Is she a 'Hottie' or not?

So, it was gorgeous out one day last week - around 60 degrees. I bundled Mom up with an extra blanket around her so she could sit outside on the back deck (thereby doing an 'outing' - at least in her book...). She was enjoying basking in the warmth of the sun as we sat there and chatted about this and that. When, much to my amazement, she starts throwing off the blanket and unzipping her robe (thankfully John was not present as it wasn't a pretty sight). She puts a hand to her chest and says 'I'm HOT.' She ponders this though for just a moment, looks at me and says 'Lori! Am I a HOTTIE?' Oh, you can probably imagine my reaction.

So, after 3 gorgeous days in a row, nature did us dirty and threw us an ice/snow storm. We've had a fire every day for the past week as we're in a pretty good deep freeze in Boyds still. The new wood stove insert is not only gorgeous, but it keeps the livingroom quite toasty too. The little bit of snow we had was delightful, while it lasted. There is nothing in the world like sitting in the hot tub with a fresh cup of coffee, pre-dawn, while the snow falls. Amazing.

John ordered the boat name applique from an online source - 'Namaste II' is officially the name although I was voting for some raunchier boat names specifically playing off the fact that Namaste II is a sailboat (won't go into specifics, but if you want to know, email me and I'll enlighten you). We've also started to think about the things we'll be needing when we sail, such as a seltzer maker. We figured that getting a machine to make as much seltzer as we want/need is preferable to hauling cans or plastic bottles all over the Chesapeake with us. Tote bags will be in high demand also. The cabin of the boat is very spacious, well for a 26' boat. The manufacturer has really maximized the space but, by all accounts of other owners, one must be organized for the space to work (Vic! I'm going to need you...).

Here she is under sail. Actually, this boat looks MUCH more like me than John - a fact I remind him of frequently. Sure is purdy (as Dad would have said).

I'm starting as an assistant trainer in a beginning dog obedience class tomorrow and dear Killian is the 'dog model' to show appropriate behavior - God, I hope so! I'm a bit apprehensive about this move, but he is pretty well trained and does listen to me, most of the time. I've been working with him on 'get the remote' which is quite helpful in ferrying the remote control for the TV from Mom to me. He can't quite grasp the phone to help out there (or, more likely, he doesn't want to). We've also been studiously reinforcing his newest command of 'Get Lori.' This one is used by Mom when she needs me as Killian hears so much better than I do. Mom calls him and says 'Get Lori' and Killian is trained to come find me wherever I am and touch the top of my right hand as his signal. It was a bit difficult to get this through his doggie brain as the treats were in my left hand and he was quite clearly confused about why on earth he should touch my right hand but, about a box of Milkbones later and he's nailed the command. Thankfully, we haven't had to put the command into full play yet so we just practice it daily.

Just had my bathroom painted, finally, so my master bedroom room revisions are officially done. I chose a gorgeous, vibrant blue called Caribbean Seas which is about what it looks like. Now, it's onto the den which is about to be my office. Now, if I could only figure out what to do with an office...

Been continuing my writing on eHow which is really a blast. I don't plan on making millions here, but Mom and I really have fun thinking about articles. My 'payday' so far is around $15. We ran across an 89 year old woman on there who has a lot of really fun articles about life in the old days. I've been reading them to Mom at night. The woman is from Witchita Falls so Mom remembers even the theaters the woman writes about. Anyway, here's my newest list of eHows for your reading pleasure (or, well, not) - the first one is my all time favorite article:

How to Love A Dog
How to Tell If Your Dog Has An Illness Know As Dog Flu (Dog Influenza)
How to Come Up With Creative Gift Ideas for Mother's Day
How to Prepare The Best Mother's Day Gift (Breakfast in Bed!) Ever
How to Find Creative Uses For Your Digital Camera and Its Photos
How to Find Creative Uses For Your Digital Camera and Its Photos When Traveling
How to Make The Best Herb-Marinated Baby Back Ribs EVER (yes, I said EVER!)
How to Make Mouth-Watering Baby Back Ribs In Saran Wrap And Aluminum Foil
How to Reduce Unwanted Litters by Neutering or Spaying Your Dog
How to Find The Best Skin Care Products For Your Senior Citizens
How to Identify Items To Make Life Easier For Our Senior Citizens
How to Make The Best Breakfast Sandwich For Your Valentine
How to Prepare A Diet For A Sick Dog With Stomach Problems
How to Make Money For Rescue Dogs At A Casino
How to Cook For Someone Needing a Soft Diet (as After Oral Surgery)
How to Give Your Dog Medication
How to Know When It's Time To Euthanize Your Dog
How to Help Your Dog Become More Confident
How to Create a Get Well Gift For a Child
How to Identify and Enroll in a Pharmaceutical Clinical Trial
How to Make Sense of Your Dog's Natural Behavior
How to Take The Best Photo Of Your Dog