Hillary

I met Hillary volunteering in Seattle years ago, and we've been best buds ever since! She's an amazing artist and business woman and has the right mix of listening ear and solid advice giving as a friend. Annnnnnd, she's coming back with me to Senegal for three weeks. She did the same type of extended visit when I lived in Aberdeen, and this time I'm more excited because we have warm temperatures, sun and sand to look forward to in Dakar. Coupled with being an excellent vegetarian cook, she always inspires me to put good food and thoughts into my body and life. I can't wait to ring in the rest of January 2010 with such a positive person!!

Good Friends

I have such great friends! I always enjoy seeing them when I visit, and this time was no different. It was wonderful to see Deb, Erin & Matt. And, I also want to give a shout out to my college chums: Crease, Tiffy, Hickster, and Heather. Love you all!

New Years in Neligh, Nebraska

Mix the following together on one New Year's Weekend, 2009/2010:

• Joe, Jill, and Crystal
• One Buff's Dew Drop Inn (located in Neligh, Nebraska)
  
• 2 Bottles of Patron Tequila (Classy! And, we didn't even finish both)
• Amazing margaritas with real lime juice
• Lime Juice: From a Breville Juice Machine (from Jean, Jill's Mom)
  
• -8 degrees F and a bunch of snow (!!!!!)
• One pepper shot (courtesy of JEFF -- Hi Becky, Brian, and Jill!)
  
• A quad 4-wheel with snow plow
  
• A yellow lab called Toby
• A U of N Bowl win with loads of red clad Husker fans (Heidi, Kevin,Troy, Heather, friends, and a passel of kids)
• BOWL SEASON - Honestly, more football than I've watched in 5 years. I loved it!
  
• Asian Fusion Day
• A Twin (Hi Jeremy!)
  
• A 23 pound cat (or Garfield) named Eddie
  
• Stories about Harold*, the crazy Neligh zoo guy
• Karoke

Mix everything together and don't bake. You might ruin the fun.

*Names changed to protect the innocent

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

The New Year is a fun time for me...it always involves two of my favorite people - Joe & Jill.

Background Info: Nine years ago, I went to Guatemala for a month to do a Spanish language school. There, I met a group of University of Nebraska students doing a rotation for med school. Welllll, we all quickly became friends and enjoyed many a cold Gallo beer and sizzling salsa moves around town. While there, we came up with a plan to meet in 6 months time for New Years in Seattle. Six of us got together and rocked in 2003. That is when the tradition was born...

Since then, we get together in various cities to ring in New Years, depending on where people from our time in Guatemala are living. Most of the time, it's the constant Joe, Jill, and Crystal that make up the core group. And, we've done it for EIGHT YEARS!!!! Happy New Year!

New Years #1 - Seattle, Washington
New Years #2 - San Diego, California
New Years #3 - Dallas, Texas
New Years #4 - San Diego, California
New Years #5 - Seattle, Washington
New Years #6 - Edinburgh, Scotland
New Years #7 - Kansas City, Missouri
New Years #8 - Neleigh, Nebraska

These pictures are from previous (2005, 2006, and 2007) New Years. This year's pictures will follow shortly. We had a great time last night!!