Sweetness In Seattle

I was born in one city, raised in three more, educated in at least three, and upon my college years, arrived in Seattle for a sweet 15 years of college, friends, jobs, and overall I would say some of the best years of my life. For my 40th birthday, my Mom, sister, and sisters-in-law flew me out to Seattle to celebrate with a "Girls' Weekend", and what it was was one of the most wonderful weekends I've ever had.

To say it was "touching" would be an understatement. It was full of surprises, and just to see how many people love me that much -- to make a weekend of fun for me, feeding me at all my favorite restaurants, and following me all over as I drove and stopped and drove and stopped to see something else -- it was just plain perfect.
The BIG surprise was was that my friend Deb McCormick from high school, and my friend Teri from my old Seattle Times days (she now lives in Utah), flew in to join us girls for the weekend. My sister-in-law Stephanie said when I saw them and shrieked, that she'd honestly never seen me so shocked and surprised in my life. While I'm not unflappable, I'm also pretty gullible -- like when someone tells me it's just us family girls for the weekend -- I actually believed my lying sister!
After the screaming, crying, hugging and laughing at the Starbucks near the hotel -- a clamor that made the hotel security guy from the Grand Hyatt come over to "make sure everything was ok" -- we headed down to the Pike Place Market a few blocks away. From Left to Right is my posse: Stephanie, Jill, Mom, Teri, Judy & Debbie)

It's Springtime in Seattle, which translates into rain & tulips! The market was GORGEOUS with so many flower vendors, it looked like they had completely taken over. I took in the sights & sounds, the smells and the odd feeling of being a tourist in my own home town. I'd have that feeling a lot this weekend!
Then it was time to go to lunch at my FAVORITE RESTAURANT EVER: THAI HEAVEN. My three best friends from my years at the University of Washington came to meet Teri, Deb & I for lunch. It amazes me how neat it is to hook up with old friends -- you know them so well -- and yet our lives keep moving forward and we spend a nice long leisurely lunch catching up. That, and the Paradise Chicken, it's by far the best way one could spend an afternoon. From Left to Right -- Shan Pie, Jules Pie, Jess Pie, and Kim Pie. Yes, that's an old college thing. We still haven't dropped it.
A little time hanging out downtown, and it was time to head to dinner! We made reservations at Arnies on Northshore. Or at least we thought we did! The downside of being gone so long is you don't realize your favorite restaurant may have closed! Arnies, just above Gasworks Park in Seattle, is no more. But my sister did, by mistake, make reservations at the Arnies up in Edmonds.

Well, of course that wouldn't do. We came to the city, not to eat in the 'burbs. Not tonight anyway. My other choice (and I'll never call it my second) was to call Salty's on Alki Beach in West Seattle. Thankfully, the kind folks at Salty's had room for us. This photo is one of the views of downtown from Salty's. Stunning, perfect, and one that kept drawing comments all night as we cornered a perfect table with a view of the water, my beloved Space Needle, and ferries coming and going.
The seven of us first had appetizers and drinks in the bar, then we moved to our lovely table, where I ordered Alaskan King crab for dinner. A full pound of crab -- and it was only TWO pieces (check out my plate!). The legs were so big, I swore they killed THE King Crab, not just "A King Crab." Now, there's good eatin'
It took a million tries, and I know this isn't the best photo ever, but I took my new camera out onto Salty's deck, in the wind and rain with no tripod, somewhere between dinner and dessert to get this photo. I took a lot, and I'm still not through them all, but this gives you an idea of the view.
The next morning, after saying goodbye to Teri & Deb, the family headed up to Anthony's Homeport on Shilshole Bay in Ballard for brunch! My little brother Jeremy (pictured here) took the train all the way down from Bellingham to have breakfast with us, my brother-in-law John brought my nephews John M. & Erik, and my niece Miriam up from Gig Harbor, AND
My in-laws (Bev & Armin) came down from Mount Vernon to have brunch with all of us too! In all, 12 of us at a classic P-M get-together with lots of talking, eating and laughing. Someone at a table near us said how we were "obviously a very happy family". Amen to that!




The rest of the afternoon I spent with my sister, her family, and Jeremy & Stephanie, as we wandered through some bad art downtown, over to The Seattle Center for lunch, and one last peek through the trees at my beloved Space Needle.

Thanks guys. I've never felt so special, and enjoyed so much time with so many beloved friends and family. I love you all.

Something Grand For My 40th

I had more than one birthday celebration, but I'm just out of the car on this one, and needed to share this GREAT picture a German couple took of Brian and me at the Grand Canyon Friday morning.

Brian had never been before this trip. My favorite thing was to hear him say "Wow," several times, out of the blue, as he pondered the beautiful GRAND Canyon's size.
The last time I was at the Grand Canyon was for my 30th birthday -- I was newly divorced, and spent much of my time in a Flagstaff hotel, holed up with a typewriter and writing whatever came into my head. As another 10 years had passed, and I remembered where I'd been for my 30th, it felt like a trip back to the scene of one of Nature's masterpieces was absolutely necessary.

And I can say it was perfect.

We're Walking, We're Walking...

Nothing lights my dog up like knowing she's going "go". This morning, I got up fairly early and ran some errands, and all I have to say is "Does Lucy want to GO?" and she lights up like a Christmas tree.

After we got back, I decided we should go to the dog park. The leash doesn't have to come out. Lucy recognizes my SHOES. THAT pair of Nikes come out, and she's buggy knowing she's on her way to her Happy Place.

My Lucy was found in the back of a K-Mart when she was just a few weeks old, in a town called Yakima, Washington. Brian and I were living there when our house was broken into, and I told the landlady that I wanted to get a dog to help protect the house.

She ok'd it, and I gave her an extra $100 deposit for whatever damage a puppy could do, and off to the Humane Society we went.

My dog was pretty much front and center as we entered the pound where the dogs were kept. She was the ONLY dog that wasn't barking her head off. Then she put her paw up to the cage as I talked to her, and well, that was it. That was 7 years ago now.

She barks when people come on the property, and she's protective, but she's a very good girl. She loves little kids, and little kids love her. My favorite thing on a walk is when a kid runs to Lucy saying "DOGGIE!" and I stop Lucy, have her sit, and let the kid pet her. She's happy. The kid's happy. I'm happy.

This past year I've noticed that she's getting to be middle aged -- slowing down a bit, and as I pet her and stare into her eyes, I realize she won't be with us forever, and that's why I need to appreciate her more than I have, and take her for more walks.

Lucy, I'm sure, thinks that's a TERRIFIC idea.

Random Thoughts on a Sunny Sunday

What's for breakfast:

Brian's cooking me some sausage, eggs and hashbrowns. I love a good breakfast burrito with that stuff in it. I can't eat like that all week, but weekend breakfasts are indulgent and yummy!

Shortest Weather Report Ever:

It's sunny outside, and we expect to get up to the 60s this week. I think I heard a "whew, I think we made it" out of most Coloradans.

But unfortunately, the bulk of the snow we usually get is in March and April. I hope not March, only because the next few weeks are going to involve some travel.

Plans for my birthday!:

March 15, I'm flying to Seattle a week ahead of my 40th birthday for a girls' weekend with my Mom, sister and sisters in law.

March 21, Brian and I are driving to the Grand Canyon and Phoenix for a long weekend.

Hold weather, hold.

Movie watched:

I watched the movie "Infamous", about Truman Capote and his research for the book In Cold Blood, both of which I adored (the book & this movie). There were a number of smart lines in it, but one came from a Kansas farmer, expressing his fears about how no matter how good you are, bad things happen.

It was short, but the man spoke of Mr. Clutter, the father of the murdered family, and what a good man he was. How doing good things anchor you to the earth, and how Mr. Clutter had done so much. "But," the man said, "a wind -- whether it's the cancer, and accident or just something evil like this -- can blow and lift you up so much as a leaf. You're in control until you're not anymore. Then you're not." I just thought it was genius writing, and all too true.

This is NOT the version with well-known actor Phillip Seymour Hoffman, but Daniel Craig plays Perry, one of the killers, and a good ensemble cast with Sandra Bullock, Sigourney Weaver, and a number of other famous actors play various roles.

We just got Little Miss Sunshine and I can't wait to watch it.

Hair Update:

I took the liberty of calling up James, who happened to answer the phone at Regis hair salon last Sunday, and had him fix my dreadful Dorothy Hamill Haircut before another week was spent in public with it, and before any pictures could be taken.

Thank you, James.

Dorothy Hamill? Again?

I got a bad haircut tonight. I told the gal what I wanted, and I got something, um, well, different.

People often make the mistake that somehow VOLUME in hair is good.

My hair is short. It's shorter now. But now, when I dry it and any volume is applied, I look like I did when I was 9 years old in 1976, when Dorothy Hamill won the Gold for Olympic skating, and we all wanted her hairdo. Mom gave us $5 to walk down to what amounted to a Supercuts and get our Hamill 'do and all was right in the world.

I think I'm having a flashback.

Jules' Brain Does Not Shut Off

When someone doesn't blog for a long time I figure they have a lot going on or nothing.

In my case, it's a little of both.

Aside from not feeling well physically these past several days, which pretty much reduced me to laying around a lot, there is that little matter of the fact that "Jules' Brain Does Not Shut Off."

You see, I'm what my brother calls a "processor". Like my brother Jeff, we both turn things over, sideways and backways, analyzing it at each turn, showing it to others sometimes, and asking if they see what we see. Jeff and I have lovely conversations because of it. We recently had a conversation about immigration and its different effects and ultimately, how each country is different in how it approaches newcomers. While Jeff was telling me a bit about the differences between England's and France's approach from Jeff's more clinical, Sociologist's perspective, I realized how much I appreciate having my brother to talk about this stuff. Not everyone can look at a social problem with the aid of a Ph.D. in Sociology like I have in my brother.

The cool thing about Jeff and my talks is that we can both look at things, even quite differently, but when we're in "processing" mode, we help each other see things through to some sort of conclusion, even if we end up at a dead end and both pronounce it as "I don't know what the hell that's about." But I promise you, we still work on it to figure it out.

This same process hits me in particular when things aren't right in the world, and as many of you know, things have not been right in my world for a long time.

I hit an all time low in my life a week or so ago. There's nothing like taking stock of yourself at what you believe at least, is and hopefully will be your lowest point.

Last Wednesday was the 7th month mark since Jacob was born and lost. Add to that that my 40th birthday is looming like Colorado's latest snowstorm (read: relentlessly), and this whole year, I've concluded, is going to pretty much suck when it comes to anniversaries, milestones, and general feelings on the subject. I'd say about the worst depression I've ever felt has been in the past month, as the New Year dawned, and I realized that another milepost had come and gone since our tragic experience with Jacob.

But in the midst of all this pondering and licking my wounds, I also realized that it's "just going to be this way for a while", and that has its benefits. It takes the necessity of trying to make it all ok in my head away, and that's a tremendous burden lifted.

I've also made some progress in my general outlook this past week because of a friend, and one flat-out stranger said.

My friend Jenny called me this weekend. She called late, we talked for an hour, then she had to put her kid to bed. After she did that, she called me back. Two hours later, we had talked about so many things, and at the end of it, I felt normal, even GOOD. I felt happy to have such a great friend who listened, made some really good insights into what we've been through, and then we moved on to other things. The cool thing about Jenny is that we've only known each other a few years, but she's got me figured out like some of my 20+ year friends. She's not afraid to poke fun, and she is there when you need her. If you're reading this Jenny: Thank you.

Then Sunday night The Grammys were on, and Mary J. Blige won her first award, which was taken up with thanking something like 50 people...and upon her 2nd Grammy win, she said something that stuck with me: "You learn who you really are when you're at your lowest."

Tears sprouted from my eyes, and all I said was "Amen, Sister."

The fact is, I think if we're paying attention, we don't have to have tragedy teach us lessons. But it takes a lot to learn from even the bad shit in the world because it's really easy to let it turn into a Poor Me Fest. If nothing else, I've learned to be kinder, gentler, and more tolerant of others as we learn the worst and greatest lessons of life's fragility.

But sometimes it's also a matter of being kinder, gentler and more tolerant of ourselves.

I find the most important thing is to be patient with myself, and believe me, that's no small feat. There aren't too many people who would classify me as "patient", in fact I think most would argue I was flat out missing in that line when they were handing out Patience before I was born. I like to think that's part of my drive to be better, but it also becomes a bit of an albatross around my neck, as I often find myself expecting much more of myself than I could, should, or otherwise would.

I expect to be fine. I expect to come out of this. But I also know that's impossible on some level right now. As I contemplate what happened to us, and I start peeking into the future, I see where I want to be and know I'm nowhere near "there". The impatient Jules says "hurry up" and the logical Jules says "slow down, you've had a lot happen."

Then I imagine people in my life who don't know me well, will see my penchant for speaking in the third person and think "she's gone bananas". HA.

But seriously, I have to promise myself something in the waning days of my 30s, and that is to spend my 40s being more patient, and start by being that way with myself.

Even when my brain doesn't shut off.

Amish Quilt

I'm finally done with the Amish Quilt I started some time ago.

Recently when I did a slideshow of quilts, I realized I hadn't made myself a quilt in at least 7 years! The double wedding ring quilt in the first clip was the last thing I made for Brian and me, and that was back in 1999 or 2000. I remember it because it was after we got married and had moved to Yakima that I finished that quilt.

Around Christmast time when all the snow started, we were planning on having family here for the holidays, and with the subzero temperatures, I realized that we could use another blanket anyway, and so I googled "Amish Quilt" and stumbled across this pattern, and I just fell in love with it!

It has a 3D effect that I really liked. It was neat to make something that wasn't a repeat of the same pattern over and over again, so I could do one block, then finish that and do something different. Actually it was fairly simple -- the real challenge was not having any instructions except the picture, so it was a challenge to just figure out how much of what I needed to do it.

Now, it's on to my next project -- this one's for my niece Miriam. She's got a crazy Austin Powers-like paint job in her bedroom, and we've found a pattern and color scheme that will go with the room!

It's The Weekend, So It Must Be Snowing

I woke up this morning and it's snowing. Yes, I counted it, and it's the sixth weekend in a row!

We had some decent melt-off this week since it got up into the 40s several days in a row, so I caught a glimpse of pavement on my street yesterday. But it's gone again under the fresh powder falling from the sky as I write this.

Last night Brian went to a friend's house -- the one he hasn't seen in a few months who he usually plays disc golf with -- but they can't because it's too snowy. Last night when DT called, we talked a bit about the snow, and Don, who grew up here most of his life, said he's noticing how snow weary people are here.

Yes, we've got a good case of Snow Fatigue. Every time I leave the house I have to watch every step to make sure I don't slip on ice or snow. My world view has been raised by about a foot, and it's pure white.

I told Donny it reminded me of the last winter I spent in Seattle -- 1999, when it rained for 100 days straight. Even the natives, who take rain in stride and with great pride in the Northwest, complained of being depressed. I didn't hear any actual wailing of "When will this end?" but I sensed it.

Likewise, Coloradans are pretty sick of seeing snow.

But I say "buck up". We're dwellers of the Front Range, where the going joke is "Don't like the weather? Wait 10 minutes." But I guess for now we have to wait for summer to melt this stuff away, because even more snow is due later this week.

Summer IS coming, right?

RIGHT?

Christmas Video

For those of you who want to see the Shortest Christmas Ever (But Still A Good One!) in Denver...

A Perfect Sunday

I woke up to more...yes MORE..snow falling in the Mile High City...I actually rolled my eyes when I saw it. We have at least a foot of old snow laying around, snowshovels and our backs are beaten up enough from the past 4 weeks of snow, and here's the fifth snowstorm (or is it the 6th? I've lost count).

BUT, this isn't a whiner post.

I worked on my quilt a lot. I made a short clip of the work I've done showing the patterns I drew, and the resulting block (see below). I got all 9 blocks made and drove 2 miles in the snow -- uphill bothways, HA! -- to the fabric store to buy the stuffing for my quilt and a few extra pieces of material so I can finish the top.

Since fleece material was on sale, and it looks like another 6 months of winter, I bought some of that too. It's time to hunker down and wear fleece for the duration, I say.

But the best part of the day was coming home and just sewing, watching football in between. Sorry for the Saints, but the COLTS! What a comeback! You've got me through the SuperBowl!

Then around 5:30 as it got dark the snow started again. It was warm for snow -- 21 degrees is warm to me after the sub-freezing, even sub-zero temperatures this past couple of weeks -- and Lucy and I headed to the lake for a walk. She was positively THRILLED to get out of the house. We walked around the frozen lake, which is completely frozen except for a small patch with a very sorry looking batch of ducks still swimming in it for their little lives. Note to self: Next time we take some old bread to the lake and try and feed those little guys.

Lucy bounded all over the place. I learned a new trick with her. She comes running at me when I call her, and at full speed she comes right at me, and I bent over and threw snow right in her face. If I could hear a dog giggle, I think I would have. She ran around in a big wide circle and came back for more.

It was slick as snot out, so it was a one-trip-around-the-lake walk this time. When we approached the baseball field, just barely lit, I went back to my snowglobe existence, enjoying the walk, my dog running in circles, then headed home.

With dinner and my husband Brian home, me tired from a long walk and a good day of football and my favorite hobby -- I'd say I had a Perfect Sunday.

Quilt In Motion

Football Widow Weekend

The HIL Fantasy Football League my husband Brian belongs to is having their owner's meeting this weekend, so I won't see him between about dinnertime tomorrow and Sunday after the AFC & NFC games are over.

It's the one weekend a year when I'm a football widow...Brian leaves me to watch the games with the boys, talk football league stuff (they stop just short of a "No Girlz Allowed" sign on the front door I'm sure) and I'm left to my own devices for entertainment.

But that's more than ok.

You see, I have my own addiction -- er -- hobby. I love to make quilts, and I recently found this quilt pattern online and have started working on it. I'm almost done with the 4th of 9 blocks, and I know with a good long uninterrupted day of sewing that I could very well get the top made and be on my way to finishing it.

The cool thing is, this quilt is for US.

I've been making quilts for other people for a few years now, and haven't made one for myself for some time, so this one is for our house...and I just LOVE the patterns. Part of it is that I don't have to make any one block twice. I also love the Amish style -- plain but bright colors. I love the 3D look of this quilt, and the fact that it will go in any room in my house with the taupe & black neutrals and bright colors within. Very rarely do I find a quilt idea that leaves me inspired, and for some reason this particular pattern does.

So, Brian will do his thing this weekend, and I'll do mine. In the end, he'll get a weekend with his friends, and I'll have my geek weekend sewing.

We both get to do something we love, even if we're not together this weekend...And that's fine by me.

The Silliness of Comparing Katrina to A Snowstorm

I received an e-mail from no less than three people since the Blizzards of '06/'07 started. The first time I read it, I laughed just a little, but then quickly realized it wasn't a joke at all -- but some lunatic's skewed view of comparing apples to elephants. I'm sure the people who sent it to me weren't trying to be disrespectful -- and I don't blame them -- only the jerk who wrote this.

Now, don't get panicky, I am at least going to give you a somewhat humorous response to this tripe.

Each time I read it, I responded to the senders to say I found it an insult to Hurricane Katrina victims. In no way can we compare the storms of snow that have hit Colorado to the Hurricane that devastated not just New Orleans -- which has at least garnered some media coverage (if not adequate government assistance) but MUCH more of the South -- including Alabama, Mississippi and large portions of Louisiana.

How can we compare 1600 lives lost -- 6600 missing in Katrina, to a few thousand dead COWS on the Eastern Plains of Colorado?

It started with (and I won't bother to publish it all here, but you need to get the gist of it to understand my fury):

Weather Bulletin - Denver

Up here, in the "Mile-Hi City", we just recovered from a Historic event--- may I even say a "Weather Event" of "Biblical Proportions" --- with a historic blizzard of up to 44" inches of snow and winds to 90 MPH that broke trees in half, knocked down utility poles, stranded hundreds of motorists in lethal snow banks, closed ALL roads, isolated scores of communities and cut power to 10's of thousands.

FYI:

George Bush did not come. Jules' answer: George Bush did not come because the airport was closed and even Air Force One can't land in a blizzard when they can't see the runway.

FEMA did nothing. Jules' answer: No, but judging by some of the response for Katrina, we should count our blessings. But does a State of Emergency Count? The National Guard did come.

No one howled for the government. Jules' answer: Yes they did. We howled ad naseum that they weren't doing enough to clear the streets.

No one blamed the government. Jules' answer: Yes they did. We're still howling

No one even uttered an expletive on TV. Jules' answer: I saw one person say "Damn Snow", so yes they did. They threatened that the mayor (who's the most likeable guy since Santa Claus) wouldn't get re-elected if he didn't get the streets cleared of snow RIGHT NOW.

Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton did not visit. Jules' answer: They also did not come because the airport was closed.

Our Mayor did not blame Bush or anyone else. Jules' answer: Our Mayor is a Democrat.

Our Governor did not blame Bush or anyone else, either. Jules' answer: Our Governor is also a Democrat.

CNN, ABC, CBS, FOX or NBC did not visit - or report on this category 5 snowstorm. Jules' answer: This is ridiculous to compare a snowstorm to a hurricane.

Nobody demanded $2,000 debit cards. Jules' answer: Personally, I AM demanding a $2,000 debit card: and like many Hurricane Katrina Victims -- I am still waiting.

No one asked for a FEMA Trailer House. Jules' answer: I actually heard my boss with my own ears ask after storm #2 was bearing down on us if he could get a FEMA trailer -- so this is just not true.

No one looted. Jules' answer: People ARE stealing snow shovels because we're desperately low on supplies.

Nobody - I mean Nobody demanded the government do something. Jules' answer: This is also a lie (see above)

Nobody expected the government to do anything, either. Jules' answer: Is this guy slow? He's repeating himself now.

No Larry King, No Bill O'Rielly, No Oprah, No Chris Mathews and No Geraldo Rivera. Jules' answer: The only persons who should show up here are The Rolling Stones or maybe Jude Law: That would make me feel better. Bill O'Reilly is a lying sack anyway, so who wants him?

No Shaun Penn, No Barbara Striesand, No Hollywood types to be found. Jules' answer: This guy can't even spell Sean Penn correctly. If he wants to see celebrities this time of year, they're up in Aspen anyway.

Nope, we just melted the snow for water. Jules' answer: NOT POSSIBLE. The snow is too dry, and besides, my pipes didn't freeze, I still had water. Didn't Katrina victims have TOO MUCH WATER?!? How is this relevant?

Sent out caravans of SUV's to pluck people out of snow engulfed cars. Jules' answer: I know of no caravans. But I did get offered a ride to work by my boss, and the National Guard was pulling people off of the Boulder Turnpike in Humvees...

Families took in the stranded people - total strangers. Jules' answer: I heard this was true -- in NEW MEXICO.

We fired up wood stoves, broke out coal oil lanterns or Coleman lanterns. Jules' answer: My wood stove was not buried in 6 feet of water with snakes in it.

We put on extra layers of clothes because up here it is "Work or Die". Jules' answer: People with extra clothes on after Hurricane Katrina, DROWNED. Here in Colorado, it's called "ski gear" and even as a non-skier I have some. So what's the point between my clothes and if I "work or die"?

We did not wait for some affirmative action government to get us out of a mess created by being immobilized by a welfare program that trades votes for 'sittin at home' checks. Jules' answer: I'm still trying to figure out what an Affirmative Action Government looks like, and whether welfare has anything to do with it, and whether people sitting on their asses on welfare vote.

"In my many travels, I have noticed that once one gets north of about 48 degrees North Latitude, 90% of the world's social problems evaporate." Jules' answer: We are at the 40th parallel here in Colorado, so apparently our perfection is the statistical outlyer in this person's theory. I am also fairly sure this person has not traveled beyond the National Western Stock Show.

The world doesn't owe you a DAMN THING. Jules Answer: We don't owe these "people" anything -- RIGHT. Unless it's you or your family who's counted among the 1600 dead or 6600 missing, then I suppose you'd scream like murder.

I'd like to find the schmuck who wrote this piece of crap and go flatten his tires.

The snow is so deep he probably wouldn't even notice til he skidded out of control.

The Pot Roast Recipe

I bought a pot roast yesterday, not knowing how to cook it. It's 7 degrees outside today, so the thought of a Sunday dinner with Mom's pot roast was irresistable.


My problem was that I couldn't remember anything except water and onion soup, and thinking that I couldn't let it run out of water because Mom would always send one of us home from church early to make sure the roast still had water in it.

So, today I called Mom and said:

"Mom, I want you to think back. WAAAAAAAAyyyyyyyyyy back."

"Uh oh," Mom said.

"No, this is easy. Remember when you used to cook?"

Laughs.

"Not really. That was a long time ago."

I told her about the pot roast plan. She said she remembered the pot roast recipe as I recall it is right on, and made a few extra suggestions to braise the meat before going in, and to put some carrots and potatoes in. She was a little sketchy about how much time in the oven, but hey, at least I got the basics.

I love my Mom. She's funny, and I love it that I have her around to call for the recipe of my childhood comfort food, even if it's for a laugh and a half-baked recipe plan.

That's CRAZY TALK!

My dear husband Brian has lost his mind.

And I can't really blame him.

I'm almost in the same predicament. I went to take a picture of the snow falling with my new camera, and realized that I already had that shot. Four weeks ago. Three weeks ago. Two weeks ago.

And here we are again.

Brian LOVES to play disc golf. It's basically playing golf with frisbees, but of course it's more complicated than that. He has "drivers" and "putters" and a disc golf bag I bought him for his birthday with a towel hanging off of it.

You might think it's not a big sport, but that's where you'd be wrong.

Frisbee golf is huge. It's an environmentally friendly sport too -- instead of manicured courses, disc golf courses can be set up in city parks, and players play 18 holes just like regular golf.

There's even a Professional Disc Golfers Association (click on the title of this blog if you want to see their web site).

With courses around the world -- Brian even found one near Paris when we traveled last year -- he LOVES the game, and has drawn his friends into it.

The running joke was that Brian would wake up Saturday mornings and do his "chores" -- he'd clean the house with all sorts of energy, then the phone would ring late Saturday morning, and invariably it was Donny or Scott or Matty looking to play.

So let's get back to why my poor husband has lost his mind.

Last winter, he played almost every weekend. Last summer he played every weekend -- sometimes twice.

Then out of the blue this morning, he said "I think I'm going to sell my discs on eBay".

There was a moment when I thought "He's gone nuts." But then I realized why he said it.

Today, for the fourth or fifth weekend in a row, it's snowing, it's cold, and Brian can't go play.

The weather outside looks more suitable for polar bears than people, again.

So I guess I'm not the only one looking outside and saying "ENOUGH ALREADY!"

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Another Reason To Love Colorado

I have to say, in between snowstorms (we had one last Friday and apparently are getting a brutal hit this Thursday with subzero temperatures and more snow), I love reading my newspaper, I love reading the stuff that comes out of Colorado politician's mouths.

Bill Ritter, our new state governor, and a Democrat, recently took office and has been filling his cabinet with lots of people with oodles of experience that he doesn't really have.

So, the comments about who he's choosing?

Let's start with former Gov. Dick Lamm, who was quoted in today's Rocky Mountain News: "Appointing people is like eating mushrooms out of your backyard. You really don't know how it turns out until you've done it."

OK, that's funny. And true, I suspect, although I've never been elected governor, nor one to eat mushrooms of any kind, in the wild or in the more tame areas of the north side of my house where they spring up now and then.

Ritter did choose a Republican to head Public Safety, but Peter Weir is from Golden, so I doubt he leans too far to the right, but then you can't find a Republican from Boulder at all, so I guess he must be at least a drop in the diversity bucket of Ritter's team.

But the other funny quote was about Human Services appointee Karen Beye, who Lt. Gov. Jane Norton said "She's very good, very customer-oriented, a real pro. But don't make this too glowing, she's a Democrat, dammit."

You know how I hate it when people mince words. C'mon guys, tell us how you really feel.

Jack, My Superstar

See No Evil, Speak No Evil, Hear No Evil. Thanks for the Webcam Mom!

Mom gave me a webcam for Christmas. A fine toy this is. I was already a smartass, now I'm a smartass with a camera, so if there's anyone left on the planet with an internet connection who doesn't already know it: Here's the proof.

Here's my test of my new webcam. Aptly titled:

See No Evil, Speak No Evil, Hear No Evil.




Now, I just need to define Evil. But I'm pretty sure it doesn't involve my sticking Kleenex in my ears!

2007 Is Here!

This was the picture of the night. This is my friend Concetta, whose fabulous smile is always good for a picture. But I was especially pleased last night as I shot pictures with my new camera of our party, and later was looking through them and came across this one.

Last night, the party was at our house. Brian and I have hosted New Year's here for a few years now, and it's always a pleasure to have a bunch of our friends over, and a few new ones.

Despite my having a brutal cold, I medicated it well with a few White Russians.

The kids who came played with Brian's XBox, and one of them, who loves hockey and therefore has a fascination with Canada, found out Brian was Canadian, and got Brian to pull out his passport so he could see it.

Overall I'd say we had a great time.
In looking back over 2006, I can't gush that the year was the greatest year of my life. It was very bittersweet since it started with our surprise pregnancy with Jacob, and in the middle we suffered his birth and loss.

Thank you everyone, who've stood by us. I hope 2007 is kinder to us in some respects. While I wish things had turned out differently for us in 2006, I'm glad for what we did get from this past year. Along with a short time with our son, we also received the great gift of good friends and closeness of family.

May 2007 be good to you too.