Burrrrrrrrrr......

I'm sitting in Heine Brothers Coffee shop right now, finally without a coat on, and I am warm.

A medium hazelnut cafe au-lait down has warmed my spirits, and my cheeks. 

We woke up this morning and could see our breath in the crisp air- 39 degrees.....inside our house, and a whopping 12 degrees outside. Our neighbors have graciously extended power cords to us, one is powering our refrigerator and the other, whatever we so choose.  Space heater for a couple of minutes, coffee pot, space heater again....

Our transformer box caught on fire, we called the fire dept (who could do nothing because it was an electrical fire), the fire dept called LG&E, who did fix the transformer...but could not turn our power back on because it wasn't high enough priority...we didn't have a live wire down, others were in more danger than us...

darn...so close, 

LG&E was in our backyard but we still are in the dark and cold, maybe for up to 2 weeks they think. 

this shall be an adventure

off to a Mexican restaurant tonight

Ice and Snow

Somehow I have made it in to work and back for 2 days now...no side streets have been plowed yet and trees and power lines are down.  My typical 10 min drive took me almost 2 hours on Tuesday. We still have power at home, which is better than the 100,o00 people in Jefferson County who don't...it's going to be a long, cold, dark night for a lot of people. Mom and Dad don't have power in Lanesville, but they do have a wood burning stove to keep them semi-warm as long as supplies hold out (and of course there is an extra bedroom here if they so choose).  We woke up last night multiple times to loud cracks and bangs, one sounding like a cannon had been shot outside our window, as trees and large limbs came crashing down, bringing power lines with them. It was not a restful sleep to say the least. 

But, it sure does look magical outside. Johnny and I took a long walk in our neighborhood when I got home from work today. Trees are heavy with ice and snow...a white, wintry wonderland.  

Johnny's school has been called off the rest of the week....ahhh to be a teacher:)

More Birthdays!!!

This was one full birthday weekend!  Mom and Dad took Johnny and me to El Mundo for Johnny's birthday on Friday night.  We walked there, of course, and enjoyed fabulous authentic mexican food, a cozy atmosphere, and margaritas that will knock your socks off if you're not careful. 

Saturday, we went to the Margaret and Gary's and had Johnny's 2nd birthday celebration complete with Margaret's famous homemade cheesecake and a marathon viewing of "The Office"...and we laughed the night away...

Tonight (Sunday) we had Johnny's homemade Birthday Eve dinner on Bayly (because this meal was way too involved to make on a work night).  I made pork chops and sour kraut, mashed potatoes, and stewed apples with cinnamon and brown sugar.   It was tasty, tasty.  

Tomorrow we will walk down the street to one of our favorite little pizza joints, Fat Jimmy's, for Johnny's birthday meal...which should be fun and will save us from cooking and cleaning up. There is a 2 layer chocolate cake with vanilla icing for when we get back....yum.

We sure do celebrate birthdays around here:)

Birthdays galore! 

And Bob's 30th is Tuesday. 

Happy early birthday Bob!!!!!!

First Snow

Today was our first big snow of 2 inches:)

I love waking up with a blanket of white covering the earth. Everything was quieter, still, crisp...and the moon was illuminating the surrounding clouds. Our normally busy street seemed vacant, like I was almost out in the country again.

Winter has finally set in for good. One more good snow and I will be ready for spring. The long anticipation has begun.

Catching up from the holidays

Wow, the holidays were busy, but wonderful!!  I think we are still trying to catch up on sleep.  Johnny and I have been going to bed each night around 9:30 pm (and staying up to 10 pm on the weekends is like a big deal.) It was so wonderful with the whole family in town.  We only wish Megan and Bob lived closer...especially since there will be a new addition to the family in July!!! 

I worked today (Sunday) and am taking a comp day this Wednesday to go with Johnny and his class on their first field trip!!  The kids are excited to meet (Mrs. B) and I can't wait to meet them and see Johnny's classroom before we leave.  We are headed to an IMAX presentation of the Grand Canyon as they are studying geology and rock layers right now. It will be especially neat for Johnny and me as we are planning a trip to the Grand Canyon and Zion National Park for this summer!!!

Aunt Anna

I found out on Dec 23 that I am going to be an aunt!!!!!  Megan and Bob are going to have a baby!!!! Well, Megan is going to have the baby:)

She is 10 weeks pregnant and is due on July 28, 2008.  

Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, the birthday weekend was fabulous.  I don't think I have ever celebrated any other birthday so thoroughly as 26.  Johnny took me to a fabulous little restaurant in downtown Louisville called Artemesia.  We sat outside on the patio and the outdoor space-heaters and fireplace kept us warm on the 30 degree night.  A jazz trio played and white Christmas lights gave a warm glow to the tree and garland. We finished off the night with my favorite...fun-fetti cake with strawberry icing...Johnny's very first attempt at baking was a great success. Saturday we celebrated in Lanesville.  It was so wonderful to have everyone there...except for Megan and Bob who we can't WAIT to see in a couple of days.  Renee and Mom made a fabulous veggie lasagna and caesar salad.  Cake: yellow with chocolate icing....had to change it up for all of the cakes this weekend.  Very good too.  The night was complete with a wood-burning fire.  Sunday, we went to the Brinkworth's house and Grannie and Grampies came too. Margaret made a great dinner and a homemade, out of this world, cheesecake. 

Must head to the gym soon.

Oh, and if I wasn't deserted out enough this weekend, my supervisor at work brought in a german-chocolate cake today for a belated-birthday gift. 

Christmas cookies ahead...yay for sugar:)

Grandma Clark will have her open heart surgery tomorrow at 7 am in Nashville, TN at Vanderbilt Medical Center.  Please keep her in your prayers.

And the seasons, they go round and round.

Well, I had to work today...but it was worth it because I get to take a comp-day this Friday...my birthday! If Mom isn't in Nashville for Grandma's surgery recovery, then Mom, Renee, and I will all get to hang out during the day on Friday.  Johnny is taking me out Friday night to a surprise restaurant for more birthday celebration. Yay!  I can't believe I will be 26 in a couple days. That kind of sounds old to me...yikes. 

Flecktones, Tuvan Singers, and some folks from Indiana

                                  

                                           

Bela Fleck and the Flecktones

December 6th, 2008

The Brown Theatre

A night to remember...

We gave Mom and Dad tickets to Bela Fleck and dinner out for their 30th Anniversary.

And of course, if Bela was in town, we couldn't miss out.  So Renee, Ben, Johnny and myself all purchased tickets as well.  Everyone met at our house to hang out before the show.  Mom and Dad left early to enjoy a dinner at Pat's Steakhouse, and Renee helped me make pizza rolls and a spinach salad.  We all met up at the Brown Theatre before the show and made our way to the balcony in plenty of time for Bela to hit the stage.  The Brown is such and intimate theatre, I don't think there is a bad seat in the house. 

If you've never seen Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, it would be hard to imagine how amazing this show was...it was the opening night of their holiday tour and they played with Tuvan Throat singers from Tuva on select pieces. "Testing the limits of vocal ingenuity, throat-singers can create sounds unlike anything in ordinary speech and song...carrying two musical lines simultaneously." Amazing. This was Christmas music like you've never heard before...jazzy, folky, classical...all mixed together.  It wasn't over-kill either, because it was so different from regular Christmas music.  And, they opened with "Big Country" one of mine and Renee's favorites (not a Christmas tune). 

They were surprisingly funny too.  The entire audience was literally laughing out loud....every face had a smile on it. They were kind enough to stick around after the show and we got to meet each one of them...see above pictures!

Stuart Spartans

Johnny has done it again!

Today it was announced over the intercom at school that not only has Mr. Brinkworth just received Teacher of the Month, he was this week's "Notable Spartan of the Week" and his classroom went up in cheers.

What a good week.

Oh, and I am free of cavities....(just went to my cleaning today)....LOVE getting a clean bill of health from the dentist. Yay!

Off to a Christmas party for work tonight at The Bristol downtown.  Should be a fun night.

Teacher of the Month

Johnny brought home some very exciting news today.  He was selected out of ALL the teachers at Stuart Middle School as "Teacher of the Month"....very well deserved I must say. Some of the veteran teachers told him that they have never seen a first year teacher perform so well. The principal of the school summed it up pretty well: "If I could bottle up all of what Johnny brings to Stuart Middle, to his students, and to this field and give it to all of the other teachers, amazing things would happen."  

The kids that have Johnny are lucky and are learning and experiencing science in ways I never could have dreamed of when I was in 6th grade. 

Congratulations Mr. B!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanksgiving

Well the pecan pie turned out great!  And much easier than I had imagined (although I did cheat a little as the crust was not homemade).  The day was great too.  We ate with Johnny's side of the family at Grannie and Grampies first and then spent the afternoon and into the evening with the Wahl/Clark side in Lanesville.  It was a crisp night and we toasted ourselves by the bonfire while Dad gave us a lesson on the constellations.  The only ones I can ever seem to remember besides the Big and Little Dipper is Orion and  the 7 Sisters.  I'll have to keep relying on Dad until someday I decide to study the night sky and remember for myself.

A big THANK YOU to Derek for taking such amazing wedding photos.  We just received all (4,356) of the originals this past week and the "highlights" already put in an album for us.  You can check out the highlights at: http://dbrittonphotography.com/gallery/annaandjohn/highlights/

Preparing for the Holidays

The holidays are fast approaching.  I have the essential supplies purchased: flour, sugar, butter, vanilla extract, plenty of cinnamon, pumpkin, condensed milk, pecans, and whip cream.  Yay for baking! I will be making my first pecan pie this year for Thanksgiving and am searching for a great recipe.  

I also stopped by Actors Theatre after work today and picked up 8 tickets for "A Christmas Carol".  This is a play I have seen multiple times as a Wahl with the Wahl family...and this year I go as a Brinkworth.  A long-time Louisville holiday tradition, we will be attending this year on Dec. 23, and I'm already looking forward to it. 

The Smell of Fall

Fall on Bayly Ave is so much different than fall in the Lanesville woods.  Yes, there are big trees on our street, whose orange and red leaves are spattering the sidewalks and our tiny front yards.  But the intensity of color and smell is muted in the city.  I am looking forward to my next smell of the woods. 

A Prayer for Uncle Lou

We pray for Uncle Lou and the Kennedys

On Monday, may God guide the surgeon's hand

We pray for a successful surgery

and for a swift recovery

We hope for the best

Uncle Lou has helped heal so many people and has dedicated his career to serving others

We pray now for his own healing

Free Range Humans

Golden

It is hard to imagine that when a tree's chlorophyll begins to be metabolized, the year round color (in this case, yellow) is expressed.

Auxier Ridge

Haystack

Auxier Ridge

First time on Auxier Ridge...wonderful landscape and incredible perspective. Anna took this beautiful photo. Look closely and you may see me looming on the horizon!

Red River Gorge

The Red was in peak color this weekend. We were treated to a beautiful light show this morning and I tried to capture it on film. This is that attempt. More pics will be posted soon! 

Trick or Treat

It was fun being on the opposite side of the door yesterday, handing out candy in our own neighborhood.  Our pumpkin was glowing and the porch light was on, inviting the little dragons and princesses up for trick-or-treat.  A tiny 2-year-old-Elmo was the first to ring our doorbell, with mom close at hand. Big blue eyes stared up at me, and stood out from the bright red costume. We drank festive apple cider beer, and enjoyed the crisp night. We even got a scare from an unknown masked goblin (later found out to be Mitch, my 15 year old brother in law) who lured Johnny outside saying there was a person hiding around the back of our porch.  As Johnny went outside and looked over our porch behind our house, Mitch came towards me acting like he was going to come in the house and get me. I started to pull the storm door shut and Johnny turned around and pulled off the stranger's mask.  For a split second, I really thought this freaky person was going to try to get me, and invade our house.  It was a good laugh when the mask came off.