Hello everyone. I am almost done with work, although my two weeks were up the 2nd of July I worked through the weekend, and I am also working thursday night cooking, and friday, sunday night as a server. Then I think I will be done. My bosses wife wrote me a very nice letter, it made me cry. I have made lots of friends at the Anglers Lodge and will miss them all. Hopefully we can stay in touch.
Monday I just stayed in, and didn't answer my phone at all, it was so nice, but today just a little stop on the blog and it's off to clean my house. Men just don't care very much what they live like, or at least my man doesn't, lol! Once the house is clean, then it will be back to the kitchen. I will finish texturing, then off to find the perfect colors of paint. I will also go buy the rest of my pulls, and finish my pot rack sometime. It seems as if the summer is almost gone, although I know it just began. I will get to enjoy my porch, and the flowers I planted.
Jade and I are planning a huge 24th of July party.....it will hopefully include lots of family and some friends from I.P. If the weather is good we will watch the parade and then go floating the river, then back to our house for a bbq. I have asked Dede if Savanah can come down, as she spends a lot of time with the grown ups, and having Tieras girls to play with will be fun for her I think.
I planted beefeater tomatoes in my topsy turvy this year, how fun. I have 7 so far. I've had that thing for 3 years and haven't ever used it. Also I was gonna plant a huge garden in Derrics backyard, but he still hasn't closed on the house, so maybe next year. I'll be just like dad, having a big garden to tend to across town. I can't hardly wait! I can plant everything I've always wanted, then bottle and freeze!
This picture is of Warm River Springs. I took it with my phone, thats why it's not the best. This is where Warm River starts. Some of you are familiar with Warm River, where you goto feed the fish........Funny enough, but it's not really that warm, 50 degrees year round. We will visit this same spot on snowmobiles next year.
I hope everyone is doing well, I love and miss you all!

So, I could not take it anymore.........I have quit my job! The disorganization, the micro-managing, the he said, she said. The list goes on. All I know is this: I don't have to work, and after almost 7 months, I can't take it any more. I love food, cooking, and feeding people, and will in the future find a fit that is right for me, but for now I am soooooo relieved to be saying goodbye to the Angler's. My last day will be the 5th of July. I have made many friends working there, and hope to keep those friendships alive in the future. I also hope that the Angler's can get their sh*t together, because the lodge is amazing, and its' setting couldn't be more beautiful. I WILL keep tabs on them. This picture was taken after a break in all our rain. It has rained everyday in June up the mountain. This beautiful rainbow just appeared, I was in the kitchen at the lodge, and took a picture of it with my phone.
Today is also our 7th wedding anniversary...... who knew?

Food Storage

Laurel is over here with a fun new website for all of us. It maybe a bit pricey, but there are some fun things I know that we'd all like to have in our food storage.
www.honeyvillegrain.com
GO CHECK IT OUT!!!!!!!

I loved this movie, and have at times felt like Mrs. Pettigrew.

I went to a couple garage sales today, and snagged the coolest table, we think. Also a little bench, that despite the way it looks, is actually very comfortable to sit in. I also liked what it said. This is my porch. I have had to "deal" with Jades air conditioner in the window which ruins my chest seating, but as I'm not here very much, it's okay. He's only used it once, the air conditioner, as the rain and the cold have been unrelenting. Also, he won't put my old countertops and wood away off my porch, so there they are. Also, while I've been gone, someone has stolen one of my little dolls I had sitting on my porch! The nerve! All in all, I love the way my porch looks. Also at one of these garage sales I saw this boxed labled $1.50 for the whole box. It had some pine garland in it that I wanted, and even at D.I. I haven't been able to find it for less than 5 bucks. I know, I'm soooooo cheap! So I bought the whole box, for a buck fifty I couldn't complain. This is what was in the box, I scored big time. Some stuff I don't want, and will put in my garage sale stuff, but all the garland I love love love, and the lighthouse will go in my bathroom, which of course is it's theme. The cat is now having himself a sniff through all of it.

I love my job!

So yesterday was like one of the slowest days this spring, which in the end, turned out to be a good thing. Being a cook, I very rarely get to meet many of the people that come and go at the lodge, but today was different. 3 men on motorcycles stopped in for a late lunch, as the weather had turned from bad to worse. I met Ian when he came to the front desk (I was googling for Jade) to ask for an ashtray. So as the fd clerk was busy, I went to fetch them. They needed help running the dish remote, and as I am well versed in that I went in to show them. Thats when I met Glenn. I stayed and chatted for a minute, smoked a canadian cigarette, then realized I was the only cook, and no one knew where I was. So the story is, these 3 men are on a bike ride, and it started in Canada. www.2009biketrip-ian.blogspot.com is their blog, and they have a map, and accounts of their journey. I didn't get to talk to Neil that much, as he was mostly missing in action.... Glenn, very soft spoken, does volunteer in West Africa, and had some really amazing stories. I had to admire him greatly for his sacrifice, and service to the people of that country, as I could never do something like that. Ian, my favorite (sorry guys) had some very funny stories, and made me laugh the whole time I talked to him. Sorry Neil, I don't really have much to say, except for you have great taste, and apparently hollow legs. These guys are the reason I LOVE to work in the tourism industry. Interesting, very kind, generous men. A step above, I think, and their families are very lucky indeed to have them. I wish them well on their journey home, and pray for their well being. I hope they have great weather, and even greater experiences.

Pictured from left to right: Ian, Neil, and Glenn

So, staying with tradition, one can never predict it's really fully summer, or even spring in the mountains. It did in fact snow 2 days ago, and has been raining it seems since. We received about and inch and a half and it stayed on the ground most of the day. It warmed up about 10 degrees later in the afternoon and the snow melted away, but still left us all cold. These are a couple pictures I took with my phone.


I hope my sister is having a really good time in Nauvoo, someday I will go. I love you all, and take care!

I have no pictures to add to this post, sorry. I'm in a time crunch as I only came down the mountain to take care of the pool table situation, so right back up I go.
We did trade out bike to this guy from Utah. He had an older '82 Honda Goldwing. I have seen it, and sat on it is all, but it seems as though it's going to be a comfy ride, I'm excited about that. Also with the trade we got to pick out some guns, guns are always a good thing. We ended up with a Winchester 20 gauge, a Winchester 270 that has this cooly scope on it, which are both mine, and Jade picked himself out a 22/45 bull barrel olympic pistol. I am in different as I don't hunt, although I'd like too, but Jade really wanted that 22......He says because of the bull barrel it makes the gun EXTREMELY accurate, although I'm not sure what that matters, because it's a 22. Target practice I guess.
So anyways, no days off until next wednesday, by then I will be burnt out and ready for some R&R.
So after I take the rails down to this guy in I.F. today, he will come up and finish the pool table at the lodge. It is really exciting for a bunch of us, as we enjoy playing pool. I will pack my cue with me back up the mountain, so I can try it out. The boss man will now have to invest in some "house" cues, and a rack and chalk. It's like I'm always at that lodge, and with pool table up stairs, I really will be!
Savahna had such a great time at the PlayMill, that's all she has been talking about. So I was informed (by her dad), that because I started this I have to finish it. I told him that was fine, he can pay for us to go to the other 2 plays, he agreed. WAHOO! So not these coming days off, but some after these, she and I will go back up to see The Secret Garden, and Guys and Dolls. How terrible to get to do that?!
Our wonderful cat brought a mouse into the house this morning, not quite dead, just wounded. Bernice had a fit. She won't even stay on the floor, up on the couch, which is a no no, up in the chairs, on the bed.....she is so scared that mouse is gonna get her. Jade took care of it before he left for work, but the damage had already been done. Bernice is obviously SO traumatized by the whole thing. What a weird freakin dog!
I hope everyone is enjoying their summer, it started off warm here, still is I guess, but with TONS of rain! Hope to see you all again!

MY HUSBAND ROCKS FRIDAY!

Well as promised I am posting MY HUSBAND ROCKS! Friday.
Those of you who know us already know about my kitchen re-do, but here's the skinny anyways.
I have been waiting to re-do my kitchen for some years...as I know now that we will be staying for who knows how long in this house, it was time! So we sold our camper (which we didn't use all that much anyways) and I used the money to buy cabinets. Now they really were a good deal, but there has been some issues. First of all, the cabinets had to be assembled. Sounds easy enough, right? Well they didn't come with instructions, and some of the boards were warped, hinges broke, faces a little damaged. Have no fear, the company we bought the cabinets from were a dream to work with, they exchanged hinges, and gave us stain to do touch-ups. The assembly of the first cabinet was the very worst. After that, he said, not a problem. Now before this, I wanted the stove and fridge moved, so he had to re-wire the stove, hood vent, new outlets, light switches, and also plumb a new water line for the ice maker in the fridge. Also I wanted to put the microwave in the cabinets so he will have to wire that as well. He then measured and hung all the upper cabinets by himself as I was working in Island Park that weekend. He said it would be better to do if I was gone! WHAT? LOL! Measurements said our kitchen was 10 feet wide, but oh no, it was 9 and like 3/4..but Jade made them fit by slightly moving the cabinet forward. I know it's like that, but many who've seen it can't tell. Jade still has two cabinets yet to be hung, which I'm sure he'll do this weekend since I'll be working, then he will finish my countertops. Yes thats right he has made butcherblock countertops! After that, well, we found a pretty good deal on some wood floor, same wood that the countertops are made out of actually. But that will have to come later as the budget right now doesn't allow for it. In the end, our cabinets cost us $1,300 dollars, which I have found to be extremely inexpensive. If I didn't have a husband who is inclined the way he is, it would have cost AT LEAST 3 times that amount, and look how good they look! My before picture isn't the real before picture, as I had forgotten to take a picture, but it's close enough.
To my wonderfull husband who does things for me because he loves me (like this kitchen), I love you very much!
Have a wonderful and safe weekend everyone!

I went yesterday to get some more cabinets, and will have to go today to get the very last, as the sale goes only until the end of the month. I had to return my hood vent cover, as it didn't work with my hood vent (sigh). I also have to return a set a doors I bought, too big (sigh). Someday my kitchen will be finished. I have put stuff back into cabinets though, so I'm not running from room to room to get food. While I was in the Burg I went to D.I.. It's almost always a must for me to stop. I bought some glass domes for my sister, so those are her treasures, the rest are mine. The blue thing is a clip, and I bought 2 of them...I will repaint them and put a magnet on the back of one, so I can put it on my fridge. Not sure where I'll put the other though. The metal cooling rack things are going to be a hanging pot rack. I am designing and building my own, we'll see what it ends up looking like (scary). The other is a metal hanging basket that I thought I'd put on my porch with "things" in it. While I was visiting my mom, I took pictures of the bedroom I was staying in. It had this cool old barn wood shelf with stuff on it. So, yesterday I was tired of waiting on my husband to take down my other shelf and do mine, so i did it myself. It is mostly bare right now, but the picture frame I bought will house 2 samplers I have yet to do, and am not sure I can do. The sign I will sand down and put my own touch on, and the Mountain Man statue, which was my FIL will stay up there but in a different spot. I already love the look the most! I actually closed down the D.I. last night, it was not the first time.
My sister broke her wrist! Well she had some help! Her first broken bone....My first and only (knock on wood) broken bone was my collar bone. I was in a car accident when i was 14. It never healed right. So I hope everything goes good for her, and that she heals right, and fast.
I am also going to participate in Chers blog my husband rocks friday. I have a plethora of MHR stories.

We went to Jackson Hole, Wyoming yesterday on our bike. What my old, fat butt realized after that trip, is that we need a more comfortable bike to take on trips, so we are selling ours, to get a "touring" bike. Went went for breakfast at Jedediahs House of Sourdough. The log cabin itself has been placed on the national historic register, as it was built in 1910. The sourdough start they use, and sell, dates back to the 1870's. Jades mom has been talking about this place, and even brought me back a start, so it was time to saddle up and see for myself. I had my usual breakfast of 2 eggs, sausage, and hashbrowns, but at jedediahs you get to choose from biscuits and gravy (which is what I got), sourjacks(which is what jade got), toast, and I'm sure there was something else. My breakfast was okay, but the biscuits and gravy were really quite good, and I didn't like the sourjacks at all. After we ate, we wandered around and found a chili cookoff, but we didn't partake as we were stuffed completely from breakfast. We did however, see signs for a Mountain Man Rendevouz, and traders row, so we went in search. I think there was a total of 10 on traders row, hawking about the same stuff, and no one "camping" ....one in a great big motorhome not welcome inside. I bought some beads, I had been wanting some anyways, and they were so cheap to buy there, that I did. I should have taken a picture of the row, but I didn't. Just a picture at the top of Jackson pass, and yes, that is still a TON of snow, and one of Jade. I hope LBC liked the pictures of his bike.

So, I found this new blog. It isn't very often I stray from my "family" blogs, but was just having a look on YES, Craigslist, and there it was. She has super cute ideas, ones that I know I'll use from time to time, romance on a dime type of thing. Check her out. you should be able to click on the link. I found some really great ideas on her blog. Have fun. Oh yeah, on all my wanderings on ditch banks I only was able to pickle 3 quarts, and 4 pints of asparagus. More ditch banks today! That's just barely enough for us! LOL! Have a beautiful day, it's almost 70 degrees here.

So our power was out for like 5 hours. Not just here, but clear to Rexburg as well. So, what do you do when the power goes out? You read! Yes, read. All my appliances are electric, can't cook, or do laundry, so a better excuse to read my new book, I didn't have. When Jade got home he worked on LBCs bike, fine tuned it, then watched a movie on the computer. I was still reading. I have since finished the book, now I'm going to watch whatever I could get recorded on my DVR.

So I walked for hours and miles yesterday. I am a little too early up here still to find a lot of asparagus, so I drove to Rigby. Just on one road I found 3 times more than up here. It stayed warm even though the wind was blowing. I will have double picking seasons it seems, one in Rigby and one up here, how cool is that? So the wind that was blowing yesterday blew in cool weather, and of course, more WIND! I was gonna borrow a camp chef to pickle on today, but am gonna wait the wind out. I don't want to fight with the cooker to keep the flames lit. Here is my almost finished kitchen. I found the roman shades at lowes for $15 bucks a piece. I instantly fell in love with them. I've always liked roman shades. I was a little nervous bringing them home though, cuz their red, and damask, but Jade likes them A LOT! You can see my new stove a little in the corner of the one picture.
For LBC, the chain and sprockets came today for your bike, so Jade will get to that project tonight when he gets off work, and the bike will be ready to go!

Happy belated Mothers Day to all the moms out there. I was working this weekend, but when I got home last night most of my kitchen cabinets were in, and they looked awesome. I'll post a picture when I can find a cable, or get my good camera to work.
One of my favorite pastimes in the spring is to drive out to the country and walk the ditch banks looking for asparagus. I can walk for hours picking. I just love doing that. I picked a little bit in Rigby last week, in the gale force wind, and still loved it. But now is the time up north here, and today it is already 68 outside, which makes for pleasant picking. I love asparagus anyway I can get it, but Jade just likes it pickled. I now have to get myself a camp chef because I have a brand new ceramic glass top stove, which I cannot can on. I am looking forward to pickling a ton of asparagus this year, and selling some up in I.P. this winter.

To tip, or not to tip, and how much, this is the question.

I have been in the service industry for all my life, in one form of it or another. I have worked as a waitress for some of that and at times my wage was as low as $2.15 an hour. This of course was years ago, and the “tip percent” was at 10% of the ticket. Now of course, if I get a 10% of the ticket tip I am put off. But should I be? In my new position I’ve had to take the order, prepare the meal, serve the meal, clear the table, and wash the dishes. So yes, when I receive 10%, I get upset, and yes, even offended! I have just spent almost an hour running around for “$6.00”.
My friend asked me “when did the minimum tip percent go from 10 to 18%”? I’m not sure when that happened, or if it ever really did, maybe since cost of living has increased? But I do know that good etiquette dictates, if your meal was good, your service was good, and you were treated good, 15 to 20% is the area of which you should tip. There are exceptions of course.
Jade and I were on our honeymoon, in a 5 star restaurant, and our server took our order, then we never saw her again, literally! The scandinavian bus girl who we caught on her way to the kitchen with an arm load of dishes, and who could speak almost no english, “took care” of us for the remainder of our meal. When we were ready to leave, we found her, gave her $30 and told her to keep it to herself and not share, that was 20%. The food was great, and she did our bidding, even though it certainly wasn’t her job to do so. We left no money on the table for our server!
With all that being said, statistics show that it is single moms, those working their way through school, or people like me, with little or no schooling, working as servers. I know I work very hard at my job, and want everyones experience with me to be the very best I can offer them. Not all people have the same work ethic I do, but in the end we are all just trying to survive. I tip according to my service usually, as the servers really have no control over the food. I will tip 20% and go up or down from there.
I am blogging today, because of an experience I recently had, where I apparently offended someone by saying that $10 on a $85 ticket was too cheap. Of course, those are the words that came out, but I had meant to say, that it wasn’t enough. I was in total shock, and disbelief. My answer to this, is, to never go out to eat with this person again.
I tip the way I do, because I’ve been in the industry my whole life, and I know how it feels to run your butt off for a measly pittance, and am not going to be known as one of “those” kinds of people. And because some servers are a cut above, and deserve the respect of 10% more. Think about it, the next time your eating out. Is 10% really good enough? And if you can’t afford to tip right, then maybe you should learn how to cook and stay home!

The views in this article are mine alone, and I mean no offense to anyone!

A work in progress

So my house is a complete train wreck with working on this kitchen. It will be mostly clean by saturday of course, because I need the spare room. That is where my kitchen "stuff" is mostly stored right now. So the bottom of my cabinets are all in, and by the end of this week I will have all the countertops on. We just decided to go ahead with the Douglas Fir again for the countertops, as I really love them. Good news is that I can re-use most of the old countertops. We will use the same sink, thanks to Jades mom for that, I absolutely love that sink, but I would like a different faucet, which will have to wait. Most of the "finishing" will have to wait until way later, just never enough money. But thats okay. I have decided that instead of a wrought iron hanging pot rack that we will make one out of wood, always an adventure here! I have posted 2 of these pictures before, but the last one is the one that matters. I do love the color of these cabinets, and I think I am going to love the new layout of my kitchen. Tomorrow we will start on the uppers....so exciting! It is such an amazing thing that my husband is so talented in so many arenas, what would I ever do without him?!

So I went and bought 3 base cabinets today, and thought that we would be able to get them in, but NO! The tile we once had on our countertops was horribly done and took only months for it to start coming apart. So it was replaced with nice homemade wood ones. There was however, a 6X6" tile back splash that we opted to leave up, as it wasn't hurting anything. But now, as the time is here to be putting our new cabinets in, the old back splash needs to go. Unlike their counterparts, the countertop, these tiles were in place and VERY secure! So as a result we now have to patch up the wall with new drywall. Can't anything ever do just as planned? I had opted out of doing the walls the way I wanted them, but now with all this extra work, I am thinking of just doing it. So to the cabinet shop tomorrow for the rest of the cabinets for the base, and then to Wal-Mart for paint, and the hardware store for sheet rock, tape, and mud! Now the problem becomes what color exactly do I want on my walls....this will keep me up all night thinking. I need to keep in my head that it is just paint, and if I don't like it, I can always paint over it! So the pictures are right after I decided how I wanted my kitchen laid out, then the other ones are of work in progress. The picture of the cabinets are the ones I am going to buy to put up top.

New Kitchen Cabinets

So I went to Rexburg today, and stopped at the cabinet place just to have a look. They are so inexpensive, the only draw back is that we have to assemble them. The picture I posted is the one off their web site and they are the color I want. They have everything I want, mostly and it's not going to cost me a fortune, and I don't have to finish them as they are already finished. I don't even have to re-use my old ones, and I get a hood vent cover! So if any of you in blog land are interested in cabinets just go to CRAIGSLIST EAST IDAHO and type in cabinets and there in Rexburg you can e-mail and get a price list on everything they have. Whawhoo! I am so very excited! I think we're going to put them up in stages, so I'll take before and after pictures and post the progress. I have to texture and paint and stuff too. WHAWHOOOOO! FINALLY!

I've been to my moms house in Utah, thats why I haven't posted lately. I love to be down there, it would have been better if Jade could have came with me though. I love my family, and being around them!
I am a great aunt twice in the last week and a half, both girls. What a cutie lil whats her name is.
I went to D.I. today, and found a shelf, that I will paint. A plate rack, which was a score, as I was gonna stop in Lehi and buy one(glad I didn't), a little leather bag (I will use for rendevouz, if I ever go back), and a banner thing to hang from my mail box. I spent 4 dollars on the lot, what a good day. We also went to BLASTOFF for our nephew Mikeys birthday party. He is 4 today, and what a little boy he is. It was fun!

Deer

So there we were driving through Driggs, and people are stopping and slowing down, just like in Yellowstone Park.  So as we were slowing down for the other traffic, I noticed why everyone was acting all strange.  There was 7 head of deer just hanging out in the front of someones yard.  Not a big deal to us, as we see deer all the time, but I took a picture anyway.  They are beautiful.

So I had rugs in my bathroom and by my backdoor.  The one I had around my toilet was old, almost 7 years, probably the same for the other ones.  Mine have since been thrown away, because apparently when they get old, they deteriorate, and leave this sandy sort of residue.  What a icky mess to clean up.  So if you have these type of rugs, and they are on the less expensive side, keep an eye on them.  

My header pic was taken in January sometime.

 See you all sunday afternoon.  

My good deed

So, my good deed of the day, was finding roosters for Misty.  She has decided she is "doing" chickens.  The whole family built a coop on sunday for the 30 odd chickens they have, and will have in the house until she deems it warm enough for them outside(ICKY).  I had been seeing adds on the craigslist for roosters, but not any lately.  Well Misty had called early this morning wanting to chat about her chickens, so while I was "listening" to her, I checked it out again.  Low and behold there was an add for FREE roosters in Idaho Falls.  Anyways, long story short, Jody was just leaving I.F. and went to get the roosters.  The people didn't bother to catch them, so there Jody was in the coop trying to catch himself a rooster.  He did end up with 3 of them, I'm sure the first 3 he could catch, and will go back tomorrow for some more.  The woman getting rid of them said she was sooooooooooo tired of hearing the Cock-a-doodle-do, it was relentless.  As it turns out, she has way more roosters than she thought, and that's why they can have more than 3.  My finders fee, Misty says, will be eggs or chicken, or both!  How awesome is that?  

Pepe to the rescue

We decided to go out on the sand dunes today, and while watching the 4 wheelers and dirt bikes racing up "Crapos Hill" Jade saw flames.  OOOH, something was on fire!  So we meandered (cuz thats what we do in Pepe) over, and this dirt bike was on fire, the guy was throwing sand on it to put it out.  So we loaded the bike, and the guy, into the back of pepe, and drove them back to the parking lot.  

After that we drove out the Sand Creek Road, right now that's as close to the desert as we can get until the first of May.  We let Bernice out to play in the snow, all she wanted to do was roll around.  It was a fun afternoon all in all.  

More Snow

This morning I awoke to 5" of new snow, and it is still snowing!  Jade is all excited, really excellent snow for sledding, and he doesn't have to work.  The snow tell sites in Island Park say that the max. snow up there has been 51", and right now even after the melt it is at 49" and it's still snowing up there as well.  Jade will be going up to Island Park with me, I'm sure.  Maybe we'll haul both sleds up and go sledding on sunday.

 I have decided that I'm going to build an arbor for my front yard.  I will put it at the start of my sidewalk.  Jade isn't sure about all that, as I will dig up the grass on either side of the walkway for flower beds.  This whole idea gives me angst, as I will be digging up perfectly good grass.  I'd like to find some type of climbing, flowering perennial to plant on either side of the arbor.  I think that will be the hardest part of the job.  

I bought a little chair, to match my little rocker at the D.I. yesterday.  I now need to paint it, but that will have to wait until it gets warmer I think.  

OMG, I found the most wonderful store full of all kinds of stuff.  It has been on the craigslist forever, and I have wanted to go and visit.  Its called Hidden Treasures, and it's in Shelly.  Usually Jade takes our camera everywhere we go, but not on this trip.  They have like 30,000 square feet of mostly furniture, mostly new "PRIM".  Very expensive I thought, but a ton of great ideas.  They have some older vintage furniture, and some really old stuff, still pretty expensive. It was sooooo much fun to walk around at my leisure and just look(and want).   If ya'll ever come up again, I'll take you to visit.  Bring a camera though. FUN!

By the way Kim, I believe every home should have a red wall.  I LOVE mine, and I was just bored and had a pint of paint, and started painting.  It's my favorite wall! LOL!  I enjoyed all the honest scrap.

Have a great weekend ya'll!

A big surprise

Okay so yesterday was tuesday, and if your an avid movie person you know that most of the new releases come out on DVD on tuesdays.  So I get on my laptop and reserved at the REDBOX (I love the redbox), Marley and Me, and Death Race.  Death Race has Jason Stathem in it, we're big fans.  But the surprise was in Marley and Me.  We don't go to theaters, and had just seen trailers for it.  I thought this was a great movie.  By the end of it, I was just crying, uncontrollably.  The Jade was teary eyed as well, and didn't lie about it.  We are dog people, and because we had a Marley once, she was a different package, but Abby fit the bill.  If you haven't seen it, go out and redbox it today.  WARNING:  it will make you cry, and even might make your DH's cry as well.