Blake said they left you standing on the road, with your suitcases, in the cold.  My spouse, abandoned, shivering, heading to lands unknown.

The return drive from MD got us home after midnite Friday (technically Saturday morning).
Bat the Cat took our 2 day absence poorly.  He hid for the first day, then walked around the house growling and complaining like a grouchy old man.
Blake borrowed the car and went to a Wii party with his new not-girlfriend.  I had empty house which is new to me.
Each day it is snowing enough to refresh the winter look.  A little snow shoveling, a flock of crows.
Tessa has a full schedule when she visits, our beautiful daughter.
Ben will visit at the same time for a doctor appt.  He said he wants to see Tessa dance.
I saw our neighbor Em on the street.  She's just back from her second visit to India.  Kermit is fine.  Looks foward to seeing our grandchildren.
I talked to Andy Yale at FLFC.  He's a hopeful guy, speaking somewhere on MLK birthday.  Recommended I visit Ted Talks http://www.ted.com/ for inspiration and ideas.
And, of course, the inauguration.  Everyone is buzzing.  In Baltimore, they had already closed down roads.  Hope Now.

I checked the Kombucha right before I left.  In one jar the liquid is clear and golden.  Maybe that means it's ready, everything settled down.  I'll bottle it when I get back.

I think I'm in the same room of the Seattle Mayflower Hotel we stayed in together, room 419.  Turn left off the elevator.  Macy's is right out the window.  Brass coffee table.  Huge tub.  Actually, though, the bath fixtures are gold plated.  Maybe this is one floor down.

Tom Decker took us to Dahlia Restaurant, which was the same restaurant we ate in at our earlier trip.  I had black Cod with a seared spice top, over kimchi, rice and andouie sausage.

I didn't sleep on the red-eye home, perhaps because I had Lebanese tea with dinner, or perhaps because a woman with the biggest butt in the world took the middle seat next to my window nook.  Saturday I skipped a nap to keep on a regular schedule, though, why bother since I'm traveling on Monday.

The house was strangely clean when I returned: things that got so used to being in the wrong place I didn't even notice, like the breakfast chair in the living room.  Tessa said Blake has a new girl, Carolyn, who stayed over in our bed (our wedding photo was off the wall, behind the desk).  Blake told Tess he's in love, not like the other ones.  When I chatted today, Blake is back to "just a friend."  But, at least the house got cleaned.

Tess looks truly lovely, hair piled on top of her head and that great smile.  No family saw her dance since Ben was only available on Saturday (Tessa only has master classes today) and Blake needed Ben to drive him.  And, there's no video.  As Tessa says, she'll dance again.  She's planning her trip to Belgium. 

I made Chili Sat night, though every one of the kids thought that I had just thawed something you made.  Tessa is out with friends.  Blake's went to a hockey game and didn't make it home.  I talked to my mom and figured out a trick to make the call go better.  I watched a french movie with subtitles, sound off.  Paying only half attention to mom let me not

I took Tess and Ben to brunch on Sunday, then on to a group Wegman's event.  We almost exceeded the one trip pizza limit.  I've attached the receipt for your review.  Sunday I made Pesto, and though I cut down on the garlic, Ben still wouldn't have any. 

Ben had his appointment and took a lot of tests.  The Dr said he is fine but will await the test results for more lengthy comments.  Teddy is fine.  Tess and Blake won't pet Bat the Cat, because of allergies.  Ben said the love is worth the pain.

Today, Monday, I'm flying to LA, then to NYC, and home Thursday evening.  Life move Q U I C K L Y around here.

Sweet having kids at home, listening to them playing, teasing, loving each other.  Our urban gypsy Tessa has bird wing earrings.

Creaking to life like a wooden sailing ship, cracking and popping like a child's plastic toy, groaning like an old man, this Airbus 320 lumbers into the air.  Before our landing in Philadelphia, we pass over the mothball fleet.  I like this fleet because it's such a stupid idea; WWII ships are mothballed and docked for 60 years, awaiting another call to duty.

Blake is more frequently talking about moving to Boston
Tessa received a collection call for Blake.  She lectured him about his debt.

I'm in San Dimas CA today taping 2 TV shows about free tax preparation.  On one show a colleague of Ginger McNally's appeared with me.

The San Bernadino mountains outline the valley, which is called the Inland Empire.  Las Vegas is on the other side, LA to the north, Hollywood to the south.  It is beautiful and temperate, though over-developed.

I took the Red Eye from LA to NYC, arriving at 8am, just in time for a shower at Joy Cousminer's appt, then breakfast. 

I had dinner with Charlie, Kelly, Demetrius, and Mac.  Cornish game hen with lemon.  They all loved your adoption story and wish you well.  Demetrius and his wife are expecting their second child in February.

I'm staying at a new hip-hop midtown hotel, the Room-Mate chain.  I like hotels that don't feel like hotels.  No cheesy artwork, no beat up wooden bureaus, no TV next to the mini-bar.  The bed is on a platform, in a corner, wall-to-wall, overlooking a wall of windows.  The flat screen TV is in the corner, above the bed.  Upholstered benches around the bed and along the wall.  The work table is thick plexiglass, on wheels.  The bathroom is all 1" tiles, with no separation wall for the shower.  Showerhead as big as a dinner plate.

We went to dinner at Icon Grill, which is the restaurant we stepped into with the Chihuly globes in nets on the ceiling.  I had five-spice Tuna, which was seared on the outside, still red on the inside, on a bed of spinach, wasabi on the side.  Cooked sushi.

Sandy Watts from Arizona was here.  She's going to Hawaii in July, supposedly to get married, though that's what she said to me last July.

Someone handed out Fran's "Gray & Smoked Sea Salt Caramels" which are Obama's favorite chocolate, made right here in Seattle.

Last night in Seattle Loretta Saarinen, Susan Crane and I went to dinner at a Lebanese Restaurant across the bay from the City.  Beautiful evening view with the water, city lights, and the lit-up ferry.  Susan knew the restaurant owner so he served us family style, which was fun: red curry salmon, chicken shish-kebab, rice pilaf and brazed beef strips.  Then some totally unheard of desert that was based on Baclava, but had a cheese filling and lump of ice cream on top.

Loretta talked about her life, living alone and I thought about what it woule be like if you weren't there.  What a lonely life!  And, this hole in my heart that can't be filled.  So I quit thinking about that.

Then, the red-eye back to Ithaca.

First trip to Wegman's Grocery Store.  Did remember my Shopper's Card.  Did not have a good list.  Did get flustered by store traffic.  Did not get a balanced meal.

Blake and I are having storage problems; the cupboards are filling up with take-out containers.

Obama said "I can't do it by myself.  Government can't do it by itself.  No hand should be idle.  I will need your help."  So today, MLK Day, is a national volunteer service day, including Obama who worked at a food bank.

Vet. Allen says Frontline isn't really harmful to humans since it acts by blocking Gamma nerve connections, which are copious in fleas, but rare in humans.  Also, most dogs are fine with chocolate, though a few are highly reactive.

Lynda has a new email address and a new hairstyle.

Chas says he would like to go to Ethiopia with his lovely 120# Polish girlfriend.

Barbara Bartholomew   "Hooray!  So happy for you all."

I saw you in my dreams
We were walking hand in hand on a white sandy beach of Hawaii

We were playing in the sun
We were having so much fun on a white sandy beach of Hawaii

The sound of the ocean soothes my restless soul
The sound of the ocean rocks me all night long

Those high flown summer days, lying there is the sun
on a white sandy beach of Hawaii

The sound of the ocean soothes my restless soul
The sound of the ocean rocks me all night long

Last night in my dreams I saw your face again
We were there in the sun on a white sandy beach of Hawaii.

As you might have noticed on Wegman's, we've mostly switched from take-out to frozen pizza.  I made chili for a second time and learned some cooking tricks.  First I browned the meat while I was on a conference call.  Actually, the meat was black on one side.  Then, the recipe said three hours of simmer, so I did errands and found burning on the bottom of that pan too.  Blake ate some and asked how I made it taste so good.  Maybe he was just being nice.

I found some travel Oxyclean at Bed & Beyond.  Our snow shovel has gone missing, so I went to Wal*Mart.  I got trapped in a very depressing mood, and barely made it out with any good will.  The refrigerator is empty, but I couldn't imagine making it through Wegman's on a Friday night.

I also had a one hour conversation with my mom.  How did I do it?  I put a french movie on the TV, turned the sound down low and called.  Reading the subtitles took enough energy that I missed most of Mom's provocative words.  I think that's how Prozac works.

Tessa and I went out to dinner and chatted the evening away.  Then, today, Colby drove her to the airport.  Tessa might not be going to Belgium because Jill is so disorganized.  Tessa wants to leave her dog job, earn more money, concentrate on dance.  She got a new job (which you should ask her about).

Health
Mental - Too easily depressed by routine interactions.  I watched Across the Universe at my computer Sunday night (Blake is at Vinnie's SuperBowl) and had few tears at the end. 
Companionship - Blake spends each night with Caroline, who I haven't met.  During the day I see him at lunch time.
Work - Confident in work, but haven't found a pace.  I think my best work time is early evening.
Physical - My shoulder isn't healed, but it isn't bothering me nearly as much, perhaps due to machine exercise strengthening.  My hairline is receding.
Financial - Day by day.

Victory over   Fear
Victory over     Death