zbeth Journall

April 21, 2010

2010-04-21T14:18:00.000-07:00

Lady Chica has a Bedtime To Do list. After we get home from the park the dogs get fed. Then she wants her toy laden with peanut butter. (Blitzen gets it after she is finished. He doesn't get one bc he takes everything into the living room and messes up the rug.)
Then LC demands a treat, a cookie. And then she goes to sleep.

Wednesday 6 am. Up for a pit stop. I have been writing something called Ghost Town, about my childhood in rural Michigan.
Persis: what year did you sell the old homestead?

10 AM Woke in a panic from a dream. I am going to Walgreen's to develop pics of Martha addressing invitations to her wedding. It goes in the "Wedding Scrapbook". This will not have pics of the wedding. Just the circumstances. My view of it all.
The wedding is May 1 in Green bay Wisconsin where Jeff's family live. Our family is scattered about the country. So we will be converging on Friday.
The pups go to visit Pup on Thursday. The grandsons have been put in charge of me. They will get me to the plane. I hope they can get me thru O'Hare where we change planes.
Martha arranged the ceremony and the reception so that I can take a nap.
Jeff expects the "elderly" to leave early in the reception. (Elderly being Martha's fa, mo and step mo.)

Got some pics from Walgreen's. Stopped by Senior Center and got leftovers from the luncheon. Came home and took a nap. Mildred baked a cake for Oda Mae's and Russ" birthday and invited the neighbors. One of our neighbors is moving this month bc she can no longer live alone. That leaves three out of six.

Off to Lea's for PPQS. We ought to be able to finish yellow and green batik tonight. This quilt is going to Lea's former sister-in-law. Her former husband's sister.

Blitzen's Tale
Lady Chica's Tale
What happens at Pup's stays at Pup's.

BOOK REVIEW
Stephen White, *Warning Signs* (2002)
Alan Gregory series. This book has a far fetched plot: a young man is setting off bombs all over the city of Denver.
Dr. Gregory has a new patient, a woman who hints around that her son is planning something like the Columbine action. As usual, Gregory is torn between patient confidentiality and warning somebody. He has a duty to warn the police or the victim if somebody makes a direct threat, but this is only a woman talking in generalities.
I enjoyed the book despite not believing in the reality of it.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

April 20, 2010

2010-04-20T17:11:00.001-07:00

Baptis Center I am still asleep.
By 9:15 I had processed six units.
M-1, M-2, M-2, M-2, W-4, M-1

M-1, M-1, W-1 by 9:50 am

M-2, M-1, M-2, M-2 by 11:00

M-2, M-1,M-3 until we close at 11:30. Sixteen units today. Only one family.

Came home, took a short nap and had a massage.
Strange evening at the dog park. Not one dog barked. I wanted to send some background noise to a friend. Some puppies and I mean puppies wanted to play with B and LC but the latter rejected the pups. LC could get nobody to run with her.

Blitzen's Tale
None of our regular big busters were there. Just some new dogs who looked at us and wondered why. I wandered around smelling.

Lady Chica's Tale
I stood at the fence and stood at the fence. Nobody came. One or two big busters came and sniffed at my nose. They just did not understand. Chance and Buddy didn't come.

Now 7 PM. I guess I will just sit and read tonight. Maybe a nap.

BOOK REVIEW
Michelle Gagnon, *Bone Yard* (2008)
Not for the squeamish. Scenes of torture. I did not anticipate that. The book starts mildly enuf. Some bones are found on the Appalachian Trail. A forensic scientist is called in. Special Agent Kelly Jones of the FBI is sent to the case bc bones are found in both Mass and Vermont. Eventually two bodies are found in New York state.
A serial killer has been killing young male prostitutes for ten years. He has buried the bodies but somebody dug them up and spread them around the trail.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

April 19, 2010

2010-04-19T17:26:00.000-07:00

Up t 9:30 AM LC was washing my face again. And off to Wendy's. It is chilly again. And I had put almost all my winter clothes away and pulled out my pack of shorts.

Judy reported the latest news. She has cable and watches the news shows. Bill Clinton has been ob eding about political anger. I think and Judy agrees that it is all basically racist.

The computer techs instlled Open Office on my machine and it is too complex for me. I cannot figure out how to set up a data base. I think I will install my old Works. I had been thinking about installing Works word processing bc it is more IdiotUser Friendly.
Well, Works will not install on this computer. Ha.

I was too wired to take a nap. Finally we went to dog park. Nothing much happenin'. I am exhausted from struggles with computer.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
Well, there was a young filly who was eager to run, but there was an older male dog who kept pestering her. Ruined our running.

Lady Chica's Tale
We were ready to go home when Buddy appeared. So he and I did a few short runs to say hello. I finally got Mom to chase me --- when I walked. I can walk faster than she can.

Oda Mae just brot me a piece of strawberry pie. Oh, yum!!!!

BOOK REVIEW
Stephen White, *Remote Control* (1997)
Alan Gregory series.
At any one time the thrillers are concerned with one subject. Just now (2010) the subject is terrorists. See White's latest book. During the late nineties the subject was technology.
This book is involved with imaginary advances in technology. One is able to record feelings and another person can experience the feelings.
A man being with a woman is recorded, and various people are out to get that disc. I can't remember when we knew who the villain was.

April 18, 2010

2010-04-18T17:35:00.001-07:00

Twas the 18th of April in 75
Hardly a man is still alive
Who remembers that famous
Day and Year.

Saturday night. Hard drive home in the rain but I am glad it has cooled off, sparing my Air. We saw four One Act plays at UTA. Each play was sort of a sketch. Good acting. My defination of good acting means one thinks it is real.

8:30 AM Dressing for religious services.

2:40 PM Sunday School class was interesting this morning and it was fascinating how it blended with the sermon.
During lunch the high school kids put on a program to raise money for their spring mission trip. They sang songs of the sixties, dressed for the part. It was titled LOL and it sure did.
Slight rain. I am about to take my nap.

Dog park was beaucoup uncomfortable. chilly with a breeze blowing. Always a breeze blowing by the Trinity. West Fork. Blitzen got the big dogs all fired up and they tried to have a fight.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
That boxer and I really got into it. He was serious about it. Then he went off and tried to get in a fight with a border collie. Not many dogs around.

Lady Chica's Tale
I have to admit that I got into beside Blitzen, with that boxer. The boxer got really, really fired up. He wasn't cool.

I ache tonight. Probably a front coming in.

BOOK REVIEW
Helen Perjean, *Dead Man Walking* (1993)
The play is like a prologue to the book. The book was written ten years after the execution of the person in the play. In fact, the personality of the person in the play is a composite of the first two prisoners counseled by Prejean.
Perjean is a nun working in the housing projects of New Orleans when she is asked to write a letter to a man on death row. Eventually she becomes his religious counselor and walks with him to the place of execution.
In the process of seeking a reprieve for this man, Prejean becomes an advocate for doing away with capital punishment. Prejean also meets with the family of the victims.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

April 16, 2010

2010-04-16T17:34:00.000-07:00

9:30 am. I am euphoric. Back online. I was so discouraged last night. Off to tai chi ce matin.

1:00 PM Went to tai chi. Read paper and ate nibbles at Senior Center. Returned to computer. I had not thought about what I would wipe out. My lists of books read is GONE. Emails are saved on web. I save pictures so they can be replaced. In the old days all my emails saved would be erased. Maybe I have Kodak or something on the web.

I keep seeing ads for exercises to keep one's brain active. Seniors need to exercise their brains. I strongly recommend putting together one's computer.

4:15 PM LC can be such a pest when she wants me to get up. She washes my face. I cant find my grocery list. I know I am forgetting something.
And then she just lay under the table in the park.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
We didn't do much running tonight. I was all tired out from last night.

Lady Chica's Tale
Milo has joined our Running Group. He is a pale tan little thing, looks like a chihuahua/terrier mix. I mostly lay around under the table. Mom went over to the canopy to talk with Ray.

BOOK REVIEW
Stephen White, *Blinded* (2008)
Alan Gregory series. Again Alan is in conflict over the need for patient confidentiallity. One of Dr. Gregory's patients tells him that her husband has committed murder. Alan is pressured to call the police. Events unwind.
Sam PUrdy, Alan's policeman friend, is invited to eat turdurken for Thanksgiving dinner. I have wondered how it gets sliced.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

April 13, 2010

2010-04-13T18:28:00.000-07:00

Managed to get out of bed.

Baptist Center
10:00 am. So far 7 units. The first four people came before 9:30.
M (3), F (5), F(2). Here comes another customer.

Here is my job. A person comes in wanting groceries. First I ascertain their residence. People must live in a certain area of 76104. The food bank is fussy about that. We require a picture id and something mailed to the address.
I then look up the person on the computer. People can get groceries every thirty days. If the person has not gotten groceries recently, I give that person a number and he or she can go back to the food pantry.
Today we had three or four who did not live in the area. We had one person who came only three weeks ago. Judy showed her a list of other places to go and talked with her. (Judy is our director.)

So then I came home and took a nap.

The dogs insist on going to the park after I get up from my nap. The usual. I sat around chatting on such a lovely evening.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
I really got under the skin of that old bulldog on the other side of the fence. Ha ha. We had a lot of guys running. Came home all tired out.

Lady Chica's Tale
Buddy never came near the fence. Lots of guys to run with. Finally I just lay down on the grass. This little puppy came to play with me. He turned over on his back and I didn't really know what to do with him.

Andso it goes.

BOOK REVIEW
Lou Manfredo, *Rizzo's War* (2009)
This is a true police procedural. Joe Rizzo and Mike McQueen are New York policemen. The book is a day by day account of their activities.
I loved the book. Several reviews on Amazon.com and most found something to complain about. One reviewer called it an "almost book". It is not a thriller. No shooting. And they negotiated with the Hell's Angels.

finish

Hugs, Dr. Liz

April 12, 2010

2010-04-12T18:01:00.000-07:00

Correction: Author of *Hard Rain* is David Rollins.

Judy took Szabo to the vet for his annual. So we met at Wendy's at noon. The girl taking our order said, "You're late today." Later the manager came over and said, "You were late today." He seemed to thinking taking the dog to the vet was an acceptable excuse.

Judy came up with my reaction exactly to the plane crash of the Polish president. Why were all the top people in the same plane?

judy's husband is out of work and home underfoot. Judy is tearing out her hair.
2:21 PM Ready to take my nap.

After my nap we went to the dog park. Pefect weather again. Buddy was there and dogs ran until they got tired.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
Buddy was there and Cassius came later. So we had some racing pals. We got tired out.

LadyChica's Tale
Blitzen told it all. We ran a lot. Then we sat down under the bench where Mom was chatting.

BOOK REVIEW
Lyn MacDonald, *They called it Passchendaele* (1978)
I finally understand what they were doing in WWI. From 1915 until 1918 the Brits were holding (with the help of the Ladies from Hell, the Dunks and the Anzacs) a sliver of land around Ypres on the border between Belgium and France.
I could only read 54 pages of 230. Both sides built trenches and just stayed there. The British lost 430,000 men and the Germans as many.
One million men killed. The farmers are still finding shells.
The book is full of first hand accounts of the activities day by day.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

April 11, 2010

2010-04-11T18:12:00.000-07:00

7 AM Up for a pit stop. I was having a dream but it has slipped awyay. I have slept well. I am going with Martha and jeff to visit the Spring Blossom show at Dallas Arboretum. Then we will have lunch.
Up at 9:30 am. Whine. Whine. Complain Complain. Every morning I have to walk around getting ---

I managed to feed and walk dogs, get dressed, ready by 11:30. Dallas Arboretum is on the other side of dallas. The azalea were out of this world. We had never seen them in full bloom. They were gorgeous. So many of them.
We walked for an hour and a half. We sat down and rested every so often.

Then we went to lunch at Cheesecake Factory. I couldn't make up my mind and Martha wanted dessert. I had shephards pie. Meat mixture with mashed potatoes on top. Good. I took a piece of cheesecake home. I have never tasted cheesecake like that.

They drove me home. The dogs allowed me to sleep for two hours. Then Blitzen barked and Lady Chica licked my face. I was forced to get up and we went to the park. Not many people there. Dogs found things to chase, like horses in the distance.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
We couldn't get the busters going. On sunday people are there who only come once in a while. They dont understand how to make it happen. We saw horses off across the field.

Lady Chica's Tale
Well, we got a lot of running back and forth to the front fence and back again. None of the big dogs would run. One little bird dog was scared of me on the other side of the fence.

8 PM I may just go to bed. I am tired.

BOOK REVIEW
Harold Rollins, *Hard Rain*, (2008)
I hope his hard rain is fantasy. It is radioactive waste from munitions.
Vin is a special investigator for the Air Force. He and his partner/former lover are sent to Turkey to investigate the murder of an AF officer.
The story is pure chase, from one murder to another, from falling into a cistern for four days, to a vast conspiracy.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

April 10, 2010

2010-04-10T17:12:00.000-07:00

10:30 am. Debating about going back to bed. My journall has been dull lately. I am recovering from having teeth pulled. It takes a lot of energy.

My need for sleep seems insatiable. I slept until Martha woke me at 12:30 noon to finalize arrangements for tomorrow. We are going on the Spring Blossom tour at Dallas Arboretum. I have to choose between lunch at Cheesecake Factory and lunch at Blue Mesa. And the Wedding. Many of us are going to Greenbay WI for Martha's wedding. I am sharing a hotel room with my granddaughter. , Brianna. The grandchildren have been put in charge of me.

Well, we went to the park. Not many dogs and most were strangers. Only the little bulldog Kevin. Kevin and Blitzen have come to some arrangement. They ignore each other.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
Cassius was there this afternoon and we got a lot of running in. All of us were tired out. I sat in the wading pool for a while.

Lady Chica's Tale
Cassius is a boxer who is a year old. He just loves to run. I dont know much about him. He just runs. Killer is a little wimp, some kind of herding dog. He got in Cassius way and C had to jump over him. He kept trying to pick a fight with Cassius. Silly dog. He is half the size of C.

Took another nap.

BOOK REVIEW
Jeffery Deaver, *The Stone Monkey* (2002)
Lincoln Rhyme series. Rhyme is a forensic scientist rendered quadreplegic after an accident.
Now he consults with NYPD from his wheel chair. This is an interesting book and I wish I had not looked at the last chapter. Real surprise.
A cargo ship sinks off Long Island. Aboard the ship are illegal immigrants from China. Some manage to survive as does the "snakehead" (coyote) smuggling them into the country. The Ghost as the snakehead is called sets out to find and kill the illegals while Rhyme and various agencies hunt the Ghost. The story ends mostly happy.

April 9, 2010

2010-04-09T18:11:00.001-07:00

After I managed to get myself up and over to the Senior Center, we did not have tai chi. A Health Fair was set up.
I took a virtual Alzheimer's Tour. I was debriefed with two younger women. I did not find it very strange. First of all, my normal mental state is such that reality is a buzzing surround. And age has slowed me down.
What frustrated the younger women was being so slow at doing tasks. We had to find a white jacket and put it on. Then we were to write 3 sentences to our family. Then fold towels. I never got to the other two tasks and had forgotten them. I was not frustrated.
The tour was set up to train aide workers in a care facility.

I came home, ate lunch and took a nap. Then off to the dog park where we stayed a couple hours in the perfect weather. Perfect. sunny and cool

Blitzkrieg's Tale
We did a lot of running off and on. Ray brot his wading pool and we surely enjoyed that. I like to walk around the edge of the field, smelling all the smells. I have to keep an eye on Mom, however, so that she doesn't leave without me.

Lady Chica's Tale
I had such a good time sitting in the wading pool. Nothing like a dip in the pool after a good run. Mom has been staying longer at the park in this nice weather. I just like to lie in the grass.

Well, I am missing part of Bill Moyer's journal, altho both Judy and I say it depresses us.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

April 8, 2010

2010-04-08T18:41:00.000-07:00

Well, this has been a slow day. And not even a book review. I slept like a log. Got up feeling refreshed. So we went off to the dog park. No dogs present, for the most part.

Blitzkrieg's tale
Mom got us all off schedule today. We get up and go to the park. She knows that nobody is ever there around noon. I walked around the parimeter smelling smells.

Lady Chica's Tale
I stalked a few blackbirds. Or are they starlings? Mom says she doesn't know. She says blackbirds may be a generic name, whatever that means. She talks sometimes when I dont understand what she is talking about.

We came home. I intended to take a nap and the afternoon passed. Then I couldn't sleep. I am waiting for MI 5. I didn't watch it last week. I wonder who died last week. They keep killing off the characters.
Ruth went off into the wild blue yonder but I saw the actress who played her in two cameo roles.

No book review. I cant find where I put the WWI book down.

Nobody has commented on Getting to Know Dr. Liz. I expected my sister to argue with me.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

April 7, 2010

2010-04-07T20:11:00.000-07:00

PPQS tonight.
Up at 10 am. The usual, breaky and walk. Now I am going to sew like a fiend.

I did sew some blocks. Then I took a nap while we had a t-storm. Sun is out at 2:30 PM

Blitzkrieg's Tale
Lady Chica's Tale
What happens at Pup's stays at Pup's.

John gives each of the dogs a treat. Pup takes his. Lady Chica eats hers. Blitz buries his. LC carefully watches Blitz and goes over and digs up his and eats it.

Lea and I each had a pair of pants to shorten. So we each measured for the other. She sewed her jeans on the machine and finished. I am halfway done by hand.

No book review tonight.

April 6, 2010

2010-04-06T19:22:00.000-07:00

Baptist Center. 11 am -- so far thirteen single men. At Bunkhaus they have microwaves.two family units.
The clients kept coming one at a time and I was busy.

I came home, ate lunch and took a nap Then off to the dog park. Sat and chatted during a perfect evening.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
We had a nice afternoon at the park. Sometimes we raced with Buddy. A lot of the time we just lay in the grass and enjoyed the afternoon.

Lady Chica's Tale
I stalked birds. I ran with Buddy. We had packs going on both sides of the fence. Buddy keeps trying to jump the fence. He can jump to the top but he cant get over. Then I just lay on the grace. It was pleasantly cool. Just perfect weather.

Came home all tired out.

BOOK REVIEW
J.A. Jance, *Lying In Wait* (1994)
J.P. Beaumont set in Seattle, WA. A fishing ship burns and a corpse is found inside. Beau meets two friends from high school. I had read this long ago; so I could make guesses.Interesting set of motivations for the murder.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

April 5, 2010

2010-04-05T19:00:00.000-07:00

The Northwest Passage has opened up with thawing of glaciers. THINK on NPR was interviewing an author who has written about hunting for Northwest Passage.

Met Judy at Wendy's. We discussed genetics, immune system, disease, a world wide pandemic as well as Outlander. We discussed why Outlander is so popular. Beaucoup web sites.

Came home and took a nap. Then off to the dog park. Eighty degrees and a perfect day. Dogs ran for a while. Sat chatting until twilight.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
I found a bratwurst lying just outside the fence. I dug a real deep hole but I couldn't get under the fence and Mom put me on a leash. Then old Chica started digging and she got put on a leash, too.

Lady Chica's Tale
We had packs of dogs running on both sides of the fence. Then Mom made me do that silly stuff of running thru tunnels. Afterwards Blitzen saw a bratwurst. I tried digging out and Mom put me on a leash, too. When we went home, she threw it in the trash can.

LC means that I went outside the fence and picked up the bratwurst. Otherwise Blitzen will spend the rest of his life trying to dig out.

BOOK REVIEW
no book today. I am reading, inch by inch, a book about WWI. I did not realize very much about WWI. I never understood why they had trenches and what they were trying to do. The brits dug trenches along the border between Belgium and France and were holding.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

April 3, 2010

2010-04-03T17:04:00.000-07:00

Southern Illinois University has a saluki for its mascot, because the univ is situated in Little Egypt. A saluki is, some say, the oldest breed of dog, Bedouins consider it sacred. It is a sight hunter in the desert. Altho how it got from a wolf to a saluki is beyond me. It looks like a whippet (a small greyhound).
I wore my saluki tee shirt to tai chi class. Nobody had heard of a saluki and one class member did not believe a univ would have a *dog* as a mascot.

Friday night. TV program New Tricks was a rerun.

I woke up at 11 am on Sat. How it got to eleven am is beyond me. Did some sewing. It was cold and now it is too warm. Planning to take a nap.

The dogs did not behave as usual at the park today. They sat around under and on the table. Chance barked at the fence and Buddy whined. Buddy whine barked. After a long time LC exploded toward the fence and they ran.
When I walked to the gate, both of them were there waiting. I dont remember LC ever doing that.

7 PM I am ready for another nap. I made bread pudding today. I am getting better at it.

BOOK REVIEW
John Sandford, *Dead Watch* (2006)
Stand alone. As I began reading I realized I had read this before and remembered every detail. Reading it again was soothing.
Jake Winter was in army intel in Afghanistan until he was wounded. Then he got a PhD and now consults with the president's office. As the book opens, he is called in to find a former senator who has disappeared. He meets the senator's wife with whom he begins an affair. The plot is tangled around itself. Great read.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

April 1, 2010

2010-04-01T17:27:00.001-07:00

6 AM Up for a pit stop and some Advil.
LC lies beside me, making her little crooning noise as she sleeps.

10 AM The lawn mowers did me in. By that I mean that the dogs make a fuss and I was totally awake. Busy doing my laundry. Drinking egg nog.

I am all tired out from doing laundry. Took a nap. Then off to the dog park. Few dogs. Somebody noticed my Saluki tee shirt. Knew somebody who used to teach at SIU. The wind was blowing sand from Big Dog side. The puddles have killed the grass on that side.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
Not many big busters there today. I wandered around smelling things. I always make a round of the paremeter. (sp?)

Lady Chica's Tale
I had only the birds to chase today. Mostly just sat around. Lots of wind.

Think I may take a nap. Tired out.

BOOK REVIEW
Jonathan Kellerman, *Rage* (2002)
Alex Delaware police procedural. Eight years before the novel opens, two teen age kids killed a toddler. One of the kids is killed after a month in prison. The other kid gets out and calls Dr. Delaware. On the way to meeting Alex, Rand is killed. So Alex and Sturgis set out to find the killer. Publisher's Weekly should be happy with this killer.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

March 11, 2010

2010-03-11T19:52:00.000-08:00

Alarm rings at 9 am so that I can get to the dentist by 11:30 for a final fitting. I will have full dentures on my lower jaw.
Sun is shining.
Diane Reams, NPR, is discussing American education. Boy!!! do I have opinions.

Visit to dentist was short and sweet. Came home and took a nap. Driving takes so much time and the traffic has been horrible lately.

The dog park had been sprinkled with coarse ground corn meal. LC was busy cleaning it up for them. At Pup's house both dogs and Pup eat bird seed.
LC was busy harassing dogs on the big dog side as well as chasing school buses. The other side of the park harbors soft ball fields.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
I just wandered around smelling the perimeter. Rain leaves new smells.

Lady Chica's Tale
The park guys sprinkled corn meal all over the place. I mostly chased those big yellow monsters that drive around. I also stirred up trouble with the big busters

I took a nap and woke up planning to watch MI 5. PBS is having a pledge drive. I wonder what audience they are targeting tonight with music from the thirties. Those seniors are pretty old.

BOOK REVIEW
Stephen White, *Privileged Information* (1991)
First of Alan Gregory series. Alan is a psychologist practicing therapy in Boulder, CO. white is also a practicing psycotherapist. In this novel, Alan begins courting Lauren whom he marries in later books. A woman patient kills herself, and the police think Alan had been having a sexual affair with her, forbidden to therapists.
Alan's dog is killed, and that upsets me more than the murder.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

March 10, 2010

2010-03-10T21:22:00.000-08:00

Yes, Paulette, *Bone Collector* was a movie starring Denzel Washington.

up at 9:45 am. Takes forever to boot up my computer. No reading today until I do some work.
I am piecing quilt blocks. I keep finding beginnings of projects. I have five or six lap quilts underway. All are improvisational log cabins. See black and red for design. Log cabins are strips sewn in such a way that block is half dark and half light.
I have a pile of blocks. I pin a strip on each block. Then I sew the pile one by one. Then I press. Then I sew another strip.
Meanwhile I have some caftan shirts cut out.
Most of my quilter friends have projects like this. Last year people gave me boxes of scraps.

One of my neighbors believes that an evil spirit inhabits her apartment. She hears noises in the ceiling.

My neighbor, Helen, is back in the hospital. We dont know why.

Well, then we harnessed up and drove to Martha's where leftover food was waiting. Apparently Jeff cooks a whole recipe of soup and so much is left over. It is always delish. Then I found my way across Arlington to Pup's. I remember how to drive from east to west, but driving west to east is so confusing.
We are working on the green and yellow batik.

Blitkrieg's Tale
Lady Chica's Tale
What happens at Pup's stays at Pup's.

BOOK REVIEW
John Sandford, *The Fool's Run* (1989)
This was first published under the author's real name, John Camp. Camp had written another novel (the first Prey) and his publisher demanded a pseudonym. Hence John Sandford was born.
This novel stars Kidd. Obviously Lucas Davenport beat out Kidd, who does have cameo roles in the Prey series.
Kidd is an artist by day, supporting his habit (art supplies) by doing computer stuff by night. The computer stuff is awfully dated. They dont yet have email. I guess Camp was ahead of the times in having his hero a computer nerd.
In this novel, Kidd is hired by one company to ruin another company.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

March 8, 2010

2010-03-08T16:52:00.001-08:00

Woke up from a dream where I was writing a mystery. I did a beautiful job of describing the detective, but I couldn't figure out who murdered whom.

Listening to Diane Reams with a topic of "early release from prison" with guests pro and con. So ironic after last night I was reading *Newjack* about Sing Sing. My take on the subject is that they need more sociology. Crime rates vary with age of population. Has little to do with judicial system. Crime rates are going down bc population is aging.
Argument will be enjoyed.

10:18 AM Off to Wendy's. Need to buy stamps, make a library run. Rainy day. Thunder storms.

Judy and I are regulars at Wendy's. As we tottered up to the service window, Judy's iced tea was on the tray and the girl was asking me, "Vanilla or chocolate?"
Judy was talking about all the weird things she had seen on the news.
I responded about backlash from culture change. The change has mostly taken place and the back lash people are desparate.

Made a library run. Our branch post office is open from 10 to 12:30 and 2:30 to 4. So I have just ordered stamps online. I am in deparate need of a nap. Gloomy and raining.

After my nap we went to the dog park. Just as we arrived the sun came out --- just for us. No other cars, no other dogs. We were visited briefly by a little white dog. Several vehicles with big dogs drove by but didn't stop. Big dog area was almost totally covered with water. Lots of ponds in the little dog park. The dogs seemed to enjoy themselves.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
I had a good time moseying around the park, smelling all the new smells. Rain brings out new smells. Mom mostly sat and read a book.

Lady Chica's tale
I was reduced to chasing birds and there weren't even very many of them. I stood around waiting for cars to park but there weren't more than three or four. It was a nice day. The su came out.

Have not finished a book. Will spend the evening reading.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

March 7, 2010

2010-03-07T16:15:00.000-08:00

The play we saw Friday night was *Dead Man Walking*. It was well done, well acted. UTA theatre dept is super.
It was not what I expected. It was an ongoing dialog pro and con about capital punishment. I especially liked that they used quotes from the Bible to support each argument.

Sunday morning. I must be feeling good bc I did not agonize putting on jeans. Drizzling this morning. Gloomy.

We took a brief walk and dogs got all wet. I have my slicker. Dog park at 3. I look at weather prediction when showers are pausing.

4 PM woke from a nap. Where has this day gone? We are going to dog park. At 4 the gates close and I cannot walk out. So we may as well go to the park.

We only spent about twenty minutes at the park. The park was one big puddle and even the dogs did not like it. Chance was there but Lady Chica would not run. I even ran a little to encourage her. It kept sprinkling on and off.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
I dont know why Mom had to go to the park today. I was having a perfectly nice nap and she dragged us over to this pond.

Lady Chica's Tale
Chance was there but there was this big puddle next to the fence. Chance was all muddy. I just did not feel like running.

6 PM. Making bread pudding for supper. I am experimenting with baking in the micro wave.

BOOK REVIEW
T. Jefferson Parker, *Iron River* (2010)
Iron River is not in northern Minnesota. Rather it is the name given to the guns crossing the border from USA to Mexico. Charlie Hood is a sheriff's deputy loaned to ATF.
I dont know why I am reading this book. Half the space is taken up by descriptions of guns. Charlie spends his time going from gun shop to gun shop, making ATF inspections.
The other half of th spae is taken up by shooting people. This is a war, ATF versus cartels.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

March 5, 2010

2010-03-05T15:50:00.001-08:00

I woke at 11:30. Decided to go to dog park. Beautiful day. We stayed until Blitzen almost got into it with a pit bull. Pit bull was unfixed and blitzen was doing his thing, but the pit bull turned on him.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
None of the big ol busters would run. Then a pit bull came over on this side, and I decided to socialize him, but he was having none of it. Then Mom went home.

Lady Chica's Tale
The park was sooo booooring. boooring. No cars moving. None of the big busters came near the fence. Tiger was there; I saw her. But she didn't come near the fence.

Didn't need a nap today. Tonight I am going with Lea and John to Studio Theatre at UTA. Dont know what play we will be seeing. John has season tickets. Signing off.

I am reading Stephen White's *Seige* because I saw a great review of it. I have been reading White for 20 years. His series protagonist, Alan Gregory, has a cameo row in this book. I can hardly put this down.

BOOK REVIEW
Peter de Jonge, *Shadows Still Remain* (2009)
Police procedural but not a serial killer. Introducing Darlene OHara, NYPD. OHara is investigating the disappearance of a young woman. Then the woman's body is found. Homicide takes over but she continues to investigate on her own. Rather a cook book novel. Author has co-authored with James Patterson.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

March 2, 2010

2010-03-02T17:12:00.000-08:00

A bone --- an empty yogurt carton --- what's in my bed? The dogs like to lie on the bed chewing and meditating. Chewing releases endorphins.
Off to the Baptist Center.

By 10 AM we have had 7 units. One child was screaming. I have been busy steadily. Some families, some men from bunk house.
11:30 Food Pantry is closing. 13 units

Came home and took a nap. Bill Moyers is retiring. George S is taking over the Today show. Where in the world is Matt Lauer?

Spring is here. The turtles are migrating. In Gateway park they waddle from the River across the road to who knows where.
Pleasant and sunny in the park. Lots of small dogs.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
Mostly I wandered around the edges, smelling things. After a rain there are always new smells.

Lady Chica's Tale
I scared one of those big busters right through the fence. I looked at him and he ran off with his tale between his legs. Chance was there and we did some runnning.

Walked the perimeter of small dog park.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

February 28, 2010

2010-02-28T19:23:00.000-08:00

I saw a cartoon where a couple's bed is taken over by three large great danes. One little heeler/sheltie does it for me, lying on the covers so I freeze to death
4 AM she has gone to sleep on the couch. Probaby too warm on the bed.

I woke from a dream where I had a baby and was a refugee in the wilderness in some primitive Mid Eastern country. In the dream I had escaped from being held in a building.

11:30 AM Gottta get to dog park and back before Martha comes to pick me up to spend aft admiring her new kitchen. Sun is shining.

Pleasant at the dog park. Dozens of dogs. Woman told me that Buddy got into four fights yesterday.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
Lots and lots of dog at the park today. I am still tired from yesterday.

Lady Chica's Tale
Not much going on. Lots and lots of big dogs but nobody came over near the fence. I was glad to come home.

Martha picked me up at 2:30 and we just hung out. Jeff had bought champagne for us to toast the new kitchen. Gorgeous. I took a nap. We watched Olympic hockey game. Watched closing ceremony with sound off. music playing.

BOOK REVIEW
T. Jefferson Parker, *California Girl* (2004)
This was told in flash backs and I had a hard time getting into it. Four Beck brothers. had a rumble when they were in high school with the Vonn bros. Saw Janelle, age four.
Later Nick became sheriff's deputy and was in charge of homicide of Janelle, age 19,
Andy is a reporter. This was 1968. Thirty six years later, 2004, Andy uncovers the real murderer. No more said. Martha gets mad at me when I reveal the ending.

February 27, 2010

2010-02-27T16:48:00.001-08:00

What a day. I am exhausted. Got up about ten and messed around. at one I loaded dogs and set out for Lea's to attend Circle Theatre.
The car would not start.
My next parking buddy came over. He has a clone of my Saturn. He gave me a jump start.
So off I went.

Lea decided it would be safer to take her car. She was not sure she could drive, having had eyelid surgery this week. But we arrived safely. And home safely. The car started. I stopped by my local repairman on the way home. he tested the battery and it tests fine. So.

Circle Theatre was OPUS. It did not have much of a plot. It was an inside look at a string quartet. They fussed and argued. They fired one violist and hired a woman. Then the fired man came back and wanted to replace first violinist. And then the cellist got upset and smashed an antique violin.
It doesn't sound like much, but it was fun.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
Lady Chica's Tale
What happens at Pup's stays at Pup's.

By the way, the other day someone asked why I didn't name my other dog Donder. No wonder that Blitzen gets upset.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

February 25, 2010

2010-02-25T17:53:00.000-08:00

Up at 9:30 but I feel a front coming in. Lea suggested it might be nerve damage. Meaning my nerves react to a coming front.
Sun is shining. I need to go to post office. The little satellite has weird hours.

Well, Brianna's xmas/bday present is off in the mail. Dropped off library book due today. Took dogs to small park nearby. New smells. New smells. New smells. I let LC off the leash and she ran circles around me. She loves to play chase.

Blitkrieg's Tale
Mom took us to a new park. All the new smells were so exciting. Mom let LC off the leash and she likes to play games. It is not fair that she got to run all over the park.
Well, at the big park we got to run a lot. Buddy and Chance were both there and lots of dogs ran on both sides.

Lady Xica's Tale
I had a great run. We went to a new park and Mom let me off the leash. It is such fun to tease Mom. I run up and then swerve off. She gets frustrated!!!!!
I am exhausted tonight. I ran and ran and ran and ran. Finally I was ready to go home. It started to rain.

I keep telling myself I need the sleep. I am healing.

BOOK REVIEW
Robert Crais, *The First Rule* (2010)
This is the first book I have read published in 2010. Elvis Cole and Joe Pike. The First Rule has to do with Serbian mafia --- your only family is the gang.
After leaving the Service, Joe Pike was a military contractor, i.e. mercenary. Now he is a PI in LA. One of his unit is killed in a home invasion along with family. Joe Pike takes care of his own altho it has been ten years since they served together in the military contract.
The killers are involved with Serbian mafia who are bringing in guns from Korea. Not recommended for sensitive readers.

February 24, 2010

2010-02-24T17:51:00.000-08:00

Rent. I just thot of it.
Slept till 12:30 noon. I can feel myself healing. My sinus are so clear. Antibiotics are miracles.
PPQS tonight. LC is eagerly looking forward to helping John garden.
Lea had minor surgery on Monday. So we will spend a quiet evening.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
Lady Chica's Tale
What happens at Pup's stays at Pup's.

Lea made dinner, best soup I have ever tasted. Dump cake. corn bread. No wonder she was tired. We came home early. It is taking longer to recover than she expected.

BOOK REVIEW
Laura Childs, *Tragic Magic* (2009)
chick pick. scrapbooking mystery. Carmela owns Memory Mine, a scrapbooking shop in N'orleans. Her friend, Ava, owns Juju Voodoo shop. They are hired to decorate a haunted house. The owner falls out of a window in flames. The house is scary, haunted.
I find this awfully mild. Carmela has a relationship with homicide dick.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

February 22, 2010

2010-02-22T17:49:00.000-08:00

February 21, 2010

2010-02-21T15:33:00.001-08:00

Slept until 11 am. Gave up on religious services. As a side effect of anti-biotic I am outsourcing my innards. I did not think I could make it thru a service.
I will see dentist tomorrow and ask about Immodium. Flyer says not to take with anti-biotic. I looked on internet and immodium interacts with certain chemicals, including black pepper.
The weather is warm. I was out with only a tee shirt.
Helen's grandchildren were playing tag and my dogs were crazy. So we went out. The dogs would not run with kids. Blitzen is afraid to go away from me. Anyhow, kids and dogs got acquainted. After that, we came in and dogs ignored the kids outside.
Doing laundry at long last.

;The sun came out and we hurried to the dog park. Lots and lots of dogs there. Chance and Buddy were there. So Lady Chica did a lot of running. Blitzen does not run much. He goes over to the fence and stirs everything up.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
I love to get those ol busters stirred up. I stand at the fence and trash talk. I yell "Your mother's a bitch." And of course she is.

Lady Chica's Tale
I had fun today running with Chance and Buddy. That ol Buddy is a bully. He bit a dog who got in his way.

The temp dropped as we sat in the park. Some people just outside my window are letting loose a bunch of balloons.

BOOK REVIEW
John Sandford, *Mortal Prey* (2002)
I find this hard to read; it is like a Greek tragedy. Lucas Davenport, Minnesota BCA. The book is about Clara Rink, the female hitman. Clara fled to Mexico and was doing fine. Until an assasin killed her lover, wounded her and caused a miscarriage. Clara recovers and sets forth to eliminate a set of people. We know at the beginning that she will be killed at the end.

February 20, 2010

2010-02-20T18:04:00.000-08:00

Went with Lea for a fitting at Allie Coosh.

February 19, 2010

2010-02-18T18:34:00.001-08:00

At 3 am I made a pit stop and fell asleep on the potty. As I was falling off I woke enuf to go back to bed.

11:23 am I slept well. Muscles feel good. Dogs got me up, barking at some lawn machine. Sun is shining. Temp will get to sixty today, they say.

Went over and got a hair cut. About time, I say.
Came home and took a nap.

We got to the park early, about three. Sun shining, lots of dogs altho none we knew.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
I tried to get those big lugs to run the fence but no luck. I got really mad when mom was petting this puppy.

Lady Xica's Tale
I ran back and forth along the fence. Sometimes I got somebody to run with me. Tiger rane or twice. She is a fruitcake, loose in the head. But what can you expect of a catahoulie.

Another nap. Today has been devoted to sleep. I was dreaming and continued to finish my dream when I woke up, but I dont remember it. It was like something from Outlander.

BOOK REVIEW
Have not finished a book today. I spent too much time sleeping. Reading a book by Harold Coyle, but it is hard going. He has Druze Christians, Iranians, Americans and israelis. Each is getting ready for a confrontation.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

February 18, 2010

2010-02-17T14:29:00.001-08:00

10:30 AM The dogs have been kicking up a fuss all morning. I sat down at my computer and looked out the window at two police cars. My first thought was that somebody had died. Often somebody dies in the night and the police have to break down the door. I never use the lock without a key.
So snoopy me, we harnessed up and went for our morning walk. The dogs were happy. The mgr was talking with the police, and I asked if somebody had died. "That's usually why the police come", I said. No, nobody had died. I moseyed on my way.
Some woman was sitting disconsolately by a pile of empty cartons. I had noticed the cartons yesterday, somebody moving in.
So much for that story. I will never know.

I tottered off to vote early in the primary. Now 2:15 PM. Now for a nap. PPQS tonight.

4:21. The dogs were willing to take a nap this afternoon. Tonight Lea and I are going to work on the green and yellow batik quilt.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
Lady Xica's Tale
What happens at Pup's stays at Pup's.

BOOK REVIEW
John Sandford, *Broken Prey*
Lucas Davenport, Minnesota BCA. The basic premise of this plot is far fetched, but the book is a good read. Lots of suspense as Lucas hunts another serial killer.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

February 16, 2010

2010-02-16T17:35:00.000-08:00

I had not set alarm as I had thot but woke anyway. Yeah me. Off to Baptist Center. Sun is shining.

Baptist Center
We have had a heavy rush. Baptist Center was closed Thur,Fri last week.
Big Rush: 4 units,2 each
By 10 am we have done 7 units, one of t hem 6
By 10:50 we have done 12 units.
By 11:15 we have done 17 units,one of them 7 members.

I came home and tried to take a nap and the dogs kept pestering me. Then I had a massage. My massage therapist was telling me about a person she knows (now in jail) whose husband stole a prescription pad and has been writing his own prescriptions for hydroxocodein (??).

We finally made it to the dog park. Buddy was there and the dogs got some exercise.

Blitzkreig's Tale
I tried socializing some young pups, but Mom wont hear of it. And the pup's owner grabbed him. I wasn't going to hurt him.

Lady Chica's Tale
I take my meals in my den. I ate supper tonight and just flopped. Chasing Buddy.

BOOK REVIEW
John Sandford, *Naked Prey*
I really enjoyed this book. Perhaps bc there are layers of killers. One couple gets killed. Then another couple gets killed by partners of the first couple. Then the killer's killer gets killed.
Oh, yes, Luke Davenport, now of the Minnesota BCA.
Hugs, Dr. Liz

February 15, 2010

2010-02-15T16:43:00.000-08:00

6 am Up for a pit stop. I was having a horrible dream I dont' remember.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
Mom forgot to let me write my tale yesterday. Just cuz I was asleep. Aunt Martha came over and we took a walk in the field. Most of that funny stuff is gone.
Second Tale
There was a cute little puppy, but Mom put me on a time out. He kept wanting to play. Not many dogs there today. I was bored.

Lady Chica's Tale
Aunt Martha walked us. she walks a lot better than Mom. Mom is such a slow poke. Mom tells her she needs more exercise.
Secnd Tale
None of the big ol busters would run today. Buddy arrived just when we were going home.

9:35 am Had a difficult time sleeping in with dogs clawing me from both sides. It seems like a month since last Monday.

I did 3 minutes on the treadmill, slow and level. Burned 2 calories. (50 calories = 1 point)

Met Judy at Wendy's. I was tired out.

After a nap we went to dog park. Dogs were bored. Buddy arrived as we were leaving.

BOOK REVIEW
Bill Crider, *Murder in Four Parts*
Sheriff Dan Rhodes is invited to join the Clearview Barbershop Choir. Before he can join, the director is found murdered in his florist shop. It looks as if he got into an argument with somebody and the killer smashed him with a pipe.
Crider's books are fun to read.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

february 14, 2020

2010-02-14T16:33:00.000-08:00

8:20 AM Up for a pit stop. Most of the snow is gone. Some remaining on roof tops. Many of the sidewalks are dry.

Up at 10:30 am I was thinking. Martha is remodeling her kitchen and I am envious of her new refrigerator and convection oven. The refrigerator has the freezer in a drawer at the bottom. So much more rational.
If I won the 46 million dollar lottery, what would I do? I like living here. I would buy the whole compound. I would get myself an automatic gate opener for staters. I would stay in this apartment while I remodeled another. I would knock out some walls to make one apt out of three.
I would put a skylight in the kitchen. Maybe two or three. I had a skylight in Houston and I loved it. Then I would get new appliances. I would get some new furniture.

I told Martha my fantasy. She laughed and said for 46 million we could build a house for her with a mother-in-law house behind it.

Then I would buy new pews for the church.
That done, I would set up a chair in sociology with my name. The Elizabeth Nall chair of sociology. I could do it at both SIU and Michigan State. Maybe I could call one of them my mother's name. Or Libby. That one could be at Uof T. They would be tax deductions.

So much for fantasy.

Martha came over to review dress for MOB. The top doesn't fit. We decided on what we want. She brot laundry bc her washer is not plugged in.
Then we walked dogs. Rather she walked and I tottered along behind. She also brot left overs. One was cherry sauce on chicken. Oh, my.

I proof read a paper for Lea. Now for a nap.

BOOK REVIEW
Harold Coyle, *They are Soldiers* (2004)
Coyle has changed his milieu to Middle East. In this volume a National Guard Unit is deployed to keep peace between Israel and Palestine. The captain is regular army. He learns the benefits of "community" for National Guard {they are soldiers}.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

February 13, 2010

2010-02-13T17:36:00.000-08:00

Friday night
Watched the opening of the Olympic Games. I switched to PBS to watch *new Tricks* and *Waking the Dead*. Switched back in time to see the torch lit.
As usual, I did not really understand the ending of Waking the Dead.

At 9:30 Lady Xica demanded breakfast. I couldn't get back to sleep and the dogs were restless. So we went off to the dog park. The park was one big puddle overlaid with snow. There were leftover snowmen melting. It was warm enuf for me to be wearing only a sweat shirt not a jacket.
LC came home all muddy. So we had to take a shower.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
The park was weird. There was a lot of water and all of that funny stuff. I had a good time chasing dogs and monitoring a fight. Mom plans to get me a black and white striped referee shirt.

Lady Chica's tale
I came home all muddy and we had a shower. I mostly just stayed at the front fence monitoring the cars.

At two I slept until 4:30. I ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, my first. Did not care for it. Will not repeat. At some point I went to sleep again until 7 PM. I am so tired from walking thru the snow.

BOOK REVIEW
Bill Crider, *Of all Sad Words* (2008)
Sheriff Dan Rhodes has revised the poem:
Of all sad words of tongue and pen
The saddest of these are:
It seemed like a good thing. [Reminds me of what Dan in Sunday School class was saying.)
Rhodes ran a Citizens Sheriff's Academy and now he has vigilantes helping his investigations. A trailer house blew up, they found a body in the woods and then a still. It seems that drinking moonshine has become a fad. But everything ends happily and the citizens help set up the web page.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

February 12, 2010

2010-02-12T17:30:00.001-08:00

Dont be jammin on your brakes,
so saith the spokesman for Texas DOT.

Thursday
6 PM Walked dogs. Sidewalks are covered almost to ankles. What a mess.
10 PM DFW has recorded 9.4 inches, setting a new record. Temp is 32 in Fort Worth.
We took a bedtime walk. The scene was beautiful, snow falling softly. I was homesick for Michigan -- briefly.

Friday
5 AM Snow has ceased falling.
Contrary to expectations, temp did not fall and ice did not form. Snow is slowly melting. Temp at 11 am is 33 degrees. At this rate it will take a week to clear roads. This means another nightmare dog walk. Got out my Michigan boots.
At 5 am LC and I heard a boom and we were scared. Then I realized
that snow was falling. I the drifts were falling. Now I have heard another one.

Martha said that we made the national news with eleven inches of snow. All time record in the DFW area. I chatted with Martha as she drove up from Laredo.
Walking the dogs was much better this morning wearing boots. The boots gave me more traction. The dogs couldn't run in the field bc the snow was too deep. We visited with a man making a snowman. Blitzen circled it three times wondering what it was and then peed on it. The little boy (about 3) threw a snow ball at Blitzen.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
That funny stuff is all over. We couldn't even run in the field because it is so deep. We went over to talk to this man who was doing something. I couldn't figure out what that thing was. I looked it over carefully and then marked it. That kid threw the stuff at me.

Lady Chica's Tale
Personally I would just as soon stay home. That stuff has no smell and it is hard to walk in. Blitzen is so something or other. He has to look at everything. If I cant herd it, what good is it? Herd it or eat it, I say.

After talking with Martha for an hour, we took a nap. I got up and put on my outdoor clothes. I think the dogs expectd to go to the park, but alas. The parking lot is impassble. This morning our gate was only half open. The apt next door kept their gate open.
A tree split down the middle in our compound. Texas trees are not used to this much snow.

Martha: I walked back and forth to mail box. None of the sidewalks are clear. And there are puddles of water all over.

Comment: Other dogs rolled in the snow and enjoyed it. I think my dogs are too small. The snow is just too deep for them.

BOOK REVIEW:
John Sandford, *NIght Prey* (1994)
I was bored with this book. The search for the killer was boring.
Lucas Davenport, assistant chief of Police in Minneapolis. An investigator from the state bureau insists that a serial killer is stalking the state. He kills women in different jurisdictions. When the second murder finally occurs in Minneapolis, Lucas gets involved.
The killer is stalking a woman while he kills others. Not enuf suspense.
Lucas proposes to Weather.

February 11, 2010

2010-02-11T14:59:00.000-08:00

Up for a pit stop at 6:30 AM. SNOW I looked out the window and the bushes are covered with snow. Snow is coming down in tiny flakes.

Slept till eleven. Slept the clock around. We must have an inch of snow. I dont remember ever seeing so much snow in Texas. The weather man did not expect this much so soon.

Walking the dogs was a nightmare. My footing was treacherous and Blitzen was pulling. IN the field there is three or four inches of snow. I often let the dogs run, leashed together but Blitzen was too oriented toward the cars going past. The sound must have been different. I made it home. I made it home.

Blitzkreig's Tale
We went outside and everything was different. There was this funny stuff all over the ground. I wanted to run and run but Mom is an old slowpoke. Mom is such an old slowpoke. Josh used to come over and play but we never see him any more.

Lady Xica's Tale
Yes, everything was different. Weird stuff. No smell. It was cold on my feet. Blitz wanted to run but I wanted to go home. When we got home, Blitz and I had fun playing and chasing.

4 PM Weather station at DFW has 6.2 inches of snow. The record of all time is 8 inches. David Finfrock (our weatherman) thinks we may break the record. Temp is above freezing. Snow will stop in the night and slush will freeze. Schools are closed.

I am going to send this off at 5 PM before we have a power outage. Snow is weighing down lines.

I did not read a book today. I have been sewing.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

February 10, 2010

2010-02-10T20:43:00.000-08:00

Up at 10 am. Took the dogs out. Thn we had to rush home and take a shower when Lady Xica got in the way of Blitzen's marksmanship.

I am depressed this morning. All my neighbors are in the hospital. (That is an exaggeration. Helen is in the hospital. Oda Mae and Russ are staying w/their son while Russ gets radiation treatments. I dont know where ----- is. Cant remember her name. She is in the first stages of Alzheimer's.)
I cant find my Xmas camera. I know it is hiding under a piece of fabric somewhere.

I keep trying to think of good things. Lea is overnighting our batik quilt to Colorado to the silent auction. An org called Power of Seven is raising money for breast cancer research. That recent book I read about silent dying had a lot of good stuff about cancer. Our quilt was mentioned on the radio. Lea bid on it her self.

The above paragraph is how I think, thots all jumbled together.

Noon. I was ready to kill Blitzen. He went beserk about the leaf blower going by and pulled the cover off my coffee table. But under the piles of junque was my camera. I feel so much better.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
Lady Xica's Tale
What happens at Pup's stays at Pup's.

PPQS:
Lea and I began working on the green batik quilt.
Storm warning from 3 am to Friday 6 am. I intend to stay in the house tomorrow.

BOOK REVIEW
Faye Kellerman, *Blindman's Bluff* (2009)
I have read this before but enjoyed it enuf to read over again.
Peter Decker, LA police procedural. Blind man is a translator for the court. He is a peripheral character in a homicide investigation.
A wealthy man and his wife as well as security guards are killed on a remote ranch. The younger son is injured. Decker believes that the gunmen are hired killers, and he thinks that one of the surviving family members had hired them.
Hugs, Dr. Liz

February 9, 2010

2010-02-09T19:06:00.000-08:00

Baptist Center: Food Pantry
1- single man
2-single man
3-single man who lives at Bunkhaus
4-family of 3
5-single man
6-family of 2
7-single man
8-family of 6, Hispanic
9-single man

Total of 9 units.

I came home and took a nap. Up and off to the dog park. Buddy was there and Lady Xica did a lot of running.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
There was a cute little King Charles Spaniel girl, but Mom put me on time out. Mom is such a spoil sport. I keep saying.

Lady Xica's Tale
I did a lot of running with Buddy. I like to tease him. I start running and then I run off. There were a bunch of little dogs getting underfoot. They were all muddy.
When we got home, Mom sat around looking at that thing that sometimes makes funny noises.

Watched a documentary on bombing raids over Germany during WWII. As I watched, I was remembering the bombing survey taken after the war.
Then I watched a new series, NCIS Los Angeles.

BOOK REVIEW
A male reader has read *Outlander* and is bored. He was expecting soft porn. I guess that is a woman's book. It was classified as a "romance". Got an award as best romance of the year. I guess it is.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

February 8, 2010

2010-02-08T18:02:00.000-08:00

Woke up in drenching rain. Off to Wendy's to meet with Judy. We commiserated over politics. Then the rain let up. So we dashed off to the dog park as fast as we could go. The little dog park was one big puddle. Actually there were little walkways in between puddles. The dogs chased birds.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
Big puddles of water all over the little dog park. We chased birds, huge flocks of black birds. No other dogs were there. None.

Lady Xica's Tale
I had a lot of fun chasing birds. Lots of birds. No other dogs to scare them off. I dont know where all the other dogs were. It wasn't raining.

BOOK REVIEW
John Sandford, *Mind Prey* (1995)
Not recommended for sensitive readers. Luke Davenport police procedural. In this book he gets engaged with Weather.
A woman and her two daughters are kidnapped and kept in a cellar. Lucas found them in five days but those days are horrible.

February 7, 2010

2010-02-07T16:43:00.000-08:00

I woke up from my dream and kept on dreaming. What is that called, Carol?
Iwas attending a big AlAnon convention. It was chaos. Everybody was discussing and arguing at the top of their lungs.
I was supposed to make a joint presentation with another woman I had never met and she never showed up.

I managed to get to Sunday School. We were discussing the storyof the tower of Babel. What do you remember of your childhod teachings? How do you see it now. We had a spirited discussion.
Church and lunch at the round table.

After a nap we took off for the dog park. What a miserable day. We managed to make it between drizzles. Everybody else was home watching The Game. My goodness, NPR--- yes, NPR announced the score at the end of the first quarter.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
Nobody at the park. Mom says they were all home watching the game, whatever that means. I wound up playing with my sister. Grr.

Lady Chica's tale
Not much doing at the park. Mom says I have learned to play half fetch. She throws the doll's head and I chase it. Then she has to chase me to grab it. Blitz and I were pulling on the doll, and I got the head and Blitz got the body.

BOOK REVIEW
Keith McCarthy, *The Silent Sleep of the Dying* (2004)
This novel reads like a text book. McCarthy is a histopathologist (whatever that is) and his hero is a consulting pathologist. John Eisenmenger is called on to investigate a strange episode. A woman died of cancer and her body was mistakenly cremated. It turns out the autopsy was faked. The woman died of a multitude of cancers. She worked for a pharmaceutical company. And the plot takes off from there.
There are interesting descriptions.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

February 6, 2010

2010-02-06T18:39:00.000-08:00

Up at 9:30 AM. Sun is shining. I am determined to do some quilt piecing today.

What I managed to do is start piecing another quilt.
Dog park was not comfortable. Cloudy and windy. None of the regulars were there on the little dog side. Buddy and Chance were there. Lady Xica and Buddy and Chance ran for the whole hour. Idiots kept standing beside the fence blocking the runway.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
Old Buddy and chance kept running and running. People kept standing in the way. Didn't seem to know what was going on. Lots of dogs ran on either side.

Lady Xica's Tale
I really felt energetic today. I ran and ran and ran and ran. Mom was complaining that I got all muddy but Buddy sat down in a mud puddle. One dog jumped over Chance.

We all came home and took a nap. I am subsisting on soup. I have gained back all I lost. I make a soup of canned green beans and tomatoes. 16 points today (Weight Watcher points)

BOOK REVIEW
John sandford, *Heat Lightning* (2008)
Virgil Flowers, police procedural. Virgil works for Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension under the supervision of Lucas Davenport. Two murders, each man propped up under a veteran's memorial in a small town with a lemon between his teeth. Then another. Then another. Virgil hears that Vietnamese put a lemon in the mouth of people they executed. The victims were in a veteran's support group.
So we think there is a Vietnam connection.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

February 5, 2010

2010-02-05T21:10:00.000-08:00

Thrusday night. I survived MI-5. I keep thinking they are going to kill Adam off. Then I couldn't get to sleep. Too much adrenalin.

Tai chi this morning. Twelve students there. I was shocked that one of the students had no bra and a low cut neckline.
Noon. Now for a nap.

It was a perfect day at the dog park. Ray was there with Charlie and Maggie. None of the big dogs came near the fence. Buddy was there bc I heard his mom calling him.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
I haven't eaten anything today. My tummy doesn't feel good. I just wandered around the park.

Lady Chica's Tale
None of the big busters came near the fence. I watched the front fence, keeping an eye on that cop car parked there. He was up to no good.

We came home and took a nap. Then we watched our television programs on PBS.

BOOK REVIEW
John Sandford, *Phantom Prey* (2008)
Lucas Davenport, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, police procedural. By this book. Lucas has a toddler son. Kidd is married, too, but we dont know to whom.
The usual serial killer. This plot has an unusual twist, shocking, that you learn at the middle of the book. You know who the killer is but Lucas doesn't.
Weather pressures Lucas to help a friend find her missing daughter.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

February 4, 2010

2010-02-04T17:52:00.000-08:00

I had a dream that was like a novel. The time seemed to be just before the Civil War, like about 1860. I was on a church mission trip to the south. (Actually I think this might have been illegal.) My fiance, resembling Jamie Fraser, was with a management training group for a mining company using slave labor. (i have been reading about Spaniards use of slavesin Peru.) He came to the conclusion that he could not work with slave labor. So he was quitting.

I was perturbed about slavery. So I planned to go home. My parents drove down toget me. (A lot of anachronisms in this dream.) Eva R was in the mission grp and plannedto go home with me. Then she went to visit Mia who had just immigrated from Germany. Eva came back the morning we were to leae completely amnesic about our plans. Mia had invited her to stay as a house guest and Mia was wealthy and the house was luxurious. On and on and the dream ended.

Two responses to yesterday's journall. Jack LaLayne is still alive and will, doing jumping jacks.

I went to the bank and I went to Joanne's to buy scrapbooks. I came home tired. Decided it was now or never to take dogs to park. Few dogs there of course. Cloudy but not rainy. We were almost ready to come home when Chance and Buddy arrived.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
Mostly I sat around on the table. Grass was wet. No dogs to chase.
Lady Xica's Tale
I spent the time parking cars. Not many to park. by the time Buddy and Chance came I was tired out and ready to come home. Mom was complaining how muddy we were.

Took a nap. Waiting for MI-5. Hi, David

BOOK REVIEW
Niall Ferguson, *The Ascent of Money* (2009)
Exciting new perspective on how the world works. We did a power study in the Valley in 1959. Power studies were all the rage. The one man with the most power was the banker bc he controlled credit.
Ferguson wrote the forward to the paperback edition after the crash of 2008. He defines all the abstruse terms like derivatives.
Ferguson is writing the history of money. The first items are promissory notes in ancient Sumer. still clay tablets exist.
It certainly gives a distinct flavor to history.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

February 3, 2010

2010-02-03T20:42:00.000-08:00

Up at 11 AM. I went to sleep at midnight. So I had eleven hours of sleep. I had dreams where I was a spectator, like watching a movie.
My leg muscles are sore bc I was trying to hop yesterday. At Baptist Center, Nancy was talking about reading somewhere about doing jumping jacks. So I tried --- and failed. It takes strong leg muscles to jump.
Iwonder if Jack Lelayne is still alive and doing jumping jacks.

I am still sleepy -- noon -- altho Ihave not taken anti histamines. PPQS tonight. We go over to Pup's.

Word of the Day
Maginot Line. Before 1940, France built a system of defenses between it and Germany, called the Maginot Line. Impregnable.
In 1940 Rommel with his tanks, copying old Nathan Bedford Forrest (get there fustest with the mostest) swung through Belgium in a blitzkrieg (note:blitzkrieg), bypassing the Maginot Line and conquering France.

A friend of mine (native German) said that it is clear that my ancestors were Prussian. I never think of Germans as conquering warriors. They conquered the Romans and conquered France. The only reason the US won the war is that a lot of Germans settled in the U.S. Germans and irish. Ferocious barbarians. (Just call them Texans).

Took another nap. This seems to be physical need, not depression escape. It takes a long time to recover from hopping. Lucas Davenport said that when he played hockey in college, he was fine the next day. In his forties, it takes two or three days to recover. I wonder what it will be like when he is in his 80's.
I am determined to do a jumping jack.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
Lady Xica's Tale
What happens at Pup's stays at Pup's.

The dogs had a good time. They came home and played and chased each other around the house.

Lea quilted the border of the batik quilt while I finished the scrapbook for the Puerto Vllarta vacation.

BOOK REVIEW
Jan Burke, *Hocus* (1997)
Burke's novels always contain some ancient crime surfacing to cause trouble. Irene Kelly is a newspaper reporter married to a homicide dick, Frank Harrison. In this book Frank is kidnapped by a group called *Hocus*. Hocus means hoax. First they infiltrate a bank computer and turn off requirement for fees. Then the library, erasing fines. Tricks.

Frank arrests two members and then Frank is kidnapped by the group. Held hostage. A complex plot unwinds.

February 2, 2010

2010-02-02T19:20:00.000-08:00

4:30 AM Up for pit stop, waking from a wild dream. In that most recent John Sanford, Kidd was crawling around the Texas prairie outside Crawford.

My Master's Thesis was the first disaster study ever. The only literature available was the air force survey of bombing in WWII. I did interviewing in Flint following the tornado in 1953. I studied the response of formal orgs: Red Cross, Salvation Army, Michigan State Police. In that tornado several blocks of houses were just vanished. Vanished. I saw a refrigerator in a tree.
I was fascinated that the neighbors were in shock. I mean shock. The inhabitants of the houses were dead.

Baptist Center. I was steadily working all morning. 15 units got groceries

Dog park was sort of uneventful today. Medium cold. I did not wear enuf. My hands got cold. Blitzen did not get in trouble. Lady Xica got a lot of exercise.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
Dog park was sort of boring today. The big busters kept getting in fights but they were always on the other side of the fence.

Lady Xica's Tale
I did a lot of running this evening. Everything seemed sort of quiet. Neither Buddy nor Chance came by this evening.

Quiet evening at home reading.

BOOK REVIEW
Malcolm Palmer, *Silent Treatment* (1995)
I have renewed this book twice and I cant get interested. It may be that I have read this book before in the long long ago. I said before that reading Palmer's novels convinces one that one does not want to go to a hospital.
This novel is about doctors and a hospital and an HMO.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

February 1, 2010

2010-02-01T16:53:00.001-08:00

Alarm rings at 9, waking me from a pleasant dream and I woke up happy. I used to have a program which put the current temp in the tray on the bottom of my screen, next to time. Diane Reem on NPR is discussing toyota recall. Couldn't care less.
Temp is 32, wind chill 30.

Judy and I discussed finishing unfinished products. This was started by describing my quilt blocks.

Came home and took a nap. At four we set forth for the dog park. Blitzen and LC were bored for a while and started playing with each other. Then came Chance and Lady Chica started running. Finally came Buddy who got into a fight with another dog. I think Buddy attackedthe other dog for getting in his way when Buddy was running.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
Chica and I had a lot of fun hassling each other. She wanted me to chase her but I dont have the strength anymore. That Chance is really young with a lot of energy. Buddy is an agressive ol boy.

Lady Xica's Tale
I had a lot of fun today. Nobody was there at first. So Blitz and I hassled each other. Finally Chance came and we did a lot of running. Then ol Buddy turned up. I really dont like Buddy. He is a bully.

BOOK REVIEW
John Sandford, *The Devil's Code* (2000)
A Kidd Novel. Kidd is an artist and a hacker. This novel is all about NSA, spy satellites and encryption of data. Kidd's colleague, Jack Morrison, is shot by a security guard, ostensibly trying to steal encryption codes. Kidd investigates.
In the course of investigation, Kidd flies to Dallas where he says about Dallas traffic, "a pod of Texans headedup the freeway in what seemed to be a rest of Chaos Theory."

Sandford wrote two Kidd novels before he invented Lucas Davenport. Somehow Kidd does not generate such postive reaction. I surmise that Kidd is too far out.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

January 31, 2010

2010-01-31T17:39:00.000-08:00

8 am It looks as if I may make it to Sunday School.

At Sunday School we are discussing our childhood versions of Bible stories. Today we discussed the story about four men lowering a paralytic through the roof so that Jesus could heal him.
I think people should think more about the political ramifications of jesus' teaching. At this point in time, Jesus personifies the establishment.
The Pope is urging priests to blog. WWJB
Had lunch at the round table. Talked mostly with David the iceman.

After my nap we went to the dog park. No wind so it was bearable. Chance and Buddy were there. Packs of big busters were running the fence.
This never happens. Blitzen would not come home. he kept barking at a big dog. Finally I put Lady Xica in the car. Blitzen still would not come, but all other dogs were going home. The last person left besides me carefully waited to pull out until I was pulling out. I was impressed.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
I felt really good tonight. Good running weather. Chance and Buddy were there and we had a pack of big busters running. I did not feel like going home when Mom left. I knew she would never leave me behind.

Lady Xica's Tale
Blitzen pulled a Chica tonight. he was determined not to come home. I was ready. I did a lot of running with Buddy and Chance.

7:35PM. I am ready to take another nap. Tired. Being cold tires me.

BOOK REVIEW
John Sandford, *Chosen Prey* (2001)
Lucas Davenport police procedural, chasing a serial killer. We have alternate chapters with the killer, who is an art history professor. Lucas is back with Weather, after an hiatus. The end of the book implies that she is pregnant.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

January 30, 2010

2010-01-30T18:42:00.001-08:00

11 AM Blitzen loudly proclaims he wants breakfast. Finally got up. He is relentless. At least the house is illuminated by the sun. I have been turning on lights.

We took off for a library run and the dog park. Few dogs there. After an hour Blitzen was whining to come home and Lady Xica wanted to play chase. (Blitzen almost never whines. Mostly he demands loudly.) I am exhausted. I finally got her into the air lock and eventually she came up to the gate.
A flock of gulls was hovering over the pond which had developed in the soccer field.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
A little winter weather goes a long way. Mom put my sweater on me and that felt good. Not many dogs there. We did get a few running once in a while.

Lady Xica's Tale
I get to running and nothing else matters. Old Blitzen wanted to go home. So Mom chained him to the fence while she chased me. She doesn't run very fast.

I came home and slept for three hours. Whew. I had an interesting dream. I was attending some kind of convention. A long line of women were waiting at the rest room. So I got in my car and was looking for somewhere to go to the restroom. Pat, somehow you were running around with me.

BOOK REVIEW
John Sandford, *Dark of the Moon* (2007)
Sandford is introducing a new protagonist, Lucas Davenport getting too old. Lucas works for Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Working under his supervision is Virgil Flowers.
Virgil is in his late thirties, rather a rebel.
Virgil is sent out state to investigate a double homicide. As he drives into town he sees a fire. An old man is burned up in an arson.
police procedural

Hugs, Dr. Liz

January 29, 2009

2010-01-29T17:02:00.000-08:00

Thursday night 11 PM. I think the storm has passed us.

8 AM Friday. It is raining but I see no signs of ice. Prediction is freezing drizzle this aft. I think I will stay out of the car. Back to bed.

11 AM Got up. We are having a hiatus between rains. So I will dress and we will walk around the block.
Twice I heard the emergency vehicles go screaming down the street.

We took our walk just in time. It is beginning to sprinkle. The wind chill was fierce. I need to walk the dogs more often. Talk about resistance training. The dogs came home and chased each other around the house at 25 mph. I mean literally.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
Mom took us across the street to a big field. Lots of new smells. had a ball.

Lady Xica's Tale
I am glad Mom did not let go of the leash. That horrible Blitzkrieg runs off and Blitzkrieg is his name. He runs down by the creek and gets caught on the branches.

One day I expect to meet a feral hog or a bobcat or a coyote down by the creek.

Martha and I had our more than hour long chat on cell phone as she drives up from Laredo. Jake and Joanna are moving in together Feb 1.
3 PM I feel so cozy and warm inside. Rain has stopped.
4:30PM Feeling cozy and warm altho I think temp is dropping. Temp is 32 degrees with wind chill of 18. Going down to mid-twenties. There will be ice on the roads where puddles stand.
Took a nap for two hours. Evening draws on.

BOOK REVIEW
John Sandford, * Sudden Prey* (1996)
Another Luke Davenport police procedural. Luke has been made deputy chief of Minneapolis PD. In the course of a bank robbery, a woman robber is shot. her husband decides to shoot the spouse of every police officer involved. Cops and robbers.
Hugs, Dr. Liz

January 28, 2010

2010-01-28T17:10:00.000-08:00

I notice that I have been dating these journall thewrong year. It is 2010.

Up at 10:30 AM. First order of business is to take car to have oil changed.

The oil change took 30 minutes and the commute was one block. So I was home in short order. It was raining and we went to the dog park. After 15 minutes Blitzen asked to go home. I have a slicker with hood in which I look like the pictures on those packages of frozen fish.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
I enjoy the rain but only to a certain extent. I raced around the field and then asked Mom to go home. LC was ready to come home, too. This is the kind of day to sleep.

Lady Chica's Tale
I really love falling water. I get in the shower with Mom every night.

I was settling in for my nap when thunder rolled and rain came down like buckets. I felt snug and warm cuddled next to LC, aka heating pad.
Amazed to find it is only 5:45 PM.
Watched the PBS Newshour. I am getting bored with MI-5, always the same plot. Some terrorist org planning to blow up London.
Checked weather channel. Severe thunderstorms tonight but temp is predicted to stay at 32. So we should not have ice. I am so happy I do not have to commute to a job tomorrow morn.

Turning off computer at 7 PM

BOOK REVIEW
John Sandford, *Winter Prey* (1993)
Lucas Davenport, police procedural. In this volume, Lucas meets Weather, the woman whomhe marries about ten books later. We get the back story on Weather who is a surgeon.

Lucas has left the Minneapolis police dept. (Was he fired for use of unnecessary force?) He is spending the winter in his cabin in northern WI. The sheriff asks him to help investigate a brutal murder. In the remains of a burned out farmhouse the firemen find three bodies. Add to this a gay priest.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

January 27,2010

2010-01-27T20:31:00.000-08:00

Up at 9:30 am altho I stayed up reading until 4 AM (See book review) Grey day not too cold. I plan to do my laundry this morning. PPQS this evening.

Blitzkreig's Tale
Lady Xica's Tale
What happens at Pup's stays at Pup's.

Lea and I are donating our most recent quilt, not quite finished, to a fund raiser for research on breast cancer. Lea's daughter in Colorado is involved with "Power of Seven". Somebody is climbing seven mountains. The quilt will be in a silent auction.
Pics of the quilt are on Lea's facebook. Lea Worcester.

BOOK REVIEW
John Sandford,*Certain Prey* (1999)
Lucas Davenport series police procedural. Lucas is asst chief of police in Minneapolis, MN. (This is what kept me up until 4 AM.) In this book Lucas is chasing a female hitman. A lady lawyer hires a hitman to take out the wife of a man she wants to marry. From there on the plot gets complicated. You love the hitman, altho you come to hate the lady lawyer.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

January 26, 2010

2010-01-26T17:57:00.000-08:00

Had a dreadfl dream I cant remember but a flood of feelings came flooding. I feel as if I had been struck by lightning. Off to Baptist Center.

Slow slow slow. I guess people are working at stockyards. We only had five family units.

Came home and took a nap. Then off to the dog park. Buddy was there and the dogs did some running.
They seem to sense time. At the end of an hour they come to find me, expecting to go home.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
Not much to say today. I sat on the table a lot of the time. I like to sit on Mom's back pack. She has a little one labeled ACU. I guess that came from Josh. I used to play with Josh but he is too grown up to come over and run with me.

Lady Chica's Tale
Buddy was at the park and we did some running along the fence. Not much going on. There were fights in the big dog side. Mostly little dogs dont fight.

Tuned in to NOVA but it was too slow, about Monarch butterflies. We always had a lot in Dighton bc our back forty grew milkweeds. Monarchs feed on milkweeds.

BOOK REVIEW
Janet Dawson, *Witness to Evil* (1997)
Jeri Howard, PI, is hired to go to Paris and find a girl named Darcy. It turns out Darcy's grandmother was a hidden child, hidden from the Nazis in rural France. Darcy wants to visit the places.
After Darcy comes home she is sent to a boarding school. One of the maintenance men is murdered and Darcy vanishes again.
Janet Dawson is a CPS worker in CA and her books are parables about abused children.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

January 25, 2009

2010-01-25T16:43:00.000-08:00

Up at 9 before the alarm rings. Feeling good. No benedryl last night. No pains. off to Wendy's to meet Judy.

Judy and I sat depressing each other about the state of the nation. when I got home, Judy called 2 say the motorsickles were there. I am taking a nap.

I bought a Mother of the Bride dress. It is composed of four fabrics, pieced like a crazy quilt. I love it. Long dress. I will make top into a jacket. It is deep purple but not dark. I love it.

We went to dog park about five. Not warm but not cold. I wore a sweater (not ski jacket). Blitzen and Lady Chica played with each other. They ran with Buddy. In general got some exercise. I am so tired.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
We horsed around at thepark, had fun. Played with LC. Ran with Buddy.

Lady Chica's Tale
Not many dogs at the park. Mom was reading. We ran with Buddy. I think we finally tired him out. Another little dog was running withhim. Blitz and I played together. We usually dont do that at the park. I like to grab B's leg.

BOOK REVIEW
Clyde Edgerton, *Raney* (1985)
Rany is a small town Free Will Baptist and Charles is a liberal librarian from Atlanta. I emphasize librarian. Some of my best friends are librarians. And in the Riots at SIU, they were themost radical. This is the story of their marriage. They started out by playing country music together.
In some ways country music is a symbol. For Rany, it is normal music. For Charles, it is folk music.
I did not find this funny. I found it heart wrenching. I think the ending tells it all. The baby was baptized at the Episcopal church and the Baptists held a reception. The godfather was black, an army friend of the father.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

I just realized I have been saying 2009. It is 2010

January 24, 2009

2010-01-24T18:35:00.000-08:00

Up at 10 AM. Martha and Jeff are coming over to steam clean carpet. Thot I would wait to take dogs to park to get them out of the way.
I forgot to mention last night that John took us out to dinner at JayJays.

I had loaded dogs to go to park when M and J drove up. We stayed at the park until after three. Stiff breeze but not too cold. Blitzen played with Friday.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
We stayed for a long time at the park. I was ready to come home. Friday turned up and we did a little running around. Those little black puppies were around. I keep trying to socialize that little boy dog.

Lady Xicha's Tale
I was too tired today. We stayed at Pup's from noon till seven last night and I got worn out. And we stayed forever at the dog park.

I came home and took a nap. Fussing around putting things back in place around the house. I watched CSI-New York. Found it boring.

BOOK REVIEW
J.A. Jance, *Breach of Duty* (1999)
J.P. Beaumont police procedural. Beau is a homicide dick with Seattle PD. An elderly woman is found burned to death and Fire Dept declares arson. They find $300,000 in a refrigerator in garage. Also some old bones are found in a park and a native American lady insists they belong to a shaman and have power.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

January 23, 2009

2010-01-23T17:11:00.000-08:00

Slept until eleven. I have to hustle. Dropping pups at Pup's. Pup really is his name. Then off to set up exhibit at Woodland West, on Park Row near Tom Thumb.

7 PM I am exhausted but I have had so much fun. I got to library at 12:45. The setup took me five minutes. We had three partially fnished quilts. also a scrapbook.. Somebody was talking to us all the time. I saw other booths. gourds, buttons, GSP orienting.

Blitzkrig's Tale
Lady Xica's Tale
What happens at Pup's stays at Pup's

Oda Mae and Russ were here today, visiting their house. Russ has to hve radiation. My favorite neighbor has given up the ghost. Doris was alwaysthe life of the party. She wore funny hats. I mean hats meant to be entertaining. She got shingles, worse and worse. Then she contracted an infection in the hospital.

BOOK REVIEW
Diana Gabaldon, *Brotherhood of the Blade* (2007)
Third Lord John book. Brotherhood of the blade is just the bonding of soldiers. This book is complex. The theme of the book is repairing the honor of Lord John's father. The fa was accused of treason (giving info to French troops) but was a duke and House of Lordsdid not want to try him. He could only be triedby his peers. Lord John finally tracks down traitorsand exonerates his fa.
Jamie Fraser plays a cameo role. At this point Jamie is on parole working as a groom.

I seem to be living in the 18th century. Last night I was watching MI-5 and was amazed that Heathrowwas in the story.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

January 22, 2009

2010-01-22T17:21:00.000-08:00

Up and off to tai chi. Then to Kroger to buy glue for scrapbook. All my glue has dried up. I am excited about what I am doing for scrapbook. Now for a nap. 1 PM

After my nap we went to the park. My dogs did not seem too excited. We stayed until 5:30 to avoid traffic which was in vain. We drove west to Riverside to get on 121. Somehow Beach St. was just plugged.

Blitzkreig's Tale
Nobody was eager to run. I just wandered around the park. I tried to socialize this little pup but everybody intervened. Nobody seems to understand that pups need to be straightened out.

Lady Xica's Tale
I was ready to come home. Mom dragged me through the agility mess. I dont know why she thinks I am going to do that voluntarily. She sat and read mostly. Ray was there and Marcie.

BOOK REVIEW
Diana Gabaldon, *Lord John and the Private Matter* (2003)
Lord John Grey was a minor character in the Outlander series. He was a teen ager in *Outlander*. His bro saved Jamie after Culloden. Lord John was the warden of a prison where Jamie and other "traitors" were incarcerated. He was gov of Jamaica in *Voyager*.

Gabaldon was asked to write a short story and a new series was born.
This story is set in 1757. Lord John is home between postings in France, in the Seven Years War between England and France. A soldier in his regiment is found beaten to death and Lord John is asked to investigate. (The regiment was raised by his bro.) His superiors think the man had been a spy.
I read this in 2003 and found it boring. Today I found it entriguing. Lord John is gay and his lover died at Culloden. His sexual orientation is always part of the story.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

January 21, 2009

2010-01-21T17:03:00.000-08:00

9 am Going back to bed. Sun is shining. Will be a beautiful day.
My task is to put together a scrap book for our Saturday presentation. Pics of our quilts.

Slept until noon. I have slept the clock around. I was tired.

I am tidying, trying to find a thank you note for scrap book. We spent more than two hours at the dog park. Weather was perfect. Lady Xica ran up and down trying to entice a dog to run. Finally Buddy arrived. Dogs were ready to come home.

Blitzkreig's Tale
We stayed for a long time at dog park. I ran for a little bit but mostl I hung around Mom and sat on the table. We couldn't get any of those ol buggers to run.

Lady Xica's Tale
I am spelling my name differently. at the vet's, Dr. Jan told Mom about a dog who spelled her name that way, true Mexican.
Buddy finally came but by then I was too tired to run.

BOOK REVIEW
Diana Gabaldon, *Outlandish Companion* (1999)
This is an encyclopedia of all kinds of lore about the Outlander series. There is a synopsis of the first four books, Q&A from fans. And lots more.
There is a selection that was a short story that appears in the seventh book.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

January 20, 2009

2010-01-20T20:22:00.000-08:00

Up at 8. Temp is 62 degrees. Gnash your teeth, Michicanos. We are off to the vet for Blitzen's annual exam and shots.

Blitzen was a pill. Otherwise he is in good shape. The vet techs have known Blitzen for ten years.

Blitzkreig's Tale
I truly hate that ol vet. They stick things into me. Mom says it will keep me well but I dont believe it. They had everything in one sticker today.

Blitzen's corner looks like an archeological site, with s atack of bones.
4:20 PM We are under a tornado watch. On my way to Pup's.

Tornado touched down many, many miles east of us. Lea and I spent out time fixing stuff to take to next Sat. We are going to be one exhibit at "Doing Your Passion" Some branch library.

Lady Xica's Tale
What happens at Pup's stays at Pup's.

I have not had time to read this week. I have been busy, busy, busy.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

January 19, 2009

2010-01-19T17:38:00.000-08:00

Last night a reader said my late night would haunt me in the morning. This is the haunted morning. Up at 7:30 to get to Baptist Center. Predicted temp todayin the 70's.

Baptist Center
Slow this morning. Lots of people have temp jobs at stock show. 10 family units for groceries at 10:25PM
Altogether 14 family units by closing time.

I came home and took a short nap. Then I had a massage. Leah, my massage, therapist spent last week at something called the Chili Bowl. Small cars racing on an indoor track. She did not enjoy the week. I heard detail by detail.

Came home and went to dog park. Kelly came in and talked. Kelly talks and talks. The dogs ran off and on. Buddy was there when we came in. He was chasing our car on the road.

Blitzkreig's Tale
Buddy was there and we ran off and on. We ran and rested, ran and rested.

Lady Chica's Tale
Buddy was there. I ran on and off, on and off. Not much doing.

Came home. Booted up computer and my sister called on Skype. I feel as if I were living in Brave New World. She showed me pirate tee shirt she bought for her grandson in Oz.
I am tired, tired, tired. Massage tires me out.

BOOK REVIEW
Diana Gabaldon, *Drums of Autumn* (1997)
Fourth book in Outlander series. Claire and Jamie Fraser are blown ashore in Georgia, American colonies. Jamie's aunt has a plantation in North Carolina. Clare and Jamie head there, where the governor gives Jamie a huge land grant (the gov assuming Jamie will keep law and order on the frontier). Jamie brings in men from where he was in prison. They were in prison for the Rising, but it was treason.
I so enjoy this book for the picture it paints of life in the wilderness. They build a cabin, produce their own food.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

January 18, 2009

2010-01-18T17:14:00.001-08:00

Up by 8:45 am. wow. Sun is shining. Temp will be 68 today. This week temps will be in sixties.
Meeting Judy at Wendy's at eleven.

HUMOR
TCU has a mascot, horned frog. One week TCU had a big game and they died a pond purple, urged people to wear purple. Now. Town Talk has a big sign board telling what the special is today. I drove by and saw FROGS. How can they sell frogs? Are frog legs frozen? Oh,yeah. Big delicacy.
The next trip I saw GO FROGS.

Judy and I discussed Haiti. I did not realize until this aft and evening that Haiti only had one runway at the airport. Furthermore, the port is damaged. What a mess. One dr said they were practicing Civil War medicine (our war of northern aggression). They are amputating limbs that are becoming infected bcthey have no antibiotics.

I took a nap. Then Off tothe dog races. Happily Chance was there and my dogs ran and ran. When we were going out, Buddy was coming in and he howled long and hard that we were leaving. Blitzen still has issues about his name.

Blitzkreig's Tale
I have decided to change my name. This is what I am, a blitzkreig. So there, too. I suppose Mom will still use my old name for my "call name".

Lady Chica's Tale
That Blitzen is so stupid. I am embarressed to be seen withhim at the dog park. I had a great time running with Chance. She and I are buddies.

BOOK REVIEW
Barack Obama, *Audacityof Hope*
I have read this before, two years ago during the election campaign. I think every citizen should read this. Obama lays out his value system. He is proceding according to his lights. He also says that politics is "a contact sport".
For one thing, he is being a constitutional president, eschewing the empirical presicdency that has been developing since LBJ.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

January 17, 2009

2010-01-17T21:31:00.000-08:00

Up at 10:30. Slept like a log. Off to the dog park. martha is picking me up after the Cowboygame. Sun is shining. Will be warmer today.

The weather is PERFECT. Absolutely perfect. Dog park is mostly empty over the noon hour. My dogs were content to lie down under the table.

Blitzen's Tale
Everybody thinks I am a reindeer. I just hate my name. I think I will see about getting it legally changed. Mom is so behind the times. She thinks about blitzkreigs.

Lady Chica's Tale
Not many big busters and we couldn't get anybody to run. Mom thought she could get me to run the agility course without being on a leash. Funny mom. She has such funny ideas.

1:36 PM I am going to take a nap and let the Cowboy game take care of itself!!!!

I watched the last few minutes of the game, in time to see Brett Favre make his fourth touchdown pass. Martha was devastated.

We watched more pictures of Haiti. How horrible. Everything is devastated.

We had seafood soup for dinner. Oh, my. mussels, shrimp, clam, crab legs and what not.
Martha made gingerbread cup cakes.
We watched telly and Martha brot me home.

BOOK REVIEW
Ian Rankin, *Exit Music* (2007)
Inspector Rebus police procedural. Rebus is about to take retirement. One more body discovered beside the road, a Russian expat poet.
It is weird to be running around Edinburgh after being there in the 18th century.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

January 16, 2009

2010-01-16T15:52:00.000-08:00

Up at 8:30 AM. I am going back to bed. Probably not to sleep.
I have a strange plant growing in one of my plants.

10:30 am. Had a great nap with Lady Chica snuggled against my back like a heating pad. I wish radio and/or tv had something on I wanted to hear or watch.

Well. I found something. Channel 13-2 had reruns of NOVA. I did some hand sewing.

After a nap, we set forth for the dog races, and I do mean dog races. We stayed for two hours. Lady Chica, Blitzen, Chance and Buddy ran and ran and ran. Chance's Mom told me thank you. Chance was tired out.

Blitzen's Tale
Chance and Buddy ran and ran and we ran and ran. What else is there to say?

Lady Chica has asked me to write her tale. She reports she is too tired out to write.

BOOK REVIEW
Nevada Barr, *Liberty falling* (1999(
Anna Pigeon's sister, Molly, is seriously ill in a New York hospital. Anna stays with a friend in Liberty Island, a national park. A girl jumps and a ranger falls or is pushed off a balcony on Lady Liberty. Anna of course becomes involved.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

January 15, 2009

2010-01-15T16:06:00.000-08:00

Thursday night I watched MI-5. I hope I am never taken hostage. I have to go to the bathroom too often.

My vet just contributed to KERA (Public Radio).

8:30 AM What am I doing up feeling rested? Now I know why I never watch telly. The news shows are showing how to cook chicken wings for a tailgate party.

Got to tai chi. Then made a library run. Then home for a nap.
3:20 PM Off to the dog park. Gloomy day but not cold.

But it was mizzling. I sat under the shelter and missed the drizzle. Both dogs played -- with each other and then a Belgian shepherd puppy named Friday. Blitzen has played two or three times but this is the first that Lady Chica has run and played with a dog on this side of the fence. it was fun to watch.

Blitzen's Tale
had fun playing with a big ol puppy. We ran and ran. Then I got tired and sat on the table. Mickey's dad called Ray and Ray said we were crazy.

Lady Chica's Tale
I tried something new. I ran and played with this big ol puppy named Friday. We ran and ran. It was fun.

BOOK REVIEW
Ellen Hart, *The Mirror and the Mask* (2009)
A cozy mystery, except that Jane Lawless is a lesbian. Jane owns two restaurants in one of the twin cities in Minnesota. A young woman applies as a bar tender. Jane undertakes to find the woman's father. A woman is pushed downstairs and dies. I was amazed at the killer. I had no idea.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

January 14, 2009

2010-01-14T16:41:00.001-08:00

Woke from a dream that I was living in 18th century and was trying to find a dress to wear to some gala.
9:44 AM and back to bed.
I really should go to dog park right now.
but I am sleepy.
Well, turned out I was too wired to sleep. So set forth for dog park. The drizzle let up while we were at the park. Dogs were bored. No little dogs. Few big dogs.
I have spoiled pups. Blitzen thinks the Lazyboy belongs to him. He barks at me when Isit in it.

Blitzen's Tale
Dog owners are such weinies. Nobody out today. Not even anybicycles to chase.

Lady Chica's Tale
I stood at the fence watching for cars to park. Nobody came. No dogs, no cars. Bored

took a nap. 6:00 PM Listening to President Clinton describe Haiti. He says it is indescribable.

BOOK REVIEW
Diana Gabaldon, *Outlander* (1991)
The story opens in 1945 (1946 in the English edition). Claire Randall is on vacation in Soctland with her husband. Claire has been an army nurse for four years, working near the front lines. She is interested in herbs, and in the process of gathering a flower she touches some standing stones and is thrust 200 years into the past.
She finds herself in the Scottish Highlands. The English think her a spy. She marries Jamie Fraser in order to become a Scottish citizen. Jamie is an outlaw and they have many adventures. In some ways this is a romance novel. It won a prize as such.
The writing draws one in. I am dreaming 18th century.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

January 13, 2009

2010-01-13T20:31:00.000-08:00

will clarify earlier story. Here is what is known.
Some construction workers called animal control bc a little Italian greyhound was barking at people. Gollum kept barkig and asking people to follow him.
The animal control officer kept looking around and found a red coat with car keys in it. About two hours later they found the body of Andrea and two dogs in the pond.
Andrea had gone walking with her two greyhounds and a rottweiler puppy.
We are interested bc Andrea had been frequently in the dog park. And nobody knows where Gollum got off to.

I got up at ten. Ate breakfast and went back for a nap. Now 2 PM. I intend to run vacuum and get ready for PPQS tonight. We go to Pup's. (dont say that out loud)
Lady Chica thinks that "Come" means "Let's play chase".

3:38. I have taken a nap, vacuumed theliving room and taken a shower, in that order, with a bit of reading in the cracks.

Blitzen's Tale
Lady Chica's Tale
What happens at Pup's stays at Pup's

Personally I think they ate up Pup's food. Neither one ate supper when we got home.

BOOK REVIEW
John Sandford, *Rough Country*
Virgil Flowers police procedural. Virgil works for Lucas Davenport at Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Something -- MBCA. Virgil is on a fishing trip in northern Minnesota when Lucas orders him to investigate a murder at a nearby fancy resort for women.
Virgil is really neat.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

January 12, 2009

2010-01-12T16:34:00.001-08:00

Monday evening. Dogs have not moved a muscle since we got home and they ate supper. They dropped and are sound asleep. No fussing around tonight.

Tuesday morning. Baptist Center Fewer customers today. I guess because it is too cold to stand in line. We only did 12 family units today.

I came home and took a nap as usual. The dog park was boring. I think partly my dogs dont run much the day after a lot of exercise. Buddy was there, champing at the bit.

Blitzen's Tale
Well, we couldn't get those big busters over to the fence. Lots and lots of little dogs there. I sort of wandered around.

Lady Chica's Tale
I came and stood on the table and snuggled up to Mom. She was surprised. There is a little dog named Kissy. She gets inside her dad's shirt. She has a huge big brother, also named Buddy. He is a golden.

Talked on phone for an hour. Now 6:30 PM. I think I will just read tonight. In the OUtlander it is 1767.

BOOK REVIEW
Jan Burke, *kidnapped*
Irene Kelly series. Irene Kelly is a newspaper reporter in CA, married to a homicide dick. She writes a series on vanished children and stirs up all kinds of trouble.
In 2006 I thot this was fiction, but we have since found that woman kept for a long time.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

January 11, 2009

2010-01-11T16:20:00.000-08:00

Blitzen barked to go outdoors and eat grass. He had difficulty finding any after the hard freeze. We are all glad for the heavy freeze. Less insects this summer. Winters sans freeze see an insect ridden spring.

Judy and I beat our old record. We sat talking for 2 1/2 hours --- without discussing politics. Each of us is deep in the 18th century in the Outlander series. judy began first, reading bookOne. I pickedup Book Seven, then went backto Book One and now am in Book Three. Judy finished Book One and is in Book Two.
That took us into history in general. Then we discussed Doctor Who. That led me to bring up Old Spock meeting Young Spock in the movie, Star Trek. Somehow that is against the rules of time travel.

I was so tired I took a nap. Made a library run. Temp was 62 degrees, no wind, sunny. The dog park was great. My dogs stirred up a pack of dogs on the other side of the fence. We were starting to leave when Buddy arrived and LadyChica had to take a few turns with him.

Blitzen's Tale
We really got those big busters stirred up. They were barking and barking. Sometimes we did some running. There was a big old mastiff who wanted to eat Lady Chica for a snack.

Lady Chica's Tale
We had a great time today. We got the whole pack of big dogs barking and running. Mom and I had a great game of chase when it came time to go home. I couldn't calm down.

BOOK REVIEW
Nevada Barr, *Hunting Season* (2002)
Anna Pigeon is district ranger in Natchez Trace, Mississippi. A dead body is found laid out in Grandma's bed in an historic mansion. Police procedural. Anna is always faced with a deadly adventure. She is also developing a relationship with Paul, who is both Episcopalian priest and county sheriff.

Nevada Barr, *High Country*(2004)
Anna Pigeon goes undercover as a waitress in Yosemite Park. Four seasonal employees have vanished. The park superintendant asks Anna to investigate. Her co-workers think she is a lousy waitress.

Nevada Barr, *Borderline* (2009)
Most recent and I hope not the last Anna Pigeon story. Anna is given medical leave for PTSD. She and her husband, Paul, take a rafting trip down the Rio Grande, the borderline between Mexico and the United States. Of course, they find a body caught by the debris. Complex plot and a tricky prologue.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

January 10, 2009

2010-01-10T16:35:00.000-08:00

Sat night I wrote that the AA speaker had a dry sense of humor and a reader responded.

Reader Response:
Well, of course, it's a dry sense of humor! He's been sober for how many years

Changed alarm to 9:30 to make it to church. I must hurry.

Well, I was late fore church. I planned to sit in back but the back pews were full.
Had lunch at the round table with Ron & Beverly, Bette, Margie T, and a woman who sells eggs. Mark F was staying home resting. We missed him.

I came home and took dogs to park while it was warm altho I was desparately sleepy. Lots and lots of dogs there but none that we knew except Kevin whom Blitzen went over to hump. His owner says that Kevin humps; so turn aboutis fair play.

Blitzen's Tale
The bigdog park was full of big old busters. We had a lot of fun. They would come over and run a little and change off.

Lady Chica's tale
Yeah, we had a lot of fun. Lots and lots of big busters would run half a fence. There was this big old great dane as big as a pony.

I took a nap. I was tired. LC was so cute, all curled up in her cage. She likes to take naps there.

BOOK REVIEW
Nevada Barr, *Blind Descent* (1998)
A member of a surveying party has broken her leg in a deep cave. A team of park rangers is sent to extract her. (She will have to be carried out up and down cliffs.) The accident victim is a friend of Ann Pigeon. So Anna is sent down to be with her and stabalize her on the way out. Anna suffers from claustrophobia but bravely descends. On the way out an avalanche kills the victim. Anna is convinced that this was no accident.

Nevada Barr, *Blood Lure* (2001)
This is after Anna Pigeon has become a district ranger. She goes on a training course to Glacier National Park to track grizzly bears. Rangers with volunteers hang lures in open cages so that grizzlies will catch their hair on the wires. Then they analyze the DNA, as a means of taking a census of the bear population. Of course, Anna finds a body.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

January 9, 2009

2010-01-09T19:34:00.001-08:00

Up by 10 AM. Today is the big anniversary celebration of Primary Purpose AA and AlAnon. I intend to go to lunch and stay for AlAnon speaker.
Meanwhile I will take dogs on a poop walk (Meaning out of the complex and around the corner.).

Attended lunch. Saw a lot of old friends. sneaked out of speaker meeting. I was tired. Came home and took a nap.

After my nap, I went back for dinner and the evening AA speaker. The AA speaker was really, really good. He had a dry sense of humor.

Blitzen's Tale
Mom was gone all day and we never went anywhere. What a dumb day. I feel like using words Mom wont let me say!

Lady Chica's Tale
Well, we did sleep all day. I was thankful to get a little rest. Mom did come home and take a nap with us.

BOOK REVIEW
Nevada Barr, *Endangered Species* (1997)
Anna Pigeon is assigned to presuppression fire duty on Cumberland Island. The endangered species is some kind of sea turtle. A Plane used for drug interdiction crashes. It is discovered to be sabotage. Anna searches for the killer.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

January 8, 2009

2010-01-08T18:49:00.000-08:00

Response to Winter Poem:
I don't think there's any 3 words to better describe our situation.

That was a two dog night. I may have to borrow another dog for tonight. I woke one minute before the alarm rang. Feeling good. Off to tai chi.

Well, I exercised with tai chi, had lunch at the Senior Center.
Came home and decided to go to dog park before taking my nap. Good thinking. It was getting colder as we stayed.
No other small dogs. Blitzen and Lady Chica got so bored they actually played with each other, first time ever in four years. They play with each other at home but never in the park.

Blitzen's Tale
I smelled all over the park, checked everything out. There were two big busters, but they didn't get the picture. Finally lady Chica and I played together. I can take her down.

Lady Chica's Tale
We tried to get those big busters to move but no luck. Blitzen and I finally played with each other. We usually ignore each other at the park.

I came home and slept for three hours. Watching telly. I forgot MI-5 hier soir.

BOOK REVIEW
Ralph McInery, *Wisdom of Father Dowling*
This is a volume of short stories. I am not a great fan of short stories, but if you like them, then this is for you. Good stories, like O. Henry.
IMHO short stories do not allow enough character development. In these stories, of course, you meet characters you have known over the years as you read the series.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

January 7, 2009

2010-01-07T16:19:00.001-08:00

Chill factor is 3 degrees (actual temp is 24). Cold for Tejas. Sun has come out but temp will not rise above 28.
Diana Gabaldon watched Dr. Who. Dr Who was a cult figure for intellectuals. He traveled time in an old fashioned British phone booth. G got the name, Jamie Fraser, from a Dr. Who episode.

I am ravenously hungry but what I want to eat is a Frosty. I am making do with oatmeal. I am tired of eating the same old thing.

Doing laundry this morning. Almost time for my nap.

I have not been so cold since leaving Michigan in 1982. The chill factor that weekend was fifty below. Well, we lasted twenty minutes at the dog park. Even the dogs wanted to go home. They beat me to the gate.
Chance and Buddy were there. My dogs were more interested in a predator bird (hawk?) swooping over the adjoining field.

Blitzen's Tale
There was an interesting thing falling down and getting up, in the field next door. Then it flapped its wings. LC and I were fascinated. We did do some running with Chance andBuddy.

Lady Chica's Tale
Not many dogs at the park. It was awful cold. Mom kept walkin around. She did not sit and read. We kept watching this thing falling down and getting up in the field next door. I think it was a bird but Blitzen says I am crazy. Blitzen thinks it's an alien.

I intend to snuggle up and read Outlander. Lots of soft pornography.

BOOK REVIEW
J.A. Jance, *Exit Wounds* (2003)
Sheriff Joanne Brady series. Brady is sheriff in an Arizona county. The novel focuses on "collectors" or "hoarders". People, usually women, who collect stray pets. A woman collector was murdered and shut in a trailer, sixteen dogs died of heat exhaustion.
I rescued Lady Chica from a collector who had forty cats and dogs.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

January 6, 2009

2010-01-06T20:45:00.001-08:00

Woke before the alarm rang, feeling rested, no pain. Will meet Judy at Wendy's. She has been back in Ohio, visiting family.

Judy and I chatted and chatted. She discussed family problems. I looked at watch and we had been talking for two hours.
She gave me three huge baguettes from Town Talk.
2:39 PM I installed my printer again from original CD. No luck. Computer cannot communicate with printer.
I tried a nap but did not sleep. I will try again.

Blitzen's Tale
Lady Chica's Tale
What happens at Pup's stays at Pup's.

I am almost asleep on my feet. I did get a nap and then went over to Pup's. Lea was making jewelry. I did hand work on an unfinished project from forty years ago.
PBS was showing a documentary about human evolution and Neanderthal man. So we commented on that and various things, about growing old.

BOOK REVIEW
Ralph McInerny, *Ash Wednesday*
The title just comes from the fact that the book opens on Ash Wednesday. A new congregant joins the congregation. it is a complex plot with an unexpected denouement. This is an old fashioned mystery.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

January 5, 2009

2010-01-05T16:42:00.000-08:00

Yeah!!! I found my scraper.
I wentoutside --- 24 degrees --- and much to my surprise found my car covered with frost. My MI scraper disappeared long since.
fortunately I started early.

10 AM One hour at the Baptist Center and 17 family units wanting food pantry.

Altogether 25 and only one Hispanic. Wow

Came home and took a nap. Then over to the dog park. Finally, finally Chase and Buddy arrived and Lady Chica got some exercise. She is flopped out now. Thank goodness. When she does not get enough exercise she goes on the prowl, searching thru all the waste baskets.

Blitzen's Tale
Mom is such a party pooper. There was this little dog still unfixed and I wanted to show him who's boss but Mom put me on time out. Finally Chase and Buddy arrived and we got some running in.

Lady Chica's tale
I couldn't get anybody to run. Finally Chance and Buddy showed up. Buddy got into a fight with Tiger. She is a girl dog. He shouldn't be fighting her.

And so it goes.

BOOK REVIEW
Nevada Barr, *Superior Death* (1994)
Anna Pigeon is stationed on Isle Royal in Lake Superior. The focus of this book is a sunken freighter from the 1920's in Lake Superior. Lake Superior never gives up her dead because they do not decompose in the cold water. Another corpse is found in the engine room of the sunken vessal.

Nevada Barr, *Ill Wind* (1995)
Colorado's Mesa Verde National Park is noted for its well-preved cliff dwellings, the sole legacy of the Anasazi civilization, which vanished without any other trace in the twelfth century.
Anna Pigeon is transfered here, with a promotion. And of course a body is found in one of the ancient kivas. Frederick the Fed is sent by the FBI, the body being found on federal ground.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

January 4, 2010

2010-01-04T18:42:00.001-08:00

Cold this morning. Not Michigan cold. Texas cold. I ran (tottered) over to mail a letter at club house. I plan to sew this morning until time to go to dog park. After dog park I am always so exhausted.
Lady Chica is lying around eating cardboard. Paper and cardboard are always digested. I wonder what it turns into in the digestive system.

Noon. Temp is 38 but real feel is 24. It wont warm up today. I need a nap.

After my nap and sewing some we went to the park. Blitzn actually played with a girl dog. Her mom said she was a beagle but she didn't look like it. She looked misc. When Blitzen was tired and wouldn't play anymore, Bama's mom took her to the big dog side where she played with a Saint Bernard. She took the Saint Bernard down. Her mom was scared she would scare Blitzen. ha, ha, ha, ha rofl
Nobody played with lady Chica.

Blitzen's Tale
Hey, I met this ol gal named Bama and we played and played. We had a great time. I hope she comes to the park again. No other dogs were there.

Lady Chica's Tale
Tiger ran with me a couple of laps but she aint got no perseverance. After that I had no body to run with. No little dogs and not many big dogs. It was cold. I like it cold.

Came home. After supper I took another nap.

BOOK REVIEW
John Sandford, *Hidden Prey* (2004)
Martha has already read this. So I cant spoil it for her. This turns into a spy story.
Lucas Davenport in this novel works for Minnesota criminal investigation. A Russian sailor is shot on the quay in Duluth. Duluth is a port that connects to the Atlantic.
A Russian policewoman is sent to investigate. Fascinating denouement.
Hugs, Dr. Liz

January 3, 2010

2010-01-03T14:46:00.000-08:00

Made it to SS and church. In SS somebody mentioned Darwin. People think "survival of the fitest" means individual survival. Not so. It means survival of your offspring. I was thinking about how important the female is to this process. She produces the offspring from her own body(means eating for two) and sometimes she nurtures.

I was taking a nap. I went to sleep thinking of dinosaurs and evolution. I was preparing an important theoretical paper on evolution when Blitzen rudely awakened me. Off to dog park.

And I come home exhausted and tired out. It got colder and colder and colder. I think NPR said it is 29 degrees now. The dogs loved it. Chance and Buddy were there and both dogs raced and raced.

Blitzen's Tale
Chance and Buddy were there and we had a good old run. Lots of other big busters were there, too. Mom said it was too cold for her. People get cold too fast.

Lady Chica's Tale
I deigned to run with Buddy today. I was in the right mood. I was ready to come home but I did some more running just to get Mom to catch me. I like to play catch with her.

4:41 PM I am sending this. I intend to take a nap and Uncle Mark will be complaining he has not gotten the report from the dogs.

BOOK REVIEW
Richard Montaneri, *Badlands*
Another serial killer, another police procedural. I am tired of getting into the mind of a serial killer. Badlands is an area of Philadelphia. Kevin Byrne and Jessica Balzano are homicide dicks with PPD.
Well written and interesting.
Especially if you like serial killers.
Hugs, Dr. Liz

January 2, 2010

2010-01-02T18:49:00.000-08:00

I have returned three books to library. I have sworn a solemn vow not to set foot inside library until I am returning the last of the books I have out. I returned books outside.
I will then borrow the remaining Galadon books and start requesting.

Saturday morning 9:30 AM. Blitzen demanded his breakfast.
I woke from a dream that I was helping to start a new AA group from scratch.

I took a nap and we went to dog park at 2:30. Beautiful day. I wore my coat but took it off. The regulars were there. Most of the time Blitzen and Lady Chica chased bikes and ran around in general. No racing the fence this day.

Blitzen's Tale
What is there to say? Some bike folks came and sat down just outside the fence, but I got bored. The big dogs were all big busters who dont run.

Lady Chica's Tale
I have fun chasing anything. There is a man named Bill who calls me a wolf. Lots of people say I look like a wolf. I dont think so. I am a dingo dog and dingoes were not much removed from wolves.

I slept for about three hours. Uncle Mark writes that he is waiting for today's report. I installed Artist Gold which makes greeting cards, but my printer is not working again. I think that next week I may go to library and look up printers in consumer reports and get a new one.

BOOK REVIEW:
Michael Pollan, *Botany of Desire*
Chapter Three: marijuana
A lot has been happening behind my back since the sixties. In the seventies Mexico began sprinkling marijuana with pesticide. So nort americanos began growing inside. They found a new species which grows in the mountains, more suited to our climate. Then they crossed two species. At any rate, I knew marijuana was stronger but not how it came to be. Now only the stamens are used, not leaves.
I guess Nevada Barr did not know either. She had her characters harvesting leaves and stems.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

January 1, 2010

2010-01-01T15:15:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time the new millenium seemed so far away!

Lady Chica seems to remember her puppy class, five years ago. She is so restless in the evening that I decided we needed to work obedience.

I had forgotten that Obama wrote that politics is a contact sport. He knew in 2006 that politics had become increasingly hostile.

We went for our final pee walk and we heard a shot. The dogs are terrified. In the South and in Detroit, people shoot to celebrate the new year.

Whatever happened to Lawrence Welk? NBC at Times Square is featuring hip hop. I have segued out of the culture. HAPPY NEW YEAR.

11:30 AM When Lady Chica begins to lick my face I know it is time to get up. The sun is shining and it is supposed to warm up. I think I will sew this morning --- ha the morning is over.

We spent almost two hours at the dog park. I chatted with lots of people. Nukka, the French bull terrier, came with her puppies. Blitzen and Kevin were determined to socialize the male puppy properly. And Wally kept coming back to have Blitzen hump him.

Blitzen's tale
Nobody was running the fence. I moseyed around. Mom was mad cuz I kept humping Wally but Wally kept wanting it. She took me home when I was socialing that black puppy.

Lady Chica's Tale
Well, Buddy came when we were almost ready to come home. But I didn't run with him. I spent the day mostly just nosing around smelling. Lots of dogs there.

I am sleepy. So I think I will just send this along.

BOOK REVIEW
Richard Montanari, *Merciless*
Kevin Byrne and Jessica Balzano are homicide dicks with Philly PD. Usual police procedural. Serial killer. I ignored the idea that Byrne has "the sight".

Hugs, Dr. Liz

December 31, 2009

2009-12-31T16:19:00.000-08:00

Reader Response to Gabaldon:
the first book of the series is the best...the others just get too caught up in history and not enough character development. :)

Only 10:30 this morning. Up having flavored coffee and Lea's pumpkin bread. Off to park soon as rain is predicted.
I dreamed I was sorting laundry, dirty clothes from a back pack. I have been reading Navada Barr and trekking in Glacier National Park.

It is sprinkling now and again. The dog park was miserable cold. I spent most of my time on the phone with Uncle Mark, whom I forbade coming to the park bc he has that virus everybody is having. Blitzen was trying to play with a tiny little dog the size of a chihuahua and its mom was scared to death of Blitzen who wouldn't come bc he was playing catch.

Blitzen's Tale
There was a cute little doll wearing a pink sweater but Mom wouldn't let me go near her. And some folks were scared of me when I wanted to play. All in all not a successful outing.

Lady Chica's Tale
I got the nicest email from Mooch Presly, who is a cat. He was impressed that I like cats. Mom says I am regressed to the common ancestor of dogs and cats, whatever that means.

It is so good to be home in a warm place. We made a library run. Now I have 21 books out. I swore to read all before ordering me more, but I learned that my library (Richland Hills) has a great many of the Outlander books. And I want to read Obama's *Audacity of Hope*. I read it in 2008 before the election and wound up saying that everybody would be mad at Obama. My prediction has come true and I want to read the data on which I based that prediction.

I slept for about three hours. Wow. I am ready to see the New Year in. Determined to do some piecing. I have left Anna Pigeon running away from a grizzly bear. I got too scared to continue.

BOOK REVIEW
Nevada Barr, *Hard Truth*
Correction: Anna Pigeon was promoted to "district park ranger", in charge of a whole park, Natchez Trace in Mississippi. This was in 2000. Five years later, in 2005, she has been married and moved to another park in the mountains.
Upon her arrival at her new post, the personnel are searching for three lost girls, from a religious retreat. Suddenly two of the girls arrive out of the woods.
Recommended read.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

December 30, 2009

2009-12-30T21:03:00.000-08:00

5:30 AM Up for a pit stop and couldn't resist looking at email, seeing what comments people make. I have two regular responders.

About names. Judy and Ken have a dog named Szabo. Szabo is a Hungarian name.

8:30 AM Up for another pit stop. Dogs barking at trash collection.
NOVA had a good program last night on DNA and genes. They gave Darwin too much credit, but I can live with that. The idea of evolution had been bruited about for two hundred years before Darwin. LaMarck had a theory about 1800. Darwin's contribution was the idea of "natural selection".

11 AM Up for the day. My hip and knee are aching, I know not why. Front passed yesterday. I have NOT had pains for about a week.
I woke up from a dream where I was receiving Homicide Award of the Year. Even in the dream I did not know the basis on which this was to be awarded.
Dogs want to eat. They have to go outside first. We are above freezing I know bc the snow on my car has melted.

I am doing better today. I downloaded Adobe Flash and then I could download the softwear to download pics from my camera. I still cant find the Manual. Why do they have to do this? Why cant they just ---- well, I know. They have a list of languages. This has gone global.

Blitzen's Tale
We got a Christmas card today with cats on it. ha! The lady who sent it said to discuss it at Pup's. So we did. Pup could care less. He is so laid back. And old LC grew up with cats. Well, just let me at 'em. And that cat wrote a Christmas letter. Grrrr.

Lady Chica's Tale
I dont know why Blitzen got in such a tizzy. I grew up with cats and I rather like them, They understand me better than Blitzen. he is such a dweeb.

I spent the evening with Pup's family. I finished up the orange batik quilt by hand. Lea began wroking on the green batik. I got these quilt blocks in the mid seventies from a woman in East Lansing.

BOOK REVIEW
Diane Gabaldon, *Echo in the Bone*
I have no idea what the title means. This is the seventh volume in a serial story. And more to come as the ending leaves us hanging. This volume covers 1776 thru 1778.
Gabaldon intended to write a historical novel but she couldn't get her female protagonist to act like a woman of the 18th century. So she invented a time traveler. Aside from the time traveler, the series is historically mostly accurate.
Claire steps into a faery place in Scotland and is transported back two hundred years in time to the Highlands of Scotland on the eve of the return of Bonnie Prince Charlie. She falls in love with Jamie Fraser, who participates in the Battle of Culloden (where the English defeat the Highlanders).
Several adventures later, Claire and Jamie emigrate to the colonies in America. In this latest volume, Jamie is involved in the American revolution. Jamie collects a company of militia for the Continental Army and Claire works as a battlefield surgeon. The book features the Battle of Saratoga. Meanwhile their daughter and her family have returned to the twentieth century.
The author on her web page says series will end in 1800. She implies there will be one more volume. She says it will be a happy ending but will leave readers crying. By 1800 Claire and Jamie will be about 80 years old.
Hugs, Dr. Liz

December 29, 2009

2009-12-29T16:36:00.000-08:00

1 AM still up. I think my bio rhythms are upside down. I sleep all day and stay up all night.
And the house is so still.

9:30 AM The storm has not yet arrived. So we are going to dog park toute suite.

Noon. I feel sleepy coming in from the cold. The dog park was not bad, given no wind. There was a sprinkling of dogs and they did some running. Blitzen saw Szabo and ran to say hello. Lady Chica saw Ken and ran to say hello. For a moment I wondered where was Judy, then remembering that she had gone to Ohio to visit the folks.
I was feeling zesty in the cold. Now I feel sleepy.
Going to check acuweather.

Blitzen's Tale
There were some old busters in the big side and we raced for a while. There was a little guy in the small side and he raced with us. Then Szabo came but he never races.

Lady Chica's tale
I like it when Mom takes a walk with us. We walked around the edge of the park. Then some guys wanted to race. It was a nice morning.

3:30 PM
It is precipitating, but what? The precipitation does not even seem to know.

5:40 and it is dark. I just accessed the dianagabaldon web site. The woman has a PhD in something. In the early 80's she was developing ways to use computers in scientific research. Her Master's is in marine biology. Her dissertation is in why birds nest where they do. Meanwhile I am working on my five quilts (piecing blocks).

6:30 PM The precipitation has stopped in this area.

BOOK REVIEW
Nevada Barr, *Deep South*
Anna Pigeon has received a promotion and is park ranger for the Natchez Trace. The Park Ranger is in charge of the personnel in the park. A girl is found strangled with a white sheet over her head and a rope around her neck. This is the south altho it is the twenty-first century.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

December 28, 2009

2009-12-28T17:05:00.000-08:00

I am worried about my next door neighbor, Russ. He has been in the hospital off and on for the past two weeks. He had chemo and then a reaction to chemo. He is 87.

10 AM Eating my last piece of pie. I think I need to go shopping this morning, given the weather prediction for tomorrow. I have a gift card for Barnes and Noble where I intend to buy an organizer for 2010. Imagine! 2010.

I bought one also for a Weight Watcher food diary. Both half price. Came home and took a nap. I took Benedryl last night; so I am groggy. Off to the dog races.

And that's what it was. Several hounds were there -- and I mean specifically hounds, hunting dogs. Hounds like to race. So they raced and raced and raced. Buddy came by eventually and got one or two laps. I am glad they got some exercise cuz there is a winter storm advisory out for tomorrow.

Blitzen's Tale
We did a lot of running today. I tried to get into trouble a couple times, and I got aggressive with a bull dog coming in. That scared his folks who immediately went home. [Editor's note: people who have not been around dogs dont understand. The air lock exists so that dogs can be taken off leash before entering park. Dogs on leash tend to get in other dogs' faces and can be aggressive. I knew Blitzen would be aggressive but I knew the people would not hear me.]

Lady Chica's Tale
We ran and ran and ran and ran. Mom stayed a long time. She was talking to Uncle Ray.

5:39 PM I need to eat my twice baked potato and take a nap.

Well, I sat reading the new Outlander. It is a thick book. Goodnight all.

BOOK REVIEW
Nevada Barr, *Endangered Species*
The endangered species in this instance are loggerhead turtles on Cumberland Island. Anna Pigeon is sent to Cumberland as part of a presuppression fire crew. They patrol the island searching for fires. The district ranger is killed in an airplane accident which proves to be sabotage.
Between turtles laying eggs and a huge alligator, Anna searches for the motive and the killer. The book ends with the baby turtles hatching.
Hugs, Dr. Liz

December 27, 2009

2009-12-27T16:06:00.001-08:00

The alarm rang at 8. I punched the snooze button--- several times. Then I changed the time. alarm rang --- I punched the snooze button several times. I turned off alarm. Lady Chica climbed in bed and began to wash my face. I put my pillow over my head. Finally I got up and had another piece of pie.

Mark F called. No lunch at church today. I think I can make the end of church given that I am half dressed. I hate to waste putting on panty hose.

I was at church in time for the sermon. Then I came home and went to the dog park. Judy, Ken and Szabo were there. Szabo and Blitzen got into it with an unfixed male. I was rather obnoxious bc the owner picked up the dog and went around in circles. One cannot catch Blitzen if they are going in circles. Then Mark F arrived. Cassie was there, too.

Blitzen's Tale
I got put on time out because Szabo and I lit into one of those unfixed males. he was just a little smaller than either Szabo and I. Buddy was there and we did some running.

Lady Chica's Tale
I was rather bored with the whole thing today. Mom sat around talking with Uncle Mark. Buddy was there and wanted to run, but he bores me. The sun was shining.

Came home from the dog park, did some reading, took a nap. 6 PM. I think I would rather sit and read than watch television. I am working at the most recent book of the Outlander series. The author takes three years to write one and I am taking almos that long to read one.

BOOK REVIEW
Nevada Barr, *Firestorm*
Anna Pigeon has been sent to join a fire unit in CA, fighting a forest fire. She and Steve, an EMT, are designated to set up an aid tent. They are packing up to go home when a fire storm overtakes them. Each of them has a little aluminum foil tent to huddle under. When they come out, they find one man with a knife in him.
My daughter is mad at me bc I told the ending of one of John Sandford's books. So I wont say anything more. It all has to do with setting the fire.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

December 26, 2009

2009-12-26T17:08:00.001-08:00

Leftover cherry pie for breakfast. We have had cherry pie for breakfast since 1957. Jeff has altered our routine somehwhat. This year Jeff made apple/walnut pancakes with maple syrup. We had cherry pie in the afternoon. And this year Martha made the pie, with prepared filling she bought in Wisconsin.
9:30 am and the sun is shining. The dogs ate breakfast and went off to nap. I dont know what they were doing while I was gone.
I may take a nap myself. I have to download my user manual for my camera from a CD. The world is too high tech for this old lady. I tried last night and it got all bungled in downloading something else, Adobe or Flashpoint or something.
Martha and her brood have flown off to Carbondale for Xmas with her father.

Noon. I went back to bed. Eating pie now. I feel as if I am on vacation. Nothing to get done.

We went over to the dog park. Mark F joined us as well as Cassie and her mom. Sun was shining and it was not too cold. Judy and Ken, with Szabo, were leaving as we were arriving.

Blitzen's Tale
Uncle Mark was at the dog park with us. I didn't pay him much attention. We could not get those big busters running. They just didn't get it.

Lady Chica's Tale
Lovely day at the dog park. Sun was shining. we could not get the big busters to run. And no bikes today.

I am ready for another nap. I bought a wicked ice cream mudd cake at Town Talk. And I slept two hours. I have slept a lot today. I must have been tired. Altho I miss having people around.

BOOK REVIEW
Rita Mae Brown, *Animal Magnetism*
This could be titled: Animals I have known. Starts with the cat her mother had when she was born. Pleasant book. Good bed time reading.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

December 23, 2009

2009-12-23T20:43:00.000-08:00

10 AM When I got up my knee was hurting badly, but as I sit and walk it feels better. That must have to do with circulation, I guess. I dont think the pain is arthritis. I have had two auto accidents with soft tissue injury.
Lady Chica has lost her collar with her tags. Fortunately, I have her rabies tag on my key chain. I couldn't put it on the collar.
Sun is shining. My chores for today, thank goodness, consist of wrapping presents. No driving.

On the way to Pup's we stopped to buy a new collar for Lady Chica. Then we discovered that John had found LC's collar in Pup's yard. And I had not realized until this afternoon that she had no collar. (She wears a harness.)

Blitzen's Tale
We had a great time visiting Pup. He is always so gald to see us. He just sits around watching LC and me running around. There are mice to find.

Lady Chica's Tale
Mom never noticed I had lost my collar. She is not a very good mom, n'est-ce pas? we had a good time running around Pup's yards.

Lea and I are still working on the tie dye blocks for a quilt. It is almost done. We need to put a border around it.

BOOK REVIEW
Nevada Barr, *13 1/2*
I read the prologue and the epilogue, decided to return to library. I hope this is not the end of the Anna Pigeon, Park Ranger, series. Barr has moved to New Orleans, the scene of this atrocity. It concerns two brothers and a murder. One brother kills the parents and frames the other brother.
Lea wondered about Lizzie Borden.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

December 22, 2009

2009-12-22T16:18:00.000-08:00

Yeah, the days are getting longer. Baptist Center closed today. Mae Cora (92 years old) is a volunteer. She sent us a two dollar bill in her Xmas card.
The day is so gloomy I need the lights on. We are going to the dog races immediately as soon as I finish dressing and get my shoes on. Judy emailed, wanting to meet.

Judy and I bewailed the current state of affairs, as usual. She had viewed Bill Moyers Journal of last Friday.

Blitzen's Tale
Aunt Judy and Szabo were at the park. Not much going on. I chased a puppy briefly. That's how dull it was. Chased a couple bikes. Sat on the table.

Lady Chica's Tale
I just moseyed around smelling things. None of the big busters came near the fence. Mom just sat there talking with Aunt Judy.

Came home and took a nap. Now 3:32. Off to do some shopping. At least looking. One present is ready to go. I found some little sacks, hurrah.

Finished shopping thank goodness. As expected, the traffic is terrible. Starbucks is out of gift cards. I made a library run and almost took off for the dog park sans peros. I am so habituated.

Brandy: I brot home from the library the latest of the Outlander series.

BOOK REVIEW
Alafair Burke, *Judgment Calls*
Alafair was originally deputy DA in Portland, and this is where her Samantha Kincaid series
is set. Her plots are always cool. A 13 year old prostitute is beaten and left for dead. Sam is asked to take on the case, asked by the police.
The plot is too complex to give a shortened version.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

December 21, 2009

2009-12-21T17:14:00.001-08:00

I woke up all by myself, with a little assistance from two barking dogs, about 8 AM. Feeling rested. That party did me a world of good. Sun is shining and 60 degrees predicted. I have presents to put together. And Wendy's seminar.

Does anybody want a good used dog? Blitzen has driven me crazy today. He did not get to the park yesterday and he had no exercise. So he kept pestering to go to the park. I tried to take a nap.

Blitzen's Tale
I really needed to get out today and Mom wasn't doing anything. Finally we got to the park and hordes of big dogs were running. So I got some energy out of my system. It was a great day, just right.

Lady Chica's Tale
Great day. I kept up with a big old boxer. Yeah. Lots of big dogs were running.

Met Judy at Wendy's. She is flying home next week, home to Ohio, Youngstown. She plans to help her mother-in-law pack to move. Father-in-law has Alzheimer's. Doesn't want to fly. Flying is so uncomfortable now. She prefers to take the train.

7 PM and I am taking a nap. I have not done presents today.

BOOK REVIEW
Alafair Burke, *Dead Connection*
Having read the sequel, Angel's Tip, I did not read the last chapter, assuming I knew the ending. I was dumbfounded when the killer was identified. The plot cleverly led the reader astray. I, at least, had the feeling I was always a step ahead of Ellie Hatcher, NYPD. Four women have been found dead, and the one thing they have in common is that they have been using FirstDate.com, an online dating service.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

December 20, 2009

2009-12-20T20:43:00.000-08:00

The clock was set for 9 PM. I woke up about 9:30, decided not to raced to SS but to leisurely go to church and the round table. (Some of us are regulars at fellowship lunch after church and we are calling ourselves the round table.)

Church was filled with people and with glorious music. Only Ron, Beverly and I sat at our round table. Bette joined us. Margie was eating with her Sunday School class.

I raced home and took a nap. Walked the dogs briefly. Managed to get to the Sunday School party by 5:30. I had lots and lots of fun. We had tamales and burritos and enchiladas and what not. I brot ice cream for dessert plus cake.
Everybody was talking to everybody else. No cliques. People circulated.

BOOK REVIEW

December 19, 2009

2009-12-19T18:19:00.000-08:00

Up at ten, more or less. Sun is shining. This aft Lea and I are going to Circle Theatre while the guys visit Pup. I dont dare say the word until we are ready to go.

The play was great, *Lone Star Christmas Carol*. It was a restaging of Dicken's Christmas Carol, as a musical. I did not believe they could have a musical but they had two guitars and a bass. Much of the play was the actual words of Dickenson. The play is set in Texas, in sort of a timeless rural setting. Marley is forced to wander over the face of Texas. He lists all the towns he has visited.
The actors sing songs scattered among the action. The actors are dressed in Texas regalia, complete with large belt buckles.
A narrator recites Dickens' words. At the end he introduces himself as "Tim Cratchett".

Blitzen's Tale
Lady Chica's Tale
What happens at Pup's stays at Pup's.
Pup is so glad to see them.

BOOK REVIEW
Stuart Wood, *Run Before the Wind*
An early Will Lee book. Will drops out of law school to roam the world. he visits his granfather in Ireland and becomes involved in building a sailing boat. The boat races across the Atlantic.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

December 18, 2009

2009-12-18T14:21:00.000-08:00

Midnight. The night is so still. The dogs have gone to sleep, satiated with food and exercise. The neighbors have turned off their telly. Am I alone in the world?

Friday I made it to tai chi. The Senior Center was hosting a Xmas lunch for supervisors in North Richland Hills. We people sitting around got to finish up after the luncheon was over. Had fajitas and Blue Belle icecream on peach cobbler for dessert.

I called Uncle Mark who was reputed to be ill. He wanted to come to dog park. Called Judy and she wanted to meet me.
Temp was pleasant with the sun shining. Judy and I had a long chat before Uncle Mark arrived. A motorcycle policeman came by and Blitzen almost tunneled his way under the fence.

Blitzen's Tale
Uncle Mark came by to see us. I sat and talked with him for a while. An old motorcycle came past, and I tried to get out of the park but Aunt Judy came and dragged me back to the table. None of the big busters would run.

Lady Chica's Tale
I was reduced to stalking birds. Tiger ran back and forth for a time or two but she likes to catch a frisbee better.

I have come home and plan to take a nap. So I will send this on now. I have t.v. to watch tonight: the News, Washington Week in Review, Bill Moyers Journall, then New Tricks, then Waking the Dead.
MI 5 was pretty vilent last night. Adam set up an assassination.

BOOK REVIEW
Janet Dawson, *Where the Bodies Are buried*
Jerri, the Oakland P.I. She is retained by a young man who is thrown out a window before she understands what he wants. She considers it her duty to find who killed him. She goes undercover as a temp secy.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

December 17, 2009

2009-12-17T16:03:00.000-08:00

Up at 9:30 AM even after a pit stop at 5 am when I ate my breakfast.

I did some pressing. Piecing a quilt takes a lot of pressing. Then I had a massage. Then off to the dog park. None of the big dogs felt like running. Lady Chica kept running down the fence, up the fence trying to entice one of the big busters. We were a little early for our usual friends.

Blitzen's Tale
Those big busters just didn't make it today. They came up to the fence, sniffed noses and backed off. LC and I chased a few bikes. It was a nice sunny day for bike riding.

Lady Chica's Tale
Really boring day. None of my friends were there. I kept running bakc and forth, hoping I could inspire one of those big busters. Lots and lots of puppies in the park. They chase each other around and around.

Well, hopefully Pledge Week is over and we see MI 5 tonight. Now 6 PM. I am going to take a nap.

BOOK REVIEW
Janet Dawson, *Nobody's Child*
P>I. in Oakland CA. Jerri searches for a missing child whose mother was found dead. This book becomes a disquisition on homelessness in America. Interesting.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

December 16, 2009

2009-12-16T15:00:00.001-08:00

Tuesday night NOVA
Nova is a documentary on NSA. Dan Brown's first novel was about this and the author of the something for Red October wrote about this. And it was supposed to be fiction.

Wednesday morning
I woke up and looked at my watch. 12:30 noon. Oh, my. Then I could not connect to the internet. So I gave up and went shopping. Got one item one: chains to put on fused glass pendents. Got em at Joanne's. They have fabulous stuff.
I had time for a brief nap. kFinally connected to internet. Now 5 PM. We are underway to spend the evning with Pup and family. I had a box of quilt blocks, lined and padded, ready to quilt and sew together. Lea and I ar working on that.

BOOK REVIEW
J.A. Jance, *Trial by Fire*
The Ali series. I prefer her sheriff series. Ali bcomes temporary spokesperson for sheriff's dept. A woman is found burned to death. ELF claims responsibility. Earth Liberation Force.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

December 15, 2009

2009-12-15T16:43:00.000-08:00

Baptist Center. My cell phone is stuck. I had an incoming call and it stuck.

Nancy says that an angel was sent to me. A repairman for AT&T came in. He knew nothing about cell phones, but he took the battery out, kept it out for ten seconds, and put it back and the phone is working. Yeah.
It is busy today. Fourteen family units served.

Came home and took a nap. Then we saddled up and made a library run on the way to the dog races. And I do mean races. Buddy saw us coming in and was waiting at the fence, barking. Chance came up, too. The dogs ran at top speed for half an hour. (LC has been clocked at 25 mph.) Even Buddy was winded altho not Chance. I think she is younger.

Blitzen's Tale
Didn't have time to do anything but run. Buddy and Chance were waiting for us. We ran and ran and ran.

Lady Chica's Tale
I was really in the mood today. Ran Buddy until he gave up. It was cold just like I like it. Then Mom and Blitz and I walked around the perimeter.

6:41 PM. I hope Pledge Drive is over. I wonder what NOVA is showing tonight.

BOOK REVIEW
Beverly Connor, *Airtight Case*
Lindsey Chamberlain, archaeologist and forensci anthropologist (the alter ego of the author). The airtight case is an old coffin found on the archaeological site. NASA takes air out of the coffin to compare greenhouse gas.
The book opens with a woman who has amnesia. She recovers her memory and is found to be Lindsey. She was buried alive. Later in the book the circumstnces are explained whereby her escape is possible.
As a way to take it easy, Lindsey is assigned by her Director to work on a farmhouse site.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

December 14, 2009

2009-12-14T17:03:00.001-08:00

Alarm rang at 7 AM . On the third snooze button the dogs got up and demanded that I serve breakfast. Even Lady Chica was barking. I am so sleepy. Couldn't get to sleep last night. Sun is shining and temp is 55. Off to Wendy's seminar.

I have a reputation at my local Wendy's. Wait staff were astounded I ordered a "vanilla" Frosty. I have been so adamant about a choc frosty.
Not much to chew over this week.
I came home and took a nap. Then it was time for the dog park. Dog races indeed.
As we were arriving Chance came and went. Agressive dogs, her mom said. Chance came back half an hour later but my dogs were exhausted by then. Lady Chica did play with Chance.

Blitzen's Tale
We sure got a lot of running in today. That big dog side was just full of big old busters wanting to run. And there were little dogs too. There was a pesky little black dog who kept following me around.

Lady Chica's Tale
Mom said that Chance went home. Then I saw her coming in and I ran to the fence to say hello. I was too tired to do much running. I would jump at the fence and play, tho. I did a lot of running. Weather was good.

Came home. I am ready for another nap. Martha brot me a box of her home made cookies. She has a lemon and rosemary cookie to die for. And little gingerbread men.

BOOK REVIEW
Alafair Burke, *Angel's Tip*
Angel's Tip is a drink, cacao and creme. Ellie is homicide dick with NYD. Serial killer on the loose, killing young women coming home late at night from clubs. Great writing. Alafair is the daughter of James Lee Burke, as any of his readers would know.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

December 13, 2009

2009-12-13T14:52:00.001-08:00

I turned off the alarm and went back to sleep. I might have made it late to church but it just takes so much energy. My energy was depleted by my illness. I hope it returns. The sun is shining and it is 48 degrees.

We went over to the dog park about noon and stayed for almost two hours. The sun was so warm it was almost hot.

Blitzen's Tale
Had a great time chasing bikes. Those big busters weren't interested in running.

Lady Chica's tale
I like it when mom walks around the park. I like to sort of run along smelling everything on the way. Blitzen and I chased bikes. I had one big dog running for just a little while.

I took a nap. Then I went out and joined the neighbors gossiping. Turns out that Marilyn's son-in-law (who lived in the complex a while back) died and was cremated. My next door neighbor has been in the hospital for five days getting chemo. Oda Mae has been home at night; so I did not realize. The car has been here.

I am going to send this on. Martha and Jeff are coming over "after the ball game". Jeff is going to hook up my DVD player and my VCR.

BOOK REVIEW
Michael Connelly, *9 Dragons*
9 Dragons is the translation of Kowloon. There are 8 mountains and the boy emperor made nine.
Most recent and best harry Bosch. Connelly keeps getting better. Harry is working on a shooting in LA when his daughter is kidnapped in Hong Kong where she lives with her mother. Harry flies to HongKong, rescues his daughter, altho the mother is killed in the process.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

December 12, 2009

2009-12-12T16:40:00.000-08:00

Up at 9:30. The dogs decided we had enuf sleep. Grey gloomy day but temp is 43 degrees.
We will be going to dog park as soon as I get dressed.

Blitzen's Tale
We had to drag Mom out of bed this morning. I barked and LC licked her face. I sometimes suspect LC of being a cat. Maybe throwback to that common ancestor.

Lady Chica's Tale
We went to the dog park where it was cold and miserable. We couldn't get those big busters to run. There was a huge, huge dog there, as big as a pony. I think there was a fight in the big dog side. Those big busters always fight.

Came home and took a nap. Sort of. Dogs were making a fuss. I keep picking up things. I mean tidying. Grey sky.

Doing chores makes for a dull day.

BOOK REVIEW
Keith Ablow, *Murder Suicide*
Frank Clevenger is a forensic psychiatrist. (Ablow is also a forensic psychiatrist.) I dont hold much with forensic psychology. It is more like fortune telling.
Clevenger is a flawed character himself. I like good heroes.
This is a well written story with a tight plot.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

december 10, 2009

2009-12-11T17:24:00.000-08:00

Noon again. I went to bed at midnight and planned to get up at 8 am but I was too sleepy. My body is craving sleep. The alarm rang and I incorporated it into my dream, as if it were a buzzer on the wall.
I had one of those waking dreams. sort of

Another day I have slept away. 7 PM Just woke from a four hour nap.
We went to dog park at 1:30 and found Judy and Szabo. It was a grey day. Only one small dog besides us. The big dogs did some running, enuf to tire my dogs.
Judy and I have reached the point where we just mutter about politics.

Blitzen's Tale
Szabo was in the park today. We dont play together. He likes to hang around and get petted. Those big busters didn't want to run with us. There was a big horse that we managed to get underway after a while.

Lady Chica's Tale
That great big horse (a mastiff) did some running. At first he couldn't seem to kno how to runbut after a while he took off. His dad tried to get him to run.

BOOK REVIEW
Michael Palmer, *Second Opinion*
Read a book by Michael Palmer and you wont want to go to ahospital, ever. This book contains interesting conent about asberger syndrome. The protagonist, Dr. Thea, has AS. She uncovers a conspiracy in a medical center. People are told they have cancer. They dont. Then they have a miraculous cure and donate money to the medical center.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

December 10, 2009

2009-12-10T15:17:00.000-08:00

Woke up and it was NOON. I slept ten hours. Took benedryl to put me to sleep. Still groggy. I think we will go to the dog park for me to wake up.

Checked with accuweather to see when it would be warmest. At 3 PM sunshine would bring real feel to 43 degrees. Meanwhile I saw pictures of where the blizzards were. Reader in WI was counting down the degrees below zero.
On days like today I am glad to be in Texas. I think the smartest people are those who come down south in the winter. Snowbirds.

My dogs could not get the big dogs to run. Not many dogs out. I was not too cold: no wind.

Blitzen's Tale
We barked and barked and talked trash at the fence but we could not get anybody running. Tiger was there (female Louisiana dog) but she wouldn't run today.

Lady Chica's Tale
Well, I ran back and forth, back and forth. We could not get those big busters moving. Not really any big ones there today anyhow. Too early for Buddy and Chance.

5 PM I am sending this off bc I am going to take a nap. I doubt that MI 5 will be on tonight. Still the pledge drive. by the way, I have pledged long since.

BOOK REVIEW
Michael Pollan, *Botany of Desire*
It seems to me that Pollan skips over the necessity for plants and animals to have certain characteristics.
For example, only animals with pack instinct can be domesticated. including wolves. They have to have an alpha leader. The human can become the alpha leader.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

December 9, 2009

2009-12-09T20:30:00.000-08:00

11:00 AM I feel rested. For the past 36 hours I have mostly slept. I plan to do a small amount of tidying.

By 1 PM I took a nap. Hard to believe. I have managed some tidying. It is psychologically hard for me. I have found a missing address book.

Blitzen's Tale
Lady Chica's Tale
What happens at Pup's stays at Pup's.

We all went over to Pup's. Had comfy soup for dinner. Lea baked cookies and sewed. I just sewed. I am sewing blocks together. quilt blocks.

BOOK REVIEW
James Lee Burke, *Rain Gods*
A lot of philosophizing by the protagonist, hackberry Holland, an old sheriff down in Texas near the border with Mexico. Holland still suffers from his experience as a POW Korea in 1950. Another character is Paul, severely burned in Iraq. Holland talks about the experiences of his grandfather in the war with some Mexican.
Nine young Thai women are killed and buried in Holland's county, coming in from Mexico. The FBI and other agencies take over. The women had bags of heroin in their stomachs. We share the thoughts of the murderer and the drug lords who set the action in motion. Holland sets forth on his own investigation.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

December 8, 2009

2009-12-08T16:39:00.000-08:00

2 PM I just woke up. I called in sick this morning at Baptist Center. I had a terrible sinus headache. On top of that, I thot that driving in the fog would be dangerous in my condition. The dogs did not even demand breakfast. I dont understand. We all slept.

The sun was shining in the afternoon and we went to the dog park. Some of the regulars were there. Here is how the days shorten. During the summer, shade reached "our" table at 8:15. Today the shade reached there at 4:15. My dogs ran until they were tired altho a young terrier kept going and going. Lady Chica sort of played with a damatioan puppy.

Blitzen's Tale
It was nice to see the old farts there this afternoon. I ran the fence.

Lady Chica's Tale
I sort of played with a black and white spotted puppy. I ran and ran. There was a pack on each side of the fence.

6:30 PM My head aches so that I cant see to read. Sinus in my eyebrows. I am just going to bed.

BOOK REVIEW
Deborah crombie, *All Shall Be well*
Second Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James mystery. A woman living in Kincaids apt bldy is dying of cancer. She passes and it looks like suicide but Kincaid is convinced it was murder.

Hugs, Dr. Liz