Kratzen vom Rathaus

Most Awesomest Apron EVAR

What do you get a woman who likes math, rodents, cooking, puns and
pirates? This beautiful, embroidered apron of course. Thank you, Lila!
It's amazingly cool!

Blue Christmas

This morning when I checked on the boys, I realized Yates was in his last moments. He was partially out of the hammock and couldn't get farther, so I picked him up and held him quietly while he died. For that small mercy, I'm grateful. He went peacefully and in my arms, so really I can't ask any more for the little guys. I've been through this so much it's just kind of a blunt pain as I run around trying to get things ready for tomorrow, and I'm consciously pulling Bayliss out of the cage and heaping on the attention. Twice I've caught him on the top shelf waiting for Yates to come back. But ratties are blessed with short memories, so as long as I keep him occupied, he should be fine. It's always depressing to be down to one, though- the question comes as to whether I want to get a couple youngsters to entertain (annoy) Bayliss in his senior years, or to just let the rat cages sit fallow again for a couple years once he goes. I'm leaning toward the latter because it's so much easier to travel when I only have the cats to home while we're away. Selfish, but rational. Anyway, that's where I am today. Hopefully, tomorrow will be cheerier.

Secret Santa Solved!

It was Susan and Doug. And now that I write this, I think Doug needs an 'S' name for better alliteration. Thanks, guys, we will enjoy the certificates very much- the only trouble will be whether to go SF or Berkeley since we like both restaurants a lot!

Secret Santa

Huh. Somebody sent us gift certificates and a cookbook from a nice seafood and restaurant chain. It arrived in the mail yesterday with some sort of congratulatory letter, but absolutely no clues as to who thought this would be a good present for us. It is a good present, you really can't go wrong with dinner out and adding in the cookbook as well- that means whoever sent it knows about my little cookbook, erm, problem. (There's a twelve step program for it but unfortunately, I don't like recipes that are quite so involved... ;) )

My guess is my sister-in-law is behind it, since my brother's family and I have been in a little snit ever since they dissed me when they came out this spring. (And last spring, when they snuck out to wine country without saying anything, and the spring two years before that. Ahem.) But if you happen to be our benefactor, please drop a line or just comment here so we know who to thank.

I Wonder if Reindeer Would Be Cheaper

Just sent off all the Ohio presents a few minutes ago and most of my holiday stress with them. It's funny how presents for family are so much harder than ones for friends. Adding to that, both Tony and I are transplants. We moved out here together which means there are two+ families waiting back home for us. Impatiently waiting, no doubt, because this is the second Christmas in a row we've skipped. Wait, I think it's the third. I should have known that, the last Christmas I spent in Ohio was when mom was dying. I sat with her Christmas Eve while she drifted in and out and called me by her sister's name, and then Christmas I spent in the air so I could see my husband. Really, I guess it's not so surprising I'm not particularly interested in making seasonal appearances back there anymore. But even if we can't go home again, our presents can. And they do, 'round about the tenth of December every year when I get everything wrapped, boxed and off to the post office or wherever. That gives me a few days to sulk about shipping costs before I get back into the Christmas spirit. (This year's tally was $111 to get those packages on their merry way. I really wish I was joking.) But it's done, and now I'm relaxing in a Starbuck's knowing that in a week or so everyone else will hit the last minute frenzy I just finished while I'm poking around making presents for my friends. There are some advantages to the two stage Christmas process. I can enjoy the moment while the delivery services take care of all the fuss from here on out. But even so, I think next year I'm going to try some magic corn on the deer across the street.

Someone's Getting an Amazing XMas Present

In case you can't read the logo on the back of this truck, it's Tesla Motors. While to me, that evokes images of David Bowie and many, many top hats, to Tony that means one thing - the most amazing electric vehicle on the market. Since the price of the Tesla is also amazing (as in beyond belief) this picture is the closest Tony will get to it right now. Indeed, as I was tailgating this truck to get this lousy heepy picture, it occurred to me that there could be an actual Tesla nestled in that plain white wrapping like an exquisite chocolate. So I backed off again. We don't need that kind of insurance claim on my record...

A Sort of Homecoming

Last night, I finally stepped back on the ice in full hockey equipment. Some of my gear was certainly showing its age, as it was getting pretty worn even before it was packed away into a sterlite time capsule and buried in the crawl space under our house years ago. But it was only a skate and shoot, so no harm, no foul. Tony and I got drawn back by Carolyn and Peter, who took up hockey a while back and have become proper evangelists for the sport. I dunno if I have the urge to actually play again, but the s&s was at Ice Oasis at Redwood City, the same place we had the Saturday night pickups all those years ago. Remember those? (Or maybe you don't because I'm pretty sure I wasn't blogging in those days.) Every Saturday night, a core group of us hit this pickup game there at midnight, skated till we fell over, and then went out to breakfast at three or so in the morning. It really did kill the whole weekend, but it was great. So great, Tony and I scheduled our wedding and honeymoon in such a way as to only miss one. And that's what I remember when I think of Ice Oasis. So last night, as I sat there in my somewhat fitting gear watching the end of the game before, I kept reminding myself it wasn't going to be like that. I can measure my time off from hockey in years, not days, and I wasn't even sure I could make the step down onto the ice without falling. So I let everyone else go first. And stepped down tentatively and awkwardly, like a fawn trying to figure out how the knee joints work. And then I skated across like I always did. It was awesome. I'm no good mind you. I'm rusty and I'm out of shape enough to be winded by a short sprint down the ice. But I'm home. I can't wait for next Saturday.

New Favorite Ornament

Christmas shopping has begun. But as always happens, while I'm trying to match the perfect gifts with people invariably find something I can't live without. ;)

Oh, HELL yes!

The Cincinnati Zoo seems to have taken a mild amount of heat for packaging itself with the Creationist 'Museum' instead of some fluff institution like, say, Museum Center. The link in my earlier post no longer works, because the package tickets have been scuttled. It seems the zoo rethought its crossover marketing plans for the near future. Better late than never, I suppose. But I consider it a wonderful way to start the holiday season. Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. And he's reasonable, too.

Oh, HELL no!

Why do you do stuff like this, Cincinnati? You're such a pretty little town. And the Cincinnati Zoo has been one of the best in the nation and a point of pride for residents my entire life.

But then you package it together with PT Barnum's Dinotopia across the river? How dare they refer to that as history. What's next? I'm sure there's a few telephone psychics available to work the switchboards. Listen, I like a good laugh as much as anybody, but please don't mix real science with pseudoscience no matter how loudly some weirdo declares it as truth.