Looking Forward to Spring

Trip To Skagit Valley

We went on a motor with the MINI Club today to Skagit County, which is where all the famous Washington State tulips are grown. It was beautiful! We actually had some snow, which made everything look a bit special. We had a particularly neet treat because the snow geese were out; people come from all around the world to see them (this is the only place where they gather.) Here are some pictures (of course including INAMINI.)

Holland Pictures

Santa Taketh and Then Giveth

I had a wonderful Christmas. Santa decided to take my appendix on Christmas Day. Trying to get something out of the deal, I wanted to take the little bugger home pickled in a jar. B and the hospital wouldn't let me. It's all rather humiliating because this all takes place on my abdomen, which is pasty white and large. I don't know how they found my appendix (maybe they couldn't, and that's why they wouldn't let me take it home.) Of course the whole staff has to come and check it every 5 minutes, so now it it has become common knowledge that I'm fat, which, of course, draws more people.
I remember another bad medical day. I had a weird rash with blisters on my, you guessed it, abdomen. The doctor couldn't figure out what is was, so she invited about ten doctors in to come and look at my big whale belly covered with blisters. After they took pictures, they sent me home with home with a generic salve- even with all that exposure, no one knew what it was. No, they didn't actually take pictures.
After I had been home several days, Santa gave me a nice severe cold. I've been hacking uncontrollably, and darn it, it hurts to cough after an appendectomy. It also has the unfortunate side-effect of keeping me awake all night. Believe me, I've tried every cough syrup (gotten drunk, but still hacking,) and throat lozenge (ended up swallowing them whole while I'm coughing.) The only really good result of all this is that I'm not expected to do any work around the house .
I don't like Santa anymore.

Winter And I Never Wash The Car

The whole time I've been involved with the MINI Club I've had a reputation for having a "dirty little car." Everybody likes to post pictures of the dirt, and brag how their cars always look beautiful. I admit that washing my car isn't always my favorite activity, but some people are real fanatics. There is the guy that pulls out the chrome cleaner, tire cleaner and Windex everytime we stop. You have got to be kidding!
I also have a tendency towards cracks in my windshield. On my old Cooper, I went through two windshields in two years. My Cooper S, which I got in June, and I already have two huge cracks going. I think I'll wait until winter is over to replace the windshield, while ignoring the pretty prisms that distort my vision when the sun shines. Since the sun doesn't shine very much right now, and the car is grossly filthy, it really doesn't make much difference. No "cracks" about the windshield, please- hahahahaha.
On a very "Bend the Rules, Rule the Bends" note, I got some added horsepower for for the MINI for my birthday. This usually means that I come out of corners much faster than I go into them. B doesn't like it because it is too easy to speed all the time.
But damn, that car is fun!