By the way, I know there are a few of you who occasionally drop by this blog who aren't LJ users -- I am still blogging here, but have changed my default so that it can only be read by other LJ users who I have "friended". I have had a couple random drop-bys of commenters finding this blog and leaving comments who are complete strangers to me (not ( Read more... )

Lovely weekend. And further validation of my theory that all weekends should be three days long ( Read more... )

By the way -- ARSC (the supercomputing center) is drastically reducing operations and laying off all but 10 of it's 46 staffers, including Derek B and Steve M (Sunni's college boyfriend ( Read more... )

I posted this originally at FB, but I thought I'd post it here in case anyone else wants to play along (I only have two takers so far over at FB ( Read more... )

Thursday was a catch-up-with-Northern Virginia-friends day. I had lunch with Deborah T in Alexandria, coffee with Deb D in Springfield, and dinner with Angie in Burke ( Read more... )

Between sleeping on the guest mattress (I put my Dad in my room for the duration of his stay), all the hubub upstairs the last few days, and a touch of a cold, I was feeling pretty wiped out. After doing chores and puttering around yesterday afternoon, I was in bed and asleep by 7pm, woke up at 10pm for two hours and eating a little dinner, and ( Read more... )

:( my daddy is on a jetplane, heading home.

If he'd gotten delayed or bumped in the residual airline storm hangover, I wouldn't have minded.

A very good visit; too short as always...

Another laid-back day, just running a few errands -- post office so dad could mail some of his presents home; sears because dad decided that I need new, hypo-allergenic pillows; used bookstore; returning DVDs. Followed by dinner at the house of my pilates teacher and her husband, who are similar souls to my dad ( Read more... )

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort ( Read more... )

Christmas Eve was pretty laid back. We went for a short walk around the neighborhood. We went to the grocery store to pick up the (reserved) turkey and a couple last minute items. I stuck the turkey in the brine to soak overnight (I absolutely swear by brining turkeys for a flavorful, moist, and easy roasting process-bag free and basting free). And ( Read more... )