Kinda didn't take any photos yesterday. Woke early, took a taxi to the airport, flew home, dealt with the "rather harrowing experience" (Syed Shahid Ali, I.O.C. member from Pakistan, as quoted by the NY Times Oct. 2nd 2009) that is this country's Passport and Baggage Control policy execution, picked up from the airport by sis, went to Fuego Spanish Grill for an early supper of tapas and paella including sis & her fiance, picked up Hanji from dear Tom & Tracy, then got home.

It's good to be home. Great trip and good to be back.

Off to Chicago tomorrow. Yea pizza!!!

[For the record, Spanish passport control was the *easiest* I have ever been through on four continents. U.S. elected officials should take some 'fact-finding' trips there to see what we ought to achieve. There: through in less than a minute including line, passport verification, and entry stamp. Simple baggage claim and well marked signage to Customs, with another less than 1 minute transition. Here? Full ten fingerprinting?! Seperate lines for flight crews and diplomats?! Almost lost in the maze between 'Passport Control', getting bags, finding 'Baggage Control', dropping bags off, then going through airport security to get through Hartsfield to pick up bags again to leave?! Bah! I think we'll try to get some tickets to the Olympics in Rio.]

A week ago Monday, on the fourth and heaviest day of rain, we heard a large explosion. We'll probably never know whether what we heard was the tree falling or the transformer blowing. What we could confirm was a 150' healthy oak tree fell, blocking our driveway, the street, and taking the utility pole, the power lines, and 4 smaller trees with it. And my brother in law and his Captain were scheduled to fly into Atlanta later that evening! No power, no ability to get a car out, and the knowledge that restoration was going to take more than just a few hours.
Well, thanks to incredible friends, we were soon extricated from our home, Hanji had a place to stay, and we had a vehicle to get to the airport and beyond (thanks T&T!). A few more calls arranged for a hotel at the airport, started Georgia Power on their way, and notified the City Public Works department of the road closure. Within a few days, the miracle workers had most of the tree cut down and hauled away, power restored, and my brother-in-law & his boss safely on the next leg of their trip with a few pleasant memories of Atlanta.
Once again, Georgia Power reminded us of how a well run, well regulated public utility operates. Makes you wonder why we ever deregulated the phone company nationwide and natural gas in Georgia. Kudos to all the linemen, supervisors, and support staff that worked so diligently, with such great attitudes, throughout the days following the Southeastern floods!
All that's left now of the event is some memories, some photos, and the root ball attached to maybe 30' of trunk. If time allows, I plan to count the rings and learn how old that tree was, before it's cut up and the ivy closes over what was recently a proud, majestic tree..

Durian cake. The taste is, different. It grows on me bite by bite. But then I stop, I pause to record for posterity, I find I fall quickly into withdrawal. Not that I rave another bite, its that the taste lingers, morphs into a lesser flavor, closer to that pugnant scent. I must have another bite, to reset the taste.

Yet what hapens when the piece is gone? When nothing but the withdrawal, remains?

Yup, Frances and I now own a set of golf clubs. Don't mind I've never finished even a single hole of golf, let alone a round. I did take classes once but my back went out before finishing. Frances finished 18 holes once, she and other friends will have to help me along.

They were a great deal though. We couldn't turn them down. Especially since last night friends of ours booked us for a golf double date in a few weeks.

Fore!

(Dunwoody house. Golf clubs. What's next?)

For Atlanta, this is a big deal. We had a tiny, miniscule dusting early in the New Year. This, this is real snow. Huge, soft flakes that you feel when they land on you. Within moments you're practically drenched from the melted water. It's amazing how fast it's coming down, at first I thought we'd see no accumulation yet it's sticking everywhere. There's even signs of longetivity on the driveway, although not much. If this keeps up we'll swim in a tranquil sea of white within the hour.

For once, for me, this applies: squeeee!

Seeing Han-ji playing with Roxy again, well, Han-ji's a growing boy!

I'm sitting here, watching Springsteen on the Superbowl half-time show, eating pizza and wings washed down with a beer.

Man, have I become 'normal'? I'm even watching the game (most of the first half thus far).

Of course, I had to hook the TV up just for the game, and within 10 minutes of it's ending I'll swap the TV reception for the Wii again. Just like for Obama's Inaguration.

Ok, back to my pizza and beer. The game's about to start up again. Once the half-time ads are over.

I used to host parties just for the ads. We muted the game. Granted, the ads were better then. Up hill both ways with an antenna held together with duct tape and aluminum foil.

Oh yeah, pizza. Wings. Beer.

Later all.

A 640,000 pixel picture just doesn't do it justice. But it tries.

So my lovely wife heads off to Intermezzo with dear tyleet1047 leaving me with the pups. Han-ji out and about and Roxy in the crate while her mamma exits the building. Give Roxy a few minutes, let her out, she goes running to find mommy. Han-ji distracts me for a monent during which time I lose sight of Roxy. A quick search of the confined area shows no Roxy? A slightly more detailed search finds that Roxy went up the stairs, jumped the cardboard box 'barracade' at the first landing, and, uh, couldn't figure out how to get back down.

Time to get another baby gate. Three just isn't enough.

Actually, it's their second 'play date' together. tyleet1047 has this great rottweiler named Roxy. She's about twice Han-ji's size (50lbs vs. 25'ish), twice Han-ji's age (almost 7 months vs. just over 3 months), and she's a rottweiler. They *love* to play. And play. And play some more. And then more than that. It's a joy to watch besides helping to wear Han-ji out.

Having puppy-cam was great when we decided we wanted a little peace and quiet while we ate.

Tomorrow, we all rest.

... we got a puppy! An absolutely adorable golden doodle puppy! Please welcome Victor Han-ji Thompson (we call him 'Han-ji', like Benji only different). We were looking into an addition to the family when we came across this cute little pup. He's 10 weeks old and on his second day with us now. We're learning all about dog ownership, training, and puppies. Han-ji's really tolerant of us and probably smarter too. It's changed us - we're dog owners now!

Six months, almost to the day, Frances' parents, sister-in-law, and our only niece arrived here in the USA. Today a tug pushed the 777-ER away from the gate. They'll always have a home in our hearts yet it's not the same as being in our home.

It was really great having them here.
Many folks expressed amazement that we all got along for as long as we did. Maybe I've just got the best in-laws ever?

Either way, we're both missing them heaps.

We had an interesting evening. After I finished spin class at the gym I noticed there was a big storm brewing in the area. I drove through a little of it on my way home. Upon arriving home, all of my visiting family greeted me at the front porch. a tad unusual for all of them to be out on the porch - usually it's just one or two of them there at a time. Turns out a half hour before I got home, the power went out with a big 'boom-boom'. There's a tree down in my next door neighbor's yard and others down throughout the neighborhood.

Fortunately, my mother-in-law had most of dinner ready before the outage (reminder to self: the next stovetop shall be gas, so I decree) and we ate. Then I took them and the majhong set to Mozart Bakery for a couple hours. We drank and played majhong. A good friend even walked over to visit and watch us play.

Mozart closed and we went home to find the power's still out. I've given everyone a flashlight (my 2-1/2 year old neice felt left out without one of her own) and we're all going to sleep now. Dunno when the power will come back on...hopefully during the night. Either way, I'm planning to take them to the Oriental Pearl area for breakfast / brunch.

Everyone's well although we may need new groceries and more ice cream soon though!

Of course, that doesn't explain the picture. The dark, sure, I mean, the power's out. Those three dots though shuld be salvation. They're from the second Georgia Power truck to show up. The first one left, they found our downed tree but were out of their assigned circuit. This one showed up not a half hour later and dug right in. I keep hearing them over the loudspeaker amongst the sweet occassional sound of the chain saw. Ahh, there it goes again. Georgia Power is a fine company, I'm confident they'll have our power back on soon.

Over, and out.

Gotta start a first post somehow, eh? I must say, I love the view from my office.