Welcome to the Lere household a new dog! Okay, okay, I have two Chihuahuas, but their combined weight is less than 20 pounds. So, technically, since both of the can fit in your handbag, they don't count as two.
Years ago, I had a German Shorthair Pointer. I always wanted another, but scaled down the dogs over the years. So, today, we headed out to meet our newest addition. We won't be able to pick her up until around February 14th. The mom weighs about 48 pounds. So, I don't think she will be huge.
Wish me luck! Perhaps now I can walk a little faster now that I have a bigger dog!
Here are a few photos of Ashley with the newest addition coming soon!

Dogs in my life are as common as chocolate. Always around and lots of it! So, 7 years ago, I decided to get my other Chihuahua Dinkers a "friend", I picked up my newest addition "Zaida".

Dinkers (the older dog) was supposed to be small and ended up being about 9 pounds. AKC specifications for Chihuahuas say 6 pounds. Okay, so I ended up with a bigger one. Love her just the same. Then with Zaida, I made sure to do some investigation Saw his parents and they were small. At six weeks, Zaida weighted 4 ounces! Bingo! He grew into a healthy six pounder!

Now, seven years when I think back to life with Chihuahuas, I could literally kick myself! I can't really say Dinkers, the older dog by one year, accepted Zaida, she just tolerated him. Zaida on the other hand has a mission to drive me to an early grave.
Here's why:
1. You can't pick him up. He starts to scream just by bring a hand near him.
2. He walks about 50 yards outside and then locks em up. Enough exercise for him.
3. He doesn't go outside below 30 degrees unless it involves a treat thrown out the back door.
4. He barks constantly.
5. He won't walk on any floor that is slippery or tiled.
6. He doesn't play with anything. Just stares at me with an attitude when I throw the ball.
7. He still poops in his crate once in a while.
8. He thinks nothing of taking a wiz on plastic grocery bags.
9. I have to stand outside with him because a hawk has an eye on him. (oh okay, not his fault!)
10. Constantly hurts his back because he jumps down from the sofa.

So when I go for a walk, I have to carry Zaida. I have to throw treats outside to get him to go outside. And now, upon visiting the vet for his yearly visit, the vet tells me that Zaida should be on tranquilizers to help alleviate stress. He told me that something in Zaida's brains has short circuited because two months ago he had a seizure that lasted about 3 minutes. His anxiety about being picked up is worse. Doctor says the meds will help him relax. Yes, doctor, how about me? HA!

Giving him his bath, I couldn't help to feel sorry for him as he looked at me with those huge eyes. Here is a photograph from last week's bath. No, he doesn't like bubbles in his bath.... too stressful! So now we are onto "Plan B".

Zaida in the tub.

Every morning I grab the Maxwell House and plop my butt into a cozy chair to read the morning paper. Usually, it is the same chair for the winter months and in the spring, I move to another room where I can see the outside better (and it isn't as dreary out.). So, this am I was reading an article about gold prices. Yikes!
In my early years (HA!).... as in teenager, I managed to acquire some gold necklaces, earrings, and a few gold rings. You know, nothing fancy. Basically, most of them were given to me by boyfriend at the time. Now, 4 decades later, I see I am left with broken necklaces and missing earrings in an old blue box that barely ever gets opened.
Having an epiphany at 6:23 a.m, I said to hubby that I was going to rid myself of this crap.... opps, gold memories. I dug out the blue box and there it was. The high school ring!

Indeed, it still was as ugly as the day I received it early in my senior year of high school. Weighing what seemed more like a pound of butter, this ring was huge. Most of us "blue collar" seniors ordered their rings from the ring company that came to the school. A fancy schamancy brochure came and I shoved it under my mother's nose. Of course she put up a stink at the price of $134 (cause I wanted a better stone and my initials carved into the inside.)
Six months after ordering, "it" arrived! Word spread around the school that the rings were in! Holy moly I couldn't wait to get my butt down to the school office to pick it up!

Skipping lunch that day, I waited in line with the other students to pick up my symbol of coolness. It came in a little box and then in another box. Bam! I tried it on. Yes, it fit! But wait, it looked like an asteroid on my cabbage patch fingers! It was freakin huge! Not just oversized... but mammoth! Scanning the other girl's, it was clear that yes, this was the "girl's version". Jeez, that just stinks. The more affluent students had their parent's take them to a local jeweler where they got a cute slim line version. Their ring made their fingers look model like. Mine made me look like I should be running a jack hammer.

Upon showing it to my mom, there was no way on Gods green earth that I was going to say I hated it. I wore it for about a week to show her that I appreciated it. Frankly, I hated every second of it. Slowly, the ring went on less and less and finally, in the blue jewelry box. There, it sat until this morning.

Yes, it still fit! And, yes, it still is really ugly! So, now, should I take it to the gold buying place? What can I get for it? Will it be enough for a night out? Is it wrong for me to want to get rid of it? Will I feel guilty if I get rid of it because I begged my mother for it?
Mom, if you read this blog, don't be mad at me. I caved into high school pressure. You were right all along. But in the long run, after I am gone, who is going to want this giant ring that can double as a paperweight? I say, dinner and a movie rules! What do you think?

Fifteen years ago, one of my clients was a public relations firm in Philadelphia. There, I became friends with a girl named Laura. For over a year, she and I would chat over various assignments with a little of our personal life mixed in. Eventually, she moved on as did I.... losing touch with our new found friendship. Fast forward the clock to 15 years later to a networking meeting when someone touched me on the shoulder. It was Laura! Once again, reconnected and it seemed like we never missed a beat. My kids had grown and she had a beautiful 7 year old daughter. Wanting another child, the end goal seemed almost impossible for her and her husband. Then one day, a surprise announcement brought a smile to her face that money couldn't buy. A baby was in the future!
"Max" was born six months ago to proud parents Laura and Matt along with sister Rachel. I was so very happy to photograph Max a few days ago and though out the last six months. Yesterday, Laura and I got together for lunch and of course Max came too. How could I NOT take a photo of this child in this hat? I LOVE HATS!

So, this blog post is not about "things". It is however, about the things that matter most in life. People, loved ones, big and small. It's about reconnecting with someone you once thought was a memory. It's about seeing joy in a couple's face when they thought that extending their family was impossible, and most importantly, it is seeing the gift of life not only in a baby, but the gift of life he has given to his family.

Miracles do happen. Here is one.

Love this hat! How much wood can a woodchuck chuck?!!!!!

No, its not even close to the PA Turnpike or the Jersey Turnpike. And yes, it does have "EZPASS". It is known in the Lere house as the "Chihuahua Turnpike". Freshly built after every storm, this unique road covers a vast array of sites including rose gardens, a vegetable garden, the daylilly garden and of course, the gas grill. Intricate turns with passing room for another Chihuahua, this unique road is hand carved so that two Chihuahuas can safely make it outside to make one with mother nature. Otherwise, tragically, they could never make it through the 8 inch snow being only six inches high!

So, if you have a larger dog, be thankful that you can enjoy the quiet snow storm without ever having to put snow boots on and shoveling a path out for dogs who a)do not like to get their feet wet, b)do not like to go outside if it is below 30 degrees, c)do not like wind, d)hide in the house when it rains and in general, won't walk more than a block.

Oh, those Chihuahuas.....

Dinkers in the rear is about to pass Zaida.

As a photographer, if you are not having fun with your clients, it's time to pack out. No two sessions are alike and no two teenagers have the exact same attitude. Abigail, 13 and Emma, 11, live, eat, and dream cheerleading. Recently moved here from sunny Florida, these young ladies would much rather be with their friends cheerleading than with me on a Saturday morning. Understandably so, the "breaking in" time seemed like an eternity. Thankfully though, a chance to act slightly goofy and scream out a cheer at 7:30 a.m in the park seemed like the perfect ice breaker. (I thought so anyway!) So, after some prodding, I was pleased to get the girls warmed up for some wonderful images later on. Sometimes a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do to get the shot!

Even Baxter the family dog had to sneak in. Those dogs! They love being in the photo!

The first hour of snow. Ahhhh... so beautiful. The best part of a snow is the first hour. When you recognize the snow has begun and you open the front door and listen. Sooooo quiet, yet a feeling of excitement in the air. How wonderful that we are blessed with such a beautiful thing. Now, if I lived in Fargo, North Dakota where the high temp today is supposed to be 2 degrees and the low is supposed to be a toasty -13 degrees, my post for the day may be slightly different. The record LOW in Fargo, North Dakota was -48 in 1887. Good thing I wasn't there for that one.

On the other end of the spectrum in Jamaica, the high today will be 84 degrees and the low will be 69 degrees. Poor things..... a bit nippy!

As I drove to the studio this morning, the snow had just started to fall. As a kid, I remember the huge snowstorms we had growing up in Levittown. I mean huge! My father used to work at Abbots dairy in Philadelphia. Back in the 60's, the roads never got plowed and being snowed in was something kids loved and parent's hated. My dad used to start his shift at 7:00 in the morning. One storm, started early on a Sunday and continued through the night. Back in those days, you never missed work. Waking up at 2:00 a.m., I remember smelling coffee and my parents talking in a low voice. I came out to see what was going on. My dad was all bundled up and about to head out. "Head out where?" I asked. He said "work". I looked outside and we must have had about two feet of snow. He opened the door and walked down the front of the house to the sidewalk. The car was to the right. He turned to the left. I quickly asked my mom where he was going. She said... "work... he's walking to the train station." We live over three miles from the train station. There was no way a 1962 rear wheel drive as going to make it to Philadelphia. There was no Route 95 then. He would have to travel up Route 13 all the way and judging by the snow, there were no plows out.

Through the still of the night, my father walked in two feet of snow over three miles in the dark of night to catch a train to work. He said later it took him over 3 hours just to get to the station. What does a man think about when it is 2:00 a.m. in the morning with the snow falling and snow up to your hips? Desperately not wanting to loose his job, he never missed a day. I often think of his devotion when I get the call from staff members calling in sick with a headache. What happened to sense of urgency to keep your job? Perhaps that is one thing that I learned from him. No excuses, just be there.

So Dad, as I drove through the snow this morning to teach a class, I thought about the wisdom you taught me. I would not have believed this story at all if it weren't for the fact that I saw you turn left instead of right on that snowy night....
This, I know for sure.

The door to the studio opened one day unannounced and a man introduced himself as "Vincent" Looking around, he proudly said his wife was pregnant and was due in a few months. He was interested in my work. We talked for a bit and he left with card in hand. Four months later the phone rings and Vincent and Jamie are as happy as could be. Baby "Ella" had arrived a few days ago and when could I come out to the house?
The bottles were lined up on the kitchen sink, the house was a peaceful quiet. Fresh pink laundry was folded near the couch. For the second time, I met Vincent. This time his smile was bigger than the sun. Explaining that his wife was feeding the baby, I couldn't wait to meet the new addition.
Welcome to the world baby Ella. Nine days old and you are clearly the light of Vincent and Jamie's eyes.

Daddy's kiss.....

Jamie and her bundle.

Thank you Jamie and Vincent for allowing me to photograph your loved one.

When I was a girl of about 8, my brother and I had our own "Club". Known as the "Tigertalls", we sent away for the fancy schmancy tiger tail on the back of the Kelloggs Corn Flakes box and hung it from our bikes. We eventually saved up and got the grand pooh bah of accessories.... An attachment that fit onto your bike shaped like a tiger that roared with the push of a button. Dues were a nickel a week for outsiders. Eventually, we were up to four neighborhood kids who roared their way around town on their banana bikes protecting towns people from evil. The "club" lasted one summer sadly because we had no dues left for Slurpees at 7/11.

Fred Flintstone was a member of the Loyal Order of the Water Buffalos. Ralph Kramden (Jackie Gleason) and his good friend Ed Norton (Art Carney) were members of the International Order of the Friendly Sons of the Raccoons. They had a special handshake by touching elbows first!

My father became a Mason when I was about eleven years old. When I asked him if there was a pool involved, he got rather defensive. What did I know about the honor of becoming a Mason? Was there a secret handshake?

So what does "Loyal order of the Water Buffalos and pens" have to do with anything? Well, as a studio owner and in charge of office supplies, I am a firm believer that there is a secret club out there just for pens. Thats right..... pens. Where do they go? My friends will attest that there is nothing I like better than a good pen. However, I think during the night, they sneak out through cracks and party on at undisclosed locations. Perhaps at this same location are all of my missing socks. So, if you call the studio and you hear me fumbling around, please know that it is not because I am unsure of what to say, it is because I am looking for a pen that never made it out the escape passage the night before.
I am confident though, that they have their own handshake and cool hat.

Tomorrow I will be busy. Because tonight at 7:00 I will be winning the Mega Millions. Yes, I purchased not one, but ten $1 tickets. Don't tell the Chihuahuas, but I took it out of their treat allowance for this month. At 11:00 am, I think it was up to something like $330 million dollars. I've decided to take a one lump sum of $208 million. After taxes, I'm thinking like $130 million coming my way.

So here are my plans: First, give some money to the kids. Then, some worthy relatives. Then of course a few charities. I figure I will have like $100 million left over. I will take ten million and go freakin crazy. You know, buy a new house, travel, fill the house with MACs. Then with the rest, ($90 mil) I will put it in the bank and live off the interest.
Here are the stats on investing JUST a million dollars at a measly 4% interest rate:

One Day – $109.59

One Month – $3,333.33

One Year – $40,741.54

Five Years – $220,996.59

Ten Years – $490,832.68

Twenty Years – $1,222,582.09

So, $90 mil multiplied times $109.59 a day is $9,863.10 a day in interest.

Things that I will most definitely do and not do.
1. I will throw away every single motivational book and investment book I own.
2. I will not throw it away on a huge house. I would like a house (about 3500 square feet) with a brick wall inside and a kitchen with a skylight and an island and of course it has to be in San Diego on the beach.
3. Don't forget a cleaning service.
4. I will ring up Oprah for coffee.
5. I will spend time in Italy.
6. I will give 4 boys I know aging in range from 9 to 14 a better home to live in and a college education.
7. I will hire a cook.
8. I will search for individual hard working people who have hit hard times because of this economy and help them get back on their feet.
9. I will have Philly soft pretzels delivered to my home warm once a week.

Hmmm... I think that is it for now.
Oh yea, I am not sure if I will continue to blog. I have to think about that one. Check back tomorrow or the next day.