ita! ita!ita!ita!
Happy to see you!
I don't take the Grand Canyon for granted, per se (I'll ask people to look out their windows when flying over it) but I honestly can't remember the first time I saw it, I was probably wee. Last was 1996, that I know. But we went there pretty frequently, and while it never fails to strike me as incredible and result in a lot of mind-meanderings (so many things to think about: the geological scale, the time scale, life of the people on it, what people thought when they first encountered it, etc.) I never really got that first-time wowza. It was fun to read Suzi's.
Y'all. All the posts have their first coat of varnish. The only coat with a sensitive dark stain. And I'm very happy with the results. The next 2 coats (3 on the rail) will be a summer oak to add extra warmth, but I won't have to worry about brushmarks or too thickness or whatever. Should get done this weekend.
I'm NOT happy with my ability to take photos, because the flash seems to emphasize imperfections that you don't see, the color is wrong (there's one where post matches stairs. Um, no!) and ups the contrast so that it looks blotchy where it isn't. But still, proof I did something: [link]
Thanks!
My hands hate wielding a paintbrush. Took 40 laps in the pool before they stopped panging. Of course, they are panging again now.
Also jealous of Consuela!
To be fair, it was a gift certificate; I wouldn't have sprung for something that expensive by myself.
Now I'm home; I ate leftover pasta and a homemade Pisco sour, and now I'm watching "The American Experience: 1964", which is surprisingly good.
ita, I think Colin asks after the twins now because he has a little one of his own. Also, the St. Pats of him as the Maytag man was something else. For a twin update, things are going well. Grace is talking up a storm and, for the first time, talked about a friend at school without prompting. Noah is learning how to suck at baseball and not have fits.
That was a pleasantly rolly one.
I don't usually associate earthquake with pleasant....
Thanks y'all.
We are on the home stretch - should be pulling into home in about 2 hours. It has been a long wonderful vacation. And I have the weekend to "recover" (and contemplate the remaining unpacking to be done). Oh and I have a massage on Sunday!! Then real life starts again.
Consuela, I visited the Clairmont Spa once many years ago and it was the most luxurious spa experience I've ever had. Very pleasant memories.