Sun and snow

I went up to see Holly yesterday.  We loaded up the food, since I'm not planning to go back for three weeks.  She also had some books come in, and contacts, and a few things that she didn't take back after break.

There was a LOT of snow on the ground!  They got everything that we were supposed to get.  We unpacked the car and then drove to the area where she's planning to live next year (on campus, different location that she wasn't familiar with).  She chose Subway for lunch, and we did a Walmart run. 

 I promised Trevor that I'd grab a few things for him at H-Mart, and Holly stopped at Chipotle to get a burrito to take home for dinner.  Back at school, she treated me to Starbucks.  It was a lovely afternoon.

I got a later start back home, but it was gorgeous driving into the sunset, which I did for over an hour(!), a beautiful night.

Party

Friends Peggy and Jim threw a birthday dinner for Jim last night. Peggy asked that guests bring their guns for show and tell.  So while this was going on in one room

this was going on in the other.

Fun stuff.  It was like shopping with friends but not needing to get anything out of the case.

With seven couples and a few kids, it was a big crowd. They made their delicious bbq steaks for dinner, along with potatoes, mushrooms, salad, and more, followed by Judy's amazing (both in tastes and looks) airplane cake.  We chatted with old friends and met some new.  It was a really a great time.

Random shots from January

I started my new job at Virginia Western.

Kids settling back into school.

Packing food for Holly's return.

Lunch at Q-Doba in Fairfax.

Pumpkin snoozing in the spot Holly left on the couch. She used to miss Holly a lot, dragging out her "babies" (small stuffed animals) and meowing when Holly would leave, even for an afternoon. After 2-1/2 years, she's grown accustomed to Holly being here or not, happy when she's here, and willing to give affection to the rest of us as an easily substitute when Holly's gone.

Lots of missed work days, which was kind of nice, due to a good storm that dumped 14" on us.

By midafternoon the next day, we had dug out.

Two days post-storm.

Sunrise.

Enjoying the new job. Enjoying working with the students. Enjoying my boss, my colleagues, and seeing Trevor on the days he has class. (That last thing is the best!)

And that sweet kid took me to lunch at Wasabi's downtown after school for a fantastic lunch!!

Crochet

Our group has become very popular!  Pretty amazing that we continue to meet every Tuesday night, although not everyone makes it each week.

We've moved from Land of 1000 Hills to Panera, a longer drive for me but a welcome change!

 I'm waaaaay in the back, center.

Flashback

I love the 1980s, and I look back fondly on them.  Apparently, I'm delusional, because a friend recently shared these pictures with me.

1982.  Now don't get all excited. Ron is just a friend of a friend. I guess I knew him, but I don't remember him at all.  Carol (the blond) and Ron are the few people I knew at this wedding.

The hair.  Oh. My. Gosh.  And our white jackets.  And our ugly little blouse collars.

And then there was this.  I don't remember ever looking this skinny.  I never *was* this skinny.  All hunched over. Surely unflattering shoes.  And I have no chest!  

I am fascinated--in the same way I am when I pass a wreck and can't help but look!

Vader

Gazing into the fire.

Believe me, I was quite the acrobat to get this shot.

It's official!

The second acceptance is in!

Happy 2016!!

The Schroes and the Dahls came over, bringing some show and tell items. I like the guns on the table and the crochet bag on the floor. That's how we roll!

Peggy even brought a shooting game.

Judy brought amazing homemade spring rolls.

Pausing for a picture!

Charlie brought Chinese fire lanterns. He bought them a few years ago and said he was waiting for the right time to use them. You light the wick, and the bag expands with the heat.

When the bag is full, the lanterns fly off into the sky. It's pretty cool to watch them take off into the night, flying over our house, up, up, and away . . .

At about this point, I'm thinking this probably isn't the best idea. We're sending firebombs off into the unknown. What if they land on someone's car? Or someone's roof? Or brush? Not good AT ALL.

I run to the back deck, hoping to see a) where they land, and b) no flames. But they are so far up in the sky, flying far, far away. I can hear kids on the street below us though, exclaiming and wondering what they are.

In the front yard, no one's listening to me, continuing to set off fire lanterns.

Except for Holly, watching on the front porch.

I was relieved when it was over, and we still hadn't heard any sirens. Or had any deputies stop by to see us!

Googling the next day, I learned that these are illegal in more than half of the states--including Virginia--and legal in about 20.

Happy New Year from all of us!

Out with the old!

What a way to end the year!

What was, and has been, the only job I've ever hated:

As of January 31 at 4:00 is no more.

I interviewed back in November for a new job. I wasn't sure about it, and I only went to the interview because Robert encouraged me, and I wanted to leave work a few hours early that day.  It was also the oddest interview I've ever had. I almost withdrew my application right there (!!!!), and when I left, I told Robert it was the worst I'd ever done in an interview.

Three weeks later, I got a text from a friend, mentioning that someone had called for a job reference.  I honestly had NO idea who could have called her.  I eventually figured it out, and got the job offer later in the week--which included a 5% pay raise!

Goodbye, worst job ever!  I won't miss you, not one single bit. Ever.

(The story of) a picture of us

Robert and I do not take many pictures together, so when I get it in my mind, I'm pretty adamant.  At the Festival of Trees, I asked Holly and Trevor to get a photo, just like we did last year.

Me primping ahead of time.  My best pictures often turn out blurry. I can't quite figure that out. Look at Robert, so happy to wait patiently!

BLINK!  Oops!!!  Dammit!!!

Oh, nice one!!  I like it.  Wait a minute--Robert blinked.  It's so good of me, maybe no one will notice!!)

Good one of Robert + good one of me = Photoshop time!  (Well, I used GIMP, which is free, but basically the same thing.)  I'll just take my open eyes and paste them over my closed eyes, ending up with a really nice picture of us. 

----------------------------------

Interestingly, Trevor saw this photo and immediately could tell something was wrong.  He blew it up, trying to see it.  He wondered why my eyes were "buggy," and he said it was a horrible photo of me, that he wasn't afraid to say it because I don't really look like that.  He didn't believe that it wasn't immediately obvious to everyone. 

Since he was little, we've known--and have told him--that he sees things differently than most people.  I can't explain how, only give examples when he does.  I even took a small poll in a FB private FB group, and no one else saw it.  I still like the picture--and some people would say it is EXACTLY me, with eyes closed, and open eyes pasted on top. Haha!!!!! 

Random events and pics from December

MOST exciting was Trevor's acceptance into both GMU and Radford!!!!!!!!  Woo-hoo!!!!!!!!

December was super warm, mostly balmy. Lots of bbqing and open windows at night--really!


Both kids wrapped up the semesters, doing well in their classes.

Robert picked Holly up from school for Christmas break; Holly took us to dinner at her favorite restaurant, Cheddar's.

In other, lesser news, clearly a shortage of boxes at Amazon, as the only thing this box contained was two small containers of pencil lead.

Crochet at Peggy's. Everyone's laughing at my plan to begin in September--why wait?  Why not!!!!    A few weeks later, we had it at my house.  Quite an amazing group, meeting every single Tuesday since April.  What a blessing it's been to so many, me included.

Kurt got his driver's license.  SO very odd to drive up and see Judy's car here but no Judy!

Our only dusting of snow--

I was at the mall by 9:30, and it was totally deserted.  It never did seem to get terribly crowded this year, I guess that's a testament to how online shopping has changed things in so many way.

And the last bit of news is that I GOT A NEW JOB.  Happy dance at my house, like you wouldn't believe!!!!

Christmas Day

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said to them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; you shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.


For the past several Christmas mornings, Robert and I look back and remember those times when we'd get up early, turn the tree lights on, set the fire, turn on soft music in the background, making sure the tree and the whole living room was PERFECT.  The kids would wake up, and we'd make them wait, on the stairs or down the hallway, until everything was juuuuust riiiiight.

Those days are GONE!  We had hours of time to do every/anything.  I finished wrapping. We read the newspaper. Robert went back to bed.  I VACUUMED.  I began dinner prep and wondered what to have for lunch.  It was after 11 a.m. before they finally got up!

The weather's continued to balmy, and we've slept with bedroom windows open for several nights.  So I found the fireplace video on Netflix. Wouldn't want to miss out on that!  As I do every year, I grabbed my notebook and pen to take details notes of presents.  As he does every year, Trevor sat by the tree and handed out gifts.

Robert, preparing to be dazzled--by the fire, by the tree, by happy children, 

or perhaps by my brilliant smile!!

We had a quiet day (what was left of it anyway!).  It was nice, it was good to have everyone here, and just do our traditional Christmas.

Dinner:  Prime rib (Robert's Christmas gift!) with horseradish sauce, twice baked potatoes, spinach Madeline, jello pretzel salad, homemade cranberry sauce (made by Holly), cranberry nut bread, and homemade creamed corn.  Robert, as usual, made pie for dessert.  Those pretty red chargers underneath the plates?  Those were my great Christmas present find for Robert--well, and for me too, I guess.

Oh, sure. TRY to make a funny face, and I'll post it anyway.

Our second Christmas tree is the random addition there.  Robert likes having a Christmas tree in the front window.  He did that once with our tree, but the rest of us rebelled.  We don't sit in the living room; we want it in the family room where WE can see it.  He sits in the living room a lot, while on his computer, listening to music, etc.  So several years ago, he bought a second tree for the living room.  Conveniently, it is pre-lit and stays assembled.  It gets wrapped up in a sheet when stored in the basement.  No muss, no fuss (although the ornaments come down each year).  It's a super pretty tree, isn't it?

 

He painted the Mr. and Mrs. Claus figures

 when he was in high school; one of his favorite decorations!

December and Christmas

Holly and Trevor decided we needed to do more Christmas things.  Holly requested Advent calendars, just like they had when they were little.

We spent one evening driving back and forth searching out new Christmas lights.

This was an amazing display on acreage out near Boones Mill, in the middle of nowhere. Really incredible.

And any mention of this must include my apparent inability to make proper turns in the dark, and ending up south on 220 instead of back up near South County.  But we survived, and next year I'll know! 

We also stopped at a different living nativity; maybe our usual one will be back next year!

From there, we dropped Trevor off to see Star Wars (VII) with friends.

Holly, Trevor and I had our annual Christmas Shopping Day, including a trip to the mall and lunch out at Hibachi.  I don't think we had anything to buy, but it's been a long standing tradition since our early days in Colorado Springs, fun to look back on and fun to anticipate each year!

On Christmas Eve, we went to the Festival of Trees at the Hotel Roanoke.

This was our second year going; it's a nice new tradition for us to have!

Seriously--you've gotta love the Star Wars tree.

There are about three dozen total trees throughout the hotel.

It's part of a local fundraiser for United Way and has gone on for several years.

 

From an inside courtyard, you can see the nearby St. Andrew's Church.

From there, we headed home, stopping by our favorite nearby house, complete with lights synchronized to music that we can pick up on the car radio.  Definitely a quiet Christmas this year, but I hope that everyone thought it was good.