of trees, visitors and homes

Well, it's been a great couple of months out here in Seattle. The holidays started out with my first Kroll Thanksgiving. Alden's family has a Christmas tree farm out on the Kitsap Peninsula. The season kicked off Thanksgiving day and everyone pitched in for a couple of days of hard work culminating in Thanksgiving dinner for 23 on Friday after sundown. I learned about kinds of trees, how to chop them down and, most importantly, where and how to stand when they are falling! It was a wonderful way for me to get to know more of his family better and feel like I was contributing to the family business.

Finals came and went for school and I felt like it was best quarter I've had in the doctoral program in terms of productivity and manageability of workload. That was such a relief and got me in a good groove which continues into this quarter.

Molly accepted a new job in Chicago which meant that she had a holiday season of transition. She finished up work in Boston at the beginning of December and had her triumphant return to Chi-town at the beginning of January. She took some time off in-between and made it out for a wonderful visit to Seattle. We went to the Pike Place Market, worked out with the run club crew, rode the ferry, visited the Christmas tree farm and, of course, drank lots of coffee! It was wonderful for her to see my place and meet many of the people who have become so important in my life over the past year. We both then returned to Michigan where we spent a week and a half at home with our Mom and Dad. It's been a long time since I've had so much downtime with my nuclear family and I'll carry the affirmation and restful sense of purpose with me for some time.

Back home in Seattle, Alden has been in the process of buying a house for the past six weeks or so. He invited me to be a part of the adventure and it has been really fun! He closed Wednesday on a beautiful 3-bedroom + flex space (aka, bike room) townhouse in West Seattle. The weather has been very un-Seattle-like lately (more like Michigan, in fact) so we've been trading road time for furniture/house accouterment shopping. I did make it out for a ride last Friday despite it being 33 and wet, but ended up shivering & swearing whilst changing a rear flat about halfway through. On the bright side, it was the first time I'd successfully changed a flat out on the road on my own without having to call in reinforcements. I'm learning!

Looking forward, I'm still pondering my training/racing calendar for next season. I think I'm almost entirely talked into IMMOO in 08 if the timing of my friends' baby making/having can accommodate the training. However, I'm at a bit off a loss for 07... I'm thinking about swimming at Masters swimming Nationals in May since they will be held locally. My run club crew is growing in numbers and they are tossing around the idea of doing the Vancouver 1/2 marathon again in May. But that's all the racing I'm considering for the moment. I'd love to improve my biking stamina, which means that I may try the Seattle to Portland ride in July. I'd also like to get in a couple of olys and a 1/2 IM as well, although I don't know when or where. Any suggestions?

I've heard talk of remodeled kitchens (informed by two of the 35 & dry crew) and possible wedding sites like Belgium & Paris for our St. Louis representative. I was also wondering during the Ford funeral if a certain member of our group had something to do with the arrangement of the somber version of "Hail to the Victors" played there. What's the scoop?

Missing you all!