I am not a morning person. 

There has never been a single day in my almost 49 years that I opened my eyes and greeted the day.  Never.  When I wake up, it's usually to a caffeine withdrawal headache and a profound desire to go back to sleep.  It's not that I am unpleasant, it's just that I am the walking dead. 

Max, my 12 year old is a mini-me, a very slow starter in the morning.  We don't necessarily want to chat, so please don't attempt small talk.  Please don't take offense if I just wave and keep on going in the direction of my tea kettle. 

I remember being invited to someones home at the beach for an overnight.  The woman had no tea kettle.  I didn't know her very well, and I hadn't slept very well as she did not have central air.  I came down to a BIG MORNING PERSON and a regular chatter box on top of it.  And to quote Jerry Seinfeld, she was a close talker. 

Good grief.  God save me from chirpy morning people.  She naturally assumed that I would have a cup of coffee.  Do you have tea, I asked?  Yes, thank God the woman was able to scrounge up a tea bag.  Can I have something to boil water in?  Out comes this mini corning ware thingy with a lid.  So I fill it and put it on the stove.  Chatty Cathy continues to stand very close to me and just chat away as if it was lunch time or something.  She talked so much it may as well have been dinner time.  I interrupted her at least 5 times to ask if this little corning ware thingy whistles when the water is ready.  NO?  HOW WILL I KNOW WHEN THE WATER IS READY??  Excuse me, do you think it's ready?  Oh wait... I think it may be ready.  Please God, let it be ready!! 

Every morning when Max leaves for school, I shout out the front door... Carpe Diem!!  He shouts back, Carpe Doom!  I go back inside, have another cup of tea, read a bit and get started on the day.

Which brings me back to the point of this long winded story.  This May, I planted a Morning Glory.  All summer long, this plant kept growing and not blooming.  Finally, I noticed it.  It's gorgeous.

It's a shame it only blooms in the morning!!  Who knew!  Maybe someone with an ounce of common sense.. it is called morning glory... or maybe just a morning person!!

This was a cute internet joke likening our lives to those of a dog, a monkey, a cow.  It was very nice and good food for thought and funny to boot but because I didn't make it up, I felt I had to delete it under the copyright rules.  When I originally posted it I was unaware that this was a violation.  I left this cute picture, that I snapped, of my neighbor's dog Chloe. 

Salvatore Alberto Lombino, aka. Ed McBain

I am in the middle of reading another Ed McBain novel about the 87th Precinct.  Ed McBain wrote books under two names.  Ed McBain and Edward Hunter.  I wanted to research him a bit and found out that he was born of Italian parents and his real name was Salvatore Alberto Lombino. 

His novels about the 87th Precinct are funny and his use of words are fascinating.  His descriptions of people will make you laugh out loud.  I haven't read them all, but I will.  With descriptive lines like: "reeking of garlic and unidentifiable effluvium", or "in all his fetid obesity" and "Meyer instinctively backed away from the unctuous reek".  All of these are one police officer's opinion of his partner!  And even though the books are several decades or more out of date, they could have been written today.  Mr. McBain passed away a little while ago, but his books are all still here.  I am going to start with the first one, as soon as I can find it. 

Here is a link to a written eulogy for Ed McBain. It details his life and touches on his screenwriting for both TV and the movies.  I found out today that he wrote the script from which Hitchcock's The Birds was made!

http://januarymagazine.com/features/mcbainintro.html

I just finished a wonderful book called The First Time, by Joy Fielding. This book starts out as a woman finds out about her husband's latest affair.  It's a very good human interest story and very touching.

I am currently reading Ed McBain's Romance.  Mr. McBain's books about the fictitious 84Th precinct are very funny, very quirky and often very touching.

I am also attempting to read Dog Training for Dummies!

Join the group:  Realtors that Read

I have been having trouble getting the little button to pop up so people can join the group.  The icon isn't there.  I reported it to Active Rain and they say that it's not on my page because I am the moderator.  If you would like to join the group and find you can not because the link isn't there, please contact active rain.  I would really appreciate it.

Midday yesterday, I was out looking at the flowers and ruminating on the market.  As the title implies, the garden is good, the market is, while maybe not evil, it could certainly be a bit nicer. 

We are all working hard, putting buyers and sellers together, and some things just aren't working out.  Either because the sales are falling through due to unrealistic expectations at the home inspection, or the mortgage companies just not being able to perform the magic they promised us. 

I love to walk around my garden and I even talk to the flowers most days.  Eccentric?  You betcha!  Usually just a hello you guys, or a touch of a petal.  My garden makes me happy and yesterday, I sat by the pool and was mesmerized by the butterflies flitting from one flower to another, the birds landing here and there, my favorite little yellow finches landing right on the sunflowers.  Before I realized it, 30 minutes had gone by.  It was a lovely way to take a break from the real world of work, worry, Mike's leaving for college, potty training the new baby dog JJ, my 5 pound weight gain, etc. 

Almost every single flower, shrub and most of the trees were planted by yours truly.  I was born and raised in a row home in South Philadelphia, and my husband still marvels that a city girl could have such a green thumb.  Looking at my flowers everyday makes me very happy and I love to take time out to just enjoy them.

Crape myrtles are a favorite of mine.  They bloom in East Goshen through most of July and August and they are so pretty.

Black eyed Susans are another favorite.  These chirpy little flowers just multiply like crazy and I don't really have to do much to keep them happy.  Sort like my new puppy.  JJ is very in the moment.  Whatever he is doing, he's happy doing it.  Sadly, he is very easily distracted.  If he takes 10 minutes to find just the right potty spot and is ready to go, my bad luck if a butterfly flits by.  He's off and it's another 10 minutes to potty time.  I'm not getting very much other stuff done but he is a joy and I am loving it.

If you look very closely at the bottom of this picture you'll see Max's Marigolds.  When Max was in Kindergarten, he brought me home one little marigold in a Styrofoam coffee cup.  I nursed that little baby through the summer, and in the fall, I took the seeds in for the winter.  The next spring, I sprinkled them on the mulch and I had marigolds everywhere.  Max is now going into 6th grade.  I have continued to take in his marigold seeds and sprinkle them every April and I have them everywhere.  Some of my neighbors also have them.  A client who moved to Virginia gets seeds in the mail from me and he has them down there.  Max's marigolds make me happy with remembrance of him as a small boy and are a constant reminder of what a fine young man he is growing up to be.

If you find yourself in East Goshen, Chester County, give me a call.  I can give you a tour of the local housing market as well as a tour of my garden.  Everyone is welcome!

Roux 3, One of my favorite places to eat!

Tim Johnson, one of the owners of Roux 3 usually attends my Sunday morning body pump class with his lovely wife Lora.  They have 2 beautiful children.  Tim is one of the nicest people I have the pleasure of laughing with on Sunday mornings and the food at his restaurant is out of this world!  The have a calamari appetizer that is heavenly!  Check out what is going on this weekend:

Summer Dinners @ ROUX 3 Restaurant

Edgemont Square Shopping Center, (next to regal cinemas) Newtown Square 610.356.9500

Website www.roux3.com  

"Clambake"

Traditional New England Style Clambake Lobster, Crab, Mussels, Clams, Jumbo Shrimp simmered in shellfish broth served with "Pete's Farm" (Pete's Farm is a great local farmers market) Local Silver Queen Corn and Bliss Potatoes   $27.95

Includes Complimentary Glass of Red or White Sangria or House Wine Selection  

All Weekend Long Starting Friday August 8  

Patio Dining Tables Available

Reservations suggested, walk-ins welcome    

Roux 3 is located at:

4755 West Chester Pike
Newtown Square, PA 19073
Phone: 610.356.9500
Fax: 610.356.6582



For more information (dress code, parking, map, etc.) or to make reservations at
Roux 3:
http://www.opentable.com/restaurant_profile.asp?ID=2646&restref=2646

On July 15, 2008, on my son Max's birthday, we bought a puppy named Maggie Moo from a breeder.   While we were at the breeder's we noticed several dogs that looked like they could use medical attention.  We also noticed puppies being held in rabbit hutches.  This was a puppy mill.  This breeder was recommended to me by a friend so I was very surprised at the condition of the family pets.  We adopted Maggie because she was just so cute and we didn't want to leave her there.  During the 24 hours we had Maggie, she became very sick.  She lost her sight, started having seizures and was stumbling around.   My veterinarian didn't think she'd live through the day.  Max and I were devastated as we had fallen in love with the little girl.  It was a very hard, but we made the decision to give Maggie back to the breeder as the vet didn't think she would ever be completely healthy again.

They believe that Maggie got into some kind of toxic chemical, possibly the medication the breeder used to worm her horses.

My friends, Ed Angelo, Liz Facenda and I all started trying to report the breeder to the authorities.  It took us almost 2 weeks to get someone to even call us back.

I was online and found a site that's mission is to stop puppy mills and the cruelty that goes on there.  On 7/24 a toll-free number was put into action.  Ed Angelo and I both called and reported the breeder.  On 7/25  Ed and I both received a call from the department of Dog Law Enforcement.  I was asked to make a written statement, which I did immediately and faxed to them.

I just found out today that on 7/28, 17 dogs were surrendered by the owner to the Chester County SPCA, including Maggie Moo.  At the last inquiry made by the Enforcement Agency, all of the dogs were doing great and were well on the road to recovery.  The owner received citations for violations, vet care was ordered on the dogs that were not surrendered and the enforcement office has gained compliance for those violations as of this date.  They will periodically check this property to ensure that this does not happen again in the future.

It is my prayer that Maggie Moo will find a loving home and get adopted right away.  I sent a note of thanks to the woman at the agency and got this note in return:

Susan,

The puppy you had was doing just great last update I had.  If not for your and Ed's efforts we would not be able to do our jobs.  So many people don't want to get involved and make that crucial phone call.  17 dogs lives changed for the better due to your help and we thank you for that.

This story has a happy ending for Max as well.  A friend found us another puppy to help heal Max's broken heart.  His name is JJ and he is a love!  Max still feels very sad about Maggie but is much relieved that she is no longer being kept at the puppy mill. 

A lot of you have already seen pictures of JJ, but if you haven't, here he is:

Not a great picture as the little guy won't stay still for more than two seconds at a time!

The agency announced the launch Thursday of a 24-hour new hotline (1-877-DOG-TIP1) for the public to report problems in kennels.

If you live in the PA area, please plan to attend Puppymill Awareness Day. 

Time: September 20, 2008 from 11am to 5pm
Location: Lancaster Community Park, Lancaster, PA.
Website or Map: http://www.awarenessday.org
Event Type: Awareness, Event

I live with three men, one baby (our new puppy, JJ) and my perpetually disgruntled cat, Scat.  The men vary in ages.  Jack is 65.  Mike is 19.  Max is 12.  I have very few rules.  One of the rules is that you have to hang the puppy's collar on the hook by the back door.  The logic behind this rule is very simple... when you take the puppy out of the crate, he has to go right outside.  The rub in this rule is that I never remember to hang up the leash.  Max does.  Jack does.  Mike doesn't walk the dog, he's above such mundane pursuits.  I spend the better part of my life looking for my keys, my phone and now the leash. 

So, I went about my usual Sunday morning things.  I walked JJ.  Had my tea.  Messed around on Active Rain while JJ ate.  Waited 15 minutes.  Walked the little bugger again.  We have 3 doors to the outside, 4 if you count the garage.  Logic would have it, at least my logic, that if Mom forgot to hang up the leash again, it has to be near one of the 3 doors to the outside.  This morning, I used the deck door.  I always use a different door when I go out.  There is no rhyme or reason to it.  I just rarely go out the same door twice here.  You may have gathered that I am not neat, orderly or organized and I am certainly not a creature of habit unless the habit is that I am habitually helter skelter.

After walking JJ for the 3rd time this morning, I went to my Sunday morning body pump class at the gym.  This is my happy place.  I have often told Jack that if he sees me there, not to talk to me about the kids, about the house or anything unpleasant.  This is my zone.  If you can't say something nice, please, for God's sake, don't say anything at all.

So, there I am, laughing and exercising with my girlfriend Cheryl.  We're on biceps.  I am in the zone.  I am smiling.  I turn around and see Jack coming into the room.  Jack doesn't do classes.  He does his own thing in what I call the "manly section" of the gym.  This can't be good.  He signals for me to come outside and he is not happy. 

"Where's the dog's leash"?  Now I am at the gym.  I am not standing in my kitchen.  I am not home.  Where's the leash?  How the hell should I know!  "It's not hanging on the hook", he says.  Well duh!  I had it last, of course it's not hanging on the hook! Max and Mike are at home going crazy trying to find the leash.  How hard could it be to find a leash?  It must be near one of the 3 doors going to the outside.  This is logical.  I call Max from Jack's cell phone.  He is in a total panic.  I tell him that he needs to look near the 3 doors.  He says he did that already and the leash is nowhere.  I say, it has to be there, I walked JJ this morning.  I came in the deck door.  Did he look on the kitchen table?  "Do I need to come back home", I yell into the phone.  I am no longer in my happy place.  "Oh, here it is", replies Max.  On the kitchen table. 

I go back in and my face is like reading a book.  I look like a thunder cloud.  What happened the girls want to know.  "Three men and a baby couldn't find the baby's leash", I replied.  My friend Pam said something very funny.  She said that men think that the uterus is some kind of homing device because men can never find anything.  They always call their wives!

I know that this is my fault.  I tell Cheryl, this is my fault.  She said "what is it with Jews and Italians, everything that happens, it must be their fault"!  Cheryl is Jewish and I am Italian.  Two peas in the same pod.  I said, "no really, it is my fault".   She said, "just call my mother, believe me, she'll tell you it's your fault whether it is nor not"! 

 I am back in my happy place!  Thanks to Cheryl, who is one of the funniest women I know.  And Pam, who made me realize that I am carrying a homing device in my body!