Another teeny update

What to say, what to say....

When I don't update my blog, it is generally because absolutely nothing interesting is happening in my life. Nothing to report. Which is why I wasn't reporting it, see???


Anyway. To report.

I have been unable to wean myself from putting two spaces after a period. I have tried. It was ingrained into me back in high school typing class with Mrs Bennett, and I just can't let it go, even though I know that it is now no longer necessary.

I just spent a weekend at Mom's house. We cut thin pieces of wood into sequentially smaller rectangles. It was fun. I will eventually have two wooden versions of my scrapbooking paper exploding picture box. It is awesome and the wood ones will be even MORE awesome.

**It is currently snowing in Seattle. Big flakes, low quantity. I don't think it will stick, though.......**


Good time at Mom's house. We also went to the Melting Pot, and I know mom loved it. We had an artichoke and spinach cheese dip, delicious salads, and a variety of meats for cooking. Veeeeery full afterwards. Watched a movie, then off to bed.

Other than the small trip to Mom's.....not much going on up here. The Boo Kitty is doing well. He weighs more than he ever has before, and now is picking on Shadow, rather than the other way around. But he is nice about it, and only picks a little. Doesn't have a mean bone in his body. He is very active, chasing around my hair ties and the milk top rings that he loves. He actually seems healthier now than he ever has been. He still overgrooms and rips out the hair on his back so he looks a bit mangy, but he is very happy and healthy and we love him dearly.

Boo is going on an adventure in a couple weeks. We are taking a cruise, and are going to board him at the vet's office. I checked out the space, and I know it will be OK. They will give him his SQ fluids every other day, and make sure that he is happy. The staff there bring their own pets to work, and they wander around the offices in the back. On breaks, people hang out with the boarders and give them love, and I think Boo will tough it out. Jobie has agreed to pick him up Friday, the day before we get home, so he can hang out with the Shadow-man until we get home Saturday evening.

The Shadow-man will be staying home alone. I feel really bad about this, since the last time we left him home alone (when we went to the coast with Boo for Christmas), he apparantly spent all of his time eating and gained a bunch of weight. I am going to pick up one of those timed feeders that doles out food over time. He will be bored and lonely at home, but he does NOT tolerate change well, and would be totally freaked out at the vet's office if we boarded him, so he stays home.

On to the cruise. We are *so* in need of a vacation. Almost a year since our last vacation!! What is this world coming to. The Amersons vacation more than that! We bought some spendy leaf guard gutters this summer, which sorta took over our vacation budget. Better now! We refinanced our mortgage in December, and with the $$ we are saving each month, we have upped our 'home' and 'vacation' smartipig.com funds to better/more accurate levels. Let the vacations commence!

We are headed to San Diego, then onto Mexico on a Holland America cruise. We stop at Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo san Lucas. Ethan and I have been to each of these cities before, but we are really looking forward to the warmth and sunshine and cruise ship experience. We are going with our good friends, Justin and Kim. Kim actually works for the cruiseline, so we got a nice deal on our room, and are in a suite with a balcony. Ooh la lah!!

So far, we have booked two of our excursions. Our first stop is in Puerto Vallarta, where we are doing a snorkelling tour, then visiting a tiny town only accessible by boat. Ethan and I actually visited this little town (Yelapa) last time we went to PV, but were told by the misinformed tour desk that we should not bring cameras.......so I didn't get any pictures of the beautiful scenery or the gorgeous waterfall nestled in this teeny ~100 person town. Not so happy. But, I get a do-over now.

In Mazatlan, we are doing a sea kayaking tour--heading out to a teeny island, and kayaking around it. Should be fun. I know Mom will be proud.

In Cabo, Ethan and I are undecided. Justin and Kim have booked a relaxing resort getaway, but Ethan and I are thinking of maybe a whale watching tour or maybe SNUBA diving or snorkelling again or even ziplining. Not really sure. I would totally zipline, but the beauty of Cabo is in the rock formations on the water, and we wouldn't really see that up in the mountains at the zipline. Plus, there are some scary rope bridges to traverse that I really don't think Ethan would enjoy. He doesn't trust safety equipment as much as I do.

Anyway. Ethan checked and his suit from Justin and Kim's wedding still fits, and I found some dresses for the 2 formal nights on the ship. Just gotta sort out Cabo and we are set.

We head down to San Diego a day before the cruise, and are going to stay at the W hotel through another friend of a friend deal. More ooh la lah!!

We have a busy time planned. We are hoping to make it to the space shuttle launch in mid-April. Won't know about the timing until after this (already very)delayed February one goes up, but I have my fingers crossed. It is the chance of a lifetime, and Ethan and I are big enough science/space geeks that we *must* go, or at least TRY to go.

After the lauch, our next plan. Well, MY next plan is to go to Australia. Maybe leave the week after the Superbowl in 2012?? Summer time there, and not missing anything here but bad weather. Ethan mustmustmust see the Great Barrier Reef with me, and I think he will totally love Sydney, too. And, they speak English there. Easy. We almost have enough airline miles to fund two tickets, so my plan is to wait a month or so until we have enough miles, then bombard Ethan with my cunning plan until he wearies and agrees with me. I am definitely the planner and the spender in the family, and Ethan remains the voice of reason. However....I am not an idiot, and we don't spend money we don't have. Hence the post about 2/12 written in 2/11. Planning makes things possible. And our smartypig.com account accruing several hundred dollars a month, earmarked solely for vacation spending. Planning is the key. It is still my lofty goal to someday travel to Hawai'i with my entire family and rent a massive house (that I will scour the internet to find) for a week in lieu of our annual coast gathering. Planning is the only way that will happen. And saving. Lots of saving. But wouldn't it be fun!!!