What are two things that can make you feel better no matter the mood or weather? Wine and Chocolate. And go figure..there was a chocolate festival AND a wine festival in Richmond this weekend.
First..University of Richmond's culinary institute had a Chocolate festival! For the 10.00 ticket, you got to sample chocolate concoctions from 14 vendors/culinary institutes! It was pretty cool..
This was tenderloin steak in chocolate sauce..it was wonderful and Yes..we have the recipe!
This is another booth's offerings..
And what is a chocolate festival with a huge chocolate fountain!!!
And they even had seminars by big name chefs in big tall white hats..but it gave me a good locale to take overhead shots. Jason was listening to him..I was people watching!
And .. figured from now on at festivals if I see someone outlandish..I will photo it and share! I wish I had gotten a better shot of this one..but it is hard to explain to a perfect stranger why you need someone to face you and stand still..but know that her headband had cat ears..
So after 2 hours of eating chocolate we headed to Innsbrook for the James River Wine Festival! Gave the pancreas a break and started in on the liver..wooohoo!
This was a newer winery that we liked quite well. 
It was hot..so we weren't there terribly long. But after a day of eating chocolate and drinking wine in the sun..it was nappy time. And I promise..this is not set up and Jason is snoring..loudly. The camera shutter noise woke him up but I snapped off a few before he woke up.
And so the others don't feel left out..an impromptu photo of Shiloh chewing on a bone..
And Dana..just looking pretty!
And now..off to start the greyhound week! All of the board members are wearing two hats this week..we are all on the events committee this week since the picnic is such a big undertaking. AND with the haul coming in .. I am still doing my normal foster coordinator duties. And let's not forget I leave for Jamaica in 9 days. ;-) Wooohooooo!!! So this week..is gonna be crazy but the hounds are worth every minute.
Rome is very handsome
And what is a blog without the beaut-animous Cali
Ok..so recognize my sickness and don't laugh too loudly at me..I had to learn to use the auto focus points. So..imagine with me. The wine glass..instead of being 1/4 full of Yellowtail Shiraz..it is full of a frozen fruity drink with an orange wedge/cherry and pink umbrella. And instead of being on a tile/iron table..it is on a glass top table lightly dusted with sand ...AND (stay with me) instead of garden gloves and trowel in the background..a conch shell and cloth chaise recliner. AND instead of vinyl sided houses further out..a beach with rolling waves and a perfect sunset. Are you there with me...yeah...paradise. Now..in 12 days this will be a reality for me..and I hope to capture such an image.
Thanks for taking the walk down delusion lane with me..back to my fruity drink..er I mean Yellowtail. ;-)
I see drunk people...
I see people who didn't get the memo that cowboy boots don't go with sundresses (people watching is 75% of the fun at these events)
We got home and couldn't stand not being outside for the rest of the evening...the kids got to run around and have some fun when we got home. Cali humored Smokey and played with him in the yard ..he has a HUGE crush on Cali (excuse the quality..my new Canon Rebel XTi with upgraded lens is on a UPS truck as we speak!!!!)
Smokey is giddy...'she touched me...wooohoooo"
We grilled out again..and I couldn't stand not taking this photo. Remember what they got LAST time we grilled out..you can't blame this look. But damn..she has pitiful down pat!!!
We got 2 new boarders..Paris and Rome. Since it hasn't stopped raining an instant since they arrived..photos ops are hard to come by (Rome is the bottom right hound in the photo above). But this is Rome..
And Paris..who likes to lay in the dining room so we have moved a bed in to her spot so she is more comfortable. They are both sweet..it might stop raining before they leave. Rome will enjoy that..he has a lot of energy.
Yep..you guessed it. Bone licking time!
Don't worry..they all got morsels and even got to lick the bone a little. Rotten...
Pacing around the house, crying, just throwing a very large fit. It was very sad. We steamcleaned her 'bed's spot' first so it would dry quickly...then put it back as quickly as possible to get everything back in order..so all is better in Dana's world.
It was a rainy weekend so they all just crashed all day. Six greyhounds..enjoying a lazy day (cali is on the couch..surprise!) 
And I will leave you with a musical interlude courtesy of Hemi, Bella, Dana and Cali..we call it 'Response to a Firetruck"