WanderingAmylessly 2.0

Our Monterey trip was fantastic. Catching up on sleep and getting back into the old grind (WORK...ugh) have been painful, though. I'll post some pics once Tim has a chance to sort them...what would've amounted to something like 40 old-fashioned rolls of film. I'm glad we don't have to pay One-Hour-Photo THAT developing bill. Among the highlights: We went whale-watching. Didn't actually see any whales, but we did find a group of about 300 Risso's dolphins swimming alongside and jumping up in the air. We had our anniversary night dinner at Domenico's on the Wharf, enjoying a yummy seafood dinner as well as entertainment by the live Brown Pelicans walking along the pier outside the window. We watched the sunset in a different spot each night. I think my favorite was on Carmel Beach, sitting on a rock with my honey, watching tons of dogs playing fetch in the sand. We saw one owner with a Westie and a Scottie -- has to be a sign, doncha think?! We didn't see ...

Skip the airlines' Web sites. Go straight to the ENFORCERS . (Or my mother-in-law...she sent a detailed message about the ordeal she recently went through in order to get herself and her belongings out of and back into the country in one piece and without detainment.) I found a boatloat -- or, in this case, a cargo-hold -- of information on the TSA Web site about what's OK and what's verboten. They seem to not be all that concerned with me and the assortment of little old ladies who enjoy needlecrafts. FROM THE SITE: -- Circular knitting needles are recommended to be less than 31 inches in total length -- We recommend that the needles be made of bamboo or plastic (Not Metal) -- Scissors must have blunt points -- In case a Security Officer does not allow your knitting tools through security it is recommended that you carry a self addressed envelope so that you can mail your tools back to yourself as opposed to surrendering them at the security check point. -- Most of the ite...

I've been on a plane twice since 9/11. Once, three years or so ago on our way to Texas. Second time, on the trip back to Iowa. Overall, I'm thrilled with the fact I've been spared the whole x-ray/strip search/frisking/evil eye treatment from the TSA employees. However, it also means that I'm woefully unprepared for what I must do to pass inspection and be sent on my merry way to Monterey. Last time, I got my cross-stitch scissors confiscated. You know, those deadly two-inch-long scissors that could barely cut needlepoint thread, much less be wielded as a deadly weapon. This time, I'm planning on taking a knitting project for the plane (something small like a baby hat or a sock) but the double-pointed needles seem dubious. I really don't want them to take away a perfectly good knitting project. No one's going to stab anyone with dull, four-inch-long bamboo needles. Really! I'd be more concerned about the pen my husband will bring along for his crossword-p...

Henry's relationship with Maggie has been tumultuous lately. He's either in her face, demanding she lick his, or he's shoving her away with his feet and screaming at her to "go away Maggie, uggggghhhhh!!!" (Usually the latter happens when he's eating something she wants. And what she wants is anything he's eating.) But I was pleased to see them playing nicely in the backyard this afternoon. Tim took some pictures. They look shifty. Like they're plotting.

Check out these new T-shirts . From the site: Starting with number "1", each T-shirt's label features a unique, handwritten number noting the number of people sporting the tee to date. We will host an equality party when our T-shirt counter hits 100,000 people supporting marriage equality. We donate a portion of the proceeds from each "Marriage Is So Gay" tee sold to organizations promoting marriage equality.

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, drink some green beer (or even better, drink Guinness!) and listen to a little House of Pain. Specifically, this song: "Jump Around, a hit single by the Irish-American hip-hop band House of Pain that became a smash hit in 1992, reaching #3 in the U.S. On VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 90s, "Jump Around" was featured at position 24 (thanks to quazi-official Wikipedia for that info). Pack it up, pack it in Let me begin I came to win Battle me that's a sin I won't tear the sack up Punk you'd better back up Try and play the role and the whole crew will act up Get up, stand up, come on! Come on, throw your hands up If you've got the feeling jump across the ceiling Muggs is a funk fest, someone's talking junk Yo, I'll bust em in the eye And then I'll take the punks home Feel it, funk it Amps it are junking And I got more rhymes than there's cops that are dunking Donuts shop Sure 'nuff I got props from ...

You gotta think our illustrious senator from the great state of Iowa is going to catch some flak for this...taking political incorrectness to an all-time low... FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS: Sen. Charles Grassley suggested that AIG executives should accept responsibility for the collapse of the insurance giant by resigning or killing themselves. The Republican lawmaker's harsh comments came during an interview Monday with Cedar Rapids, Iowa, radio station WMT. They echo remarks he has made in the past about corporate executives and public apologies, but went further in suggesting suicide. "I suggest, you know, obviously, maybe they ought to be removed," Grassley said. "But I would suggest the first thing that would make me feel a little bit better toward them if they'd follow the Japanese example and come before the American people and take that deep bow and say, I'm sorry, and then either do one of two things: resign or go commit suicide. "And in the case ...

Henry just read an entire book...to ME. I'm giddy!!!! I had to help him with a few unusual words that don't follow the phonics rules. And I had to remind him to "sound it out" several times. But he pretty much read the whole book. The book he read was one of mine from my childhood, given to me by a family friend and wildly popular substitute teacher, Miss West, who sadly passed away a few years ago. She was one of those devoted teacher types who never married a person, just her career. I could write a whole blog just about her -- she was famous for her "red hot parties" where she'd pass out those tiny cinnamon candies to students who behaved well. She used to sing songs about "four wheels on my wagon, and I'm just rolling along, the Cherokees are after me, flaming spears burn my ears..." ok, so it was a different time. And when I moved to Utah, every time I saw her on my visits back home, she'd talk basketball with me. She loved the Ja...

Check it out! My husband's a star -- kinda sorta. For something he did 14-or-so years ago. Mostly he looks like he's screwing around on the job. Photographers...sheesh... Anyway, click here to go to a link to a video taken when a guy named Tim was shooting for the South Dakota Department of Tourism. This was more than a year before Tim and I met (and back in the day, kiddos, when photographers shot something called FILM and processed it in something called a DARKROOM). His face looks like he's about 12! I must admit. I watched that 18 seconds of video about 20 times this afternoon. While you're at the site, take a few minutes to look at some of the great SoDak photography by Web site owner, department of tourism chief photographer, and Tim's former boss, Chad Coppess. He's the artistic eye behind most of the images in the travel guides you'll order for your next summer vacation to the Black Hills, Badlands, Wall Drug, Corn Palace, and so on.

I went into tonight thinking I'd watch my 2-hour DWTS premiere and call it a night. But I didn't turn off the TV in time. I think I have a new favorite show. "Castle" brings together a brash best-selling author of crime novels and a sharp, sexy female cop to solve a series of copycat killings patterned after some of novelist Rick Castle's storylines. Where friction meets fiction, the tagline teased. I fell for it. And I'll be back next Monday at 9.

I watched Apple co-creator Steve Wozniak tonight on Dancing with the Stars and all I kept thinking was...Bert Lahr as The Cowardly Lion.

The theme song's sloshing around in my head. I'm picturing that mirror-ball trophy and gearing up for crotch shots and bad puns from the hosts! Yep, it must be that time. Tonight's the 2-hour season premiere of Dancing with the Stars! The competition must be fierce. We haven't even seen the first shimmy from this season's cast, and already they're dropping like flies. Jewel and Nanci O'Dell are out because of injuries (or sudden cases of "oh crap, I'm going to completely embarrass myself in front of millions of people"), replaced -- rumor has it -- by Hugh Hefner's former girlfriend Holly Madison AND Melissa (not even sure that's her name), the girl who just got dumped on national TV a week ago by The Bachelor. I'm not much into it anymore, as I've written in previous posts. I think I'm getting excited out of sheer habit. We, in Iowa, do have one bright and shining reason to watch. Olympic Gold Medal Gymnast and Midwestern C...

My kiddo is so sweet. Even when he's insulting me. Yesterday, Henry put his arms around me and told me he was sorry that I "was not feeling so well." He gave me a squeeze, and then looked up at me with his beautiful, big brown eyes and an innocent smile and said, "Mommy. You are really round. You know that? Really round." Yow. I couldn't scold him for being rude, because he was sort of stating a fact. And he was doing it so adorably. He, after all, didn't come right out and rudely say, "Geez mom, you're fat." Which is, I'm certain, what he really meant. I haven't been working out in weeks, most recently because I've been sick but, overall, because it's been awful weather and all I really want to do is nosh on carbs and sleep. Henry's sweet reminder is my official signal to put down the pastries and slowly walk away. Or even better, run away. Burn more calories that way. By the way, I was trying to probe a bit into Henry...

Don't leave me forever. I know I've been a bad blogger. But I have a good excuse. Bronchitis. I can't stop coughing long enough to type anything clever. I'll be back...