Moving Forward

Today I had a very interesting experience at the Toyota dealership. As part of their plan to gain customers after the recall of several of their cars due to gas pedals sticking, Toyota offered two years or twenty-five thousand miles of free maintenance. With the amount of driving I do, I thought it would be a great idea to take advantage of this. I scheduled my appointment for an oil change and took my computer to work (they offer free Wi-Fi and a lovely lounge).

I settled in and got to work. About an hour into the service (side note: I can't wait to pay Jiffy Lube to change my oil... instead of 2 hours like today, I will be done in 15 minutes) my service advisor comes out to inform me that there's been a recall on my Rav4. As it turns out, there's potential for my floor mat to slide up and make my accelerator stick.

Service advisor: "I just like to show my customers any pending recalls that might be out there. Your car has one on the gas pedal as it might become wedged under the floor mat. We don't have the tools/parts to fix it today, but you'll get a letter in the mail sometime soon to come back."

Me: "Wow, that sounds serious. I drive eighty miles every day - is it safe to be driving my car?"

Service advisor: "Absolutely. I would never let you leave here if it was an issue."

Ok, I'm not entirely sure how that works... apparently it's serious enough to spark a recall but not serious enough to drive for another couple months? I'm operating on the premise that they wouldn't knowingly let me drive a car around after a recall if there was any chance it could kill me... they don't want that lawsuit, right?

As the Toyota motto says... "moving forward"... apparently there's a chance I will be doing that even if I don't want to!

Shadow Eats Snow

We took Shadow for a walk through the neighborhood and it continued to snow. By the time we got back, we had about two inches of snow on our deck. I took Shadow out on it and leaned over to scoop some up to eat (yes, I'm like a kid). Shadow looked at me, looked at the snow and started eating it... he's such a hilarious dog!!!

I love this dog.

Unexpected Snow!

Well, we got quite a nice surprise this afternoon! What was supposed to just be a big  storm turned out to be a snow storm! I'm happy I was working from home today and I got to get some video of Shadow exploring the deck!

Here's a picture from the upstairs deck as well:

Snow on the Upstairs Deck

About 1/2 an inch has actually stuck... I hope it keeps up all night long! It's seriously coming down now! Maybe Shadow and I will go out and play in it a little later! It's still really new for me... I feel all giddy like a little kid! Until I moved up here, I don't know that I'd ever actually seen snow fall... if I did, it was only one or two times and nothing like this!

Update

Lots has been happening in the Smithson/Blankenheim household over the past few days.

First of all, we're really diving into the wedding planning. I finally picked bridesmaid dresses, we're registered, our save the dates are mailed and our wedding website is up to date! It feels good to be checking things off the list! Next up, talking to the flower guy. I've got pictures of some bouquets that I think are pretty, so we're going to start there.

Then, there's the planning of Kati's bridal shower and bachelorette party. Let me tell you, planning one wedding is hard enough, but planning for someone else's at the same time makes it even trickier! The good news is that I have the shower pretty much nailed down... I think it's going to be a lot of fun! I don't want to spill all the details, but it's a little different!

Finally, we're having some crazy weather... a huge storm is coming in today and it's switching back and forth between raining and snowing! I'm about to take Shadow out to play a little bit!

Registration

No, I'm not talking registration for my car. Or for school.

This weekend, we registered for our wedding.

First of all, in the very beginning, we thought there really wasn't going to be a lot of stuff for us to register for. We're getting married a little later than most of our friends and each of us had a complete entire house coming into the relationship. We thought we had everything we needed.

We started out at Williams-Sonoma. Mike and I both love cooking, so we decided to start here so we could get some cool kitchen gadgets. Those of you who know me know what a nerd I am... so needless to say, I was completely excited when they handed me a scanning gun. We had a blast... the best part is that we aren't really registering for things we NEED but for things we WANT.

The second place we went was Macy's. I've been told that everyone needs to have a china set. This has been a major issue for me because I've been torn between the tradition of it and the not using it. Really, how many people do you know that actually use their china? Other than Christmas? Yeah, probably not a lot of people. And if you haven't figured it out yet, Mike and I aren't exactly formal people. So instead of registering for fine china, we decided to register for some upgraded everyday dishes. We currently have white Corelle dishes (my Oma used them as well) that are functional and virtually indestructible. We want to hang on to those (they're great for kids, everyday use, etc) but to have something a little fancier for when people come over. We landed on the Noritake Colorwave Graphite collection. Mike actually picked it! They are a very pretty greenish black color (graphite) and come with cool square plates. I'm super excited!

So, long story short, we really found it wasn't very hard to register! We found lots of stuff that we'd like to upgrade and some stuff that we don't have nice sets of. We're still doing some maintenance before we update our wedding website with the details of our registries, but I'm very happy with our choices!

This morning we did some work around the house and then took Shadow for a hike out at Butte Mountain. It was a very steep hike, but the view from the top was stunning! We're spending the rest of the day relaxing before we take on next week!

Earthquake in Japan

By now, you've probably heard about the earthquake that happened in Japan on Friday. For those of you who don't know the details, at around 2:30pm local time, Japan was struck by an 8.9 earthquake. The quake itself was enough to do serious damage, but it also created tsunami waves up to 30 feet in height. This is the largest earthquake to hit Japan (ever!) and estimated to be the 4th or 5th largest in recorded history. To put it mildly, this was a bad one. The aftershocks are ranging from 6.5 to 7.1 (to give you some perspective, the 1989 San Francisco earthquake itself was a 7.1 magnitude). The death toll is currently at about 2,000 people, but they've been unable to reach some of the harder hit areas where tens of thousands are feared to be dead. The USGS said that if they were able to harness the energy from this earthquake, it would be enough to power the city of Los Angeles for an entire year. The calculation is approximately 600 million times the energy of the Hiroshima bomb.

The earthquake lasted for about 20 seconds and there are reports that say it shifted the entire island of Japan EIGHT FEET. That blows me away!

The pictures of the destruction are heartbreaking. It's hard to tell, but from what the media coverage is showing, it looks like the tsunami itself did the bulk of the destruction. Entire communities were washed away. Now it appears that they are having problems with some of the nuclear plants that are located in the hard hit areas - multiple explosions have happened and they've had to cool the reactors with sea water.

I pray and hope over the next several days that we start to hear the stories of heroism and survival come out of Japan.

Click here for CNN's coverage.
Click here to see before and after the tsunami satellite pictures.

Random Acts of Kindness

I had the coolest thing happen to me this morning... on my way to work, I decided to swing by Starbucks to get my coffee and a breakfast sandwich. I pulled put to the drive through window to pay and the barista said this:

"The woman in front of you paid for your breakfast. She said she wanted to do something nice today and hopes you have a great day."

Keep in mind, I have no idea who this woman was... I was completely blown away! I decided to do the same thing... I paid for the car behind me. I really hoped they passed it on. We live in a world where stuff like this seems like it never happens... It seriously made my day better!

The Purpose of a Dog

My mom sent me this and I thought it was great!

The Purpose of a Dog (from a 6 year old)

Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog's owners, Ron, his wife Lisa, and their little boy Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle.
I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn't do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.

As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.

The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker 's family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.

The little boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker's Death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives.

Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, ''I know why.''

Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation. It has changed the way I try and live.

He said,''People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life -- like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?'' The Six-year-old continued,

''Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long.''

Live simply.

Love generously.

Care deeply.

Speak kindly.

Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure Ecstasy.

Take naps.

Stretch before rising.

Run, romp, and play daily.

Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.

On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.

On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.

When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

Be loyal.

Never pretend to be something you're not.

If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.

When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.

ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY!

A Weekend of Zin

Every year the Blankenheim clan does a trip through the different Amador County vineyards. The event is generally sponsored by the Amador Vintners Association and I have never been able to make the event. I was super excited to be free this time around! This year's weekend was titled "Behind the Cellar Door: A Weekend of Zin". For $50 you get to go to any of the participating vineyards. It was really a great time - Mike's uncle rented two big vans and we had two designated drivers, so everyone was able to enjoy the wine. We had a total of 20 people in our party.

Our first stop was Convergence Vineyards - this is where we had to get our wristbands and pick up our glasses (you kept the same glass with you all day and got to take it home). Their theme was Saint Patrick's Day, so they handed out green beads and served green Sauvignon Blanc along with their other wines. Honestly, this was probably my favorite vineyard (probably because I could still taste at this point). They also had a delicious beef stew that they were serving. I ended up buying a bottle of their Petit Syrah and a bottle of their raspberry Zinfandel chocolate sauce... SOOO yummy!

Mike and I at Convergence Vineyards

Our next stop was Andis Wines. This is a brand new winery that uses state of the art technology like solar panels. The look and feel of the whole place is very modern. They served a delicious split pea soup with sliced sausage. This was also the first vineyard that we got to barrel taste at - basically you get to try the unfinished wine. It was fantastic!

Mike and I at Andis Wines

Barrel Tasting!

Our third stop was Dobra Vineyards. This was the first place that had a live band - they were pretty good! They were just starting when we got there and were doing some pretty good Clapton covers! Dobra actually has their tasting room built into a cave... it was really cool to go into! They served barbecued polenta with marinara sauce, sausage and garlic bread. Then they had a little dessert area where they paired wines with things like brownies and apple fritters.

Mike and I at Dobra Vineyards

I even got Mike and Raymond to stop and pose for a picture... I think they're both smiling! They had a Marti Gras theme at this vineyard, thus the beads.

Mike and Raymond

Our fourth stop was Dillian Vineyards. They had ravioli at this stop, but I couldn't have any since their marinara has mushrooms in it.

Mike and I at Dillian Vineyards

Our fifth stop was Borjon Winery. Borjon is a Mexican vineyard and so they served tamales and chips and salsa. They also had a mariachi band. It was really fun to listen to them! It was beautiful there - we sat out in the courtyard and sipped wine!

Mike and I at Borjon Vineyards

Mariachi Band

Our sixth stop was Cooper Vineyards. They served little Danish pastries that had sausage inside them. It was delicious!

Mike and I at Cooper Vineyards

Our seventh stop was Terra d'Oro Winery. This was by far the biggest one that we went to. We tried to get a picture in front of a bunch of the barrels, but the lady we asked to take our picture took two really blurry ones. I did get a cool picture of their massive aging barrels - they keep the wine in these until they're ready to put them into the smaller barrels.

Big Aging Barrels at Terra d'Oro Winery

Our final stop was Drytown Cellars. I had wanted to go here all day because they had chocolate fondue. It was delicious!!!

Mike and I at Drytown Cellars

Our total broken wine glass count was three this year... apparently that's the average. The people are really nice and just give you new ones. This was such a fun event... and definitely worth the money. We had the option of going back today, but I don't think there's any way I could have had any more wine!

Concert Review: Eric Clapton

This year for Christmas, Mike and I got my parents tickets to see Eric Clapton. Feeling a little selfish, I bought tickets for Mike and I to go with them... I've always loved Clapton so I thought it'd be fun to see him with my parents.

His opening act was the band Los Lobos. You may or may not know who they are... if you don't, I'll just say "La Bamba". Yup, that band. They were actually really good... they did a blend of English and Spanish songs and I have to say that their Spanish songs tend to be my favorites.

Los Lobos On Stage

Clapton was absolutely amazing. I found myself completely sucked into watching him play guitar. He could have just stood on stage and played all night without even singing a note. Mom put it perfectly... he plays so well that it's like his guitar sings. He started out with his rock set... lots of the new music with some older songs mixed in. He then followed that with an acoustic set that showcased his guitar, the bass and the drums. Then they came back out and played another rock set.

There was one point during the acoustic set where I leaned over to Mike and commented that I had never heard an arena so quiet during a concert. I meant that in a good way... he was playing the heck out of a song and everyone was just listening. It was absolutely amazing.

Clapton's Stage Set Up

This Man Can PLAY!

Here's a video of "Cocaine" - a classic. We actually heard someone debating the meaning of the song as we were leaving the show... people, I doubt there's much metaphor there:

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150111480034421#!/video/video.php?v=10150111463284421

Here is "Wonderful Tonight" - it's one of my favorite Clapton songs and I think it's really romantic:

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150111480034421#!/video/video.php?v=10150111480034421

This truly was a spectacular show... if you have the chance to get out and see Eric Clapton while he's on tour, I highly recommend it!

Westboro Baptist Church

The radio show that I listen to every morning talked a lot about this issue this morning and it really got me thinking. If you haven't heard of any of this before, let me give you the quick rundown. Westboro Baptist Church is a Kansas-based church that is extremely anti-homosexuality. They picket outside of military funerals with signs that read "Thank God for dead soldiers" and "God blew up the troops". You may ask what this has to do with fallen soldiers... well, the church says that they believe that U.S. soldiers deserve to die because they fight for a country that tolerates homosexuality. One of the fathers of a fallen soldier who's funeral was picketed sued the church and today the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the church.

I think this issue becomes less about what the people have the right to do and more about what they SHOULD do. The beauty of living in the United States of America is that we have the freedom of speech. With the freedom to say wonderful things comes the freedom to say horrible, hateful things. I completely disagree with what the WBC is doing... and I know if it were my family member or friend's funeral, I would be devastated. However, we can't pick and choose because we like one thing and dislike another. Here's the text to the First Amendment:

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

However hateful they're being, they are peacefully saying what they believe in. Again, I really think this circles back to not whether people can say it, but should they be saying it. Sometimes I think people get so wrapped up in shouting what they believe in from the rooftops that they forget to think about the impact of the words they're shouting. I completely disagree with and hate what the WBC is doing, but I think we head down a slippery slope if we start trying to pick and choose who we allow to exercise their freedoms. What these protesters forget is that the reason they are able to have the freedom to picket at a soldier's funeral is that said soldier died defending that right.

I'll leave you with a quote from Chief Justice John Roberts, who was part of the vote in today's ruling:

"Speech is powerful. It can stir people to action, move them to tears of both joy and sorrow, and -- as it did here -- inflict great pain. On the facts before us, we cannot react to that pain by punishing the speaker." -Chief Justice John Roberts

Click HERE for a link to the article on CNN.

Things That Bug Me: Cars With Snow

Today I was treated to one of my pet peeves on my drive to work: people with snow on top of their car. Obviously, my move to Amador County last year put me much closer to snow. We get it several times a year and the cities just above us get it more than that. Add to that the fact that Highway 88 is a main thoroughfare from Tahoe to Sacramento and you get a lot of cars that have been in the snow.

Here's where my pet peeve kicks in. Most of my drive to work is on Highway 16, which has a 65 miles per hour speed limit. That means most people are doing 70-75 miles per hour. Most of these people have been driving for a while by the time they get to Highway 16 and the snow has started to melt. It then slips right off the roof of their car and lands in one of two places - on the road or on another car.

In case some of you are thinking I'm just being picky, keep in mind I'm not talking you have an inch of snow on the top of your car - I'm talking you have a foot of snow teetering on the roof rack of your SUV.

My point? Knock the snow off the top of your car. You know it's going to melt and you know it's going to fly off. It scares the crap out of the people behind you. Plus it's just rude!