New Books!

The girls at The Spirit of Yoga were so sweet last month. I don't know if it was the stress of losing Dad or a celebration of my birthday, but they gifted me with some credit at Barnes & Noble! With my long history of cheapskatism, I tend to source my reading materials at Paperbackswap.com, thrift stores, and lending libraries. I walked in there feeling like I held Wonka's Golden Ticket... such an abundance of choices!!

Matt grabbed a Hemmings Motor News. I nearly got a picturebook of Michelangelo's work (I SO love his Libyan Sibyl) but wound up with the Handbook to Life in Ancient Rome, #6 in the Outlander series, and Battles of the Crusades. That last one should be helpful in putting together a story I've been writing in my head for a year or so, about a soldier in the Crusades. I had been thinking of it in prose form, but last night I dreamt the opening scene. Now it's a screenplay. :)

On a completely unrelated note, Want to see something impressive that'll make you giggle?

Can we get some 02 over here, too?

Matt's got a nasty pneumonia, and we spent last night at the ER. He'll survive. In fact, he was home today goofing off, watching movies with titles like "Godzilla Vs. Destroyah" and "Nymphoid Barbarian in Dinosaur Hell." I almost wished I were sick too so I could hang out with him... but between the horrible wracking cough and the painful flicks I'd be forced to watch, in the end I was glad to be at work.

Oh and by the way...

I lost my phone. My new one looks like a Star Trek phaser or a huge slick black cockroach, depending on your perspective. It doesn't know anybody's numbers and needs to be educated. Can you please call or text me, identifying yourself? Email works, too.

Fun News / Sad News

Matt & I flew down to Tucson for his mother's surprise 80th birthday party. I love his family, and it was great to see them, including some new ones who had shown up for the big event. I finally met cousin Sabrina, a charmingly quirky girl who not only speaks Knitter (yes, she's on Ravelry!) but is returning to her home of Portland, OR this month! Now I'm even more eager to get back. Mom was indeed surprised - her expression when she saw us through the front door glass went Stunned... Confused... Elated!

She was thrilled to have us there, but even more astonished when we arrived at the country club for dinner and BAM there was nearly her entire extended family, past business partners, old neighbors from decades ago, etc. Even her brother was there, after her daughters told her he couldn't make it. My sisters Mary & Nancy did an incredible job with the flowers, cake, etc. Brother Greg showed some serious talent editing together a century's worth of photos and music. We all stood up and gave Mom our stories and best wishes. I told the story of putting needles in her bum 5 minutes after meeting her the first time (she was hurting from a hip replacement) as an example of her openness. Some people teased her about her early cooking misadventures, while other spun tales of her incredible brain (she worked with some of the best minds in Nuclear Physics, but her beautiful knit Christmas stockings somehow went unmentioned).

The down side: All the excitement of planning the secret shebang took a toll on Matt's Dad. He had a heart attack and missed the party. That was a real disappointment, but between dinner and the slideshow we got him on the phone and passed him around so he got to speak to nearly everyone from his hospital bed. We visited him Sunday before we flew back out and looked better (pink and smiling). Amazing what O2 can do.
He should be getting a cath today. Updates when I have them.