Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree...

...how plastic are thy branches.

Since we are still snowed in (our neighborhood is very small and we live on a side street, so it doesn't get much traffic, meaning there is still quite a bit of snow), we were unable to get a Christmas tree this year. We were supposed to get one on Saturday after I got home, but we all know how that went.

Anyway, we decided to improvise, so this year we have the Christmas Ficus. The fake Christmas Ficus.

Deck the halls!

Home for the holidays

As anyone from the Pacific Northwest knows, we have had quite a bit of snow and freezing rain for the past week and a half. I was originally scheduled to get back to Portland on Saturday the 20th, but due to the weather my flight was canceled and I could not fly back until Monday. And even Monday was iffy, as there was still snow in Portland (about 10 inches or so, in a city that shuts down after only a light dusting). But we departed at 8 am from O'Hare, and everything seemed fine. Until we got to Portland.

Apparently the runway was too icy to land, and we didn't have enough fuel to circle while they de-iced and cleaned the runway, so we were diverted to Seattle. Yay. So we landed in Seattle, only to wait over an hour to get to a gate so we could refuel. We finally refueled, and off we fly back to Portland. We landed at 2:20pm (we were originally scheduled to land at 10:40am), but we had to wait for a gate in Portland, too. So wait we did. Until 5pm, when we finally had a gate open up so we could disembark. But the fun doesn't end, because then we had to wait an hour and a half for our luggage to show up at baggage claim. Thank goodness my express shuttle driver was kind enough to wait for me. Otherwise who knows when or how I would have gotten home.

Anyway, after my 4 hour flight turned into an eleven hour flight, I was very glad to finally be at home.

What does it mean

When several times after introducing yourself at a party, the other person says, "Oh you're Timzie"?

I don't know what to make of that.

You know the weather is bad

When they close school in northern Illinois.

I feel so bad for the guy outside on the little 4 by 4 at 4:30 in the morning, trying to keep the walkways somewhat clear. He's definitely fighting a losing battle.

You can even see little Subie-doo (the second car in from the left) covered in snow.

Favorite quotes from Anatomy Lab

While working on the neck...

"What is that hanging from her? Is that her ear?"

While working on the skull...

"It says we're not supposed to open that yet."
(Tear) "Open what?"
"What you just opened."

Love ya Mom!

I got a good chuckle out of this one. It reminded me of an essay I wrote in second grade for Mother's Day. I wrote that my mother was just like the Virgin Mary, but not a virgin.

She was thrilled.