Still strong on my hot chocolate kick, our walk outside in the freezing (below freezing?) weather meant we could indulge in hot chocolate guilt free.

Not that I ever feel guilty drinking hot chocolate made from dark chocolate and milk. Practically a health drink!

So, Dad and Linda now have two doggen instead of just one. Willy passed away a bit ago (fewer than four months ago, since that was when I was out last). I'm more upset that they didn't tell me about his passing than I am about his passing, I think.

I suggested we take the two doggen for a walk today. Dad looked at me like I was insane. "Horizonal. Snow. Winds?" was all he could manage before shrugging his shoulders and agreeing that, hey, walking two itty bitty zooming dogs in sub zero with the wind chill factor was JUST the thing for a father daughter bonding moment.

George was excited. Gracie was a blur.

For the record, I've had better ideas than this one.

It was unbelievably cold coming back. It was so cold even Dad ran to keep warm when we walked back from the corner of Lincolin Hills Drive (yeah, you read that right, we spell Lincoln with TWO i's in Indiana). I don't recall seeing Dad run in my adult life. I shall cherish this memory.

Just as soon as my nose thaws.

Brrrrr, it's cold here. It's so windy, the snow is blowing horizontal.

I left California why again?

Today begins my two week journey to parts old, new and old again. Since Southwest doesn't have any convenient non-stop flights to Chicago from AEFM (airport easy for me, read: flights after 9:00 am), I decided to start my day with a flight through Phoenix and fly "home" with Mom, eke out those last three hours in her Visit.

We successfully managed to suck at taking a self potrait of ourselves.

Yeah, somehow I think Mom isn't going to let me pay her to do my taxes again. Something about "complicated" and "insane" and "What? You have that deduction, too?" and "Forms! Where is this form!"

I think I'm lucky I have her doing this much already.