Preston on the block

Preston is for sale. We need to trim the fleet before the big move. He's on eBay and CraigsList.

Sick of me yet?

Check out the difference in the two "from the front door" shots. One was at 8am, after I shoveled our walk and the neighbors'. By the time I got back and took the pic, there was a half inch of accumulation by the door again. The second was taken at about 4pm. There's another 5 inches on top of the walk now. The tree branches are so weighted down they hide the car. I went out and shook them clean so they wouldn't break after seeing this.

It's still snowing. Hard. :)

I swear this is true!

Just have to share this: We were waiting in Atlanta for the second leg of our flight home, when a desk clerk waved us over. She started by asking questions about Matt's kilt, then asked if he was my husband. She was clearly enamored with him and kept sneaking peeks at his legs (I completely understand - it was those stems that first got my attention when I saw him on the campus at GCC!). She beckoned us to follow her and headed for the gate. "You can go on ahead." We were momentarily confused - nobody was boarding yet. We got on the plane and even the flight crew were shooting us quizzical looks. It was a good five minutes before the 1st class and screaming kids got on.

Matt said it was the best thing he ever got for having great legs. I reminded him it was the second best. :)

Snowed in and loving it

Matt taking the cats' place in the bay window.

Tucson Gem Show 2010

My Mom, her boyfriend Dave, Grandpa, and his wife Alisha paid me the honor of a visit two weekends ago (see how I'm slowly catching up here?). A pending snowstorm chased them out earlier than expected but we still had time for a dinner, a brunch, and some terrific conversation about the past.

Last weekend Matt & I headed for Tucson. The annual gem show there is always a unique backdrop for a Rose family reunion. Dad looked good despite his recent heart scares. Mom was chock-full of energy. My favorite piece this time: A fossilized mammoth femur, with mammoth ivory carvings of a smilodon VS. the woolies. Two adults are hurrying a baby out of the cave away from danger. Of course I didn't have the $4400 to take it home, despite the seller's offer of a payment plan (!). My sisters Nancy (black opal & mammoth ivory rabbit playing a flute by Steven Ruse - his ears bend down along the back of his head) & Mary (gold & silver peridot ring) each generously treated me to lovely shiny prezzies. There was the usual complement of giggling and rolling our eyes at Fox news (to which Dad is weirdly addicted). We watched awful movies and ate Chinese too late and had a great time. I was absolutely neglectful in terms of family portraits, but here are a few snaps of rock and pearl sections of the show. I really wanted to get pics of people but I kept forgetting I had my camera. That's the only downside to my pocket-sized Casio.

Owl Puke is Awesome

One of the prezzies I got Matt for Xmas was an owl pellet. We (me, Matt, Nae) dissected it that day but I forgot to post the pic. It was incredibly cool. Check out the tiny shrew jaws, bird skulls, femurs, ribs, etc. Right in the middle (above the glare) you can see two vertebrae. Pull out a penny and look again at the scale. :)

Okay, also, I don't generally do the PSA thing but this is freaking awesome.