octopus ceviche

Christopher...

2008-07-14T18:44:00.003-04:00

"For it was not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart"

on the eve of a single year, I can't imagine my life without you in it. My future is everything you and everything us.

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GLYNWOOD

2008-06-27T11:32:00.002-04:00

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POLO SEASON BEGINS!

2008-06-01T21:16:00.003-04:00

and some more

2008-05-15T18:54:00.004-04:00

click them and they get bigger...

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NEW PICS FROM THE FARM

2008-05-14T21:33:00.005-04:00

I am the happiest I have ever been. the only thing missing from these photos is Chris. Next time, he will hopefully be there too!

CLICK THEM AND THEY GET BIGGER

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DEXTER

2008-03-12T22:01:00.004-04:00

MY DARLING DEXTER

2008-03-08T13:24:00.000-05:00

my darling Dexter is in heaven now.

Chris and I took Dexter to the vet this morning and after a long battle with Diabetes and kidney failure, decided it was time. Dexter decided as well. We had an agreement that he would tell me when he was ready. When I woke up this morning, he was staring at me. The past week was difficult for Dexter. He had trouble walking and lost all interest in food. He was not suffering, but his quality of life had declined rapidly enough that I have been sick with worry.

One of the most incredible things about Dexter is how regal he was. He was a proud cat. I placed his favorite blanket on the exam table and he walked out of his carry-case and snuggled down on it. He crossed his front paws and started to purr in a heavy and labored way. We cuddled and he let out a silent meow that told me, for certain, that he was ready. He wasn't scared, just tired and drained.

Dr. Pirotin (a wonderful cat specialist) gave him a tranquilizer and Dexter slipped into a deep sleep. I was nose to nose with Dexter as his tired little body let go. I was the last thing he saw.

We wrapped Dexter up in his blanket and sat with him for a few minutes before the vet gave him his final shot. Dexter has been getting 2 or 3 injections a day for the last 8 years. It was relief to know this was his final injection and I explained there would be no more shots in heaven.

Dexter's breathing slowly stopped. He was wrapped up snuggly. Chris commented on how regal he looked; like the mummified Egyptian cats at the Metropolitan Museum. Dexter would like that.

NEW YORK MOMENT

2008-03-06T18:43:00.002-05:00

to further boost my thoughts on New York, I want to share something that happened to me earlier today...

I was late for work and in the car service I take every morning down Fifth Avenue. The traffic was unusually high and we were at a complete standstill. The weather was close to perfect Spring temperature and I chose to get out of the car and walk the rest of the way, down Fifth, to my office on 44th Street.

I had walked about a block when I noticed a very sweet, black labrador retriever inhis golden years. His face was turning white and I figured he was about 10 years old.

His owner, was bundled up like it was single digits on the thermometer. I didn't really care to look closely at the owner, as his dog caught my fancy, not him or his strange get-up. We stood on the corner and chatted about dogs and Central Park when the man produced an orange from his pocket, peeled it (putting the peels back in his pocket) and proceeded to eat one piece and share the next piece with his trusted friend. It was very sweet and the dog happily sat, shook hands and caught his orange slices in mid air. His owner was all too thrilled to show off his well trained, albeit spoiled, dog.

I had to get going and excused myself to continue my scurry down Fifth. I looked up, as I stepped off the curb and tripped. I recognized the hooded gentleman well. Upon witnessing my recognition of him, and my flubbed attempt to apologize for not doing so earlier, he raised his finger to his mouth and went "Sshhhhhh" .... I squinted as I didn't understand what he meant. He pointed to a small group of paparazzi-esque photographers hovered outside a green awning about 50 feet away.

He said, "see those guys over there? well they are waiting for me and they think I am still inside. I snuck out the service door. I am dressed like this so they won't recognize me .... clearly it worked. And now my dog loving friend, I am going to the park to share another orange with Sam and let him run around a bit."

I smiled and walked away.

I love New York.

New York

2008-03-05T19:17:00.002-05:00

New York is the city I call home. When things seem rough and aren't going my way, this city is a kicker. It rolls you up, chews on you and spits you out with absolutely no thought or remorse about it. Those times are hideously painful and exhausting.

That being said, when things are grooving and going my way, this city is glorious. It is beautiful and I easily get caught in the wonderful web and coast through my days. Just when I think I couldn't love her more, I am reminded that my love for New York is a constant and growing thing. It doesn't cap out. It is endless.

I am in my groove. It is euphoric to walk these streets loving every inch of them. It makes all the less magical moments, even the awful moments, worth while.

----

“I love New York because we order pizza from the Italian place across the street and have our laundry delivered. We take a taxi to the gym. We know exactly what we want out of life and careers, but can’t decide where to eat brunch. We make plans and don’t keep any of them. We think a studio for $1,500 a month is a steal, but get pissed when the coffee guy raises his prices 25 cents. We fight with cabbies about their driving skills, but we are 35 and have never had a driver’s license.”
—Alexis DeSieno

from New York Magazine

BACK FROM PARADISE TO AN ENTIRELY NEW ONE...

2008-02-24T19:36:00.004-05:00

CLICK IT AND IT GETS BIGGER

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holiday

2008-02-15T15:06:00.000-05:00

I AM OFF TO THE GRENADINES FOR 10 DAYS!!

MY PERSONAL DICTIONARY...

2008-02-06T20:22:00.000-05:00

SNORGGLE: To kiss and breathe in puppy or kitty breath. To be a "snorggle" the kissing and breathing must be kept to the triangular snoot area of said animal

SNARF: To eat or drink quickly

SNARFLY: A general term for how good one feels after eating or drinking something craved

SANTA SACK: To hork (see below) a large parcel or group of parcels over a single shoulder

HORK: A general term for throwing, heaving or tossing something

THE WRAPPER: My bed. Other beds can gain the term of "wrapper" after serious investigation

NUGGIFY: The process of a puppy or kitty getting comfortable enough to take a nap

MY VOTE

2008-02-05T21:48:00.000-05:00

I can't vote in this country, but if I could .... I would have voted for Hillary today!

I will be asleep before Super Tuesday is over, I hope tomorrow morning when I wake up and fetch the paper from my door that Hillary is on the front page! ...

in and out...

2008-02-04T22:12:00.000-05:00

I am hard-wired to blog in and out accordingly...

my hardware wears down with my happy passing days. I grow softer. I can't help it. My need to blog grows dim

My mother always told me there is a certain gentleman out there and he has been looking for me.

Back then, I didn't really believe her. I wanted to think it and believe it and I did. She always knew; I was wrong. it just didn't fit. I was trying to fit in.

This certain gentleman and I found each other. it is easy to leave it at just that

2008-01-23T19:38:00.000-05:00

ME AGAIN ... in about

2008-01-10T22:02:00.000-05:00

4 weeks (and counting)... The Grenadines

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lights of my life...

2008-01-05T20:25:00.000-05:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2008-01-01T17:47:00.001-05:00

CANADA CHRISTMAS

2007-12-28T19:46:00.000-05:00

The Marchburn wild turkeys make their way across the icy drive way in Coldwater...

Sophie nests in her new shopping bag in Toronto...

Chris, Mum and I feast at The Four Seasons on Christmas Day...

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MERRY CHRISTMAS

2007-12-21T21:57:00.000-05:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

"Happiness resides not in posessions and not in gold; the feeling of happiness dwells in the soul."

- Democritus

2007

2007-12-18T20:15:00.000-05:00

- I turned 34
- Edith died
- I was hired for the job I always wanted
- I am debt free and saving
- Dexter and I shared his 20th year
- I gained 10 pounds
- I have long hair
- I try not to swear
- a bad opinion does not matter
- a good opinion is sacred
- my great friends have incredible children
- a broken nose didn't stop me
- I wasn't ready to give up my 4 walls
- I drove around Mexico without power steering
- I snorggled snoots and snouts
- I love New York more
- I strive to be a lady and not a girl
- I don't receive paper statements anymore
- I welcome wrinkles
- and freckles

BEGIN

2007-12-16T19:37:00.000-05:00

I was down south for the last couple of weeks on a photo shoot. Before that, I was able to sneak away for a long weekend in the Bahamas. I came home and feel happily overwhelmed with Christmas. Being in 85 degree weather and working weeks with no time off, I didn't feel festive until I got back to snowy NYC!

I feel festive now and I love it!

I am heading North next week for a few days in Canada so I didn't put my suitcase away. It has been a permanent fixture in my living room for the last couple of months. There is no point in putting away, when I will need it so soon.

Dexter turned 20 a couple of weeks ago! He is my true miracle kitty. I bought him some wheat grass today and he gnawed off a bunch of it and is now fast asleep on my bed. Last year at this time, his prognosis was not good. I am thrilled that he is doing so well and I shared another year with him.

It has been an incredible year for me. Many things that seemed far away in years past, are now a part of me. I am learning to balance everything and have found the groove I seemed to skip over in the past. There were many times that I thought things wouldn't groove, but I know now that everything has led me to where I am and who I am now

2007-11-20T19:47:00.001-05:00

“I awoke this morning with devout thanksgiving for my friends, the old and new”

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

SICK ILL NESS

2007-11-19T21:29:00.000-05:00

I have not been feeling well. I was home sick last week for 2 days. They were defunct days to my office, but most precious to my health

my well being

the office cared less. I did my job and cradled myslef to sleep with a huge cough

Today, I was feeling amazing, until side swiped

cough it up and snot down

CRASH TEST

2007-11-07T20:41:00.001-05:00

I walked to Grand Central Station to get a taxi this evening. I got in and as soon as my driver hit the gas, he ripped the door off of a van. The driver of the van did not look to see if he was opening his door into traffic. The windows shattered all over me and I was immediately thankful that we weren't going faster.

The 2 drivers had it out and both realized a police report was necessary as the damage to both vehicles was significant. I wanted to get out and leave, but I remained at the scene as a witness. 45 minutes later, the police arrived to write a report. I am so happy I stayed because the cops wanted to pin the accident on my driver when it was clearly not his fault. It was a minor hiccup in a usual NY day. When all paperwork had been filled out and the yelling stopped, the driver of my taxi drove me home and refused any money from me. He was so thankful that I remained as a witness. He was so kind even when the police weren't being kind.

I struggle with the hassle of this city, but I love it enough to take it as it comes. If I had left the scene of this accident, the truth would not be known and I would be a bad New Yorker