Wednesday, July 12th, 2006

Charles Harrison Bell


Baby Chaz (as his favorite aunt will now refer to him) came quite a bit unexpectedly this past weekend. He was born on Saturday, July 8th, 2006. It only took him about an hour to make his appearance known, but he is happy and healthy and pretty damn cute!! I am totally excited and have attached a picture. Unfortch, since he is so itty bitty I can’t hold him yet but trust me, I’ll post the pics when I can.

Everyone please raise you glass and help me toast the cutest, tiniest, newest addition to our family.

I wish you much love and happiness, and may Hudson always be able to kick your ass! ;)
CHEERS!!

This should also explain to many of you the lack of a post on Monday. But never fear, I am back in full force today!!




Running of the Bulls

The running of the bulls in Pamplona, Spain is a yearly tradition. Now, I knew you had to have some big cahonies to step out in front of a bull with gargantuan horns, but it seems there is more to it than that. Apparently the festival is nothing more than nine days of drinking and debauchery. The bull runs start at 8am every morning and it seems that most people stay up all night drinking and then head to the streets to try to beat the bulls home.

After Thursday's official sanction, it will be nine days of drinking, drinking, and more drinking. Oh, and a daily dash down the cobblestone streets ahead of the lethal horns of six 3/4-ton bulls.
Revelers wearing white shirts and trousers, held up their red kerchiefs and shouted: "Long Live!" as champagne bottles popped and onlookers dumped buckets of water on the crowd from surrounding balconies.
It's impossible to escape the bash without a thorough drenching of beer, sangria, water and eggs, but nobody seems to mind.
"We've come to get drunk!" the crowd chanted, and they had come to the right place.
"It's awesome!" said Skippy Haisma, a 25-year-old Australian gripping a large bottle of beer and sitting on a box of booze in the center of the plaza several hours before the chupinazo began. He sported a circular tuft of dyed-red hair, and said he planned to run with the bulls as he did last year.
"I usually party on through the night, then go straight out to the runs. That's how the Spaniards do it," said the Melbourne native, admitting of his previous brush with the bulls: "I've never been so scared in my life, but I can't describe the adrenaline. What a feeling!"

OK, what should I address first, the fact that the old Skipper might be an alcoholic, or the fact that he’ll never get laid with a name like “Skippy”? Note to self: If ever in Pamplona, Spain for the running of the bulls, get your ass home and safely tucked into bed where it belongs before 8am!! Oh, and avoid drunken Aussie assholes named “Skippy”!


Hot, Hot, Hot!

We all have heard about global warming by this point in time right? But honestly, I never thought about it affecting grapes. Turns out that if the weather trend continues, much of California that successfully harvests grapes will be unable to. As much as 50-80% of vineyard land will be wiped out.

The main problem: An increase in the frequency of extremely hot days, according to Noah Diffenbaugh of the department of earth and atmospheric sciences at Purdue University.
Grapes used in premium wines need a consistent climate. When temperatures top about 95 degrees they have problems maintaining photosynthesis and the sugars in the grapes can break down, Diffenbaugh said in a telephone interview.


Harry Peterson-Nedry also filed reports on global warming affecting us here at home in this article he wrote in 2004.

So I know this is a more serious blog entry and not my usual format but I think it’s important to know that global warming is reversible and that it’s not just this huge scientific thing that doesn’t refer to our personal lives. Make a difference! If not for your children, then do it for the wine!!! Now back to my usual sarcastic self….

Lions and Tigers and Bears…..

A couple went to Lake Tahoe to enjoy the natural WILD scenery and was stupid enough to leave the top down on their Buick. In the backseat they had a BBQ chicken and jalapeno pizza, Jack Daniels, vodka, and beer. While going out for a nature stroll this is what they returned to find this………….


A bear cub drew a crowd of spectators at a Lake Tahoe neighborhood as it munched on barbecue-chicken-and-jalapeno pizza in the back seat of a vintage red Buick convertible.
It also apparently washed it down with a swig of a Jack Daniel's mixer, some vodka and a beer taken from a cooler, the vehicle's owner said.
The owner of the car, David Ziello of South Lake Tahoe, said the bear didn't cause any damage but slopped cheese and jalapenos on the seats and floor.

C’mon man. Do you realize what an ass you sound like when you say “The bear slopped cheese and jalapeno on the floor” Seriously??? Forget the fact that your precious Buick wasn’t at all harmed, and that the bear didn’t kick your ass for being such an idiot and driving a Buick while buying a BBQ chicken and jalapeno pizza (blech), and your main concern is the effing upholstery in the car???


Day at the Zoo

Kipp and I took the day off yesterday and took Hudson to the zoo. It was hot, but we had a blast. Hudson loved seeing the puffins, the swimming turtles, and the sea lions. Other than that, he was only concerned with all of the kids running around. All in all, when you consider that he was mostly in a stroller in 85-90 degree heat, he did very well. Here are some pics………….

So, that's it for today! See you on Friday!!
Cheers!