More Neighbor Drama

Just when I'd started to breath easier about coming and going from my apartment, I met Miguel in the parking lot when I got home from a meeting at church Monday evening. We chatted as we walked upstairs; I divulged that I was coming home from church, and learned that he was just getting home from work, which consists of remodeling in the winter and general construction during the warmer months. So far, so good. We arrive at our doors, and we say goodnight.

Exiting my apartment yesterday morning, I discover a post-it note stuck to the baseboard outside my door (see Exhibit A, below). Although his willingness to attend church is endearing, any hope I'd had that Miguel is simply interested in building up a little neighborly rapport was squelched by the heart and the lips. LIPS! Apparently Miguel is from the School of Coming on Strong...or an avid Pictionary player.

Another New Year...Happy Indeed

[Hey guess what! Today is the one year anniversary of my first blog post. It seems only fitting that I am about to blog about the same event, one year removed! Hooray for the stability of tradition.]

Almost a week into the New Year I am still feeling a little sleep deprived from the all festivities and travel, but my love tank remains at "overflowing," having spent almost a week with a large contingent of my dearest friends. Chris & Janelle hosted our 7th annual Taylor & Friends New Years Extravaganza at their beautiful, cozy home in Evans, CO and it was a smashing good time.

This year's festivities included hiking through the snow at RMNP; skiing (for some) at Loveland and providing ski commentary (for others) at Copper Mountain; lots and lots of kareoke (enough to prompt Heather to observe that few groups could have that much fun with a kareoke machine while sober); movies; games; knitting; cuddling with Charlie; bonding in the basement; "gossiping" about old news in the girls bathroom; dinner at a crazy Mexican restaurant; almost country line dancing; an incredible time of sharing, prayer, and worship; original songs by Heather Baker; several yummy meals prepared by various combinations of people; and such an abundance of love and laughter to make my cheeks ache and my heart rejoice.

Below (in a separate post because the photo uploader is driving me crazy at the moment) are a few of my favorite pics.

Shiny, Happy People

Top: Snow posers at RMNP
Middle: Commentary bunnies at Copper Mountain
Bottom: All Dolled Up and No Place to Hoe Down

The Big Nine-Seven

I'd like to give a birthday shout out to my grandpa, Sture (pronounced Stir-ee), who celebrated his 97th birthday yesterday. Yes, that means he was born in 1909. Crazy to think about, huh?

I went to visit him last night and we talked about Dusty Baker's mismanagement of the Cubs, the male/female ratio of big winners on Wheel of Fortune and what I need to do to in order to get on the show, my brother's potential as a professional bowler (one of Grandpa's favorite topics these days), life in Kuwait, and learning English as a Second language as a kid when all he knew was Swedish.

He also shared this nugget of wisdom, gleaned from one of his birthday cards: "The secret to a long life is to keep having birthdays." Thanks for showing us how it's done, Grandpa.