February 12 of 12

Yes, I'm back ... I can't believe I missed last month! That's the first time, I think, in almost four years. In my defense, my computer drew its last breath at the beginning of January and I didn't get my new laptop until the 14th - and to be honest I haven't completely figured out the photo editing software that came with it (and haven't looked into better programs). So without further ado (or excuses), I present to you: Matterdays 12 of 12 for February, 2011!

If any of you still don't know what this is (really, people?), check it out here. Chad will stop hosting after this year, but hopefully it will still keep going.


I ran some errands in the morning - and realized that I'd forgotten my camera. So close your eyes and imagine a nice chilly but sunny Saturday morning, a pretty clear view of the mountains, running around the cool Capitol Hill neighborhood, and cherry trees starting to bloom. Seriously.

Now, for the real pictures:

The backyard and pond - not sure if you can tell, but there are buds on everything:

Valentine's Day flowers I ordered for Scott delivered today - they smell right purty.

Scott has taken some really great photographs, and had a few framed. I want to hang these up somewhere in the house:

And then the winds picked up - a LOT - and the rain came pouring down. The Apocalypse, I'm sure. Mark my words.

I made dinner reservations for Valentine's Day online, at a downtown restaurant we haven't been to before (our regular favorite restaurant closed last month, to reopen in a new undisclosed location at some point). I called to confirm our reservation ... and it doesn't exist. Hmm. Here is their website as I was looking for their phone number. Notice the blank, deathly monitor sitting behind my new laptop. For some reason my laptop suddenly stopped recognizing it. All in all this is a tragic picture.

The usually elusive and hard-to-photograph Kasha. She's about 16 years old.

Still pouring rain. These are some tropical plants - anthurium and hibiscus - that spend the winter in our guest room. They can't wait to get back out near the pond in a couple of months.

Your host, Matterdays. I'm contemplating dinner.

Perhaps some jasmine rice ...

... some broccoli ...

... some avocado ...

... and some chicken. Half-eaten dinner while watching "Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion" - good fluff for a Saturday night.

So, there it is. Happy 12!

Happy New Year

Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each New Year find you a better man.



A health to you, a wealth to you, And the best that life can give to you.



May your right hand always be stretched out in friendship, but never in want.



May the best of this year be the worst of next.

May you never lie, cheat, or drink. But if you must lie, lie in each other's arms. If you must cheat, cheat death. And if you must drink, drink with all of us because we love you.



Love to one, friendship to many, and good will to all.

Happy New Year, friends. May the New Year always be better than the old.

December 12 of 12

Time again for 12 of 12, five years in the running and created by Chad Darnell. You can find links to other 12 of 12 blogs from around the world at his site.


All good intentions I had of making this an interesting 12 of 12 entry have gone out the window due to the flu or something striking our house. Scott came down with it first, then like always I followed suit a few days later. Ibuprofren, DayQuil, NyQuil ... we now own them all. So even though 12 of 12 fell on a weekend this time, I was housebound. Oh well.


Let's get on with it, shall we?


These pictures were all taken on Sunday, December 12, 2010 in a very specific section of Seattle, Washington. Our house, to be exact.

Changed my desktop image to a lovely winterscene. Images later of the blizzards in the Midwest made me wonder if I made something happen ...

HUGE amounts of rain today in Seattle. Yes, we have a reputation to uphold, but honestly, it rains more in Atlanta and New York on average than in Seattle, we just have more days of drizzly, misty gloom. Monsoons like this are unusual. This shot is of water overflowing our gutters and dumping down outside the guest room window.

Yes - we're well aware.

Kali loves to get up in Scott's chair in the office when I'm in there. She doesn't quite fit, since she's about 105 pounds. This picture is funny because she's not at all fat - very muscley - but this pose looks like she's got a big gut.

Nice winter adult beverages. Bailey's isn't good when you've got a congested head, but I tried some Amaretto, thinking it might clear the sinuses a bit. Eh. Went back to tea for a while.

Stoli asleep on her bed upstairs. She's about 14 years old and doesn't like being outside in the rain, so she stayed inside with me.

Uh oh. Water is coming into the basement. Had to move some things around. Luckily it all kept draining and nothing got ruined.

The Christmas tree. It took us four days to get it decorated, with work and illness and all. Its not tilting as much as it looks, I think the trunk is a little crooked. But I think it does need a little adjustment.

Good night for comfort food. Meatloaf it is. Didn't have any bread, so had to use stale sourdough English muffins for a binder. Worked pretty well, actually.

The way my Mom always made meatloaf - line the pan with bacon first. When it's about done, turn it over and out of the pan, then broil it to crisp the bacon. I can't eat it any other way!

Silver reindeer candlholder in the living room. Cool.

Dinner's ready. Mmmmm - health food!!

That's it. Happy 12 of 12! Please exit through the gift shop to your left.

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and Happy Holidays of every kind to you all. Until next month ...

Happy Thanksgiving

We're heading over to Sammamish, in the east suburbs of Seattle, to share Thanksgiving dinner with some incredible friends and perhaps some new ones. Hopefully the weather will cooperate and the snow and ice will be washed away by some new rain. This has been an awful week, weather-wise.

We're lucky and thankful to have survived dangerous commutes this week. To have our wonderful pets for one more Thanksgiving, although we miss Kitty, who we lost earlier this year. We're grateful that we have the health that we do, the jobs that we do, that as hard as things are for us our lives are so much easier than many others. We're grateful for all of our friends, near and far, actual or virtual. For family, whether we see them often or rarely. All of this is a part of who we are, and we'll say thanks for all we have today.

May you all be as lucky and thankful as we are.

"A toast. An affirmation, a prayer of thanks. I want you to know that wherever we find ourselves in this world – whatever our successes, or failures – come this time of year, you will always have a place at my table, and a place in my heart."

– Lila (Jacqueline Bisset), Latter Days

November 12 of 12

Welcome to the November 2010 version of 12 of 12 - the love child of the wonderful Chad. While I did remember to bring my camera to work today, I forgot to take any daylight pictures ... so my 12 are all from after 4:30 p.m. Welcome to 12 pictures of my fantastic Friday night. This is how I rock.

Sunset from our balcony. This is facing west - notice how far south the sunset is these days. Damn winter must be coming.

Cool clouds.

Thinking about what kind of fun to have tonight. Scott is working late - you know what kind of trouble I can get into without supervision!

The cool old buffet our neighbors gave us last weekend, since they're moving - still has lots of scratches to buff up, but I'm really liking it.

Guess what I'm about to do. Woo-hoo ...

Down to the basement where the litter boxes are ...

These boxes are all Halloween decorations. Seriously.

The back yard and pond from the balcony. It's dark out.

Saying "hi" to the birds in the aviary.

Friday night feast. Grilled cheese (Wisconsin white cheddar and Oregon Tillamook sharp cheddar) with bacon.

Mmm ... toasty. Okay, a little charcoal-y.

Aaaaand ... starting housework. Welcome to my Friday night.

Next month, the 12th is on a weekend. Expect big things from me. Perhaps a theme ... or a Special Guest Star ... hmmm.

Happy 12, y'all.