better together

Happy anniversary to my mom and dad, who give PB+J a run for their money in the category of classic couples. [This photo didn't quite turn out as artsy as I would've liked, but it's late and I'm tired. Hopefully March will bring some fresh photo opportunities and more motivation for creativity.]

end of the road

When you get to the end of the day and realize you forgot to take a photo, an adorable boxer sacked out on his bed always does the trick. Gromit is still recovering from his surgery, but seems to be 99.9% back to normal.

belated birthday bash

Happy belated birthday, Nadia! The celebration was only a month late (better than some years I suppose). She was none-too-thrilled when I broke out the camera, but I just had to make my beautiful friend my photo of the day.

photo trick

I thought I was going to have to post the "dunce" picture again, but I realized at the last minute that I had indeed snapped a picture today. Although it's nothing exciting, this picture illustrates a neat trick you can do with your point-and-shoot or phone camera. I was in the [amazingly confusing] parking deck at UNC-CH, so I snapped a picture of the signage to help remember where I parked.

feline frenzy

This was one of five cats I shared residence with tonight. Unlike most animals, these cats were willing, even begging to have their pictures taken.

student resources day

Tomorrow is Student Resources day at CPCC. The library will be there to plug all of our cool resources including Ask a Librarian, online databases, and fun movies/dvds for checkout. Although I will not be attending the event, I will be there in spirit through my display board.

not your stepping stone

Thanks to Seth's selfless birthday request for a Lowes gift card and his tireless efforts, we are now the proud owners of an awesome walkway. Gromit approves.

shame on me

I wear the cone of shame on my 51st day of blogging--I forgot to take a picture today.

camellia, you're breakin' my heart

This is a two-picture kind of day. In all actuality, I need some help. It seems that my thumb has turned brown along with a few of my beautiful plants.

My camellia does not seem to be very happy with me.

The jasmine vine looks even less happy. Any tips?

good friends + good food = fun party!

I don't really need to eat ice cream cake, but celebrating my friend's birthday is a pretty good excuse. Yum yum!

set in stone

I'm not sure how I missed this before, but these are part of a string of pictographic tiles along the exterior of the Pease Auditorium at CPCC's Central campus. Perhaps it was because the first three out of four of my visits to Central have been in the pouring, freezing rain; or because all of my visits have left me stressed to get to the library in time for interviews or meetings. Regardless of the reason for my oblivion, I am so grateful for the beautiful weather and the opportunity to stop and enjoy them today.

signs of spring

Green things are popping up everywhere! I have lilies, march flowers, and daisies peeking out at me. I hope this amazingly weather is not a teaser, but I know better than to believe that winter has disappeared for good.

gourmet food, green tea, and lots of memories

Celebrating (and lamenting, depending on how you look at it) my former co-worker's retirement. Retirement dinners are an excellent excuse to get together with dear friends. Much happiness in your future endeavors, Randy. You will certainly be missed!

four legs + four eyes

"Really? Don't you have better things to do than make me try on your new glasses?"

happy {love} day

An edible bouquet by the incredibly talented Kathi Godbee. Happy Valentine's Day!

gromit's loveshack

Thanks to a very sweet and generous friend, Gromit has a new bachelor pad. Eventually, we hope that he will actually go inside.

the boys [sans seth]

My dad has never been a "dog" person, but after adopting Moon Pie, he's had a change of heart. Dad's still a little reserved around big dogs, but Gromit doesn't let that stop him from rooting, snuggling, and giving grandpa "kisses".

almost only counts in horseshoes

It's always amazing to me how close they get to being put on the rack.

grill sergeant

On the plate for tonight:

• chicken grilled in a garlic and white wine marinade
• homemade mac 'n cheese with a hint of ground mustard and Worcestershire sauce
• green beans (and yes, they're from a can)

Seth grilled and helped clean up the dishes, which was way better than any dessert!

tidiness is next to godliness

The bed so rarely gets made these days--I wanted to memorialize the occasion with a photo.

his & hers

We hacked some Ikea furniture to create this "custom fit" his & her desk for less than $100. Materials included:

• 3 Micke drawer units @ $19.99 ea. (on sale)
• 2 Vicka Amon table tops @ $5.99 ea.
• 8 Adjustable leg thingies @ $2.00

You can't tell in the photo, but the center drawer unit actually has all four drawers installed (awesome storage); we installed only one drawer in the end units to make room for the CPUs.

sticky situation

I declare February 7th National Litter Day. The scene above begs two questions: A. Does anyone really chew that much gum in one sitting? B. If not, why did they collect a small fortune of slightly used gum and strategically deposit it where a commuter would exit his/her vehicle? I did not stick around to find out the answer (yes, pun intended).

On my way home from work, I enjoyed an almost ten-mile traffic jam, thanks entirely to some bags of garbage strewn along the shoulder and median. Random items included red plastic Solo cups, cardboard boxes, and toothbrushes (still in their wrappers). There is only one plausible explanation for this, of course: that a van load of frat guys collided with a van load of dental hygienists.

indognito

Gromit enjoyed a romp in our heavily saturated backyard today (note the mud-caked nails). I also dragged him along for a bike ride, which helped me to get him nice and tired so I could snap this shot. I love to torture my dog with all kinds of costumes and accessories. He still seems to love me despite it all.

playing in the rain

The gauge indicates that we got around 4" of rain over the past couple of days. The playground, sidewalks, and our back yard are all under water. The sun managed to pop out this afternoon, but did little to desaturate the ground.

relapse

Seth decided to go to work yesterday [prematurely], which resulted in a relapse. He woke up to a fever and a few aches and pains this morning. I want him to be well again--I miss him.

coughee and soup

Both of my boys have needed extra TLC this week. Although he's finally getting over his nasty cough, Gromit is milking it for all it's worth. He inched his way up on the no-dogs-allowed furniture tonight. I'm pretty sure his his sad eyes are saying, if I look really pitiful, maybe I can get some chicken noodle soup too.

bumper cars

My Wednesday evening commute. I sure do miss the Blue Ridge Parkway...

102.0

At last check, Seth's temperature was 102.0. There are not enough Clorox wipes and Lysol in this world.