I swear to god

the next person who tells me they don't know how we do it is going to die

London was awesome

it was fab to see A

got to see the inside of westminster and the tower and harrods

the British Museum is still my favorite part

all that coolness and it's free

the cruise n the thames was cool, too

lalala

some rodeo facts

Just in case someone wants to write accurate rodeo stuff

Cheyenne is the biggest outdoor rodeo in the US with a 3-4 hour long rodeo *every* day while it lasts. Day. Not night. Nighttime is reserved for concerts and PBR performances

The IHOP in Cheyenne closes at midnight. There is no nightlife there. The town has maybe 50000 people, and sits in the flat prairie north of Denver. There's nothing out there ;)

Denver is the biggest indoor dedicated rodeo arena in the US, while Fort Worth is the *oldest* indoor rodeo, and the biggest stock show. Houston probably has the biggest facility, but that's because it's held in a regular sports and entertainment arena.

There are major stock shows in Ft Worth (not Dallas) Houston and San Antonio, Denver, Rapid City SD, Phoenix, and many more. These are not the only rodeos around. They're just the big arenas. The stock show season tends to run from January to March, or September to October, when they're in conjunction with the major state fairs.

The small town rodeo season runs mainly from May through August, with most of them clustered around July 4. There's a difference between PRCA, ranch rodeo, youth rodeo, a Mexican rodeo and say, PBR.

Cowboys come in all shapes and sizes. They come from Brazil and Argentina, from Australia to Canada. In the US they come from Texas and Oklahoma, from Nebraska and Idaho and Montana, from California and Wyoming and Florida. New Mexico, Arizona. Colorado, Utah and Nevada. Hell, they can come from anywhere, but I've seen 2 in my whole life who came from New York ;)

Grins. It's frustrating for anyone to see their culture co-oped, I know. But it's even more frustrating when it's *wrong*

gearing up for the holidays

I'm not ready for all of the stores to be playing christmas music

for the last 6 years, I've had the dread when it came to christmas. My mom went into the hospital early in december 2001, and died 4 days after christmas. I just have a hard time, missing her. A few years I've traveled. A few I've been with friends when things went horribly wrong for them.

This year I hope for quiet, and despite my crazy schedule, I'm hoping for a handmade christmas. I know not everything will be, as I don't have time. But I'll try my best to get things made.

right now I need to puppy proof the house so the little boy and girl can come see me for a bit, and I need to catch up. I have data entry from hell to do O.O

ah

life

we have puppies

S got one and I got one. They're brother and sister, and would miss each other if we separated them, so for now it's shared custody. They'll spend part of their time at my house, part of their time at the bird house. They're bassets, one girl, Sadie, who's mine, one boy, Goober, who's heart belongs to S already ;) Well, and A. We really need to get the TQ compound. Then the dogs will all be lumped together in a pile...

Justin won the PBR finals. Bounces. And Guilherme did well. So woo hoo

I'm pooped, and I have a lot to do. I need to go home and ant proof and scrub before I take the dogs, but I've been lazy and hanging out at chez bird

feeling very gravity surge

blah