So today.....i'm thinking of my daughter, the Bear, off to Los Angeles, completing a training course that her place of employment is putting her through. It's been a looong road that began in January and will be completed in six more weeks. I'm so proud of her for hanging in there; when the going got tough, she got going!
And then there's my eldest, the Bell, who has worked her way through her bachelor's, and continues to work her way through a master's. She recently moved to Orange County, by the Angel's baseball stadium. I warned her not to even think about becoming an Angel's fan. Dodger's rule!!
Go, girls! Did you ever know that you're my heroes? Love you, Mom.

First day of vacation....
Ok, so I feel a liiittle guilty...I should be in the kitchen, cleaning from the weekend. Doug, my husband, barbecued our favorite baby back ribs. As much as I love being pampered as he bbq's our meal, the other part unfortunately includes the cleaning up part, which I lazily neglected to do afterwards. I rationalize that it's the weekend, and I don't feel like cleaning (knowing I will be on my first day of vacation, I figure why not wait til then?).
So, here I sit, hands transfixed on the computer keyboard, playing on my blog. I have just begun blogging. It's a whole new world. I'm enjoying clicking on my profile links such as "lighthouses" and then finding scores of others who like lighthouses, too. Or "hiking", and lo and behold, up comes scores of people who like hiking, or camping - and the list goes on.
What do I feel about blogging vs. Facebook? Gosh, there's a world of difference. FB is good for keeping in touch...finding long lost friends and relatives...things of that nature..sharing photos...so forth, so on...but....there is one thing I'm finding odd. It's how people write sentences like: "Stayed up late last night...now I'm sleeeeepy" or "Taking out the trash"....I read this and wonder, um, really? Is this what you want people to know? Don't get me wrong...it's not that I don't care... they're just not the most enlightening pieces of info, that's all.
I choose not to spend time on the virtual games, and anyway, when I did try to help out people by "sending something back", it would take me to a "virtual place" to click around in and then weird stuff started happening, or I would get pop-ups and would accidentally click on them and then would get taken to some site that wanted to sell me something.
I do find the cute virtual flowers, hugs,candies, cakes, smiles, angels, and things like that, cute. I've sent my share! Also, I like joining (or now it's called 'liking') people or organizations and 'following' them to find out the latest and greatest.
Then there's Twitter, which I joined after I started FB, but I never, ever use it. The only thing I know about it is my name, FireFly. Maybe one day I'll "go there".
This thing called blogging is something else, though. I thoroughly enjoy it. It's like a photo album mixed with journaling...
Having said that, I recognize that it's almost noon. I need to go. I have a kitchen to clean, and some things to do that are mostly for fun that I don't seem to get to when I work and commute everyday. I loove vacation.
Doug and I are going to Laughlin for the first time ever this weekend. I have gone online to check out the local attractions and found that there is an old western syle town called Oatman-actually right across the state line into Arizona. It's said that Clarke Gable and his beloved Carole Lombard spent their wedding night at the Oatman Hotel, and years later, after both of their passing, their ghosts still reside there. Online info says that mules roam freely in the streets.
A day trip to the 'western' Grand Canyon to the Skywalk is also planned. WooHoo!
It's been nice chattin'.

Floyd Landis flip flops like a fish in the water.....
Seriously, does he really think anything he says has any credibility? Does his conscience tell him anything about how he enticed people to stand behind him....to believe in his gut-wrenching, heartaching version of how the world of cycling has done him wrong...
Let's see who he did wrong: His family? The cycling rules? Cycling team-mates? All those who contributed money to prove his 'innocence'? Lance Armstrong and the other cyclists whom he tried to throw under the bus....?
 I was one who tried to give the benefit of the doubt. I bought his book, and thought that there was a chance that he was unfairly accused-----but------oh geez. No matter how much I try to care, I just don't anymore.
Also, to any critics who think that Lance is guilty....the bottom line: innocent until PROVEN guilty. NOT assumed guilty...NOT "I don't believe anyone could do what he's done without drugs" attitude, or ... rumors...or "He just hasn't gotten caught" ... the proof is in the pudding. Show me the evidence that says otherwise.
 Lance has been through countless, unrelentless drug testing...even on-the-spot-no-notice testing...and has passed every test. He has fought the odds and welcomed challenges...and gives back to help others.
So, I say, and I say it proudly, ride on, Lance. Livestrong & Staystrong!