ahhh!!!!

it was a hot week. not for a long time have we had weather in the lower eighties or high 70's the week before dustin's birthday. maybe that has never happened, but either way, claudia and i needed to be outside.

i bought these stickers that look like space invaders ( the video game from the late eighties, i think.) they are restickable and pretty amazing. now no one will know we have no headboard on the bed. it just looks cool.
here is an update for everyone who doesn't already know. dustin had a birthday. it was a week long celebration. (as it should be!)


there was rockband on friday.

andy sang hungry like a wolf in the wolf hat. it was a real highlight of friday night.


it was a real celebration. even forrest got to rocking!


then came the big day. claudia and i got our hair cut while dustin worked. wen he got home he opened gifts. here are the highlights!
gift one: a huge beer! from our friend scott who lives in san jose. gift two: a fancy wig from jeremy and allison and the cute boys! and me sporting the nice wig. the beads are key.


i got dust an amoeba gift certificate and some new birthday shoes.
melissa and andy got dust blood that sticks to the window.
ahh the gifts just keep coming. they finished the big beer...

then we went to the dinner and the bar.


came home for cake.

mona liked the shoes, too. pretty cute, huh.

the next morning, right when we woke up, shea was here. and we all walked to the chicken and waffles restaurant. then dust and shea spent a lot of time and money in amoeba records. it was pretty much their best day.

pancake party 2008

these are my back to school shoes i told you about.




the precious!! isn't the purple to die for. i just love my fancy new phone.



the wolf hat helped claudia and i celebrate dustin's birthday month. i don't think he was as excited about the hat as we are, but....

you get the side view, too. it is a beaut!



the fabulous pancake chefs!!

chocolate chips, bananas, cinnamon apples, raspberries, and candies pecans. yummy!!
tots

the fruits of our labor.




the fruits who enjoyed our labor.
that is pretty much my day. pancake party!!!

school

so far i have been to school seven times (if you count my friday orientation). i like it pretty well. the classes are interesting, and i seem to be learning a lot. but for some reason, i am not yet overwhelmed. (let us all take a moment to knock on some wood for my sake.) also if you count that the quarter is only 10 weeks long, i am 1/10th of the way done. i have seven classes and three labs and one seminar (a time every friday where speakers come). not so bad. my first class gets started at 7:30 every day, and monday through wednesday are my long days. i go until four. i think i told you that i found a boy to ride with so i leave at 6:40 and get to school at 7:20. then we get to leave right at four (instead of waiting until 4:24 for the bus to come). by leaving at four, i get home at 4:20. the bus wouldn't even have picked me up from the school, yet!!! thursday and fridays i get out at 3. so that is a nice way to round out the week. all of my teachers are doctors of some sort (drs of anatomy, histology, chiropractic, et c). it is interesting to be surrounded by a lot of people who all want to do what i want to do, but so far no competitions have arisen. but i do know who the dumb ones are. they are never very good at keeping themselves hidden, you know. i will tell you all more as i have time. right now we are going to our friend, forrest's house for dinner. he is a good cook. so i am pumped. we are bringing olives, cheese and crackers and salami. i am not sure what forrest will make us, but i will probably let you know.
xoxo to all
and thinking of each of you.
corts

bout time for some photos, doncha think.

i put these pictures on in no order. i just wanted you guys to gt a feel for what we are doing. this is by no means all of it, but you will get the idea.



i thought we should start this off with dustin's gaming partner. they argue over who will wear the headset, and usually mona wins. how could you say no to her? she also loves "reading."

this is where we went to breakfast this morning. they specialize in southern breakfasts. it is called lois the pie queen.

so this is the original owner's son, chris. (lois's son). he runs the place now. that is the wall of fame behind him. digital underground is on there, the women's arm wrestling champ is up there, too. they got everybody up there.

this was dustin's breakfast, eggs, grits and fried chicken. he was loving it. i got grits, biscuits, and a pancake. after we had finished this feast, they brought us a slice of lemon ice box pie with whip cream. i could not put any more in, but dust was in heaven. you have no idea. it was great. and they were so nice in there. i think when people come to visit, you will eat there with us. i think dust is salivating just reading this.

not too long after we got here, our friend, andy, had a birthday. we like andy, and he enjoys most of the things we enjoy. so we went to Bevmo in search of cynar, the artichoke liquor, you 'member? then we saw this beacon, and our birthday plan changed. he is now the owner of a "das boot." this boot (and dustin's matching boot) are so good (and bad), but they make for a silly saturday night or two.


the boots hold 40 ozs of any liquid when filled to the "sock line." that is usually sufficient to get miracle baby and the ntac's rocking.

after it gets dark, the party has to move inside. (the other boy in the photo is one of andy's oldest friends, scott. we knew him in portland. he came to my work, and he would always come to our parties. he is a good guy. like andy, he is up for anything.) you will also note that melissa is staring longingly at the boots. we all were. you just can't help but want a freaking boot. i don't know what it is, but that boot... it lives on the top shelf of our dish cabinet--alone. if only we had a treasure case to display treasures like they do in museums. you know the glass cases with the light positioned just right so that you know you are looking at a real treasure. that is the kind of space this boot requires. so if you come across one of those at a yard sale (a glass case), pick it up for us. our boot has needs.

the new tiny house. it is yellow. you can see what was cannas, euphorbia, and some nice shrubs. there is a hummingbird who lives close and comes to get all the sweet, sweet nectar from our flowers. (which we still have.) it feels so far from fall here. it rained yesterday for a little while (the first real rain we have had since our arrival). but our palm trees are going strong, we do really have flowers, and i have only gotten the jacket out once. that was friday night. it is the month of dust. usually by this time i am arguing with myself on why we should or should not turn on the heater. it is nice to be here.

albee sometimes sleeps on my side of the bed when i am not in it. (mona sleeps on my side of the bed when i am in the bed). look how cozy and nice he looks. i like that even the little furry kitties are happy here.

this is our little kitchen. it would be unbearable if that sweet island did not come with the house. i think the kitchen serves it's purpose. and believe it or not, it has been put to use a few times already. we are hoping to make sure we cook more. we'll see. y'all know how we are.

holding it down. this is one picture we sent to all the grandparents. note that blue chair. it is about the most comfortable piece of furniture we have ever owned. we all love it. and the couch is brown. it does a good job of collecting albert hair, and without a vacuum, we lint roll the durn thing about every day. but i sleep really well on the couch, too. also we have a big window right in front of where dust is sitting. i like that. with all the sun, we can sit inside and take it all in.


this is the sideways view of me walking out of my school when we came for melissa and andy's wedding and took a tour. but that is where i go every day. even if it is not how i look now. you get the idea.

i found a boy who lives close to me who will drive me to school for half the price of the bart and bus, and i will get to leave 40 minutes later. i think i will like that more. wake up at 5:40 tomorrow instead of 5. it should make all the difference.