Hound and Kitty Food Fight

Washington Tidbit #5-Old Glory No BBQ

So my guide book suggested lunch at Old Glory BBQ in Georgetown. Unfortunately the Grill was on the fritz for the hour that we decided to stop in. But the fact that we were basically the only people in there had escaped our attention until we had committed ourselves to a booth and we had glupped down some ice water (after walking like 10 blocks out of our way) . Our waitress then pitifully tried to explain what was available.. which was pretty much nothing except for the pulled meats.. we thought about leaving.. but the thought of getting out into the heat again and trying to find something else shot that idea down.. the worst part was No sweet potato fries.. so sad! Kristi said this was probably the healthiest she's ever eaten at a BBQ joint..making the best of it we had fun playing with our food and trying out the various BBQ sauces. Yummy! Just teaser to go back and get the full BBQ experience.

**Me and my pulled mystery meat conglomerate**

**Kristi taking a bite of her pulled pork sandwich**

**Jenny making a sauce masterpiece**

Those Crazy Texters

Came across this article today.. oh my gosh! Why have we become so insane about texting? So sad we take for granted the simple joys of walking across the street, riding a bike or rollerblading without being totally plugged in.

I remember when I first moved to San Diego and I thought it was SO weird to see some one on a beach cruiser talking on his cell phone (now that's a regular occurrence.. I think I might have even done that once!)... fast forward a couple years and now no hands on the wheel and head down feverishly pecking out a few grammatically incorrect non sentences...my how far we've come..Anyway had a good laugh and a paradigm shift...enjoy where you are when you're there... no more texting while driving! :)


CHICAGO - The warning came too late for Barack Obama's adviser: Don't walk and text at the same time. Obama aide Valerie Jarrett fell off a Chicago curb several weeks ago while her thumbs were flying on her Blackberry. "I didn't see the sidewalk and I twisted my ankle," Jarrett said. "It was a nice wake-up call for me to be a lot more careful in the future, because I clearly wasn't paying attention and I should have." Jarrett got off easy and didn't need medical attention.

But in an alert issued this week, the American College of Emergency Physicians warns of the danger of more serious accidents involving oblivious texters. The ER doctors cite rising reports from doctors around the country of injuries involving text-messaging pedestrians, bicyclists, Rollerbladers, even motorists. Most involve scrapes, cuts and sprains from texters who walked into lampposts or walls or tripped over curbs. Still, ER doctors who responded to a recent informal query from the organization reported two deaths, both in California. A San Francisco woman was killed by a pickup truck earlier this year when she stepped off a curb while texting, and a Bakersfield man was killed last year by a car while crossing the street and texting.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has no national estimate on how common texting-related injuries are. But among the reports it has received: A 15-year-old girl fell off her horse while texting, suffering head and back injuries, and a 13-year-old girl suffered belly, leg and arm burns after texting her boyfriend while cooking noodles.

Giancarlo Yerkes texted his way across a busy Chicago street Tuesday and escaped unscathed. But the 30-year-old advertising employee admitted he once walked straight into a stop sign while texting and bumped his head. Yerkes said that he texts while walking to maximize his time, and that the emergency doctors' warning probably won't stop him. "There's a lot of things you shouldn't do — this is another one on my list," Yerkes said.

Dr. James Adams, chairman of emergency medicine at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, said he has treated minor injuries in several texters. "Common sense isn't always common," Adams said. Sometimes even among doctors. "I have to admit that I started a text while I was driving and then I said, `This is so stupid,' so I stopped," Adams said.

Dr. Patrick Walsh, an emergency physician in Bakersfield, Calif., said he is a texter, too, but tries to remind himself to do it intelligently. "We think we're multitasking, but we're not," he said. "You're focusing on one task for a split second, then focusing on another one, and with something moving 40 miles an hour like a car, it just takes a couple of seconds to be hit." Walsh, a native of Ireland, said that on a recent visit there he noticed an effective government TV ad campaign against texting and walking, aimed at teenagers. The message echoes the new advice from U.S. emergency doctors. "We don't want to sound like some stern schoolmistress, telling people don't text on your cell phone," Walsh said. "But when you're texting, look around," he said.

The ER group also says people should never text while driving, and should avoid talking on a cell phone or texting while doing other physical activities, including walking, biking, boating and Rollerblading.
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Day at the Races

**Me and the Golden Ticket**

I ditched out of work early and joined JW and her work for 4 o'lock Friday at Del Mar Fairgrounds to watch some horse racing. I don’t really get into the whole gambling thing, but I do enjoy the thrill of watching those horses gallop across the track. I gave myself an entertainment budget of $2 and took my chances on a horse named Exquisite.. No one would be able to confuse me for a regular.. the lady at the booth had to coach me through about 20 decisions before handing me my ticket. I ended up with $2 on #9 to Place (which means coming in 1st or 2nd) the odds were not in my favor… by shear luck my horse came in 2nd and I won $8.40.. not bad.. but I quickly made the decision to retire and reinvest my winnings in to consumable energy (a spicy hot dog from the concession stand).

**Horses After a Race--They would be a blur if I tried to get them mid race**



**JW looking for the big winner**

Washington Tidbit #2-Style and Comfort

Just wanted to let you know that Jenny put me to shame with her go-go-gadget packing skills. She arrived at my house on Thursday with a carry on sized bag for SIX days worth of adventures.. she even managed to get a full fledged folding chair in there.. Honestly?! I was completely amazed. and a little embarrassed… my bag was twice the size.

Due to the Airplane maintenance issues I was afforded the opportunity to reexamine my contents and do a little reorganizing.. and the major difference in packing styles stemmed from my choice to pack with options.. because who knows what you will feel like wearing one day… Jenny thought this was hilarious.. but no use trying to be something your not.. so not much was taken out and I was perfectly content.. except when I had to maneuver my huge suitcase on the subway! Sacrifices do have to be made.. Style before comfort.

Washington Tidbit #3-The Great Mall Run

**San Diego Crew-Matty, Me, Jenny, Lambini, and Rachel**

We arrived in DC with plenty of time to catch the subway to our hotel and met up with the few San Diegians turned East Coasters (Matty G., Rachel J., and Lambini). We caught up while grabbing a quick bite and heading over to a roof top party which promised a view of the fireworks without all the crazy crowds

*View from the Rooftop**

The roof top, while spectacular, was really not the DC Fireworks experience that I was hoping for…apparently I needed the energy and excitement of the crowds.. (the weather wasn’t really cooperating.. drizzly and hazy so visibility was being compromised) so during a split second decision making process Jenny, Lambini and I bolted from the roof top with T-15 minutes until show time in search of the Washington Monument. We actually ran through the National Mall (and at one point I was actually talking on my cell phone, trying to confirm tour plans for the next day and running through the streets of an unknown city….sometimes I amaze even myself with my multitasking abilities) and arrived just as the 1st firework erupted. It was glorious! So amazingly to be in the National Capital on the Nations Birthday… I would highly recommend it!

**Pictures don't really do it justice.. due to poor night settings on point and shoot cammeras**

My Sweet Honey Bees

So the area of San Diego in which my work is building homes has been plagued with bees as of late.. Last week.. 70 lbs of Honey Comb was harvested from one of the attics...according to the bee experts... this represents about 7-8 months of work and they apparently got in through a pin sized hole underneath the tile roof.

I never knew bees were so industrious and so determined.

It's really a shame this was contaminated by bee poison.. I hear that honey comb is a lucrative commodity.. according to online research one 1lb of honey with comb is approximately $5.95... nice to know there is something to fall back if the housing marketing doesn't work it's self out.

Toetally Non-Tan

** Feet may be whiter than they appear**

After my numerous walking adventures in Washington DC and due to the mary janish shoes I wore I now have a non-tan toes... this is one tan line I've never seen before so it needed to be photo documented... honestly with me any evidence of tanness needs to be documented.

This and the crazy swelling either due to humidity, airplane cabin pressure or constant walking (Possibly all of the above) caused me to barely recognize my own feet and ankles.. thankfully this was not a permanent condition.. a couple days back in California and they were back to their normal state. (Ha, ha!) Whew that was a close one!

Unification of the Garbells

Lisa G wed long time sweetheart Ryan B in the San Diego Temple on July 12, 2008. A wedding that was the the most anticipated social event of the season. This was a huge fiesta.. complete with a pinata... so much fun! Seriously who can resist a pinata..

The Couple using their problem solving skills.. after Lisa knocks it out of the park... just seconds earlier...

Love the look of shock on Lisa's face.. done without shedding any candy I might add.

Lisa C. caught the bridal bouquet and a posed for a photo op with the darling Ross who caught the garter..

Slow Lane Monday

On days like these I long for Public Transportation... So Close ...yet.. so far... on my way home it took me an 45 mins to go 3 miles..However I realized it could have been worse when I finally drove past the perpetrator... an SUV on resting on the median with 2 wheels in the air... Yikes!

Packing in Frugality

This is how my Birthday present arrived from my parents...yep it's true...Sadly no I did not get a cat for my birthday :(.. this is an example of recycling at it's finest.

I had to laugh.. there has never been a need to wonder where I got my frugality, however I think my Mom has taken it to a whole new level with the reuse of a cat food box as shipping material through the US Postal Service. I like to imagine that she put a smile on several postal workers faces while this was being delivered.

Way to be so eco-friendly and cost effective!

Happy Birthday America.. Happy Birthday to Me!

For the Big American Birthday Bash.. aka 4th of July... I decided to make my way to the mother land.. Washington DC our nations capitol.. uncharted territory for this California native. This trip was also a Birthday present to myself... I’m not sure how I’m going to top this next year?!

I was super excited about this trip.. so much so that I might have developed OCD on the party planning... there was a very detailed spreadsheet involved if that gives you any indication (I wish it could be posted here in all it's glory). Another tribute to show you my level of obsessiveness (and maybe nerdiness): I had two guide books, a couple maps, a few history cliff notes books, countless book marked DC websites... and to set the mood, I had even bought a series of lectures discussing the life of Ben Franklin and had been listening to them on my way to work for the week leading up to this trip.

I was more organized for this trip than I have ever been for any trip in my life.. which goes to show that even the best laid plans go haywire occasionally.. on this trip I don't think anything quite ended up how I anticipated but how can you go wrong with great friends, fabulous fireworks and a city full of monumental amazement.

Washington Post

So I've been back from Washington DC for two whole days and I already feel like a slacker. JW and Kristi have both loaded up all their pics and updated their blogs... and what do I have to show for myself... great big goose egg...

So I bought a new fancy semi professional camera for this trip.. and I'm not going to lie... went a little nuts..

If my calculations are correct.. with my two cameras I have 572 pictures of DC.. holy moly! I'm still sifting out the good ones... I accidentally left the instructions to my new camera at home and it took about half way through the trip to figure out how to turn it on.. ha ha!

So look forward to some fabulous shots when I finally figure this thing out. In the meantime here is a little teaser for the trip log to come.