A breather

Wow, its been 9 months since my last post. That could worry some people about the things I have been up to...

In fact there is someone new in my life. She was born on January 26, 2009 and she currently weighs 53 lbs. My Bernese Mountain Dog Puppy, Juno. I had puppy fever, for well, lets face it, a couple years, but had started to call breeders after christmas looking for my very own. Much to my chagrin, Bernies are hard to come by and most people either send out for one from afar, or they are on waiting lists with breeders. Lucky me, a breeder returned my call a week after she told me all pups were claimed. Apparrently a girl who was supposed to take one was in a car accident and if I wanted the pup, I would need to act fast.

On March 27, two years to the day after I left for Europe, and 1 year to the day after Doug and I started dating, I got my puppy.

For the past 3 months we have been getting to know each other and the potty training is done. i have been kept quite warm at night. Although she is pretty good up on the bed, she insists on being like me and putting her head on my pillow. that will end soon however she insists on facing me at all times. Right now her head is just inches from my keyboard and she had twice now tried to put her own two cents into this post.

My other reason for not being present and up to date on my posting is LEED. (usgbc.org) I have spent the past 3 months intensely studying for a 400 dollar test for Accreditation. The past 6 weeks, any free time was lent to its study and walking Juno. However i am glad to say, that is all over and I have passed with cool initials after my name. Best part is, since i passed first go around, my office paid for it.

I brought Juno to the fireworks at the beach, and she was stunned by all the people. Thousands of tourists inhaling and imbibing, swearing and littering. What happened the beach on which I could walk with her alone? She was a little frightened by the fireworks, but I thought she would do better seeing the source of the sound. Juno sat on my lap and watched the fireworks with me, as intent as I have ever seen her on something that wasn't living, or food (or both).

I have been living here Tahoe for 10 months and am currently dealing with the summer flow of tourists. Boy do I hate them

Because they are on vacation, they assume everyone here is on vacation and therefore can wait for 20 minutes while a herd of them cross the road on red. They walk down the center of the road and glare at the cars who are just trying to get the errands done. No wonder the "locals of Tahoe" are such grouchy people. according to the tourists.