The Best of 2008

2008 has come and gone... and was an exciting year for us!

Here are some of our highlights from '08... in no particular order

-our new HOME (as of 12/07, actually) at 44 Spruce St. We've had a great time working on it- painting, decorating, hauling heavy furniture into it, and falling in love with the neighborhood. The kitchen now has two walls that are painted bright yellow/orange. (Paint name: Hawaiian Passion... wasn't that a fruit drink in the 90s?)

- VINO. We drank a lot of wine in 2008, and visited a few vineyards in New England and California. We've enjoyed some wine dinners (Bar LoLa for Jen's birthday was excellent) and always have lots of the 15 cent goodies for the can collectors on Wednesday mornings. Some of our favorites this year have been: Baltasar Gracian (2005, Spain) Tempranillo-Syrah, Fuedo Arancio (2005, Sicily) Syrah, Rioja Vega (2006, Spain) Tempranillo-Garnacha, Viejo Feo (2006 Chile) Merlot, and our favorite from my birthday dinner at Bresca, Librandi Ciro Riserva, Duca San Felice (2001, Calabra, Italy). 

A Toast to the wines we enjoyed in 08 and the ones we have yet to discover in 09!

- SCOOT!! Little scoot, appropriately called the "Yamaha Vino" was bought on Jen's birthday, April 15th. We love scoot, and are sad in the cold months when we can't go scooting. Rania bought the same scoot a few days after we got our silver one. Hers is a sexy cherry red, and our favorite past time is taking long scoots around town, near the ocean, and to 158! 

- TRAVELING. We felt the economic pressure this year, for sure, but still managed to get away on VK. In March, we went to Califonia and stayed with Jess Joy and Pat Newton in Oakland. We spent a week touring San Fran, Napa/ Sonoma, Berkeley, Muir and Stinson beaches, and really loved it.  We miss Jess and Pat so much- so it was great to have them show us around their new city.  Jen and I made a lot of day trips and weekend get-aways to places like the White Mountains in NH, Acadia National Park, Rockland/ Camp at Owl's Head, Harpswell and Popham Beach. Jen bought a new MSR tent this year and we loved camping with it. Besides breaking her toenail in the White Mnts. by chopping wood in sandals, we had a great time with all our escapades. (p.s. the toenail is still blue... and falling off. ew)

- BABIES and weddings. Not ours, of course. But a few friends of our had kids this year, including Moira Blythe, daughter of Miranda and Tom. Kjeld Jonas Tate, son of Leah and Steve. And Macallister, son of Kate and Marc. All this has Jen hot with baby fever... but we're gonna wait a few more years! We're also excited about the engagement of our friends Ray and Anna who biked from Seattle to Maine this past summer! We went to the weddings of Miranda and Tom, Leslie and Brad, and Josh and Liz. 

-OBAMA.  Of course I need to mention that a major highlight in our year was Obama winning the presidential election. WHEW! We don't have a TV, so we couldn't watch the broadcast the night of the election. Instead, we went to bed and woke up like kids on Christmas morning waiting to see if we had coal in our stockings (McCain) or lots of great gifts under the tree (Obama). We opened our laptop to MSNBC and were brought to tears watching Obama's acceptance speech. When I got home from work later that day, I saw a note from jen... here's an excerpt (note the baby fever I just mentioned)

"...yea for Obama! I really did have a plan B for us- to move to Canada and have lots of babies!..."   

- KEITH OLBERMANN AND GAY MARRIAGE. While the Obama victory has us delighted, we were greatly disappointed in California's vote to ban gay marriages. How sad. Prop 8 is devastating, and a great step backwards in our world of supposed progression of human rights. But in a fantastic speech given live on his MSNBC show "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" the spokesman gave us a little hope and an articulate response for those who can't see things the way we do. Watch the video, or read the speech by clicking this link. 

an excerpt "...You are asked now, by your country, and perhaps by your creator, to stand on one side or another. You are asked now to stand, not on a question of politics, not on a question of religion, not on a question of gay or straight. You are asked now to stand, on a question of love. All you need do is stand, and let the tiny ember of love meet its own fate."

On the upside, YAY for Connecticut for allowing gay marriages! Also, when I left the voting booth at Reiche School, the EQME (Equality Maine) table was swarmed with people filling out cards to help in the process of bringing Gay Marriage to the Maine Legislature. My petition card was one of 33,000 (!) Mainers who helped in the effort. 

-JEN PASSED CHEMISTRY.  With this upcoming spring as her last semester of undergrad at USM, we were thrilled to see Jen's passing grades in Chemistry from the fall semester! She excelled in her chem lecture and lab, and in her site planning class. She also took Wilderness First Responder, and will receive her State Certificate in the mail any day now. Just two classes left until Graduation! We are both looking into Masters programs, and I've picked out Marylhurst University in Portland, OR to apply for admissions to their program for an MA in Art Therapy. 

-FLUFFY BUTT. As always, Daxter has been a highlight of our year- and of every day. He has become a therapy dog, too. He comes with me when I cook 4 nights a week for the Thomsens. They absolutely love him, and are always sneaking him treats- which is probably why he loves going so much. He eats up all the food they drop during dinner, stretches out next to the fireplace, or lays on Jeanne and Leonard's laps getting lots of attention. It's great to have a job that lets me bring my dog to work!