Everyone was a little tired after the holidays, even Martini. Now we are rested and ready to begin a happy new year.

Our little beauty will have his 6th birthday next week. He has spent four of those years with us. He has gone from the skinny little scraggly haired dog that we rescued to what you see today. He's our little charming beauty and he's smothered in love by us and everyone he meets.

Our old bulldozer sized tv in the bedroom had a television stroke or something and the color began to look like what you would see if you had an LSD flashback. So today we leaped into the twenty first century and bought a flat screen tv. Boy, aren’t we something? Then because our old tv in the living room was just hanging onto life by a thread we replaced that one too with a smart tv. Then we were feeling so frisky that we got the cable set up for HD-TV. I tell you, give us another ten years and we might do something else that everyone else did 15 years ago.

Not only is Romney hiding his own tax records, he’s hiding what he will do to your future tax records if he becomes President. I don’t want any President of this country to get into the white house by hiding things and sneaking around. That’s not the way we do things.

I am so tired of the Olympics coverage. I just can’t get into it or sincerely care. So last night as an escape we took Martini to the pet supply store to purchase a mesh harness for him. The mesh takes the pressure away from his throat if he pulls on the leash. While we were there I heard a little girl’s voice saying to her mom, “Oh mom, look at that!”. I turned to see what she was talking about and then I knew. I was holding Martini in my arms and she was looking at what I was holding. She started walking toward us with a look of amazement on her face. As she slowly approached, I told her she was welcome to pet him and he wouldn’t hurt her. She lightly touched his head and then began to pet him. She was staring at him as though he were some magical wonderful creature. She continued to pet him gently and look into his eyes. After about three or four minutes she placed both her hands on his head and brought his nose down so she could kiss it. Then she turned around and started to leave the store, when she got to the door she turned and waved a little wave to him. Martini the lady charmer strikes again. Whether it is elderly ladies or little girls, he can charm them all and he’s so gentle with his charm.

I think Mitt just wants the title of President and doesn't want to be bothered with the silly job of running the country. He presents no plans because he has none. He'll assign people to do the work for him and he'll just sit back and make deals with the monied men for prestige and profit....personal profit that is. As long as he can succeed where his father couldn't, he'll be good to go. Anyone who votes for him out of outrage at the present President is a damned fool.

This is one of my most favorite times of the year, the time to start packing for vacation. Getting my list made and gathering all the things we will need for a week at the beach. I have my new books all ready to go. Martini doesn’t know it yet but he will get a new toy to play with while we are there. My husband has his rods and reels ready along with his own beach reads. Last year when we went I was so sick that I barely remember much of it. Then I came home and within less than a month I was in the hospital and scheduled for emergency surgery. Now I feel like a million dollars and can’t wait to enjoy the trip the way I could not last year. I feel like I’m getting a do-over and I’m gonna make the most of it all.