I almost forgot to do this post this week with the holiday and all.

How did you do last week?

Posted by danielle at 09:47 AM | Comments (7) | TrackBack

While we were at Wildseed Farms in Texas, the hibiscus for sale were blooming. This pink one is probably the best photo of the group that I was able to shoot. Unfortunately, I didn't feel like it was acceptable to wheel them around for photographic purposes into better lighting. So, I was faced a situation of less than perfect lighting.

But the flowers are still pretty and worth admiring.

And I'm getting this posted so late, because I ended up with a migraine this morning and am staying home for the day. This, of course, means that I'll have to go in all day tomorrow, but I'd rather do that than go in now and be there until 8 or 9 pm tonight. That is just way too close to bedtime and plays havoc with me.

So, I hope all of you have an excellent Memorial Day weekend. I know that I'll be enjoying the bliss that is a Monday off of work.

Posted by danielle at 01:43 PM | Comments (6) | TrackBack

For a couple of years, I shared one of the original iPods with HB. I'd use it when I went out for my walks and then return it to to the charging port for him to use when he went bicycling. Then when he got a new one about a year ago, I 'inherited' that old one that had crashed with him on the bicycle a few too many times. The sound had become problematic and sometimes sound would only work on the left, but it would usually go back to normal if you unplugged and replugged in the headphone connection, or if you twisted it just right. However, for the past couple of weeks, it has only been working on the left with no sign of returning to stereo sound.

SOOOOOOOOO! Guess what I got last night!?

An iPod Nano! in Blue/turquoise! I'm uber excited about it. It is so very teeny compared to the one that I'd been using. I could probably even get an exercise band for it.

It still needs to be charged up and hooked into the computer that has the iTunes library on it, but it won't be long now and I'll be jamming in stereo as I go on my walks.

heeee!

Posted by danielle at 10:31 AM | Comments (7) | TrackBack

How did you do this week?

Posted by danielle at 09:39 AM | Comments (7) | TrackBack

For the last few rounds of buying scratching posts for the Girlie-girl, I've only been able to find the usual-sized ones (i.e. shorter than she prefers). But on Sunday, I went to Barnes and Noble to buy some books and lo' and behold, there was a Petco next door. And better yet, THEY had the large scratching post.

When I got it home, the minute I set it down and showed it to the Girlie she immediately started scratching on it. She didn't even wait for me to get the tag off of it. I guess she was overdue for a new post.

THEN, I managed to get to my camera, and of course, she'd stopped scratching.

You can also see in that photo her old one which is quite ripped up and also quite a bit shorter.

Only when I tipped it over, did I get a shot of her scratching it again.

She always seems to like it tipped over the best. Maybe because she can use all of her weight to really dig into it. Dig, dig, dig.

Now, her claws will be broken off and not quite so pointy. You are dreaming if you think she lets us trim her claws. "Don't touch the queen's paws."

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Happy Friday everyone!

Are you doing anything interesting this weekend?

If the weather is nice, I may buy and plant some annuals in pots. I'll also be reading Lynn Kurland's new book - When I Fall in Love. Here's a shout-out to Texas Seestor who told me about it last weekend. Yay, Texas Seestor!

Posted by danielle at 10:29 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack

Well, another week has gone by. How did all of you do?

Posted by danielle at 10:24 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBack

This might be a Gay Feather (Liatris). I was looking around at different types of Liatris and it seemed like the Gay Feather was the main one I kept finding that looks like this flower.

This flower was tricky to photograph because it kept swaying in the wind. But when the wind died down for a few seconds, I got this shot. I also like this photo because of the fence. There are all kinds of neat fences and structures at Wildseed Farms in Texas. It really is a fun place.

Posted by danielle at 08:49 AM | Comments (7) | TrackBack

Last week, I asked how everyone did with their exercising on a different post, but I decided to ask this week on a traditional Hot Exercising Chicks post.

So, how did you do last week?

Posted by danielle at 10:32 AM | Comments (11) | TrackBack

These bloomed out in our front flower bed. They have been blooming every year since we moved here with no effort from me to plant bulbs or anything in the fall. Clearly, the bulbs are much hardier than everyone says.

and in large

I hope you enjoy the yellow tulips. And may you have a good weekend. :-)

Posted by danielle at 10:40 AM | Comments (8) | TrackBack

Last night I got a small thrill from a piece of mail. We received a wedding invitation that addressed HB and I by our proper titles! You see, my last name is hyphenated, so it throws people off on what to do with us. We were never Mr. and Mrs. HB's-last-name. Technically we were Mr. HB's-last-name and Mrs. my-last-name. Although we told everyone that for social purposes, they could call us Mr. and Mrs. my-last-name.

But now, Now, that I have my Ph.D. I sooooooooo love getting mail with Dr. Danielle my-last-name on it. Because now we are technically Mr. HB's-last-name and Dr. my-last name. If you wanted to stick with the way we were letting people address us in the past, we would be Mr. and Dr. my-last-name.

I don't get much of the Dr. mail. I did receive a Christmas card or two with my title on it. And this wedding invitation really nailed it! So, I was excited.

As I was reflecting on this mail thing I started thinking about how the insurance company can never get my hyphenated name right. They are always chopping it off at my maiden name. You'd think an insurance company, of all things, would get it straight. After all, they are receiving all kinds of medical bills and such with my correct name on it. The credit card companies sure have that one figured out. Of course, they never use titles anyway, so it isn't really right or wrong in the whole Dr. aspect.

At school, when I was a graduate student, I would get junk mail addressed to Dr. Danielle my-last-name. You see, the companies always erred on the side of giving someone the Dr. title because they didn't want to offend anyone who _did_ have their Ph.D. But the ironic thing is that now that I _do_ have my Ph.D., I don't get junk mail at school. I haven't had to request anything from a company yet, so they don't have me in their system at my current locale. But isn't that ironic?

I usually just look at it, see that it is wrong, and after a small sigh of disappointment, get on with opening the mail. But seeing it correct last night reminded me just how new my Ph.D. is and how I'm not yet used to having a new title.
Dr.
It has a nice ring to it.

Oh, and as an aside, when I go to a medical doctor and an M.D. comes into the examining room, he or she always introduces him or herself by Dr. so-and-so. I go ahead and introduce myself as Dr. my-last-name too. I kinda blush when I do it, because it seems a bit officious. But I've noticed that they treat me a bit differently when they know. I'm more apt to get the medical explanation for my condition or drugs that they are prescribing for me. And it is nice to have that info. It saves me a trip to Wikipedia when I get home. ;-)

Posted by danielle at 10:28 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBack