Pat and Ben Weiher

I have never laughed so hard as when these two were racing the hydro-bikes at A-Bay. Pat was telling us about how people get so excited when they see them, then they rent one, Pat helps Put them in the water and they set off, filled with excitement. He said that it varries between 30 seconds to two minutes when you see the inevitable look of disappointment on people's faces as they realize, hey this isn't that fun.

Needless to say, no one keeps their rented hydro-bike for the alloted twenty minutes they rented it for. Hilarious.

These two were racing off into the sunset together.

I Love Halloween

I absolutely love Halloween, but it's not just the lure of Halloween, it's October itself. October is my favorite month of the whole year. The weather is beautiful everywhere, in California it is the first month that you start to smell fires burning in people's fireplaces, carving pumpkins is one of my secret talents (not to mention its rediculously fun), the pumpkin patch in Half Moon Bay is home to some of my favorite memories, and my Halloween nights in Portola Valley are unforgetable, and last but not least Ironman Kona is in October!

Every year I count down the days until October 1, when I can put out my Halloween decorations without looking like an idiot (if I had my way I'd put them out in August). Pat seems utterly incapable of understanding my love of October and Halloween, and always groans when the decorations come out. It's not like I'm a Martha Stewart type who has decorations for every holiday, half the time we don't even get a Christmas tree! (I know it's sad but when you work in tourism like Pat and I do, Christmas isn't a holiday that's particularly fun). We get a list at the hotel where I work before the holidays come, and we all check boxes to indicate what our first, second and third choice holidays to have off. People may think I'm crazy when I ignore Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years day, and make my own box for Halloween sighting that it is my first, second and third choice "holiday" to have off.

My mom used to throw us the funnest Halloween parties, we'd do one huge party with three different ages of kids invited from me, Mandy and Ben's classes (she must be crazy!) The parties were awesome, with apple bobbing, a doughnut hang, and even red light green light where you got a whipped cream pie smashed in your face for getting caught running the light. She has also made us some of the most amazing costumes ever. I remember her staying up all night, finding her delerious Halloween morning having made the most beautiful witch costume for me complete with a five layered skirt, including the glittery black fabric that I just had to have but was a nightmare to sew. Anyways Halloween and October have always been special to me, just thought I'd share because Im way to hyped about these decorations and Pat's just not nearly excited enough about them. Maybe one of you will be!
Happy Halloween!

Luca is HUGE

These are some new pictures of Luca, Pat was laughing because I didn't think he'd gotten any bigger since we got him, but we compared pictures and he's HUGE now! He is a happy guy, the most spoiled dog in the neighborhood with his two walks a day. He's incredibly smart, almost too smart, he remembers if you let him get away with something even once. Pat's taken to training him silent commands so he can take him pig hunting (which Luca loves), which is aparantly a favorite pastime of Pat's too (don't even get me started). I perfer to take him on runs down the fire road where he can be off the leash. He usually just trots behind me never more than 25 yards from where I am, somtimes venturing off-road. One day I was horrified to turn around and find him gone. I started to panic when I called his name and whistled which always has him sprinting to your side, but this particular day to no avail. Then about a mile down the road I see a heard of the wild goats all running across the trail, and our majestic Luca hearding them! Instinctually doing what he was born to do. I guess the goats proved too much temptation to listen to me!

If we're being honest, Luca and I have not always gotten along so well. In fact I think at one point Pat was getting really nervous about the relationship. From day one, Pat established himself, and his spot as the pack leader, and until recently, Luca and I had a hard-fought battle for number two. It took me a while to learn how to be his boss, (sometimes I still have a hard time), and for awhile things got ugly. I even resorted to trying to teach Luca that his name was Voldemort (sorry Pat), that was how epic the battle became that the Harry Potter prophecy "neither can live while the other survives," was my life's mantra for Luca and I. But things have taken a turn for the better and in spite of myself I find I have fallen completely in love with the little guy, he's just so darn cute.


Pat and Luca were soulmates from the start. Someone warned me once that you have to be careful with Blue Heelers because they can easily become "one person dogs", um . . . ya think? But I will accept my role in Luca's life as a second choice, who am I to stand between man and his best friend anyways?

Pat will have to write soon and tell everyone about his adventures with the dog, because there's no way I'll do them justice, so everyone bug him to write okay? But all joking aside, I love this dog, more than I ever thought I would, and this self-proclaimed "dog lover", that turned out to be nothing of the sort, learns a few lessons about patience, and humility.

Things are looking up!