A pleasant, but chilly, surprise

I got up and around this morning as usual. I don't typically listen to the radio in the mornings--Paul gets up after I do and even during times when he's not here, like now, I'm not in the habit. I did look out the window when I first got up and saw snow. We had snow off and on all day yesterday and it just looked like a heavy dusting this morning. It's not unusual to have snow where we live, since we're fairly high at around 6000 ft, but not in the rest of the town. Usually just a mile below our house, the snow tapers off to just a dusting of the white stuff and it gets less and less as you continue down. It's unusual for all of ABQ to have snow or ice.

When I went downstairs to get breakfast and finish the morning routine, I turned on the television to check the weather and traffic. I knew it was freakishly cold outside just given how much the heater has been running (and it is--around 15 degrees at 8:00). I was just in time to hear the newscaster say something sounding similar to APS on a 2 hour delay. Of course the scroll at the bottom was frustratingly slow as it went through the 150+/- closings or delays reported across the state--and it picked up just past the listing for APS.

But,finally, yay! I had a two-hour delay today--totally unnecessary since there wasn't more than a dusting across the town and the roads weren't slick. There have been much worse conditions that didn't warrant any delay or snow day. Not that I'm complaining about going to work two hours late. I started putting up the Christmas decorations last night and I was able to finish decorating the tree in the time I had. It was definitely the right weather to be in the holiday spirit. Then I'll bundle up (probably beyond what is necessary but I really hate being cold) and head to school for another round of unpacking boxes. The unpacking is going smoothly and quicker than I expected. My inlaws came up to help on Wednesday, along with a parent volunteer. The parent volunteer also came today--she's good but she's a bit of a task master. If she wasn't around, I'd probably be doing the unpacking a bit slower, taking a few breaks now and then, wandering around the campus to visit coworkers. Yeah--I've done none of that thanks to the tenacity of the parent. But we'll probably get the boxes finished tomorrow or Monday at the latest. Not a bad thing at all.

A Very Merry Unbirthday

Since Paul had to be out of town on my birthday, and because the flat tire and the ensuing run-around trying to get it changed made for a less-than-fun birthday day, Paul and I celebrated my birthday this weekend. He's been hounding me all week as to what I might want as a gift. There's really nothing I need and all the things I want are either utilitarian and boring (a new purse, new dress coat) or more expensive than we normally spend for birthdays. So I've been at a loss as to what to tell Paul to get me and Paul was at a loss to come up with a gift all on his own.

Yesterday, we decided we'd run up to Santa Fe this afternoon. I enjoy Santa Fe, all the quirky shops, art galleries, interesting restaurants, but Paul will typically do anything to avoid going to The City Different. But once a year or so, he acquiesces and will make a trip with me.

We visited the little outlet mall on the edge of SF. And, happily, I was able to find my birthday present.

This is what I originally picked up for a gift. Boring, utilitarian, and on sale (but the perfect size and just what I was looking for in a new purse):

And then, then I saw this. I didn't even know I wanted/needed it:

It is an enamaled cast iron apple pot. Because every kitchen needs an enameled cast iron apple pot. Especially one that weighs in at 11.5 lbs. empty. Paul was in disbelief that this was what I would want as a gift but it was so shiny and pretty that I just had to have it.

Thankfully, it came with a few recipe ideas because I'm not sure I'd know what to do with it other than to look it sitting shiny and pretty in my kitchen. I'm already planning to use it for mulled cider for the Christmas parties we're hosting this year.

And the waiter was so careful to check as to whether my name starts with a C or a K

Oops. Paul teases me about my first and last names being verbs so this misspelling just makes him giggle even more.

The other ladies and I were really just trying to get free dessert at the restaurant last Friday. We ended up being charged for the cake but I got this great photo opportunity out of it so I think it's even. My parents came to Houston on Saturday so I was able to spend time with them and have a birthday dinner with them. And since I had a per diem for the conference, they didn't have to pay me and I sent them home with my leftovers. It was a big happy for everyone.

Today is birthday #32 and I've donned the birthday tiara to make sure everyone knows that it is my birthday. I am now off to find someone to change the flat tire I didn't realize I had this morning and drove all the way to work on. Gah! I feel so stupid when I do something like that. Hopefully no one can refuse a birthday girl wearing a tiara.