A different kind of Valentine

I celebrated Valentine’s Day with my new love, ‘Bea. I know, we’re not supposed to love material possessions, but I’m hoping you all won’t judge me harshly. After all, do we ever really have control over love? We only met formally a couple of weeks ago, but it was love at first sight. Now, I can’t wait to get out of bed everyday just to see Bea and head to school together. I owe Mel for our meeting, and heard about Bea for weeks before we finally got together.

(Yeah, Bea's hot.)

The timing has been a little hard, as it often is, what with the rainy season finally coming, but we’re working through it and even making long-term plans. We've planned a long ride together this summer that I'm sure will really bring us together......

We celebrated today by watching the Tour of California come through town. Missed the boat on getting into the mountains to see them on the Bonny Doon road climb, but Pete said they were able to see Levi Leipheimer chase down the pack. When we saw them roll through town, he was in the lead with Thomas Peterson close on his heels, and the rest of the break and the Peloton a little ways back. And let me tell you, the support cars have a whole lot of fancy bicycles on them.

(spectators exhibiting alternate uses for spandex)

(the leaders: LL on the right and TP on the left. You might have to click on this photo to see the bigger version. What do you mean you can't tell???)

(the rest of the break. We're told there are other famous cyclists in the bunch. Can you find them?)(the Peloton. Trust me on this one)

If you'd like more useful news about the race, check out this news post, or if you're curious about some of the hazards of Santa Cruz Mountains road, check out this youtube video....

Breaky-break

So, I managed to fly back to Seattle in the midst of the big snowstorm. In the time I lived there, I NEVER saw snow on the ground in town. Touching down definitely reminded me of winter break in Minneapolis, not in Seattle. BUT, it is awfully pretty out there with snow. BUT, it is much more of a logistical headache, so there was a stronger element of being cooped inside with cabin fever than snowy times in Minnesota.

Spent some nice time cooking, eating, watching movies, playing and catching up on sleep with the family (the usual break activities). We managed to make it in to town to see the Nutcracker ballet, which I think is the first time I've ever seen it live. The Seattle version has sets and costumes designed in part by Maurice Sendak (Where the Wild Things Are), so the production was a visual feast. Audrey is apparently getting old enough now that she kind of remembers me from last christmas, and it was fun to get to be her new favorite playmate for a day or two. Ah the fickleness of 3-year-olds. They have many best friends.

(What do you do when you've finally tired the kid out?)

(you play with her toys, of course!)

After christmas, it was off to Alaska, to see folks and ski. And it was flippin' freezing up there. I was introduced to the newest women's ski fashion craze (Bryn is always on top of these things): the puffy skirt. That's right. Like a synthetic puffy jacket, except its a skirt. I scoffed and teased and then wore Bryn's second skirt out skiing, and my rear was appreciative. Multiple days of everyone's eyelashes and hair freezing from their breath, and some nice meals catching up with all the folks. Even some new year's resolutions: finish my PhD* (there, i said it, its in print), take more risks (don't worry Mom, I don't mean the life-risking risks).

*or within a couple of months of finishing

(puffy people dressed for fireworks)

(Tomas, Jessie, Bryn and Louis contemplate the opening huck)

(dawn patrollers out. I think we were actually out at dawn, which of course means nothing up there in the winter. Note Bryn modeling the puffy skirt. Photo courtesy of Carolyn Rosner)