It’s been a busy few weeks at The Hotel Careyfornia. Lots of visitors…lots of great meals and very little sleep. If you’re thinking of visiting Southern California, make your reservations soon; as we’re getting quite full for the summer, LOL! I’m getting great use out of my new camera. Here are some shots from the past two weeks:
No, I WILL NOT fix your computer! LOL Click above for video
We were driving home from the Hollywood Sign last night when the Twitterverse exploded with the news. I was with these guys on 9/11 and the year after in NYC. We all watched the President’s speech together last night. Now THAT’S what I call “mission accomplished” GW!
While much of America digs out from record snowfall from a storm that originated as 6 days of rare rain here in California; we ended up having a pretty beautiful Christmas Day. I am very glad that I did not fly anywhere for the holidays. The rain we had most of last week was complete with mudslides, hail and the now obligatory double rainbow. The week of crazy weather didn’t phase Santa however, and the kids in our family (including me) had a wonderful Christmas. It was certainly better than last Christmas, when 2 of us ended up in the emergency room and 9 of us came down with the stomach flu! Here are some images and videos from the week, including my favorite Christmas present:
If you’d like to know the story behind this, click here!Thanks Lisa & Joel!
Last Thursday was Thanksgiving Day in America, so I donned my turkey hat, and told the kids that instead of the traditional turkey dinner this year, that we would be starting a new tradition. Then I showed them the can of Unicorn meat I brought:
“Unicorns as we all know, frolic all over the world pooping rainbows and marshmallows wherever they go. What you don’t know is that when unicorns reach the end of their lifespan, they are drawn to County Meath Ireland. The Sisters of Radiant Farms have dedicated their lives to nursing these elegant creatures through their final days. Taking a cue from the Kobe beef industry, they massage each unicorn’s coat with Guinness daily and fatten them on a diet comprised entirely of candy corn.”
The video tells the rest of the story. Andy was so cute in his polite yet steadfast refusal:
The rest of the weekend was filled with movies and dim sum and relaxing with friends. The dogs said it best the day after Thanksgiving:
‘Twas the day after turkey, Black Friday for some. But for Garbo & Ruby, Exhaustion had come.
The last time I saw Eli he was 16 months old and had just met Elvis. Now he’s 2 and talking up a storm, and cuter than ever. Thanks for the dim sum An & V! It was great seeing you all!!More pics here…
I dropped Mike off at LAX for his 6:30 flight on the busiest travel day of the year and the airport was surprisingly uncrowded. He said security was uneventful. The President must have read my email! At least his wife wrote me back! I snapped all of these photos while driving. Another pretty L.A. day!More pics here…
His name is Rio and he’s such a scrappy pup. Found wandering the streets and now life’s looking up. And when he eats, he really gobbles like a hog. Best friends with Chazz now; Rio such a lucky dog.
We got Chazz a brother on Saturday! Mike and I picked him up from the vet’s office after the shelter sent him there to be neutered. (No, we didn’t get him neuticals!) The minute Rio met Chazz, they were fast friends. Sometimes it’s hard to tell them apart, save for the ears! He was emaciated and filthy, with some hair missing, but he had such amazing energy. Even after just having the “snip snip” (as required by law with shelter adoptions), he ran around with Chazz like he knew about his new lease on life. As the dogs exhausted each other, Claudio grilled up a traditional Brazilian barbecue and the sun set into the Pacific. Welcome to the family Rio!
Our first photo…love the dog biscuit in his mouth!
For those of you unfamiliar with Ms. Grandin’s work, I highly recommend the movie, which is available on HBO On Demand in the U.S. There are also several clips on YouTube. I’ve been a fan of Temple Grandin for quite some time. Her insights into autism are truly ground breaking. I also encourage anyone with an autistic relative to take the time (3 hours) to watch her fascinating C-Span interview:
…brings us together with our dogs by making us understand that in essence dogs feel the same things that we as humans do. Grandin is a person with autism and acutely understands how dogs make us human. She tells us that dogs share the same basic emotions that we as humans do. They feel joy, sorrow, fear, happiness and unhappiness. This book teaches dog owners how to best set up their dogs to live a full and happy life.
In the touching book, the sentimental author shows us how she thinks like an animal in that she pictures words not as letters but in pictures and thus can relate to dogs on their level. It is intriguing and awe inspiring to read how she looks at the world and learns how she believes we should relate to our dogs. It is a fascinating read full of insight and great tips on how to keep your dog a happy one. Anyone who loves dogs will enjoy this book thoroughly. There isn’t a book like it anywhere that’s for sure. Read more…
So congratulations to Temple Grandin. I’m sure this Emmy will will expose her important work to many more people around the world. See? Hollywood ain’t so bad! Here are a few more photos from the week:
Great photobomb Cole!!And I didn’t even have to use this:
I’ve been away from Xanga for over a month. Apologies to my loyal readers…but I needed the time away to work on some other pressing matters. I did manage to keep Facebook and my micro-blog at Tumblr up to date with photos, but that’s about it. Thanks to those of you who wrote inquiring as to my whereabouts. I’m still super busy with work, but something happened yesterday that was too good not to blog about. The stupidest woman in America is at it again, as evidenced by a tweet she sent out yesterday:
Maybe she’s still reeling from the news that her daughter is engaged to my friend Levi Johnston, noted Playgirl model who she calls “Ricky Hollywood“, but “refudiate” is NOT A WORD even in Palinese!! She also used it in an interview with Fox News:
She tried to smooth over her idiocy with another tweet invoking a Bushism and a hardly noteworthy lexical creation by President Obama, but the damage was done:
Some enterprising folks even bought the URL www.refudiate.com and are now selling T-shirts:
All the hubbub overlooked the possibility that perhaps Palin isn’t simply trying to bring down big government, but the English language as well.
It would be foolish to underestimate her ability to succeed, at least in the latter area. She’s already displayed great skill at mangling every word and phrase within talking distance. Imagine what she could do with the bully pulpit.
Indeed, if Palin becomes president, she might well enjoy the opportunity to rewrite not only history, but English itself. Here’s what a high school grammar test might look like under the Palin regime, requiring students to turn any word starting with “re” to substitute “v”s with a “p.” Correct spelling would be the following:
It’s become increasingly clear that President Palin is refolted by the idea that liberals continue to control the news media. She seeks to refair this problem. Refresenting the will of the people is the job of President Palin, who finds it totally refrehensible and refulsive that the media continues to refroach her for pursuing innovative ideas. Liberals, refent, the end is nigh!
Palin is reportedly (sorry, I meant refortedly) thinking of calling it a new campaign to mind your “p”s and “f”s.
Enough of the Wasilla Wombat. Here are some photos from the past few weeks that you may have missed if you don’t follow me on Facebook or Tumblr:
A friend of the family sent me this the other day:
“Despite the premise of the 1980s animated film series, “All Dogs Go to Heaven,” many fundamental Christians believe that their pets have no souls. When the end of days finally arrives and Jesus returns to earth to gather up his saints, all of the believers’ beloved cats and dogs will be left behind to starve and face the apocalypse alone. So, what is a devoted pet owner and firm believer in the Rapture to do? Hire an official blasphemer and card-carrying atheist, who has been thoroughly vetted as a profane sinner with no chance of salvation according to Mark 3:29, of course! A company called Eternal Earth-Bound Pets, USA has gathered a motley crew of about 100 reprobates in 22 states, who are also animal lovers, and will rescue pets abandoned after theRapture for a small, non-refundable fee of $110.
Eternal Earth-Bound Pets is the brainchild of Bart Centre, 61, a retired resident of New Hampshire, who apparently became bored working part-time at the local Home Depot and decided to try something different. Why not make a buck off of the crazy Christian fundamentalists waiting for the Rapture to occur? Centre’s sales pitch, inscribed on t-shirts, coffee mugs, bumper stickers and the like says it all: “The next best thing to pet salvation in a post rapture world.”
“If you love your pets,” says Centre, “I can’t understand how you could not consider this.”
“You’ve committed your life to Jesus. You know you’re saved. But when the Rapture comes what’s to become of your loving pets who are left behind? Eternal Earth-Bound Pets takes that burden off your mind. We are a group of dedicated animal lovers, and atheists. Each Eternal Earth-Bound Pet representative is a confirmed atheist, and as such will still be here on Earth after you’ve received your reward. Our network of animal activists are committed to step in when you step up to Jesus.”
Centre assures potential clients that he screens all pet rescuers to make sure they are indeed atheists and have no plans “to meet the Lord in the air” when the second coming arrives.” Read more…
Man! I wish I would have thought of that! It’s a perfect example making money off of fundamental Christianity run amok! As the website states:
“Once you pay your fee of $110, the rapture pet rescue contract is good for 10 years. If the rapture doesn’t come by that time, too bad. What if blasphemous loved ones are left behind and are able to care for the pets — Will they receive a refund? No. How long will it take for the atheist pet rescuers to arrive? Fluffy and Rocky will be rescued, as soon as possible, considering there will be widespread destruction and chaos”:
“Naturally, we must anticipate that there will be widespread chaos and confusion immediately following the Rapture that could impact travel times. Thus, we are targeting a maximum of between 18- 24 hours from realization of the Rapture, to animal rescue.” Read more…
Love it! And seeing how the current “Rapture Index” of 173 is close to the all time high of 182, time’s a ticking. As a card carrying atheist heathen, I’m glad to know that Chazz and I will face the rapture hand in paw.
This is a great piece on fundamentalism…Christianity has its flaws but at least I’m able to criticize the current criminal pope without fear of a fatwa!
UPDATE: The creator and co-owner of the website “Eternal Earth-Bound Pets” that I refer to here, just wrote me with the following comments regarding the article I quoted. I had a discussion with some Facebook friends about whether the company has actually collected revenue for their services, and Mr. Centre has confirmed that fact.A true Atheist American success story!
Carey,
Thank you for your discussion of my post rapture pet rescue business.
Just to correct two small errors:
1)We do not have “a motley crew of about 100 reprobates” rescuers in 22 states.At the time the article was written we hat 26 rescuers in 22 states, and one-hundred paying rapture believing clients.As of this writing, we have added 3 additional rescuers and have just under 200 clients under contract for our post rapture pet rescue service.
2) As for being “motley” and/ or “reprobates,” actually all our rescuers are gainfully employed, have families, love pets, and have no criminal record per our criminal back ground checks.All are financially solvent as confirmed by credit checks also conducted on all our rescuers.
Speaking of heathens…I went to church yesterday! No, it wasn’t to pay my respects to a cosmic Jewish zombie, and no I didn’t burst into flames upon entry. I went for Tressa’s First Communion. I was there to support her and her family who I love very much. As I’ve stated in this space before, going to church does bring back some fond memories of the more ritualistic things I actually used to enjoy about Catholicism. (I was never molested by a priest…guess I wasn’t cute enough.) A few times yesterday, I found myself reciting rote responses from memory and my cousin leaned over and said “It never quite leaves you, does it?” How true! (Though I must admit, I felt a little queasy when they asked us to pray for the current Pedo Pusher Pope. In my opinion that slimeball should rot in jail!) At any rate, it was a beautiful day and Tressa looked so pretty! She had a really great time, as the photos in the slideshow below should attest; and in the end that’s what’s most important!
The event went off without a hitch, save for me forgetting the exchange of the rings before I pronounced them husband and wife. Minor detail. Since I was busy performing the ceremony, there’s no viral video of the event. (I’m usually the one video recording and snapping photos at family events. I did threaten to attach a “preacher cam” around my neck prior to the ceremony, but in the end opted for decorum. LOL.)
The wedding was at Heisler Park in Laguna Beach and the whole thing took about 5 minutes. I was warned to keep it short, as I have a tendency to be loquacious. Even so, I did manage to work in a slight jab at Sarah Palin, by explaining to the assembled guests that because of the groom’s upper Midwest vernacular, if he said “You betcha” instead of “I do“, it was NOT a nod to Caribou Barbie. I also managed to give Apple some free advertising by pulling out my iPod Touch for the official part of the ceremony, joking “There’s an app for that” and hoping apple would give me a free iPad once they got wind of iVows.
I also threatened to sing “A Whole New World” from Aladdin…in Italian and quoted from “Rent” and La Boheme. The reception was on Lake Mission Viejo and afterward the newlyweds checked into The Hotel Careyfornia for a 2 hour nap before their 5 AM flight to Cancun. Today everyone is resting after a whirlwind few days. I’m readying for the next wave of guests next weekend and then I’m off to Chicago for a week. Congratulations to Darlene & Gary! Thanks for asking me to marry you!
Lisa, Joel and the boys moved into their new house over the weekend and our family gathered to celebrate. The house is in Dove Canyon, but it might as well be called Hummingbird Canyon. There were about 20 of the little buzzers lined up at the feeders to drink (as evidenced by this photo that Lisa sent last night). They were really aggressive too, and didn’t seem to be scared of people at all. They were no doubt celebrating the long overdue demise of the ridiculously gas guzzling Hummer. (I had no idea how culpable Arnold Schwarzenegger was in the destruction of our planet. What a hummer bummer! Fascinating read though!) I got pretty close to take these photos. I’m still learning how to use my new little camera, but I’m pleased with the results thus far:
There are actually four hummingbirds in this photo!
Hummingbirds are part of the Trochilidae family found only in the Americas. They are unknown in the Eastern Hemisphere. With 343 species, hummingbirds make up the Western Hemisphere’s second largest family of birds.
The most astonishing quality of hummingbirds is their ability to broadcast color. Hummingbirds radiate like hot coals in the sun. The color that reaches your eye is created by pigment, which absorbs some colors and rejects others. Like soap bubbles, hummingbird’s color comes from iridescence, not pigment. It winks on and off, depending on the light source and the angle of the viewer. This allows hummingbirds to flash colors or hide them which is useful for males who want to impress females or threaten other males.
Hummingbirds are built for power and dazzle, hummingbirds are little more than flight muscles covered with feathers. 30% of a hummingbird’s weight consists of flight muscles.
Hummingbirds require lots of energy. They have the fastest wing beats of any bird and their hearts beat up to 1,260 beats per minute.
A Hummingbird’s flight speed can average 25-30 mph, and can dive up to 60 mph.
In their non stop quest for fuel, Hummingbirds may visit 1,000 flower per day. For protein, hummingbirds eat spiders and strain gnats from mid-air. They will pull insects out of spiderwebs including the spider itself. Sapsucker holes are a double treat, netting both insects and sap!
The hummingbird’s tiny brain, 4.2% of its body weight, is proportionately the largest in the bird kingdom.
Many species that migrate to the U.S. travel impressive distances. Many ruby-throats make a 2,000 mile journey between Canada and Panama. The trip includes a non-stop, 500 mile flight over the Gulf of Mexico.
Hummingbirds are very territorial and will aggressively protect nectar sources especially when migrating. It is important to have several feeders, out of sight of each other, to prevent one hummingbird from dominating your feeders.
Hummingbirds have a unique way of keeping warm or conserving their energy – at night, or any time they cannot get enough food to fuel themselves – they go into torpor – a state in which their metabolic rate is only one-fifteenth that of normal sleep.
A hummingbird can rotate each of its wings in a circle, allowing them to be the only bird which can fly forwards, backwards, up, down, sideways or sit in sheer space. To hover, hummingbirds move their wings forward and backward in a repeated figure eight, much like the arms of a swimmer treading water. Hummingbirds can move instantaneously in any direction, start from its perch at full speed, and doesn’t necessarily slow up to land. Hummingbirds can even fly short distances upside down, a trick rollover they employ when being attacked by another bird.
Hummingbirds have weak feet and are more at ease using their wings even to shift in the nest or on a perch.
Hummingbirds do not mate for life – the female raises the young on her own. The male hummingbird is not involved with raising the young. The female does all the work of raising her young alone! Females will lay a clutch of only two white eggs and will produce only one brood per season. The hatchlings will remain in the nest for three weeks.
Hummingbirds can live a decade or more in the wild.
I’m still out of town and very busy this week, but here are the rest of the weekend photos:
T’was the night before Christmas, and down in the kitchen. Little Andy was running, soon his head would need stitchin’. The stockings were hung by the chimney with nails, In hopes that dog Sadie would not them inhale. Cole & Tressa were bundled all snug in their beds, While Lulu was hurling and needing some meds. So off to the hospital again we did race, And we whistled and shouted and picked up the pace. Dear Tommy and Andy and Tressa and Cole, We hope you like Christmas…it sure takes a toll!
Well, boys will be boys, and this afternoon while 5 year old Andy was running around playing with all of his cousins, he slipped and hit his forehead on the edge of a chair. It was a pretty deep cut, but luckily very straight. He took his 10 stitches like a trooper, and was back home in time for a traditional Italian Christmas Eve dinner with pasta, turkey, ham, mashed potatoes and lots of other delicious food. After the gift exchange, we headed back to Dar’s to await the kids in the morning for even more presents. As soon as we got home, Grandma got very sick to her stomach and was throwing up for an hour. (No, she didn’t get run over by a reindeer!) So, back to the emergency room! I wonder if they have a 2 for 1 special? She’s currently on an IV now to help with her nausea and replenish her fluids. Still waiting for a doctor. It’s going to be a long night! Merry Christmas everyone!
UPDATE: Grandma was released from the hospital late on Christmas Day. I drove her to Dar’s house so she could open her presents and see the kids, and then drove her back home for some much needed rest in her own bed. She’s still weak, but on the mend. Thanks to everyone for their concern! She must be feeling a little better, because when she heard my poem she rolled her eyes and gave me the raised eyebrow!
UPDATE II: I have come down with the stomach flu, as have 8 of my cousins. We’ve all been puking our guts out the past two days. It truly was the gift that kept on giving this Christmas. I hope to be all better by Wednesday when I head up to Pacifica for our annual GLY NYE.
What a brave little guy he was!
I always marvel at the Hollywood sign on a clear day. Even though it took me 2 1/2 hours to drive the 60 miles to my cousin’s house, I listened to Christmas Carols and was in a good mood.
I took this from my sunroof going 70 mph down the 5 freeway. This is just past Disneyland.
As I pulled onto Jennifer’s street, this is what I saw
Kenny, Tressa and Tommy
No Italian Christmas is complete without pasta and meatballs!
Before Grandma got sick :(
The kid’s table!
Apparently he didn’t get his two front teeth for Christmas…but he does look like Harry Potter now!
T’was the night before Christmas…
Buster, the one eyed horndog and Roxy…waiting for Santa
OK, let me rephrase that. I 
Lisa, Joel and the boys moved into their new house over the weekend and our family gathered to celebrate. The house is in Dove Canyon, but it might as well be called Hummingbird Canyon. There were about 20 of the little buzzers lined up at the feeders to drink (as evidenced by 
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