Back in Salem

No post holiday blues here, in fact quite the contrary. Usually I get the blues during the holidays. This year was no exception. I really can't explain it, but I just do. The drive home to Joseph wasn't all that bad until I hit Meacham on Saturday night, that is when the I-84 turned into a parking lot. It's like people forgot how to drive or something. So after spending an extra hour of my trip in the snow, I landed in La Grande where I took a breather at the Taco Bell and proceeded into the county. I had a good holiday with my family and did something quite unusual... stayed at my parents -- which isn't something I've done since well... last month during Thanksgiving. The great news is that I rented out my house in Joseph, so that left me with no place to stay but at my folks. It wasn't bad at all, and it was nice having my mom cook all the meals and to not have to worry about much of anything. I spent the majority of my time with my best friend Sterling Sunday (hoping to see my other best friend Christian later this week). We had a ceremonial "burning" of my Joseph stuff. It was kind of sad... but really more fun than anything. Later that night, he, Alyse, and I got together and had a mini Christmas after eating at El Bajio -- which I have missed immensely by the way! Seems as if no place down here in Salem can 'get it right.' So Sterling and Alyse got me the coolest present ever - a digital photo frame... which turned out to be one of the hottest gifts of this holiday season.

Went home and had a pretty mellow Christmas Eve. My sister and her new husband Colby came back for the holiday. Christmas day arrived and it was all but time for me to leave. I did pretty well, got some clothes and most notably an Outback gift card which I can use for one of my many dinners I have at my next-door neighbor here in Salem. Then, yes of course, I had to leave...

The trip home wasn't bad, until I hit the Gorge. Then it got quite bad, and several times I thought I was going to can it up with all the stupid drivers around me. It was snowing hard and continuously and just wouldn't stop. It was piling up on the sides of the road and blowing hard. It got to the point where it was slushing up on the road surface and people started sliding around. Finally I arrived in Troutdale and life was once again good with just plain rain (hey, that rhymes). This morning I woke up bright-eyed and bushy tailed and went back to work. Thankfully my good pal Jonathan was there too so it wasn't all bad. It was just kind of crummy having to go back to work right after Christmas. Nonetheless, it's life, right?

-LB

P.S. TOP TEN PEOPLE OF 2007 COMING SOON!