The Van Halens
Yep, that is when we were happy. Buddy and I loved Eddie and nobody knew about our secret marriage to him AND I was really that thin.. But Eddie broke our hearts and went back to Valerie, something about a baby boy Wolfie, blah blah blah.. but I will always have memories of first playing Van Halen (my cousin Mike steered me to the rock n roll path and off that disco road, thanks Mike!) in my Grandmother's basement on one of those old portable record players. That was one of the last summers that I would escape the heat of Vegas for the school break and spend time in that great old house up top of Tujunga with a view across the entire valley (I doubt you can see past Sunland now) and a great garden (meticulously maintained by Gramps) and the 40degree angle lawn, perfect for summersaults and cartwheels. Yep, good times. Who would've thunk that my future in LA would expose me to the good the bad and the ugly but then I guess Van Halen never thought they would have Sammy as front man! (tsk tsk) And the beat goes on.

Children of the Corn ?
If my scanner wasn't such a piece of crap you could see our little evil faces. We must have done something bad or had to pee. I am the one with deformed hands, one longer leg that had been put on backwards, tufts of hair (most would appear by 5..ish) and no neck but how cute is my little jumper!
I guess I know what I will look like when I am an old fart.

13 Pounds, many ounces!
Does any expectant mother ever think ,I wonder...if at birth will my baby weigh what a 3 month old does? Holy cow, I saw the parents and the newborn on the tele this morning with the baby weighing in at 13 pounds and 8 or 10, (like it matters after the last 6 pounds) ounces and she was 3 weeks early! I thought Danielle's son Jared was big. (cute photo coming soon) but Whooa Momma.
This little chubby one is sister Deena (more Deena!) always on the lookout for the next snack even way back.
Left Photo: Upon finishing 2 pillowcases of candy, Deena taunts her prey.
Right Photo: Last know picture of Missy the poodle. Only her collar was left behind...

James or Tommy Lee?

It always cracks me up when James gets called Tommy Lee. He used to get annoyed
as he was never a fan of the Crue, but now he just laughs too.
As you can see, my sister and myself were fans. I was forced as I had to hear the first album of Motley's tunes a thousand times a day which happens when you are around musicians. It always helps when there is one or 2 cute glam guys in the band. Hey, it was the 80's when everyone used eye liner and hairspray...lots of hairspray.
(My sister wanted to know why her picture wasn't on my blog so here you go Deena.)

Last night at stitch and bitch Mai joined us and we had her knitting in about 2 minutes. She had knit a blanket in her 20's and it was like riding a bike. We ate delicious Malaysian food and there was chocolate cake and Michele brought brownies and strawberries too. Oh yes, Mai will be an obsessed knitter by week's end! This is good cuz I was starting to feel like a lazy slug when she calls to ask if I want to go hike Runyon canyon and all I want to do is sit on my couch and knit, so this was all part of my evil plan! Mooah ahh ahh
Last night Crystal had gorgeous hair on which we all loved and couldn't compliment her enough on how great and natural it looked. Crystal's husband however, hates it. I suspect that he only hates it cuz she looks like a hot tamale and he is used to the more conservative wife. Men.
So this is Crystal sporting a cute hat and scarf (from a previous SnB without hot tamale hair) that she actually finished and I am displaying my first (only) finished bag. I suspect that if I put down the fork and pick up the needles, I will accomplish more but hey it's at Farmers Market and there is too much good stuff to snack on!

...Stays in Vegas
Here is proof that anything goes in sin city! This critter is Buddy and I don't know whose
long monkey toes those are but I hear she can paint and possibly type with them...

My Cats Poop Money!!
Upon waking from that dream of dreams, here is a taste of just how my twisted little mind works.
My smart enough to be heading to college as a sophomore niece, is not a fan of cleaning the litter box for their 3 cats at home and somehow the job magically gets done. (that would be by Jay and Danette) so of course I couldn't resist having Mandy part take of a little search and rescue mission.

Buried Treasure
A ball of string, glass heart, cat toy, a little mummy and loot! Hey, those little turds
don't taste that bad after you dust them off, as one must never waste chocolate!

Mine's the red one..
As much as I love to visit my family, Las Vegas gives me itchy eyes, chapped lips, I end up with a bloody nose from the dry air and we won't even get started on the bad hair! My Mom still occasionally asks when I will move back, she's a comedian, that one.
The best part (in theory) is the 55 minute flight from LA. The worst part, now let us just take a moment to list the top 10 worst parts:
1. Super Shuttle must pick you up 3 hours before the flight takes off.
2. Super Shuttle must not re-enter the airport without first taking you on a tour of the city to pick up another poor soul 3 hours before their flight. Sure, I tried to lie and say my flight left later but they are on to this and quiz you on the flight number. Damn!
3. Upon depositing you at the airport, curbside check-in will unzip your suitcase for all to see your undies so that they can swab it for residue. Cat hair must be okay.
4. Purchasing a magazine, bottle of water and a stale protein like bar will cost what the flight did.

5. Flying single means you will always sit next to smelly people or crying children. Luckily, I always have some extra perfume samples to rub slyly alongside my seat and earplugs.
6. 55 minutes is not enough time for stewardess to order a plane full of drinks, go get and deliver drinks and they must retrieve all drinks before landing so if you want to get a cocktail, plan on bringing a beer bong.
7. Peanuts. Only once have I enjoy some sugary coated nuts but obviously that trend didn't catch on. My theory is that there are many people with peanut allergies so they just keep recycling the plain batches.
8. Children love to kick the seats in front of them and parents only half assed try to stop them, and only after you have turned around to give the evil eye.
9. The luggage carousel is always a mile or so away from the actual plane and the luggage will be at the farthest if there are more than one. Vegas has 14. Can you guess which one mine was on?
10.Super Shuttle, when you return, must not leave the airport until it has driven around for at least 3 laps never mind the fact that they all have radios with one volume (extra loud) so they will be called if there are any other travelers going in the same direction, but no they have to stop at every curb to ask anyway. Duh!

You know, the list could go on and on, but then we have all traveled and I have heard some horror stories, like lost luggage and near miss plane crashes, so I will remain calm and silent in line with the other cattle as we enter that tin can and are propelled across the vast polluted skies towards our next destination. Godspeed!

They grow up so fast.
Well, the small one anyway. The big one, not so much.

Mandy Graduates!!
Today my Niece will be turning her tassel for all to see, all except me. I will not be at the ceremony but will arrive for the weekend of keg parties, wooo hooo! Sorry, that was a flashback to my graduation.
Amanda is thankfully more the scholar than I was. Her school is a college and high school in one so she will be heading off to college in August with a nice start on her credits. Mandy also is in the National Honor Society so she gets to wear a snazzy pin on her gown today. All A's, imagine that. This is a kid, excuse me young woman, who reads books like I clean up fuzz bunnies. A couple years back she said that she had just finished a Che Guevara biography, and I had just started the latest Anne Rice, yeah....
Mandy has been involved in the Food Not Bombs program, had started a book club, is a vegetarian who loves to camp, hike and bike. She loves music, (has been known to play some bass and sing) her family (especially her favorite aunt!) and kitties and will be heading off to NAU in Flagstaff, Arizona to strive towards an environmental science degree with a minor in womens studies, unless she changes her path.
I am VERY PROUD!
That being said, she is a brilliant mind and has so much potential. I for one, can only hope that the future of our country is in the hands of a generation with as much intelligence, guts and heart as Mandy possesses.
Go get 'em kid

Bye Carrie and Good Luck!
I am starting to have abandonment issues. First Anna and Brad move up the mountain to a daily vacation in Big Bear then Terri leaves to New Zealand to explore Middle Earth and last night we said adieu to Carrie, who is heading off to the Capital to advance her education. What next! Oh right, Michele and Mark are also making plans to get outta Dodge. Sure, Michele tries to console by saying it won't be for a year but hello, we are already 6 months closer to next year and it happened so fast! There are only 190 shopping days until Christmas!!! Hey wait, I just realized that I have 4 less presents to buy....Michele, can I help you pack?

Handsome Men
Yes, we know there are not many good ones left out there and here is proof. Now that didn't come out right.
What I mean is, they don't make them like this anymore.? Who else is going to take all of the crap Michele and I pull, yeah that's it...(just in case they read this)

What Earthquake? This is how James and DC reacted to the Sunday morning tremor at 8:37ish in the morning. Me and Dexi, Dexi and I (whatever the rule is that I have forgotten, and I have forgotten many rules!) woke up to see what the heck was going on and these guys just kept dreaming of food and relaxing in the sunshine. Men!

Kitty Hat #1. After learning to knit (basic knit stitch only) about 2 years ago, I got bored of making scarves and put together this fun hat, basically a short scarf folded in half and stitched. I have gotten and still get smiles and comments when I sport one. I made them for friends and sold some too and I will keep making them until everyone I know has one and one day we will all wear them and together in kitty hats we will conquer the world! Mooah ah ahh! Or rather, Meeeoww ow ow oww!

Michele and Me at Hollywood Forever Cemetery. No, we weren't just hanging out with dead people. We were amongst many movie-goers who can also appreciate an evening under the star. (okay, maybe we could see 2) The movie was the first for Bogie and Bacal and one can only hope, the only one that Ms. Bacal sang in...
I am a fan of outdoor entertainment as long as there are drinks and snacks! It has been a long time since the last time I was at a drive-in theater or the last time those theaters were in operation for that matter. Most have been replaced by a mall or condos. Those few dilapidated drive-ins that remain are like dinosour skeletons, weather beaten and overgrown grounds that sometimes play host to flea markets. It used to be so much fun to be a kid running around with your friends during intermission and playing on the swings and merry-go-round before getting a cozy seat for the main event and indulging in many snacks and sugary treats, often falling into a sugar coma before the second movie. It is another experience that kids today won't get to enjoy, and taking the portable DVD outside just isn't the same.
So next time when you have a chance to sit back and pretend you aren't surrounded by dead people to catch a flick, don't hesitate. Just be sure to check the trunk on the way out!

The cutest puppy in West Hollywood! 

This cute little critter is Blackjack. He works next door to my office. He is very smart and soooooo sweet. This little guy almost didn't make it when he first came home. He had pneumonia and other issues but with all the love and many vet visits, he pulled through and is growing up and loving life. I am known in these parts as Blackjack's girlfriend as he comes to my office door everyday before he goes to work. Yesterday was a stressful day for those of us who love the little guy. His human roommates thought that he had escaped. Suddenly there were people running and driving all around the neighborhood searching for him. Blackjack had escaped once before and managed to cross 2 major streets and go up an escalator to a movie theater by the time his mom got the phone call. I guess he wanted to see what was playing!
After a couple hours of hoping and praying we found out that Blackjack was with his mom. She had taken him for a joy ride to pick up people at the airport and the roomies weren't aware of it. All is well that ends well and Blackjack will stop by to visit and give puppy breath kisses once again. The moral of the story is to keep track of your furry family members and try to love them as much as they love you, though that is impossible. It is too heartbreaking when you lose them. And to all those heartless assholes who abandon them when they aren't so cute or they just don't give a shit, (I have actually seen signs posted in rural areas stating a hefty fine for those who abandon animals) there is a special place in hell for your kind. If you only care about yourself, spare the innocent creatures so that they may find a real home and unconditional love.
My feet have just broken through my soap box. Have a nice day.

SNACKS AND PUPPET SEX!
Last night I went over to Mark and Michele's and we watched Team America, brought to us by those crazy South Park dudes. I can see how some people loved it and others hated it. I guess you have to be a true marionette fan from way back, as I am and I suspect that Mark and Michele are as well as they too were cracking up or maybe it was the alcohol or quite possibly they are just as sick in the head as I am! I must say that the vomit scene is reminiscent of the pee scene in Austin Powers only more sick (get it) and twisted. I'll be waiting for the sequel but until then I will just keep singing the movie's theme song... "America, Fuck Yeah!"...

Okay, last weekend I went to Big Bear but this is a picture of Big Bear from the time before last when I had the pleasure of getting the toothache from hell and had to come down the mountain and get a root canal. After $800 (with insurance!) and 3 visits to the dentist to get the crown from hell, finally glued in my mouth, I was ready for another trip to the mountain.
My friends Anna and Brad had just moved up to get away from LA for a while so I thought I would visit them and my sister, niece, her friend and my brother in law were going to meet me there for some camping. We were lucky enough to get a campsite after someone canceled. I got a rental car and headed up Saturday morning. I only got lost once! When I finally arrived, they were heading out to cruise the lake. I jumped in and we ended up shopping! After all, eating and shopping are what my family does best. What else are you going to do in Vegas or Phoenix when it is hotter than hell! I digress. I did manage to buy some sunglasses as I forgot mine at home and a hat and 4 tops. Hey, they were on sale! We then headed back to the campsite and I called Anna to see if they were into coming over. She grabbed some veggies and the goods to make smores and headed over. We had ribs and all the fixins and it rocked. I love smores! I decided to go stay the night at Anna & Brads and donate my tent to Mandy and her friend Seth, since the bonehead forgot to bring his tent, hello, camping! I got the tour of Anna's new digs, nice place, cozy, and though I did miss out on the lumpy ground and noisy neighboring campers, I managed to slept like a baby. The next morning I headed back to camp, had some breakfast and gave Mandy her belated birthday presents (all camping stuff) and she went back to Vegas to write some papers. That straight A student! (so proud) Danette, Jay and I got it together and went on a 2 hour hike. It was gorgeous and at the top you could see the snow capped mountains in the distance and the almost over full lake below. Breathtaking, and to think that a few miles down the mountain you can't see through all the San Bernadino smog! Nasty. Danette walked down as she has had 3 knee surgeries and Jay and I ran down. I beefed around a corner and am still sporting the bruises! After such a great hike, we went to get some Mexican food and share a pitcher of margaritas, before heading back to camp. (Very tasty) When we got back to camp, there was no camp! Our camp had been replaced with strangers and strangers tents. After deciding that, no we didn't eat some mushrooms and loose a day, we headed to the camping office to find out what the hell happened to our stuff. The woman at the gate called for someone to come escort us to our stuff. The guy who we shall call Mr. Hassler, though it is Hausser, was a major dick. He told us that we were supposed to check out at 2:00 and that they had our stuff and we needed to follow him to get it and inventory it. WHAT! After Jay got pissed and told him it was bullshit, Danette called the reservation number that she booked the campsite on, since Mr. Hassler was not interested in being helpful or trying to find out what happened. Long story short, Hassler got called by the reservation place and was told that they screwed up. He then came back to us and said that some lady left and said that they were checking out and to go ahead and rent the site. Right, my 18 year old niece (lady) left and told them that we were all gone. I told Mr Hassler that now he was talking out of his ass, she knew her mother was going nowhere and that you would think that they would notice the parked car with the parking permit that read 5/30 on it that they gave us, not to mention 2 tents, 2 coolers and piles of camping gear, hello, common sense people! He changed his tune and was offering to give us another site for free but we were so worn out arguing with the idiot that we were just going to go home. I did manage to get in a dig, as he was so nasty. It not only told him that he needed better people skills, (but then that is probably why he was up in the mountains) and that I better not find my pink frilly panties missing when I unpacked. That one got under his skin and he deserved it, Mr. Macho, I don't have to listen to you , I own this mountain. Screw you dude!
I was going to go home but the sun was in my face and I didn't much feel like driving off a cliff on the way down so I called Anna and Brad and went back to their place. We rented movies, had popcorn, smoked and I spent another cozy night. We got up and walked around their neighborhood. I made them breakfast and then headed home. I missed the holiday traffic and got home in one piece. The end.

This is my friend Dave. We go way back to when I lived in Phoenix for 2 years, after fleeing in the aftermath of that massive Northridge earthquake. We met in electronic music production classes. He had great music and needed a singer. I sang Crazy for him and he was sold, I was his new singer. We recorded some music in his home studio and then he got the LA bug and headed West. I hooked him up with the magazine and radio syndication company where I had worked for years, doing many different jobs. They loved him and hired him to start as a messenger. I was still in Phoenix, excuse me, Scottsdale, sweating my ass off and decided to go back to LA as well. The return to LA was an experience that neither I nor Dave will never forget, but I will save that story for another time.
Dave made many friends in LA and enjoyed an amazing apartment and his job went from messenger to second engineer for the long running show, Rockline. Dave was happy. One day, the millionaire who owned the radio syndication company decided to sell his company to the evil radio corporation and retire. The evil radio corporation was swallowing all the good shows and offering crap to listeners instead. Oh, they pretended to try, so they hired Dave and the rest of the gang. They dropped the show and Dave got out. Bob Coburn, the host, offered to pay Dave to be the producer of Rockline, but those days were gone, Dave had bigger fish to fry. Dave moved to New York. He was off to work on a new show with the one and only, Alice Cooper. Though he waited months for the show to materialize and moved back to Phoenix for a while, he was now the new writer and producer of Alice's show. (I love that Dave wasn't even born until 1978) The show started off small and is now in 85 markets and was just mentioned in Billboard magazine, along with LA's own Steve Jones (Sex Pistols) show, Jonesy's Jukebox, as the two most refreshing new shows on radio. Good Job, Dave!
Last time Dave was in town, after coming home from the horror of the tsunami in Phukett, missing being there for the disaster by 2 days but staying to help in any way he could. (God bless him) He even came home sick from the unsanitary conditions but was so glad to be alive. That being said, Dave was ready to follow his dream and quit everything and move to a place on the border of Italy and Switzerland and run a recording studio with his childhood friend because life is too short.
Dave came back to town. Wednesday night, when we were sitting at our favorite wine bar, (of coarse) Dave told me that he was going ahead with his plans and would be leaving mid July. Dave, being a smart one, had already told Alice, who has become a great friend and father figure, that he would like to continue to write the show from Europe. Alice said he would give his support in any way he could to make that happen, you know, schmooze the corporate heads. Fingers crossed and good wishes for someone who deserves much success but mostly for my selfish reasons, so that I may return to Italy/Switzerland and record more tunes and drink more wine with one of my dearest friends.