Jinga's New Territorial Claim

I haven't been seeing much of the cat during the day.  I figured she'd found a new place to sleep the day away.  I found where she's been hiding...

When the "Big One" is away, Beijing will play (or sleep).  I wonder what will happen when Jonathan comes home for Thanksgiving Break and wants his bed back...

Procrastination Can Be a Pretty Sight

I've put off doing most of the fall "clean up the yard" work.  Yes, I pulled out the annuals and raked up the leaves, but I hadn't cut back the perennials, iris, gladiolas, lilies, daisies, yucca, or roses.  One morning last week, as Miles and I were outside waiting for his bus (because, evidently, waiting inside where there is heat isn't any fun), I looked over at the rosebush and saw something pretty.  The too-late-in-the-season-to-bloom buds that I'd been too lazy to cut off were dotted with frozen water droplets.  I thought they were really pretty.

Well, as of yesterday, those buds have gone on to "better place."

Miles Sings About Thanksgiving

How Miles Really Feels about Jinga

It's never been a secret that Miles does not like Nolan's cat, and the feeling between the two is mutual.  Jinga has expressed her dislike of Miles since he was just days old by hissing at him.  Five years later, not much has changed other than Jinga not having claws and Miles expressing his fear of the cat.  Currently Miles is so afraid of the cat that he freaks out if they are in eyesight of each other. 

Last night Miles ended up sleeping with me.  It was one of those nights where I really needed a second adult in the house... so many things going on that required my immediate attention and at 11 p.m., I hadn't had time to put Miles to bed so he slept with me.  This morning, I was awake in bed and in denial that the day needed to start when, in his sleep, Miles started laughing and then exclaimed, "Jinga is all dead!"  Wow!  What a dream he must have been having!  The joy emulating from his sleep-talk was eye-opening as well.  I must keep an eye on those two for the next while.

Vending Machine Heaven (for Dan, at least)

For me, a good vending machine will be stocked with all sorts of yummy temptations- Twix, Skittles, Gum, Almond Snickers, Milky Way Midnight, Peanut Butter M&Ms, etc. Even though I know vending prices are a complete rip-off, candy is always tempting, unless you are Dan.  Until last night, I thought that the only vending machine that would tempt Dan would contain varieties of beans, ketchup, high fiber tortillas, oatmeal, and Fiber One Bars.  However, last night we encountered a vending machine like no other.  It was a bike repair vending machine.  Seriously.  Last night we went and checked out a Mexican restaurant that moved into our favorite fast food place, about 10 years ago that is.  Monstros closed and Mama Chuas opened.  Our loyalty to Monstros kept us from patronizing Mama Chuas until last night.  Pulling up to the restaurant, it appeared that they had a Red Box machine in front.  However, as we neared the entrance, we noticed that the vending machine said "Mad Dog Cycles" on the front. 

Mad Dog Cycles is like Disneyland for Dan.  Upon closer inspection of the machine, we saw that its contents were 90% bike repair essentials (with Red Bull and energy bars and goo accounting for the "edibles").  Seriously, a bike repair vending machine?  Cool idea!  The machine is located near the mouth of Provo Canyon, which is a very popular cycling place, and pretty far from any bike shop.  And as surprising as a bike repair vending machine was, astonishing was its reasonable "in the middle of nowhere" prices.  So, what's inside a bike repair vending machine? 

Well, tubes ($8),

lights ($15) and batteries ($4-$6),

chain lube ($6),

chains ($23-$37) and a water bottle ($8),

and tire levers ($4) and a spoke repair kit ($12).

 

There were a few other bike essentials in there too, like a patch kit, but to list everything would be too boring.  Anyway, cool vending machine concept, especially if they added Peanut Butter M&Ms.

Joshua Bell Concert

Last night Joshua Bell, world superstar violinist, gave a recital at BYU.  Yes, BYU.  In the deJong Concert Hall.  Capacity 1,269.  Tiny hall for a megafamous virtuoso.  I found out he was coming and jumped at the chance to buy tickets to hear this master.  When I bought the tickets, I chose the "best available" option and was not disappointed.  We were row 1 balcony on the left.  I think the only better seats would have been the two seats to the right of ours.  Awesome view of both the violinist and his accompanist.  Not only was I excited about my seats, but the price was great too!  $47 to hear this master in the "best available" seats in the house.  Joshua Bell played 3 pieces... Tartini's "Devil's Trill" (one of Dan's favorites), a Beethoven Sonata, and selections from a Stravinsky ballet.  Such beautiful music!  So smooth.  Mesmerizing.  Sad when it ended.  Luckily, he played 2 encore pieces- a Tchaikovsky, and a Wieniawski.  But then he was done.  Well, sort of.  While his playing was done, he came out into the lobby of the HFAC and signed programs and CDs, shook hands, and posed for pictures.  What a guy!  His CDs sold out before we could buy any, so he signed 3 program for Dan and posed for this picture.

Great night!

A Mom and Miles Fieldtrip

Miles wants to know where we buy everything.  Literally, everything.  He wants to know where we buy toilet paper, milk, cars, shoes, "sofas", and the TV.  I told him both the sofa (I laugh that he calls it a sofa.  I call it a couch) and the TV at RC Willey.  Then Miles wanted to know what else RC Willey sells.  I told him beds, refrigerators, chairs, rugs, and just about anything else one may need to furnish a home (and a whole bunch of junk that no one needs).  Miles was psyched.  He wanted to go to RC Willey and check it out.  This past week, I took Miles to RC Willey.  He was amazed.  He opened about 30 refrigerators and 5 washing machines.  He sat in lots of chairs and checked out lots of desks.  He thought the store was fabulous.  He kept saying "take a picture" in front of everything he saw.

 He did have 2 favorites- the electric fireplaces (because evidently the 2 gas fireplaces we have aren't awesome enough)

and the pool tables. 

He was pretty insistent that we buy one, buy I held my ground and told him "no".

After about 90 minutes, Miles was ready to leave RC Willey.  Now he's bugging me to take him to Sears.  Ugh.