My, how you've grown

Her body is catching up to her legs. Sort of.

Rubyrubyrubyruby!

Last Monday, this cute puppy was running down the side of the highway near where I work. I called James to come to work to see her, because I thought she might be our dog. I've been called out to meet a puppy or two since we lost Sach (sweet girl), but no dog seemed right. I'm not sure that there's been a day that's passed that James hasn't asked, "Can we get a dog now? How about now?" But I have been a hold out. We had pretty much resigned ourselves to waiting to buy a house before we got another dog. Plus, I have to admit, I have kind of been enjoying not being responsible for a dog. I have been entertaining thoughts of travel! And winter days where I could stay inside! All day! BUT. Something about this puppy seemed different. She seemed sweet and easy (anyone wish to reminisce with me for a moment about the days of Puppy Sachi?). Plus, she was a rescue. Plus, winter in Austin? Please. They shouldn't even call it winter. Do you want to stay inside on 70 degree days? (Maybe, if you 've developed Cedar Fever, as the natives tell me I have, but otherwise, no). The shelters were called, the neighborhood was canvassed, and no one knew about this cute puppy. James met her, and in what seems like a complete blur, we now have a dog. I went to work and didn't have a dog. I came home and I did. I vaguely remember James saying, "I love her!" But other than that, pretty much a blur.

She's a good girl, so far (ever the optimist, I'm trying to remember at what age good puppies go bad). She can sit and she likes to be in her crate, and she's mostly house trained, already. Like, if I had had THIS dog first, I might have 10,000 dogs already. We're not sure she's the brightest lightbulb in the room, but she's sweet. She likes sunbeams.

Her name is Ruby Scout. Not like a ruby scout, as in someone who might guide you through a ruby mine in search of jewels, but Ruby Scout as in, the name Ruby stuck and I wanted Scout to stick and it didn't quite, and although I like the name (and love the book), I'd never name a human that, so might as well give it to the dog as a middle name. Emmaline suggested Guadalupe, which I think is great, because it's the name of a major street here. Too bad she was found on FM 969 instead of Guadalupe, because FM 969 doesn't really have a ring to it if you're shouting across a dog park. So, Ruby Scout it is. Say it in a southern accent. This basically ensures that James will read Cold Mountain and that I will be singing Kaiser Chiefs (Rubyrubyrubyruby!) and James will be singing Kenny Rogers for months to come (don't take your love to town, girl).

The vet suggested that she's a ridgeback mix. James thinks ridgeback mixed with lab. Holden thinks ridgeback mixed with I doesn't care what but aren't ridgebacks known as lion killers? This explains Holden's initial reluctance to warm up to our new pup.

I am a little concerned about the length of her legs and the size of her feet. I think I may have finally gotten the pony I always wanted. I hope she'll be a good running buddy.

And the drums and the drums and the drums

Above, is a picture of me right before my school's annual Labyrinth Festival. I am holding the lantern that was made for me to walk through the labyrinth with. All the kids made their own (much smaller) lanterns and we walked through the labyrinth under a full moon and sang songs, most of which I had not learned because I missed the rehearsal due to my trip to Chicago. I leaned over to one of the kids during the performance and said, "I don't know the words, I'm just following you because you seem to know them." She said, "Oh, no problem. The next song we are singing is Simple Gifts and it goes like this: Tis a gift to be simple, tis a gift to be free, tis a gift to turn round where we ought to be.. and then it goes..." I was unsuccessful in an attempt to interrupt her to say, "Oh, I know THAT song." Anyway. The whole performance was pretty cool. I work with a bunch of hippies and I mean that in the kindest, coolest, way. To illustrate, our school's music teacher is on a European tour with his band at the moment. How's that for street cred?

James and I had been told that we HAD to go to the Trail of Lights at Zilker Park, so on the 23rd, we did.
Walking through the tunnel was definitely the coolest part, though I didn't manage it without a bit of vertigo, and neither, apparently, did several of the dogs walking through it.

While overall, I give the Trail of Lights 3 out of 5 stars (the average rating is mostly due to the shameless product and character placement, but I suppose SOMEONE has to pay for the Trail of Lights, right?), there were some exhibits worth mentioning.
That one's for Rebecca.
Here you have ELF Scott Fitzgerald, ELFred Einstein, etc.
Austin's the only place I know with a cupcake stand, by the way. The cupcake is highly celebrated here.
And you always wondered how Santa reached all those houses in one night. He takes a space ship. Obviously.


Also, Texas may be the only place where even the armadillos get excited about the holidays. This display definitely made me laugh. Here we have armadillos in sombreros dancing in front of a trailor with a cow skull on it.

And this, well, there's so much to say about this! First, Mary. What is she doing with her hands? Directing traffic? Reciting the Girl Scout Pledge? Secondly, I know Jesus was the Son of God and all, but I had no idea he was such a large infant! Seeing baby Jesus this size, makes Mary seem awesome. Of course, she's not exactly small-boned, herself, according to this artist's rendering.

So, Christmas. We were spoiled, gift-wise. I have roughly 14 new books to read due to gifts and gift cards. I can now listen to my ipod again because I got new headphones for it. I have new shoes and piles of new tights. Gretchen sent me Fawlty Towers on DVD, and Rebecca remembered that roughly 3 years ago, I had seen a book in a bookstore I liked, and she sent that. (I miss my girls). My sister got me a blanket that I love. It's the kind of blanket that would be at the bed you sleep in at your grandma's house. The kind you would eat chicken noodle soup under if you weren't vegan.

On Christmas morning, we made cookies. Gingerbread cookies, oatmeal raisin cookies, chocolate chip cookies. We had to eat them for about a month because I forgot that the reason most people bake Christmas cookies is to give them away to friends. Since we don't really HAVE that many friends here, we had to give them away to ourselves, which took much longer to achieve, but was just as delicious, perhaps moreso.

Roughly a month after my mom mailed it, we received The Missing Box from her. Originally sent FedEx, it arrived with a UPS label on it. Upon closer inspection, it was obvious that the box had been opened re-taped, and some of the gifts inside had been opened, too. But nothing was missing! James's theory is that it was delivered to the wrong place, some kid was home alone, opened the box and started going through it, and was caught by his parents, who said, "What are you doing?! That's not for you!! You wrap those things back up RIGHT now and tape that box back up! You do not open things that don't belong to you!"Anyway, it arrived! It was like having Christmas twice! And, there was a hand vac in the package designed specifically for picking up pet hair, which would prove to be very important.

Is Chicago, is not Chicago

So, in early December, I went to see Chris, Steve, and AJ in Chicago.
It started snowing almost immediately, which was great, because I've been missing the snow this season (though wearing t-shirts in January may be worth the trade-off). We took AJ to see the "Santa Sing-a-Long," which I think even he thought was pretty lame. My presence at the Rudolph, Frosty, and Santa funfest got Steve off the hook, so there's that. Plus, the Boscos (even the smallest one) bring the party wherever they go.
I made Chris slow down the car enough for me to take this pastoral photo, which I call "Horses in the Snow."
I definitely got my snow on.
We sang karaoke, which is one of my very favorite things in the world to do. Like I said, the Boscos bring the party. And it's usually a karaoke party. I think my dance party with Steve made Chris laugh until she cried. I'm already plotting my return.

a boy, etc.

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

A boy, a girl, and a dancing cat

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

I've been to Vidal Sassoon

So, I've been trying to title these blog entries with relevant song lyrics/movie quotes, etc, so that you can play along by trying to identify where these lyrics/quotes are from. It's something to do, you know? So I haven't really been to Vidal Sassoon. But I have had a hair cut. And while it appeared that the stylist was looking at the picture I brought in as an example, I think she might have been examining the laminate on her countertop because the picture I brought in looks nothing like the haircut I left with, but whatever. It's shorter than I meant for it to be, but hey, that means I can save money by going longer between haircuts!

The evidence:
I like the tint on that. It makes me feel like I'm in a Hitchcock movie or something. Since as far as I know he never shot in blue tint, I don't know why I feel this way, but whatever. And if I look shocked, it's because my hair is like 3 inches shorter than I intended.

I've been feeling really badly lately. So tired I can hardly move, headaches the size of the state I'm living in, can't think clearly, tingling hands and feet, etc., etc., Same story, different day. The acupuncturist said my liver pulse is low, which translates to lack of blood, the chiropractor said I have "no blood", all this translates to anemia. I am trying to get in to see a Doctor (of the western sort), but it will be awhile. In the meantime, I'm taking liquid iron and trying to eat piles of greens and beans. But really. I'm over it already. Do I look pale to you?

(anemia anyone?)

That profile is my good side. I definitely have a good side. You? It also shows not only that my skin is nearly translucent, but that my hair is pretty darn short.

I took a few more pictures at school on Friday when we went on our Friday hike. The kids have named all the places we hike to, so this place is called Pecan Palace because there are three pecan trees between the abandoned hospital:
and the old State School building:

They like to play around these buildings. The Dia de Los Muertos celebration was held at The Three Trees of Alfalfa, for anyone keeping track.

Cheers.