I had kind of a feeling that there was something up with the dogs but I had not acted on those feeling by calling our wonderful pet sitter. Well, it was nothing but my poor pet sitter had a bit of a problem. On thursday, he went out to walk the dogs and our front door lock jammed. He is a resourceful guy and he and our neighbor attempted to unjam the lock. But after that failed, he found a way to get into the house that was very resourceful.

Now if he had called me, or I had used my intuition and called him, I could have made life a bit easier for him, but as I said, he did very well. Wait a minute, I have to make a call to a Locksmith!!

Done, appointment made!!! 

Hawaii was wonderful as usual. Kauaii is our favorite Island and this is our fourth trip in four years to the Island. We bought a time share at the Marriott to years ago and it was almost like going home. This time we asked for and received a ground floor, garden view unit that allowed us to sit outside and watch the people and birds pass on by.

Did I say birds?? Yes and the majority of the birds were chickens. In 1992 Kauaii was hit with a severe hurricane and I have heard several reasons why there are so many chickens. One was that was a great deal of Cock fighting and as the hurricane approached the breeders protected their prize birds and left the others to fend for themselves. Another is that the chickens are raised "free range" and with no natural enemies they were and are free to range.

There are chickens everywhere and having a ground floor unit was a great opportunity to visit with them up close and personal. Every morning we sat outside on the patio and fed the birds as they multiplied exponentially. One turned into two,two turned into four and soon we had sixteen or more birds and chickens. The Roosters were a bit agressive and tended to chase away the smaller birds. So my son-in-law asserted himself and the rooster stayed away.

We spent our days swimming at the pool and the beach, walking and just plain relaxing. Other than our three trips to the grocery store and an occasional lunch out, we cooked and ate at home. The resort has banks of barbeques and at dinner time they are full of men who wait their turn to grill their dinner.

There are many beautiful sights on the island of Kauaii but this being our fourth trip, we had already visited the Wiamea Canyon three times, once by helicopter and twice by car. We also had sailed to the Napali Coast on a Catamaran and we visited Hanalei on the other side of the island.

I also celebrated my birthday on Kauaii and in honor of my birthday, Alyssa and I spent the afternoon of my birthday at the Hyatt Spa. It was amazing as always.

The best part of the trip was time spent with the kids and Blake. He is adorable and so grown up at almost seven months. His smile traveled with him wherever he went and kept us all smilling away. Everything made him laugh especially when we sneezed. Looking at life through the eyes of a child made me realize how simple life could be if we lived in the now, like babies and dogs.

I am still very mixed up with the time and I didn't even realize that it is five o'clock, time to feed the dogs. I think that my time will be even more crazy as I head out to New Orleans on Thursday. Three hours behind in Hawaii and I think two hours ahead in New Orleans. I will never get the time straight.

Meanwhile I savor every moment of our magical trip to Kauaii! I only have to look at the sunburn on my body (ouch!!) to remember standing at the beach as the waves washed over me. Until next year..ALoha Kauaii!!

I had the priviledge of feeding him his rice cereal,banana and breast milk. The first day of feedind we tried avocado and he disliked it so much that he shook when it went down the pipe. The expression on his face was soemthing to see.

When we switched to the above mentioned combo he got the hang of it. The first time, more came out then went on in. Then he got the hang of it and by the second try, he openend his mouth in anticipation. It is amazing how such a small thing was such a big thrill for me (LOL)!

He has also found his voice and he uses it loud and clear. His screams of delight last a minute or so. I think he is not far off from talking.

It will not be long before I see him again as I am going to travel to New Orleans and babysit for Hirsch while his parents attend a wedding. That will be just after we come back from Hawaii.

I am looking forward to Hawaii for several reasons. First we are going to our time share so we know the place. Therefore vacation starts immedietely when we step off of the plane. Second, Blake and his parents are going with us so it means another week of being a grandma, up close and personal!!

This is a busy fall for us so I cannot complain that I am bored!!  Tomorrow is Monday and I have lots to do!!  So I will sign off for now!! 

First it has been very hot here and I am reluctant to go out in the heat. I walk in the early morning and late evening, 7:00 AM and 8:00 PM and hibernate during the day.

Second I have lots of things to do...a new responsibility with my volunteer work for the SCHOOLS group (Sun City Helping Our Outstanding Lincoln Schools). I am now in charge of providing volunteers to the five Lincoln elementary schools. It is a new job with a large learning curve. I see it as a challange that will eventually get easier!

JCCARE (Japanese Chin Care And Rescue) has also kept me busy. I am on my third home visit and my second foster. I am not complaining, just busy! It was very interesting vacationing (an Oxymoron) with four dogs! I am happy to report that Tychee is settled into his forever home!

Ira is traveling a bit having just returned from Chicago and leaving on Sunday for a Golf Tournament. He traveled when I had the four dogs and that was very interesting. I have to make a point of going out and being with people.

Did I mention Summer School. I volunteered in the first grade and the fourth grade twice a week and now that summer school is over, I miss it! But it was also my responsibility to staff the summer school volunteers and that kept me busy!

It is Yoga that has definitely saver the day. I have made the time to attend class four or five times a week. I am bummed that I could not go today due to the fact that I await a shipment from UPS that requires a signature. My body, mind and soul missed this day of Yoga!

I love shopping the internet but having to be around from 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM to await a shipment means that I have to keep busy at home. We actually ordered a set of Patio furniture on line and Fed Ex delivered it right to our garage.  That day I had two deliveries and the second deliver arrived after 7:00 PM.

Next in line of to do's is my by-weekly column in the Lincoln News Messenger. My last column was a piece of writing was on our Oxymoron Vacation to Lake Tahoe with four dogs. It was a bit cathartic for me as loving and letting go of Tychee was difficult and rewarding at the same time. He was a sweety but he really disrupted our family of dogs. His attatchment to me turned into aggression towards my other dogs, especially Taiko and it took Taiko several weeks to both forgive and forget.

This week I wrote an article about a local band. I started writing after lunch and when  I finished I it was about 4:30. Writing with the aid of a computer is so much easier than writing with paper and pencil. The editing is so much easier. I continuously write, read it out loud, and edit. When I think I am finished, I read the entire piece three or four more times, changing as I need to.

When I am confident that it is my best work, I email it off to my editor. She does some editing and it appears in the paper the following week. I am very happily suprised with the amount of people who tell me that they read my column, "The Heart of Lincoln". I focus on positive aspects of life in Lincoln!!

What else is going on?? Well we purchased the patio furniture for our new front courtyard. This is a job that has gone on way too long. The contractor who is also our landscaper is a multi-tasker at it's worst. He is working on three projects at one time and not successfully completing any of these projects.

The big question is.....Will the project be complete before we come back from Alaska? The answer is yes or no. Yes will be great and no will cost the contractor money! I will keep you posted!

That leads me to Alaska. We are going on an Alaskan Cruise, leaving from Seattle. It is a family affair as it was organized by my sister Janet. Her family, my brother Andy and his family and my parents are all cruising with us.

The cruise departs from Seattle and Alyssa, Vince and Blake are joining us at the home of Sheryl Heath and Hirsch for a pre-cruise weekend.  The Ackley's are hosting a Saturday evening barbeque for all of us!

This is our third cruise on the Alaskan Inside Passage! It will be wonderful to see my family and spend an entire week together and as the time to leaves grows nearer I am really getting excited.

The inside passage is indeed "eye candy" to the soul! I can't wait to depart. Each time we cruise Alaska we find amazing excursions and this time is no exception to that rule. On the last two cruises, we flew and landed on the Mendenhal Glacier. We have been Salmon Fishing and Whale Watching. On the last cruise about four years ago, we ended up walking into the wilderness to canoe on a Glacier Lake. Rule number one, don't stand up, rule number two, no swimming. If you don't break rule number one , you won't break rule number two!

Just yesterday, we booked out excursions for this cruise. Ira recently  bought a very fancy camera and it will get some great use in Alaska. All but one port of call is a new port, Sitka was replaced by Skagway and so we will revisit Juneau, Ketchikan and Victoria.

I can't wait to visit Ketchikan and the shop where I purchased my beautiful stained glass!! I can't wait to take a buggy ride so that the guide can tell me that when looking for a man in Alaska, "the odds are good but the goods are odd!"

We have booked an excursion in Juneau. Ira will definitely use his camera on this Land and Sea Photography Tour. Our guide will be a photography expert and his/her expertise will be fabulous!

In Sitka we will join another water/land tour, a Sea Otter Tour that promises that we will see all kinds of animals. Even better, we are joining my  my sister and her family.

So I begin my process of getting ready to leave and I think I will wish this week away. I need to get the dogs settled in with their new dog sitter. I need to get their food ready. I have already started to gather items that I need to pack and mostly have my wardrobe (adventuresome for day and nice for evening) ready to go!!

The list goes on but I am in that state of anticipation! But what I love about cruising is the fact that once we board, I can breath a big, big, sigh of relief and relax!  I can't wait!!!

I know what you are thinking? "Another dog? She already has three. Well two weeks ago I picked up another male at the SPCA. His owner died and relatives dropped him off. They called JCCARE (Japanese Chin Care and Rescue) and I picked him up. I ended up keeping him with us and we went to Lake Tahoe with four dogs.

Not to worry, he is not staying, he is a foster. But his new family is going on vacation and he will be with us until July 30th. Needles to say four dogs is a lot of dogs and a lot of work. Here in Lincoln, I walk them two times a day and when Ira isn't home it means two walks two times a day.

In Tahoe, we have thirteen outside steps to get to a "pee place" and I think I lost about five pounds walking up and down the stairs. I also realized that my back felt so much better after the five or six times I walked up and down the steps. 

The babies and their parents were with us in Tahoe to celebrate July 4th and Ira's 60th birthday. Where has the time gone?? We all agreed that is was different being up there with the babies. Yes the babies hiked with us but naps and feedings were always first priority. We did find out that Blake loved the swimming pool.

Luckily, it won't be too long before we see the babies and their parents.  We are cruising to Alaska on August first and leaving out of Seattle. Alyssa and Vince are coming to visit. We are cruising with my sister, brother and my parents and they too will get the opportunity to see the babies 

This call was not good news, but not terrible news. My sister was calling to tell me that our father had slipped and fallen and was in the hospital. It has been a few days since that call and I am happy to say that he is doing better and will be home soon!

I would have been happier if the early morning call was from Ira. He is even farther away in Germany. The time difference is nine hours so if he calls me early in the morning it is late afternoon in CA. We have had to perfect the art of timing calls so that we do not wake each other up. But with the long hours that he works while he is in Germany, any time of the day or night is a great time to connect.

I have also realized that email is a wonderful way to communicate. He has an i-phone and is in touch via email anytime of the day or night. I work hard at not emailing in the middle of his night because I know that the sound of the "bing" will wake him up. But, we have a chance to communicate and that is a good thing.

Ira has been out of town since last Saturday and it is just me and the dogs. I don't know who misses him more, me or Marty? Marty has been a regular butt head each and every night. Someone explained that he is acting like the "alpha male" in absence of the "alpha male".

Bed time means that Marty jumps into bed and antagonizes all three of us girls. He attempts to bite my feet while barking humping Taiko. Ping finally steps in to rescue me and she humps Marty. Bedtime has become a "three ring circus".

Today is Wednesday and Ira is landing in San Francisco at noon on Friday...I am not counting the hours or anything. He has been traveling back and forth to Europe for two years but...it is hard on both of us. Luckily he doesn't go to often, only two or three times a year.

When Ira is out of town I go shopping, but not in the normal sense of the world. I have found some wonderful discount stores that allow me to shop and shop, and touch and feel the items and think about whether or not I need it. It is great concentration to pick out the perfect frame, journal or new place mats for my table.

This week I went to the Home Goods and Tuesday Morning stores for my "shopping fix". At Home Goods I found this stain remover and it was so good I went back again to buy some more. I had stained a top that I loved and paid a lot of money for and could not get that stain out of that top until I tried this stuff. Eureka...I now can wear the top again.

I have to sign off as I am going to dinner with a friend and then to a MAC Users group with her. And then I will go home to another night calming down my alpha male dog who misses his dad, almost as much as I do!!  Hugs Eileen!!

I think that it is easier for me when I am busier and I am busy with Summer School and preparing for the fall volunteer placement. 

You can only take so much of Vegas and one of the afternoons we walked over to Ceaser's and went into the Forum Shops.  It was a great place to stay out of the heat, walk and look at all of the ultra expensive shops.

We came upon the Apple store and decided to go in. We..or shall I say I was toying with the idea of a Mac but I had lots of questions. Our first and second computers had been Macs but that was a long time ago and I knew that I would have a lot of learning to do if we bought a Mac.

We were paired with a Mac expert and as fast as we asked the questions was as fast and as accurate  as he answered them. We started with a laptop and ended up buying a desk top with a 24 inch screen. Now we could have just gone home and ordered it on line but we were so impressed with the service that we wanted him to get the credit and so we ordered it online before we left the store.

Had we been at home, it would have arrived the next day and it did arrive the day after that. It was easy to set up, and it proudly stands in the kitchen where we both can use it. But the truth is I use it the most and I use it all the time.

So now the fun begins!  I have to learn how to use a Mac all over again. A friend came over and helped me. She got my email up and running and with a click of a "stamp" (that is the ICON for mail) my emails appear.

She also loaded is a bunch of v-cards with the info for my volunteer work as I am taking over her job. 

Sometimes I am challenged by the change and other times I am a bit frustrated and go back to my PC's! I am still writing on my PC's so that I can print on my larger printer. But I can also sit out on the Patio and type away while enjoying the weather. But I have the feeling that my next lap top will also be a Mac. But that won't be for awhile, two lap tops and a Mac is more than enough computers for this house hold.

Whenever I use this Mac I am amazed at how far technology has come along. We bought our first Mac in 1982 and it had less RAM then my cell phone. Way less because all of the programs were loaded via floppy disks. Our next computer was a IIe and that was a huge desk top with a small monitor. We changed to a PC when we traded a Mix Master for a computer (Huh...?) and that was when we lived in San Diego.

Each day I learn a little bit more about this Mac but there is always more to learn, especially how to keep this sucker connected to the internet!!  Oh well...have a wonderful week and there will be a new article in the Lincoln News Messenger this Thursday!!  Eileen 

I seem to spend a great deal of time writing these days. My by-weekly  column in the local paper along with my writing class keeps me very busy. I find myself sitting down at my computer and getting lost in my writing. Sometimes I only come up for air when something like the phone or an alarm reminds me that I need to float on back to the real world and do what I need to do. 

I rely on my Palm to keep me on track for my path winds and splits throughout the day. This past school year I Mentored six teachers located in two different schools. The High School Teachers changed their schedules three times a year and that affected our meeting times. We did designate specific times to meet but their schedules were often so hectic that nothing was set in stone. 

My only saving grace was my Middle School teacher. We met most weeks in the same place at the same time. He was also a Math teacher and we Math teachers like order in our schedules.

Then there is the volunteer work that I do in the schools. When I first moved to Lincoln Hills I joined a group called SCHOOLS (Sun City Lincoln Hills Helping Our Outstanding Local Schools) and began to volunteer in the local School. This is my second year helping out with Math in a fifth grade class and this year I added Kindergarten. I love it as it allows me the fun of working with the kids without the stress of being a teacher.

But if you know me, you know that I do get involved and I sit on the Leadership Team of the organization. I have been working to staff special events for the schools and now I am switching with one of the founding members of the group and taking on the responsibilities of staffing the volunteers for the elementary schools.

My two "jobs" definitely overlap and these past few weeks have been a prime example of overlap. My six BTSA teachers had to finish their very extensive Portfolio that is required for the program. At the same time I had to start the process of staffing summer school with volunteers and in the middle of all of that Ira and I went to Las Vegas for a meeting sponsored by his company. 

We arrived home on Wednesday, landing at 1 PM and I ran over to pick up my six portfolios that had been read and evaluated by other BTSA mentors. I then looked them over and emailed each of my six teachers with items that needed to be tweaked. I was off and running again.

Today is Saturday and that brings me to the third aspect of my life, the aspect that keeps me balanced. This morning after Ira and I walked the dogs, he headed to the golf course and I headed to the gym to my Yoga class. In the best of times I attend at least three Yoga classes a week but during this crunch I have not been to Yoga very much in the last few weeks.

Yoga for me is what keeps my body, mind and soul balanced. It keeps my core strong, my mind clear and my soul nourished. Yoga also keeps my back strong and healthy and raises my energy level. Having just returned from my first Yoga class in a week, I feel especially invigorated.

These past few weeks have been wildly wonderful. Last weekend we went to Vegas!

The weekend before we had a Baby Naming party for our two grandsons and our house was filled to the brim with all sorts of family, friends and the babies. You can read all about that in my Lincoln New Messenger Column link. And there is a link of pictures, (Ira was really at the party but managed to not get his picture taken) on the Hirsch Link! 

School is ending and summer is on the way. I plan on spending my down time with my family. July 4 th the kids and grandkids will meet us at our place in Lake Tahoe. August 2 we will cruise Alaska with my parents and my sister and brother and their families. The good news is that we leave out of Seattle and we will get to see Hirsch (and his parents). And I know I will fly south the see Blake at least once this summer!

Happy warm weather time to all of you!!  Hugs Eileen

 The Saturday before I left, I went to my Yoga class and when I arrived home I "hopped onto"my computer and started to compose my Newspaper column. As always I lost myself in my writing and finally after I was happy with my creation, I took a moment to check my email.

I was very upset to find an email from Zofia, our JCCARE California leader. There was a Chin in the Sacramento ASPCA that needed to be sprung. He had been there for two weeks and was starting to develop aggressive Kennel behavior. The animal coordinator recognized that he needed a change. It was hard on him and even harder for him to get adopted when he circled the cage and bit anyone who came near him.

Here I was about to go out of town and this dog needed my help. I made arraingments with Zofia to drive him half way to LA (about a three hour drive..Ira would go along) so that I could hand him off.

We drove to the animal shelter, talked to the coordinator who filled up our dog crate with this tiny, gorgeous chin. This was our first time springing a Chin from a shelter and Zofia had suggested that it would be easiest for the dog to travel in a crate.

On the way home I sat in the back seat and talked to him. He looked more scared than viscious.  I also named him Max.

To make this story just a little shorter, I will tell you that he perked up when we introduced him to our dogs and fit right in. It was clear that he was someone's pet.  He obeyed commands and walked well on  the leash.

The next morning I got a call from Zofia with good news. She had another foster placement for Max in Sacramento. I had actually done a home visit for this lady who had then adopted a Chin from JCCARE.

We made arraignments to drop off Max at her house. It was one of the hardest things that we had ever done and it took a long cry and some writing to feel a little better. We had fallen in love with this enchanted little dog in the space of twenty three hours.

Amy and her dogs also fell in love with Max and he spent a wonderful week with her. But the story gets even better. Amy has a friend named Jerry who had seen a picture of Max when he was at the ASPCA. By the time she called to check on him for adoption he was gone. Imagine her suprise when she finds out that he is safely and happily living as a foster dog with Amy.

 Last Saturday I did a home visit for Jerry and Max. But Max is still with Amy. Max is a sweety and he fit in so well with  Amy and her crew she could not let him go.  Max is a little dog with angel wings and so much good charma that he has created the life that he deserves!!! Amy and her three dogs are having a ball!

So that covers the dogs part of my exciting three week. The planes part is the calmest. Since the beginning of 2009 I have flown Southwest Airlines five times, three times to Seattle and two times to Corona. I have visited both girls three times but we drove to LA one of those times. My goal is to earn a free ticket with Southwest Airlines and I am only three trips away. That should be very easy as I can't get enough of those babies.

Today, Thursday April 16 (there was a bit of a lag between the start and finish of this entry) is the one week anniversary of my trip home from Seattle. The dogs and Ira were very happy to see me come home and I was as happy to see them as I was sad to leave Seattle.

Sheryl, Heath, Hirsch and I had a wonderful time together. In the morning, I got up early, and grabbed him from his parents room. We then spent at least three hours of quality time together while his parents slept. I fed him a bottle of breast milk, changed him, held him, sang to him and rocked him. My one handed skills greatly increased. The last morning he threw up on me, peed on me and pooped on me and I was still sad to leave and go back home.

 When I arrived in Seattle Sheryl and I walked the entire path around green lake, and then met Heath for lunch. We were off and running inspite of the fact that Sheryl and Heath were tired!!

Another day we ( the entire gang) went to Discovery Park and hiked a bit and then out to dinner at a very nice restaurant.  I also went to the Pediatrician with them.

The best event was when Hirsch attended his first Seder. You know how much I love Seders and together we had a small and calm Seder the last night I was there. I left the next day and after Sheryl dropped me off at the airport she and Hirsch went to the Mall.

I am looking forward to Mother's Day Weekend. We are hosting a baby naming and four generations of our family will be in attendance. Our house will be full with the GG's (Great Grandparents),Grandparents, Parents and the babies). Lots of things to do before then but I am more than up for the challenge of hosting an event for our family and friends to celebrate the arrival of a new generation.

Busy times!!  Hugs Eileen

I am so glad that I am living a life style that allows me the opportunity to take a few days and spent time with the kids and grandkids. I know that Alyssa appreciated the company and the help as much as I appreciated the opportunity to be there with them.

Because Blake is both breast feeding and bottle feeding (breast milk) I was able to feed him. For Alyysa, the feeding process was almost an all day event. The three hours between feedings were filled with nursing, bottle feeding, changing, pumping and a nap for both Alyssa and the baby. Naps were a bit longer for Alyssa when she pumped while I bottle fed.

I helped out any way that I could..with the laundry, cleaning etc. We did get out a few times and this week with Vince home they are really hitting the groove of getting out with a baby in tow. But life with an infant is mostly tending to the baby and resting when possible.

When it comes to Blake I couldn't spend enough time holding him. It all came back...the changing of the diapers, the bath, the feeding, the unconditional loving care of an infant.  My emotions well up each time that I remember those feelings.

I will spend a week home and then I am off to Seattle to visit with Hirsch and his parents. I am happy to be home and ready to book my next flight. 

To see more pictures of Hirsch you can always click on the link and I will upload more pictures of Blake. Hugs Eileen

Alyssa is in the bedroom catching a nap. Poor Vince went back to work a bit on the sleepy side. The kids are tired. Luckily that feeling of never getting enough sleep fades as the baby grows older and continues to fade enough so that parents actually have another child. But even I remember being so tired that I took a nap in the middle of the day even though we had a living room full of guests.

As for me, I could hold Blake all day long. That feeling of a baby moving about in my arms takes me back to those days of mothering a newborn. Wasn't it just yesterday that my kids were infants?

This week will be all about time with Blake and then I will skip a week and then fly to Seattle to visit with Hirsch and his parents. Ditto on holding Hirsch!

Until then...Eileen