. . . and then a pig flew by.

We actually experienced a semi-legitimate snowfall in Nashville this morning!!!




There was a bit more snow initially than you can see in the pictures, but the sun came out and started to melt it before I made it outside with the camera.

Part of what was remarkable about this event was that it came as a fairly sudden surprise. I don't think it is unique to Middle Tennesee that the local media outlets start to freak out a bit anytime there are freezing temperatures + the possibility of precipitation. But this time, I didn't hear or see a thing, not even on weather.com. As a matter of fact, just prior to snapping those pictures, the Weather Channel website was still reporting the current conditions as "Mostly Cloudy." So much for the up-to-the-minute accuracy of los Interwebs.

There was a bit of confusion about whether the Bible study I sit for on Wednesdays would be held or not, stemming from the fact that the church is in Brentwood, a municipality that is located in two different counties with two different school systems. Apparently last year, they determined their schedule based on Davidson County schools, but this year are going with Williamson County.

Anywho, I checked the Metro Nashville Public School website to see if the schools were closed, fully expecting they would be (I'll tell some other time about the so-called "snow days" when the Southeast library would be filled with kids off from school who could instead have been playing outside in the 60 degree temperatures). However, this is what I found when I got to the site (you'll probably need to click on the image to read it):



Okay, so school is in session. Considering that there was no real accumulation and, in fact, most of the snow was melted by 9:30 a.m., this seems like a good call. But what does the part about "driver discretion" mean? A bus driver gets to decide whether or not your child gets picked up for school? Or maybe where to take them once they are picked up? The driver can take the kids to Sonic instead if he's craving a coney and some tots? Metro schools have plenty of problems to begin with, and vague, confusing policy statements (or perhaps just the accurate statement of vague, confusing policies) like that certainly aren't helping things any.

Well, it's about time for me to grab some dinner and then head out to Kickin' It Night (TM) with the NFG-ers, where we are scheduled to watch the 2nd half of the "Battlestar Galactica" movie. Whoo-hoo! More tomorrow.

Is it the next day already?

AAAAAAARGH! I really need to go to bed, but before I can I remembered I needed to post something for today. So I wrote this whole entry about my activities, and then accidentally deleted it. Because I am tired and dumb. And now, frustrated.

In quick recap form: finished St. Pat's Day scarf, babysat, went to book club. Panera (aka the Bread Restaurant) ran out of bread bowls for their soup. Shoddy. Weather was lousy today, but hopefully will be better tomorrow because I'm getting up early to hang out laundry before I go babysit.

And now, since I have no photos to share with you, my two current favorite YouTube videos. Another thing I did today was watch each multiple times.

You will appreciate this one if, like me, you are a fan of LOST:



You will appreciate this next one if you have functional eyes and ears.



Happy Tuesday . . . I'm hitting the hay.

Pre-Coma Telegram

HOME SAFE FROM INDIANA STOP

HAD AN EASY SAFE DRIVE STOP

WENT TO TRADER JOES BEFORE HITTING THE ROAD YIPPEE STOP

AM VERY TIRED AND TEETERING ON THE BRINK OF CONSCIOUSNESS STOP

PROMISE TO POST SOMETHING BETTER TOMORROW STOP

Best Kroger Ever and Rachael Ray

Last night, Grace and I offered to make dinner for the family this evening. So after we got home from church today, we pulled out the Cooking Rocks! Rachael Ray 30-Minute Meals for Kids cookbook she received for Christmas and picked out some recipes. We settled on mini "muffin" meatloaves and potatoes mashed with cream cheese. Mmmmmmm. But before the cooking could commence, we made the obligatory trek to Carmel's magnificent Kroger.

One of the most compelling features of this location is that they MAKE THEIR OWN POTATO CHIPS RIGHT IN THE STORE! And, THEY HAVE FREE SAMPLES!!! Unfortunately, they were out of the barbecue flavor today. But here is Grace making the best of the situation alongside the flavor of the day, vinegar and sea salt.


William woke up this morning bound and determined that we should have another game of Monopoly this afternoon. I was pretty surprised, considering that the two of us had been jointly massacred the previous night. However, today he teamed up with his sister to much more success.

Just look at this fat wad of cash and property!



I didn't realize it at the time, but I caught that last picture mere minutes before the game ended with Tom's ignominious bankruptcy.

I forgot to get any pictures of our dinner prep and serving, but it came out really great. That Rachael Ray really knows what she's doing! And for dessert we made caramel-peanut butter apple dip, that was SO easy and SO good.

Back home tomorrow, then busy days on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (babysitting jobs in the morning and evening for Valentine's Day) before my parents arrive on Friday. Whoo-hoo!

Well, about time to turn in, I guess. Thanks for reading and check in again when I'm back in Nashville!

Saturday on the Monon Greenway

It's supposed to be very cold here tomorrow, so today we took advantage of the sunny and (relatively) mild weather to take a little excursion around downtown Carmel and along the Monon Greenway. Downtown Carmel features quite a few alarmingly lifelike statues, and these are the ones right where the Greenway comes through the downtown arts area.

The ones dressed appropriately for the weather are actually Grace and William (the statues aren't THAT alarmingly lifelike).

Graffiti along the trail, striking an interesting balance between being quite politically correct and simultaneously not at all:

The following photo was taken for posterity. I have promised eight-year old William that, should he ever become a father some day, I will bring this photo to his offspring's bassinet and start lobbying that day for lifelong piggyback rides. I may even have to relocate to wherever he and his family happen to be, so as to maximize my impact.


Maybe it's the cold, but the time sure does go by fast here in Indiana! I can't believe that tomorrow is my last full day here. Grace and I are planning on making dinner for the family, so I'm sure there will be some stories to report (hopefully not involving the fire department).

LOST in Indy

Some of you know that I am a bit fixated on the TV show, "LOST." The term "obsessed" has also been applied (affectionately, I think). So it's an obvious display of how much I love the Hahns that I was willing to sacrifice seeing the newest episode air last night, opting instead to watch it when I get the chance in streaming video online.

So last night, right about the time "LOST" would be coming on, I was just circling Indianapolis on I-465, on my way to Carmel. For reasons too complicated to go into, I had abandoned my iPod in search of tolerable local radio. And right at 9 PM (8 Central), my radio stopped on something that wasn't a commercial or a song--what it sounded like was the audio of a TV program. I figured I was projecting, seeing as how I was thinking about my favorite show coming on right then and all--but as I continued to listen, it became apparent that what I was hearing was the audio for that night's episode, as it was premiering to the world! WHA-HOO! It took me about twenty minutes to get to the Hahns' from there, but I listened through the first two commercial breaks and was delighted to have had the opportunity dropped in my lap. Seeing as how all the east coast people have turned in for the night, I may actually watch the episode after I post this--if I can stay awake that long myself.

The day got off to a slow start with my unintentionally making a pot of decaf coffee instead of regular. This fact was discovered around lunchtime, when I decided I was going to need to make a 2nd pot, since I couldn't seem to wake up. WHOOPS. Joseph Heller should have written about the whole "needing a cup of coffee in order to produce a cup of coffee" dilemma.

In spite of my fatigue-induced incompetence, we had a fairly productive morning of unpacking, followed by an afternoon of errand-running. Carmel has what I now believe to be the World's Greatest Kroger, and believe me that this is not an insignificant accomplishment. They make their own potato chips in the store!!! And boy howdy, are they ever good.

Grace would not get on the "Muppet Babies" ride at the front of the Wal-Mart, even though I promised to take her picture and post it here on the blog. Spoil sport. It would have been awesome.

Tomorrow will be "family fun day" where there will be no moving-related work allowed. Hopefully the festivities will yield some entertaining and/or humiliating photo ops.

One tired Oyster

Just a quick post to report my safe arrival in Carmel, Indiana, where I am happily ensconced in the fancy digs that are the new Casa de Hahn. Turns out one's real estate dollar stretches considerably farther here in the great midwest than in the Garden State.

I made the drive after sitting for my regular Thursday buddy Larsen, which made for a long day. From Brentwood to Carmel took me almost exactly five hours, including a short rest/fuel break. But once I post this, it's off to the Land of Nod for me . . . and then I'll have pretty much the whole day tomorrow to help Nancy with unpacking.

No pictures from today's travels, so instead, here are some from what I hope to make a new tradition at my house: post-church Sunday dinner for my Midtown peeps. There were lucky thirteen of us altogether.

The library end of the table:

The "kitchen" end:


Liz loves hot beverages.

Extremely serious cake-cutting face.

New friend Scott--he is actually from Indianapolis, which is basically where I am right now, although I did not know that at the time.

Yay for friends! Suzanne and Stefani--and yes, I made my friends wear nametags. That is precisely how dorky I am.


Sarah loves being photographed.

Mmmmm . . . pineapple upside-down cake.


Enough blogging for this sleepy girl. More Carmel-rific antics tomorrow!