Color Blind

We set up a new computer Thursday. It was time for an upgrade. Dan did all the hooking and what have you. I stopped in the hall to see how it was coming and the monitor had no red in it at all. It was like the red had been turned off. Oh, it looked awful. I said, 'Ugh, what is wrong with the picture?' Dan said,'There's something wrong?' Oh, my poor color blind husband. So, if you want to know what it is like to be red/green color blind, turn the red completely off on your monitor and have a look see. I lamented to him about how could he live without red. My alma matter, the sunset, apples, valentine's, the leaves changing, oh just everything beautiful has red in it! I can't wait to be with him when he is resurrected. I want him to see red and love it!
I spent an 1.5hr Friday with Dell support. It wasn't too unpleasant, but it was decided that the video card needs to be replaced. So here I sit on our old laptop instead of on our super cool new computer. It will be fixed Monday.

Mule Jump

I just remembered Rochelle asked about the Mule Jump. It is held in Pea Ridge, Arkansas. They walk the mules up to a bar similar to a high jump. From standing stock still, or a slow trot these mules jump over the bar. There are fair things set up like a petting zoo, tractor show and food vendors. Look at these pictures of us in the past...

The Suns

A guy in our ward told Dan, 'You have to take Alex to a Suns Game!' That same person gave them tickets and they went to a game Friday night. Ryan was bummed, but he and I went to the pet store and got ice cream. He was happy. They didn't leave the game until midnight. Dan wanted to go earlier but Alex said he had to know who won the game. The Suns did. I'm sure they will always treasure that trip. It is a shame what a pain in the rump he was the next day from lack of sleep.

Eating Abroad

England: The best hamburger I've ever had was in a pub down the street from Windsor Castle. We ate fish and chips a few times because we thought we should. It isn't something I ever crave.
Switzerland: Light and dainty. We ate mostly in cafes, but what we really wanted to do is eat the REAL chocolate, sin in a tin can, Oh Man! Like $20 for 4 pieces. So delicious...
Berlin: OK, after being in Italy for 2.5 months where there was mad cow disease on every headline (if you don't recall or remember, google it) which prevented even the Italians from eating beef, Berlin was an American Mecca. We had steak! It was from Argentina and it was wonderful. We had ribs, burgers, and shish kabobs. We ate at Scholotzky's. It was home! I found this karaoke bar that served brats, sauerkraut and hot German potato salad. I went back many times and took different friends. I gorged and it was great!
Greece: I found 2 things to love. Gyros and Greek salad. They served the gyros with steak fries, my guess is because of the tourists. I don't care why; they were perfect. The lamb was sliced off this huge cone of meat rotating on a spit.
Italy: Well, there was gelato, sometimes twice a day. Amarena (black cherry) was my favorite. There was also green apple and cinnamon or raspberry and lemon. Pizza. Yuck. Well, I found some I could eat. Only sit down restaurants have round pizza. Otherwise they are rectangles and you have to order it by hand gestures (yeah wide) and weight. Crazy. The pasta was good. The salad poor. The deli 10 steps from our apartment made the best sandwiches for our bus rides: bread resembling Boboli, provolone, and pepperoni. There was a market every weekday in a square just a block away. This is where I learned about blood oranges. Yummy! It is hard to cook with forgien ingredients and tiny appliances. Baking nearly impossible. Our favorite restaurants: the place next to the Pantheon (if you go to Rome you will have to eat there. I'll give you directions.), the Chinese restaurant in Piazza Giordi Fiori (the flower market on the weekends), and ashamedly, Hard Rock Cafe. I only went twice, but they had mustard, ranch dressing and ice!!! You can't blame a girl for wanting those things.
Oh yes, I was a big fat ho'se when I got home (of course, when I would meet my eternal companion I was 20 lbs over weight). All that pasta and bread really sticks to your bones, even if you walk at least 5 miles a day. A roommate actually took aerobics in Italy because of the weight. That is her story to tell and not mine, but it was funny hearing her tell about these tiny little woman dancing around. I myself lost that weight in 4 months of torture called my pass/fail design studio. I also couldn't sleep for more than 4 hours a night after that, but that isn't Europe, that's 'The Hill.'

Camping

On Friday we went camping at Lake Pleasant with the Barons. It was a good time. Ryan took a few years off of my life when I took him for a ride on the quad. He said, "I can do it myself" and before I was even seated he put the gas on full. We nearly ran over Dan's nephew, barely missed Dan's truck and could have landed in a cactus! It scared me half to death because I had only ridden it one time and I wasn't very familiar with the brakes. That was the last quad ride for me. Dan took him out later. They were bouncing around and Ryan kept saying something Dan couldn't understand. He stopped and asked what he was saying. Ryan said, 'Go faster!' Our speed demon is definitely going to break something before long.
The night was full of things that 'go bump in the night.' I woke up to this crazy sound. I realized it was a donkey he-hawing. It was hilarious! Well, the first time... There was also an owl camped outside whoo whooing.
I didn't bring enough wood along, so we scavenged from the trees and dried cactus around us. We were nice and toasty in the morning for a yummy breakfast. It was a short trip, but it was fun and a nice diversion.
Our camera is on the fritz, so we'll have to wait to post pictures for a while.

m-u-l-e

The Goodyear Blacks headed to Tucson for a fun weekend. We spent most of our time playing Rockband. As soon as the drums were set up, Ryan grabbed the sticks, sat down and held up the sticks and said, 'Let's do this!' Alex was very good at the drums and singing. Although, I don't know about him singing 'I'm a creep.' Ryan picked up the mic when no one was around and started singing 'I had a bad day.' My two musicians! Dan was very good at the guitar, and actually I'm sure I never heard him sing... He did earn a band-aid for his great guitar skills.

The main reason for our get away was to watch Emily's senior recital (piano) at the UofA. She did awesome! I don't know why I didn't take any pictures, but she was beautiful as always and we were all so very proud of her. On the way home Alex pipped up from the backseat. 'Hey, I know how to spell Emily, m-u-l-e.' Which is super funny if you know about Dan's interest in the annual Mule Jumping contest held in Pea Ridge, Arkansas every year. And, if you sound it out, mule could be pronounced 'emily'. So there you go!

We left Ryan with June for some alone time fun, but his stay was cut short with a little stomach bug. We'll have to reschedule for another time. He says he misses his grandma and his friends (his aunts and their sweethearts).

Oh, and I think we should all pray for our new national leaders today. They are going to need it!