Today was a wonderful day. The kind of day where you play Christmas music, admire your tree, and light candles that smell like pine trees. The kind of day when the sight of wrapped gifts under your tree and cats batting at the ornaments puts a smile on your face. The kind of day when the smell of fresh baked cookies fills the air. The kind of holiday day where you forget for a minute that there's no coating of white on the ground, no snowflakes in the air, and that its just a week before the big day and you haven't even made a snow angel yet!
Yes, that was my day today. A week an a half ago we got about 2 inches of snow. After sitting in traffic for 4 hours to get to work and another 2 to get home, I realized that the snow was beautiful and it was time to get our Christmas tree or before we knew it we'd be headed to MN and wouldn't have need for a tree. (Yes. It really took 4 hours to get to work. Ask my mom, I called her every hour to update her on our progress. The news caster said "It was a day when the morning shift got to work in time for lunch and will get home in time for the late show.") So we got our tree, cranked up the Christmas carols, and decorated away. Finally, a little holiday spirit.
Then there was today. Remembering my childhood, and reminiscing of the holiday baking with Gram B, I invited our friends, their two kids, Son, Doan and Nam's sister over for an afternoon of baking sugar cookies, and the all important decorating process. I can't remember the last time I had such a wonderful day. The kids were so excited (I'm sure the 14 cookies they munched down didn't hurt!) to lay out, cut, and decorate their cookies. The excitement was contagious. Our friends little boy insisted on cutting out the last of the cookies, all the way down to the hunk that was too small to cut. There were so many cookies, but it gave everyone who wanted a chance to decorate a few.
Things have been pretty hectic the last few weeks. Work has been busy, Nam's finishing classes, and we're looking for a home. Having guests over and planning to bake cookies gave me a great escape from the everyday and really got me into the holiday spirit. And what a wonderful way to share my memories of Christmas past.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Gram B
It's good to be home with family. Gram B passed away early in the morning Friday. Nam, wonderful Nam, arranged my flight to Minnesota and called my office to let them know I'd be taking leave this coming week to spend the week with the family. Though a sad reason to be here, I felt this feeling of relief upon getting into Duluth. I was finally where I could comfort and be comforted by my family, share memories of the good days with Gram, and to say our goodbyes.
Today I went with George, Beverly, Sandy, Peggy and my mom to Bell Brothers funeral home. We sat with one of the funeral directors while he walked us through the memorial, the choices that had to be made, and those that Gram had already made for us years before. The morning was full of laughter and tears as we thought about how Gram would want to be remembered, and how her memorial could reflect that. Later this afternoon, taking comfort in a lasagna Kathy brought over yesterday, we spoke with Rev. Jeff who would be leading the service.
We spent time pouring over old photographs from my parents basement looking for a suitable photo for her obituary. (The obit will appear in the Sunday Duluth News Tribune, I'll post a link when its available.) What could have been another sad moment, was instead a time to laugh and remember the wonderful memories those photos captured. They even showed Gram in a light I'd not often seen - here I'm thinking of the photo of Gram sunbathing while on vacation with Peggy and the one where she has a beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other! The many sides of that woman will never cease to amaze me.
Though it was difficult for me, I chose to be a part of this day, of this planning process. I said my goodbyes to Gram this past summer, and the Christmas before that. This helps me have my closure. I'm happy to be home with my family.
Today I went with George, Beverly, Sandy, Peggy and my mom to Bell Brothers funeral home. We sat with one of the funeral directors while he walked us through the memorial, the choices that had to be made, and those that Gram had already made for us years before. The morning was full of laughter and tears as we thought about how Gram would want to be remembered, and how her memorial could reflect that. Later this afternoon, taking comfort in a lasagna Kathy brought over yesterday, we spoke with Rev. Jeff who would be leading the service.
We spent time pouring over old photographs from my parents basement looking for a suitable photo for her obituary. (The obit will appear in the Sunday Duluth News Tribune, I'll post a link when its available.) What could have been another sad moment, was instead a time to laugh and remember the wonderful memories those photos captured. They even showed Gram in a light I'd not often seen - here I'm thinking of the photo of Gram sunbathing while on vacation with Peggy and the one where she has a beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other! The many sides of that woman will never cease to amaze me.
Though it was difficult for me, I chose to be a part of this day, of this planning process. I said my goodbyes to Gram this past summer, and the Christmas before that. This helps me have my closure. I'm happy to be home with my family.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Fall has arrived...
Or at least I think it has. The weather here had been unseasonably warm. Then it became unseasonably cold. It's hard to know if we've settled into a more normal weather pattern. But today it seems like fall. The leaves, which were beautifully colored just yesterday, are now falling to the ground under this mornings rain. A cold front has moved in overnight. Along with the rain today, we'll see the temperatures drop from 60's to 40's by noon. From there the outlook is 50's for the weekend. I know that's not cold by Minnesota standards, but its the start to winter here. Today is just a dreary day.
It has been a pretty difficult last few weeks for our family. My thoughts are with Karen as she recovers from her fall. Gram B and the Baker family are in my prayers. Even with ample time to prepare, knowing we will soon say our goodbyes is very difficult for me, especially being so far from my home. Everyday I think of you all, and know that you are close to my heart. Finally, my prayers and sympathy are with my Aunt Millie and our family. Her sudden passing saddens me greatly. You are all in my prayers.
It has been a pretty difficult last few weeks for our family. My thoughts are with Karen as she recovers from her fall. Gram B and the Baker family are in my prayers. Even with ample time to prepare, knowing we will soon say our goodbyes is very difficult for me, especially being so far from my home. Everyday I think of you all, and know that you are close to my heart. Finally, my prayers and sympathy are with my Aunt Millie and our family. Her sudden passing saddens me greatly. You are all in my prayers.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
My Ring
I've had lots of you ask to see my ring so here are 2 pictures. Doan took them for me...in one she was being all artsy and took the picture against the flowers Nam had given me that night.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Last Weekend
I was so excited by Monday's events that I totally forgot about the fun weekend I had. My friend Harrison and I went out to Leesburg on Saturday to go to a corn maze with some of her other friends. Though the mazes were a bit smaller then advertised we still had a great time. It was also insanely hot last weekend (high 80's/90's) and with no wind in the maze it was stifling. Once we successfully completed the mazes we took a hay ride out to a pumpkin field where we could pick our own pumpkins. I picked a small but perfectly round and orange pumpkin.
Sunday, Nam and I were invited to a birthday party for 5 year old twins. They're the son and daughter of a good friend of Nam's. They held the party at Ft. Meade. It was 90 degrees and humid. The kids had a great time though. The little boys all had Batman capes to decorate and the girls all made pretty necklaces. For a little kids party with a lot of children around it was a relatively calm event. If only there had been a cool breeze :)
Sunday, Nam and I were invited to a birthday party for 5 year old twins. They're the son and daughter of a good friend of Nam's. They held the party at Ft. Meade. It was 90 degrees and humid. The kids had a great time though. The little boys all had Batman capes to decorate and the girls all made pretty necklaces. For a little kids party with a lot of children around it was a relatively calm event. If only there had been a cool breeze :)
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Happy birthday to the stinky cat
OMG its been a year already since we've gotten the little hellion. My how time has passed. This last year has seen us fully progress into the civilian life. She's got a little brother, a few more toys, and snipped... ewww... I mean Hinata, our little kitten, for any one who didn't know already. We'll see what the next year brings.
Nam & Robyn
Nam & Robyn
Monday, September 17, 2007
Pictures from Monterey
I've posted our pictures from Monterey and our day trip to San Francisco at namandrobyn.shutterfly.com (You can also view them by following the link on the right, I just added that feature.)
I hope you enjoy!
I hope you enjoy!
Monday, September 10, 2007
More from CA -
The main conference we came out here for was the 4th-7th and went very well. I think even Nam and his boss were surprised how many attendees there were and how active the participation was. I can't count the number of times I heard that this was the most detailed and in depth participants went to solve the questions presented. I certainly learned a lot, got to rub elbows with the seniors, and spend a goodly time enjoying sunny Monterey. I didn't realize how chilly it would get here though and am finding I lack enough long sleeves for the mornings and evenings :)
Today was great though, I'm now officially on vacation...Nam had to haul himself into work this morning to help write up the conference paper. I spent my morning sleeping in then after a quick trip to Starbucks I sat on the beach down by the wharf and read. I went for a nice walk on the beach too, but during that time my parking meter ran out and I ended up with a parking ticket. That put a bit of a damper on the afternoon, so I decided to head back to the hotel. I didn't want to just stay in the room though, so I decided to camp out by the pool. I think I may have even gotten a slight burn on my legs... For being so cool in the evenings, the sun is quite hot. The breeze off the bay keeps the temperature down is deceptive. Today is Nam's b-day so for the evening we've planned to have dinner down on the wharf and stroll along the beach. I'll remember to plug the parking meter this time though!
Yesterday we camped out in the hotel bar to watch some of the early football games (it's really weird to be having a beer and watching football at 10am). I went out and cruised the town after that and found myself over in the neighboring town of Pacific Grove. The shore there is beautiful and the rocks are easily climbed over. I climbed down into an area where the rocks blocked the cool breeze and another was molded like a chair. While I enjoyed the warm sunshine three sea lions put on a show just a ways out in the bay. I forgot the cord to upload my pics while I'm here, but I'll post he link when we get back.
Saturday we drove up to San Francisco and spent the day walking around the city. Literally. We plotted it on a map and it showed that we walked almost 14 miles. Its no wonder my feet still ache today. The only downsides were that it was too foggy to see the Golden Gate Bridge and we got to the park to late to enter the Japanese Garden (after we'd navigated the city's bus system!). For me the highlight of the day was Pier 39 where the sea lions congregate. I love their barking noises and watching them shove each other off the rafts they were sunning on. After being really touristy down by Fisherman's Wharf and having our first lunch we decided to wander our way to Chinatown. I'd been there once before for a short time and remembered it was near the Transamerica Pyramid (or the big pointy building as I kept calling it). It was a much longer walk then we'd thought but it was fun to see the different neighborhoods. When we finally got to Chinatown Nam was surprised at how immense it was, especially compared to the DC Chinatown. After we walked up and down all the streets and alleyways we had our second lunch at a small street shop - dumplings, pork buns, and my favorite red bean dessert. It would have been even better if I hadn't watched the lady put the first one on my plate where it slid off, give me a fresh one, then pick the one off the floor and put it back on the pan with the rest. Ick. We then hiked back toward the wharf, realized we were going to take the bus across town, and that we'd be driving back through the area we had just walked from. Oh well. Like I said earlier, we tried to go to the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park, but by the time we figured out the bus route, got across town, and walked the 10 blocks to get to the park, it was 6:02pm. They closed at 6. Argh. On the plus side there were a million hippies in the park for some sort of concert or something so the people watching was phenomenal! Because of all the hippies we couldn't squeeze on a bus so we walked some more. We plotted our bus route back but the bus wasn't coming. So we kept on walking. Finally as it was getting dark the bus came and we ended up back where we started. After a late dinner on the wharf we drove home. All in all the last few days have been very busy but very fun!
Today was great though, I'm now officially on vacation...Nam had to haul himself into work this morning to help write up the conference paper. I spent my morning sleeping in then after a quick trip to Starbucks I sat on the beach down by the wharf and read. I went for a nice walk on the beach too, but during that time my parking meter ran out and I ended up with a parking ticket. That put a bit of a damper on the afternoon, so I decided to head back to the hotel. I didn't want to just stay in the room though, so I decided to camp out by the pool. I think I may have even gotten a slight burn on my legs... For being so cool in the evenings, the sun is quite hot. The breeze off the bay keeps the temperature down is deceptive. Today is Nam's b-day so for the evening we've planned to have dinner down on the wharf and stroll along the beach. I'll remember to plug the parking meter this time though!
Yesterday we camped out in the hotel bar to watch some of the early football games (it's really weird to be having a beer and watching football at 10am). I went out and cruised the town after that and found myself over in the neighboring town of Pacific Grove. The shore there is beautiful and the rocks are easily climbed over. I climbed down into an area where the rocks blocked the cool breeze and another was molded like a chair. While I enjoyed the warm sunshine three sea lions put on a show just a ways out in the bay. I forgot the cord to upload my pics while I'm here, but I'll post he link when we get back.
Saturday we drove up to San Francisco and spent the day walking around the city. Literally. We plotted it on a map and it showed that we walked almost 14 miles. Its no wonder my feet still ache today. The only downsides were that it was too foggy to see the Golden Gate Bridge and we got to the park to late to enter the Japanese Garden (after we'd navigated the city's bus system!). For me the highlight of the day was Pier 39 where the sea lions congregate. I love their barking noises and watching them shove each other off the rafts they were sunning on. After being really touristy down by Fisherman's Wharf and having our first lunch we decided to wander our way to Chinatown. I'd been there once before for a short time and remembered it was near the Transamerica Pyramid (or the big pointy building as I kept calling it). It was a much longer walk then we'd thought but it was fun to see the different neighborhoods. When we finally got to Chinatown Nam was surprised at how immense it was, especially compared to the DC Chinatown. After we walked up and down all the streets and alleyways we had our second lunch at a small street shop - dumplings, pork buns, and my favorite red bean dessert. It would have been even better if I hadn't watched the lady put the first one on my plate where it slid off, give me a fresh one, then pick the one off the floor and put it back on the pan with the rest. Ick. We then hiked back toward the wharf, realized we were going to take the bus across town, and that we'd be driving back through the area we had just walked from. Oh well. Like I said earlier, we tried to go to the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park, but by the time we figured out the bus route, got across town, and walked the 10 blocks to get to the park, it was 6:02pm. They closed at 6. Argh. On the plus side there were a million hippies in the park for some sort of concert or something so the people watching was phenomenal! Because of all the hippies we couldn't squeeze on a bus so we walked some more. We plotted our bus route back but the bus wasn't coming. So we kept on walking. Finally as it was getting dark the bus came and we ended up back where we started. After a late dinner on the wharf we drove home. All in all the last few days have been very busy but very fun!
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Sunny Monterey
We're here on a mostly work-related trip for two weeks. Nam's office is sponsoring a conference and I'm attending the first week. The second week will be strictly vacation for me, but Nam will have to work with the conference team on a summary paper and other wrap-up issues. I'm looking forward to our time though, we plan to head to San Francisco over the weekend, then next week to Big Sur, Pebble Beach, and Carmel. All are supposedly beautiful places so I can't wait.
We're off to dinner soon with the conference group. Seafood for dinner again, yumm-o!
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Pictures from Kim and Bryan's visit
Here are a few my favorites -
Thanks Kim for sending these to me!
Thanks Kim for sending these to me!
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Hooray for air conditioning!
These are the kinds of days that remind you DC was built on a swamp. I woke up this morning and it was 81 degrees out with 82% humidity. It's expected to be at least 98 degrees today with no change in the humidity.
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
A Visit from Kim and Bryan
Kim and Bryan arrived late Thursday night. I took the metro into DC to meet them and help them get acquainted with the metro system so they'd be all set to go Friday. While I was at work Friday they spent time at the Air and Space Smithsonian and went to see Arlington National Cemetery and the Changing of the Marine Guard that is posted at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers. For dinner on Friday, we went to the all-you-can-eat meat place, Malibu Grill. Malibu Grill is a Brazilian Steakhouse. All the meat is cooked over an open flame on swords. When it is cooked, the servers come to your table and slice you off a chunk. Swords, cowboy hats and meat. Fantastic. While most of us chose to diversify and have some chicken, sausage, and ribs, Bryan wanted only the steaks. :)
Saturday, after a relaxing morning and breakfast at Amphora, we made our way south of DC to Mount Vernon-the home of George Washington. It was really really hot out, but we enjoyed our visit. Nam and I had never been to Mt. Vernon, so it was a good break from the typical touristy stuff (not that Mt. Vernon isn't a tourist trap too!). While we were there we took a 40-minute boat tour up the Potomac where we got a nice view of the Mansion from the river. Another plus was the drop in temperature that accompanied the boat trip! We also viewed the inside of the Mansion, which we had to stand in a long line to do. George Washington had a peculiar taste in colors, one room was powder blue and pastel green, another was a bright almost kelly green. The view out to the Potomac was gorgeous though, and its easy to see why he was so taken with the area. On our way out, Bryan found himself some metal soldiers and cannons as souvenirs.
Sunday, again after a nice morning at home, Kim, Bryan and I headed toward DC. We had planned and reserved tickets for a Duck Boat tour sometime that day. When we got to the office at Union Station, we booked our time for 4:30pm. We had some time to kill so we walked to Chinatown for lunch at this great Irish pub. When we got back to Union Station at 4pm, they informed us the tour had been cancelled because of an electrical storm that was rapidly moving into our area. We were really disappointed. Bryan did find another metal soldier at Union Station so he wasn't too bummed. Instead of our now cancelled tour, we decided to take the metro over toward the White House and walk around some of the monuments. We saw the front and back of the White house, walked down to the Washington Monument, the WWII Memorial, the reflecting pool, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Korea and Vietnam War Memorials. Bryan appeared appropriately awed at each site, discussed D-day and the wall of stars at WWII, recounted Forrest Gump at the reflecting pool, and commented on the size of Lincoln and Washington. It did start to rain, but it was only a light sprinkle, certainly not an electrical storm. When we finally returned home, exhausted, Nam had a delicious dinner of Vietnamese Beef Stew prepared for us. Yumm-o.
Then yesterday Kim's congressman had arranged for the four of us to get a tour of the Capitol from one of his summer interns. Congress wasn't in session, but there were a gazillion people there anyway. We learned a lot of history of the statues, paintings, etc., and sat in the gallery of the House Chamber. The tour was really interesting with the exception of this one annoying woman. But I'll keep my feelings about her mostly to myself ;) After the tour we went to grab a quick bite then drove Kim and Bry to the airport.
I think if you ask Bryan his favorite parts of the trip were playing the Wii and playing with Nam (even though Bryan kept losing and Nam made him do push-ups). I think I most enjoyed our lazy mornings, snacking on cheese and fruit for breakfast will chatting. It was a fun visit, and I'm so happy to have played host!
Saturday, after a relaxing morning and breakfast at Amphora, we made our way south of DC to Mount Vernon-the home of George Washington. It was really really hot out, but we enjoyed our visit. Nam and I had never been to Mt. Vernon, so it was a good break from the typical touristy stuff (not that Mt. Vernon isn't a tourist trap too!). While we were there we took a 40-minute boat tour up the Potomac where we got a nice view of the Mansion from the river. Another plus was the drop in temperature that accompanied the boat trip! We also viewed the inside of the Mansion, which we had to stand in a long line to do. George Washington had a peculiar taste in colors, one room was powder blue and pastel green, another was a bright almost kelly green. The view out to the Potomac was gorgeous though, and its easy to see why he was so taken with the area. On our way out, Bryan found himself some metal soldiers and cannons as souvenirs.
Sunday, again after a nice morning at home, Kim, Bryan and I headed toward DC. We had planned and reserved tickets for a Duck Boat tour sometime that day. When we got to the office at Union Station, we booked our time for 4:30pm. We had some time to kill so we walked to Chinatown for lunch at this great Irish pub. When we got back to Union Station at 4pm, they informed us the tour had been cancelled because of an electrical storm that was rapidly moving into our area. We were really disappointed. Bryan did find another metal soldier at Union Station so he wasn't too bummed. Instead of our now cancelled tour, we decided to take the metro over toward the White House and walk around some of the monuments. We saw the front and back of the White house, walked down to the Washington Monument, the WWII Memorial, the reflecting pool, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Korea and Vietnam War Memorials. Bryan appeared appropriately awed at each site, discussed D-day and the wall of stars at WWII, recounted Forrest Gump at the reflecting pool, and commented on the size of Lincoln and Washington. It did start to rain, but it was only a light sprinkle, certainly not an electrical storm. When we finally returned home, exhausted, Nam had a delicious dinner of Vietnamese Beef Stew prepared for us. Yumm-o.
Then yesterday Kim's congressman had arranged for the four of us to get a tour of the Capitol from one of his summer interns. Congress wasn't in session, but there were a gazillion people there anyway. We learned a lot of history of the statues, paintings, etc., and sat in the gallery of the House Chamber. The tour was really interesting with the exception of this one annoying woman. But I'll keep my feelings about her mostly to myself ;) After the tour we went to grab a quick bite then drove Kim and Bry to the airport.
I think if you ask Bryan his favorite parts of the trip were playing the Wii and playing with Nam (even though Bryan kept losing and Nam made him do push-ups). I think I most enjoyed our lazy mornings, snacking on cheese and fruit for breakfast will chatting. It was a fun visit, and I'm so happy to have played host!
Thursday, August 2, 2007
I didn't clean my house
Yesterday I was supposed to go home from work and clean my house so it wouldn't be a disaster when Kim and Bryan arrive tonight. Things didn't go as planned. Nam called me at work to let me know that his boss offered us the company's tickets to the Nationals game last night if we wanted them. Far be it from me to turn down free tickets, especially those in the season ticket holders section (much closer then we usually pay to sit), so I left work a little early to get home in time to leave for the game.
First we changed into our fan gear, then walked over to the metro. It was 95 degrees out. YUCK. Since it was rush hour, the trains were running frequently and we hopped on right away. We had to make a pit stop in Ballston Commons to grab the tickets from Nam's other office. While we were there we took the time to thank his boss for the tickets. We try to thank him every time, hoping he'll see how much we appreciate it and keep giving us tickets. It's worked so far!
We hopped the metro again and rode the rest of the way to RFK. Inside the stadium it was so hot. There was no breeze at all. The game was great though, the Nats got off to a quick start, scoring 7 runs in the first 2 innings. We ate our fill as usual, italian sausage with peppers and chicken strips, and moaned about how full we were. Because the score was well in our favor, we left at the 7th inning stretch. For weeknight games that usually gets us to the metro station ahead of the crowds and home by 10pm.
All in all it was a fun night, but now I really must get home early today and clean my house!
First we changed into our fan gear, then walked over to the metro. It was 95 degrees out. YUCK. Since it was rush hour, the trains were running frequently and we hopped on right away. We had to make a pit stop in Ballston Commons to grab the tickets from Nam's other office. While we were there we took the time to thank his boss for the tickets. We try to thank him every time, hoping he'll see how much we appreciate it and keep giving us tickets. It's worked so far!
We hopped the metro again and rode the rest of the way to RFK. Inside the stadium it was so hot. There was no breeze at all. The game was great though, the Nats got off to a quick start, scoring 7 runs in the first 2 innings. We ate our fill as usual, italian sausage with peppers and chicken strips, and moaned about how full we were. Because the score was well in our favor, we left at the 7th inning stretch. For weeknight games that usually gets us to the metro station ahead of the crowds and home by 10pm.
All in all it was a fun night, but now I really must get home early today and clean my house!
Friday, July 27, 2007
Otakon 2007
Last week Nam and I treked up to Baltimore to joint the crowds of people making their way to Otakon, generally considered the 2nd largest anime convention in the US. Last years attendance topped 20,000. We only went on Saturday and Sunday, and chose both days to use the Baltimore light rail system to get into town rather then deal with the traffic and trying to park (Artscape was going on last weekend as well, and the streets of Baltimore were overflowing with both traffic and people). The light rail was a great choice, I was able to read several chapters of Harry Potter while we were traveling :)
Saturday was Cosplay day - where attendees are encouraged to come dressed as their favorite characters. Though usually people dress as characters from animes, manga, or video games, Cosplay day gives people license to break out whatever costume they have in their closets from Halloweens past. There was a kid dressed as one of the sand people from Star Wars, and someone from Stargate SG-1. Some costumes were elaborate, some were revealing, and some were just plain weird. I've added some of the better pictures below, but for the complete album see namandrobyn.shutterfly.com
Monday, July 23, 2007
Harry Potter!
Sarah and Rachel were in town this weekend and I got the chance to visit with them. The three of us decided to spend our time catching up with each other while trolling through Borders Friday night waiting for the release of Harry Potter: The Deathly Hallows. Though we were all falling asleep by the time our group was called forward to finally get in the long line to purchase our copy, it was well worth it. There were a lot of cute kids decked out in their Hogwart's gear, and even more adults. I was even the first one to wish Sarah a happy birthday Saturday morning... I dropped her and Rachel off at the Metro station just after 1 am.
Though I was only able to spend that afternoon and evening with Sarah, it was great to see her and visit. She's geographically much closer now then she was in Iowa, but somehow we still have a hard time making plans to see each other. This short trip was definitely an incentive to do something about that.
And...I got my Harry Potter book. Even with Otakon this weekend, and spending most of Saturday and Sunday with crazy Anime lovers, I'm just over halfway through. I hope to finish it up right quick, so I can avoid the meanies who have finished already and want to spoil the ending.
Though I was only able to spend that afternoon and evening with Sarah, it was great to see her and visit. She's geographically much closer now then she was in Iowa, but somehow we still have a hard time making plans to see each other. This short trip was definitely an incentive to do something about that.
And...I got my Harry Potter book. Even with Otakon this weekend, and spending most of Saturday and Sunday with crazy Anime lovers, I'm just over halfway through. I hope to finish it up right quick, so I can avoid the meanies who have finished already and want to spoil the ending.
Friday, June 1, 2007
Our Nine-Tailed Fox
Hinata has a brother! Welcome Naruto, an adorable beige tabby that we adopted from a rescue shelter almost three weeks ago at the perfect age of 10 weeks. The rescuers were excited to see our interest in the little boy, as they were concerned his two brothers would be adoped as a pair and he'd be left all alone. Since we were only interested in one more cat to keep Hinata company, and he had a playful spirit, he was a perfect fit for us. Just watching him tumble around the cage playing with a feather toy we knew he'd be a a great addition to our home.
He's adapted quite quickly, much faster then we'd anticipated. He's extremely friendly, even passing out on laps of our company. He chases Hinata all around the house, tackles her, and generally asks her to play. She stopped hissing at him after the first week, and now doesn't run away every time he comes in the room. Though she's still not back to her typical self, she's getting much better. Now if we could only get Naruto to quit messing with her when she's sleeping, and kicking her out of her favorite napping spots, we'd be all set.
He's adapted quite quickly, much faster then we'd anticipated. He's extremely friendly, even passing out on laps of our company. He chases Hinata all around the house, tackles her, and generally asks her to play. She stopped hissing at him after the first week, and now doesn't run away every time he comes in the room. Though she's still not back to her typical self, she's getting much better. Now if we could only get Naruto to quit messing with her when she's sleeping, and kicking her out of her favorite napping spots, we'd be all set.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Walking Hinata -
Have you ever tried to walk a cat?
We did this Saturday. It was 82 degrees and beautiful out. We didn't just want to sit inside, and we've been itching to hook Hinata up to the leash and see if we could get her to walk. Yeah, maybe you can guess that we didn't. Before we even left our apartment we knew she wasn't going to do it. She laid down, stretched herself out, and let us drag her down the hallway, almost like she was playing dead. She didn't mind being drug, but she certainly wasn't going to get up and walk with us.
We decided to go ahead and go outside anyway. At the very least, she could play in the grass and bask in the sun while we tossed around a football. Hinata - though she keeps trying to run out our door when we come home from work - tried to run back into the apartment. Eventually we had to pick her up, walk with her in our arms to the grass, then set her down. Once in the grass, she enjoyed herself. Her little heart was pounding, but she chased the bugs, suspiciously eyed the birds, and was scared by the passing cars. One driver yelled out "that is the cutest thing I've ever seen!"
We did this Saturday. It was 82 degrees and beautiful out. We didn't just want to sit inside, and we've been itching to hook Hinata up to the leash and see if we could get her to walk. Yeah, maybe you can guess that we didn't. Before we even left our apartment we knew she wasn't going to do it. She laid down, stretched herself out, and let us drag her down the hallway, almost like she was playing dead. She didn't mind being drug, but she certainly wasn't going to get up and walk with us.
We decided to go ahead and go outside anyway. At the very least, she could play in the grass and bask in the sun while we tossed around a football. Hinata - though she keeps trying to run out our door when we come home from work - tried to run back into the apartment. Eventually we had to pick her up, walk with her in our arms to the grass, then set her down. Once in the grass, she enjoyed herself. Her little heart was pounding, but she chased the bugs, suspiciously eyed the birds, and was scared by the passing cars. One driver yelled out "that is the cutest thing I've ever seen!"
Thursday, April 5, 2007
My parents just were out here visiting. It was their 3d trip since I'd left MN. I also head to MN about 2 times a year to see them and visit relatives. My parents love the area because the love walking to the metro and cruising around the city. They also adore Nam. I
We trekked all over the place. The best day was last Saturday when we went down to the Tidal Basin in DC to walk around and see the cherry blossom trees. Even though we had to fight through throngs of people, it was a beautiful day and the trees were spectacular. We also spent some time on the Mall watching all the people that came down to fly kites that day. By the time we got home we all just wanted to put our feet u and take a nap.
We did a lot, but true to our roots, eating was a central activity. We tried all kinds of food, from the delicious Vietnamese beef stew Nam made, and Doan's hot pot, to kababs, to sushi. My parents were really good sports about trying new things, and I think they enjoyed them all (well, maybe not the sushi!).
We trekked all over the place. The best day was last Saturday when we went down to the Tidal Basin in DC to walk around and see the cherry blossom trees. Even though we had to fight through throngs of people, it was a beautiful day and the trees were spectacular. We also spent some time on the Mall watching all the people that came down to fly kites that day. By the time we got home we all just wanted to put our feet u and take a nap.
We did a lot, but true to our roots, eating was a central activity. We tried all kinds of food, from the delicious Vietnamese beef stew Nam made, and Doan's hot pot, to kababs, to sushi. My parents were really good sports about trying new things, and I think they enjoyed them all (well, maybe not the sushi!).
Opening Post
I'm not sure how I feel about this blogging thing, but I'm going to give it a try. We'll see how it goes!
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