Jello...

Here are a few pictures from the last week or so...Also, here are some pics courtesy of Peregrine Climbing Guides from our outdoor climbing day up at Sand Rock that they posted up on their Facebook page.

Been lying low the past week or so.  Dropped Dan off at the airport, he made it safe and sound to Iceland.  The island greeted him with plenty of snow.  Today in fact they cancelled field work due to the large amounts of snow.  They've had to hike in to the sites - about 1.5 hrs one way!!!  They're getting what they can done, which isn't a lot considering the road conditions, field conditions, and lack of light.  But still, they're doing their best out there!!

After I dropped off Dan at the airport in BHM I headed to First Ave Rocks and had a great little climbing sesh all by my lonesome.  It was pretty quiet for the first hour or so, then the kids started rolling in, so after an hour and a half I headed home...Later that night I had tickets with a few other girls to attend Druid Ball, an annual drag show to benefit West Alabama AIDS foundation.  We got gussied up, took a limo cab (it's only $15 one way so not that pricey) and enjoyed the show that was basically a big party.  It's nice to see a bunch of drag queens in Tuscaloosa to make you feel like you live in a diverse city!  

The next day Mick and his visiting girlfriend cooked up a mean meal: Momofuku's Bo ssam, a korean-style meal with slow roasted pork that is shredded, then wrapped in lettuce leaves with brown rice, kim chi, scallions, and a spicy sauce - mmmm!!!  I didn't take actual pictures of the meal, but the link gives you an idea of the treat we were given!  

I dropped off Vija at the airport the next day and also picked up Jon and Alex at the same time - 2 in 1!!!  She's made it safely back to Seattle so we're happy she traveled safely home, but miss her dearly!

At this point, Dan comes back Tuesday afternoon, so I've got a few days to lay low with Hannah and get work done in the lab so I can take a few days off while my brother visits!  I'm already planning the meals we'll have during his first trip out to the Deep South!

Also, Tuesday was Valentine's Day!  Happy belated Valentine's Day!  

Here's a belated Valentine to Dan...one day in Moscow we spent a snowy Sunday at home.  Dan started drawing me pictures of various things we would do around Moscow (with Hannah)...here is the montage I scanned in..so technically these were made by Dan, but I saved them and scanned them in - so I'll consider it a group effort...

I had longer hair back then, and Dan's hair was variable I guess according to him...Can you identify our outings?  BBQing, baking for each other, playing tennis, holding hands, and going to the Moscow's Farmer's Market..

:)

xo

woot woot!!!

pics...

Hi-O!

Back again...here are a few pictures from the past few days - a few of the bouldering comp, and misc.

Also fun news - my brother Simon is visiting us for a week at the end of the month for a week!  His visit will be pulling double duty - he's got an art show at Grace Aberdean which is just a few blocks from our house!  The art opening will be March 2nd and his art (under the pseudonym ghostghostteeth) will be up for the month.    Dan and I drove back from Long Beach with a few of his larger pieces, but most of his show will be prints that he'll bring with him on his flight over from LAX.  It'll be fun to show him around the Deep South and have him taste some good ol' southern cookin'!  

woo hoo!

xo

rock on...

Hey Ya'll!!!

We've been keeping busy this past weekend!  Dan and I competed in the T-town Pull Down bouldering competition held at the UA rec center.  Check this link out for our standings!  All in all we had a great time and we are both happy about how we climbed.  We even made out in the raffle and we nabbed a Grigri 2 which is about a $90 piece of equipment - score!  This puppy is great for belaying, but we have an item very similar to it so we're going to sell it so we can get a set of quickdraws and hone our lead climbing skills that we learned last week out at Sand Rock! 

In addition to a great time, the swag bags that everyone received at the comp were also some of the best we're ever gotten - including free wool socks, Sigg water bottles, and a T-shirt among other items!  We have to download the few pictures we took at the comp, but all in all it was a great time!  Though we were still sore from the comp we went to the wall last night and tried out the problems from the comp.  This is always so very fun to try out without the stress of getting as many points in a two hour session!  Turns out I couldn't even do some of the problems that I did during the comp - so perhaps an indication of persistent soreness or the power of adrenaline during the comp!?

Anyhow, that's the buzz around here for now...Dan leaves on Saturday for Iceland, so this week will be busy getting ready for that!  We're so very happy about the weather for now - in the mid-60s and sun!  The rain needs to stay away for a few more days before I've had my fill...

xo!

ct

climbing thursday!!

hi there! we just got back from a long day of a lead climbing class that we took over at Sand Rock, AL - about 30 miles northeast of Gadsden...in the very NW tip of AL - right next to Georgia!

Here are pics, more details soon!

xo

gah....

We've been quite delinquent in posting here on the blog - we can blame the fervor of the new year after our road trip, the 14th National Championship win, the start of the new semester, celebrating Vietnamese New Year (Year of the Dragon!), and life in general, but alas, it doesn't change the fact that we've been remiss in posting on the blog.

A few things - 

1) Yes, we are National football champs in the college realm - it was great to beat LSU the second time around, but probably a pretty boring game for most folks...

2) Dan has started the semester - his course work is much lighter, which affords him more lab time looking at inverts and mounting slides of chironomid larvae...he can elaborate if need be.

3) Tet, the Vietnamese New Year started last Monday - we celebrated by having chicken curry and calling my folks.  Down here in the south there isn't the bustling asian population that provides various parades and Dragon Dances complete with fireworks, so we settled for an asian dinner and talking to asians on the phone.

4) We've been to the Greensboro Ave location a few times - once even with Anthony when he visited over the summer.  But this is the first (successful) visit to the original location. Here are pictures of Archibald's BBQ in Northport via urban spoon.  It really is just a single room building in the back of someone's house.  The pork was AMAZING...for me, second to Saw's in Homewood which I went to with Anthony when he visited in the summer...for Dan....a big thumbs up.

5) This past week was a bit tumultuous in the fact that a dear friend will be leaving us in the South - Vija has decided to leave the program in search of a graduate program more in line with her career goals.  We are sad to see her go, but are content knowing that she is following her desire of a more conservation-orientated program.  We have a few weeks left with Vija before she leaves so let's hope we can make those count.

6) Dan and I and a few lab mates will be taking a sport climbing class on Thursday!  We drive to Sand Rock near Gadsden, AL for a day of learning how to lead climb - it should be fun!  Then, on Saturday, the T-Town pull down is held at the climbing wall on campus, a bouldering competition with swag and fun - Dan and I are competing and hoping it'll be great fun,  we'll keep you updated on how we make out at the comp!!

7) pictures

xo all!

the new do...

eeps!

a few videos...

A few videos from the trip..

hannah at white sands...

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2

3

Dan at White Sands and his raving leash abilities