It's too damned hot!!!!

It's pushing 90 inside my apartment right now. I have all my windows open, a fan running, and the heat is unbearable. And of course, since all my windows are open, this huge buzzing fly comes in and scares the bejeebers out of Pip who wants to hang out on my shoulder for security from the mean old fly. Eh, nope, sorry dog. I think I'm gonna go take a cool shower...I can't stand heat, and this is hot and muggy. My baby carnivorous plants are loving it, but I am not.

desiderata - by max ehrmann

Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love, for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is perennial as the grass.

Take kindly to the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.

Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

Max Ehrmann c.1920

Name that bug!

One of the women I work with brought two of these little critters into work today to see if our reptile specialist could identify them. She found them outside her apartment(SF Bay area). I've decided to take them home and care for them(Yes, I am a freak), but I'm not quite sure what they eat. .
Our reptile specialist thinks they might be some kind of variety of cricket, but isn't really sure. They love to burrow and I will probably never see them now that there's a nice substrate in their habitat.
According to one of my groomers, they look like what her Mom used to call, "Ninos de la tierra", or "children of the earth", but she doesn't know anything about them.
If anyone recognizes what kind of insect they are, please, let me know. In the mean time, I'm offering them a wide variety of choices for chow and hope they find something appetizing.
Well, I'm off to searching bug sites for more info on my little friends that I have named "Fred and Wilma" (yes, yes, I already said I was a freak)

A day at the beach

I'm on vacation this week and have put off the drive to Ione to see the 'rents one more day...I'll definitely do that tomorrow, but today the beach was calling me so I packed up Pip, his pirate costume and headed down highway 1. It was a beautiful day! I stopped at Duarte's in Pescadero for a crab sandwich to go and headed over to Pebble Beach to have brunch and do a little photo shoot with Pippin. I swear that dog would do just about anything for a taste of french fry.
For anyone interested, here's the link to the photo album. Sorry, but you'll have to cut and paste the address...I couldn't figure out how to do a live link. Just want everyone to know that none of the photos in this album have been altered in any way in photoshop...just a gorgeous day and co-operative dog.

share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AbOXDNi0cNmLuA

We also went to Bean Hollow beach, one of the very few beaches that allow dogs. Pip had a lot of fun being chased by the waves until one caught both of us...I was soaked almost to my knees and Pip was almost swimming! He decided that was enough of the water for him.
After drying off a bit and getting a slight sunburn, it was time to head back. Stopped off at Spanish Town along I95 and picked up this beautiful hand-carved Buddha for my altar. My vacation gift to me. All in all, a beautiful day!