Moxie the Dog

Many, many years ago long before my husband and I were even thinking about having children, we adopted a wonderful dog. She was a precious beagle/daschund mix that a dear friend dubbed a Rare Himalyan Deagle. She was an AMAZING dog. She died a year ago last August. For several months now, my husband and the children, occasionally have been trying to talk me into getting a new dog. I resisted. Arguing that I didn't need anything else in the house to clean up after and take care of. It was my mantra.

But Saturday, I took a temporary leave of my senses and suggested to my husband that we go and take a look at a dog some neighbors had taken in and now were trying to find a home for. Needless to say, one look at that sweet face and it was all over.

We called her Sweetie for a few days, but I realized that not only did it not really fit, but couldn't imagine 10+ years of calling the dog Sweetie. And so, Sweetie became Moxie. And for better or for worse she has come to stay.

She got a great report from the vet, and as soon as she stops chewing on everything, I think we'll have a wonderful relationship. But I will say this, it is nice to have a dog in the house again.

cupcakes are the new taco's

So i've always been a salt over sugar girl, chips to cookies any day! A few summers ago a friend of mine went to visit a friend who was renting a house in Malibu. That was the beginning of the end of salt! She came back with tales of karoake and cocktails and days on the beach with afternoon massages followed by trips to http://www.sprinkles.com/ . That sparked my interest and thus began my internet hunt for cupcakes. Her second trip to Malibu had stories of fancier houses, jewelry parties hosted by famous people and even better cupcakes at http://www.crumbs.com/ . Now CRUMBS was attainable, they shipped, they had stores in NY, NJ and CT.

A business trip last october took me to Orange County and I myself had the chance to experience SPRINKLES. Every cupcake has sprinkles on top! They were good and I enjoyed! Another friend traveled to NY, prior to her second baby being born and sent me picture mail, there it was the CRUMBS awning, (Just a little mean) she and her husband came home with tales of amazing red velvet cupcakes. On a trip to NY in January I finally convinced a friend she had to drive me to CRUMBS, (on my previous trip she insisted on http://www.browniepoints.com/ in the Short Hills Mall, NO COMPARISON at all! I picked up a 6 pack and brought home for a friend or two! I've been back to NY and tasted S'mores, devils food and a wannabe hostess!

Last week an elementary school friend started to post about cupcakes and then I saw her link about a new item in D.C. http://www.curbsidecupcakes.com/ and thought to myself, now that's a good one, a cupcake delivery truck, especially in a city like DC! Then i found http://www.daintycakesla.com/ which travels around Los Angeles!

For the love of g-d i've tasted the cupcakes here in Miami, mostly baked with a Latin flavor, send us something better soon!

And here we go

So, that's an interesting coincidence. That Robin is serving as president of her condo board, and I am about 6 weeks away from being installed as PTA president. Hmmm.

Anyway, I am already dealing with my first challenge. There is a mom who has volunteered to chair the big fundraiser, and she is the ONLY person who has expressed interest in this position. So, what's the problem, right? Well, let's just say she hasn't been the easiest person to work with in the past. She actually told me that she likes to work alone and doesn't like to ask permission for things that she wants to do, and she has no interest in participating in board meetings, which IS a requirement of the position.

So, we are having discussions. I am trying to see if I can get some commitments from her that she is willing to operate under the guidelines and policies that EVERYONE else is bound by. I really don't want to tell her "No thanks. I'll find someone else." 1. There is no one else. 2. I don't think that's good "politics."

Oy! What have I gotten myself into.

I know there is a lesson somewhere to be learned!

Patience is not my virtue, i'm terrible in traffic, long lines at the pharmacy counter make me insane and stupidty! Lately i've been tested by the challenge of being the president of the board of directors of my condominum association. I KNOW, I KNOW, I deserve every horrible thing that comes with the job for agreeing to it!
Now the job itself isn't that hard, i've done it before and with experience and age, i know to ask a lot of questions regarding budgets, monthly reports, and i've learned that when there is a subject I don't know a lot about to invite a very seasoned board member to get involved. I am wise enough that in this uncertain economic time we don't spend like drunken sailors and that we prioritize. I have 2 members of this board who really are on my last nerve. I don't begrudge the board members that are on the board and need to be explained 100 times what our governing documents require to change things, they mean well. What does drive me nuts are the ones that comes in and wantsto be the monday morning quarter back, wans to make NEW AND IMPROVED the motto, of course the new and improved only has to do with things that they thinks are important.
These are the same board members who don't bother to check their mail in the office for a month and then complain that they too have a roofing contractor who could submit a proposal. Or the guy who thinks the association should pay him for his office furniture and spend money to make the floor and walls of the loading docks travertine! Here's what these board members haven't asked, what is our annual budget, what amount of money goes into our monthly continegency account, how many unit owners are behind on maintenance and what are we doing to correct the problem, what are the ways in which we can bring in money if possible.
I'm trying so hard to hold my tongue, to not let my head explode at a board meeting when they want to talk about moving the gym into the recreation room so that they can look out onto the pool deck. JOIN A FREAKIN GYM you cheap bastard!
But, i think the lesson i'm learning is that good things come to those who wait and when I sit at the meetings and stay calm and they start talking and the whole room is chuckling at their nonsense I realize that at the end of the day, at least for this term logic and practicality will prevail!

Less is More in so many ways!

Less is More really holds true on so many levels. First, less is more always when it comes to clothes and shoes and bags. I mean, i'd much rather have less crap and more of the good stuff! Think expensive shoes, good black dress and bag, beautiful pearls and a pair of fab boots.

But less is more holds true to purge the extra in your life that really doesn't give you much. Recently I parted with a friend, actually let me rephrase that, we had been friends, the kind who laughed, went to dinner, shopped. And then that friend did something that really clued me in that we weren't friends, and that's ok, but when I realized I wasn't getting much out of the situation and that all she really created for me was work, I was honest enough to say, maybe we shouldn't be friends because really its just a facade.

So here's to cleaning out your closets and looking at your list of friends and remembering its quality in life that matters in all aspects, not quantity!

News from Liz

I agreed to be PTA president next year. That should give me a lot to write about.

New Things i find FAB

Happy 2010! From time to time I find new and fabulous sites that I think are either hip and creative or are selling something good that I want to touch or taste or try!

so here is my first list!

www.crumbs.com the best cupcakes ever

www.milkandkrunchies.com i so want to taste these

www.kellyraeroberts.blogspot.com her stuff looks super cool and I wish i had creative in my bones!

I'll admit i'm a blogger stalker! I've found a few blogs and I'm just addicted to them, i'm hoping that someone out there feels that way about me!