1. Getting out of the house for a bit.
2. More working out.
3. Watching Star Wars.

1. Being home.
2. Getting back into workouts. (Even though I don't love doing them, I do enjoy the results. That is, I've come to the point where I'd rather suffer through workouts than look like I would if I didn't do them.)
3. My roses blooming.

Vegas Edition

We've been getting away in Vegas for a few days. Many good things to recount!

1. Tapas.
2. A beautiful dinner at Picasso, sitting outside by the Bellagio fountain as the sun goes down.
3. Secret Pizza.
4. Winning. (Thanks, Cleopatra!)
5. Fabulous dinner at Andrea's.
6. Le Rêve.
7. Breakfast on the terrace at Mon Ami Gabi.

All this and the myriad things in between. A wonderful vacation.

1. Hiking with the family.
2. Beautiful weather.
3. Finding out about the cat that comes into our yard sometimes.*

*We've always called the cat GiGi (as in G.G., as in "Grey Ghost" because she's grey). But it turns out her name is Alley, as in "Alley Cat." She lives on the street behind ours. She was on our front porch about to head into our garden, which isn't unusual. GiGi/Alley likes to go sleep on our patio furniture. But her owner had spotted her and had come up to the house to try and get the cat back. Just as well because the hummingbird mama who lives in the climbing roses by the porch was ready to take the cat on. She was buzzing all around GiGi's head. Anyway, the owner told me the cat's name is Alley (and she even said, "as in Alley Cat") and where she lived and such. I told her we didn't mind if and when the cat visited. It's all good. Fun way to meet a neighbor.

1. An invitation to present at a writing conference in October.
2. A shipment of Big Red goodies! Including a taste test of the Big Red Float.
3. Time spent reading. It's great when you have a good book to lose yourself in.

And none of these are jokes! I'm not really much for the whole April Fool's thing. Practical jokes are one of my least favorite forms of entertainment.