Falls and falls

The weekend after V-day, we were lucky enough to have some friends from PA down to visit us. They were only here for a short time, so we wanted to pack in some fun "local" things to do. We didn't make it to the icecream parlor in Roanoke, but we did decide to go for a quick hike to the Cascades. It had been snowing on and off here for the week prior, and the Cascades are always most beautiful in the winter (not something that can be said of most attractions around here; they seem to be all summer-season-specific). So we grab our boots and head out. It's a simple 2 mile up and 2 mile back hike. The way up is somewhat technical and the way down is an old logging road. I've seen trail runners take this hike. The hike took us four hours. I've been there a million times in the snow, but this was the first year that I've EVER seen it like this. Instead of the crunchy packed snow along the trail, this was a treachorous journey on a solid layer of ice, conveniently hidden under a milimeter of snow until you had gone so far that it seemed unreasonable to turn back...then it just turned to flat out ice. It was unbelievable and not at all in a good way. Even with all our caution, we took turns falling. I'm still somewhat amazed that we didn't end up with a broken wrist or collar bone out of the whole thing. I will say, however, the actual water type falls were amazing. Had I not fallen hard on my hip two steps before getting to the lookout point, I might've been inclined to even walk on the iced over pool all the way over to them as some people did.
In the meantime, I have nursed all my puce colored bruises to attractive shades of martian green and regained most of my mobility allowing me to head up the stairs and download the photos. :) Ok. So I wasn't that bad off, but it makes a good excuse for taking so long to post. :)

Love is in the Air

It's Valentine's Day. I generally think of this as a Halmark holiday supported by restaurant and chocolate lobbyists. We're not any more in love today than any other day of the year, but apparently people decided that Lincoln's birthday wasn't going to get us from the post-holiday blues until spring. However, today MUST be something special. Calvin and Diana are hanging out together. Yesterday, I stumbled upon them sleeping on the same end of the couch! I took photographic evidence. Sorry it's blurry and grainy. I swear it's not because I doctored the picture! I was just so afraid they'd get up and resume fighting (well, resume Diana complaining and Calvin poking at her and then both avoiding each other) that I took the picture quickly, before the batteries died and by the time I went to get a new battery, Calvin had jumped down to investigate the camera. And today, they're both sitting in the office with me (on Brett's chair of course). It's like the cupid of brotherly love shot them both in the butt...or maybe they signed some kind of peace accords. Whatever it is, I'm not knocking it and it kind of does make me believe a little in the magic of the holiday.


Happy Valentine's Day, All!

Look at how close they are! Diana had been sleeping with her head on Calvin's tail even!

The princess stole Calvin's usual spot on a pillow
on Brett's chair. He didn't seem to mind and cozied
up on the back of the chair.



It's madness, I tell you!