Our "old" bedroom. We spent the New Year's weekend re-doing it. There were 98 wall-papered stencils of moose and pine trees. Hideous? Yes, but not too hideous for us to leave them there for the first 2 years we have lived here. These stencils were pasted to a puke-colored paint that we seemed to overlook as well. Well - 12 hours later, we have a fresh look - on a shoestring budget of course. Thanks to Uncle Steve, we have a heated mattress pad. We painted the walls a historical blue color (Phillipsburg Blue according to Benjamin Moore), and we added new drapes. The old PINK verticals just didn't cut it (but again, we somehow managed to keep them there for 2 years). I'll post a photo of the "new" room tonight, just to keep you wondering all day how it turned out.

We also squeezed in two hikes with Jamocha, and I managed to get out on a snow/mud ride in the Elden trail system. The weekend concluded with a walk downtown, sushi dinner, a short meander through town square (where they were setting up for New Year's Eve), and eventually a walk home. Into the hot tub under a full moon, and asleep before midnight. THAT is what I call a great New Year's Eve. Happy New Year to all the Bozzels and our extended family.

I know you have seen the bumper stickers that attempt to show where someone is typically from. For example.....for Sedona you would have a sticker that shows SDA. Huntington Beach would be HB. This is a trend that caught on in Flagstaff - hence a lot of FLG stickers on cars. I never thought much of these since I'm not really a bumper sticker person, until....

I parked in some random lot yesterday I think on my way to return videos. I saw a sticker that mimicked the ones referenced above. It had the letters 'BFD'. I thought about it for a few seconds and just busted out laughing. Big F'n Deal where you're from! Excellent. My favorite bumper sticker ever:

1.) My mother must be a travel agent 'cause I'm on a guilt trip

Christmas this year was a blast. We gathered in Tucson at my Mom/Jim's "winter home". I never thought I was part of a wealthy family until I left the home at age 18. All of a sudden boats, cabins, 3rd residences, vacations, and new furniture are part of their everyday life. I think they were holding out on me. My sister had it figured out by staying on the payroll until she was 25.

We did it right this year by keeping gifts simple, and focusing on special items that everyone wanted. I rolled out with a new racquetball racquet, Dana got a new HR monitor for her roadbike, and Mike even scored a new handheld GPS. My Mom got a new digi-camera but I don't anticipate seeing any .jpg's until at least March when she gets through the encyclopedia-thick manual and software.

Steve-o we missed you and I know it would have been even more fun with you there. I'm going to work on you for next year as everyone needs to have the quirky Uncle for the holidays - you know, the one who eats meals in capsules, and owns not one, but 2-sets of trekking poles (both of which have never even seen dirt).

My newphew and daughter had a great time....we need to have more of those and I'm going to get down to Tucson every chance I get this winter. Until next year! Happy New Year

Part satire, part self-indulgence, part glorification for two (D & Squirty) of the four greatest women on the planet......I hereby give you the Bozzelblog. I guarantee it will be filled with stories, editorials, political views, plenty o' photos, and absolutely nothing to do with work.

Link of the day below:
http://www.theonion.com/content/node/57044

CB