These past few weeks have been so emotionally, physically and mentally draining. Within 7 days, my mom lost her sister, my dad his brother. As much as I love them both, I was so close to my aunt and it had all become too overwhelming. I decided I needed to get away and take a mini vaca. What could be better than spending time at my best friend’s house on the beach?

Anybody that knows me well, knows I LOVE dolphins! I love just sitting, anticipating a dorsal fin or two to surface and am very seldom disappointed. This time was different, it was like nothing I have ever seen…and I think my aunt came back as a dolphin! LOL. They put on the most spectacular, hour long show for me, it was almost bizarre.
(click on picture for larger view)








As they were leaving, they dove down and splashed their tail fins as if they were waving good-bye. I have never witnessed anything like it..it gave me a sense of peace.

Like I had always done, I picked up the phone to call my aunt and share my excitement..then I realized, she already knew! Love you Aunt Bobbie XOXO!!

As long as I can
I will look at this world
for both of us.
As long as I can
I will laugh with the birds,
I will sing with the flowers,
I will pray to the stars,
for both of us.
~by Sascha

I love you and I will miss you more than words can say.
Rest in peace  beautiful Angel…

I could barely contain the excitement as I approached the front door. I had some news, some great news and like any other 7 year old girl bursting with joy, I could not get home fast enough to share it with my mom. (Back in the olden days, 2nd graders were perfectly safe walking to and fro school.) As I walked in grinning ear to ear, my mom came to the door to greet me. So this is what I remember…

“HEIDI ANNETTE what do you have?”
Noting she had used my middle name, I assure her, “It’s just a kitten”
“Who’s kitten is it?”
“It’s mine” I said in my proudest voice, “it’s all mine.”
I loved animals and had always wanted my very own cat, something I made clear more than enough times. As persistent as I was, the answer was always the same, you can get one…but not right now. Obviously cats must have been very expensive and my mom was just waiting until she could afford to buy me one. How else would a 7 year old rationalize having to wait?
“No, it’s not yours. Where did you get it?”
Convinced she would be relieved that she would no longer have to put all of her money in a kitty savings, and would be just as happy as I was, I proudly announced to her, “They were free today, so I thought I’d grab me one!”
I wasn’t kidding either. When the nice lady…with the box of kittens…sitting outside of an elementary school…as it let out…told us we could have one for free…today, I literally reached my hand through a crowd of people, into a box, and grabbed me one. MY new cat, Pixie fit in beautifully with our family. While it was made clear that it wasn’t o.k. to bring home an animal anytime I wanted, it doesn’t necessarily mean I didn’t try.

My mom still laughs about that day. I learned fast that it had nothing to do with building a kitty savings, animals are a lot of work…even for a 2nd grader!

That was the first of many “Pixies.” My love for animals, all animals has continued to grow throughout the years. Given the opportunity, I would have 1 of everything…or at the very least a sloth, a bear, a dolphin, a penguin, a deer, a monkey, a kangaroo, a manatee, a elephant, a Shetland pony and a opossum. I would also want an Avery with a large assortment of birds (any color would do thank you.)

I have also done my share of rescuing strays throughout the years. Both of the cats I have now were strays that had decided to claim mi casa as their casa…and they are both purebred Persians. (Seriously, what are the chances of that?) What’s even more interesting is they weren’t siblings, or even playmates, they came to us 7 years apart. I have had a few sick or injured animals appear as well. When I say appear, I’m not kidding. Despite my efforts, some of them recovered and some just didn’t make it. One of the more notable experiences was finding a 4 foot iguana in my garage. I opened the door to get the lawn mower, and there sprawled out on top of it was what appeared to be a mini dinosaur…staring at me. Huh? I couldn’t tell you how long I stood there rubbing my eyes and shaking my head before calling my kids out to confirm what I was seeing. This was one of the many situations that prompted some of my friends to start referring to me as Dr. Dolittle.

After determining he she it was friendly, we offered it some food and water. I sent the kids out to question the neighbors and I started making phone calls. About an  hour later, we loaded him her it into my car and headed to the mini dinosaur expert. It was in need of some medical attention, but was expected to make a full recovery. We went and visited “Mini D” a few times while it was recovering and were happy to find out that the mini dinosaur expert himself, had decided to adopt it. I love happy endings.

One of my favorite babies was Stella2. During nesting season we would end up with a variety of nests. I watched closely each year as the eggs were laid and hatched…naming each hatchling. Shocking, I know. (We had 4 finches hatch one year on the 4th of July. They were appropriately named: Ima, Yankee, Doodle and Dandy. Pretty clever huh?) A few years ago, we had 2 baby mockingbirds hatch right outside our back door, I had named them Stella and Stanley.

As I went to peak at them in the evening, I noticed that Stella was gone. We searched for her that night and then again in the morning…she was nowhere to be found. Stanley continued to thrive and oddly enough, stuck around for about 6 months (we moved, but he’s probably still there!) With his knock-knees, he was always easy to spot and could usually be found amongst a group of finches…with his mouth open. He so loved a free handout!

A few weeks later, my mom called and asked me to come over. Her and my dad had just returned from camping for a few weeks, obviously she had missed me, right? As I walked in grinning ear to ear, my mom came to the door to greet me. So this is what I remember…

“MOTHER what do you have?”
Noting I had called her MOTHER, she assures me, “It’s just a mockingbird”
“Who’s mockingbird is it?”
“It’s mine” she said in her proudest voice, “all mine.”
“No, it’s not yours. Where did you get it?”
(Alright~ so maybe that’s not exactly how it happened…)
They had found the baby mocker on the ground the day before. Thinking it had fallen, they returned it back to it’s nest, only to find it out again that evening. If a nestling is sick or deformed and the parents knows it has little chance to survive, they will get rid of it to make sure the food goes to the healthier ones. My mom knew the inevitable was bound to happen, but did not have the heart to leave it behind. (woot-I taught her well!!!) She brought her home to me  knowing I would be more than willing to keep her warm, comfortable and fed. I named her Stella2.

Having been through this before, I knew all I could do was hope for the best, prepare for the worst and let nature take it’s course. By the 2nd day, I started to wonder if this was my mom’s way of paying me back for grabbing me one of those free kittens. It didn’t seem like Stella2 was sick at all, as a matter of fact, Stella2 had more energy than Heidi. Since she wanted no part of being couped up, this is how we spent a lot of our time.

I really wish there was sound to hear her chirping.  

It was this same day I noticed something…Stella2 didn’t have tail feathers. I couldn’t help but wonder if that was the reason she was booted from the nest, but was otherwise healthy. I looked online, everything I found said it was a “sign the bird was struggling to survive.” I then pulled up several pictures of other baby mockingbirds and compared them to Stella2. Although she did not look sick, there was a definite difference when I compared to a healthy baby. Poor Stella2, I hate sad endings.

She lived her short, little life to the fullest and did not have to die cold, hungry and alone. (*sniff* I still get teary eyed…) She was an absolute busy body joy and I wouldn’t have done a thing different. I’m so glad I have these videos!

So I have yet to encounter a bear, a kangaroo, a monkey or a elephant that needs my nurturing…but if I do, you can count on hearing about it! For now I’m content with my 2 cats, Filthy (don’t ask) & Oliver and my turtle, Kiwi.

By the way, did I mention my mom presented Kiwi to me and my kids in the midst of doing a 1,000 sq. foot addition to my house…on top of working 50+ hours a week? When I gave her that you-have-got-to-be-kidding-me look, she smiled and said, “I got it from a lady at work, they were free so I thought I’d grab you one.”
Gotta love karma!

Edited to add…then there was
Ace Ventura
Buena Ventura
Oscar
Cleo…

What happens when somebody that battles with OCD is given a book about somebody that battles with OCD and they become obsessed with it?
Howie Mandel’s Here’s The Deal: Don’t Touch Me is ingenious! Combining humor with a serious look at the daily struggles, anguish and despair that accompanies OCD and ADHD, this is an excellent read for not only those affected by these conditions, but for anyone who’s a Mandel fan! 

Thanks Mom….I think!

This month marked a milestone for me, another year has come and gone. Yes, I celebrated my 6th anniversary of being 40! Last year I recapped how I spent my celebratory day, I’m digging deep this year and thought I would reflect on a few things I have learned or relearned throughout the year.

• Hot flashes are inevitable
• “Friends” aren’t always “friends”
• I like black nail polish
• Facebook and Twitter are addicting
• Cats don’t like to be vacuumed
• My sons never cease to amaze me
• A house is not a home without Froot Loops
• Huell Howser’s voice still gives me anxiety
• I can still do a cartwheel
• Don’t watch T.V. and pin something simultaneously
• I  am a little too attached to my camera and computer
• My mom had 5 grandkids at my age
• Just because it walks like a duck and talks like a duck,
doesn’t mean it is a duck.
• I love Kumkwats
• My dreams of being a singer are just an illusion
• My dreams of being able to even carry a note are just
an illusion
• Never look behind you when going down steps
• Everything happens for a reason
• I have a bulls-eye on my head only visible to birds
• If someone buys you Vicks when you have the
stomach flu, remember it’s the thought that counts
• I don’t like blue Lifesavers
• I like being plumified
• I have a low tolerance for close minded people
• Always check your shoes before leaving the house
• No matter how many times you fall out of the shower,
you won’t win. The floor is always going to be tougher
• Never compromise who you really are

It’s been said, the older you get, the wiser you become. If that’s true, I have a funny feeling this girl’s going to be around for a long time. Here’s to another year of insightful and profound learning experiences! Woot!

My baby turned 23 this week and this Mama’s a hot mess! Really. Clearly, this can only mean one thing, I am no longer a Spring Chicken. It wasn’t that long ago, in fact it seems like yesterday I celebrated my 26th Birthday (yep, I have a kid that age too) with my son’s at Las Brisas in Laguna Beach.  Where. Did. All. The. Years. Go?

I guess it’s time to put my big girl panties on and accept I’m old as dirt my age. I need to learn to embrace each and every gray hair, wrinkle, pound, hot flash, memory lapse, wrinkle, hot flash, memory la…. It is just a number anyways, right? Right?
As for my birthday boy, may you have a wonderful year and many, many more to follow. And dude…enjoy your youth because in a few years, you too will be wondering- Where. Did. All. The. Years. Go?
I love you!!!

…blogging for this special announcement:
15 days!!! O.k. so one bad day in the midst of those 15, but do I really have to start over completely?? It appears (knock on wood) I have this O.C.D. demon back in check. (Yaaa me!)
Thanks to all for the wonderful emails, words of encouragement and prayers! I couldn’t even begin to tell you how much it means to me.
(Yaaa you!)