Warming Trend

This morning, I woke up earlier than I do during the week, bundled up in several layers of clothing, only deciding against the wool ski socks at the last minute (a decision I would later regret), and left the house just as the sky was beginning to grow light. I picked up a friend for our early morning volunteer session. This morning's destination was Old Town Albuquerque and the Posole Ole' Special Olympics Walk. As we made our way across town, Kim and I laughed that we really need to find volunteer events that occur later in the day--we both help with one of the breast cancer walks every spring, an event that also begins before dawn for us.

When we signed up for the event, it was unseasonably warm for November and it seemed like a grand idea to volunteer for such a wonderful organization as the Special Olympics. And it was a grand idea--just much colder than we'd anticipated thanks to the very cold front that came through this week. It was a brisk 23 degrees this morning when the walk began at 8:00. Unfortunately, the cold weather this morning did reduce the number of walkers. But the hearty souls that were in Old Town this morning, either as volunteers or participants, were cheered by the thoughts of the money being raised and posole and warm drinks at the end of the walk.

After our services were no longer needed, and we'd sufficiently warmed up at a nearby extension of a coffee chain, Kim and I headed to a craft fair at the high school near her house. It's amazing to me, having attended "craft shows" for many year, how much these have changed in the past 10 years. There were still the tissue box covers and other overly-tufted and tassled items I remember from childhood craft shows. But more common at this show were table after table of pottery, jewelry, glass and metal art, photography. Even the handcrafts available seem to have stepped up a notch. I picked up a few things--a stocking stuffer for my mother-in-law and a baby gift for friends.

I picked up several ideas of things that I need to share with the craftier among us--simple, cute, and not yet overly done by others. If I had any patience, I would tackle them since none seemed difficult to do. However, I also know myself and know that I would buy all the supplies and then tucker out before actually accomplishing the task. (I write that as I stare at the "learn to knit" kit I bought early in the year with every intention of learning to do this year that still sits on the hearth where it hasn't moved in several months except when I need to dust around it. I have worked on it--just not recently.)

The day isn't over yet--I'm heading up to Santa Fe with another friend for another volunteer obligation. This one will be less fun and more obligation (but still enjoyable since I'll get to work with someone I know/like). I think this one is indoors--definitely a plus.

(And the picture is the downspout at the front of the house--it had warmed up just enough when I got home at noon for the ice to slide out.)

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.

Corn Maze, October

Last weekend, Paul and I went with a group from our church to the local corn maze. The general attitude among the group was that even if this was a bust, at least it was a new experience for all of us.

We were given a map that quickly turned out to be utterly useless. Some (probably) teenage hooligans had gone through the maze and taken out the 10 informational guideposts. The Boy Scout troop that was putting the posts back didn't do too good at getting them back in the correct place. And they tuckered out before the task was completed so they put three posts side-by-side. Paul declared that I wouldn't have made a good teenage hooligan because I would have caused trouble by simply knocking the posts down not actually moving them which is, of course, the way a true hooligan operates. But Paul decided he would have made a great Boy Scout because he, too, would have stuck all the posts together although it would have been more to mess with the visitors to the maze.

It was an enjoyable afternoon and I hope Paul and I will go back again to future mazes. The group did decide that the corn maze might be better earlier in the season, when the corn stalks are still green and before other wandering groups had trampled new pathways. And before vandals and Boy Scouts got ahold of the guideposts. Despite our best wanderings, we never could find two of the posts.

Kate and Sam, who were leading the charge--this is shortly before they decided the map was completely and utterly useless

It was a beautiful October afternoon--cool, crisp air with beautiful, sunny blue skies

Looking through the corn stalks

Sandia Mountain as a backdrop for the changing leaves of the cottonwoods