It's been AGES since we last had a really good chat!

• Some friends moved in with us (they lost their house and their move to Spokane is happening in stages). They moved into our renovated guest room at the end of November, two of them headed to Spokane at New Years, one more is headed over at the end of January, and the last one will head over when the weather in Eastern WA lends itself to working for a living in the outdoors.
• Celebrating the holidays and whatnot without mom for the first time was a little rough, but we all made it through and no one even had to take any mind-altering drugs (Ariella doesn't have to count the catnip, does she?).
• We began eating honey that was made by bees who lived with us last year. Of the 4 hives, three of them are thriving and the one is..well, we aren't sure they are going to make it to spring. My papa, the apiarist, was just out there yesterday checking on them in his bee suit, NOT the high of Milan fashion but very functional.
• Thing One is a first-born 14 year old. For those who know that statement is all I need to say. He is on track to finish his first semester at public school with 3 As and 3 A-s. He says high school takes way longer than home school, but he doesn't have to work anywhere near as hard. We've started getting titles from one of those, "Books Everyone Ought to Read" lists and he carries one with him to fill the downtime in classes (of which there is a SHOCKING amount).
• Thing Two is in Eastern WA (ok, fine, for those picky other-side-of-the-mountain folks, CENTRAL WA) this weekend with a kids' group doing some ice skating, sledding, etc.  We are hoping he remembers he is suppose to stay with the people who brought. He has a tendency to make friends everywhere he goes and then look around later and realize he has no idea where his group is. Next weekend his boyscout troop is headed across the mountains too. He and I went to Spokane last weekend so that will make three weekends in a row for him over there, which is a family record.
• Ariella is having surgery. She has developed a nodule on her snout and a fatty deposit on her leg. She is 7 this year and the middle years are NOT being kind. She has also gained rather too much weight so the vet was none too pleased with us. Time for her to start going on walks (and me too!).
• Mr. Logo is working for a place that makes parts of airplanes and other machined parts. He is their quality control guru and doesn't hate it at all.
• Last but not least, Mr. Logo told me last week that...

HE IS TAKING ME TO PARIS NEXT MONTH FOR MY BIRTHDAY!!!!!

Best advice EVAH