The Last Post of 2007

Today's Beautiful Thing is the last post of 2007. It's been nearly a year since I started this blog, griefridden and determined to make Atticus's short time with us matter. This last post of the year is bittersweet. I'm looking forward to many Beautiful Things to come in the 2008, and I look back on the 346 Beautiful Things I found in 2007 with much fondness.

Happy New Year to you all. May 2008 bring you and your family many Beautiful Things of your own, and may you recognize each and every one of them for the gifts they are.

Politics

Today's Beautiful Thing is CSPAN's all-day Iowa speech coverage. Political geek that I am, I was glued to the couch all day. I'm so excited for Thursday! John Edwards is doing amazingly well.

Today's speech was live from the Gigglin' Goat Restaurant, where the crowd chanted, "Elizabeth and John, on the White House lawn!" How much do I love that!?!

Pan's Labyrinth

Today's Beautiful Thing is Pan's Labyrinth. My friend J gave us the DVD for Christmas and we finally got the chance to watch it tonight. What an excellent movie! Highly recommended by both of us.

warm lap

Today's Beautiful Thing is a little French Bulldog snoozing in my lap. Zzzz...

quiet time

Today's Beautiful Thing is reading and knitting. I spent the day doing quiet things in a room with a window that overlooked the Pacific Ocean and ate lunch on the penthouse balcony. It was a nice day.

Post Christmas Dinner

Today's Beautiful Thing is spending a couple of hours with Mom. It's nice to nosh and gab after the holiday craziness is finally behind us.

Christmas!

Today's Beautiful Thing is family. Spending Christmas with my in-laws (particularly my niece and nephews) is a delight.

Christmas Eve

Today's Beautiful Thing is family. We've started a new thing the last couple of years, Christmas Eve (instead of Christmas morning) at my aunt's house. While I'm not big on changing tradition, I am big on spending time with my family.

Christmas Wrapping

Today's Beautiful Thing is Christmas wrapping. I love the way my special gifts look once they're all covered with paper and ribbons. :)

Late Night Shopping

Today's Beautiful Thing is stores staying open till midnight. We finished our Christmas shopping about 11:45 tonight, leaving Sunday free for baking and wrapping. Whew!

holiday gatherings

Today's Beautiful Thing is getting together with friends. My boss invited everyone in our department to a party at her lovely home. The food was delicious, the games were fun, and the company was superb. Thanks M. You outdid yourself.

Crossing things off my list

Today's Beautiful Thing is crossing 11 people off my Christmas list! I've narrowed the list down to my husband's family (10) and my mom. Looks like I may still have time to bake for the neighbors this weekend. Yeah!

Tell me something good!

Today's Beautiful Thing is something good happening at work. We've been waiting for this particular thing for the last 3 or 4 weeks. Finally, part of it has come to fruition. We'll all breathe a little easier over the Christmas holidays. Yay!

It's all at the mall

Today's Beautiful Thing is living close to the mall. I needed a gift tonight. I left home at 8:30 and was home by 9:15 with the perfect present.

on call!

Today's Beautiful Thing is the 24 hour pet hospital. Ace wasn't feeling well tonight, and it was a blessing to be able to speak to a vet just to make sure he was ok.

Race Car Red

Today's Beautiful Thing is my new Harvey's Seat Belt Bag, which I have wanted for a long time. I went with the hubby so I could choose the size, and now I'm supposed to forget all about it until Christmas. Sigh.

Sally Snowflake

Today's Beautiful Thing is my niece, Elise, who had her first dance recital today. Six 2 year-old girls dancing to Sally Snowflake is something I will never ever forget. SO precious! :)

It was too dark during the performance for my camera, but I took this pic before. Little ballet shoes. Hee.

Laughter

Today's beautiful thing is laughter. We had our annual holiday party today. There was much good-natured teasing and silly banter at our table. Also, it was really nice to see the people who work at other locations in person. Oh! And I won a prize!

Shopping

Today's Beautiful Thing is successful shopping. Both my mother and I bought two presents for my husband tonight. Yay!

Improvement

Today's Beautiful Thing is making slow but steady progress on my new assignments at work. I've learned a lot of new things over the last 6 months and I haven't had much time to practice them, but the bits that I have been doing lately have made more sense and I haven't had many problems.

Yum

Today's Beautiful Thing is a leftover turkey and cranberry sandwich. It was dee-licious!

Friends

Today's Beautiful Thing is an unexpected e-mail from a friend. Today I received two of them, a silly forward from L (who I used to work with, and haven't heard from in a long time) and a note from K (who I e-mail regularly, but has been very busy with work the last few weeks).

Since I don't work with L any more, getting her forward made me smile--it's nice to be remembered--but K's e-mail was like a warm hug. You'd have to know K to understand why. She's the warmest, most wonderful person and she lives too far away.

Holiday Bargains

Today's Beautiful Thing is the 99 Cents Only Store. I was able to find beautiful silk poinsettias for my three planter boxes. Our house looks very Christmasy now.

RL Writing Pals

Today's Beautiful Thing is OCC/RWA, my monthly, real-life writing friends. Most of my writing pals live far, far away, but it's nice to meet with other writers in person regularly too. Apparently, I'm not the only one who thinks so. Our members drive from San Diego, Riverside, Los Angeles, Ventura, San Bernardino & Santa Barbara Counties to attend our fabulous meetings--even though most of them have a local RWA chapter that's closer.

Support

Today's Beautiful Thing is the love and support I've received from my friends regarding my father-in-law's injuries. I am so fortunate for my online and work friends. Keep the white light and prayers coming. We will find out the results of the tests tomorrow and, hopefully, he'll be released tomorrow too.

Loved Ones

Today's beautiful Thing is my father-in -aw. He was in a car accident this afternoon. It looks like he's going to be ok, but they are still running tests. Please send white light to Mike, the kindest, most decent and loving man I know.

Breakin' da Rulz

Today's Beautiful Thing is being a daredevil. Ace has been told to get off the furniture many times since last Thursday, but he still gets up there. I do believe we have changed our "no dogs on the furniture" policy. Really, how could you tell this little guy to get down?

Action!

Today's Beautiful Thing is taking action for a cause you believe in. Many people complain about what's wrong with the world, but very few people have written a simple letter or made a phone call to a congressman, let alone carried a sign in a protest march. Today I salute grassroots activists everywhere, whatever the cause.

Camera!

Today's Beautiful Thing is having a digital camera. It's so cool to be able to snap a photo and send it to your friends instantaneously. I just took these pics a few minutes ago.

Lights!

Today's beautiful Thing is the cheery look of Christmas lights around the neighborhood. We put up our icicle lights today, along with some little signs and simple decorations. It gets dark so early now. Will have to do the rest of them next weekend or during the week.

Retrievers and Friends

Today's Beautiful Thing is a rescue called Retrievers and Friends and the owner Liz. Liz is a wonderful, caring woman who has been rescuing dogs and cats (she even has a miniature horse right now!) for 17 years. It is honorable, Beautiful work you are doing, Liz, and we salute you--and thank you. With our sweet little Ace, our family is now complete.

If you're in the Southern CA area, check the rescue out. If you're not, you might enjoy visiting the rescue's store. The items would make nice Christmas or Hannukah gifts.

Playmates

Today's Beautiful Thing is having someone to play with--even if he's a little immature, hyper and drives you a bit crazy. :)

Welcome Ace!

Waiting

Today's Beautiful Thing is anticipation. Ace will probably be here in an hour or so. In a couple of hours we'll know if he's ours or not, but for now, I savor the joy of anticipation.

Atticus buddy, Lulu may have a stand-in for you in the friend department. I know you wouldn't be jealous because it wasn't your way. I think of you and smile tonight because I know the new little guy would make you happy too. In fact, I picture you with your guardian angel wings, possibly being the one who orchestrated the match. I miss you and I hope you are well.

Good deeds

Today's Beautiful Thing is is doing a good deed. The people who run rescues, work at shelters, train therapy dogs, etc, are the best kind of people. One particular lady named Liz, is doing the work of angels with her wonderful dog and cat rescue.

Ace!

Today's Beautiful Thing is a little French Bulldog named Ace. Thursday night the owner of the rescue is going to come by, check out our yard, talk to us, and see how Lulu and Ace get along. If everything goes well, we'll have a new member of our family Thursday night. We are very excited!

Chicken Salad

Today's Beautiful Thing is a great big chicken salad. I had a huge pile of romaine lettuce, chopped tomato, cukes & onion, along with 1/8 of an avocado (one fat exchange), 3 ounces of chicken breast, some non-fat salsa, non-fat sour cream and 5 baked tortilla chips for the crunch. It was dee-licious!

Diet Update: 23 pounds in 18 weeks. My pound-a-week goal is working just fine.

Knitting Supplies

Today's Beautiful Thing is new knitting stuff. My friend Rox (1st row-second from left) taught me how to knit at the conference in Ohio/Kentucky last month. Joann's just so happened to have a sale this weekend, so I bought new #7, 13" bamboo knitting needles and two packages of matching green, blue, teal, beige and brown variegated (is that what they call it?) wool yarn. I can't wait to start practicing. This week is busy. Probably next weekend.

Sweet!

Today's Beautiful Thing is a handful of spiced gumdrops. I'm particularly fond of cinnamon-red and yellow--I have no idea what flavor they are--spicedrops.

TV Time

Today's Beautiful Thing is spending a few hours vegging out in front of the TV. I don't do it often, but today I needed it. Watched an hour each of King of Queens and That 70's Show and the movie Family Man.

Just in Time

Today's Beautiful Thing is getting everything baked and having just enough time to get dressed and arrive on time for a change. :) Happy Thanksgiving to all my American Friends. I'm thankful for all the Beautiful Things in my life, friendships most of all. (Pictured: Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle, Cheesecake with cherry topping (Low fat!) and pumpkin pie, natch.)

Gingerbread!

Today's beautiful Thing is the smell of ginergerbread baking. Bonus Beautiful Thing: the taste of hot gingerbread fresh out of the oven. :)

Bully Kisses

Today's Beautiful Thing is a kiss or two from Lulu. :)

ETA: Lulu's eyes look awful and stained. It's not because we don't wipe them (several times a day) but because she has allergies and they are so drippy this time of year. The eye cleaners just irritate her eyes (and make them tear up more) and the problem gets worse.

Old is New Again

Today's Beautiful Thing is wearing clothes I haven't been able to wear in a while. I wore some cute old jeans yesterday and some old work pants today. The work pants were actually a little bit baggy. I'd forgotten what that felt like. Go me!

Bully Snores

Today's Beautiful Thing is a snoring Bulldog. Lulu had a great time at the dog park today and she is fast asleep. :)

A new look

Today's Beautiful Thing is a new comforter set from Overstock.com. We've been in our house 13 years and it needs updating. My red lamps, ruby sheets and black frames will still look nice with this new set, and I'm thinking of painting the plain white walls a nice warm taupe color. Then, all we need is new window treatments since we got a new window a few months back. Isn't it pretty? It comes with all those pillows and shams. :)

(secret) Birthdays

Today's Beautiful Thing is J. It's her birthday today. She tried to keep it a secret, but we wouldn't let her. She's just too special for that. Happy Birthday J!

Double-Take

Today's Beautiful Thing is the fun of making people do a double-take. I always straighten my hair before I go to the hairdresser to make it easier on her. Naturally, I get comments from people seeing it straight for the first time.

Writing

Today's Beautiful Thing is writing. I'm making slow but steady progress on chapter one. The butterfly photo is inspired by a line I wrote last night that I particularly like. Probably a darling I'll have to kill later, but oh well. Embrace the joy when you have it, that's what I always say.

The protagonist gets a telepathic message from her aunt, who is near death. Here's the line: I felt a weak flutter of recognition in my mind, small and soft as butterfly wings.