My Birthday and Office Tree

Three short days after Christmas is my birthday. This year we went to Island Way Grill which is where I performed the wedding ceremony of my friend Christmas last 4th of July - a very rainy 4th of July. The food was awesome! I read this restaurant is partially owned by the ex-Buccaneer Mike Allstott.

My mom got the cake from publix and it was yummy with the whipped cream frosting (I am not a buttercream girl) and chocolate pudding filling between layers of yellow sponge cake.

The two photos above were taken on my phone because I forgot my camera. This is my first time of moving a photo from my phone to the internet. Feeling rather tech-ie this evening!

Final photo is the Christmas tree at work. I put it up shortly after Thanksgiving and took it down today. Felt like a Scrooge. It looks much better in person than the photo. It had red lights and then white lights that faded in and out - not flashing or blinking, slow fade. I already had grand ideas for next year so hopefully no one else will volunteer to do it, lol.

Before, During, and After

SHOPPING

SHOWER

VANITY

TOILET AREA

We started with a bulging shower wall due to water and termite damage (old termite damage, not active thank goodness) and it evolved into a make-over because the new shower didn't match the rest of the bathroom which would be a big problem if we ever wanted to sell our house. This gave us a chance to install a new low-flow toilet that is higher (more accessible), and to replace flourescent lights with energy saving bulbs. Then I splurged a little on the granite counter top. OK, I splurged a lot but I saved in other areas to make up for it :) Oh, and double sinks for the first time in our married life!

Christmas Day 2010

Eddie waiting patiently for his new toys that he is SURE are hidden under that tree!

I splurged and bought roses for the dining table and the it turned out we had to move them to the sideboard because they blocked our view, dah.

I only put out my largest nutcrackers this year. We were busy with the bathroom remodel with stuff strewn about the house and with too many "things" the house felt too stuffed.

Oops - photos out of order. We had a Christmas breakfast/brunch this morning, then opened gifts, then later in the day I cooked dinner. Here the dogs are enjoying sausage strata and raspberries.

Mom helping Marge open her gift.

Jerry with a new package of cigars.

Me with no makeup and a little tired from having stayed up late the night before to prepare breakfast.

Funny things - Eddie waited long enough and went under the tree, grabbed a gift bag & pulled it out from under the tree, then took out the toys.

Daisey with my newest nutcracker - i LOVE it!

Eddie, exaughsted from the brunch & playing with so many new toys, gets a much needed massage from Marge.

Eddie with his new stash of toys. Don't worry - Daisey did get to play with one. Woody slept through the day except for the parts with food.

Christmas Eve

Eddie

Woody

Daisey

We went to Christmas Eve dinner at the Beachcomber again last night - Marge treats us every year because she can no longer contribute to holiday dinners so this is "her thing". The lobster bisque is yummy.

Last night put together a strata for breakfast/brunch which will be in a couple hours. Dinner will be later. I'm doing this cooking under a boil water alert. A water main broke and it's a difficult one to repair so we will be boiled water for 5 days. The timing!

These are a few shots of the dogs under the tree. Hope you all are having a wonderful day.

Wedding, Birthday, & Office Party

Last weekend mom, Daisey & I traveled over to the east coast of Florida to perform the wedding of friends. I know these folks because a) they are Ratbone volunteers and foster home, and b) they are friends through the internet rat terrier social networking I belong to. This was my first time to meet and I married them! lol

What is better than a rat terrier on top of your wedding cake?

Widdle Kiara - love visiting a house full of rat terriers.

Their Nala Belle. Beautiful dog and I know the owner of the mother and siblings of this dog.

We returned on Sunday which was Mom's birthday so we made a side trip to the beach since she had never been to an Atlantic beach. Took her 75 years to get there! Whoops, did I just tell her age?

Daisey enjoyed the beach despite the wind, mist, and cold temp.

When we got back to Clearwater we then picked up Jerry & his mom and went to Bonefish Grill in St. Petersburg for mom's birthday dinner. Cake is from Publix and it was yummy!

Goofy photo of mom blowing out the candles - sorry mom. hee hee

Yesterday was work Christmas party and pot luck. I brought Paella. I even included a few Alaska scallops from my treasured stash!

Lordy, Lord, Look Who's Forty!

Last Saturday we went to a birthday party for my friend Christina's 40th birthday. It was held at the Bonefish Grill in Clearwater. It's funny because many of the people there attend her annual Halloween party but I don't recognize them because I know them only in costume :)

Santa Photo 2010

Eddie, my foster Woody, and Daisey had their Christmas photo made with Santa. Do I need to tell you how hard it is to keep three terriers attention and ON Santa's lap long enough to snap a photo?

The photograpoher kept trying to get one where Ed's ear didn't cover up part of Santa - like that is possible :) I wanted to tell her I didn't care about Santa's face but I didn't want to be rude to Santa!