A SHOWER FOR BABY PATON

There is a nice spread of food--it must mean that there's a shower today....
The guests are greeted...............
And fed...........

Lilly, the Shower Queen, wins another prize!
Time to open the presents....
The lovely Miss Makenna........
Tummy mats for exercising baby.......
Other young mothers discuss baby stuff....

A cute bib!
Some of the handwriting is difficult to read....
"I thought there was going to be MEN at the shower!"

Actually, there were a few..... And a good time was had by all!

THE CAPSHAWS' SWEETHEART DINNER....

The night of the Sweetheart Dinner has arrived......
A glowing hearth and a cute kitty await the guests......
The table is set......
Giancarlo has provided valentine cookies with each guest's name for place cards......
Even Dwight is excited.....

The candles are lit.....
Individual place settings....
And the guests begin to arrive.....
It is an evening to appreciate your sweetheart....
We provided the main dish--pork chops served atop puree cauliflower with fig thyme sauce....

Some more sweethearts--Dwight and Louise brought the vegetables-- a calibacitas medley....
There was intellectual discussion.....
And great hilarity! Theresa brought a delicious salad with avocados etc..............
Pat brought peach cobbler for desert and Waymon provided croissants..............
And the night was full of camaraderie and music......

If you forgot to bring a sweetheart, one was provided for you..........
Some of us discussed transcendental phenomenology........
And some enjoyed the six bottles of champagne that Bob brought........
Or the bottles of wine that the Gonzaleses brought.....
Bob decided that his lovely cupid napkin holder made a nice earring........

Theresa thought her's made a cool decoder ring.....
Pat opted for glasses.....
Dwight saw his as a secret amulet.....
No, that's not Mr. Peanut, that's Bob with his monacle. Did I mention that there was lots of alcohol?
And a good time was had by all!!

Pattie sends some interesting shots from the Rio Grande Zoo as winter is ending and spring is approaching...........

This magnificent peacock is trying his dardest to impress this uninterested peahen....
Wherever she goes, he's in gaudy pursuit.....
It sort of reminds you of Dwight and Diana!
Mommie hippo Karen gets a sloppy wet kiss from baby Boopie. Oh, the joys of motherhood!

A FOND FAREWELL TO TRIXIE, THE WONDER DOG....

Yesterday we all had to say our final farewells to that bravehearted pup, Trixie--she of the lovely loaf shape, the soulful eyes, and the kindest disposition known in man or beast. Trixie had an inauspicious start in our family--picked up as a puppy at a garage sale to be a companion pet for another dog. When Trixie had the audacity to grow beyong the small size that was desired, she was foisted away to Sisi & Lou as an extra outside dog. But through her sheer adoreableness, she in time worked herself inside the house and inside the hearts of all those who knew her. She was kind and respectful to her feline siblings and had a whimsical charm that humans could not resist: she adopted a little patch of artifical grass as her baronial estate, had mysterious adventures outside the gates of home, and rewarded everyone who had the priviledge of giving her a pet with a grateful wag of the tail. Even yesterday, in what must have great pain and discomfort, she greeted me with her beautiful happy eyes and a wagging tail on my final visit. Trixie we all loved you and we sincelely hope that you are in Dog Heaven wagging your tail and lying in a field of grass and blossoms, you have earned it on earth.......

VALENTINE'S DAY 2008!

We hope your Valentine's Day was a very special occasion!!

SOMETHING NEW AT THE CATHEDRAL....

A new rod iron arch has been added to the fence at the side of the Cathedral....
In Spanish it reads "The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away". It turns out it was made by our friend, Mark Ewing--a fellow teacher at Santa Fe High and husband of our friend Martha Varoz.
Because of the choice of words, I suspected that this parcel might have been a cemetery at one time, and Martha assured me that that was what Father Jerome told them.

The bits of stained glass incorporated in the design, are the last remnants that Mark had from his father's materials. (Mark's dad was also a painter and artisan.)
I lightened this cross so that the stained glass would be more visible.
Mark's next project is to replicate these lanterns in rod iron and make an additional four more to be hung on the front facade.
On my way to visit Dwight at the Roundhouse, I passed Loretto Chapel---resplendent against a crisp blue sky....
Dwight and his buddy--Who is this man? This question is for you, Francesca, as he was asking for you and very interested in what you have been doing.