On Saturday morning, while sleeping in, I heard a sound familiar to dog owners everywhere. You know, that steady, gagging, sound the dog makes before throwing up. And then I heard the grand finale of puke landing on the carpet. As I contemplated getting up and seeing what havoc was wreaked, I began to hear the sounds of a dog...eating.
Is it wrong that I whispered, "good dog" and rolled over and went back to sleep?
When I got up there was not a sign of vomit to be found. Reggie had cleaned up after himself. This is why he is officially the best dog ever.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Saturday, October 25, 2008
And causing me to belly laugh...
Brian and I walk out the back door at 11:00 p.m. last night (to let the dog out) and are greeted by this, proudly standing in our back yard:
And then, a few hours later, upon examining the front yard:
(Why didn't we think of checking there immediately? Idiots.)
Oh you prankstering pranksters. You got us good.
And then, a few hours later, upon examining the front yard:
(Why didn't we think of checking there immediately? Idiots.)
Oh you prankstering pranksters. You got us good.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Pretty Much the Grossest Day in Indiana History
It's disgusting out. Absolutely disgusting.
Brian is working late because of inventory (perhaps until 9:00). It's a Friday. What is one to do with a day like today?
Well, I stopped at the yarn store and the library. You can figure out the rest.
Recently Brian took a mancation to Las Vegas. He was gone from a Thursday afternoon to a Sunday afternoon. While I didn't plan on pining away, missing my beloved, I certainly didn't plan on having the most wonderful three days in my recent history. I didn't have any plans and I didn't have to work and this is how the weekend went:
Thursday Night: Made popcorn, a pitcher of __________ (fill in the blank with your favorite beverage), finished my book, took a bath, went to bed.
Friday: Slept in. Discovered Sirius Radio "Coffee House Blend" which became the soundtrack for my vacation in solitude. Drank much coffee in pajamas. Did the dishes, cleaned out my car, blogged, emailed. Watched "Phantom of the Opera." Took a bath, went to bed.
Saturday: Slept in. Drank much coffee in pajamas. Cleaned the house while my Coffee House Blend soothed me. Started a book. Took a bath. Knit. Watched what I wanted on TV. Ran to the store for food. (The trip took only 10 minutes but I found the contact with civilization to be quite jarring.) Watched a movie. Went to bed.
Sunday: Went to church. Came home and inhaled my last few minutes of alone time. Picked Brian up from the airport.
It was like I had been on a spa vacation. I was completely relaxed and rejuvenated. And I was extremely happy to see Brian. But oh, that time alone was good. Although, it does worry me that I simply will not leave the house for one minute unless I have no choice. I fear without Brian, I may become a hermit. (I actually think it was just a nice change of pace. I'm sure a week of that would have made me stir-crazy. I think I'm sure.)
So tonight? I'm getting ready right now to fire up my Coffee House Blend and light a candle.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Well, I had sort of a dry spell with blogging for several weeks and now I’ve got the itch again. But after my “serious” blog yesterday I feel like I should lighten up the situation. Here are some madcap adventures and ponderings for October.
Beginning: October begins with a crazy Monday night trip to Chicago on the train to see the fabulous Ani DiFranco in concert. Heather, Sara, and I left South Bend at 4:00 p.m., ate supper in downtown Chicago, went to the concert, rode the train back, and I walked in my door at something like 4:00 a.m. Along with my sad tookus that I dragged in the door, was the realization that a 31 year old should probably give up pulling all-nighters.
Pondering: Why do men spit? I don’t understand this need to spit. I have asked Brian why he spits and he gave me some song and dance about how he thinks he produces too much saliva. And I’m like, NO YOU DON’T! You don’t sit on the couch watching a movie and all of sudden have to jump up and run to the sink because you can no longer control the drool that is leaking out of the corners of your mouth because you can’t possibly swallow all the saliva your body is producing. And men sometimes spit before using the, umm…facilities, I’ve discovered. I have never entered the bathroom and thought, “ahhh, I’ll just spit in the turlet here before I do my business.” Where does this come from?
Haunted Doings: As a child I was not allowed to celebrate Halloween. As an adult I have fully embraced it, minus all the satanic associations. I love handing out candy to children (it builds community), I love being scared, I love watching spooky movies, I think I would love dressing up again. So, Brian and I hauled, along with Dan and Felicia, all around Northern Indiana to some haunted productions. First we hit the Warsaw Haunted Hospital. Huge DUD! Not scary. Stupid. So we drove to Cherubusco to a haunted school in the middle of rural Indiana. There I confronted my claustrophobia and battled gravity. It was the coolest place. We then drove south to the Silver Lake Haunted woods. You may ask yourself if it is fun to be attacked in a corn field by masked men in the dark. And the answer would be a resounding YES! Bring it on! A corn maze in the dark with people jumping out at you and then a spooky walk through a spooky wood – superb, just superb.
Fondue: We threw our first fondue party. We did a practice run several days before the actual event. We invited our friend Colin over as a guinea pig. He was such a good sport. I learned not to show the cheese any fear. It can smell it, and then you wind up with a glop of cheese laying in a pool of oil mocking you. But, along with the help of my 1970’s age-of-Aquarius fondue cookbook, Brian and I threw a successful party. Cheese and bread, meat and veggies in batter and oil, and then chocolate and fruit. Our house smelled like peanut oil for days (i.e. like the fried food at the fair). Made me hugely hungry at all moments. Thankfully, nobody at the party passed a large painful cheeseball the next day, nor did they suffer from salmonella. I now would like to don some swanky 70’s wear and fondue all the time.
Ending: Well October is going to end with another trip to Chicago. You might never guess where I’ll be going. My dear friend Heather is a huge Madonna fan. So, we’re hauling to our second Madonna concert on Sunday. It should be interesting at the very least.
The material girl just keeps going.
Oh and I guess there’s still Halloween (or "the big dance") itself left. I’ll have to let you know how it turns out.
Beginning: October begins with a crazy Monday night trip to Chicago on the train to see the fabulous Ani DiFranco in concert. Heather, Sara, and I left South Bend at 4:00 p.m., ate supper in downtown Chicago, went to the concert, rode the train back, and I walked in my door at something like 4:00 a.m. Along with my sad tookus that I dragged in the door, was the realization that a 31 year old should probably give up pulling all-nighters.
Pondering: Why do men spit? I don’t understand this need to spit. I have asked Brian why he spits and he gave me some song and dance about how he thinks he produces too much saliva. And I’m like, NO YOU DON’T! You don’t sit on the couch watching a movie and all of sudden have to jump up and run to the sink because you can no longer control the drool that is leaking out of the corners of your mouth because you can’t possibly swallow all the saliva your body is producing. And men sometimes spit before using the, umm…facilities, I’ve discovered. I have never entered the bathroom and thought, “ahhh, I’ll just spit in the turlet here before I do my business.” Where does this come from?
Haunted Doings: As a child I was not allowed to celebrate Halloween. As an adult I have fully embraced it, minus all the satanic associations. I love handing out candy to children (it builds community), I love being scared, I love watching spooky movies, I think I would love dressing up again. So, Brian and I hauled, along with Dan and Felicia, all around Northern Indiana to some haunted productions. First we hit the Warsaw Haunted Hospital. Huge DUD! Not scary. Stupid. So we drove to Cherubusco to a haunted school in the middle of rural Indiana. There I confronted my claustrophobia and battled gravity. It was the coolest place. We then drove south to the Silver Lake Haunted woods. You may ask yourself if it is fun to be attacked in a corn field by masked men in the dark. And the answer would be a resounding YES! Bring it on! A corn maze in the dark with people jumping out at you and then a spooky walk through a spooky wood – superb, just superb.
Fondue: We threw our first fondue party. We did a practice run several days before the actual event. We invited our friend Colin over as a guinea pig. He was such a good sport. I learned not to show the cheese any fear. It can smell it, and then you wind up with a glop of cheese laying in a pool of oil mocking you. But, along with the help of my 1970’s age-of-Aquarius fondue cookbook, Brian and I threw a successful party. Cheese and bread, meat and veggies in batter and oil, and then chocolate and fruit. Our house smelled like peanut oil for days (i.e. like the fried food at the fair). Made me hugely hungry at all moments. Thankfully, nobody at the party passed a large painful cheeseball the next day, nor did they suffer from salmonella. I now would like to don some swanky 70’s wear and fondue all the time.
Ending: Well October is going to end with another trip to Chicago. You might never guess where I’ll be going. My dear friend Heather is a huge Madonna fan. So, we’re hauling to our second Madonna concert on Sunday. It should be interesting at the very least.
The material girl just keeps going.Oh and I guess there’s still Halloween (or "the big dance") itself left. I’ll have to let you know how it turns out.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Red or blue...or something in between
Well, it happened. I suspected it. I feared it. I wouldn't address it because I wanted to remain in denial. But then, my sister blurted it out in a conversation and my worst fears were realized.
My own dear, sweet, mother who is right under Jesus in the heavenly hierarchy. My own strong mother who planted tiny little mustard seeds of feminism within me. For the love of everything holy - WHY?!?
It's no secret to those that know me well that my political views are, well, quite liberal. (Brian was even called a socialist at work this week...imagine me giggling because that's what I'm doing.) But I try really hard to deal kindly and respectfully with those whose views oppose my own. I'm a big fan of dialogue. But I have a confession.
In private conversations with people who see politics like I do, I'm afraid I'm not very kind to the other viewpoint. (I never blast specific people, just the general masses.) And I'm probably even less kind in my own inner dialogue. (And wow, do I ramble on and on and on in my head sometimes!) I have a tremendously difficult time believing that a rational, thinking, intelligent human being could have anything but utter disdain for Sarah Palin. Really. And I don't like that part of me that so easily dismisses the good brains somebody was born with. So I've been grappling with this ever since my initial rage and indignation subsided just a tiny bit following McCain picking Palin as his running mate. I'm now really curious, and genuinely so, as to why someone would vote for McCain/Palin. And I've been looking for good reasons - not pat answers and not negatives about Obama or the Democrats.
And I've had a revelation this week. And it has cooled my jets, disarmed me, took much of the intensity out of my emotional reaction to the politics of this election season.
You see, I'm scared about the fate of this country. I'm scared of another administration like the Bush one. I'm frightened that we have become so self-obsessed and arrogant as a country that we will squander every bit of good-will we have remaining with foreign nations. I'm afraid that instead of dealing diplomatically with other governments, we will continue to engage in pre-emptive wars resulting in casualties and injury far surpassing simply those that are hurt in the direct line of battle fire. I'm afraid that as citizens, our rights will start to erode as the extreme religious right in this country pushes for a theocracy. I'm afraid that our environment will continue to suffer because, well, we're Americans and we shouldn't have to give up anything that we're used to, anything that makes our lives easy and comfortable. Our arrogance makes it okay for us to use the majority of the world's resources and energy while only accounting for between 5% to 8% of the world's population. I'm afraid for women's rights. I'm afraid about our escalating health care costs. I'm afraid about the economy. I could go on forever.
But, I'm realizing that my friends who see things from a McCain/Palin perspective are scared too. I don't know if I can accurately represent them, but I'll try to sum up what I've been gathering. They fear for our safety, that if we are soft on other nations or pull out of Iraq too quickly it will open us up to attack. They are afraid of not having the strongest military in the world because it would drastically alter the global scene. They are afraid that the government will try to take too much of their money or hurt small business. They are afraid about the economy. They are afraid about the escalating health care costs. They are afraid that morality in this country will erode, that the values they cherish will be considered antiquated and useless (especially regarding abortion and gay marriage). They are afraid that this nation could turn towards socialism. They are afraid that any quick moves, or drastic changes could damage or negatively alter the way of life that Americans hold so dear. They are afraid of things dissolving into chaos. I'm sure I'm leaving some out, but you get the idea.
Once I realized that both sides of the political landscape are afraid - I mean really, really frightened - it took away the "them and us" mentality I was carrying around. (And I'm referring here to friends and to average citizens like me - not corporate executives, politicians, journalists, etc...) And basically, other than on a few really pointed issues, we are scared of the same stuff. The solutions we believe in are not the same, but our desires for our families and for this country match up fairly closely.
When did we let ourselves get so consumed with "issues" - issues like abortion, homosexuality, gun-control, or stem-cell research, that we completely lost sight of the bigger picture? When did those become issues that we would stake EVERYTHING on? (Please do not hear me saying they aren't important because they are important issues...for instance, I would imagine if a loved one could be saved by furthering stem-cell research than it is probably the most important thing in your world. I'm only suggesting that during election time they can be used to distract Americans from working on "big picture" ideas for this nation. I would even suggest the government shouldn't be involved in all the "issues" that they are.) And when did we become so consumed with fear that we assumed complete annihilation of the United States of America and our way of life if the "other" party should be elected to office? When did we become such a nation divided, so focused on the negative that we stopped working together to build up the country?
I'll admit that I am still no fan of McCain/Palin, and frankly, the Bush administration is a scary one by a lot of standards. But I won't see the average citizens who support them as my "enemies" anymore. And on November 4, here's a wish for a prosperous journey, success, and good fortune - godspeed!
And for the Christians among us, who so closely try to link our voting with our commitment to following the way of Jesus, I offer this prayer:
My mother likes Sarah Palin.
My own dear, sweet, mother who is right under Jesus in the heavenly hierarchy. My own strong mother who planted tiny little mustard seeds of feminism within me. For the love of everything holy - WHY?!?
It's no secret to those that know me well that my political views are, well, quite liberal. (Brian was even called a socialist at work this week...imagine me giggling because that's what I'm doing.) But I try really hard to deal kindly and respectfully with those whose views oppose my own. I'm a big fan of dialogue. But I have a confession.
In private conversations with people who see politics like I do, I'm afraid I'm not very kind to the other viewpoint. (I never blast specific people, just the general masses.) And I'm probably even less kind in my own inner dialogue. (And wow, do I ramble on and on and on in my head sometimes!) I have a tremendously difficult time believing that a rational, thinking, intelligent human being could have anything but utter disdain for Sarah Palin. Really. And I don't like that part of me that so easily dismisses the good brains somebody was born with. So I've been grappling with this ever since my initial rage and indignation subsided just a tiny bit following McCain picking Palin as his running mate. I'm now really curious, and genuinely so, as to why someone would vote for McCain/Palin. And I've been looking for good reasons - not pat answers and not negatives about Obama or the Democrats.
And I've had a revelation this week. And it has cooled my jets, disarmed me, took much of the intensity out of my emotional reaction to the politics of this election season.
You see, I'm scared about the fate of this country. I'm scared of another administration like the Bush one. I'm frightened that we have become so self-obsessed and arrogant as a country that we will squander every bit of good-will we have remaining with foreign nations. I'm afraid that instead of dealing diplomatically with other governments, we will continue to engage in pre-emptive wars resulting in casualties and injury far surpassing simply those that are hurt in the direct line of battle fire. I'm afraid that as citizens, our rights will start to erode as the extreme religious right in this country pushes for a theocracy. I'm afraid that our environment will continue to suffer because, well, we're Americans and we shouldn't have to give up anything that we're used to, anything that makes our lives easy and comfortable. Our arrogance makes it okay for us to use the majority of the world's resources and energy while only accounting for between 5% to 8% of the world's population. I'm afraid for women's rights. I'm afraid about our escalating health care costs. I'm afraid about the economy. I could go on forever.
But, I'm realizing that my friends who see things from a McCain/Palin perspective are scared too. I don't know if I can accurately represent them, but I'll try to sum up what I've been gathering. They fear for our safety, that if we are soft on other nations or pull out of Iraq too quickly it will open us up to attack. They are afraid of not having the strongest military in the world because it would drastically alter the global scene. They are afraid that the government will try to take too much of their money or hurt small business. They are afraid about the economy. They are afraid about the escalating health care costs. They are afraid that morality in this country will erode, that the values they cherish will be considered antiquated and useless (especially regarding abortion and gay marriage). They are afraid that this nation could turn towards socialism. They are afraid that any quick moves, or drastic changes could damage or negatively alter the way of life that Americans hold so dear. They are afraid of things dissolving into chaos. I'm sure I'm leaving some out, but you get the idea.
Once I realized that both sides of the political landscape are afraid - I mean really, really frightened - it took away the "them and us" mentality I was carrying around. (And I'm referring here to friends and to average citizens like me - not corporate executives, politicians, journalists, etc...) And basically, other than on a few really pointed issues, we are scared of the same stuff. The solutions we believe in are not the same, but our desires for our families and for this country match up fairly closely.
When did we let ourselves get so consumed with "issues" - issues like abortion, homosexuality, gun-control, or stem-cell research, that we completely lost sight of the bigger picture? When did those become issues that we would stake EVERYTHING on? (Please do not hear me saying they aren't important because they are important issues...for instance, I would imagine if a loved one could be saved by furthering stem-cell research than it is probably the most important thing in your world. I'm only suggesting that during election time they can be used to distract Americans from working on "big picture" ideas for this nation. I would even suggest the government shouldn't be involved in all the "issues" that they are.) And when did we become so consumed with fear that we assumed complete annihilation of the United States of America and our way of life if the "other" party should be elected to office? When did we become such a nation divided, so focused on the negative that we stopped working together to build up the country?
I'll admit that I am still no fan of McCain/Palin, and frankly, the Bush administration is a scary one by a lot of standards. But I won't see the average citizens who support them as my "enemies" anymore. And on November 4, here's a wish for a prosperous journey, success, and good fortune - godspeed!
And for the Christians among us, who so closely try to link our voting with our commitment to following the way of Jesus, I offer this prayer:
In the weeks leading up to Election Day, pray that we as Christians would respect the integrity of our Christian brothers and sisters in their sincere efforts to apply Christian commitments to the important decisions of this election, knowing that people of faith and conscience will be voting both ways in this election year. (From an author at Sojourners)
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
oh the humanity
The entry below is copied and pasted from an email exchange Brian and I had earlier today. I need to preface the story by telling you that our youth group is coming to our house tonight. I decided I needed to finish editing the video of our summer trip to Denver so that we could view it tonight...but our video editing software makes me want to stab my leg with a blunt object. (Some of you already know that.) So it's a long a laborious process. I also decided that I should make 50 different options of snacks - which the kids probably won't even like because they only seem to fancy pizza rolls and plain cheese pizza. So that put me way behind schedule-wise.
Also, the story below clearly shows that I am in danger of my life everytime I sit down to blog. Be aware that this is a high risk behavior.
From: Lisa Showalter
Sent: Wednesday, September 17, 2008 1:16
To: Brian Showalter
Subject: Oh the humanity
Did you happen to see the computer room this morning?
From: Brian Showalter
Sent: Wednesday, September 17, 2008 1:18
To: Lisa Showalter
Subject: Re: Oh the humanity
What happened?! Cat/Dog poo... vomit...
From: Lisa Showalter
Sent: Wednesday, September 17, 2008 1:35
To: Brian Showalter
Subject: Re: Oh the humanity
(i'm going to see if i can write this email without using any caps.)
you didn't see it?!?!?!?!
you may have noticed how there were flip flops sitting at the entrance to the office. or you may not have because you're not always really observant. the flip flops are there in case entry to the room is desired, entry to the room without getting involved in a bloody mess that is.
this morning, somewhere between the hours of 12:00 a.m. and 3:15 a.m., i was sitting there minding my own business, reading whole chapters of my book in the time it took for a new window to open up on the computer, when suddenly there was a loud popping noise, and then a crazy crack/shatter sound. basically, the light fixture exploded. all over the flippin' place. i put a flourescent bulb in this weekend. evidently it gets too hot in the enclosed light sconce. hmm. explosion. it's nothing short of a miracle that it didn't happen while a student was sitting at my piano, or that bunzy or the cats weren't laying there, or that nothing in the room was hurt (i don't even think it scratched the piano or the bench), or that i didn't end up with a glass shard the size of a manatee in my eyeball. i continued working. that's how i roll.
the video finished moments before i left the house this morning at 9:20. (I started the recording at 3:20ish) i didn't have time to test it. it better stinking work.
i hope you come home with lots of energy to get stuff done because i didn't get to sleep until 4 a.m. and i'm running a little low on energy (thus the "no caps" - too much effort).
now tell me a story.
So, far no response has been forthcoming from the sleeping beauty who missed my brush with the grim reaper. Also, I'm hoping he'll clean up the glass when he gets home.
Also, the story below clearly shows that I am in danger of my life everytime I sit down to blog. Be aware that this is a high risk behavior.
From: Lisa Showalter
Sent: Wednesday, September 17, 2008 1:16
To: Brian Showalter
Subject: Oh the humanity
Did you happen to see the computer room this morning?
From: Brian Showalter
Sent: Wednesday, September 17, 2008 1:18
To: Lisa Showalter
Subject: Re: Oh the humanity
What happened?! Cat/Dog poo... vomit...
From: Lisa Showalter
Sent: Wednesday, September 17, 2008 1:35
To: Brian Showalter
Subject: Re: Oh the humanity
(i'm going to see if i can write this email without using any caps.)
you didn't see it?!?!?!?!
you may have noticed how there were flip flops sitting at the entrance to the office. or you may not have because you're not always really observant. the flip flops are there in case entry to the room is desired, entry to the room without getting involved in a bloody mess that is.
this morning, somewhere between the hours of 12:00 a.m. and 3:15 a.m., i was sitting there minding my own business, reading whole chapters of my book in the time it took for a new window to open up on the computer, when suddenly there was a loud popping noise, and then a crazy crack/shatter sound. basically, the light fixture exploded. all over the flippin' place. i put a flourescent bulb in this weekend. evidently it gets too hot in the enclosed light sconce. hmm. explosion. it's nothing short of a miracle that it didn't happen while a student was sitting at my piano, or that bunzy or the cats weren't laying there, or that nothing in the room was hurt (i don't even think it scratched the piano or the bench), or that i didn't end up with a glass shard the size of a manatee in my eyeball. i continued working. that's how i roll.
the video finished moments before i left the house this morning at 9:20. (I started the recording at 3:20ish) i didn't have time to test it. it better stinking work.
i hope you come home with lots of energy to get stuff done because i didn't get to sleep until 4 a.m. and i'm running a little low on energy (thus the "no caps" - too much effort).
now tell me a story.
So, far no response has been forthcoming from the sleeping beauty who missed my brush with the grim reaper. Also, I'm hoping he'll clean up the glass when he gets home.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Four Womyn in New Mexico
Ahhhhh, a great vacation had by all. I'll try to sum it up in a relatively short manner. (Alright, I'm part way through writing this entry and it's not going to be short. Sorry.)The Characters:
Janice Eigsti Miller (A calm companion who is pregnant but, mysteriously, still eats less than me.)
Lisa Showalter (The one who panics)
Andrea Yoder (A seasoned traveler who has been known to turn into a doctor, or any profession that is called upon during any given crisis.)Day 1: Flight into Albuquerque. No sleep the night before. We accidentally attend
the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis during a layover. We arrive at our adobe casa where Sir Russell Betts graciously greets us. Heather eats an Indian taco and also immediately declares her love for Santa Fe - like any common hussy might. We are so tired. So tired. MUST GET ANDREA! She waits at a bus stop in Santa Fe. Heather's too tired to drive our luxury car (two free upgrades) and I'm too tired to walk. Confusion and crazy behavior ensues. Andrea is collected.Day 2: White water rafting. Not only do I not cry the entire day, but turns out I pretty much kick booty at rowing. Andrea, Heather, and I (Prego stayed at the Casa for this adventure) share a boat with our guide Joel wherein Joel receives the complement from other guides that he has a "fast boat." Evidently quite a complement. He may have been worried when he saw three womyn head toward his boat but it turns out he had nothing to fear. He had three super-powerful, mid-west bred, white water rafting heroines.
Day 3: Tooling around Santa Fe, discovering it's mysteries, including the Georgia
O'Keefe Museum and one set of mystery stairs in the Loretto Chapel. Heather has Indian Taco number two and counts it a miracle because she simply did not think she would ever eat another one in her life. I buy my first piece of turquoise and am informed that turquoise "goes with everything."
Day 4: This is the day I nearly convert to Catholicism. We visit the Santuario at Chimayo which has healing dirt inside. We all rub the blessed dirt about our bodies. (I also brought some home - let me know if you are in 
need.) This is actually a very moving place where people leave baby shoes, pictures of loved ones, crutches, etc... We eat at a KFC, unaware that Indian Tacos are available at the Pueblo we visit later. The Pueblo is incredibly interesting.Day 5: Ojo Caliente (mineral springs and day spa): My first massage, by a man named Richard, who unlocked my secrets. (He wondered why my forearms and hands were so strong - I told him it's because I am a pianist - but I think we all know it was probably from the mighty rowing I had done a few days previous.) Dipping in the various springs followed: iron, arsenic!, and soda. A drink of lithium water was sipped, and mud baths were had by everyone. Several hippies spotted here.
Day 6: Oooh, this was a full day. I'll divide it into two parts.
Part 1: Bandelier Monument: Here we hiked, saw and crawled in cliff dwellings,
and one of us was stung by a nuclear bee. (Alright, it was me.) Heather remained very calm (until later when she had to climb a few ladders) and removed the stinger from my wounded hand. I still think it may have been a one-toothed rattlesnake bite. Heather swears it didn't look like a snake tooth that she pulled out. The park ranger was not amused by my asking if the bees are particularly vicious or powerful there. ("Our bees are JUST FINE! It's the humans who react to them differently.") This is also where Heather panics when she is the last to fill her water bottle and cannot get the water pump on the trail to work and accuses us of "taking all the water." We then head to Los Alamos which was only a half hour away (thus the nuclear bee). We see many secret agents and undercover scientists around town. I'm sure of it.
Part 2: Zozobra: We heard about this on the news the night before (after watching the Sarah Palin speech together which I will withhold all comments about). Turns out this crazy event happens every year after labor day to kick off Fiestas de Santa Fe. A 50 foot marionette of "Old Man Gloom" is burned to dispel the hardships and travails of the last year. You can write your gloom down and put it in a box to be burned with Zozobra (and then you receive a sticker and glow-stick which pleased the child in me). We watch the three snipers on two of the nearby rooftops and hear about how the plaza is completely shut down by the police after the burning. We wonder what in the world we have gotten ourselves into. When it's been dark for an hour (not at dusk like the event info would have you believe), and the crowd is getting restless, they begin the ceremonial burning. It is very exciting and not a little creepy. The crowd is screaming "BURN HIM!!" (Heck yeah, I joined in.) And then amid fireworks and dancers, he goes up in flames. Afterwards there are 
shouts all through the streets of "VIVA LA FIESTA" and everyone nearby answers, "VIVA!!" We were so glad we decided to go to this very local and unique event, and it was only a few blocks from our casa. Way cool. We have a run in with the local security when we decide we'll walk through the closed plaza. Heather gets lippy and is ready to "stick it to the man." Cooler heads prevail.Day 7: I wake up to one normal-sized hand and one that resembles an animal
paw because it so swollen from the nuclear bee sting. We head to Ghost Ranch, which is the area where Georgia O'Keefe owned a home and it is the landscape that inspired much of her art. The landscape is beautiful red rocks. We take an epic hike with an awe inspiring view that rewarded our journey. It was a magnificent thing to do on our last day. We head back to Santa Fe where Heather has Indian taco number three. We then walk up to Old Fort Marcy Park to watch our last sunset together in New Mexico. I have no words...Day 8: MUST GET ANDREA TO THE BUS STOP! I overhear someone on the street saying there would be a parade and I advise Heather and Andrea to leave a little early. Janice is taken just in case roads are blocked off and map reading is needed. Left alone to pack I enjoy a moment outside before I need to get in the shower...when peeling into the drive comes our luxury sedan, kicking up dust and screeching to a halt. Two wild-eyed women who resemble Heather and Janice tear out of the car and tell me to PACK NOW! WE HAVE TO GET OUT OF SANTA FE! THE PARADE HAS ALL ROADS SHUT DOWN! (We find out later it is a dog parade.) I get ready as quickly as I can but I'm not really feeling the panic. We leave town and our adorable casa. We leave too quickly. We don't have any problems leaving town so we decide to take the scenic route to the airport, stopping in Madrid for last minute shopping. We lose track of the time and it ends with Heather chasing Janice and I down, partly on foot, partly in the luxury sedan - complete with horn honking. There is slight panic getting to the airport but we make it. Heather has Indian taco number four. We find Andrea waiting to board our airplane (her earlier flight had been canceled). We all arrive home safe and sound, with wonderful memories created, and something like 1,000 pictures to sort through.
Until next year...VIVA LA FIESTA!!
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