4.0

Final grades for Spring semester were posted today and I got an A. This may be the first time ever I've had a cumulative grade point average of 4.0 two semesters running. This semester's class, Professional Ethics, was not hard but it was arduous. I dreaded it, in fact. I've spent a lot of time questioning the wisdom of starting a Masters degree in my 30's. Why, exactly, am I doing this? Yeah, yeah career advancement, blah, blah life long learning, personal enrichment and so on. I'm putting myself through what could potentially be a spirit crushing 8 week law for nonprofits intensive this summer. Why am I really doing this? I am not a glutton for punishment. I don't routinely do things that hurt or, frankly, tax me in any way. I like to lounge about, taking it easy. So, it must be the promise of money. Isn't that the real reason Americans do anything? I will put myself through three years of grad school misery only because there is the promise of a six figure salary at the other end.

The truth comes out.

The Future is Now

Baby is already taking after Daddy.

Week 15

I visted my OB yesterday and we listened to the fetus' heartbeat using a Doppler. It essentially looks like a microphone that you place on the belly. The sound was clear and very strong, cruising along at a nice speedy clip of 160 beats per minute. I've been feeling just fine, thank you very much for asking! The worst of the first-trimester yuks seem to be gone, only to be replaced by new curiosities like constant heartburn and other unseemly bodily functions. I've bugun to outgrow my wardrobe and will be packing most of it away in tubs soon. I've started wearing some of Angie's old maternity clothes (thanks, poo!) and will be unpacking the ones I got from Sam soon. My close co-workers know, but I have not told the whole world yet. I think they'll start to guess as the weather warms up and my belly gets rounder and harder to hide. I relish the opportunity to red-face the first person who asks by responding that "No, I am not, in fact, pregnant. I've just decided to let myself go..."

One line, two line, pink line, blue line

In reality, the test I took showed two very distinct pink lines. What does that mean? Well, it means that, maybe, just maybe, if all goes well, Nathan and I will welcome a baby into our family in a few months.

The cats will not be pleased.

Crazy Cat Lady

Cari with Tiva, Kiko and Fela on a recent snowy afternoon

My Invalid Kitty

My poor kitty, Tiva, who just turned 13 at the beginning of April, had to go in for surgery yesterday. He had developed two more tumors - one on his back and one on his paw right in between two toes. He has had surgery twice before and I swore after the last time I'd never put him through it again. However, he is really healthy otherwise and his bloodwork indicated that the cancer has not gotten into his system meaning that if they get all of the tumor I may be able to have the mean old bastard around for several more years. So, in he went. Bad news: in order to get all of the tumor on his paw, they had to amputate a toe. Good news: Dr. Braun thinks they got it all. The one on his back was easy to remove. He stayed overnight at the hospital and I picked him up this morning. He's in rough shape. He is covered in dander from the stress and shaved of his luxiorious black fur in several places where the needed to take blood and put in IVs. I'm working from home today so I can monitor him. He hadn't eaten since Monday so I gave him half a can of the wet food, which he never oridinarily gets because he's on a diet. Fatty! Thankfully, he chowed it down in no time flat, a good indicator that he'll be okay. He also managed to get some dry food and a little water down despite the high-sided elizabethan collar that is keeping him from gnawing at the stitches in his front paw. He is sleeping now on his favorite old green blankie. Another good sign. We'll have to keep him sequesterd in the office from the other kitties for several days as he cannot go down the stairs and needs to use special post-surgical litter. He is getting both a pain medication and an anti-inflammitory. Poor sucker will have to wear the e-collar until he gets his stitches out in 10 days. I feel so bad for him. He is a mean and nasty cat to most visitors to our house as many of you well know. But, to me, he is a loving, snuggling good boy and I love him very much! Poor Kitty!

Arizona Trip

I was in Arizona for 9 days, much of it for work, but Nathan joined me and we got to have a little vacation time. We went to the Grand Canyon for the frist time, which really is very lovely. Despite the spring break crowds of children the National Park Service does a pretty good job of herding everyone along. We hiked along the rim trail and enjoyed the view. We had the traveling gnome in our pocket, but sadly forgot to take his picture so I'll have to Photoshop him in later.

In Flagstaff we visited the Lowell Observatory and were a bit startled to find that Percy Lowell is in his own private little mock-observatory/mosoleum right in the middle of the grounds. We went back after dark to look at Saturn through the big Clark telescope and had to wait in the darkness right next to his creepy crypt. He was one strange man. And, speaking of the Lowell Observatory, be sure to ask Nathan about his doorknob of shame.

Now to the other end of the state, we had the opportunity to attend a couple of Cactus League spring training games. We joined my collegue in public radio, Scott and his wife Marilyn at the Giants v. Brewers game in Scottsdale and then went to the Bitch Sox v. Royals game with Nathan's parents in Tucson. The traveling gnome also attended both games. At some point, I will have to do a retrospective of all the places the gnome has been. He's travelled quite extensively these last three years.

We had the pleasure of spending a couple of relaxing days with Ann and Merald at thier place in Green Valley. The guys headed to Kitt Peak to look at more telescopes while Ann and I visited the Desert Museum. I loved the aviary, especially these two pretty birdies.

A Black-headed GrosbeakMourning Dove