Nom de Plume

has just informed me that he’s quitting his job.

has just informed me that she has applied for a year long post helping to rebuild government in Iraq.

but have to confess that this one made me laugh:

One morning Dick Cheney and George W. Bush were having brunch at a restaurant. The attractive waitress asks Cheney what he would like and he replies,

“I’ll have a bowl of oatmeal and some fruit.”

“And what can I get for you, sir?” she asks George W.
He replies,

“How about a quickie?”

“Mr. President,” the waitress says, “How rude you’re starting to act like Mr. Clinton and you haven’t even been in office for your second term but for only a short time now.

As the waitress storms away, Cheney leans over to Bush and whispers,

“It’s pronounced ‘quiche”

Just one more picture, I promise. Mom drew Harry P.

Among the many other things we found in tea chests, there was a scrapbook my grandmother had put together of their four years in Japan during the 50s. Bursting at the seams, it was yellowed and falling apart, and it contained the many invitations my grandparents received, news articles, clippings, and many Christmas cards, all of which were either woodblocks or paintings. They’re beautiful. These are the cards I took (though the colors are brighter; these are taken at night without a flash):

And here’s a Christmas card from Saito, duly signed. It doesn’t get any better than this.

Mother is slowly giving me all the Japanese prints that her parents collected in Japan. Here’s the latest, another Sekino.

Of COURSE I ignored rain warnings and left a day later than I should have. I-5 was closed between Yreka and somewhere in Oregon, and traffic was diverted through Route 97. Which goes over the mountains and into the woods and deep into a penetrating freeze. The entire traveling population in the Western U.S. was creeping over icy roads at about 15 miles per hour.

In short, it was an adventure. I ended up staying overnight in Bend, and then heading straight up to 84 because all the other roads required chains over high mountain passes.

And you know what? Phooey to all you who complain about taxes. There were state police officers helping people with their chains, constantly updated road advisories, and snow plows out at 11 at night. I love this country.