Carnage (photo-less, don't worry!)

Quite a bloody scene in the kitchen this morning. Jean and I have been running an anti-mouse campaign this week (please don't mention this to our houseguests who are arriving tonight!) and last night saw the first victim. Catching mice is harder than one might think! Our first strategies, i.e. humane traps, then regular spring traps with, in order, cheese, bread, then large pieces of bread, yielded nothing. Though the bait was always gone by morning, mind you. So last night we tried peanut butter, thinking that it would be less portable, requiring the mouse to sit and eat it in place, thereby increasing the likelihood of snaring him. We'd laid six traps across the various surfaces of the kitchen and thank god it was the one on the tile floor that snapped. Splash!

The Salk

Last weekend Jean and I were in San Diego visiting Jean's brother and family. I took photos of two subjects while there: one, the beautifully white and horizon-framing Salk Institute which we visited on our second day in town, and pictures of the equally lovely child-scenery! Jonathan, Alex, and little Elisabeth are delightful these days. I can see why people love San Diego--there seems to be so much landscape beauty in every direction from the city. I was most taken with the canyon that drops away right behind Karen & Ben's apartment. Due to the spring rains, it's now filled with flowers and fluffy green shrub-growth (it's more typically yellow & brown) and the walk across the canyon is a total delight. Although as Ben learned the hard way, one has to keep one's distance from the poison oak growing in the bottom of the canyon.

Here's the Salk Institute, which we visited on the cliffs in La Jolla by bicycle.



The laboratories and offices are arranged around a plaza with the western side open to the cliffs and oceanview. The plaza is paved in a very pale travertine and the building are clad in precast concrete panels, which do something really beautiful in the bright sunlight.





There's also a much-photographed linear water feature that bisects the plaza and appears to run off into the horizon.





The architect who designed the complex, Louis Kahn, is one of my very favorites. Don't know if any of you saw the movie "My Architect", which was a documentary about Kahn and his work made by his son, but it's pretty good.

Here's Jean, looking very prime in his sun-protective gear!



Despite the socks, goggles, hat, & scarf, we BOTH got our first mini-sunburn of the season in San Diego, which was actually kind of fun after all this winter stuff back east.

And here are the three little wildebeasts, savoring their weekly ration of Sesame Street (K & B are of the same ilk as my own parents when it comes to tv-watching!)



Click on their picture for a more pictures on these three.

John's 60th

Here are Ruth and John at his festive 60th birthday party.

Twins' NYC adventure

Thursday Don and I found this message from Debbie and Millie after they had been here to clean.

We wanted to tell you both that we entered a Sisters Contest and won. We won a trip to New York: Hair & make-up, eyebrows, facials, $500 each shopping spree at Macy's. Dream Hotel and dinner at Ribot. We will be in the May 30th issue of "Quick & Simple" magazine by Good Housekeeping. We go April 21-23 to New York. Will will keep you posted on our exciting news. (smile, smile).

Mary Davis had told me a couple of weeks ago that they had won this contest, and I had thought they were going last week, but one twin needed some back surgery, so I guess she has recovered sufficiently to go to NYC. They are so sweet; I can't wait to see the magazine.

1:17:25

This weekend, I ran my first 10-mile race of my life (the Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Race). My final time, seen above, was good enough to beat my goal of 8 minutes per mile. However, the above time was only good enough for 1,019th place among the men, and it still left me half an hour slower than the winner.

Now that I have accomplished this, you may wonder what is next. October's Marine Corps Marathon, perhaps? Hmmm...I am still thinking about that one but will keep you updated.

ISR 2006

As many of you know, ISR 2006 was a success. We were delighted by the people, preparation, and debate. Best of all, of course, was the wonderful camaraderie and friendships that these trips build.

Hopefully, I will be able to post more photos eventually, but here is the first. Here, my charming fellow staff ride coordinator, Kristie, and I are overlooking Belfast from the top of Divis Mountain.