1256.3 up, 1293.1 back

[sff_corgi_lj]

And 128.1 miles yesterday. That's a lot of driving. The difference was due to meeting Cindy after a wrong turn on I-65, then stopping at annechen67's after a wrong turn on SR 840, and a left turn onto I-10 because I was sick of I-75 and the Turnpike. I shoulda taken I-16 and clinched that one. Thank you, everyone, who inquired about the quality of my trip. :)

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Following the recommendation of one of my Flisties (was it agonistes? One of the Registry Wolves? Alas! I cannot remember.), I found an unabridged CD copy of Isabel Allende's Zorro, which was just as delightful as I'd been told. It worked wonderfully to facilitate 'Zen driving' Saturday night/Sunday morning.

The people who manage the Zorro property commissioned Allende to write Zorro's origin story. Sure, everybody knows that he's the son of a Alta-Californian hidalgo who decided to fight injustice, but why? And how did he learn the skills that allowed him to be as successful as he was? Allende starts the story, just like Bujold did with Miles Vorkosigan, by telling how his parents met (modelled closely on a historical account from the same area of California). She expands the story to give credit and interest to both the native peoples and to women in Zorro's life — no so much wandering off track as seeing points of view unexplored by the original and subsequent authors.

Give it to Robert Rodriguez to make a movie out of it, please. :) He'll know how to keep the film as fun as the book. And he casts well (Banderas as Alejandro de la Vega, with age makeup?)

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Yesterday, all the driving was due to Annie (my R.A.D., Randomly Acquired Dog) going in for her spay operation. This required me to get my tuchus out of the house at least an hour earlier than normal, haul through morning rush-wave-front traffic to get to Coconut Grove, drop Annie off and listen to her fuss while D'Argo got his very expensive (OK, expensive for my current situation) annual shots and Sirius got his record started. My little boy did not appreciate the stick up his bum.

Got home, changed, paid part of the phone bill, rushed to work, where it was just fun-fun-fun with three major situations on top of the normal calls.

Took off after 15:00, plowed through unpleasant traffic to get back to the vet's (took at least 40 minutes); Annie was already awake and on her feet, but I carried her out anyway. I almost made her wait -- there was a two-month old French Bulldog on the exam table getting checked out. OMGWTCKH! They're ridiculously cute dogs.

Annie got dropped off, but then I had to go with traffic to get back to work. I missed checking the clock, but I estimate it took me between 1.5 and 2 hrs. Gah. Anyway, you can see how the miles added up. And it was time (2.5 hrs) I had to make up, too.

Annie's still feeling kind of weird and sore, but she's better today than yesterday of course, and perking up.

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Little Sirius is, of course, adorable — and floppy like a rag corgllie. My vet was rather fascinated by him being a half-collie, and wants to see what a 3/4 corgi would look like (fat chance, Marmesh). I'm wondering what he should dress like for Halloween... any suggestions?

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Pictures to follow eventually. :)

Comments

[ashavah]

Yes, we need pictures of the newly added to pack! :-)

Poor Sirius and Annie.

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

Poor Sirius?! Hardly! :) He's got a whole yard and playmates and almost more than he can eat twice a day. He can afford a little discomfort. ;)

[ashavah]

Glad he's having fun in his new home. ;-)

[kit-the-brave.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you're home safely and I'm very glad to hear your book review, cause I bought the book but haven't had time to read it yet. :)

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

It's a second-hand rec! ;)

Nota bene: Toypurnia is based on Toypurina, a Tongva shaman who did almost exactly what her fictional counterpart does, except for have such a very interesting son.

Y'know, that might make an interesting paper for somebody in high school lit to write - compare and contrast Cordelia Naismith and Toypurnia/Regina.

Allende worked in a lot of real history into this, although personalities may vary from the original.

[kit-the-brave.livejournal.com]

I haven't read any Bujold earlier than Barrayar, because I only discovered her this summer and they're ALWAYS CHECKED OUT. :) Wow, this is food for thought!

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

Ai, poor thing! Try the Amazon Z-shops. And be careful, because they've republished a handful of the books in omnibus volumes of two novels each.

And for tangential reference:

EL PUEBLO DE NUESTRA SENORA LA REINA DE LOS ANGELES DE PORCIUNCULA. The name Los Angeles is Spanish for The Angels. There is much more to this name, however. On Wednesday, August 2, 1769, Father Juan Crespi, a Franciscan priest accompanying the first European land expedition through California, led by Captain Fernando Rivera Y Moncado, described in his journal a "beautiful river from the northwest" located at "34 degrees 10 minutes." They named the river Nuestra Señora de los Angeles de la Porciúncula. In the Franciscan calendar, August 2 was the day of the celebration of the feast of the Perdono at the tiny Assisi chapel of St. Francis of Assisi. Early in St. Francis' life, the Benedictines had given him this tiny chapel for his use near Assisi. The chapel, ruined and in need of repair, was located on what the Italians called a porziuncola or "very small parcel of land." Painted on the wall behind the altar was a fresco of the Virgin Mary surrounded by angels. Now contained within a Basilica, the chapel was named Saint Mary of the Angels at the Little Portion. The newly discovered "beautiful river" was named in honor of this celebration and this chapel. In 1781, a new settlement was established along that river. The settlement came to be known as El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Angeles de Porciúncula or The Town of Our Lady the Queen of Angels of the Little Portion although its official name was simply El Pueblo de la Reina de Los Angeles [from http://www.losangelesalmanac.com/topics/History/hi03a.htm] The full name of Los Angeles, El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Angeles de Porciúncula, can be abbreviated to 3.63% of its size: L.A. [Stuart Kidd].

[annechen-melo.livejournal.com]

Well, now I know to give you exit numbers. :P

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

Well, your directions you'd sent me before said one town, since you were orienting off 65; and the exit off 24 said 'Lebanon', so I had to guess... and guessed wrong. :/

[annechen-melo.livejournal.com]

Too bad you were driving, because then you might have been able to get a glimpse of the castle.

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

*siiiigh*

[annechen-melo.livejournal.com]

Next time, have D'argo take a turn at the wheel. :D

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

Har. He can't reach the pedals, you know that!

[annechen-melo.livejournal.com]

Gemma and Meissa can work the pedals.I'm not too sure about Annie's navigational skills, though.

I'm stuck at the coffeehouse, if you have a minute.

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

Unless it involves food, not sure Annie'd pay attention.

I've been trying to edge over to you half the day, it's finally quiet enough. :)

Sirius for Halloween

[myfanwy.livejournal.com]

I say you dress him up as a Krispy Kreme donut.

Re: Sirius for Halloween

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

[doubletakes] I'm not sure whether to ask How or Why!

Re: Sirius for Halloween

[myfanwy.livejournal.com]

Because he's so deliciously sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeet! He'd have fun shredding the costume, too, I'm sure. And in case I haven't mentioned it lately, D'Argo is the CUTEST boxer in the WORLD.