If Only....

....I could feel as peaceful as Piper does.

Not that I'm upset or stressed, mind you - but I do have things on my mind. Let me just get a few things off of my chest:

My mom's best friend Judy will very likely be dead by tomorrow. A few months ago, her doctor discovered that she had rectal cancer & now she's unresponsive at a nearby hospital, & the doctors say she can't hang on. While it is very sad, I'm so grateful that she hasn't had to suffer as long as her husband or my uncle did. My mom is quite torn up over it, having just lost her brother this past winter. Please keep my mom & Judy's family in your thoughts & or prayers.

We take Mattie back to Mizzou for her recheck tomorrow. We're hopeful that the result will be positive, but I just can't stop thinking that we thought she was in the clear last time & she wasn't. I'm not going to stay up all night or anything, but being the realist that I am, I'm aware that it's definitely a possibility that the radiation therapy didn't work & that the cancer could still be there. Even so, Doug & I are determined to have the most positive attitude possible for the drive up tomorrow morning - Mattie's very sensitive to our moods (particularly mine), & while I know that she'll be fearful as soon as we pass Hwy 94 (her last exit of happy experiences in Augusta), I want to do my best to make her feel safe. But hey - here's something really sweet - Jeff, the vet student that she lived with for 3 weeks, emailed me to let me know that she will be assigned to her case on Monday! He just so happens to be on the oncology rotation right now. He said that usually the department head reads the cases & the students sign up afterwards....but not this time! Jeff said that as soon as Mattie's name was read, he yelled "She's MINE!" - & so she is. I'm so happy that Mattie has the same effect on others that she has on us. She really is a truly wonderful dog & we've been so blessed to have her in our lives.

Charles isn't doing very well. We have to help him up & he just seems lost. More than usual. He's gone through these phases before, & then he pukes & all is well. Except this time - he puked, got a little better, but hasn't changed. We're going to get him in to the vet this week. We're hoping that some Rimadyl will help him...Once more, I must ask that you keep someone else in your thoughts tomorrow - US.

Ok, now for some not-so-heavy crap.

We had a great weekend! We went to Shan & Sean's on the 4th & had a great time! We decided to bring the ingredients for a shandy & we were a hit! We also brought a lovely Sauvignon Blanc from Argentina - NQN Malma. Yum. We've loved everything we've had from this producer, so run out & get yourself some NOW. Oh, back to the party - we didn't stay for the fireworks because of our dogs, & the fact that alcohol & explosives just don't mix. The girls needed us at home, as they get pretty stressed when all of the booming starts. Here's a cute picture of Bella & Mattie:


Safety in numbers....

On Saturday, we spent the day at Sugar Creek winery with about 20 people & had a blast! While we liked it ok, we didn't love the wine we drank, but it's more about the atmosphere. However, we did love their Chambourcin & Cynthiana wines...it was just too warm to drink them! We ended up at Augusta Brewing Company, the coolest microbrewery ever...


Today, Doug & I just hung out at home for most of the day. We got hooked on "The Next Food Network Star", & then we went on a search for new guacamole, cheese dip, & margaritas. Unfortunately, the place we had in mind has closed since the last time I saw it....typical.

We returned home & cracked open a nice, cheap, screwcap rose' - La Vieille Ferme Rose' 2007 from the Rhone Valley - we call this the "chicken wine" for the obvious reason that it has chickens on the label. We've enjoyed the red in the past & have tried this rose' before, so we picked it up mostly on pricepoint. For $8.99, it's a keeper.....

One bottle hasn't been enough this evening - go ahead & judge - so we opened up the 2005 Way Kuhl Riesling from Mosel, Germany, also a screwcap. Our good friend Robin gave it to us the last time we were at her house, therefore I don't know the price. Anyway...it's good - I get some lime & mineral characteristics, but also a lot of petrol. This isn't unusual for Riesling, but nonetheless this feature hasn't made me a fan. I do keep trying, though! Perhaps we should've just let it sit for a couple of years longer, as I hear Riesling ages beautifully. Regardless, even though I'm not jumping for joy, I think it's an issue of personal preference. I'm sure it's well worth a purchase if you're a big fan of Rieslings.

Ok, Cinemax is starting to play some funky stuff & I'm going to take that as a sign that I'm up too late...