Observations. Good and bad.

I'm a big fan of my snooze button.

None of you who have ever lived with me or worked with me will be surprised by this. As much as I'd love to make excuses, I'm just not a morning person. The minute my alarm goes off, I immediately scheme so I can get "just a few more minutes."

So, my snooze button goes off every seven minutes to KEXP, the public radio station in Seattle that pretty much rocks the free world. And the weirdest thing happened over and over this week. Every seven minutes my alarm went off, the song that was playing was a great song. And not just a great song, like a classic one or anything, but ones that are long-time favorites of mine for all kinds of weird reasons. Songs I don't hear often, let alone on the radio.

I can't describe it or explain it really, but it's like someone broke into my house, looked at all my CDs and files on my computer and iPod and then sent the list to the station and programmed them to come on the air every seven minutes. Crazy.

Also, I just flipped the channel when SNL went into their late-in-the-show lameness and saw that Tim McCarver has his own talk show. Tim Mc-Freakin'-Carver! I was so disgusted, I realized I had watched almost six minutes of him interviewing Merlin Olson with my mouth hanging open before I finally swore out loud and changed the channel again.

As my friend Emilia says, "Seriously. Why are we not famous yet?"

So, like, what's up with you?

It's been a little while. I was home for the holidays and then some and arrived back in Seattle just in time to not only see it snow close to six inches (over three snow storms) but also to get sick! Good times.

The holidays were great. Got to see a lot of family and a lot of pals, but not ALL of my pals. Apparently two weeks just isn't enough time. It's hell to be popular. Did get to spend some good time with my parents, which was nice because my Mom underwent hip replacement surgery earlier in December. I think all of us, including my Dad were much more nervous about her and her recovery than she was and she's proving us to be a bunch of nancies. I like to think of myself as no kind of wimpy girl and being home with my Mom was a study in where I got that from. As I've heard her say countless times over my lifetime, "I didn't lick that off the floor." Funny how the kindest person I know can also be tough as nails when it comes to physical resiliency. Go, Alice!

Here are the highlights, in no particular order: hockey at Braemar Arena to catch a game a piece for Sam, Kelly AND Jane; Christmas Eve and Day at Rancho Jarrardo (my first Christmas dinner as chef, but I had many sous chefs); a trip to the Hexagon with Oona to ultimately miss the reunion of Jim Strachan and David Howell's band, The Flat Earth Defenders (dammit); cocktails (well, Premiums only) with Bradley Failor; brunch with my favorite blondie, Luke; yummy dinner and cosmos with Eric and Liam; babysitting all day for my niece and nephews, the Dalys (after which Molly informed me that I had "kind of a bossy day today"); quality time "testing" the new furniture and TV set-up at the Hotlanders'; visit to Colle + McVoy's new downtown digs (very cool); drinks with allllllll the boys: my bro Jeff, Sean, KC, Jon, Ryan, B.Brett, E.O. and Lloyd, who treated us to some sweet dance moves; New Year's Eve at Jenny and Doug's; watching the Gopher Wrestlers kick the crap out of ASU, 44-3; cocktails with Big D.; shopping with Lily and Ruby (and their Momma, too..."AMY!"); the movies with Sweet Sammy Thotland (Night at the Museum); making peanut brittle and girl talkin' with Kelly Rose Thotland; dinner with Kristen, Muriel, Heather, Max and Connor; a visit to the other CM to see my all-time faves; TWO WHOLE BROOMBALL GAMES with my beloved Orange Team (both losses, man, that Orange goalie really sucked); Godmotherin' for Ruby.

So, that's about it. Sorry if I missed you while I was home. I had kind of a full agenda with all the stuff above.

So, um, not much else has been going on. Settling back into the flow of work and just waiting for winter to be over. No big trips planned until March (although there are about six places I'd LIKE to go). But my parents are coming in April and will be here when the Twins play the Mariners. Can I hear a wahooooooo?

Only four weeks until pitchers and catchers report to camp. I can hear Herb Carneal already!

Oh, okay, okay. Here are some photos.


Only half of the total and not quite all of the Minneapolis gang, L to R: Sam (holding Ruby), Molly (must be touching Sam at all times), Kelly (holding Liam), Jane, Lily, Kevin


Kelly and Liam. Hard to say who's cuter, isn't it?


Sisters!


Hot broomball action


Classic Lloyd


Hey, NORM!

I'll try to make more exciting things start happening. Like, uh, maybe I'll start a book club or learn to knit and tell you about it in excruciating detail?