the cold and dry air has been the perfect recipe for a lot of static shocks. it’s causing us to develop a pavlovian response to things like turning off the light switch or taking off a sweater or poking each other. i actually saw a blue spark from a big zap when my finger touched the light switch, and yesterday i shocked my toe on a nail in the hardwood floor! someone save us!

i flew back to chicago last night, to a friendly -13 degree fahrenheit (-25 celsius) plus windchill. unfortunately the car wouldn’t start because of the cold, and so joe came to get me via bus and train. you know it’s cold when…

…the sauce packet from the instant noodles packet is solid.
…wearing gloves and long underwear indoors seems like a good idea.
…the fog that accumulates on your glasses freezes before it can dissipate.
…your eyeballs hurt when you are walking outside.

hopefully it will warm up tomorrow.

our gracious hosts, kimu, angie and boo, before a steaming hot pot. we got to open christmas crackers which had a christmas hat inside.

here is auntie sherwin, in baby heaven.

boys being boys.

group pic. it was a happy night, seeing our friends with their growing families.