Richardson Reads One Book..... and Mo goes first class!!

As you know, each year my sister and I enjoy going to Richardson Reads One Book, brought to us by the City of Richardson, which loves to celebrate literacy!! We've seen Jodi Picoult, Jannette Walls, and Chris Bohjalian. This year, we were excited to see David Oliver Relin, one of the authors of "Three Cups of Tea."

Tickets are released in August, so Sarah goes to get tickets and they are all given out!! This can't be!?!?! Sarah and I don't know what to do - they tell us that we can show up the day of the event, but there is no guarantee. That is not going to work for us, we are die hard Richardson Readers!!

So we learn that for a contribution of $50, we can get a sacred yellow ticket and have preferential seating and other special privileges. $25 to celebrate literacy is a small price to pay for Sarah and me, so she writes the check and gets us on the list. She's worried because she's not sure how well her request was processed, but we are optimistic for the event.

Our golden tickets allow us to go to the reception prior to the event to enjoy some food and drink. We go get a plate of food, rub elbows with the literacy lovers of Richardson, get our tickets, and then head back to Sarah's. Mike takes us to Richardson HS (we learned this last year after the second year we had to park soo far away), drops us off, and we wait for the doors to open. We are surrounded by people with pink and blue tickets, but Sarah and I proudly stand with our special tickets.

We get in, get a program and settle ourselves in the third row center with an amazing view of the podium and the stage. We check the programs and we are listed as donors!! The public will see our support of literacy - how exciting! We visit and my friend Diane from high school stops by to say hi.

David Oliver Relin spoke for almost 1.5 hours and his talk was amazing. We are able to dip out quickly after and get in line for book signing (another first for us!). We wait, get our books signed (mine says: For Martha, The real enemy is ignorance"), Mike picks us up, and we celebrate our success with a trip to Snuffer's. Literacy and cheese fries - could a better night be had?

I think Sarah and I agree that this is the only way to go to Richardson Reads from now on - total class and style, baby!! I can't wait for next year!!

Oh, Bill & Melinda Gates, may I please be your next beneficiary?

I'm glad that I went to Ursuline for high school..... it was a great experience. I've driven by since I've graduated in 1988, but today was the first time I've gone in the building in 21 years. Melinda French Gates ('82), wife of Bill Gates, is an alum of our great school. Obviously, they aren't hurting for money and donated money to build an incredible addition to the campus. Today they had an Open House for us to go and see the new Ursuline - trust me, this isn't the Ursuline I went to from '84-'88.

This is the new entrance, the perimeter is gated and they now have a security guard stationed to let you in and out. The old sign where our yearbook staff took our picture, is long gone.

Our class graduating picture in main hall. Each class has their picture up. It's cool to look and see the ladies who have attended this school. It's still hard for me to believe that in May, it'll be 22 years since I graduated from UA.

This is the new French Family Science, Math and Technology Center. It's amazing!! They tore down the old Brescia and Merici halls to build this. They are redoing the downstairs rooms of main hall and under the old library since they were the old science labs. The new labs in this building are absolutely amazing!

I took my sister Sarah (who did not go to Ursuline) with me. I walked around, in awe, at the new Ursuline. It's amazing. Of course, the price tag is amazing ($17K a year, it was $2-3K a year when I went there).

I know that Bill and Melinda are always looking for new endeavors to support. And I know they value and support education. So I'd like to let them know that I'm available for them to finance my Ph.D., send me around the world to look at schools and how they work, or just to finance my retirement. Where do I apply?

Meet Maude, the Conehead

Have I told you lately that I love my Maude? She is truly a great companion for me and while I'm having to learn how to be a puppy Mama, I'm getting better at it and we are finding our own little rhythm and way to live.

I boarded Maude right before school started as I knew I'd be working a lot of long hours and wouldn't be able to let her out, walk her, and keep her on a regular schedule. So I picked her up on Tuesday, the second day of school and she kept scratching her ear.

After a few days, she was scratching so bad that she scratched a raw spot on the top of her ear where it meets her head. I took her to the vet, got drops for her ears, and then she was supposed to be as good as new.

Well, after a week her ears were cleared up, but this spot on her head was getting bigger because she would scratch it every time it scabbed and it would reopen the wound. So I called the vet and they told me to get her a cone. So I go on the 14th and pick up the cone.


You can tell it's huge and she didn't like it. She would bump into things, she quit eating, and she refused to go to the bathroom. After a day, I'm panicking and freaking out, like any overprotective new mother.

My friend Donna recommends an inflatible collar - more comfortable than the cone. I go and by one.... we try it and it works for like two days. Maude is no dumb dog. She figures out if she lays this really weird way, then she can hold the collar down and still scratch. So I'm back to the drawing board.....

Enter the Comfy Cone. It's made of a comfortable material, like the inflatible collar, but more restrictive like the cone. I can fold it back so she can eat comfortably. It's easy to get on and off so when we walk, we can take it off. So the Comfy Cone goes into commission on September 17th.

You can see the Comfy Cone. We'll wear it for two weeks to allow the wound to heal and some of the hair to grow back.

Wish us luck!!

Shake Weight - my new exercise plan!!

I know I haven't blogged in a while, but I've been really busy getting school up and running.

I saw this on Ellen and I haven't stopped laughing. I'm so excited about the "Shake Weight" - it's only $19.95 and I'll get results after only using for 6 minutes a day. I'm so glad because I want to have shaped and toned arms. And it's designed specifically for women? Really?? It's unbreakable - thank goodness!!

And it comes with a DVD? Oh, I'm dying to see what else the DVD can show you!!

Who knew you could get all of those benefits? I can't wait to get my Shake Weight!!