December 31, 2009

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

December 5, 2009

Dick Van Dyke starred in Diagnosis Murder.

Sat morning. It feels good to have some sleep. I am fighting that Antivir. I got a new Spydoc and it still doesn't take it out.
Sun is shining. Temp is 37 degrees. Besides being groggy I feel good.

I wish Libby could see my house full of rubber trees. She used to say she felt sibling rivalry with my plants. We had no furniture. So I converted living room into a jungle .

I actually did some stitching today. And finally we set forth for the dog park. On the way we stopped at Town Talk where I found pita bread which I cant get at my two Kroger stores. And I found soy yogurt at half price.
Nobody much at dog park. Lady Chica had to make do racing big dogs way across the big dog park. Buddy arrived just as we were leaving. he cried bc we were leaving. LC asked to go home early. It was chilly at the park. I was glad I had my ski jacket with a hood.

Blitzen's Tale
Nobody at the park to jaw at. I roamed around smelling what was on the ground.

Lady Chica's Tale
Some dogs were racing each other on the other side of the big dog park. So I raced them. I was ready to go home early. It was chilly. Blitzen had a sweater to wear.

6:43 PM Shall I take another nap? I had a hard time deciding what to have for supper. I still have lentil soup Martha gave me. I bought some carrot soup. (with soy milk in it. That is why it winds up at Town Talk.)



BOOK REVIEW
Randy Wayne White, *Black Widow*
Doc Ford is a Marine biologist with a small business on the Florida coast. he sells marine specimens to college departments. His marine research gives him a cover for his special ops adventures.
Doc's god daughter comes to him for help. She took her bridesmaids for a weekend at a spa on an island. Some local lads visited. Now she is being blackmailed over videos taken. So Doc sets out to disable "the black widow", the woman doing the blackmailing.

White manages to drag in the Freemasons. One of the characters he encounters is a former British special ops who believes his grandfather discovered treasure on an island. He believes that the Knights Templar (forerunners of Masons) sailed to New World and buried treasure. So we have codes on buried clay tablets.

December 4, 2009

Philosophical question: why did only wolves become dogs? Why did we not domesticate jackels or coyotes or foxes?

Pledge drive on PBS. So no MI 5. They seem to target pledge drives to an audience in their fifties.

Friday 10:30 AM This was another of those nights when I did not sleep. I sat up until 5 am reading Plouffe's account of Obama's campaign as if it were a suspense thriller. I get all caught up wondering if he can beat Hillary in the primary.

At noon Martha called, driving up from Laredo, and we chatted for an hour. Then we went to the dog park. Lady Chica ran and ran and ran, sometimes all by herself. The weather was cool and the dogs had energy.

Blitzen's Tale
There was a cute little beagle gal, but mom put me on time out. Mom is such a spoil sport.

Lady Chica's Tale
What fun. What fun. I ran and ran and ran. Mostly nobody would run with me. Blitzen and I ran and ran.People are amazed we can run in tandem, but we are used to being on a double leash.

I tried to take a nap. No luck. At 8 PM I have taken two beneyl. Computer acting up. Goodnight.



BOOK REVIEW
Lee goldberg, *The Waking Nightmare*
Diagnosis Murder. Diagnosis Murder was a tv show. The star was in --- anyhow, Mark Sloan is a physician whose son is a homicide dick. First, Dr. Sloan watches a woman jump from a window. She survived. Then his son has a homicide case. A sport parachute jumper is stabbed in the sky on a jump.
Fun book. Police procedural.
The star playing Mark Sloan was the man who danced on roof tops in Mary Poppins.





Hugs, Dr. Liz

December 3, 2009

10:30 AM My lungs are breathing this morning. I took two benedryl last night; so I will be groggy all day. I plan to rest all week. Recover.
I dont know what this dream portends. I was in a culture where there was a giveaway as part of funeral service. I was attending a friends' funeral and her possessions were being given away. I thot about receiving Libby's clothes at our memorial weekend.
I have been having morbid thots recently, about what will happen to my fabric when I die.

Went over and got a haircut. I was getting ashamed to go out in public bc my hair was standing on end. When it dries we go to dog park.

Well, I took a nap firste. We made a library run. Got to the park at 4:30 PM and it was cold. The dogs had a great run. Lady Chica ran and ran and ran with Buddy. (I think she does not like to run with him because he beats her. She is highly competitive.)

Blitzen's Tale
We outran those old busters all right. There was a whole pack of em, running and running and running. One dog got tipped oer and tipped over a water bucket.

Lady Chica's Tale
Well, Buddy was there. So he and I raced and raced and raced. Blitzen kept barking at some other guy.

7:45 PM I must be feeling better. I washed the dishes --- how can one person generate so many dishes. I am in process of doing the laundry. Planning to watch MI 5

BOOK REVIEW
Ian Rankin, *Knots and Crosses*
First Inspector Rebus book, when John Rebus was only a sergeant in Edinburgh police. Rebus is a retired SAS. In fact, training gave him a nervous breakdown. He resigned and became cop. Three young girls have been abducted and killed. Whole police dept is on the job.

The villain in this book has the same name as the protagonist in *Blood Hunt*. The villain was killed, however. So it is just the same name.


Hugs, Dr. Liz

December 2, 2009

I woke up and looked out the window. Snow on my car!!!!!!!

Took dogs to the dog races. As we arrived, a pair of big dogs was arriving. The dogs recognized each other and started trash talking. Then they raced the fence for a long time. Then their mom took the big dogs home.

Blitzen's Tale
We got to the park just as those big old busters were arriving. We all went over to the fence and began running. Good weather for running.

Lady Chica's Tale
That blue heeler wanted to run. We loved it. Run, run, run.

I am sending this off now at 2 PM. I will take a nap and then Lea's bead party at Arlington library. We are learning how to string beads.

I am sending this bc I had trouble getting into Juno. A pop-up ad keeps interfering. I have email in to Juno tech support. But I wanted people to know I am feeling OK. It is the computer if you dont hear from me.



BOOK REVIEW
Brian Freeman, *In the Dark*
Crime novel, series about Detective Jonathan Stride. Cold case. Thirty years ago a girl was beaten to death. Later Jon married the victim's sister, who has since died of cancer. The victim's best friend comes back to Duluth to write a book about the murder. Well written.


Hugs, Dr. Liz

December 1, 2009

I am not going to Baptist Center. I emailed the director on Sunday. It would not be decent of me to expose the homeless to whatever I have.
my cough is worse this morning. Vicks really helps.

I have plenty of food, leftovers from Thanksgiving. I dont need anything. I may get a thermometer from Walmart to check on temp.

I got a thermometer and do not have a fever. Went to dog park. Judy and Szabo turned up Judy and I discussed "hoarders" and obsessive people.

Blitzen's Tale
We went to the dog park and it rained. Szabo and his mom turned up. I was glad to see her. Szabo and I got in trouble but the man took his little busters into the next area.

Lady Chica's Tale
That Szabo is as bad as Blitzen. They pester people. Yes, they do. I just ran around. It was raining and no other dogs were out.

Took a nap. Feeling one hundred percent bettter at 5:23 PM. Woke up in time to hear Prez.
I was moved to tears by the President's address. He is a great orator.
I have never been convinced we need to go into Afganistan but so be it.
Feeling much better. My cough has lessened.

BOOK REVIEW
T. Jefferson Parker, *The Fallen*
Parker is a great author, but I dont like all of his books. In this book he seems to be focused on synesthesia, a subject better tackled by Oliver Sacks. Robbie Brownlaw falls out of a hotel window and suffers brain damage, resulting in synesthesia, where he sees colors when people talk. Brownlaw is a "dead dick" as he calls it for San Diego police.
Garrett Asplundh is an ethics investigator for the city. He is found dead. And of course Brownlaw and his partner are on the case. Police procedural. IMHO the plot is not believable.
Hugs, Dr. Liz

November 30, 2009

8:38 am I was having a dream that was confusing when I was dreaming. I seemed to be chief executive in a coutry which had two cultures. kind of a muslim culture. When I went to sleep I was wondering if one could make haj (that pilgrimage to mecca) only during this time or could one go any time.I plan to ask Nadia at dog park.

I am feeling better but have this terrible cough where I am coughing up mucus from deep in my lungs.

10 am Getting up and dressing. I dont ache but I feel depressed about the state of the house. Or maybe this is the post-flue depression.
I washed dishes and cleaned up kitchen counter. Step One. I feel much better.

Seminar at Wendy's. Judy and I each feel despondent over Afghanistan, health care reform, and other political ventures.
Came home, but could not get to sleep for a nap. So we packed up and went to dog park. It was sunny but sort of cool.

Blitzen's Tale
I got into it with a sharpei coming into the park. He went next door and I barked at him through the fence. Then I was trying to socialize another little dog and mom put me on time out.

Lady Chica's Tale
Not much to say today. Not many dogs to race. I try to pretend I dont know Blitzen when we are at the dog park.

BOOK REVIEW
Ian Rankin, *Blood Hunt*
This is a unique novel. Gordon Reeve is retired SAS (British special forces) who runs weekend survival courses. His brother, Jim, is a journalist who supposedly commits suicide. Gordon does not believe this and sets forth. He discovers that his bro was working on a story about herbicides. Interesting that after discovering the story, Gordon has problems eating. He thinks about the pesticides in his food.
I was intrigued with his covert operations. At one point, he dug a hole, disguised it and waited ten hours for the bad guys to come. He really scared them!


Hugs, Dr. Liz

November 29, 2009

11 AM Woke up feeling better. I can breath. Vicks does a great job of cough suppressant. Will be going to dog park as soon as I contact Uncle Mark.

Blitzen was such a pest that we went to dog park and told Uncle Mark we would wait for him. it mizzled for a little while and then stopped. Blitzen loves Uncle Mark bc Mark pets him. Now 3 PM I am going to take a nap.

Blitzen's Tale
Uncle Mark came to dog park. He gives me a great rubbing.

Lady Chica
First it was mizzling. So all the dogs went home. Mom had a book and was reading. She is always reading.

5 PM I took a long nap. My nose is clear but my shoulders ache.

I dont feel too bad but I dont feel good. I can breath. I can breath.

Thanksgiving has come and gone. I looked forward to it and now it is gone. Alas.



BOOK REVIEW
John Lutz , *Night Kills*
Police procedural. Retired NYPD homicide dick, Frank Quinn, is contracted back to find serial killer. We know who the killer is. A dating service provides special service. They kill a person and substitute their special client, a person who wants to change identities.


Hugs, Dr. Liz

November 28, 2009

11 AM. Sun is shining. I have a cough and sore throat. Going to dog park then I may stay in bed. I dont even feel like reading. Fortunately I have plenty of food cooked etc.

Trivia:
I keep thinking about Ellis Island. The Irish and Germans did not go thru Ellis Island. They got here first.
My Kroger Instant Coffee is a product of Germany. That blows my mind.
I am eating brie cheese made in Holland, Michigan. Wow.

2 PM Wind at dog park did not help my sinus. Wind is 14 mph.
The dogs raced and raced. Cassie and her mom turned up, Ray was there, the woman who owns Kevin the bulldog. Packs of dogs raced on either side of the fence.

Blitzen's Tale
That old bulldog was on the other side of the fence. I really gave him what for.

Lady Chica's tale
I love the wind. I was racing the wind. Blitzen and that bulldog said a lot of things they wouldn't have said if they were on the same side of the fence.

Took a three hour nap. I got up and am cooking a cabbage recipe. Substituting ingredients. Creative cookery. I found I do not have any vinegar in the house.

Now I have a stuffed up nose.



BOOK REVIEW
Michael Pollan, *botany of Desire*
Chapter Two -- tulip
Once more we are dealing with a plant which does not breed true from seed. The tulip originated in Turkey. At one point it was highly favored by royalty there. A Dutch minister brought some bulbs back to the Netherlands.
I am beginning to read about the tulip something.


Hugs, Dr. Liz

November 27, 2009

For midnight snack I had a piece of pumpkin pie and one of pecan. yeah.
3 AM Up for a pit stop.
Yesterday we watched two football games. First was GreenBay in Detroit. Green Bay is Jeff's hometown. Then we watched the cowboys, playing locally in Arlington TX.

Martha called at 9 am to make sure I am OK. I got up at 10. I need to go over to get cell phone fixed. Debating on what is most efficient way to go.

I managed to find the AT&T device store where I was given a new phone. Then I got lost on the way home. The difficulty is the 820 flyover 183 where various roads converge. I never know how to get where I want to go.
Gave the dogs a local walk. Now for a nap.
3:40 PM Feeling refreshed.

Went over to meet Lea. After we ate, Lea and I went shopping at Joanne's fabric and craft store. Black Friday. Huge discounts. We shopped for beads to string. Then Lea bought a serger and some cloth for Xmas presents.

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

BOOK REVIEW
Michael Pollan *The Botany of Desire*
Recommended. The author presents a different perspective on the relation of humans to plants and animals, which he terms coevolution. The goal of plants and animals is to reproduce. By adapting themselves to human desires, plants and animals survive. An example is the wolf. There are 50,000,000 dogs in the US but only a few thousand wolves. (It's the same DNA).

Chapter One -- the apple
The author traces the footsteps of John Chapman, Johnny Appleseed. Apples do not grow true from seed. Eating apples come from grafts. People on the frontier used the apples to make cider (hard cider). Apple cider ferments easily, as anyone knows who had hidden a gallon of cider in her dorm room. So frontiersmen did not care what apples looked and tasted like. But every now and then a tree came up which had wonderful apples, like the Golden Delicious and red Delicious. With rise of Temperance Movement, apples were sold for eating. At the turn of the century the Stark Seed company had rewards and contests for a good eating apple.
Author has usual caution about commercial growing of only one kind. (Dole used only one banana which is dying bc of some kind of parasite.)
genetic diversity. Corporate farms use more and more genetic engineering, destroying genetic diversity. These cloned plants are subject to pests and parasites.


Hugs, Dr. Liz

Thanksgiving 2009

Listening to NPR about Ellis Island. I am one of the 60% of Americans who did not have an ancestor going thru Ellis Island.
9:30 AM off to dog park.

The afternoon has wafted away. Nobody was at the dog park. Lady Chica stalked birds. I enjoy watchig this.
Josh picked me up at noon and I sat around sipping wine all afternoon. Martha was cookign. We were all watchig Cowboys.

The food was delicious. Jeff and Martha drove me home. I am bounteously blessed.

Happy thanksgiving
Blitzins' Tale
Mom was gone all day. I crawled in the closet and sletp.

Lady Chica's tale
I slept all day.


Hugs, Dr. Liz

November 25, 2009

Tuesday night I watched NOVA on dreams. The research is beginning to get somewhere. I have some ideas the next time I dream. Supposedly REM dreams are sort of rehearsals. The rat was running a maze.

Wednesday morning
I love mornings when I can sleep in. 10 AM. The dogs are pawing to get out to pee. I need to run errands this morning and I have 3 books on hold at library. By now library is open.

Blitzen was barking to get out to eat grass. His tummy was upset last night. I was complaining to Martha that I have to do something about fridge to store leftovers tomorrow. She said isn't that a nice problem to have? not knowing where to put all the bounty!


Made a library run, post office, and boughta phone at Office Depot. Now for a nap. PPQS tonight.

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

Lea and I worked on the quilt blocks. I had enough to make four lap quilts. Lea is quilting by machine. I am handsewing blocks together.

BOOK REVIEW
Keith Ablow, *Denial*
Wow. Forensic psychiatrist who is a coke addict. This is the first Frank Clevenger book. crime novel. Clevenger is called to evaluate a paranoid schizophrenic who has confessed to a gruesome murder. Clevenger is convinced the schiz just found a corpse and had sex with her. Really, really surprise ending.


Hugs, Dr. Liz

November 24, 2009

Baptist Center. We had a request for groceries as soon as we opened. I am still asleep.
10 AM Steady stream of people. twenty family units. Two disgruntled. People have this entitlement syndrome.
Other volunteers said people were resentful and disgruntled.

My Tuesday routine is to come home and take a nap. So then we went to dog park. My dogs didn't even try to run. Blitzen was on "time out" most of the hour and Lady Chica was smelling scents on the far side.

Blitzen's Tale
There was that old bulldog dressed up like a bumble bee. Mom put me on time out. then I was trying to socialize that great dane puppy. Mom put me on time out. Both those dogs went on the other side.

Lady Chica's Tale
We stayed until everybody else went home and I felt free to run around the park. I smelled a squirrel trail over there.

The traffice was terrible going home. A 12 minute drive took me 45 minutes. That commuter train always comes past at five and holds up traffic,

No book review. I never have time to read.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

November 23, 2009

8:00 AM Up for a pit stop. Strange fog over everything. Yet my sinus is dry for the first time since I can remember. (Remember that my memory is gone!) temp is 48

Judy and I enjoyed our seminar at Wendy's. After going through our political litany we discussed the aches of growing old. Judy's mother is 87 or 89. (My memory again.) I came home and took a nap.
We went off to the dog park and who should be there but Judy and Szabo, as well as Holly and Gracie.
Szabo and Blitzen had to be put on time out. They were having problems with an unfixed male bull dog. Eventually owners took male and female bull dog over to big dog side. They were probably afraid.

Blitzen's Tale
Mom put me on time out and Szabo's mom put him on time out cuz we wanted to take care of a mean ol bull dog. He went on the other side of the fence. I barked at him to come get me but he was on a leash and dragged away.

Lady Chica's Tale
Nobody was there to run with me. I just wandered around sniffing at things. Why do boy dogs have to be so aggressive all the time. Boy dogs are a bother! Except for Pup. Altho he and Blitzen have gone at it once or twice.

BOOK REVIEW
Linda Lael Miller, *Never Look Back*
Romantic police procedural. This book is well written and has a neat plot but a great deal of time is taken up with the romance off and on of Clare and Tony Sonterra. Clare Westbrook is a lawyer who inherits money frm fa and decides to set up a law practice in poverty stricken area in Phoenix. Somebody targets her for murder. She finds a body floating in her swimming pool.
Sonterra is a homicide detective. Actually he is the target of the serial killer. Killer wants to punish Sonterra by killing Clare.


Hugs, Dr. Liz

November 22, 2009

Noon. Just got up. Going to rest all day. We are going to dog park soon. Then I may take a nap. Get up in time for Mystery.
I sat up reading last night, "just one more chapter" until 4 AM. See Book Review.

Dachsund meetup day at the dog park. They were all over. Otherwise the visit was calm. Neither dog was very energetic.

Blitzen's Tale
I am still tired after Friday night at Pup's. I am getting on in years, you know. I am as fast as ever but I dont have the stamina.

lady Chica's Tale
Nothing exciting going on. I raced the fence just once. I wandered around smelling things.

Uncle Mark wants to know where the pups will spend the holidays. They aren't going anywhere. Mom goes over to Aunt Martha's for Thanksgiving. Then she leaves them alone all the night before Xmas. And we all stay home to watch the Rose bowl Parade.

I took a nap. Feeling more rested. Waiting for mystery. It will be Part III of "Collision". I watched part of an old movie this aft. some guys escaping from WWII prison. It was an old movie.

BOOK REVIEW
Beverly Connor, *Dead Hunt*
See above. Reading this book is like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. Diane Fallon is a forensic investigator, director of Museum of Natural History, director of crime lab. The museum is accused of buying stolen Egyptian artifacts. (They did buy them by mistake and returned them to Egypt.) Then a convicted killer escapes prison. Her blood is found in Diane's apt and she is almost arrested for murder. The ending is rather unbelievable, but I enjoyed how we got there.


Hugs, Dr. Liz

November 21, 2009

Up at 11:30 AM. I can feel the hassle I went thru last night. Up and at em. I need to run over (no comments, please) and see about cell phone.

I totally hate Northeast Mall. I had a most frustrating journey. Went over to regular cell phone store. My battery was defective. It is still under warranty. So they sent me to a store which replaces devices. It is on the feeder road of 183. I could not find it. Stopped at my bank and they directed me back to original store. I was almost in tears. I wanted to have a tantrum but decided that was useless.
Original store gave me a sheet of paper and told me it was in parking lot Of Purple Beans. Blackeyed Peas. Well, back I went. Still could not find it but drove around and there it was.
They put in a new battery but I dont think it is charging right. I have enuf till Monday morn.

Now to dress and off to church. then to an open house.

I attended a renewal of vows ceremony. It was beautiful. The woman had wanted a wedding, and did not have the money. So this was it. And really beautiful. The ceremony was elegant. the ritual.
One thing about Baptist weddings. No alcohol. Costs less. We had a wonderful reception --- wonderful food. Anything you could think of.
I sat with Bette H. We had fun together.

I was invited to Leta's open house, but I just could not face another drive. I just came home.

Blitzen's Tale
We didn't go anywhere today, but I didn't mind. Mom was gne all day and we slept.

Lady Chica's Tale
Mom was gone all day and I just slept.

No book review again today. Too much activity. I did not read a page.




Hugs, Dr. Liz

November 20, 2009

I was up and off to tai chi. Had chile at the Senior Center. I have mislaid my cane. But I have the wooden staff that John made for me.

My cell phone is not working right. I took it to the store and the clerk pushed the button. I may have to find a man to push the button. Hand strength.
Now for a nap. Play tonight with John and Lea.

Midnight
I had a lovely evening with Lea and John. We went to dinner at La Isla with Candy and somebody. Then the play. The play was well acted but we were not satisfied. The villain was not punished. And the play was in starts and jerks. It was "Book of Days" at UTA.

HELL
Driving home was total hell. To avoid 820, I planned take Collins to Trinity Blvd. (There are only three bridges over the West Fork of the Trinity.) Well.... the Collins St bridge over I30 will not open until Monday. I had wrong info. I had to take a detour and I got lost. It was dark and I did not recognize the landmarks I passed daily for fifteen years!!!! I wandered around and found myself on I30 going to Dallas.
I got off on 161 --- and could not get off. Ramps closed. Not yet constructed. I was lost and did not know where I was going. And no cell phone. I was scared.
Finally, finally, I was poured out onto 183 --- the road which goes past my complex.
Highways are full of huge trucks spewing fog and water. I managed to find my way to Trinity Blvd, where I had been heading in the first place. No traffic and I knew where I was.

I am totally exhausted!!!!

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

No book review tonight.


Hugs, Dr. Liz

November 19, 2009

I hve been watching too many documentaries. I dreamed that I was in a foreign land and joined a revolutionary group. (Are you surprised?) We/they decided to mess things up by everybody confessing to a particular murder. And we were supposed to go naked to the police station. So we all took our clothes off. I kept my Depends on, figuring I would really need them. And then I woke up.

I sat down at my computer and my sister called on Skype. We first argued about "terrorism". I knew that was a mistake. We stopped that and discussed the everyday trivia.

About terrorism. I resent that Joe Leiberman is using the fort Hood incident. I believe that Dr. Hassan was just another "crazy". I am amused that despite his orientations he acted just like an American, a two gun shooter from the Old West.

My Juno is acting up this morning. My goal for today is to do my laundry.

And I achieve my goal. Also washed up my sink of tops. lids. I completely forgot I meant to get my hair cut. Beautican is on site only Thursdays. Any place else is far, far away.

Last night the PBS documentary on 1918 influenza was about England. The English virologist has a hypothesis that the strain originated in 1916 in an army depot. The American journalist found it in rural Kansas in 1917.

Uncle Mark came to the dog park to visit Blitzen and Chica.
Blitzen's Tale
Uncle Mark came to visit us at the dog park. I liked him because he petted me a lot.

Lady Chica's Tale
Mom showed Uncle Mark how I can do the agility course.

I have not finished any more books.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

November 18, 2009

Sherry asks how I named my dogs.
Blitzen means Lightening. No, he was not a Xmas dog. Donder means Thunder. Donder and Blitzen were Thunder and Lightning. My generation heard a lot about Blitzkreig.
I named Blitzen before I met him but I must have been psychic. It absolutely describes him. He moves so fast he is invisible.
(Actually Blitzen means the act of lightening. German has two words: blitz and blitzen)

Chica is Spanish for "girl", used meaning "kid". Chico is the male.
Somehow I began calling her Lady Chica in order to give her some respect.


Wednesday morning 10 AM
The sun is shining. My sinus is clear. I can breathe. I feel energetic, within limits. Have great plans to do chores today. Fantasies, fantasies.

I dragged out a box (Xerox size) of quilt blocks ready to quilt and sew together. This fits into the category of "unfinished project". Eight blocks are done. what a lot of work. Lea can use her fancy machine and do the quilting. I am so excited about them!!!!!!!

Lea is excited, too. She quilted one tonight and it looks splendid!.

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

BOOK REVIEW
Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child, *The Book of the Dead*
An Egyptian tomb was reconstructed in New York Museum of Natural History. Sayings from the Book of the dead were written on the mantels.
Preston and Child write these books that seem to be supernatural but turn out to be real. The protagonist is Special Agent Pendergast. This book begins with Pendergast in a maximum security federal prison. Nora is an archaeologist with Museum and is in charge of opening exhibit in tomb. Villain plans a mass slaughter at the opening.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

November 17, 2009

Baptist Center. I have been steadily busy. 12 units. People have asked the funniest questions this morning. I mean the weirdest. People think we are 211 (the information number).

Every Tuesday I come home expecting a different set of emails. It is hilariously amusing. I tried to take a brief nap. Dogs were not ready to take a nap. They harassed me. I had a massage. Of course i always come home feeling kneaded.
Then we made a library run and off to dog park. Lady Chica raced Buddy for a while. Chance arrived wearing a lovely pink tee shirt, just as we were leaving.

Blitzen's Tale
Not much to say today. We hassled Mom when she tried to take a nap. We wanted to go to the park.

Lady Chica's Tale
It was nice and chilly. So I felt like running. I wish Chance had gotten there sooner.

7 PM About to see Nova and why homo sapiens alone survived of the hominids.

No book review. Have not finished another book.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

November 16, 2009

The dogs hassled and hassled and hassled. The alarm rang at 9:30. Off to Wendy's Temp is 46 degrees. Autumn is here.

Our seminar at Wendy's lasted almost three hours. We were chewing over the cultural consequences of China becoming a world power. And various other political topics.

Then we went to dog park for another hour. There we regaled each other with the endings of PBS programs. Szabo and Blitzen double teamed a poor deaf cocker spaniel. The deaf dog couldn't hear the warnings.

Blitzen's Tale
Szabo was at the park today. We raced Buddy. Mom had me on time out for a while.

Lady Chica's Tale
The wind was blowing and I fly with the wind. Boys are so silly. I mean Blitzen and Szabo.

5PM I think I will finally take a nap.
And so I did, for three hours.

BOOK REVIEW
Jonathan Kellerman, *Compulsion*
Police procedural. Alex Delaware, psychologist, and Milo Sturgis, LAPD homicide. A woman disappears. Then another woman is beaten to death. I am halfway thru the book but I think I have read it before. Published 2008.

I read Kellerman over and over. I enjoy his style.


Hugs, Dr. Liz

November 15, 2009

Strange night of waking and sleeping. I thot I was awake and I was talking to Big Bird and cookie monster.

No pain this morning. What gives with thatt? I found a double yoked egg. Isnt that supposed to be lucky or something?
I over cooked my eggs and put too much salt in. Being a Child of the Depression I am eating them. Off to religious services.

Rather frustrated in Sunday school. During lunch the pastor came down to fellowship hall to make a little speech. The extreme right of the Baptist General Convention of Texas wants to get rid of Broadway Baptist bc we are too liberal. We are not sending messangers to this year's annual convention.

Knowing that rain was predicted, I made a choice to take a nap. Hence we only had half an hour at the prk before the rain came down. We drove home in a gulley washer. I may take another nap before Mystery comes on.

Blitzen's Tale
I raced around looking for friends of mine, but nobody was there. We didn't stay long. It rained.

Lady Chica's Tale
I enjoy being all alone in the park. I have time to smell all around. The park today was full of tiny little dogs.

Well, Mystery lasted two hours and it is still continued. We know mostly the mystery. There was a collision on the expressway (in England --- they were all driving on the wrong side of the road). Our hero was charged with figuring out the source of the accident bc the father of one victim was suing the Metro police.


BOOK REVIEW
James Lee Burke, *The Neon Rain*
First Dave Robichaux novel, published in 1987. I mention the date bc the novel assumes everyday knowledge about what was going on in Nicaragua and I cant remember. Anyhow, Dave is a rough and tough homicide dick with New Orleans PD. As always, he is an alcoholic. The bad guys pour alcohol down his throat and he has to start over again. He gets involved with a group who is sending arms to Nicaragua, but I am not sure which side. He works with an agent from ATF.

I enjoyed this thoroly. Even if I didn't know what was going on. Dave frequents AA meetings.


Hugs, Dr. Liz

November 13, 2009

Adam lived on MI-5. It was touch and go that he pull through. Last night's episode was wild. MI6 is trying to take over the government in a coup.

Alarm rings at 9:30 and I am on my way to tai chi. I finally feel more rested but I am stiff. Martha pointed out that Nolan Ryan probably hurts more than I do. (He is on a billboard.) I heard an interview with a tennis champion who is in pain all the time. He retired bc of pain.

After tai chi I had lunch --- turkey hash with cranberries __- at the Senior Center. Came home and took a nap. Now for the dog races. 3:20 PM

It was a mild afternoon, exercise wise that is. Lady Chica came to ask to go home. We started for the gate and Blitzen beat us there. On the other hand, when we got home, B's terrior terrier persona took over. he grabbed a little box and shook it to death racing around the room.

Blitzen's Tale
Mostly at the the dog park i ran around asking people to pet me. When we got home I took it out on this box. I pretended the box was a rabbit.

Lady Chica's Tale
I am so tired of being associated with that crazy Blitzen. Will no one rescue me?

BOOK REVIEW
Kathy Reichs, * Deadly Decisions*
Kathy Reichs is a forensic anthropologist as is her hero, Dr. Temperence Brennan. Temp spends the summers in Montreal working in their lab. In this novel, she is dealing with motorcycle gangs. According to this book, motorcycle gangs are the new Mafia, deaing in drugs. Her nephew, Kit, gets involved.


Hugs, Dr. Liz

November 12, 2009

10 AM The dogs were making a vast fuss and then I realized it is thursday. Then that horrible little brown dog stuck his face up in our window. I wish his owner would walk him somewhere else. He is new in the complex.

I went over to Walmart to buy a new telephone. They are so complex. I had intended to look them up online. I bought a Norfolk Island pine and came home. I had intended to go to a plant nursery and get one.

Took a nap before we went to the dog races. Lady Chica ran up and down trying to get a big dog to run. Blitzen just sat around. Then... he took off on an extra curricular run. he got thru the gate and zoom. he took off over the hill. I was really scared. A nice man trotted after him and somehow he came back. Maybe bc I started the car. He ran across the dog park and back and jumped into the car. Lady Chica kept barking that he was not in the crate. We arrived home and I took another nap.

8 PM Waiting for MI-5. I didn't see Adam in the previews. I guess he is dead. Who will be intel officer?

Blitzen's Tale
I really took off today. I didn't come to go out when she called. Then she held the gate and I went into the air lock. Then she went out and came back and I slipped thru. I took off across the parking lot and over the hil. I really meant to come back but i scared her!!!!

Lady Chica's Tale
That crazy Blitzen took off across the parking lot. Then Mom let him ride home in the front seat. I was mad.

BOOK REVIEW
Kate Wilhelm, *Cold Case*
Barbara Holoway legal thriller. Twenty-two years ago a graduating coed was murdered. Police closed case, assuming a transient killed her. She had been involved with two young men, Robert and David. David returns on a speaking tour (at the university). Robert is shot and David is indicted for the murder. Barbara is his defense lawyer and finds the real killer.

Holoway agonizes a lot in her pursuit of truth and justice.


Hugs, Dr. Liz

November 11, 2009

For me this is always Armistice Day.

Last night I dreamed and dreamed I was sewing quilt blocks. Dogs got me up at 9 AM. They wanted breaky. My bones feels as if a front is coming in.

I did a little bit of sewing. Took a nap. 3 PM Time to go. I am dropping stuff off at Martha's on my way to Lea's for the evening, dogs to visit Pup.

Lea was sewing curtains for Erin. Erin is an artist who cant sew. She is also sewing slip covers for Erin. Evelyn loaned Lea her serger.
As usual I just watched PBS. They had a navaho code talker on there and the story of Iwo Gima. Horrible. Horrible. Horrible.
I think PBS is biased about hating war.
I know when I bcame a Pacifist. On the News Reel I saw Japanese soldiers coming out of the caves on Okinawa, all on fire.

So much for that.

Dog Tales. What happens at Pup's stays at Pup's. Last I saw Lady Chica she was eating Pup's food.

BOOK REVIEW
I am in the process of reading five books. I get bogged down in one and change to another. Found a J>A> Jance I had not read.



Hugs, Dr. Liz

November 10, 2009

Baptist Center. Only 12 families today. Slow day. Everyt;hing was slow. United methodist was giving out winter coats. I guess everybody was over there.

Gentle Reader points out that my recent book review about a woman writing her dissertation. hence my dreams.

I came home and took a nap. Then off to the dog races. Blitzen had to be kept on time out. First he wanted to take care of a human baby. We moved tables. Then he kept humping a little Italian greyhound. Being a girl, I have a hunch she was getting close to esterus. (Blitzen is usually not interested in humping girls.) I sat and talked with Ray and Holly and Ann.

Blitzen's Tale
Mom had me on time out. I was attracted to the cutest little greyhound. She was a doll.

Lady Chica's Tale
I spent most of the time racing along the fence. it was a good day for it.

Came home, watched NOVA, a documentary on human evolution. We have reached homo erectus. Homo erectus wandered around the world. Fifty years ago, there was some thought about independent evolution.

BOOK REVIEW
Phillip Margolin, *Burning Man*
The title refers to a suspect who was set on fire in jail. Another inmate poured lighter fluid on him and set fire to him.
The protagonist, Peter Hale, is exiled to a small town by his father. Peter is a lawyer. He takes on the defense of a retarded young man who eventually is convicted of murder but Peter rescues him in the nick of time.


Hugs, Dr. Liz

November 9, 2009

10 AM Another dream about being in grad school. Grad school is a different mind set, esp being a doctoral candidate for years and years. You are at the bottom of a totem pole but with high expectations and no money. [I feel at home at Broadway bc there are people who have been there.]
In the dream I was in a strange city, having come out of a sociology meeting at night. I was waiting for a city bus to take me to the Greyhound bus station. The dream went on and on and got later and I began to be scared that it was night and I was nowhere.
Suddenly I heard "Elizabeth". Some woman in the crowd knew me (crowd waiting at bus stop). She said she edited my boss' previous book. The book was *Biography of Edgar Agastar*. I never heard of him and it didn't sound like Charlie Snyder nor Charlie Loomis. Snyder wrote papers on alcoholism and Loomis wrote *Rural Social systems*
She kept talking. Eventually she invited me in to have a cup of tea and cookie with her grp. we went into this diner and I kept worrying I would miss the city bus.
Then the alarm rang and I woke up.

Gentle Reader recounts PTSD from being in grad school.

The feelings are all memories. I kept thinking I was in Cleveland. I have been in Cleveland just once and Shaylor Thomas took me to dinner. We argued about the role of women.

Well, up and at em and off to wendy's to deliver my seminar, as Judy calls it. Judy watches the news all week and conveys the gist to me and I deliver a sociological lecture.

I came home and took a nap. Then off to dog park. Lady Chica raced and raced and raced. After half an hour she asked to come home.

At home, we had an outdoor bday party for our neighbor Helen. Then I took another nap. Now I am mopping up the kitchen floor. Somehow I left a bowl of soup on the counter and somehow it fell on the floor. Somehow.

Blitzen's Tale
I just sort of hung around the dog park.

Lady Chica's Tale
There was a big ol boxer who wanted to race. We raced and raced and raced. I was always ahead but boxers are not known for racing.

BOOK REVIEW
Barry Maitland, *Dark Mirror*
Classic British mystery, police procedural. Brock and Kolla with Scotland Yard. A young woman collapses in library. Turns out she took arsenic. Did she do it herself? She was writing dissertation on Pre-raphaelite crowd.


Hugs, Dr. Liz

November 8, 2009

My schedule is topsy turvey. Turned off alarm and slept until 11:38 AM. Now past noon and eating breakfast. Plan to go over to Martha's. dinner and a movie

Martha picked me up and we went over to her house. Did some wine tasting. Had pork roast and purple cabbage. Like Oktoberfest.
They showed me pictures of Grand Canyon they took on their trip. Gorgeous.

BOOK REVIEW
Robert Tanenbaum, * Reckless Endangerment*
Butch Karp and his wife, Marlene. Set in 1981. The twins are babies and Lucy is ten. She is a linguist. Some Arabs are being terrorists. This is so innocent. before the twin towers.

Book was written in 1998.

November 7, 2009

I took my nap without getting up between. Now 1:30 PM.
I dreamed about visiting my cousin when I was 16. (he was my fa's age.) They took me to see my first movie, Jimmie Cagney in *Captain of the Clouds*. My mo was angry.

5 PM We went to the dog park and I am ready for a nap. I am so tired today. Dog park was pleasant and as usual on Sat full of people and dogs.

Blitzen's Tale
I did a little running. Not much. Mom was sitting with some nice girls who petted me.

Lady Chica's Tale
I did some running. Enjoyed the afternoon.

8:30 PM I have literally slept all day. I guess I needed sleep.

BOOK REVIEW
I have not had time to read today. Slept all day.




Hugs, Dr. Liz

November 6, 2009

Oh, dear, Adam is killed in MI 5. He is my favorite. Are they replacing the entire cast?

Reading the Mystery novel. Place of Execution. The novel is more detailed but the tv program seems to be true to it. The tv program does not describe how medeival the setting.

Friday morning. I was up and down all night for pit stops. The dogs are scratching like mad and their tummies are talking. I wonder what they ate when they visited Pup.

Official unemployment is 10%. NPR figures that with discouraged workers etc unemployment is 17%. I did not know that unemployment was so high in 1983.

Went to Tai Chi. I come home exhausted and we dont do that much. Ate pea soup at senior center. Got food from food bank.

Blitzen's Tale
What happens at Pup's stays at pups. we were there a long time tonight.

Lady Chica's Tale
What happens at Pup's stays at pups. [Editors note: LC fell asleep as soon as we got home.]

We received the news that our glass projects were ready. So Lea, Erin and I drove over to pick them up. They are better than I expected. Beautiful. We are each happy.

BOOK REVIEW
T. Jefferson Parker, * Red Light*
This is the second book in Merci Rayborn series. I know the plot, having read the third book. In this book Merci has a son by her lover in the first book, who was killed. She has another lover and accuses him of murder. Arrests him for the murder of a call girl. The third book explains what happens.
I recommend this book. read in sequence

November 5, 2009

10:22 AM drinking my coffee. Sun is shining. 70 degrees. Sounds improbable. Going for a pedicure this morning. I cannot reach down to cut toe nails. Massage therapist is always nagging me.

Blitzen greets me at the door as if I had been gone for a month. He seems needier by the day. Maybe it is old age. He is ten, 70 in our years.

I didn't even read today. I guess I just slept. I made a library run. I was so distressed by Sunday's Mystery that I got the book it was based on and read the last chapter. I had guessed that the missing girl was not dead but the whole story is bizarre.

Dog park was pleasant. Dogs did not run, altho Chance arrived as we were arriving. I have noticed that they seem tired the day after visiting Pup.

Blitzen's Tale
I tangled with this dog. His owner kept dragging him around on a leash. I showed him but Mom dragged me away and put me on time out.

Lady Chica's Tale
Not much to say. I slept most of th day. Fortunately, Mom was sleepy too.

BOOK REVIEW
Haven't finished anything, including the Case of the Midnight Rustler.


Hugs, Dr. Liz

November 4, 2009

Tuesday evening 9:55 PM. I am physically tired tonight from leaping up and down, sitting at the computer then leaping up to dispense a sack lunch. I am so tired I find it hard to read. That is a first.
I feel like talking to somebody but that is such hard work.

4 AM up for a pit stop, slathering on linament. I feel discouraged sometimes. On the way home every day I pass a billboard with Nolan Ryan's face. advertising something. I think about him often. He was famous for keeping in shape. he ran up and down the steps of the ball park.

9 AM That liniment helped a lot. I dreamed about some grad student whose name I cannot remember. I seem to be reliving my grad school days. What a bummer!
No dog races this morning; the dogs go to visit Pup this evening.

I did walk the dogs around. Then I actually got some stitching and pressing done. Yeah me. I am getting ready for a nap (2 PM) I turned on computer and my sister called. We talk almost every day on Skype. Brave new world wth video phone. Goodness.

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

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

I am surrounded by sleeping dogs. Lea was sewing a cushion for Erin whereas I was goofng off watching Bill Cosby receive an award at Lincoln Center.

BOOK REVIEW
Margaret Atwood, *The Year of the Flood*
I read five pages and decided this was worse than *The Handmaid's Tale*. Returned it to library. I had to check it out.
Atwood has a penchant for eliminating most of the humans on the planet and imagining what the resulting society would look like. She needs to read *Earth Abides*.
Atwood does not seem to understand what humans do when left to themselves.

I just discovered that Ann Rand was born in Russia and lived thru the Revolution. No wonder she had cockeyed ideas about freedom.




Hugs, Dr. Liz

November 3, 2009

Facebook is wonderful for seeing pics of your grandchildren -- esp during those teen years when they distance themselves from family.

I had weird dreams last night. In one dream I was in the FBI interrogating prisoners and Lady Chica was licking their face until they confessed.
In another dream Frank Nall and I were somewhere out of the country doing research in some strange cult. They spoke English and then lapsed into some kind of gibberish with English words. We were staying in one household. The husband said he had four wives and four children. Then he lapsed into gibberish. After a while Frank was chatting away in this gibberish. (Frank has a gift for tongues.) I kept wandering around the household. The first wife spoke English but the younger wives did not seem to speak English.

7:30 AM and I am up dressing to go to Baptist Center.

Slow day. The third is pay day for Social Security and SSI. We had only seven families. I have been popping up and down, doing food pantry and handing out sack lunches.

November 2, 2009

Time marches on. November is here. Up for a pit stop at 6 AM. Back to bed.

10 AM Alarm rings. Lady Chica is walking all over my head. Blitzen is chewing a bone under the covers on the wrong side of the bed.
Coming out to the living room, I see that LC has been reading again. She has dragged a magazine across the room.
Sun is shining. 64 degrees. Off to Wendy's.

Somehow we got onto "Living Wills". I strongly urge everybody to have a Living Will and also a contingency power of attorney.

How can I be so sleepy? 1:36 PM And I took a nap until 4 PM. Then we went to dog park. Ray was sitting there all alone. So what could I do? He left at six and it was too dark to read.

Blitzen's Tale
There was an old hound dog making that awful noise all the time we were at the park. Sometimes we got him to run.

Lady Chica's Tale
I have been going up to people and asking them to pet me. Imagine that!!!

BOOK REVIEW
John Erikson, *Hank the Cowdog # 21*
The Case of the Vampire Cat. Slim the cowboy drives up to the cake house to get feed for the cows. Cakes are cakes of compressed cottonseed, fed to cows in the winter. There is a cat marooned there. And somehow Slim drives off and Hank is marooned there with the cat. A skunk drives them out of their shelter under the house. When they meet two coyotes, Miss Mary D turns into a vampire. They also scare away two buzzards. And Hank comes home. But dont tell anyone he made a friend of a cat.

November 1, 2009

9:32 AM (Really 10:32) Even the dogs are up. I skipped religious services. I ache from sitting too long last night. Sitting upright uses back muscles.
Well, we will be off to the dog races. Blitzen has a tummy ache.
I am weary. When you get older, just getting dressed is a chore. I wonder how pro football players feel.

It is a perfect day. Everybody and his brother's dog was at the park. Prof. Cooper was there (ancient history at TCU). We had a great chat. Some preachers are preaching about the imitation stone henge being demon haunted. Maybe it will affect the Cowboys. [This is a bunch of stone imitating Stone Henge.] In Arlington near the Cowboy Stadium.

Marcus Borg thinks we have so made weird religious ideas bc we have store front preachers. They preach something shocking in order to get congregants. Nobody in Europe is worried about creationism.

Blitzen's Tale
I have a tummy ache this morning.
Had a great time racing at the park. People admire me for being handsome.

Lady Chica's Tale
I got to eat Blitzen's breakfast.
Had a wonderful time at the park racing, racing. The big dogs had a fight but it was too far away for us to get involved.

I took a nap and slept so deeply. I feel rested and my aches and pains have vanished. Blitzen ate his supper. Mystery will be something new.

True Crime Drama in Cleveland. Six decomposing corpses are found scattered around a house, one in the attic, one or two buried. Sounds like one of the books I read.

I found Mystery too tense tonight. It was *Place of Execution*, based on novel by Val McDermid.



BOOK REVIEW
Karin Slaughter, *Undone*
The author seems to be fixated on burying women alive underground. In this book they are buried in little caves.
Sue was going to live happily ever after in some previous book, but she has been widowed in this book. (2009). She has moved to Atlanta to work in the ER of the only public hospital (like JPS or Parkland.) A tortured woman is brought into ER.
This book is not for the faint of heart. Scenes of torture.


Hugs, Dr. Liz

Halloween 2009

Up for a pit stop at 4 AM. We oldsters often get up in the middle of the night. Pity poor Blitzen who feels duty bound to follow me around. Lady Chica moves around during the night. She is asleep in my easy chair.

11:30 AM Finally Lady Chica managed to get me out of bed. I was reading email when my sister called. She informed me I could get my dogs' toenails trimmed. (Joke!!! )
We are going to dog park soon. Temp is 55 degrees. Persis informs me that leaves are off the trees in Detroit.

The park was perfectly delightful. The dogs raced. Blitzen was socializing all the young punks in the park. People bring their dogs to be socialized but dont understand a dog pack. A lot of adolescent male dogs.

Blitzen's Tale
I do my best to socialize those young punks into pack etiquette but nobody understands. It's a rough life.

Lady Chica's Tale
Had a great time running with a lot of different buggers. Those hound dogs like to run. Mom says Buddy was chasing the car when we drove out.

I took a nap and woke just in time to get to AA bday night. I took a cushion to sit on and I am not so tired. Two months ago there were a lot of 30 days who did not make it to 90 days.

BOOK REVIEW
I have started several books. Have not finished.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

October 30, 2009

Tai chi this morning. Off to Senior Center. 48 degrees ce matin. I have a pile of strips to sew.

Senior Center had a costume competition. Several were really good. Did tai chi and went Krogering. I was about to take a nap when Martha came by with leftovers. chicken cacciatore, a huge amount of stir fry and chicken soup and some dumplings. Enuf food for about a month. And it is all superb.

Whatever I do, Martha laughs and said you always did that --- like leave projects undone.

I was writing tonight and I clicked the wrong button and it vanished. I took two naps. Then we went to dog park where my dogs did not run. They just sat around on the tables coaxing people to pet them Watching my usual Friday tv programs.

Blitzen's Tale
I did not even go near the fence tonight. Those old busters were calling and calling.

Lady Chica's Tale
I am tired out from being at Pup's. We stayed up just too late last night.


BOOK REVIEW
T. Jefferson Parker, *The Blue Hour*
This is the prequel to *Black Water*. Merci Rayborn is a deputy sheriff in Orange County CA. In this book she gets pregnant with Tim. She is paired with Hess, an older man, to find a serial killer. I like this book less than the later one. There are chapters devoted to the killer. I hate this. I just want to find bodies and solve puzzles.




Hugs, Dr. Liz

October 29, 2009

2:30 AM Up for a pit stop. I went to bed at 10 PM. Haven't done that in a long time. Maybe I can get back on a regular schedule.

8 AM Up for another pit stop. Going back to bed. No dog park bc dogs will visit Pup this evening.

10 AM Hunger drove me out of bed. Just listened to Margaret Atwood on NPR. Maybe I will try her latest novel. I am still angry about Handmaiden.

Noon. I have been pinning strips. Found the embryo of another quilt, which will be two of ours. My goodness, Elizabeth

This evening went with lea to a class in glass jewelry making. It was different from what I expected. We made little squares with different colored glass and it will be fired and melt.

Blitzen's Tale
What happens at Pup's stays at Pup's
[ed. note. I saw Blitzen eating all of Pup's food.]

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

BOOK REVIEW
Robert Tannenbaum, *depraved Indifference*
This is Tannenbaum's second book and his early books are very different. He had just left the District Attorney 's office in NY. More realistic and critical of the DA's office. Butch Karp is an ADA ----- death of a NY policeman.
This book was written in 1990 and I am interested in the change after 9/11. In this book. there is a plane hijacking but it is not regarded as so serious as after 9/11.



Hugs, Dr. Liz

October 28, 2009

Reader writes:

You can always sell the quilt as a East Texas Baptist University, Wayland Baptist University, East Texas State University (now A&M Commerce) or, my Alma Mata...Howard Payne University, all with blue and yellow (gold):
High above old Bayou's waters
Out on Center's heights
Stands our noble Alma Mata
Towering in her might

Keep her colors ever floating
Sing her praises do
Hail to the our Alma Mata
Hail the gold and blue.
*********************************************************************************************************
Apt. 11:15 to get a cavity filled in my tooth.
Up at 9:15 am. I wanted to hit the snooze button but old Blitzen was barking. I dont know why he wanted me to get up. They are just sleeping not demanding bfast.

My dental visit took fifteen minutes. Hardly worth the effort. I am starving. Guess I can eat now. Then for a nap.

After nap we went to dog park. Rain is coming in again. Dogs ran desultorily. Sometimes I wonder if Lady Chica has arthritis. She had a severe break in her thigh long ago. I know that my pelvis scare aches when a front comes in.

Blitzen's Tale
I ran over to say hello to Ray, Bill and Mickey's Dad. Mom was sitting at our table by the fence. The others were over under the shelter. We did some running. Buddy and I trash talked to each other.

Lady Chica's Tale
I didn't do much running. Mostly I just lay around the table where Mom was reading. I wonder what it is like to read a book. Mom sits and turns pages.

BOOK REVIEW
James Patterson, *1st to Die*
Woman's Murder Club. Lindsey Boxer is a homicide dick. She begins to investigate killings of bride and groom on their wedding night. She organizes her friends into a Murder Club, Claire, the ME; Cindy, a reporter; Jill, an assistant DA. Several surprises ensue.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

October 27, 2009

AM Off to Baptist Center.

I was busy constantly. We serviced about 20 families today. As usual, some anglos. Nancy said she felt like a whirling dervish. (She thot she had to define what a whirling dervish was.) Now for a nap.What is that terrible noise? What is that terrible noise?

That is the alarm ringing. 7

I wanted to sew a seam. I was stitching and my bobbin thread snapped. That is so frustrating. I hate bobbins anyhow and the Singer bobbin is more horrible. Probably more accurate.

After a nap, the dog park. Beautiful day. Dogs fascinate me. Today Blitzen went up to an intact male blue heeler, two or three times bigger than he. Blitzen tried mounting him, sort of sideways. The other dog humorously shrugged him off. The two sort of messed around nd then did a mutual play signal. Then they ran off to chase the big dogs along the fence.

Readin and sewing this evening. I have started another quilt, blue and yellow. Oh, dear, those are the colors of Univ of Michigan. Golden the grain and so forth.
Hail to the Victors valiant,
Hail to the conquering Heros,
Hail, Hail to Michigan,
The champions of the West.

Persis you can forward this to your son.

Blitzen's Tale
There was a big old buster on this side that ran with us. We were just leaving when Chance and Buddy arrived. Buddy was crying as usual. (His mom said when he gets out of the car and smells Chica he cries.)

Lady Chica's Tale
Had a great old time chasing along the fence. This was a great day.

Days are growing shorter. In the summer, the shade reaches our table at 7:15. Tonight it was shaded at 5:15. When does the time change? I know that my computer automatically changes.

BOOK REVIEW
James Patterson, *3rd Degree*
Women's Murder Club. Lindsey Boxer, homicide detective in San Francisco. Claire, Jill and Cindy, her friends. In this book, a domestic terrorist is bombing houses, killing people with ricin, a drug made from castor beans. Well developed plot that hangs together.


Hugs, Dr. Liz