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December, 2007

  1. Hello world!

    December 28, 2007 by Leanne

    Welcome to WordPress.com. This is your first post. Edit or delete it and start blogging!

    Category Fun Stuff | Tags: | 1 Comment

  2. 24 Hours of Mikita

    December 23, 2007 by Leanne

    I’ve (we’ve, being Jefferson and me) have survived the first 24 hours of our new family member, Mikita. I have to say, she’s been a pretty darn good girl this first day in her new home. Yes, there’s been the occasional potty mess, but its amazing how quickly she is learning to go outside to do her business. I think she’s going to be a very intelligent dog.

    Let me first tell you the story of the chaos yesterday of picking her up. Backing up a bit, my mom went back into the hospital on Thursday morning, by ambulance after suffering a mini seizure of some sort. Since she’s had three strokes in the past five years, the medics didn’t want to risk a misdiagnosis so they rushed her into the ER where she was later admitted to the neurological unit for three days. Final diagnosis: suspected inner ear infection that caused dizziness and vertigo. Part of the story of mom going in the hospital is that I opted to board her dog, a cock-a-poo, at the kennel, in Winter Park.

    Saturday arrives – its the BIG day – when I get to bring home Mikita. Now, because of the mom part of the story, timing this day is going to be everything. I wake up in the morning anticipating a call from the hospital that they’re releasing mom and I should come pick her up. That call never happened. Instead, mom called saying she’s coming home no matter what the doctors say and I should get ready to go down there. That meant driving to Winter Park to go pick up her dog at the kennel before their closing time of noon on Saturdays. I was scheduled to pick up Mikita at 11am and also somewhere during this morning bring home mom.

    I’m making this into a really long story, because it felt like a really long day – but I ended up:
    Driving to Winter Park to go get her dog and take her to moms house near Altamonte Springs.
    Then I drove back to my house in S. Orlando to go get Mikita and bring her home. All while waiting for the call to go to the hospital to go pick up mom and take her home. I don’t know how I managed it, but I did – after putting more than 100 miles on my car in doing so.

    She’s a chewer – anything and everything in sight.

    Jefferson teaching her how close she can actually get to the edge of the pool without falling in.
    She adores Jefferson! He tolerates her – especially her biting his tail and his ears.

    She finds the pool “interesting” at best, so far. Ashley was terrified of it the first time she was around a concrete pond. I can’t wait to see how she reacts as she gets older. Wonder if she’ll want to dive in like Jefferson does.

    Discovering my leather boots! Don’t think so!

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  3. Meet Mikita

    December 19, 2007 by Leanne

    Mikita

    …joins the household in just 4 days. Today I got a chance to spend a little time with her and her parents before the big day this weekend of bringing her home alone.
    Isn’t she adorable?

    She tolerated me holding her. She’s going to have to get used to that.

    Here she’s playing with mom.


    And this is Dad – Coda.

    Mikita whined the whole time, but she’s so cute! It’s been nearly 15 years since I’ve had a puppy in the house. I don’t even remember what it’s like. I guess I’ll remember very soon.
    MUCH MORE to come – including Jefferson’s reaction to all this.
    Merry Christmas!

    Category Fun Stuff | Tags: | 1 Comment

  4. Old Friends

    December 16, 2007 by Leanne

    It’s a Wonderful Life:
    Remember, no man is a failure who has friends.

    Last weekend was an incredibly memorable weekend in so many ways. On one front, I met 12 new people who are spectacular and dynamic – who I’m sure I will always remember – especially recounting the great times we shared together during the weekend.

    On another front, I reconnected with many former colleagues from my previous job. Some of these folks I hadn’t seen in probably 15 years. What a walk down memory lane! These are also awesome people who are so different and so fun. Many of us have gone down different career paths since we worked together in the media world and, happily, we’re all doing great in our own worlds. What’s even more fun – is that everyone looked amazing. We had such a great time recalling funny stories and anecdotes of our times together. Catching up on where we’ve been since was equally captivating. I’m so happy for everyone and so proud to be part of this amazing team.

    This is my very, very dear friend Jumbo. We spent many a night producing the 11pm newscast while trying to keep track of “Friends”. We had so much fun together. He now lives in Japan and has a great career working with animals at a theme park! Who’dda thunk?

    This is my friend, Steve. He’s a top-dog meteorologist in Tampa. (And he’s tall!)

    Jumbo and Mike O. Mike lives in D.C. and he’s a hot-shot videographer there, setting new standards for everyone. We all thought he looked like Richard Gere. He laughed.

    Marlene Dietrich:
    It’s the friends you can call up at 4 a.m. that matter.

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  5. Christmas at the "World"

    December 12, 2007 by Leanne

    I just spent an amazing weekend with 12 people that are just absolutely AWESOME. We took in most of the holiday events at Walt Disney World – including The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, The Epcot Candlelight Processional and finally got to see first-hand the incredible new lights on Cinderella Castle. The Castle lights are just absolutely visually stunning. The Candlelight Processional makes me cry every time. And Spectacle of Lights was beautiful, as usual, just very, very crowded.

    Epcot’s Candlelight Processional.
    Guest Narrator: Stephen Curtis Chapman

    Holiday Wishes fireworks spectacular at Magic Kingdom

    The Osbourne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights

    Don’t you just feel in the holiday spirit, now?

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  6. The Final Month of 2007

    December 2, 2007 by Leanne

    I can’t believe December is here already. I generally love the holiday season – I’m a total sucker for getting out there in the malls, shopping for nothing and everything, decorating the house (see below) and most importantly, I love the change of weather.
    That being said – it’s disgustingly hot here with a warm spell that just won’t go away. We’re expecting another day of mid-80 degree temperatures. Bring on the cold fronts – get those thermometers back down into the 50s and 60s. Get rid of this wretched humidity. My hair is supposed to be straight and flexible this time of year – not kinky and curly.

    I just got back from a 24-hour trip to LA – with several colleagues. We took the 7pm flight out on Wednesday night and the next day we were all on the red-eye home arriving Friday morning. That trip wears you out. I’m still longing for a good nights sleep. Let me not forget to mention the dreaded flight delay we had on the red-eye. We boarded the plane at 10pm. I’m in my seat, sit back and take half of an Advil-PM, so I can sleep on the flight home. As I’m waiting for the sleep to kick-in, and waiting and waiting, I realize the plane isn’t moving. Next thing we hear is the flight attendant announcing there’s a mechanical problem with the plane and we all need to deboard and wait for another plane to come in to take us home. This, AFTER I’ve taken my sleep aid. After an hours delay, we boarded the new plane and finally made it home. UGH. But we landed safely – in the fog at OIA.

    Craig, me and Mike – with some Brit in the background. Who could that be?

    Hard to see it, but there’s a huge Christmas tree behind me. This was taken in the gorgeous lobby of the Grand California hotel at Disneyland. I love that hotel. Didn’t get to stay there because there was “no room at the inn”, but that’s where our meeting was. Beautiful!


    Here’s my former WFTV colleagues – we were wishing Julie good luck in her new job. Barbara, Julie, me and Marti at a fabulous Mediterranean restaurant in Winter Park. Yummy.

    On the way home from dinner, we stopped by the famous “bear trap” put up in College Park where residents there spotted a big black bear roaming the neighborhood. They took the trap down the next day. No more bear sightings.

    While I was out Christmas shopping last weekend, this visual trotted by my car as I waited at a busy intersection near a mall. Too funny.

    Part of this year’s decorating included this GIGANTIC real wreath. It completely overtakes my front door, but I love it. It smells awesome.
    Happy December – pray for some cooler weather down here and some rain.

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