Fallish Things

1. The past few mornings I've

awakened to this....

Like liquid gold pouring through my window.

2. J.P. Licks has El Diablo ice cream

- chocolate ice cream with cinnamon

and cayenne pepper.

Just when you expect the smooth

velvety coating of

cold ice cream

BAM!

Burned tongue

and singed nose hairs.

I highly recommend it.

3. I got hit by an ice cream truck

while driving my rental car in DC.

No joke.

And here she is Ladies and Gentleman.... Shannon Hale.

Well, it was a fine fine Fall day in Wellesley, MA made even better by a visit from world famous author Shannon Hale. What a delight to meet her and hear her speak. She is as down to earth as I'd hoped she'd be (after all she did go to grad school at the U of M - Missoula has a way of bringing out the normalcy in people - either that or driving them over the edge... ). Anywho, a friend and I went to the Wellesley Free Library to see Shannon Hale in support of the Wellesley Booksmith (a fantastic independent bookseller - Support your Local Bookstore!!!!!!). We were lucky enough to get our books signed and to get our pictures taken with her (yes, she is petting our hair - don't worry we gave her permission). Thanks Shannon for coming to Wellesley and for writing such wonderful stories! Bless your heart and the hands you type with.

If you are interested in learning more about Shannon Hale - visit her website at: http://www.squeetus.com/stage/main.html

Enjoy!!

Skydiving (aka. My New Passion)

I went Skydiving!!!!

My favorite night dreams are those

when I am flying.

Today my dreams became reality.

It felt just like I thought it would feel.

Dreams DO come true :-)

My bishop - the instigator of the whole thing!

THANK YOU BISHOP HAFEN!

Me in the plane against the door we would soon jump out.

Some of the other jumpers and instructors

(we went tandem).

The girls before getting into the plane!

I want to get certified and go as often as I can!!!!!

Anyone want to join me?

Washington, DC Take 3

And finally...

Three "monuments here"-

1. WW2 water monument w/each of the 50 states represented,

2. Reflection pool

3. Lincoln Memorial in far background

(oh, and the cool policeman on horseback)

GORGEOUS DAY in Washington DC.

I'm on the Lincoln Memorial looking out over

the reflection pool,

Washington Monument,

the National Mall,

and The Capital Building in the way way back.

Part of the reason for my going to DC

was to go on a blind date set up by one of my friends.

We ended up going to Mt. Vernon

(where George Washington lived)

for part of our date and I remembered

that when I was 12 I had come here

and taken a picture of this exact tree.

So, here it is folks.... the same tree 20 years later.

(Wish I had the other picture w/me but it's in MT.)

Oh look, it's Montana.

And a really cute girl standing beneath it!

No questions as to why I took this, right?

They were walking out of the reflection pool

in front of the Lincoln Memorial.

Too cute. Couldn't resist.