Five Nights in Bangkok

This picture kind of sums up our trip, with Chris awake, researching international schools at dawn, and Bangkok out of our hotel window.

"Bangkok is a place with lots of good options and no perfect ones."-- a colleague at Chris's work

get out of THAT, if you can.

tim had a length of cotton rope in his truck, so tonight he did terrorist training with his scouts.
tied them all up and let them work it out.  then they all tied him up!
 it was a big hit.

Resemblance?

Beth mentioned the other day that she thought Baby Hal took after Baby Darcy. What do you think?

Coo Coo Ca CHA!

Once upon a time, Vivian made the worst cake I've ever tasted and I made fun of her about it.  She then embarked on a baking streak the likes I've never dreamed of and is now producing double layer chocolate cakes with strawberry puree filling that look like this:

 In contrast, here is a picture of the birthday cake that I made for Chris a few weeks ago.  To be fair, it's supposed to look like Thailand, which isn't the easiest shape to copy, but still.  Also, the chicken head is supposed to represent Bangkok, and is not in fact a monster rising from the deep as Viv suggested when I showed it to her.  Sheesh, has anyone in the family ever even SEEN a chicken?

If a Tree Falls in the Forest...

One of the giant oak trees came crashing down in the clearing behind our house a few weeks ago, creating a pretty fun place to play.

Into the Wild

Playing Panthers

The elusive cheerful blue panther.

Theodore Martin Gregory

Sweet Lu

I still don't want to die in Georgia, but...

Almost 3 years ago exactly, I wrote this blog, wherein I laid out my demands regarding our move to Georgia.  Let's see how we did:

1. We got home for Thanksgiving almost every year.  We also had several of my favorite Christmases ever, right here in Georgia.
2. I never did take a Spanish class.
3. I bought a new couch, and a piano.
4. We never went to the World of Coke, because Jimmy Carter never asked me to.

So, fairly successful, I'd say.  Also, I came to love several things about Georgia, which I will miss terribly.  In no particular order:

1. Dogwood blossoms.  If someone wants to plant a dogwood tree over my ashes someday, that would be OK, because I think they look like heaven.

2. Cardinals.  They're just gorgeous, happy birds.  They make me happy.

3. The climate.  Somehow Atlanta isn't famous for the climate, but it has lovely seasons and 3/4 of them are usable.

Today, Bangkok:       HIGH 93°, FEELS LIKE 96

                                                                                            

Today, Atlanta:  HIGH 63, FEELS LIKE 63

4. Last but not least, living with Rachel.  Every day around 5pm, it would completely catch me by surprise when Rachel would drive into my driveway.  Such surreal good fortune to have a sister magically appear every day like that.  

Who knew sorting laundry could be such a good time?