We went out for lunch in Portsmouth with K + G.  It was lovely, and I assured them that I would forget to take a picture, which I did.  I remembered just as we said goodbye to K.  It was freezing outside and he had to get something from the car and bring it back to G in the cafe and we had to get to our car to drive off to see my former students in a show, so this picture was taken as quickly and painlessly as possible.  

I only took two pictures while at the show.  They were of these people.  One shot was taken without a flash and makes them look like they each have more than one head.  On the second attempt, E tried (unsuccessfully) to escape from the picture, which left him looking awkward and terrified in the corner of the frame.  I decided that they'd like me better if I described the pictures rather than posting them.  In any case, the show was well done and the company was delightful.

Puppy played with Ben's camera today.  This was the result:

Just kidding. I had a photobooth photo shoot while laying on the couch.  Puppy couldn't figure out how to turn the camera on.

(Ok, so I couldn't find a picture anywhere for today and I realized that I had made a mistake posting for tomorrow.  This picture (and the other one of puppy playing with Ben's camera) was taken at 1 am on Friday, but was meant to be Thursday's picture, since it was still Thursday in my mind.  I'll keep Friday's post intact because I think it's pretty fabulous, but I thought I should explain the situation to you, gentle readers.)

On the subject of puppy, he's been spending a lot of time with us lately.  I'll discover him on my shoulder when I've been sitting and reading for hours, on my pillow when I'm ready to go to bed, etc. etc.  I think he's looking for some attention...  

Snow day + sick day.  I'm rather torn about whether it's good to be sick on a snow day or the worst thing ever.  Anyway, I dressed like this all day.  Notice the shirt - purchased for my mom, but I kept one, and bought her another one.  (if you can't read the text bubbles, the one on the left says "get real" and the one on the right says "be rational."  get it?  math people? get it?)

classmates came over to eat after class.  we played apples to apples.  this was my hardest decision of the day.  i forget what i chose.

did work at the cafe while my car got an oil change.  i didn't notice until after i took this picture that the walls had been painted boring colors (the one i was looking at was still bright blue).

like good kids, we rode our bikes while starting again with episode 1, season 1 of the west wing. 

I make sure to always have some chicken soup in the freezer for sicky days like today.

haircut today!  seriously, i love my stylist.  i called at 12:15 and she fit me in at 1:15 even though she was booked solid.  and since i washed my hair before i came instead of her washing it, it was a half price haircut!!!  

Since I had made a TON of lentils for Tuesday and frozen most of them (which actually took about 40 minutes to defrost in the microwave), we hosted this week's Thursday night dinner for Ben's cohort.  It was a big crowd, and for once, I didn't cook way too much.  I felt bad, actually, because the food was finished before everyone arrived!  Fortunately, there were lots of good dessert-y things, including a yummy cinnamon bread made from this Amish friendship bread starter.  We were also given some of the starter so that we can make some of our own! (Anyone want some?  The starter, that is.)  This picture was taken just before we played Apples to Apples, which was a blast. 

internship ---> class ---> climbing gym ---> reading in bed while cuddling with our puppy

First day of classes and afterwards, dinner with a few classmates.  Not a bad day.  It started and ended with text messaging with just about the only person who texts me.  Before class, she texted me to tell me she was sick and wouldn't be in class.  When I heard the text sound in the morning, I was like "M-----!"  Ben picked up my phone and we were both a little surprised that I had been right.  Anyway, this picture was taken at the end of the day and features me texting to see how she's feeling.  I don't text that well.  That's why I look like I'm so focused/confused.   

Ben had a major photo shoot with his new camera while I was making lentil, spinach, and potato curry for the first of the Tuesday night dinners I just started hosting for my cohort.  

nothing terribly exciting today, as evidenced by this glamour shot from my personal photo shoot.  actually, i made a pot roast, which was almost good, and carrot zucchini apple bread which turned out incredibly good, watched some west wing, and tried to go bowling with friends, but the place was closing because of the weather (which wasn't bad at all, despite the fact that it snowed a foot or so today) so we went to chili's and all ate food that was bad for us.  anyway, back to real life... hopefully i'll get used to it soon... 

We flew home today.

My car was covered with REALLY thick, heavy ice and snow.  

Finally, we're home and warm, and I just wanted to wish my mom a happy birthday before we go to sleep:

My sister has the best cats ever.

Lola likes to headbutt people.  And Ben found today that she doesn't mind being smooshed so much.  She's not very smart, but she's very vocal.  
Gracie was a little too cool for us during this visit and we didn't spend much time with her, but we did get to witness her trying to arrange an impromptu clothing swap.  (She grabs people's pieces of clothing and brings them into other places in the house.)  She's a smartie and loves running water.
We went to the Booksmith to see Michael Capozzola talk about his book.  In addition to his being a really funny guy, they served this funny beer and played with dinosaurs.

We left our room quite early to get to Santa Cruz and do whatever it is that people do there.  You should know, however, that we're staying in Costanoa's Green Room, which seems basically the same as the other comparable rooms, but with better robes. Here's how it's greener:

After breakfast at Caffe Pergolesi and a walk around downtown Santa Cruz, we walked to the end of the wharf, where we found lots and lots of these sea lion friends.  

They were noisy.

This one liked us the most, I think.

There isn't just a Patagonia store in Santa Cruz.  It's a Patagonia OUTLET!

The surfing museum was the size of a bathroom, but there was a 3 day knee boarding competition going on right by it.  Then we went to lunch at Khyber Pass, where we ate much much too much and still came home with lots of leftovers for dinner.

Afterwards, we only had energy for sitting/people watching.  This woman is walking a pet duck, on a leash.  Yes, I did say duck.  (Later, we saw a man riding a bike with his pet parrot on his shoulder.)

We saw a bunch of people doing this weird flat surfboardy boat rowing thing.... Reminds me of a gondola... 

When we got too exhausted to people watch, we went to see Milk at a The Delmar.  It was good, and of course, sad.  Picked up green tea mochi at Trader Joe's, drove back to Pescadero, and stared at our computers for a while.  Soon, we'll eat leftovers.  Yum.

Before we left the Santa Nella House in Guerneville, we ate the most spectacular french toast with pear flambe and the owner took a picture of us on the porch.  

We're getting really used to these signs and we know that they mean what they say.  We encountered this one on the way to Muir Woods, which was much like Armstrong Redwood State Park, but with signs like this:

... also with gift shops at which Ben was able to make friends with this puppet owl.

We stopped about 10 minutes before we reached Costanoa in Pescadero so that we could stretch, breathe, and look at the view a little (and take some pictures before it got dark).

When we got in, we were starving and cranky from driving and found that their general store closed at 4 even though it says it closes at 6 and it was much too early for dinner... We tried to drive to get a snack and gas and found that there's really nothing but ocean and cliffs for about 20 miles in either direction.  Whoops!

Most of my pictures are taken out the window of the car.  See?  Lots of vines.  No grapes :(

We tried many many olive oils here, and a couple wines.

We went basically right next door for lunch, and Ben tried to make a friend.

It didn't work.

Then we had our daily ice cream in the town of Sonoma, drove back to Healdsburg, walked around there, and bought a bottle of wine, and went back to the B+B to eat cheese and leftovers and challenge the owners to a game of trivial pursuit. (It was Genus II, so we did miserably.)

Later, we lit a fire in the fireplace and drank champagne that had been given to us (because we were there on our honeymoon) by the owner of our bed and breakfast.  We had visited and taken a tour at Korbel in the morning, so it was kind of like our day had come full circle.  Did you know that Korbel makes a bunch of different kinds of champagne, but we usually only see one in stores?  This was the chardonnay champagne.  It was yummy.  Unfortunately, we were so tired that our movie watching/strawberry eating/champagne drinking only lasted about 2/3 a bottle.  

Me in a redwood at Armstrong Redwood State Park.

I pretended to perform from the stage of the redwood theatre.

Bodega Head.  Wow.

We like this tree.

Ben takes exceptional self-portraits.

I ordered the gourmet mushroom appetizer with brie and a creamy sauce at dinner.  Then it arrived and the mushrooms looked like octopi.  Ben was brave and stayed at the table while I ate it.

Today, Ben and I visited Berkeley with two of my sister's favorite people and one of my favorite people.  We walked around and went for yummy Chinese food with an exceptionally fun lazy susan.

I learned, after almost being fooled into thinking that these were Eucalyptus trees that the trees that line many streets in San Francisco and are feature in this picture of Berkeley are pollarded sycamores.  They are really weird looking, but I think I like them.

I got J to pose with his butt in the football coach's hand, though, I have to say, it's not hard to get this guy to be silly :)

Then, Joelle took us to the Albany Beach Bulb, where we saw a lot of really interesting art at a place that used to just be a landfill.  (Correct me if I'm describing it badly)  I kind of thought the following picture was going to be the highlight of my experience there:

UNTIL I SAW THIS (and many other breathtaking sculptures like it)  WOW!