Just A Quick Catch-Up

It's not like me to be quiet, and to not post my usual six days a week, but I missed yesterday and today will be short. I've been feeling a bit under the weather and decided a bit of extra sleep was warranted. I'm doing much better today, I'll probably drop by Urgent Care today to pick up a prescription for some antibiotics, but I'm fine. I did skip the gym yesterday, so I'm one day off this week. I thought about going to work out today instead, but decided a bit of rest before I jump into a very busy day was probably a good idea. 

I hope all of you had a wonderful Mardi Gras and a good Ash Wednesday. 

So, there you have it. No worries, but a bit of extra sleep that apparently my body decided I needed. I'll more than likely be back on normal schedule tomorrow, so I'll catch all of you then. Have a wonderful Wednesday. 

Pope, Pups and Parties

Pope Benedict, the "German Shepherd", threw the world a curve ball yesterday by announcing his retirement from the papacy effective February 28, 2013. No pope has retired from their job since the 1500's - a very long time ago, so the tongues are wagging.

Come on, people. Pope Benny is old! And he's sick! And he's probably really tired. Now I fully understand that this is a job where you die wearing the white miter, but apparently he feels that poor health won't serve the world's Roman Catholics, and I have to admire his choice. I don't like Pope Benny, he is no John Paul II. He's too intransigent and old-school for my taste, but he's done a good job and who's to say that the person the College of Cardinals choose to take over will do any better? One thing this will allow is an orderly transfer of power. So, here's to you, Pope Benny. I hope you have an opportunity to enjoy your retirement for a while.

These seven dogs were the group winners of 2012. The

Pekingese was the 2012 winner.

The 137th annual Westminster Dog Show is going on now. I was too exhausted last night to watch the final group judging, and all four of the finalists in the Herding Group were among my favorite dogs, so I was sad that I was too tired to watch. But the final three groups will be judged tonight and then there will be the Best in Show judging to end the show. So if you don't want to watch the State of the Union address or a boring sit-com, you might consider watching the doggies on CNBC instead.  Here are photos of the four group winners so far...

The winner for the Hound group - the American Foxhound

The winner in the Toy group was the Affenpinscher

The Non-sporting group winner was the Bichons Frises

And finally, the winner of the Herding group was

the Old English Sheepdog

Finally, party on New Orleans. Today is Mardi Gras, also known as Fat Tuesday. Today it is time to party as if it was 1999 or as if you won't awaken tomorrow morning. Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent.

I know that some of you may wonder, given the discussion about the Pope above followed by Lent here why I, a pagan, really give a darn about any of this. I have always been a student of comparative religions throughout my life - one of the major reasons why I walk a pagan pathway. I also am married to a nominal Roman Catholic man who picks and chooses the path he walks on in very odd and unusual ways. But they work for him. I find organized religion fascinating, and I also know the immense impact that Catholicism has left on history for the past 2000 years. As a student of history, I have to also acknowledge this and pay attention to the Church. So...Party On :-)

Snow and Pretty Things (Last Pic may be NSFW)

So many of my friends both here in Minnesota and elsewhere got pounded by snow over the past few days. DH and I shoveled our snow several times yesterday and I will still need one more quick shovel this morning before I leave today, but it won't be too bad. It was very pretty snow and we got about 6"-8" total so not impossible. I am sure I'll have to deal with snowplow detritus at the end of the driveway - always the thing that makes shoveling challenging. I usually have DH take care of that end of the driveway while I start at the top, but he's still sleeping and if I don't have a huge amount of snow to move I'll let him sleep in until his alarm goes off at 7:00 am.

This was my front yard after we had already shoveled twice. I loved

the snow on the tree branches.

So I thought that after the obligatory snow picture I would show very pretty warm pictures to remind all of us about the seasons yet to come...

With a cruise ship floating in the Gulf of Mexico without power, a nice Mexican beach photo might be appropriate...

This pic is of Cabo San Lucas. I've never been there, but would love to go.

...and flowers are one of the wonderful gifts of nature, so I wanted to find some funky-cool flowers to show all of you. My cousin Miki and her partner are on a Caribbean cruise. She took this lovely picture of flowers and a butterfly that I'm sharing with all of you...

Flowers and a butterfly on San Maarten

...and finally it is Carnival time with Fat Tuesday tomorrow. So let's all celebrate before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent.

Mardi Gras has some wonderful floats made by various Krews

who work on them year-round. He's quite lovely.

...and a final picture from Carnival in Rio. This last one may be NSFW although they are in public on the streets of Rio so...different values. In any case, they are quite lovely.

Two very lovely ladies from this year's Carnival in Rio.