Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Bee-ing kind stings sometimes


Hmmmmm... i loooooove this Bizarro!

Strange i never saw anything like this when i went to college in the 1980s. For sure a chart worth studying:

*****************************************

"Sorry to get in yer face but i wanted to make sure you recognize me!"

Mat sez: "Hello!! *sigh* i am still dealing with my haircut..."



Peter took time out from his running training to give Mat a big ol' hug... he's got a little bit of a scary look here but Mattie doesn't seem to mind!

*******************************************


The bat talk was fantastic! Peter & i spotted this license plate in the parking lot of the library where the talk was given. i learned a lot about these amazing animals and have renewed appreciation for them.

What was the coolest was the 40 or so kids who were there for the discussion... they have knowledge and with that, i hope, compassion... and that gives me such great hope!

*****************************************

i got stung by a bee yesterday on the ring finger of my right hand and it's blown up huge and pounding like crazy. i was trying to rescue the bee from drowning in the swimming pool at my condominium. Go figure!

Bee-lieve it or not, here's the latest buzz, honey, i'll certainly chance it again to help one of these guys out.

Oddly enough, about 2 weeks ago, i smashed the ring finger of my left hand in my closet and that finger's been huge and sore since, so you can imagine my typing isn't too great of late...

ANYway, no excuses! i apologize for not being around Blogland much! i have been thinking of my online pals and will be sure to drop by every buddy's blog this week! *HUGS*

*********************************

My dad's 77th birthday is Wednesday (tomorrow) but we celebrated with brunch Sunday in Coronado at Il Fornaio, an Italian eatery that my parents like. i can't say i was looking forward to eating in a non-veg restaurant but it was a family thing so i went... with a smile.

The exceptional view from our table:


In a pleasant surprise, Il Fornaio offers a vegan minestrone soup and their homemade bread is vegan, too. Guess what i had... i took a photo but it wasn't anything particularly spectacular.

At my parents' house, things were bright & beautiful, festive & fun:
My niece, Shoshana and my nephew, Rubin.
"We are ready to par-tay!" My fam has rockin' & rollin' parties, really.

A close-up of the cake:

My sister Elyse made the cake. It was fab!

As you can see, my dad goes many titles... Len, Dad, Zaidy (grandfather in Yiddish) and Elf, for his volunteer work bringing books to those less fortunate:
http://www.thebookman.org/Volunteers.htm


Anyway, digressing back to Il Fornaio:

Me & the birthday boy.


My uncle Herb and his sister (my mom, Natalie). They have owned their own photography biz in SD for 20 years but i got to take the family photos this time 'round.


Shoshana and her parents. (My sister Elyse and Larry, who was visiting from Idaho - he got to meet Vicki's hubby Art a few weeks ago!)


Bro & sis, i love these two!

*****************************************

Recently took in the art at the San Diego Convention Center:


http://www.portofsandiego.org/sandiego_publicart/nikidestphalleccart.asp


Called "Coming Together," by the late, great Niki de St. Phalle
http://www.nikidesaintphalle.com/



(We like to work out over there, too! Peter is clothed, i swear.)

*******************************

Bowling for the Animals update: Across from the SD Convention Center is Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres. Rubin's "Bowling for the Animals" tix to the Padres game were finally used during a day game at Petco. Rubin invited my uncle Herb, my dad and i to go. YAY! Amazing seats. Never sat so close to the action! i had to leave early to get to work but it was a great game and the Padres won 11-0!

Did i have fun?

Would these feet lie to you?


Um yes, this chick used to be a card carryin' major league groupie. Never mind, that was a long time ago. i swear. Heh. This shirt says "83 - lives saved per year by going vegetarian." i figured it would be a good idea to spread the message of compassion to the Padres faithful.

*****************************

Your thoughts, please, on this, a vegan butcher:
http://www.theunion.com/article/20070813/NEWS/108130133/-1/rss02
Woah. i do believe i've heard it all now.

And, at last, an honest food pyramid/guide for all of us!

http://www.honestfoodguide.org/

One more cool site: Eat kind! :o)

http://eatkind.net/

*************************************

WISHING THE BEST TO ALL! AND TO ALL THE BEST...

66 comments:

Theresa said...

Kleo, as always, your posts bring a smile to my face. Mattie is seriously so freakin cute. And it's good to see I'm not the only veg blogger with a constantly shirtless partner! Though yours looks much more buff than mine!

And, I'm pretty sure that being a butcher negates his veganism. I can't imagine making a living off of dead animals is really good for your vegan juju! It seems like he'd spread a better message about veganism if he was a vegan baker or something.

I hate bee stings. I got stung in PNG while hanging clothes on the line, and I cried and cried. Luckily it didn't swell up... maybe you should get that checked out!

And your dad (and whole fam) looks super cool. I can tell it was a fun party. Was that cake decorated with cookie letters?

Unknown said...

Mattie!!! so cute.
I don't get the vegan butcher thing, myself. I mean, ok, he's trying to spread the word to his customers, from what he says, but come on: it won't make a difference. and dealing with meat all day long? I know very few vegans who'd manage to do so, myself included.
your poor finger. :[
happy belated bday to your Dad!

Anonymous said...

Hey there!

I was wondering where you were. I see that you have been quite busy! Good for you!

Bon Anniversaire to your Dad! The view from the restaurant was absolutely FAB! You have a great looking family there... ;-) Seems like a fun time was had by all!!!

I absolutely luv that cartoon! lol

eewwwww still can't share your interest in bats.. they just make me sooo nervous. As I mentioned, birds flying around my head make me nervous.

Good to see Mattie... ;-)

I thought you were single... I guess not... yes I'm nosey... lol

Have a very nice day and good to have you back in the blogosphere.

Vegan_Noodle said...

Good to see you back to blogging! That Pirraro cartoon is awesome, if only we could know what animals think....we would be living in a different world.

What a fun family gathering for your dad! Looks like a good time was had by all. Keep enjoying the summer!!

Jen said...

K! I've been missin' ya! But it looks like you've been having some fun :-) I love going to baseball games, too. And, really, it's okay that your man is a nudist. We're open-minded & totally cool with that.

Butcher = NOT VEGAN!

Thanks for all the great links!

LizNoVeggieGirl said...

aww, thank you for sharing all of these lovely family photos - especially Mattie!! I hope she's still in top shape :0)

vegan butcher?? that's such an oxymoron/irony. don't get how anyone could claim that.

I hope your bee-sting heals quickly!! I've never been stung, and hope to never experience that - so I'm quite terrified of bees when they come near me.

And thank you for sharing that comic and chart - too funny!

Anonymous said...

sSorry to hear about your fingers. Ouch!

Your dad looks so young and chipper. I never would have guessed he was 77. You have a fun and beautiful family.

That chart of herbivores vs carnivores vs humans was really interesting. Marty and I devoured the information over pancakes for breakfast this morning.

Anonymous said...

Happy belated birthday to your dad!

be stings are so bad, about 3 moths ago i got one sting in my belly, i take benadril like crazy that night!!

great links, thanks for share!

TS said...

I love that Bizarro :)

I saw that chart there a while back in a book when I was first looking into going veg. Very interesting stuff there.

I love the pics of your family. You guys are so cool.

Glad to see you around. Hope you're doing well. Give Mattie some loving from me. :)

Tara

liz said...

ouch ! sorry about your finger. i hope you are feeling better. great pictures ! thanks for sharing !

david santos said...

Congratulations for your work, that is very good, and have a good month of vacation

aTxVegn said...

First I gotta say that Mattie looks fabulous! It's great to see her looking so good.

Love the vet cartoon and I especially love the pictures of your dad's birthday party. My mom turned 71 yesterday and she, like your dad, looks amazing. You and your whole family are just beautiful and seem like so much fun.

I don't know what to make of the vegan butcher. I suppose if I had that job I too certainly would have no trouble remaining vegan!

You take care of yourself and respect the bees!

bazu said...

Ouch- I hope your finger feels better- I've never been stung by a bee, and I hope never to be. Then again, I did get pooped on by a bird, so what's one little bee sting going to do? Ha.

Happy birthday to your dad today! He does not look 77- wow. Here's to many good years of good health.

Sheree' said...

Hi sweetie. Mattie is so cute. I just love her. For those of you who have not met Mattie personally let me tell you. She has such a sweet spirit. Her coat is soft as silk, and she loves to smile.

Bee stings are feared in our home. Both of our girls are allergic to them. They carry shots with them just in case. I am sorry you got stung and smashed. Sending you quick healing wishes up MG.

Happy birthday to your dad! What a nice family you have. You are certainly blessed and I am very happy your had a vegan choice at the restaurant. I love the cake. It is perfect!

So how is Petco park. I am not sure Chuck and I will ever go. The prices these days to enjoy a sports event are crazy. Goodness, it takes 2 arms and a leg to purchase a ticket and partk. :o)

Stay cool, this heat is supposed to get worse.

urban vegan said...

we missed you, kleo. sorry to hear about your finger problems...hope you're all helaed.

you, matty & peter are the photogenic trio. Looks like you had a swell time at the b'day bash. it's always nice to reconnect with family.

I adore Niki de St. Phalle. What a great, colorful sculpture.

A vegan butcher? What spin. Someone wants attention.

Shananigans said...

*head scratches* for Mattie :x

Happy belated b-day to your dad! Looks like a great gathering.

Love that chart! I’ll have to show it to my bro-in-law who was trying to argue the fact that we have canine teeth means we should eat meat. I told him to go take a bite out of a cow and tell me how that works for him. :P Not that he’ll ever convert, some people will never change their thinking about some things.

The vegan butcher, um, I’m just confused? I have to avert my eyes and hurry through the meat section of the grocery store, it’s like passing roadkill on the highway. Gross!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the kind words on my blog. It's always good to see you visiting. Things are calming down for me so I can be a more regular visitor here.

Love the family photos -- it looks like your dad had a great birthday celebration.

I read the vegan butcher article --he says that being a butcher reminds him daily why he's veg and I totally agree. When I worked in Orlando, I had to help out at one of our company's restaurants boning chicken and it was one of the things that helped me go veg.

I hope your finger(s) start feeling better soon.

Have a great week (what's left of it!)

Anonymous said...

So I guess your bee was smaller than mine and for you, it didn't feel like a kiss or a hug ;-)
If you don't remember my last post, that won't make any sense at all LOL

Your family looks so awesome. Everyone look so kind. No wonder you are so great, Kleo ! Or no wonder they are all so great having you as an example :D

<3 <3 <3 to Mattie

Dr. Melissa West said...

Kleo, when you post, you post girl! Sorry about your bee sting. They hurt. Happy Birthday to your DAD!

TB said...

that vet comic is the best thing ever! i have several meat-eating vet friends, so it made me laugh! :D

Lori- the Pleasantly Plump Vegan said...

i got stung by a bee a few weeks ago on the top of my head and it was the worst, so i know how you feel!
also, i love that cartoon and the pictures of yr dog. so cute!

Don't Get Mad, Get Vegan! said...

yours is such a beautiful spirit. it always shines thru in your thoughtful and fun-packed posts. i just love stopping by here!

Unknown said...

Mat you cutie pie! :)

Kleo how is that finger getting on?

I'm glad you have been off gallivanting, and enjoyed yourself.

Rage And Love said...

HEYLO!!!!

I'm so sorry that you got stung by a bee and that it enflamed with swellingness! (But the bee didn't mean it...)

Happy Birthday to your Dad!

I will be writing more as soon as I as I get myself steady with my life.

Hope you're doing well!

Carla said...

Bizarro's! I've had that same thought many times, also about my farming relatives. How can they walk among the cows and horses every day and not make an emotional attachment that someday leads to going veg?

Peggy said...

Yay, I always look forward to your posts so I was glad to see that you've done another! :D

Dan Piraro is pretty much awesome... I'd like to think that his comics are getting at least a few of the 'carnivores' out there to reconsider what they're doing to themselvs & the planet.

And, that chart is awesome! The 'human' and herbivore columns are pretty much identical. Heh. I'll need to show that to the next person who shows me their 'canine teeth'.

Eep, that's nice of you to have helped that poor little bee. :)

Italian restaurants can be surprisingly vegan-friendly sometimes, so I'm glad that you had a great time indeed. :)

dreamy said...

I like the Bizzaro comic and the art work at the convention center :)

About the Butcher... it's really ironic, but I think there are other jobs which allow him to educate ppl on natural meat, though I thought it's better to skip this step as ppl may be contented by remaining a natural-meatarian. But again, each to his own, for me I can't bring myself to slice the flesh.

Thanks for the honest food guide website! Lots of great things!

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

what a great post, as always. i'm sorry your ring fingers were hurt. your story about bees reminded me of a computer graphic animation movie called "Bee Movie", which i believe is coming out soon. it's about a bee filing a lawsuit against human for stealing their honey. hehehe.

at first i thought the vegan butcher piece was a joke...

... happy belated birthday wishes to your dad!

funwithyourfood said...

Ekk!! bee sting. I've been stung 2 times and neither were very pleasant but at least i know I'm not allergic. Your fam is adorable and I enjoy a ball game or two a year myself. A televised game can NEVER compete with a live one :)

Teddy

Carrie™ said...

I hope your fingers heal up quickly. Mine is a mess. I'm going to lose the nail I'm afraid. Icky. HAPPY BIRTHDAY to your DAD!! Glad to see Mattie seems to be doing just fine. I meant to tell you before, I like the bangs.

Carrie™ said...

Oh, BTW, is Rubin your nephew that got the Leafs blanket?

runswithdog said...

Cosmo also got stung last week! Hope your sting is healing.

Happy Birthday to your dad. He looks so cute in that picture. I wish him many more years of health and happiness!

Oh, and ick on the vegan butcher. Does he realize he is spending his days cutting up the innocent flesh of creatures for otheres that he believes it is immoral to eat? WTH?

Scott McMurtrey said...

it's hard for peter to look "scary" with such a cute mattie in his lap. :)

petco park is a beautiful field, isn't it?? i saw a game there last year with my father.

happy b-day to your pops!

Anonymous said...

Hello there!

So how is your finger?

Everything alright?

Just checking in... ;-)

Peter Matthes said...

Your Peter makes this Peter feel quite out of shape. I think I need to take up running, and stop eating so much meat.

Mattie looks well. Good to see that.

Shoshana will break a lot of hearts.

Vicki's Vegan Vice said...

whew, I popped over to snag a link, and I'll have to save my comments for you in person, cuz we leave for the airport in an hour! Happy Birthday to yer DAD! Love the photos. Hugs in person soon! :)

Jenny said...

I love this patchwork quilt of a blog! A great collection of your thoughts, with pictures and words.

And, nice try on saving the bee.

Anonymous said...

Just checking in...hope you and Mattie are doing good.

Have a great week!

Michelle Ann said...

Your dad looks like an absolute darling!

Rage And Love said...

oh how i miss you so!

I hope you're ok!

Anonymous said...

The pictures are fabulous. That's too bad you were stung by a bee. The same thing happened to me as a child. I rescued the bee from the water and it stung me. It didn't stop me from doing it again. I figured it was scared and figured I had something to do with it. I was also sad since I knew it would die since it stung me.

You have a lovely family but that does not surprise me. You are and all around lovely lady.

Tanya Kristine said...

that was a great blog Kleo. you havea lovely family. you're so lucky. and you're a baseball fan?? me too...but the red sox and occasional A's.

Mattie is darling; bad haircut or not.

i felt your finger when you described it. yeow. something bit me while i was sleeping...that always creeps me out to know there was a bug super excited in my bed chomping away knowing i'm out. bugger.

i save bees out of my friends pool too. i can just imagine how horrible it must be to take forever to drown so i cup water in my hand and whoosh them out. : )

laura k said...

Sorry I've missed out on this post for so long... but time is short these days. I love the pics of your family--happy birthday to your dad, who sounds like a great guy!

Ouch, bee stings. They're not fun even to think about... hope you're doing much better now.

Take care and I'll be in touch again soon! :)

n/a said...

Bizarro! That was great. I am going to a Veggie Cabaret in Philly and Dan will be there and others for some veggie humor. Thanks for the post!

vko said...

Happy B-day to your dad! What a lovely family!

I heart Mattie's sweet face and that chart is the coolest thing I have seen in some time- makes absolute sense that everyone should go herbivore.

And as for the vegan butcher- I'm speechless. hope the fingers are better soon!

Anonymous said...

Everything okay? Missing your posts.

Mark Xander said...

We miss you, K. Mattie is cute as always. :)

Kate said...

Your posts always leave me with a happy feeling in my heart. I love the herb chart!

pinknest said...

that cake looks fun! happy birthday to your dad. hope your puffy fingers depuff soon.

Vegan Dogs said...

Forgive me if someone already asked you this...but where or where did you get that chart? I love it! I would love it not only for us, but for our puppies as well as everyone acts as if we are being cruel to them by feeding them a vegan diet. I really appreciated seeing that.
Have you seen "Year of the Dog"? btw? Awesome film about being vegan & loving animals!

Vegan Dogs said...

Vegan butcher...hmmm....I just feel that being an ethical vegan is so much different than being a health vegan. For me it's like comparing dietary restrictions due to religion versus dietary restrictions due to health. They can't compare. I am vegan because I believe it's wrong to harm animals in the commercial way that we do currently, not because I want to extend my life & look hot in a bathing suit. ICK to the vegan butcher. If he's okay hacking up corpses...he's no vegan!

agreenearth said...

Calling over to wish you well.

kaivegan said...

Hi, K!

I guess it's too late to say Happy Birthday to dad?

I just stopped by to say I miss you and that though I'm not around much in the vegan food scene, I do think of you:)

love ya,
kaivegan
(ugh! I couldn't sign in to my old blogger account!)

Monika K said...

Always fun to read your blog - it's so cheery!

Jackie said...

Just popped by to wish you a wonderful Rosh Hashanah. Hugs for Mattie.

Lori said...

L'Shanah Tovah my far away friend.

xo

Lori

Candi said...

Hi Kleo!

It looks like your dad had a great birthday!! You are sweet to go to the non-veg restaurant with him while smiling. :) What a great view you had!

Sorry about that bee sting!

Mattie is looking beautiful, as always!
xoxoxo

Vicki's Vegan Vice said...

Wow, looks like I'm commenter #60! I just tagged you for a meme if you're down... Hope you & Mattie are doing awesome! :)

LizNoVeggieGirl said...

Hi Karen!! I hope all is well with you, mattie, and everyone else in your family :0)

Jenni Shortt said...

I like that bizarro :))) we should attach it in our vet studio! :)
make some brain going!

Monika K said...

Just stopping by to say hello and that I hope all is well in your world! Looking forward to seeing another post soon - give Mattie a hug for us all! (-:

urban vegan said...

Hope all's well, girlfriend. Come out to play when you can! XO

Scott McMurtrey said...

no one's trying to pressure you (not too much, at least) but we're just popping in to say hi and hope all is well.

:)

Rachel said...

Hey woman! My significant other just went vegan. He rejected an entire box of baked goods from his sister because they were made with milk and eggs. I couldn't believe it.
I have a couple of new posts on my blog, and I thought you, as my only reader, should know. :)

I hope your finger is better. More soon!

Case Animal Rights & Ethics Society said...

Oh my gosh, I absolutely LOVE your blog! And I have a newfound respect for bizarro ;) That is a fantastic comic about the vet.... and I love the herbivore chart below... I am such a fan!