End of Summer 2007

I'm back in a good place in my life again. It's hard to believe summer 2007 is over. So much has happened since my last post. It was a fun summer filled with lots of activities and events. My boss retired and we took her to dinner at Opera. They have amazing martinis.



I moved to Ravenswood manor and love it. I'm not fully unpacked. I simply have too much stuff. The Francisco brown line station is just around the corner which makes for an easy commute to work.



The dogs are really happy here and love walking around the neighborhood. Bridgie has gained weight and has adjusted well to her new life with Rudy and I. We celebrated her second birthday in July. Chicago Dachshund Lovers held a Luau in July and Bridget loved the bubble machine with pineapple soap. Of course I had to buy a bubble machine for my Luau girl.





The first weekend in September, we drove to Danville, IL to attend the 11th Annual Doxiefest with our Doxie friends. But the weather didn't cooperate and the event was rained out. This is us huddled under the tent. In spite of uncooperating weather, we had alot of fun and look forward to going again next year.

Work has been very busy. ABN Amro Inc sold LaSalle Financial Services to Bank of America. Barclays and Royal Bank of Scotland are competing to buy ABN Amro Inc, and our fate will be known soon. I am hoping for a package so I can take time off and reinvent myself. Everything will work out, it always does.

Crazy Day

I went to work today with my sweater inside out. Enough said.

Kendra

On the way to knitting tonight, my phone rang. It was my friend Kendra from Southampton, New York. She was stranded in Chicago and the only hotel available was in Skokie. "Do you know where Skokie is", she asks. Literally minutes away from home! So once she got settled at the hotel, I picked her up and we enjoyed a wonderful dinner at Wildfire in Glenview. What a Serendipitious moment to unexpectedly have dinner with a dear friend . We had a wonderful time and I hope to see her again soon.

Down

Rudy my incorrigible Dachshund has learned "down". Of course his version isn't the standard. . . he slowly drops his front down and casually flips on his side. But I'll take it! He can sit up, sit, down and shake. Class is going okay. He is unable to "sit and stay". When we walk around our dogs, Rudy follows me in a little circle. He will always be my Mr Needy. I was dreading the last night of class because I thought we would have to go through all the commands successfully. If so, I knew Rudy would never "pass". But the last night is going to be a fun night -- we get to entertain each other by showing off all the "tricks" our dogs can do. Rudy will rock the house.

Sunday afternoon was the June Chicago Dachshund Lovers group meetup. Bridget attended for the first time and did really well. She would run around and then home in by my feet which was sweet. Both dogs were exhausted when we got home.

Heidi and I had dinner at Carnivale on Sunday night. Hands down my favorite restaurant in Chicago, http://www.carnivale-chicago.com/.

Birthday Joy

Wow! My weekend was filled with more birthday fun! Saturday afternoon I lounged at the pool with Fancy Nancy. We ran into Lynae with her kids, and she gave us her lounge chair (a precious commodity). Fancy gave me Mango Martini mix so we enjoyed frozen margaritas after our day at the pool. Later Heidi joined Fancy and I for dinner at Wildfire which was fantastic. Their Key Lime martinis and Pomegranate martinis are delicious.

On Sunday Rebecca and I journeyed to Kenosha to visit Tiffany. We had 8 dogs between us who got to play and wrestle and wear each other out. They surprised me with a "Happy Birthday Tamara" DQ ice cream cake and presents!

What a great weekend! I am really blessed to have such caring and thoughtful friends.

Socks Don't Rock

I hate knitting socks. I love to knit and I love sock yarn but I hate knitting socks. I am knitting socks for Marcello in Mountain Colors worsted. Recommended needle size 6-7, I am knitting on size 1. These socks are like Teflon, nothing will get through them. They are so firm, they stand on their own. I was done knitting the second sock with only the kitchener toe to do. . . . . when I discovered a huge mistake after the heel. Sock One I decreased every row, Sock Two I decreased every other row. So I had to frog it back to the heel and redo it. I only have 10 more rows until the toe decrease. Having to re-knit the sock wasn't so bad. Maybe I don't hate socks after all.

Four Months later. . .

New car.
New dog.
New apartment.
New haircut.
New size.
One year older.
Same old me.

In March I purchased my dream car, the Mini Cooper - silver with a black roof. It is so fun! I decided to cut my hair short again. Growing it out was no longer tolerable. I was tired of feeling like a fat cow and have lost 10+ lbs since April.

Just before Memorial Day weekend, I was contacted by a friend who knew about a Chocolate and Tan Dachshund who needed a home. I went to meet her and she came home with me. Rudy adores Bridget and they are wonderful together.

He was so lonely after we lost Chloe'. She was such a good girl. Although Rudy is much happier with Bridget in our lives, he is stressed out living in Evanston with the kids. Too much noise and chaos for him. He ran out of the house recently when doors were left open and bit an elderly neighbor in the leg. A week later he ran out of the house again and bit Madeleine when she tried to get him out from under the UPS truck. He hates the doorbell or when people come to the house or are in our yard. I realized it is time to move out and found a wonderful apartment in Ravenswood Manor. It is spacious, comfortable, easy street parking, close to train and near friends. Move in date August 1st.

Over the weekend I went to MN for my nephews High School graduation. Hard to believe our little man is all grown up and off to college in the Fall. He is such a nice boy, we are very proud of him. I turned 43 while I was home. My dad had a family birthday dinner party for me which was nice. I received thoughtful gifts. When I arrived back in Chicago Monday night, Heidi and the kids celebrated my birthday again. They gave me a beautiful Lantern Moon knitting basket with handles. And a gift certificate for Montoya Fiber Arts. I plan to buy my first set of Lantern Moon knitting needles.