2009

Finally closed on the Danforth in Portland, renovated it and launched it into an incredible future.

Sold my beautiful loft on Congress Street in Portland that was featured in the May 2008 Maine Home+Design and some of the best work I've done, but that's ok.

Sold Brunswick Inn on Park Row after a complete redesign - sad but ok.

Got my first television Treatment on file with the Writer's Guild of America - very cool.

Bought the West End Inn, then leased it out.

For the first time in my adult life I was truly SINGLE for a whole year. Very healthy.

Hosted Blue County at Criterion for perhaps their last concert together, sad but excited for them all and their futures.

Hosted Celebrity Chef Carmen Gonzales at The Danforth for an amazing brunch. Hope to work with her soon again.

Listened to songs that I know will be hits in 2010 for business partner, Aaron and his new band, Dirt Road Hotel.

Completed several substantial real estate sales as a broker for the first time in many years, was fun but fine to let brokers do it.

Enjoyed an amazing year, considering, at The Swan Agency Sotheby's International Realty - led market in all categories.

Saw several beautiful shows at Cygnet Gallery in Portland. And actually had some very good months despite the economy.

AND THE MOST IMPORTANT AND SIGNIFICANT 2009 HAPPENING! The little princess, Miss Ava and I became a family and life will never be the same. How a dog grabs your heart and won't let go is one of life's mysteries. I can say that in 2009 I fell in love :-)

Forgotten Ingredient for Below

I KNEW there was something I forgot. Right before I added the cream and pesto I cut up two strips of precooked bacon and added that. VERY important for flavor I think. Woops. :-)

Chicken with Pesto Cream Sauce on Spinach

OK - before I forget this recipe...

Good olive oil with garlic - hot in pan
Add chicken tenderloins, brown on both sides
Add a big splash of chardonnay
Cook for a few minutes until chicken is getting cooked
Add pesto and heavy cream - heat til bubbly and starts to thicken
Add pepper - ( I don't use salt but now would be time )

In the meantime, wilt some spinach by putting in boiling water just for a minute.

Spinach on plate with chicken and cream sauce on top. YUM!

Mom liked it too and wished she hadn't brought her dinner with her. But, that is always a very smart thing at my house - you never know when the choices will just be diet coke and parmesan.

WAYY overate for the last few months so losing some weight on Atkins which is the only thing that works for me. Over 5 pounds the first 3 days and I can eat like this. :-)

Danforth February

Taking a break from working on plans for Get To Know The Danforth month. We are going to be doing "Fam" tours and special events and making a big deal of the month of February and having people see what The Danforth really offers. Very excited. A lot will be based around food - yummm.... that is the hard part to think about while I have started a very strict diet.

Ava Elizabeth

Note the elevation Miss Kangaroo can get when there is a squirrel on the other side.

Ava barks at falling snow, oh yes she does

Poor reindeer

My poor little reindeer who have been my Christmas pets for years may not make it through Ava's first Christmas. Yikes.

Need to change the name of blog to Ava

Because she has no interest in going to a salon, we are trying to learn ourselves (Ava and Mom) how to do a Yorkie cut. Our cut is an Ava cut, we do a little at a time and after each sitting, a treat is expected.

Ava's New Playroom

We finally made Ava a space outside. She isn't sure yet. The only problem is I realize it is too high and it blocks the view of her friends in the forest so may have to cut it back a bit tomorrow.

Portland

This is good:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqL2lgOxMr4

'Tis the season..

Today was the most festive of the season so far. Evelyn and I made Christmas cookies, well... that may be stretching it.. note our snowmen, hers is the one made of very dirty snow :-)

I knew St. Lucia Day was coming soon and that always means a visit from my wonderful neighbors the Rodericks. Evelyn was hoping to get to see them as I have told her about their fun hats and the yummy bread and the fun song they brought to celebrate. Alas, I had JUST taken her home and drove back into my driveway when they arrived. At least Ava got to be a part of it!

Crazy Ava

My silly little girl. She barks at snow - yes snow. So when it snows all day, she barks all day. I have learned how to tune it out, like mother's do and I could never understand how they could. We are going to build her a play area outside so that she can go bark at the snow out in it, which is all she wants to do. I am trying to upload a video of Av in the snow, but no luck yet.

Thanksgiving Done

I made a pecan pie, yes I did. Just couldn't get it out of my mind. So I made it, I ate a piece and I feel over sugared. Still glad I did it though!
It was beautiful today. Ava and I walked 1.2 miles yesterday and it was exhausting and cold, today we went much further and it seemed shorter.
I LOVED having a 4 day weekend. Definitely want to close office again next year on Friday after Thanksgiving.
That ended up being Thanksgiving at Chris' anyway. Very fun. See pic.
So now onto Christmas and 2010 preparations... this is always a crazy busy time and I feel well rested!

Fun video...

OK, I'm not a huge Muppet fan but I am a huge Queen fan and love Bohemian Rhapsody, must admit the Muppets cover is fun.
http://www.popeater.com/2009/11/24/muppets-bohemian-rhapsody-video/?icid=main|main|dl4|link7|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.popeater.com%2F2009%2F11%2F24%2Fmuppets-bohemian-rhapsody-video%2F

Danforth Tweet Up

Great pics on Candace's blog ~
http://www.candacekaru.com/brunchirl

Ava's Big Day

Yesterday was Ava's birthday, she is 2! It was her day, I let her do anything she wanted. At 4:00 this morning she threw up on the bed... just like any little girl who overdid it :-)

CandaceKaru.com

I am so fortunate to have the coolest friends on the planet!

Read this on my friend Candace's blog about The Danforth Tweet-Up this weekend. She is the greatest!


http://www.candacekaru.com/the-danforth-gourmet-brunch-tweetup

John B's Birthday

Wish I had pics of this but I don't.... Yesterday was the 25th time that I had to think of something cool for John's birthday. Figured out that one of the last things we did before deciding to not be married anymore was a nice birthday for him and then by the next year on his birthday we were friends again :-)

So.... in a quest for originality, I asked Rob and Jeff at Criterion if we could screen the show he was on this summer on the Biography Channel, Psychic Investigators on the big screen About 25 people were at the Theatre at 3:00 and I told him we had to run over to pick something up from Rob. I was SO nervous. He had no idea. We walked in and everyone was up in the balcony so I pretended I was looking for Rob and walked down the aisle and stopped and looked up to see if he was up there and everyone yelled surprise. SHOCKED JB, SOOOO funny and he was so happy. The minute they said surprise, and John probably was still wondering, Jeff started the film and the music etc. and he realized what was going on. We ran up to the balcony and watched.

He was SO amazing in that show. So serious and such a command presence. So articulate. Erica was such a huge help and she loved the show because she didn't know Major John Bennett, Maine Marine Patrol who was a different person that the John Bennett of today. She was really surprised and a little scared she said :-), he was so serious.

A wonderful, wonderful surprise and I am so very thankful to all of our friends and family that came to it. John called me a second time when he got home to say thank you again. He really loved it. Which makes me very, very happy. Mission Accomplished! Thanks everyone. xo

Last hike of the year with Mom

Today was the last carriage road hike of the year with Mom, Ev, Mulligan and Ava - now we're on our own, Ev, me and the dogs for a few months. I hope we can stick to it without Mom pushing us. Its been over 2 months and I haven't felt this good in a very long time. I already know which trails we are starting on in the spring! :-)

Dogs and Deer

OK, one of the worst things ever is dogs chasing deer. It is AWFUL. and it makes me sick and feel so bad.
However..... I have to admit to getting a bit of a laugh just now. Ava is going crazy barking, at what I assumed was a squirrel. Finally I go to look and staring at her is a big, beautiful 6 point buck. I can see that look on his face saying "Would you shut up in there?" Seriously.
So then, I have this image of her getting out and chasing him through the woods, not that he would probably run from her unless he is irritated with her, certainly not scared. Something about the image of a 4.7 pound crazy yorkie chasing this huge beautiful creature cracked me up.
I know, I need a vacation :-)