If You're in the Neighborhood, Stop By!

Now let me get this straight...

Bear Grylls, outdoor adventure and survival expert; the youngest Briton to climb Everest (at age 23); member of the elite British SAS from '94 to '97; the seventh coolest man in the UK (understandably behind UFC's Michael Bisping and 007's Daniel Craig, among others); and star of Discovery's Man vs. Wild....was in the neighborhood?

Bear was in Oregon and Idaho? Stomping around Hells Canyon in early winter? Filming the latest episode of Man vs. Wild? And he didn't stop in for a cup of tea? And he didn't stop at your place either?!?

How disappointing!

Fiiiiiiiiiiiire Baaaaaaaaaaaad.

How in the world are we supposed to get anything done with the fire department doing a controlled (or not so controlled, depending on the day) burn of the old Forest Service buildings right across the street?

It's like a giant campfire. We could stand and watch it ALL. DAY. LONG.

Was Getting Bored with my Template.

Thot I needed a little color. Hope you did too. :)

Tiling the Shower in Just 15 Hours!

We made some real success on the bathroom last weekend, and got the bathtub tiled in! Jon is the master tiler, while I ran the tile wet saw with speed and precision. My little saw is pictured here on the right.

You can fuss and plan and organize all you want, but at some point you gotta start putting tiles on the wall. This was around 10 a.m. on Saturday.
Safety first...always wear eye protection when running a saw.

This is a real picture of me. While flipping though the pics, there was something very familiar about this photo...let's see...I know I've seen this look before...oh lord....

The detail work! A simple band of earth-toned tiles, nothing extravagant, but a little bit fancy.

We finished up around 1 a.m., and were short a couple tiles, so had to complete the final two rows the next morning.



Plus, new lights!! We still have to paint, but the new lights make the room seem a little more finished.

Next up...grout!!

Moooooooore Snooooooooow!!!!!!!

Yaaaaaaaay!! More snow!! Wee G loves to step out in the early morning hours and find a fresh blanket of white...she runs about like a puppy...for about 4 minutes...then, back inside please!!

I hope there's more coming this weekend!

Happy Birthday to Mom!

Happy Birthday to Mom! She missed spending her birthday in Mexico by just a couple days, but was really glad to be back home for birthday 61. This isn't the best pic of the incredible-shrinking birthday girl, but its my most recent, taken on her birthday!!

Happy Birthday Wee Mom!

21 Hours in the 'Couv...

Mister N is off on a quick bid'ness trip to the Portland metro area to shake things up and whip some vendors into shape.

Or, as he calls it, 21 hours in Vantucky.

Or, as Miss Ginger and I call it, an evening with E!'s trashy "Fashion Police."

Who couldn't help but be whipped into shape by this charming fellow...?

I Might Have a Problem...

Hello. My name is blah blah... and I'm a technojunkie....

No, not really. This menagerie resulted from getting a new phone which I hated, replacing it with a new new one, while all my contacts were in my old old one.

But for a couple days I carried 3 phones, 4 cameras, 3 camcorders, 5 MP3 players, 4 web browsers, 2 sets of Office, and one VERY used digital solitaire game.

I'm glad I didn't get mugged.

Happy Birthday Dad!

Happy Birthday to Dad today! Here's Dad on the way up to Bogus Basin last August during the parents' visit to Idaho.

I'd include a more recent photo, but the parents have been in Mexico since Jan. 2. Ah, the life...I believe he spent birthday 61 fishing off the coast of Puerto Vallarta. Hard duty, obviously.

Happy Birthday Dad!

Sunday Morning Coming Down...From the Mountains!

After we had all the good times, fabulous food, and awesome company we could take, we pointed the truck back toward Boise, but stopped for a little more family skiing. By this time J was getting good at skiing with an extra 10 pounds on his back. :)
The whole family!
Why don't all pants have a candy pocket in the knee? Everyone could use the added storage. And with as much as I fall down, the added buffer couldn't hurt.

There was a lot of snow in McCall. A LOT. And even more after much homage to Ullr. Such fun!

Skiing Weekend in McCall!

We were lucky enough to be invited to a lovely and long-standing, slightly belated "new year's" weekend outing to McCall with friends! SUCH FUN! And in a rare event, the entire family was invited!

Saturday we were off for our first adventure in cross-country skiiing. And Miss G was off for her first adventure in riding around in a backpack! Which she took to quite readily...after being wrapped in the down vest J received for his birthday. J, G, and Jen in the background at Jug Mountain.
I'm SUCH a ski bunny.

As I was one of the junior-most skiers, I was often at the back of the pack, so unfortunately nearly all of my photos are of the back of everyone, but this was our touring group...eleven of us in all, including the hitchhiker in the backpack. It was a lovely day!

Earlier in the day J and I had prepared a big breakfast to fuel everyone for the big adventure....from right: Eric, Jen, Ryan, Ed, me, Brandy, Caroline.

The Wilsons' dog Brew hooked up with his vacation fling, "purple monkey." Apparently Brew and purple monkey had spent a previous vacation together at this house. Aaah...what happens in McCall, stays in McCall....

J brought his guitar along, and so did Eric, who had received his first guitar for Christmas! So our evenings were filled with the sounds of lovely music.

Note which guitar-playing redhead Miss G is snuggled up to. ;)

A Bit More Snow!

We woke Monday to a little more snow! Yay! I love love love it!

Even when its still dark on the walk to work.


It gets lighter by the time we get to the capitol...

Tuesday I was lucky enough to be able to work from home on Tuesday. Miss G was excited for a mid-morning frolic in the fluffy whiteness!

I hope we get more!!

Our Little Red Fox!

This sly little fellow usually visits us in the morning, on his way down the hill... but I'm rarely able to capture him on...pixels?

But this Sunday a.m. I caught him briefly sunning himself (herself?) at the top of the hill. I can appreciate the value of the warm sun, as it reached a high of only 33 today!

Happy New Year! Happy Birthday! Happy 2009!

We rang in the new year with a proper birthday celebration! After dying my hair a new winter brown ("Tweed"), I picked the husband up at noon for lunch and an afternoon of shopping! After a wee gift-opening party, and a near-attack by a neighborhood pit bull on our walk into town (thankfully, I lived to see 38, Day 2), we were on to a five-course meal at the Melting Pot!

The fabulous new Duck scarf I got from Mom! Luckily we redeemed ourselves at the Holiday Bowl, after the loss to Boise State, self-respecting Idaho Ducks could barely show our faces.

Mom gave me this gift that I looooove. A red hanky she found in my grandmother's belongings and framed for me, one of her other favorite "Wife, USNs." :)


Opening the first season of "Swingtown," from Aisha. Loooove this show, and this gift! I just happened to be wearing a pretty groovy shirt, but we won't be hosting any key parties any time soon... especially as our house has a cipher lock.

Among assorted other generous gifts, my sweet husband acquired for me my faaaavorite treats! A box of the best truffles ever from the Chocolat Bar: caramel covered in dark chocolate...and the row of crusty sprinkles on top? Oh-so-tasty and sparkly Hawaiian sea salt! Plus, I finally found a chocolate I love that my husband doesn't, so they will be in the house longer than 2 days. Yay!

Requisite double-fisted champagne shot. :) A free champagne toast was part of our feast, but my husband didn't want his. The glasses are covered in condensation from the steam from the dessert course....strawberries, bananas, cubes of pound cake and marshmallows to dip in dark chocolate fondue!

We walked home just in time to see the ball drop, and called it a night at 12:10. Party animals.

Happy 2009!