A well lit stroll...

Each year around this time, the downtown area of Santa Barbara is transformed with millions of twinkling lights. They are strung around all the palm trees lining State Street, as well as artistically arranged on the shopfronts. It truly is a magical sight to behold. Interestingly, the attitude of the strollers changes too, as the rush subsides and smiles emerge on virtually every face. Last night we partook of the holiday delight on a relaxed amble through the lights. As the temps have dropped in the past few days, we found the unusual chill to be an added bonus. I love this time of the year: the break in my work schedule, fun times spent with families and friends, the reenactment of traditions, and of course the festive Christmas lights. Holidays are life enriching. Hallelujah that they exist!

Another precious niece...

We are proud to announce the arrival of our new little niece, Klara Lorraine. She was born yesterday afternoon, to a very adoring and excited family. Yeah! It will be great to meet her in a few weeks. Congratulations M's!

A Zoom a Zoom Zoom...

Here's our new little silver rocket. It is a fun car, with plenty of room for me, a few friends, and my number one doggy companion in the back. Kyle is getting it all weatherized and ready for endless adventures. Hurray for 4-door Yaris hatchbacks!

Three's a charm...

It's official. We have become the nerdy dog parents. If you think a stocking is silly, you'd also be amused by the fact that I'm contemplating taking Lindsey to get her photo taken with Santa at Petco. Oh yes, I truly am going over the edge. Hahahaha or should I say hohohohoh!

A pictoral overview of our Thanksgiving weekend getaway...

Frolicking with other canines...

Lately, our life has been full of dog time. Much of what we do for fun now, revolves around activities that are suitable for canines as well. This past week Kyle and I did a lot of walking and jogging. Mostly we wandered around the neighborhood and at the beach, though we did go on a nice hike yesterday evening in the Santa Barbara foothills. So far, Lindsey appears to be up for anything and everything. She loves riding in the car, being active, and sniffing other dogs. Today we saw a completely new side of her as she interacted quite acrobatically with a young doberman at the beach. For an extended period of time, they chased each other and basically wrestled around. A clear victor was indeterminable as they flipped and tripped each other in equally astounding ways. It was quite entertaining, though only because they were playing and not really fighting. Aggressiveness is not something I generally approve of, however, today Lindsey made it rather clear that she likes to play in that way. Hmmm...Tomorrow she is getting spayed. I wonder if that will lesson her interest in other canines? Secretly, I think that would be great because I don't like violence in any form!

Learning new tricks...or not...

Having a dog truly is an adventure. Just when you think she has mastered a new trick, you put her in a different environment and she totally revolts. For example, today at the beach, Lindsey was sweetly ignoring or pleas to sit. At home she is slightly more obedient, though out in the wilds with all of the distractions, our commands fell repeatedly on deaf ears. In addition, her latest fun thing is to jump and bite at the lease. Though this is not a continuous battle, when she is feeling feisty, it can take a lot of effort to get her to stop. In spite of those mini frustrations, Lindsey has been a delight. She experienced her first major off-lease freedom today on the beach, which she handled very well. Her playful nature is kind of spastic, though very fun. We are having a great time with her.