The day after Christmas in Wisconsin, home safely in Seattle. Ahhhh.

The day after Christmas in Seattle, home safely from Wisconsin. Ahhhh.
Originally uploaded by emaggie

For my immediate family, this Christmas was something of a split affair. Sarah had to work, Maya and I went to Wisconsin. It seems as though most of the Nation faced some sort of wintry craziness. I was lucky - we got out of Seattle before many days of snowfall gummed up air traffic. And then we got back in yesterday afternoon. I'll spare everyone the tactical details - precarious drives, Maya barfing almost on an ironic cue as we left Minnesota by car after arrival on the way to Northern Wisconsin and then as we re-entered the State on our way to the airport to leave for Seattle, more winter than even Cold Miser might have hoped for in that most demented of 1970s Holiday specials. But we made it. The most telling irony - I got stuck in the intersection half a block from our front door last night as we turned onto our street during our triumphant return. Amazingly, a trio of good Samaritans (or were they shepards?) helped me push the Volvo into the only possible curbside parking spot. It was a true Boxing Day miracle. Regardless, what follows are a handful of shots from our Wisconsin visit. Enjoy.

Forest Drive Series #1

Forest Drive Series #1
Originally uploaded by emaggie

Walking along the gravel road that runs through my family's homestead property is always a delight in the winter. But this year it was especially expressive. On this particular Christmas Day, the air was crisp and for the first time in days it wasn't snowing.

Forest Drive Series #2

Forest Drive Series #2
Originally uploaded by emaggie

Forest Drive Series #3

Forest Drive Series #3
Originally uploaded by emaggie

One of our Christmas Eve art projects - Maya and her cousins decorated pieces of our failed gingerbread house with all the fixings. Nobody complained.

One of our Christmas Eve art projects - decorating the pieces of our failed gingerbread house with all the fixings. Nobody complained.
Originally uploaded by emaggie

The whole reason Maya loves sledding appears to be the post-hill hot chocolate.

The whole reason Maya loves sledding appears to be the post-hill hot chocolate.
Originally uploaded by emaggie

Uncle Jake pulled sherpa duty on the sledding hill with no complaint. None from Maya either.

Uncle Jake pulled sherpa duty on the sledding hill with no complaint. None from Maya either.
Originally uploaded by emaggie

"Why can't I find one that tastes like hot chocolate?"

"Why can't I find one that tastes like hot chocolate?"
Originally uploaded by emaggie

If this isn't a kid having fun in the snow, I'll never take another picture.

If this isn't a kid having fun in the snow, I'll never take another picture.
Originally uploaded by emaggie

Maya and Grandma on the piano - a fine duet, practiced again and again.

Maya and Grandma on the piano - a fine duet, practiced again and again.
Originally uploaded by emaggie

Maya got some minor league shoveling experience this week before we head back to Wisconsin.

Maya got some minor league shoveling experience this week before we head back to Wisconsin.
Originally uploaded by emaggie

Seattle is so screwy. All week long it was "Henny Penny, the sky is falling - have you seen the forecast?" Maya's daycare closed four of five days. Before a mandatory two-week break. For the "Jewish Community Center". Cough. But let's recap their week in response to Seattle's uncharacteristically slightly colder weather. Monday - closed due to frozen pipes (nighttime low - 29 degrees). Tuesday - normalcy. Wednesday - um, we're closed again because we watched the weather this morning (note: it started to snow in the early AM THURSDAY). Thursday - well, what do you expect since it's actually snowing a two inches. Friday - closed because it snowed yesterday and the City hasn't bought a snowplow since the Eisenhower Administration. And now we're in the break between that ridiculousness and...WHAT MAY BE THE PERFECT STORM! Or, in other words, it may snow 4 inches on Sunday. So Maya and I are throwing in the towel and heading to a much more challenging climate. Northern Wisconsin. On on the shortest days of the winter. Expect some comparative pics soon hereafter.

Hope your own flights are booked and ready to roll on clear runways. Rock on.

Maya looks ready to pee her name in the snow.

Maya looks ready to pee her name in the snow.
Originally uploaded by emaggie

Hot chocolate makes it all worth it.

Hot chocolate makes it all worth it.
Originally uploaded by emaggie

"But when I say a 'size 10', I just want you to know I wear a 12, heh heh..."

I'm not sure how many dozen times I've seen the clip of Dubya getting shoes chucked at him yesterday. But it ain't going away any time soon. Right after it happened, I thought it was shocking and hilarious. Now, given Dubya's attempt to spin it so clumsily I'm convinced it is an incident that will live on along with the worst of the worst gag reel for this era. The fact that Dubya tried to joke initially is the strongest indication of how little he understands about the Middle East. Anyone who's read a newspaper since Baghdad fell in 2003 (remember that Saddam statue?) knows that being hit with a shoe or even just being taunted with the sole of a shoe is like flipping someone the bird while taunting yo' momma's past work as a prostitute. Why are the Arab media and cities throughout the region so all over this story? Because even a blind street urchin knows what an insult this was to have thrust fully into a final stupid photo op for Dubya. To try to make it into a non-issue by way of dismissal...well, that worse than turning around a whipping a cowboy boot back from the podium.

Speaking of street urchins - we saw "Slumdog Millionaire" last night. A small gem of a film that receives a very high recommendation. My rating - an A-minus. Romantic, uplifting, sad and beautifully shot. My only question leaving the theatre is whether Regis Philbin has seen it yet. If you've done so, you might get my drift. Hint - the Indian Regis portrayal maybe says something about both characters.

Another quickie review for folks here in Seattle. After the movie, Sarah and I had a delicious date dinner at Cafe` Spinasse on Capitol Hill. Their pasta is masterful. Everything else we tried we'd try again. By far the best Italian food I've ever had in Seattle. My rating - a B-plus with a few caveats. First of all, I want to go back and try more. Second, it's pretty spendy. But for a special meal, it's worth every nickel.

Seattle's frozen somewhat solid after getting a few inches of snow and much lower than normal temps over the weekend. The pipes at Maya's daycare froze this morning. All we heard at holiday parties over the weekend was plans to head to warmer climates soon. My reaction? Eh. Maya and I head to Wisconsin this weekend where daytime high temps appear to be hovering around zero. Makes 30 degrees and crystal clear sound like t-shirt weather, doncha know.

Hope your own aim on that second shoe is a bit better this time around. Rock on.

Maya shows just how ready she is to start decorating the house for the Holidaze.

Maya shows just how ready she is to start decorating the house for the Holidaze.
Originally uploaded by emaggie

This shot was just before we headed out to get our tree. We haven't trimmed it yet. But we got a beaut. Expect some more pics when we do so over the next few days. Maya is already waking up every morning asking when it's going to be Christmas. Or, as I correct her, "Jesusmas". I'm reluctant to tell her friends at the JCC that she gets the whole Chrismukkah. Jewish kids get so jealous this time of year. Hope your own excitement is entirely secular today. Rock on.

"But they are called 'stockings' aren't they?"

"But they are called 'stockings' aren't they?"
Originally uploaded by emaggie

"Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in..."

If you're at all like me, you can already see the GOP nutjobs out there spinning their beanies at hyperspeed as they conspire how to use the flaming cartwheel of a crash that is Illinois Governor Blagojevich (prounounced nothing like it's spelled). As I type, Patrick Fitzgerald is holding a clinic on poise during a press conference to announce Blagojevich's arrest. Somewhere far, far away, Scooter Libby is having a flashback. Cut to the chase? Blago extorted untold sums of cash and contributions for favors while Guv. But the headline is - he was trying to sell the Senate seat being vacated by Obama to the highest bidder. Thus far, absolutely no link to Obama. Nor will they ever find any. Unless, perhaps, someone pushed the Justice Department to dump this truck on the lawn well before the Inauguration. I guarantee everybody one thing - the GOP will try to make this stick to Obama. This is Bill Ayers on the sort of steroid cocktail Barry Bonds choked down. This is utter crap, as a smear. But - I'm sad to say - it's got zazz. Back to the real point - Blago provides the final evidence for one of the truest hypotheses in my canon. Never trust a guy with a haircut like THAT.

Hope your own Cabinet announcements somehow avoid questions about "when did you speak with Blagojevich?...cough, cough...sorry, there's a lot of phlegm in that name". Rock on.

Maya sports her Space Needle hat for a birthday party. Well, not really.

Maya sports her Space Needle hat for a birthday party at the Children's Museum. Well, not really.
Originally uploaded by emaggie

One of her classmates had his 4th B-day bash at the Children's Museum in the Seattle Center yesterday. Which gave me the chance for jokey photo staging. What are kids for, after all.

Mumbai from an experienced POV

I had thought about posting a silly bit of Milwaukee Brewers news today (Don Money, one of my favorite old school Brew Crew players that looked like he was 50 when he was 25, got promoted to be the Manager at the Brewers AAA club in Nashville). But then I got a forwarded email from my sister-in-law mentioning that a beloved friend published an Op-Ed in yesterday's NY Daily News. Sameer is one helluva smart dood. And he was the first guy to get me to go golfing a few months ago after what had been more than half a decade's worth of peevish boycotting. His reflection upon the tragedy last week in Mumbai is personal and poetic. Please read it.

Hope your own journeys take you to ancestral homes you may not have ever known today. Rock on.

"Next question, Mr. President-Elect - do you plan to nominate anyone who actually believes in the current Bowl Championship Series system?"

A few thoughts on Obama's Cabinet. First, this guy is fully ensconced in the nuts and bolts of settling many scores while getting better geared up to serve than anyone has ever shown themselves to be at this point. Hillary's peeps wouldn't have been happy without at least what she got. Bob Gates staying on at Defense makes more sense than trying to hop into another canoe mid-river. Susan Rice, Eric Holder, James Jones - c'mon, everybody...these are damn strong picks. But this morning I heard the inevitable question asked when Bill Richardson was announced as Commerce Secretary if Latinos should feel slighted. Seriously. Seriously? Employment numbers came out today that stunned everyone (250K lost their jobs in November), the Bushies announced yesterday that we've been in a recession since December '07, new car sales are worse than anytime since Reagan's first term, blah blah blah. Is this really a time to talk tokens? Reporters still need to report. Yet certain questions don't need to be asked at this point in the game. Beeyatches.

While we were in Santa Barbara, we didn't do our regular movie-crazed catch-up deluge. But we did still see a few things worth rating. The new Bond ("Quantum of Solace") is garbage. My rating - a solid D. Daniel Craig is gold, but this movie is a turd. More interestingly, "The Bank Job" was a surprisingly good rental. My rating - solid B. We also rented "You Don't Mess With the Zohan" (C-minus) and "Iron Man" (a re-watched A-minus). Still, I feel like I've failed you by not having more reviews to offer. I'll catch up. I promise.

Hope your own donuts have extra sprinkles today. Rock on.