Better Late Than Never.... (part 3)

So, since gas made it's way (all the way) down to 1.50, and since we both had a bit of time off around the holidays, we decided to make our first ever holiday road trip. A new radio installed, a new car to return home to, and a whole bunch of new cd's, and we were ready to go. Wheat thins? Check. Gummy worms? Check. Peach rings? Check. Pillow? Check. Winter jacket for when we get to the land of the frozen white North? Ummmm...... Re-route to home base, and return to the Interstate. While we didn't get off to a perfect, or on time, or good weather conditions start, we did make it out of Nashville on Christmas eve (really really early), and a bit after 12 noon, we were through KC, MO and heading North on I29. Fast forward another 7 hours and we made it to Rachlle's house in SD. We got to spend the evening with The Brindleys, who helped us prepare for the arrival of a certain guy in red, and even got to see the Christmas Train go by (someone in her neighbor hood has made a train, complete with lights, that he tools around through neighborhoods on for the 24th). In the morning, The jolly fat guy (no, not Uncle Mitch) had brought a Wii fitness for the kids. Uncle Mitch got a gift card to a certain orange colored retailer (soon to become a fancy new toolbox for the truck), and the traditional exchange of the Yard-O-Lard took place. It was really very nice, but we had to hit the road again. We made it in to Rothsay (near Fargo, don't even pretend like you knew) just in time for Christmas dinner with the Tasie's family and some friends. Upon arrival, Aberdeen got a heartfelt hug from her Aunt, and I got a heartfelt hug from Todd. We stayed very comfortably at Tina and Dave's (Tasie's Mom and Step-Dad) house for the next day and a half playing cards, eating alot of cookies, working on my truck (Thanks Grandpa West), eating more food (no lutefisk, thanks), playing with Ivan in the snow, and eating more (again and again). Saturday rolled around, and it was time for us to begin the long drive home. By long I mean 26 hours in the truck long (yeah that's long). Surprisingly, we didn't argue at all on the way up (other than some wiper malfunction complaining), but after trying to sleep 3 fitful hours in the parking lot of a McD's, were rolled back onto the road just in time to get the sun in our eyes. This led to us not being able to read the signs, missing our exit, and getting 45 miles down the road, only to try and bootleg some backroad route to get to where we needed. I hate back roads, Tasie loves them. Guess who won? So off through the countryside we went, where I promptly fell asleep in the passenger seat. All said and done, we lost about 4-5 hours on the trip back, and returned home around noon on sunday, for some much needed rest in a real bed. The trip was great, the family was better, and we wouldn't have missed it for anything.









Months prior to New Years, Tasie had begged me for a dog to replace the one she had. I have never been a pet owner, nor wanted to. I have seen the horror of a black sweater wandering into a den of pet hair. That sweater will never be black again. I have witnessed firsthand the destruction of a nice couch from chewing dogs, scratching cats, and peeing ferrets. I did not want an indoor dog. Little did I know that my defenses would be worn down, my arguments refuted, my will would so subtley shift and succumb to that of my mate. I went and wrote a check with my mouth that would have to be cashed sooner or later. Come 2009, we would have a dog. I wanted a nice, non shedding, mellow dog, who would live outside and go jogging with me. Well, 3 out of 5 isn't bad. May I introduce Tesla, our new dog. He's a mix of Who-knows and Whatever, although I suspect him to be Schnauzer and Akita. He's mellow, hardly barks (ok, so he isn't the best gaurd dog), has a great fun personality (incidentally thinks he's a cat), a gentle mouth, and loves walks, rides, yogurt and tennis balls. He's salt and pepper gray, 37lbs, and has one blue and one brown eye. He'll sit down if you touch his tail, and he always want to touch you (he even gets jealous of the laptop). If anyone is looking for a dog, go get one from a kill shelter like the one Tasie went to, the dogs know what's going to happen there, and just can't wait to be rescued. We love him, and I'll get over my own need to be OCD clean eventually.

For those of you who weren't there, Crazy Uncle Mitch was once in a band. Actually, I've been in more than one band through the years, but one of the more fun and memorable bands was 21-C.P.M. One of my buddies in said band (or atrocity against harmony, whatever seems more fitting) was Dan Hedquist (aka DanHed or Danny Boy). After years of prodding and coaxing, Dan finally made it out to Nashville to hang out and spend some quality time. We did much of the usual for those of you who have been here (the aforetomentioned honky tonking, the Parthenon, Habanero Butterscotch Bread Pudding), but also at the chance to go to a New Years Eve party thrown by our friends Andy and Lee (who live up the street). Most of the time, we just hung around and tried to relax and regroup after what was a very busy holiday schedule for all of us. Regardless, we had fun, and Dan got to spend not only a few days with us, but the new dog (and new car) as well.

All in all it's been a crazy few months, hopefully you can see why it took me so long to get the blog updated. As always, don't hesitate to give me a call, or drop me a line. You can even video-chat with us on the interwebs now, thanks to the fancy web-cam that Steve got everyone a few months back (ok ok, it was Pams idea). That is, assuming I don't delete her hard drive on accident again.......