Saturday, July 15, 2006

Why I Love New Mexicans

They are extraordinary. Friendly. Helpful. Go out of their way to help you.... This was my experience today with a transplanted New Mexican.

I'm helping to host to a baby shower tomorrow and was given 2 tasks to manage: decoration and find/make a diaper cake. The primary of these being the diaper cake. At least in my opinion. (Everyone needs one, right?!)

One thing that should be noted about me is that I am fantastically effective in the art of procrastination. Although I've had a month to figure this out - if not more than that - I decided yesterday afternoon I should start thinking about this diaper cake thing. And today I decided to do something about it. The cake's appearance tomorrow is scheduled for 11am. Oy!

I called a few places (after 5pm, I might add - I wasn't kidding about the procrastination) to find that no one, NO ONE, was open or even had a cake in stock anyhow.... Ugh. I was coming to the conclusion that I was going to have to make this grandiose cake myself.

UNTIL! I called a small boutique in Santa Cruz, wonderful place that it is... A last-ditch effort, based on a note in a website saying that a diaper cake - making company shipped to this particular little boutique. A girl answers the phone, explains to me that she does, in fact, have 2 cakes in stock - a pretty yellow 3-tiered one, and a small blue one. As Charlotte is having a baby girl, the blue isn't appropriate, so I immediately ask the relevant questions regarding the yellow one - its perfect!

Unfortunately, she informs me that the store closes as 6pm (its already after 6 at this point, and I'm not even in Santa Cruz yet), and doesn't open tomorrow until 10am (when I'm supposed to be in Los Altos). Argh! I explain my situation and the fabulous person that this girl is, offers to come back in an hour to let me get this cake... *sigh of relief* She gave me her cell phone number (505!!!!), explains that its a New Mexico # (she's from Las Cruces), and to give me a call when I'm in the area so she can come do this for me. It makes me so happy to meet people in California that are from New Mexico. I love that!

So she made my day. I have the most beautiful Yellow Orchid Diaper Cake ever, in time for the shower, and all thanks to the New Mexico kindness.... I'm so happy! :)

Tuesday, July 4, 2006

A Dog-Napping!

I witnessed the most unbelievable dog-napping the other day and as I found it a tad bit sad and uproariously hilarious at the same time, I think I should explain. Before I do however, please do note that although I found this absolutely the most hysterical event ever, I do not condone dog-nappings otherwise.

If you've read my previous blog, you'll know I recently moved back to Santa Cruz. I could love this town solely for the story factor! Because my move creates a considerable distance between where I'm living and where the rest of my life is still remaining (storage unit full of crap, work, friends, etc.), gas has already started becoming an Item of Note in my life. $3.10 per gallon to go 75 miles r/t to work everyday and it would be an Item of Note in anyone's book... What was I thinking!?

Anyhow, so because I'm traveling back and forth so much this weekend, I stopped in Santa Cruz the other day to get some gas. Apparently everyone and their cousin have decided to relocate to S.C. for the holiday weekend because while I'm at the gas station, I'm watching all these RVs drive by with at least 22 people in each one. I swear! No, okay, I don't b/c it would take away the credibility of the story I'm getting to and this coming story deserves its credit. I digress...

So I'm people-watching waiting for the gas pump to finish, which takes a while since my tank is completely empty, and this RV pulls into the bank of pumps one row over from mine. And this is the swankiest, decked-out RV I've seen yet... its got the nice paint job and the Lexus being towed behind it and all. This woman gets out of the RV in a hot pink and purple jogging suit, complete with gold jewelry and the poufed-up bleach-blonde hair. I'm already grinning about how totally LA this woman is, when she pulls from the RV her equally as coifed toy poodle on a leash.

Unbelievable that these people actually exist. Ms. LA chats with her dog and puts him on the ground and starts sauntering towards the shop after him while her husband is getting out of the RV on the other side.

At this point my eyes start drifting. Although Ms. LA is completely out of place in Santa Cruz, my interest has waned and I'm looking for the next something to catch my eye. I notice a bird flying around above us against the beautiful blue sky of a perfect Santa Cruz day.... Its really so pretty out here! I start to realize that the big bird is circling and vaguely think that something must be dead on the side of the road. Thinking this completely messes up the prettiness of the picture, I get lost in my thoughts, though am still watching as as its circling gets tighter. All of a sudden, this bird dives down out of the sky, I swear to God, and grabs Ms. LA's little toy poodle, pulling the whole leash from Ms. LA's grasp!!!!!

The bird takes off, not missing a beat, with this little white dog firmly in its possession. The dog is gone.

Ms. LA FLIPS out, jumping around, shouting at her husband, who hasn't seen this happen, to do something. I'm on the ground, doubled over laughing so hard I'm crying, along with the handful of others at the station who've seen this happen.

It was the funniest thing I've ever seen! I laughed for a solid 20 minutes after getting back into my car and driving off. The woman was going crazy when I left, trying to explain to her husband that Fluffy had just been "dog-napped" by a hawk or some such bird... HAHAHA!

I do not know if I will ever again have a story as good as this one.