New coffee shop to open in Surprise

We are finally joining the Java age in Surprise - no, we're not getting a Starbucks. We've had one of those for a while now. But there will soon be an independent coffee house opening at the loop 303 and Greenway.

I've been speaking with one of the owners about putting some art on their walls, available for sale. Obviously, family portraits aren't going to be big sellers! So I've been making up some very artistic collages from my recent trip to France.

If they sell well, I guess I'll have to travel more. Hey, it's all tax deductible since it's part of the business! Too bad I don't have any truly great shots from my honeymoon in Poland 13 years ago. I guess we'll just have to go back...

Good-bye Steve Irwin

Although I'm sure we all dreaded it happening, we really didn't think it would actually happen. But it has. Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter, has died at the age of 44. He was stung directly in the heart by a stingray, while filming a special on the world's deadliest animals.

My kids love Steve Irwin. They love watching him get close to dangerous animals, and they love learning new things about animals they never knew existed. The episode that made the biggest impact on them was the one where Steve is crying because one of his crocodiles has died. They were sad becaue he was sad. And now they'll be sad becaue Steve is gone.

It's just unbelievable. One of the few celebrites people actually care about has died. So many of the celebrites we read about are famous for their appearance, or what they wear on the red carpet, or how many other celebrites they've slept with/married/had babies with. But Steve was different - he was real. And while he did something crazy that most of us would never dream of doing - is he crazy? - he always made it look like something we all could do, if we only had the time, money, and knowledge that he did.

Rest in Peace, Steve.