Puppy for Bo?

Puppy for Bo?
Originally uploaded by klycolllins.

One of Rachelle's co-workers has a batch of brand new puppies. The father is a Chocolate Lab and the mother is a Great Dane. These are going to be some "interesting" looking dogs. I'm in the process of trying to talk Rachelle into getting a friend for Bo. Sadly, I'm thinking it might be easier to get Rachelle to agree to a puppy than it will be to convince Bo. He's not really cool with other dogs, and I can't imagine he'd dig a puppy that could interfere with his nap time. FYI, "nap time" is basically the 23.5 hours a day that aren't breakfast, dinner or treat time. I know puppies are a huge pain, and I just spent a lot of time and effort putting in new flooring, but they're so damn cute! Maybe. There are twelve to choose from. Maybe we can find one that Bo and Rachelle both like.

CHiPs

CHiPs
Originally uploaded by klycolllins.

Had a meeting downtown today and it was actually nice enough to wander around during lunch. I moseyed on over to the Capitol to see if I could catch Governor Arnold speechifyin' on the steps, but no such luck. Aside from two of the CHP's finest, all I saw were dozens of people enjoying the clear skies. For those of you not fortunate (?) enough to live in California, you might be surprised to hear that we are used to good weather. This year we're about ready to float away. I've got my kayaks tied up to the palm tree in my front yard just in case Rachelle, Bo and I need to make a break for it.

Open Mic Night

Open Mic Night
Originally uploaded by klycolllins.

The first Friday of the month is Open Mic Night at It's a Grind. Definitely a weird vibe, a freaky crowd and a diverse mix of talent. I've got to say that I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the music at a small coffee shop on a Friday night. Not a Phoebe in sight ("Smelly cat, smelly cat..."). The overall trend seemed to be that the chicks had decent voices but couldn't play guitar for crap, and the dudes could rock but they were somewhat tuneless vocally. My favorite was the Jesus-looking dude with the jailhouse tats on his knuckles. Not a great voice, but he could rock on the guitar. I'm trying to talk Rachelle into practicing our version of "When The Saints Come Marching In" for next month. I can play a mean harmonica and Rachelle can jam out on the acoustic guitar. OK, everything I play on the harmonica sounds exactly the same, but Rachelle can actually play something recognizable as a "song". It's a forgiving crowd.

Bulk Bees: Please, NO SAMPLING!

Bulk Bees
Originally uploaded by klycolllins.

I've found a store I dislike almost as much as Wal-Mart. I say "almost" because they do have one thing I really do like. The bulk food aisle. I know what you're thinking, "Bulk-food is nasty and disgusting; a buffet with plastic bags and twisties". True, but WinCo has added a twist to the usual bulk crap. Honey that is being made while you wait.

Bulk Bees: NO SAMPLES
Originally uploaded by klycolllins.

Bitchin'! They've got live bees making honey inside the bulk bins. The only thing between you and a swarm of angry bees is a redneck with a screwdriver (and since it's WinCo, you're never more than 5 feet from an authentic Orangevale redneck). Adds a little thrill of the hunt to grocery shopping. I especially like the warning signs on the front. Pretty much a challenge to said rednecks. Other than the bees and the walk-in beer cooler, I'd have to say I'm not impressed with the WinCo. Narrow aisles, confusing layout and way too many freaky people. It's kind of like going to the fair, but you can go every day. 24-hours a day. Seven days a week. Truly scary. I'll let you know how the honey tastes.