December 2006 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat           1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31             Nov   Jan	Ex-Pat Alaskans Temporarily                        In Ohio Seeking PhD Show Me           A Dog Blog...           Amusing Readers Since 6.23.2003
Tuesday, December 26, 2006 Ho ho ho Oh Tannenbaum - 2006 For Christmas I got a stuffed skunk. Lucy scored a stuffed fox which, when squeezed said, "Hello, I am Finnegan Fox. Can I get you a ... Cafe au lait?" In an affected French voice no less. Mom cracked up whenever she heard it, and concerned we'd destroy it she confiscated the toy for herself. Christmas dinner for the uprights began with a blackberry 'n beet salad topped with a blackberry vinaigerette. That was followed by truffle-topped filet mignon with white asparagus (both from Costco!), paired with bake-toasted potatoes. And of course wine - an Amarone from brother M (aka jacque du nord) in Alaska. It was decanted for well over an hour and by desert time (butter horns from Wisonsin!) it was drinking quite well, according to Mom that is. Master was best described as weak and puny, suffering from a ballooning head cold. The futility of trying to smell whimsical notes of oak, raisin, and licorice with a head cold is equivalent in frustration to a harpist wearing oven mitts. Lucy and I were blessed with leftover lamb 'n kibble. Outside it's gray and wet and bleak, entirely incongruous with the season. 'Tis far too warm for this time of year, too. The grass is springtime green, and as recently as a few days ago it was sixty, still plenty warm for cycling. Mom is sadly desperate for snow, and the more the better. Every day it doesn't come you want to give her a consoling hug and assure that winter will be here soon. 2007 will be an exciting year. By summer, but surely no later than year end, we will have passed the halfway mark to the PhD. That is, assuming the challenge known as Prelim I is conquered. 2006 was a special year; our investments have done well, our friends and family have prospered, and the future now appears limitless. A dog has a lot to be thankful for. Wishing you all the best in 2007. 11:46:53 AM    Comments disabled © Copyright 2008 Rufus. Nonsense, distribute widely and freely! Last update: 7/26/2008; 11:00:54 AM.			Readers Amused       Home About Me Airedale Philosophy How this all got started       FAQ What's an Upright? Upright: noun : a by and large bipedal companion, also referred to as a human being. What's a Cheechako? Cheechako: noun : a person new to Alaska who has come with the intention to live here. Who's Master? Master: pronoun : just the finest upright on the face of the earth, that's who! To read him is to love him. What's Dogdom? Dogdom: noun : Life's venue from a dog's point of view. What's a Sourdough? Sourdough: noun : A long time Alaskan who has an automatic suspicion of cheechakos. What does Outside mean? Outside: noun : A provincial reference to somplace other than Alaska; usually the lower 48. What's Breakup? Breakup: noun : A uniquely Alaskan season between winter and spring when the snow and ice begins to melt for good. Where is SquareBanks? SquareBanks: slang : A self-evident euphemism for a place widely known as Fairbanks, AK. Where can I read the Houston Trip? Houston Trip: vignette : Here What digital camera do you use? Camera: hardware : Canon Powershot A80 (4.0 MP) Who's Mom? Mom: Hottie : Have A Look What's a Squeakamunka? Squeakamunka: noun : your ordinary gray squirrel which can be seen everywhere in our Cleveland neighborhood! « Alaska Blogs »  Stories Fiction Boy Wonder Bat Girl Objects in Mirror Are Larger Than They Appear Used To Be Fish Skin Deep Essay Life Is Good Desert Nostalgia A Voice of Reason Fictional Four Realms of Darkness Poetry Lucky Chain  The Cycling Pages 1999 Canadian Tour 2000 Tour of Alaska "Yooper" : 2001 Tour of WI/Michigan UP 2001 Spine of Italy Tour 2002 Tour of New England 2004 Tour of New Zealand (coming soon!) 2005 Tour Of Nova Scotia Conways Game of Life (needs java plugin) Sometimes Interesting Billy Greg (Hiatus) Virginia Postrel Wendy McElroy Samizdata Atlantic Monthly Reason No Treason Slashdot Derke Lowe Heather Champ (Photo blog) T.C. Boyle Liquid Generation Improved Clinch Exquisite Corpse, A. Codrescu Fred On Everything Assymetrical Information The Daily Ablution (Hibernation) Lileks Frank Kelly (Hiatus) Up In Alaska