Round Four

The blizzard warning is still in effect until tomorrow morning (probably because of persistent, high winds) but the snow has stopped and the sun is up.  Time for shoveling!

Charlamagne the tree is buried up to his necktie.  I bet he is insulated and warm in there.

It's getting longer :o(

 

Seth the shoveler! (I really just watched the shoveling action from the kitchen window)

Lots of snow that won't be going anywhere for a long time.  For the next few weeks it will appear to shrink as it compresses into dense, hard ice.  Come Spring, when (or if!) it finally melts, it will turn into rivers of mud.  Lovely. 

Valentine's Day or Groundhog Day?

Right on cue, just like in the movie "Groundhog Day," it is another weekend and another blizzard is upon us.  Four blizzards in less than four weeks... At this point 6 more weeks of Winter doesn't seem all bad, especially if you consider that the snow probably won't be completely melted before May! 

In the meantime, happy Valentine's Day!

I make a mean pipe cleaner bear (*thank god for youtube tutorials!)

Yesterday some friends came over to express their Cupid creativity in the form of cookie decorating.  It was quite a show and I believe we had some secret artists amongst us.

Oh my goodness, so serious!

Donna's strawberry

Not pictured: a mini blue lobster and the continent of Africa

Sammy's patriotism, in cookie form

The best bakers on the block

   

Taller than me!

Our winter started off slow but then caught up quickly!  After hardly having any snow until late January (usually the snow starts to accumulate by mid-December) we were hit with three blizzards in exactly two weeks.  The total snow-fall during this time was around 65-70 inches (that is taller than me!), which is more than what we would normally get in one year.  Since it all came so suddenly the big question has been "where do we put it?".  Even the MBTA had to take a breather and the entire system shut down for a full day, the first time in history. (In all truth, this doesn't really mean anything; the poor subway is terribly dilapidated and these storms are just accelerating its miserable, inevitable death).

In the meantime, all I can think of is how grateful I am to not have to commute, by car or rail!  I don't mind one bit hiking up to work if that means I don't have to deal with shoveling off the car, navigating narrow, snowy roads, dealing with aggressive drivers, trying to find places to park between snow banks, etc.  Heck, I even got to snowshoe in to Brandeis one day :o)

I am almost certain we won't see the ground until May...

Our corner

Watch your head for 12 foot icicles! 

Charlemagne, the little red maple, looks well insulated

The hill heading up to Brandeis

At least the church clears the sidewalk; usually pedestrians have to walk in the roads with the traffic :o(

Thanksgiving guests

Last week Mom and Dad drove up to MA to spend Thanksgiving with me, Seth, and a bunch of the Bud Coluzzi clan.  It is always fun to play hostess--it gives me an excuse to do fun things that I won't normally do!  We just had to be mindful of chilly temps, traffic, and periodic snow showers. 

Thanksgiving down by the Cape with Mom, Dad, Jean, and a bunch of Coluzzis!

After some Black Friday shopping I had to go in to the lab... and I put Mom to work!  Dr. Hayes said she looks like a natural :o)

On Saturday we went up to a traditional Swedish Yule Market in Hamilton.  We then spent the rest of the afternoon in nearby Arlington meeting with Dad's third cousin, Mark, and his wife, Germaine.  Dad hadn't seen Mark in 30 years but somehow remembered he lives in my area.  I am so happy to have some (distant) relatives who live nearby!  It will be exciting to meet their kids, my fourth cousins. 

For not being very closely related, they sure do share a remarkable likeness.

Our local Vietnamese restaurant (actually owned by a Thai family) was admittedly not too bad, though more expensive than what VN food should be.

On Mom and Dad's final day we paid a return visit to the Harvard Museum of Natural History.  We were blown away by the stunning glass flowers. 

Another lost relative?

Quick trip to San Francisco

I had a really awesome time in Fresno and I wish I hadn't waited for so many years before returning.  When it came time for me to head home a delay in flights caused me to be re-routed to San Francisco with a 9 hour layover and eventual red-eye back to Boston.  I decided to make the most of my unexpected "bonus" excursion and took the train into the city for the evening.  BTW, I would have most certainly tried to take better pictures but my camera battery had been acting up ever since the wedding :o(

My first (and only) stop was Chinatown!  I would have liked to venture further but I had my suitcase to drag along.

Awesome bakeries.... *drool*

Down a dark, creepy alley was the first fortune cookie factory.  I remember this place from when I visited during a high school band trip.

City Lights Booksellers, a hangout for the beat generation.  I wish I had more time to linger!

 

 

So San Fran

A Fresno Wedding

Recently I flew out West to Fresno, CA, for my cousin, Darlene's wedding.  I hadn't been to Fresno in about 18 years and I was excited to see if it was how I remembered it.  I stayed with Eileen and ironically her house smelled just like how I remembered her family home smelling! 

Getting our nails done!  This was a first for me.

Lunch at the famous Casa Corona.  For years I have heard about this restaurant (both Eileen and Patrick had worked here) and I was so happy to finally pay it a visit!

Aunt Dee, Eileen, and me with family friends, Aaron and Denise

The great, cheap BBQ here made up for the sketchiness

Eileen's very cute dog, Jake, helping me stretch

Caelyn making breakfast

Eileen gave me a tour of Fresno State.  The campus was full of horses, almonds, and wine.

Bulldogs!

 

The old Donnelly house.  I remember that yard!

Wedding Eve dinner with the cousins!

What a beautiful venue for Darlene's wedding!

My well-dressed cousins :o)

Aunts and uncles!

Hello Olivia!

Caelyn and Uncle Dennis walking Darlene down the isle

 

My first Lutheran wedding was short and sweet

Congratulations Darlene and Francisco!