We are off to Las Vegas tomorrow morning until Monday night. Telfer is going to his first conference, the American Society of Anesthesiologists Annual Meeting this weekend. We are staying at the Flamingo, which looks rather 80s ghetto to me, but I am sure we’ll have fun regardless. While Telf is learning and schmoozing, I am going to be poolside (no matter the weather) with a book in my hand. Really, what’s not to like about that?

I am officially a grown-up – I have business cards! Of course, my degree has the wrong letters after my name (should be MLIS for Master’s in Library and Information Science), but I am not going to complain. It’s taken almost a year to get these done!

Happy Birthday to Telfer. Now that he’s 25 he’s particularly tough, brawny and big (hence the picture, yes, he is wearing a librarian t-shirt). Gearing up for interview season, Telfer received for his birthday an orange Nalgene bottle (with NNU printed on the side) to stay hydrated and silver cuff links to look impressive while wearing his new blue suit.

This post is a little on the late side, but my dearest friend RaChelle came to visit me last weekend. At the Ontario aiport, incoming passengers come down an escalator…so when I first glimpsed RaChelle, we realized we were literally wearing the exact same color and style of pink blazer. We used to do this a lot in college – wear very similar things without planning it, but this topped the cake.

RaChelle’s husband, Paul, was gracious enough to let his wife come visit me by herself for the weekend. He was a little worried about the California freeways, but as always, I am a splendid driver (?). We literally talked nonstop for 2.5 days – God has blessed me with such a good friend. I don’t have a lot of girlfriends in California and the chance to spend time alone with RaChelle was a needed and wonderful time. Of course, RaChelle enjoyed the roaring trains next to our apartment. We went to SeaWorld to see Shamu on Saturday and dinner at Buca di Beppo’s (a really wonderful Italian restaurant) that night. Of course we had time to find a few things at the Gap…Sunday we went to church, I showed her my office, and we did a little more shopping… The only bad part of the weekend came when RaChelle’s flight was delayed and she got home at 12:30 a.m. – just in time for Homecoming and Spirit Week! (She is a teacher/ASB advisor for a high school).

I put more photos from the weekend in a separate photo album, “RaChelle’s Visit.”

Well, I certainly had a good weekend. My mom’s party was a smashing success (if I do say so myself). After a lot of planning, phone consultations, and work on Saturday, Alyssa, Elizabeth and I put on a quite a special party for Rose’s 50th birthday. If you click on the photo album “Telfer and Andrea,” you can see more pictures from the party. Really, it couldn’t have been any better or more fun (well, the “cooked” carrots could have been a little less crunchy…but perfection is overrated). My mom had a wonderful time and was so appreciative – she made the work worthwhile!

I also got to “lunch” with my friend Molly in Seattle on Friday. She is quite the accomplished fashion designer and works at Nordstrom’s headquarters. She is going to be very successful – I can feel it. We have not been able to spend much time with each other in the last few years…

I picked up a leaf on the street in Seattle to remind myself that fall is indeed real – I miss the seasons living in California. To celebrate fall, Telfer and I even had a caramel apple cider at the Starbucks in North Bend (our regular stop between Olympia/Seattle and Richland).