..is worth a thousand words. a thousand words that i’m not up to writing. i realize this synopsis is a long time in coming but i haven’t been up to it very much recently. and even though this is still a rather complete wrap-up of events and times, it gives a decent look at what we were up to and the trouble we were able to cause.

from santa cruzclick on the pictures for bigger ones..
so we went a-searching for a christmas tree.. an actual, live christmas tree, not one made from the by-products of a petroleum product. here, mom is looking rather unamused.
a few minutes from everything is west cliff. there’s a boardwalk along the pacific ocean.. there’s just something about being next to the pacific is great. anyway, the cliffs are lined with the greenest sea grass.. and some funky looking trees. all coniferous, of course. again, just something about those pines..
had to have a picture of me being pensive.
i guess it shouldn’t come as a surprise that putting up the tree was something of an adventure in itself. between the base trunk being too short, the screws entering at awkward angles, and general family disagreement on how to remedy the situation, it took a little while and plenty of laughs. sarah, though, had no issues after it all. despite scaring the crap out of her on the first day, she warmed up to me over time. don’t know if i’ll ever get over the fact that she’s a rottweiler, though, and that she’s that incredibly docile.
another pine, this one is a redwood. and another pensive look, this one from j2.
looks like a jet engine.. but it’s actually a torture mechanism for christmas trees. it puts them in a plastic straight-jacket. nothing says christmas like a fully subdued christmas tree..
don’t mind me.. just twirling this wet towel around. not intended on doing anything in particular with it..
the existential shot.. my shadow, that which i am not, cast by that which i am. and that which i am seems to be running off with a christmas tree! stop that hatted man..
all in all, cashing out on the couch is just fine by me.