Scout

We got a new dog back in April. Her name is Scout. We adopted her from our local animal shelter. She is a miniature poodle (mostly), she weighs about 18lbs, she's about a year old. We love her, really we do, well I don't think Marnie is quiet sure yet. She is a super funny dog, I swear if she had been a boy we could have named her Kramer after the character in the Seinfeld TV series. She is in need of some obedience training and still in need of some house breaking. Although the latter seems to be behavioral, because she certainly knows how to use the doggy door, at least 90% of the time. She is a happy, goofy dog. Unlike our serious 5 year old Shar Pei mix, Satchel. It's nice having a silly dog in the house again. She's not the brightest bulb in the box, but she's a sweetheart.

Meet Scout...

Travel

Last week for the first time in years I traveled by myself somewhere. I went to Kansas to surprise my dear friend Sarah for her 40th birthday. I had a great time. She was completely surprised, completely. We had a tremendous visit.

I missed M & L, but I really needed the time away. I got to spend some quality time with my friend and I was forced to spend about 4 hours alone on a plane. This caused me to do some much needed journaling and reading that I never seem to find time for at home.

Happy 40th Sarah, you are a great friend, mother and a special soul. (Sarah doesn't usually wear this much make up the surprise party was a costume party. She is Medusa, I am just me).