Wow, thanks for all the random folks who stumbled by in the past two days to find out what we were up to. Good to see some of you guys! Stop in and introduce yourself.

Tonight while watching Letterman

Me: Matt, can you mute it for a second…. do you hear that?

< Munch><Munch><Munch> (coming from the bedroom)

Matt: She’s eating her dinner in the bedroom, and we’re in the living room! SHE’S EATING HER FOOD WITHOUT US SITTING RIGHT NEXT TO HER. It’s only taken her a year and a month to get her used to this apartment and now we’re going to move her!

Me: Wow. Just… wow.

Last Friday my Boston Bestie and I went Newburyport to hang out with all the filthy rich women who have nothing to do with their lives but to go lunching. We took our dogs, if for no other reason than to annoy said filthy rich women. But in the end we found ourselves lapping up the sun outside a cute little cafe acting the very part of ladies of leisure.

You know how they say if you hang out with fat ugly people you’ll become fat and ugly too? Berlin and I hang out with Colleen and Raja for quite the opposite effect… to become beautiful and svelte. So far it hasn’t occurred but I remain hopeful.

From Daily Daguerreotype

My girl D has finally done it. She’s started a new blog. I love her beyond words. And so will you. Check it out.

Dub and I had a nice long conversation today about the merits of making lots of money and giving it away in a non-arrogant way. I’m on a rant lately where I go on and on about how little respect I have for Bono. And in totally unrelated sharing, Dub pointed me to Hayseed Dixie which confirms in my mind that I know how I want to live: positively positive.

And here’s the best blog post I’ve read in a while.

Finally, a great Etsy find. I’ve been looking high and low for a dog bed that has some sort of pouch that Berlin can shove her little face under since she’s such a hider. Check out these beauts.

That should keep you busy for a while. And I’m sure my anti-U2 sentiment will turn up the heat in the comments. This is what I’m here for.

Tomorrow afternoon I’m going to look at 2 houses, well one house and a condo. How many times can I make these trips before declaring to our realtor that Berlin has final say in the house we buy? I mean yard size is IMPORTANT PEOPLE!

I don’t know how to explain to you the simultaneous joy and terror that I’m experiencing as of late. Lots of huge things are in the works here, but I don’t feel comfortable discussing them on the blog until I can say with confidence that the eagle has landed. Patience is not my strong suit, but I’m finding myself with no other option. So I’m biding my time by sticking my nose into The Bolivian Diaries of Che Guevara which is soon to be overdue at the local public library. (I don’t know how I feel, politically speaking, about public libraries.)

I am also steeling myself for next Tuesday which brings a doctors appointment for a yearly checkup. No, nothing crazy… just a yearly checkup. But you have no idea how much the blood pressure monitor freaks me out. Thank the Good Lord in Heaven that Matt has an appointment scheduled at the same practice at the same time so in the event of my seizing, he can be quickly located and pointed in the direction of Crazy Lady Thrashing In Room F.

Because you have made it through this quagmire of a blog post, I can reward you with the following newsy tidbit that may just be the thing to put a spring in your step on the eve of yet another New England snowstorm: Berlin has a male friend that she is gaga over, and when rewarded with an extensive playdate in the afternoon with said suitor, becomes quite angelic inside the house for the entire evening. Tonight’s behavior has been so remarkably cute that Matt has been pacing around the living room for an entire hour shouting, “ARE YOU EVEN KIDDING ME?”

When all else fails, get yourself a dog.

2. LOST blew my mind last night. We had so much fun watching it with neighbors and their dogs. It’s so easy to forget in the time off without LOST just how much we look forward to that one hour of television. This is how we get our jollies.

3. I wish Facebook was not about being friends with people that you want to snoop on and people you’d like to think are really your friends. I wish it could be about true social connections. I get that about 50% of the time.

4. I hooked up my Twitter status to my Facebook status and now I don’t tweet as much.

5. I’m back to listening to a lot of Bob Schneider. It ebbs and flows but I’m really in the mood right now.

6. I think it’s great that we have an African-American president. Even though I didn’t vote for him. It’s been lots of fun to see all of the coverage and feel the excitement in America. I hope it continues.

7. There’s another goldendoodle in the neighborhood and Berlin tried to kiss her on every inch of her body when they met yesterday. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her so happy. Except when I snuck her some pepperoni last night.

8. I bought a pound of Peets coffee yesterday to try. I’m going to see if I can find a coffee that I like better than Starbucks.

9. If you’re the praying type, please send up some prayers for Matt’s family. He lost his grandmother this week. She was an amazing woman with the most beautiful, thick, half-NY/half-NJ accent. Once she whispered in my ear that she thought Matt had married really well, which was one of the best compliments I’ve ever received. We’re headed down to NJ this weekend to celebrate her wonderful life.

10. That’s it. No number ten. See ya.

Before I head off to unpack from our holiday travels and hit the Advil liquid capsules and hot water bottle (thanks, Mags!), I’ll appease you with the following delicious image of Matt and Berlin playing in the foot of snow that we got last week which has now completely melted.

How was your Christmas?

From Daily Daguerreotype