Heading home

Portland is lovely and the Oregon coast was stunning, but I'm missing Seattle (especially my critters) in the worst way. Also: it snowed today.

The best present

A package arrived for us the other day, and it contained a tub of homemade cookies and two magnificent pieces of artwork courtesy of my sweet niece Natalie. One of them is the Space Needle banner you see below, hand painted on some vinyl table-clothy feeling fabric. I like that. Waterproof, for the Seattle rain. Good thinking, Miss Natalie.

Natalie, this is so completely awesome. You keep on making fantastic art, ok? And please don't ever grow up. I'm posting this proudly in my "grownup" cubicle, right next to my string of polaroids and my photo of Michael Flatley, Lord of the Dance.

All is calm.

A quiet rainy Sunday in Seattle. Vacation is calling...

White Elephant

Last Friday at my company Christmas party, I had the joy of participating in a White Elephant gift exchange for the very first time. It was a riot - I mean, take 60 or so of the most creative people around and ask them to bring a crappy gift to share, and you're bound to experience something amazing. Coveted items included a heavily gilded "faberge" egg, a majestic jade tiger (or lion?) and Carmen Electra's Lap Dance Workout DVD.

I went home with a Deck the Halls musical matchbox, which didn't look very exciting on the outside. But upon closer inspection, I realized that the inhabitants of my matchbox diorama were actually zombies.

Eeek!

And it appears that the Cantina Band from Star Wars made a cameo appearance. Check out the musician in the corner. Uncanny resemblance.

I don't know who this gift came from, but I'll bet they never imagined it would keep a girl with a macro lens entertained for a good chunk of the afternoon. Well done, mystery gift giver. Well done.