3-Month LID Anniversary

Just a pat on my own back - tomorrow 6-28-06 will mark the day that we have made it to our 3-month Log In Date Anniversary.

We happily leave behind three months that we will never have to repeat again. Couldn't be happier about that...no matter what the time frame at the end of this wait looks like.

Mommy and Daddy are coming, baby!

Land of the Rich, Famous, and my Mom...

Well, we're off to visit family and friends in sunny California. Our plane leaves Wednesday afternoon and we're looking forward to some fun in the sun and relaxation. Well, at least, relaxation. I hate the heat and it's been in the 100's there lately. (blech) At least Mom has a really nice pool we can lounge by. Both of my parents, maternal grandparents, younger sister, little brother, and several extended family members all live there and so we get to visit with quite a few of them. I'll be sure to post from there and let you all know how we're fairing - pics included if I can get it to work. I fully expect to do some Keira shopping...because that and scrapbooking are what my mother and I do best! And don't I miss the heck out of her during this adoption process. Thank God for e-mail and the phone. Love you Ma! Well, anyhoo - petsitter is set. Tickets and clothes are packed. House is clean. Ride to and from the airport is reserved. Rental car upon arrival is arranged (thank you Dad)...and we're off. Whew - Vacation is hard work!

Do a little dance...

That's right ladies - doing a little happy dance over here at La Casa Bucher. After a year of praying for a golden ticket opportunity to transition from my full-time corporate job to something that would enable me to stay home (and still make the same $$) with Keira - WOOT WOOT!!! Doing my little dance from my computer chair - the opportunity has arrived and I have accepted a position with a very stable company. I will be a business manager working from home part-time - same $$. How amazingly cool is that?!? I have resigned from my corporate gig - goodbye to bad rubbish - hello stay-at-home mom life! (still doing a jig) I can't even contain how happy I am. And I get to work closely with someone who is very dear to me, which makes it all the better.

No more worrying about unpaid FMLA. No more stressing if I need time off for a Doctor appointment. No more missing out on Mom's Who Lunch Friday's (hint hint Erin and gang) and no more CORPORATE NONSENSE! (uh huh...shake it baby) It's make my own hours time, gals. I'm outtie...last day is 7-14 and my first day at my new job 7-17. Even better than all that...I'm being sent to NYC for a huge company bash at the end of July - it's their annual thank you to all the employees and I got in by the skin of my teeth. What better way to start my new job than to go somewhere I have always wanted to visit? More about New York in another post. Gotta spread the love out so my addicted blogger peeps have goodies to read when they religiously check in here.

More to come about this...

"Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, but she did it backwards and in high heels." ~anonymous

The Queen and Her Loyal Subjects

This is the look that got cats their bad reputation. That "come...worship and bow down before me" look. And who could really blame people for being a little weirded out when a cat gives you this stare. It commands respect and demands attention.

I, for one, find myself looking away...doing anything to avoid the "stare", lest I turn to stone or the flesh peels off my bones. Seriously, you try walking in a room with a cat that eyeballs you like this? See how you feel!

Well, the truth is - this chubby beauty is my one and only remaining feline companion, aptly named "Her Royal Highness, The Queen - Chloe". Chloe for short. Ok..."Chlo"...sometimes "mama cat" and even "Shlow" as Anton likes to refer to her. She's short...low to the ground and slow...it's a three in one name. I say 'only remaining' feline because my other darling kitty, Meggie, has run off and left us to wonder what has become of her. She's been gone over two weeks and we've seen neither hide nor hair of her. I pray she's ok. She's old and I picture her lost and possibly wounded, crying for me. Anton pictures her off with the alley cat to sow her wild oats before she's too old. Hmph! Men...husbands and alley cats.

Regardless, this striking, dare I say, gorgeous putty tat above is the love of my feline life. She was my first cat ever, and I've had her since I was 19. I'm not going into details people...I'm in my thirties...you do the vicinity math. Anyway, she is just the cat's meow...and I'm not just saying that. That fur is the softest thing you've ever touched...and she loves to chat with me at the end of my day, following me from room to room to tell all about the two dogs she's forced to endure and the antics they put her through while we're gone. To top it all off, she purrs like a maniac, and loves to sleep at the head of our bead and clean our heads while we sleep. She's a good mama-cat - keeping her peeps clean.

Well, I just love the heck out of her and had to share her lovely pic. She usually doesn't have that puss on...so I'm including a sweet one too.




T.T.F.N. (as Chloe would say...)