Shhhh

Shhhh
Originally uploaded by cieuxautres.

The holidays do wear on a girl.

SkyGirl and the Doctor and a Cactus

SkyGirl and the Doctor and a Cactus
Originally uploaded by cieuxautres.

Christmas Hike

Christmas Hike
Originally uploaded by cieuxautres.

In what is becoming a tradition, we went on our Christmas hike after opening all the presents. We headed out to the trail where SkyGirl and I helped plant cacti last month. All our plantings are still very small, but they are still there. SkyGirl was very proud, showing the Doctor the plants she put in the ground. When we planted them, SkyGirl walked around with a little hand shovel, scratching at the gravel and dirt while I used the pick axe to dig us a hole. Then she would help shove the dirt around the cactus, patting down the little pile while I constantly steered her hand away from the needles. I, of course, was the one that eventually got stuck, and a month later, I still have the needle imbedded in my index finger. A tiny little bump that I feel every time I rub my fingers together.

The holiday changes the nature of hiking on a trail. Weekdays, the trails seem to be very sparsely used, one or two hikers, some people doing trail running, lots of silence. On weekends they are much busier, with lots of people out getting their weekly exercise, but they still mostly come in ones or twos. On holidays, they often come in bunches of seven or eight. The trail was very crowded today with families and visiting bowl fans. We saw a few Texas Tech fans here for the Insight Bowl. But once we got about a mile into the trail, the crowds thinned out.

SkyGirl wasn't feeling well, with a sore throat, so we took our jogging stroller, pushing her through rocky washes and up the sides of ravines. It wasn't easy, but doable, and the little girl is not so little anymore. Carrying her in the backpack did not appeal to me in my slightly hungover state. So a short hike/push and we were happy to get back to the car and ride home.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas
Originally uploaded by cieuxautres.

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Cookie Gang

Cookie Gang
Originally uploaded by cieuxautres.

Cookie Gang

SkyGirl went to her friend's house to make Christmas cookies. They created quite a mess, but that was to be expected. After, there was pizza and then carousing on beds. Most of the kids are older than SkyGirl, but she had a good time wandering around the house. She would disappear back into the bedroom then come back out with a horn, or a toy microphone or a flute. She'd walk around playing for us and then wander back out.

bridge 2

bridge 2
Originally uploaded by cieuxautres.

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The new light rail bridge is finished. There's no light rail yet in the desert, but we do have a nice bridge across our man-made lake. I'm quite thrilled that we are getting a rail system here, less thrilled that it doesn't go anywhere near us. The bridge, which I thought would be merely pretty when lit up is actually quite dynamic. It changes frequently, with lights flashing through and perpetually changing. I suspect it will achieve iconic status along the lines of the el turning in the loop. Provided the rail actually achieves some sort of momentum.

bridge 1

bridge 1
Originally uploaded by cieuxautres.

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software

Is $9,000 too much to pay for a piece of software? And then, how much should one spend on the computers to run the software? I don't know that Herriot ever had this problem. All Expenses Great and Small. The $9000 really breaks down to about $5000 for the software and about $4000 for the training. Such an awful lot of money to work a system the salesman calls "intuitive." Yet, and this is the worse part, the other cheaper options look terribly difficult to master. The system that looks easiest to use turns out to be the most expensive to learn how to use. God hates veterinarians.

Floor Plan

Floor Plan
Originally uploaded by cieuxautres.

This piece of paper controls our lives.

The Doctor's dream since she was a mere 38 years old. So, she's been dreaming of this only for a few months, but once the dream wormed its way into her head, it metastasized, pushing out all other dreams, ballooning out into my world, SkyGirl's world, and crowding various other contractors, landlords, real estate agents, supply salesmen, web designers, x-ray technicians, architects, sign-makers, brokers, bankers, sub-bankers, functionaries, and current employers.

Tonight, we spent multiple thousands of dollars on an x-ray machine. Last night, we talked for hours with a software salesman. We saw floors the other day. We talked to a guy who makes signs. We now have to think seriously about fonts. Very seriously.

In less that three months we should actually be open for business. The other side of this particular coin is that in less than three months the Doctor will be significantly less compensated for her work. And SkyGirl and I will be hapless in our means to pick up the slack.

Less than three months. Christ.

Tell me again. Which one is the patron saint of marketing?

SkyGirl in Snow

SkyGirl in Snow
Originally uploaded by cieuxautres.

Just because we live in the desert, that doesn't mean we don't get snow. They have to truck it in from some warehouse and then dump it in the middle of a park, but we get snow.

We have lots of traditional holiday outings. For example, just last weekend we saw Polynesian dancers, then sat on the lakefront beach and watched lighted boats go by, followed by fireworks. It was Dickensian in its aspect.

SkyGirl and her Posse

SkyGirl and her Posse
Originally uploaded by cieuxautres.

The semester is finally over--although I still have to post grades--but life should ease off the accelerator.

Except for the holidays.

And the new clinic.

And SkyGirl's continual need for upbringing.

As you can see here, I've enlisted a cadre of supremely skilled child handlers to keep her in line.

Misunderstood

I know I misunderstood what SkyGirl was saying, but after singing Jingle Bells for the 47th time she took the blocks that were doubling as jingle bells and said, "This is foolish." Then she walked away.