Dogs + Costumes = Awesome

This morning was Bidwell Bark over at Bidwell Park, a 5k fundraiser run and festival for Butte Humane Society. We didn't sign up for the run, but the festival was still open for free to the public so we headed over at 11:00 am for the much anticipated dog costume contest. I mean, who doesn't love animals dressed up?! There was a small corral made of removable fencing that the dogs were paraded out in one by one for our cheering enjoyment.

And my favorite, Carmen Miranda:

After the costumer contest we wandered around making friends with all the other canine attendees. We found the biggest sheep dog ever that we both had to pet;

There was more great danes there then I'd ever see in my life and a cute little group of boxers hanging out together.

After our park foray and some Daiquiri Ice at Baskin Robbins we came home and the boy continued on his outdoor landscape mission;

Who knew there was a fence back there between us and the neighbors? Now all that shrubbery needs to get hauled out front to the trailer to take to the green waste yard. Ugh.

Drinking wine for Alzheimers

Once again my friend Dina was involved with an Alzheimer's fundraiser out at Book's Family Farm that I purchased tickets to. Since I didn't have any luck getting any of my friends to be my date, I ended up going by myself. Thankfully, I had a bunch of couples I was meeting there. Like last year, I caught a horse ride from the parking lot to the back of the farm where the event was being held.

Food and wine samples were covered by the admission and there were plenty to chose from, My favorite ended up being a giant bowl of fruit salad and pizzelles that Dina made.

I did try some wines from local wineries. Found a good late harvest red (lightly sweet), a viognier, a petite syrah, and a less than stellar moscato that wasn't nearly sweet enough. Once I had my good senses dulled by the wine I headed over to the silent auction table to see what was worth bidding on.

In the end I focused my balboas ($$) on a kick-ass basket of coffee goodies from 6 Degrees Coffee and a gift certificate for tattoo makeup. I ended up in a wicked bidding war with an old high school buddy, Danya, of mine over the coffee basket, but with 10 minutes left to go somebody else unknowingly outbid both of us. I did end up with the tattoo makeup though, so now I just have to decide between eyeliner, lip liner, or eye brows.

My bread making friend Bruno (above) has had all three tattoos done so she was so excited for me to be part of the permanent makeup gang with her, Kari, Lauren, and Dina.

This year had such better weather than last. It was still hot in the direct sun, but there was a fabulous breeze and more shade available. I'm glad I went, I ran into a bunch of people I know like my 6th grade teacher Mr. Watson who recognized that he knew me (we ran into him a few years ago at the Japanese Gardens in Portland), my friend Danya from high school, an old council member, and ladies I'd met from Soroptimist. The event was only from 2-5 pm so it was the perfect amount of time for a few bites, a couple of drinks, and an afternoon of good music.

Party time!

My co-worker Crystal invited me to her 40th birthday tonight in P-town, so the boy and I headed up the hill at 5:00 pm for an evening full of music, Mexican food, and malt beverages!

Soooo much fun! There was a live band that was playing hits from the 90s which was a total college flashback. A whole handful of other co-workers were there so we had great company at our table and on the dance floor. Dinner was catered by Aca Taco out of Chico and the cake was from the new local bakery, Blue Sugar. And there was plenty of Smirnoff malt beverage to quench my thirst - what more could you ask for? Crystal lives in the "rich" section of town so it was nice seeing how the other half parties!

Babies!

Last night my friend Susan gave birth to her third little boy, Gavin Michael, at Feather River. He was 7 lb 14 oz, 19 1/2" long - tiny compared to the other two behemoths. She was due on 9/11 but thankfully was able to hang on for one extra day, but not so long that she had a baby on Friday the 13th. 

I stopped by the hospital after work this morning to visit with the wee little dimpled one. He had just fed so he promptly fell asleep in my arms. After about 30 minutes one of Todd's sisters, Polly, stopped by so I was able to pass the sleeping bundle off to her so that I could get some feeling back into my arms which are not used to carrying little babies. 

He was so good, never making a peep, just squirming in his sleep. Mom and baby are scheduled to come home tomorrow so the other two boys can practice playing big brother!

Newsworthy

Who made the 5 o'clock news (you'll have to crank the volume)...??

Now I've been on TV, radio (interviewed about my environmental purchasing policy), and in the newspaper (the police blotter - yay me!). Next I need a Youtube video to go viral....

Taste of Chico

What better way to spend the hottest day of the way then traipsing around downtown Chico in the full sun for the 28th annual Taste of Chico event. In my defense, when I bought the tickets we were enjoying 80 degree weeks and I had no reason to believe we were going to be revisiting triple digit days anytime soon. My bad. But, being the troopers we are, and because I wasn't about to blow off $80 in tickets, we showed up at 11:15 this morning to pick up our tickets from will-call downtown and scope out all of the booths.

While wandering around aimlessly I got hijacked by the local news for a little on-camera interview about why I liked Taste of Chico.

I'll be tuning in at 5:00 pm to see if I made the final cut. Booths opened at noon so at about 10-till we hopped in the ever growing line for the beer garden. Both Wilson and Chris' tickets came with booze samples, but mine didn't so I shared some of Chris' tickets - I just didn't get a fancy commemorative glass.

I only got one alcohol sample (in my little plastic solo cup) and that was the elderberry mead from Honey Run Winery while Wilson enjoyed some ACE cider. Once we got some drinks in us we headed out for some grub.

I had half of a hamburger from Burger Hut (super yum), a mini tostada from La Hacienda complete with their special house sauce, a small slice of cheesecake from Trader Joe's, strawberry lemonade sorbetto from Powell's Sweet Shoppe, and split a strawberry trifle from Upper Crust with the boy. All of our tickets also came with 6 non-alcoholic beverage tastes and I used mine on lots of iced chai tea (with almond milk) at Chico Chai.

We made it almost two hours before we were too full for anymore samples and too hot to keep roasting in the sun so we left Wilson to keep company with Raquel at her booth while we found the nearest homeless person to give the rest of our food tickets to. A cold McDonald's soda and shower later, we're feeling much better. I'd do it again, but now I know we definitely don't need as many sample tickets!

Work changes

Can you believe it's September already? A few mere weeks until Fall is officially upon us. Until then, we're just keeping ourselves busy with our boring day to day shenanigans. Last weekend, on my home from church, I stopped at a drive-thru pizza place down the street by K-Mart that advertised gluten free pizza crust and ordered us each a personal pizza to try;

I got the "artichoke dip" pizza and the boy had the tri-tip pizza, both of which were delicious. Drive-thru pizza in less than 5 minutes? What more could you want?

How did we welcome in September yesterday?

With afternoon rain showers. More like heavy sprinkles, but still pretty surprising. This upcoming week is supposed to be high 80s which seems a little more normal for this time of year, but I'll gladly take an occasional rain shower anytime.

Sooooo....on the work front, the gal who we just hired last year to work the building dept counter put in here notice last Monday with this upcoming Thursday being her last day which means that I'll be back on the counter again until we hire somebody who'll I'll also have to train....again. Ugh. She got an "extra help" (hourly, no benefits) job with the county's building dept where she can work 16 less hours a week and still make more than she makes with the town. With our medical insurance rates going up $270 more a month starting in December, on top of the 5% pay cut we took back on July 1st, she really didn't have much of a choice. Her starting hourly rate with the county is $2 higher than the top rate she ever would have been paid by the town (in another 4 years) so it really was a no brainer. So, in anticipation of her last day, I stopped by Raley's today and ordered a custom cake for her last day, bought a card for the whole office to sign, and found a DIY banner kit at Walmart that I used to spell out my own special message;

For my gift to her, I'm putting together a care basket full of her favorite things and things around the office that she'll miss. I've solicited the help of a few other people so I don't get stuck doing everything....like usual.

No big plans this week, other than getting ready for Wilson to come home next weekend. Including getting her birthday gifts wrapped up all beautiful like.

We've got tickets for the three of us to go to Taste of Chico next Sunday in downtown. Between our three tickets we've got enough food and booze tickets for a small army. Perfect!