HE'S BACK WITH THOSE DAMNED SPRING PHOTOS!

I know you must think I'm nuts with all this flora, and I'm sorry it's been such a terrible winter in the East, but truly, we're experiencing an entire week's respite from the infernal rains here. Everyone is walking around town beaming. Worse, nature doesn't seem to think there's anything wrong with poking it head out early this year. So we're being treated to a brilliant display. I keep grabbing my camera when Beau and I go out for a walk. He tugs just as I'm about to get my shot. This spring display remind me of taking Beau to the Union Square Park dog run in New York, where in about a month, you'll see an amazing display of spring and you shouldn't miss it. Before Beau came into my life, I had no idea it was there. Get a dog and walk around your neighborhood. It will amaze you.

This is the camellia bush in my front yard. It's just ready to bloom and the flowers are going to be white. Hoping they don't open when it's raining because it will ruin the blooms.

I bought a whole filet of beef at Cosco a few weeks ago and cut it into filet mignons and froze them. At the larger end of the filet, there was a wider piece, and so I decided to make it into a small roast. Once trimmed, the cut has virtually no fat. So it needs to be carefully cooked. I decided to make a mirepoix of cremini mushrooms, shallots and pancetta, which I sauteed. I then cooked some spinach, drained and wrung it out and finely chopped it, and added it to the mirepoix along with fresh thyme, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. I cut the roast so that it lay out in a thin wide layer and carefully added the stuffing. I rolled it and tied securely. I browned it in butter and olive oil on top of the stove and then finished it in the oven. While the roast rested, I deglazed the pan with some red wine, and added frozen beef cubes I had made last month, creating a delicious pan sauce. Once the rested roast drippings were in the pan, a final addition of a pat of butter with some parsley, and we were ready to tuck in. The roast was so tender it was difficult to slice. I ate the leftovers on Sunday and it tasted like it was just made. We had Brussels sprouts and oven-roasted potatoes and a salad of romaine, cucumber, tomatoes, blue cheese and a vinaigrette to finish the meal. I bought chocolate mint girl scout cookies the night before--froze them and served 'em with espresso. That dinner rocked.



This was last week's spring display. More this week. See above.

Beau and Penny take control of my couch.

Lots of little things on my mind this week:

Penny's visit ended on Wednesday, and while we hosting her, she's just too much dog for either Beau or me. I never cleaned a dog's paws as much as I did Penny's. She never met a puddle she didn't love. She has a dirt radar second to none. And she's a bed whore. Beau finally snapped at her when she tried to get us up early. She's a gorgeous, and a tender-hearted girl, and she's always welcome back. After she left, Beau and I spread out and relaxed--that is after I did a load of dirty dog-pawed towels!

Did you watch the Westminster Dog Show this week on TV? A Frenchie won best of breed in the non-sporting category. Wasn't as cute as Beau, but it did make us smile. And I'm very happy the Scottie won best of show. But can't we all agree that it is time to stop trimming French Poodles as though they were works of high fashion than dogs??? That poor little white Poodle, with his genitals and naked ass sticking out look awful. He's a dog, not a hood ornament!

I'm sorry to read about The National Enquirer's acceptability to be considered for a Pulitzer Prize for breaking the John Edwards' infidelity story and baby story. The problem I have is that if they win, the tabloid will make a big case for their credibility. And they virtually have none. This is a publication that trucks in the underbelly of people's private lives. The nation should be grateful that the tabloid did the job the legitimate press ignored (to their collective shame--what is it about the media these days that doesn't make them curious? Could it be because they have corporate owners with other agendas?). True there is often a grain of truth in the stories they print. But all too often the tabloids stir up rumors and innuendo, printing out and out fabrications, and they get away with it. Not enough celebrities who are victims of their gossip strike back as Carol Burnett and a few others have done. But a Pulitzer will confer in the minds of the willfully ignorant that what they do is truthful. And this country already has organizations that lie to the public, spreading rumors and untruths. If you don't believe me, you just have to look at the disgraceful and totally unwarranted success of Sarah Palin and the spooks who would have you believe that she's a true American--as though the rest of us are not. So a big please to the Pulitizer Prize committee--don't give the National Enquirer the credibility it truly does not deserve.

It would be nice if Tiger Woods and his handlers would stop manipulating public opinion in order to rehabilitate his ability to sell product. Keeping his dick in his pants, and playing golf will go a long way towards restoring his public image. I don't want to hear a mea culpa. I don't want the spectacle of the press shouting out to his wife demanding to know if she will stick by his side every time she gets out of her car. She didn't create this mess. The press should leave her alone. She's not the celebrity here, Tiger is.

I'm a bit perplexed why Evan Bayh's being criticized for throwing in the towel over Washington, D.C.'s endless bipartisan gridlock. He's determined that nobody has any desire to negotiate and prefers to go into their corner of ideology and stay there. Meanwhile, the country is mired in two wars, a devastating depressed economy, and a future in which the U.S. appears to be heading towards decline. It's enough to make everyone flee to their own sandbox. Clearly the lunatics have taken over the asylum, and I don't blame Bayh one bit for calling it quits.

I'm finally getting into an Olympics mode. Credit Shaun White's stupendous gold medal performance. He let his snowboarding do the work. No drama, no family tragedy, no battles with alcohol, drugs, or family dysfunction. His was a joyous and decisive win. Bode Miller on Sunday was just wonderful to watch. Didn't he have massive ego problems in Turino? He was gracious and modest on the medal stand. Apollo Ohno and his seventh record-breaking medal win shows you a true champion--modest, but confident. I also loved the Canadian Ice Dancing Pair. Sexy, artistic, emotional, and skated large! The American team that skated the Indian-themed program was lovely. But the Canadians were awesome. How could the Russians bring back that offensive Aborigine routine which had already landed them in hot water. It was stupid, silly, and really awkward. It is time for the Russians to realize their dominating days are over. I am ready for the ladies skating.

Last week my brother's friend, Kyle, painted my guest room. The colors of blue and copper were inspired by a lamp shade of those colors. Kyle did a great job and will do more projects for me. I'm painting bookshelves, and moved a lot of furniture out of the guest room. I'm quite pleased with the way it looks now. The room is now ready for Joan's visit in a few weeks.

We have a day or so more of sunshine and a few days of rain again, but by the weekend, we are promised more sunshine. God bless El Nino!