Gracie on Display

Gracie's photo and 49 other pets' photos are on display. This is the final round to decide who is in the Humane Society's 2010 calendar. Gracie is currently in 5th place!

True Colors

Pat and I decided to change realtors. My house is still not sold, and we are frustrated. We decided after much deliberation and worry (on my part) to leave our current realtor. She helped me in the process to buy my first house, and I have always appreciated her honesty. She's a good person, but she hasn't sold my house. She's also rational, and that's why I thought she would be graceful about us leaving her. The conversation did not go like I wanted.

I opened with telling her how much I appreciated her help and time. At first, she didn't realize I was changing realtors, and I had to spell it out. She got mad and acted really disappointed. She also asked if we were going to use our new realtor as our buyer's realtor, too. In all honesty, I hadn't thought about it and that's what I told her. She then comes back with "you know, Corie, I'm don't want to make you do anything you don't want to..." She e-mailed later that night with the listing cancellation and put in some back-handed comments. Very rude!

I feel like I did things the right way. It's not like I was a coward and had Pat call her. I was honest and told her we wanted a change. I understand not wanting to lose business, but she made it harder than it had to be. People change realtors all the time -- it's business! I hate that things had to end like that.

Gracie Made the Top 50

My girl, Gracie, made the top 50! Now, her photo will be displayed at a local mall for people to vote. After May 30, we'll know who made it into the Humane Society calendar. Over 45,000 people voted!

The Top 50

Why are TV network executives so dumb?

The lists of canceled TV shows is getting longer. The biggest disappointment is the canceling of "Samantha Who?" If you have seen this show, you know how funny and charming it is. It had one of the best casts on TV. Christina Applegate was the excellent lead character. Her parents, played by Jean Smart and Kevin Dunn, were funny and dry. Only Jean Smart can be that funny playing a clingy mother. (Where are my Designing Women fans??) Melissa McCarthy (of Gilmore Girls fame) and Jennifer Esposito were the BEST!! I am now a huge fan of Jennifer after seeing her play such a narcissitic and shameless person...and she was hilarious doing it and made you love her! The show had such amazing writing and a talented cast. Maybe if ABC stopped moving the show to different time slots, the audience could grow!

Thank goodness, Fringe was renewed for another season. There's so much reality television that it is refreshing to find a well-written, exciting, and scripted show. I only hope that TNT doesn't lose its mind and cancel The Closer. Perish the thought!!

A few more good shows that got the axe:
Eleventh Hour
The Ex List
Cupid
Homeland Security
My Name is Earl (Really, NBC, really?)

Vote for Gracie

Help Gracie be a calendar girl! Gracie is competing to be among the pets featured in the local Humane Society's 2010 calendar. Online voting will last until May 17.

Humane Society voting page

Vote for Gracie!!

Welcome Home

Pat and I had the honor of welcoming home a group of World War II veterans as they arrived at the airport. The veterans were part of Honor Flight. Honor Flight flies veterans (at no cost to them) to Washington, DC and takes them to the World War II memorial. Volunteers escort those veterans who need assistance to get around. This flight was the largest for the area at approx. 105 veterans. There are over 400 on the waiting list.

It was very touching to see the respect the veterans received. Many were in wheelchairs or used canes. I could hardly get any pictures because of the large crowd. They had a bagpiper and officers waiting for their trip home.

Many of the veterans didn't want any recognition. They just simply "did what needed to be done." This country would not be what it is today without their sacrifice.

For more info, go to www.honorflight.org.

Key Lime Pie on a Stick

Eating key lime pie was part of our day at Key West, but I had to give it its own blog posting. After getting lost numerous times, we found the Blond Giraffe which is famous for its key lime pie. (But hey, what place in Key West isn't famous for its key lime pie?)

I ordered a regular slice of key lime pie (so good!), but Pat went for the key lime pie on a stick. As the title infers, they take a slice of key lime pie, put it on a stick, and dip it completely in chocolate!!

Thinking back, I don't know why I didn't get one!

Honeymoon (Key West, Florida)

Our last day on the cruise was spent in Key West. That was our favorite place by far!! I expected it to be more ritzy and expensive than it was. Pat described it as "New Orleans with a twist." There are obvious differences, but that is overall a good description. (FYI - There aren't drunk people walking around, and Key West is much cleaner.)

We started with the Hemingway House and saw his polydactyl cats. The house looked the same as when Ernest Hemingway lived there. I obviously loved all the cats everywhere!

Here is a good pic of one sleeping in one of Hemingway's chairs. Check out his front paw with 6 toes!

One of the cat trainers gave me some food, and I got to feed the cats. I was even on their web cam! They have a 24 hour live web cam of the cats on their web site. If you were watching on April 16, I waved at you! :-) They name most of the cats after famous actors and actresses. I met Howard Hughes! They also have headstones for the cats that have passed.

We also went to the Southernmost Point. Mom told me not to expect much more than a weather-beaten buoy. She was right, but I think they painted it since she'd seen it last! I found it scary that in Key West you are only 90 miles from Cuba but 150 miles from Miami. Maybe that shouldn't make me uncomfortable, but it did!

Honeymoon (Cococay, Bahamas)

On Wednesday of our honeymoon, we went to Cococay, Bahamas (Royal Caribbean's private island). The Royal Caribbean staff photographers were constantly trying to take your picture. We eventually learned just to say "no, thank you" and keep walking. We didn't want to stop for either of these photos, but they turned out great!

The most interesting part of the island was the Iguana Bay. We saw at least 15 iguanas (two are on the rocks below). Pat's camera doesn't have much of a zoom (and I forgot mine), so I inched up closer to take pictures of the iguanas. Pat thought I was crazy to get closer! He also didn't like me yelling "Whoa!" while he was filming the iguanas... :-D

We also had front row seats to an iguana fight. We watched two iguanas slowly walk towards each other and then go at it! They tumbled down an embankment (pic above) and almost into the water. It was awesome!

Relaxing...

Honeymoon (Miami and Nassau)

Our cruise left from the port of Miami, so we flew down to Miami on Sunday and spent the night. We stayed in the Doubletree Hotel (very swanky!). It was sentimental staying there, because that's where we stayed with the Million Dollar Band for the 2000 Orange Bowl. Pat and I hadn't met yet, but he says he noticed me there....and look at us now! :-)

The view from our hotel room on Biscayne Bay...

We arrived in Nassau, Bahamas on Tuesday. Our excursion that day was a dolphin encounter. We met 4 year old Salvador! We were in waist-deep water and stroked his head and stomach. We also "danced" with him and gave him a hug and a kiss!

After meeting Salvador, we walked around the straw market in Nassau. I tested my negotiating skills on the vendors (they didn't budge!) and bought a pretty shell bracelet. Pat found a cool Rolex watch for cheap!