Around these parts, we call it Hairball Season

Since winter in the Land of Enchantment seems to have been two days in January, we're getting hints of the spring to come. There have been two fires in the bosque this week (the bosque is the cottonwood forest along the Rio Grande). Our high temperature yesterday was nearing 70 and the wind kicked up all kinds of nastiness and dirt. Paul and I have both been a bit under the weather with what I think are spring allergies. I read in the ABQ Journal this morning that humidity levels this week have been as low as 10% (the high end was 21%). I recently bought another humidifier for the house because I felt bad about shocking the cat any time I pick him up (not to mention needing to ground myself before I give my husband a kiss). And the students are already beginning to display signs of Spring Fever with their ever-increasing lackidaisical attitude about school.

But the worst part about spring? Hairballs. We already have a cat who is "prone to throwing up" and with the warm weather, he's shedding his winter coat. This wouldn't be too bad if he'd let us brush him but he doesn't. So we got to Plan B--this weekend, the cat is getting a bath. Ten minutes of fun times that end up with all three of us being completely soaked and the cat ignoring us for the next two days. Good times, good times.

Of course, there will be pictures taken and shared for all to see. I never can pass up the opportunity to humiliate the wee furball. I'm going to make a great parent some day.

Rockin' the sweater vest

Me, circa 1987.

In addition to the extremely large glasses, please note also the peach Swatch and the friendship bracelet. Not visible in the photo are the pegged khakis and the boat shoes.

It helps when I explain that it was 1987 and that this is my 7th grade school picture. It doesn't help when I mention that in the school pictures taken in 1986 and 1988, I'm also wearing a sweater vest. The yearbook staff is putting pictures of the school staff in middle school in this year's book. This is the one they chose for me. It was apparently a toss-up between this one with those obnoxiously huge frames or my 1988 picture where I've got some obnoxiously big bangs (but contacts--I was so happy).

Honey, leave the cat at home...

Last night, Paul and I had a genuine date night. One of those where we both showered and got dressed up and even went to dinner beforehand. Because we have had dates in our past that weren't worth not stinking or even eating. I felt so special.

Paul, the sweet boy, suggested we go to the fancy-schmancy place we'd gone for my birthday fo dinner but we weren't sure we'd have time, what with the showering and all. We opted to go to a "gourmet" pizza place near our house instead. (We also went there for our anniversary as Paul had declared the "traditional" gift for the 6th anniversary to be pizza.) We thought this would be faster but in the world of Carrie and Paul, we should know this is never the case. Our food was delayed in getting out to us because of some problem with Paul's pizza. We still had plenty of time to eat, and Paul was fine with the wait because it meant he got a free piece of chocolate cake out of the deal.

After dinner, we headed to the South Broadway Cultural Center, a small venue near ABQ's Downtown, for the big "date" portion of the night: Bellydance Superstars

That's right--we went to see bellydancing. Who know there was even such a thing as superstars in bellydancing? Or that this would be the second time we could see them perform?

On a whim, we bought tickets to see a performance about 18 months ago. The performers were amazing--I don't think either of us blinked for two hours--and both the evening and the audience, with it's scent of patchouli and loads of bangles and scarves, proved entertaining. On Sunday night, Paul came downstairs announcing that the Bellydance Superstars were coming back to town on Wednesday and that we needed to buy our tickets RIGHT NOW. We checked to see if our Wednesday evening was booked (because we have such the active social life that we thought that by some off-chance, we'd have other plans), and finding it clear, we bought tickets RIGHT THEN and made our plans for date night.

Last night's show was as entertaining as the first performance we saw, although the two "big" stars of bellydancing didn't perform. The show last night was more vaired than the first we saw--it included hula dancing and a routine with a Spanish flair (think bellydance samba). I did remember to blink this time, but it is still amazing to see the type of muscle control these women have. I'm hoping it will inspire me to be less cranky about going doing abs at the gym.

Visiting the Grandparents

Paul and I spent a long weekend visiting my grandparents in TX. Both of my grandfathers have been under the weather. My paternal grandfather has been undergoing chemo for the bladder cancer for the past two months. He is doing well--better than I'd expected to see him (and Paul was pleased to see he still had his hair). In good spirits and while a little tired, he was still helping my uncle with a variety of Saturday chores around the house. He has one more round of chemo this week. He saw his varied assortment of oncology doctors last week and all were very positive about his prognosis. His GP did suggest that he start using a cane or preferably a walker because Granddad has been having some unexplained dizzy spells. These started before the cancer diagnosis so they aren't related but the chemo with it's added strain probably don't help matters. Over the two and a half days we were at my uncle's house, I saw my granddad carry his cane around a couple of times and actually use it once. I'm not sure he's buying the need for a cane or walker. :)

My maternal grandfather tore something coughing before Christmas (I'm not sure I ever actually heard or understood what he exactly it was he'd injured). He has emphysema so coughs and colds really get him and it was one of these coughing spells that did the damage. He underwent laproscopic surgery on Wednesday to correct the problems. He had a bit of related problems but was doing better when I saw him on Friday. I got to "Granddad-sit" for a while so my gran could run some errands. Paul and I visited them again on Saturday and this morning before we left. I think he'll be good as new before long.

And of course, we saw my sister, brother-in-law, and the babies. Amy and I spent Friday night at a scrapbooking crop, where I spent about 4 hours sorting through and organzing six years of photographs (mostly accomplishing Goal #12 for the year). And this adventure only proved that we take way too many pictures of the cat. Second runner-up would be the Balloon Fiesta. Of course this weekend, we had to snap a few pictures of the wee ones as well.

This is Benjamin in the Bumpo. I could not stop laughing about the Bumpo. Even when I see it in a catalog, I have to laugh. Benjamin loves it (although he'd stop smiling as soon as I'd take a picture).

Abigail playing with her Uncle Paul, aka the Human Jungle Gym. Notice we have a lot of these pictures as well? It's a shame they don't like each other more. :)

This is why Paul loves me