Why I'm Starving...

So the Big News is BIG (or going to be)

​For those of you who haven't seen the pics on Facebook, this is our new Bernese Mountain Dog puppy - also the reason why I'm hungry. She hangs out in the kitchen during the day for several hours at a time to get her used to being alone, and if I go in to eat, I am sucked into cuteness and my morning is shot. So I starve.

Thus far she can sit, lay down, shake, and roll over - though that one is often only haflway since she loves belly rubs. What we need to do is figure out a way for her not to have to go outside at 5am. Suggestions?

3 FUN FACTS ABOUT BERNESE
- Bernese mountain dogs get their name from the area where they hail: the Bern canton in central Switzerland.

- In 1850, cheese plants opened and folks wanted to move large shipments. They enlisted Bernese to pull carts filled with dairy products and bread to different farms, often on their own.

- They can haul 1000 pounds,10 times their own weight. Uh, yes so they can weigh 100+ lbs - gulp - but as you can see from this pic, she's on the "smaller" side. #allrelative

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In travel news
My lady Karena (and I know, you are thinking "how did she land this foxy lady?" answer: BLACKMAIL) and my son flew to Barcelona. He has now decided he wants to spend his gap year there. Tapas will do that to you.

While there, we saw quite a few Catalan flags hanging from balconies. Our impassioned chocolate tour guide told us about the efforts to of Catalonia to gain independence from Spain. It reminded me a bit of how some feel in California...

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In Award Season news
SUGAR LAND snagged an IPPY, so I'll be in New York the week of May 26. And, I was awarded a two-week VCCA Writing Fellowship in Virginia, which I'll be taking after New York to finish up my next novel (which is a near future book - more in the next news). YAZIMTHRILLED is the best word I can come up with. Or DAMNNEARTINKLING. That's good too. :)

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