Day 3.026: Now, who's THAT boy?

That would be me then - aged twenty. "A bit since" as they say where I grew up.

This all started with a facebook thing about look-alikes - we were supposed to replace our profile picture with a picture of someone we've been told we look like.  Mine was John Mayer. Some guy (presumably drunk or short-sighted) in the street in Albany a while back mistook me momentarily for that particular guitarist and singer.  That in turn prompted me to go in search of some pictures of me in guitarist-mode.

So there I am - not looking much like John Mayer - and sounding even less like him (just trust me on that one).

Day 3.025: Who is that boy?

That (go on, go back and read the post title now...I'll wait...OK?) was what E5N1 said when he saw this photo yesterday. This is in spite of the fact that he was there when it was taken - and not just there, but right in front of the camera pulling a cheesy grin.

Fair enough I suppose - Exile #2's glasses do make him look quite different. Talking of looking different, he was already in bed when I got home, but was awake and greeted me enthusiastically with news of his haircut experience today. It was quite hard to work out what he was saying - the only words I made out clearly were "lady", "clips" and "hairbrush". I turns out (Exile #2 explained it to me) that the (spot-the-words time) lady who cut his hair gave him some clips to play with so he wouldn't get fidgety while she was cutting - unfortunately he immediately tried to put them in his hair. In response to this, she gave him a hairbrush - of course he started brushing his hair. "That wasn't quite what I had in mind," she said. No, well, I can see why that would be - although it wasn't much of a stretch for him. We are more likely to be amazed at what else he finds to do with a hairbrush that he has been given to brush his hair with, but never let it be said that he is not able to surprise at every turn.

I'll try to get a post-haircut picture in the next day or two.  I've only seen it by night-light-light so far, but I think it's a good one despite his best efforts.

Day 3.024: Push came to shove

It was the girls who persuaded me to shovel the drive this morning. It didn't really need doing - we'd only had about half an inch - but they were keen to help, so we did it together while we waited for the bus to pick them up.

As you can see, their focus wasn't always on clearing the snow in an orderly and efficient manner.

Looks like we will have winter-storm-envy again this weekend. After the last storm that came as warm rain in the middle of winter, the next one is going to pass us by to the south and east. Too bad - but at least everything is white again for now - even if there's not much danger of us being snowed in!

Day 3.023: "I see treasure"

Exile #4 (boots pictured) was 'finding' these jewels in one of the last remaining piles of snow and ice while waiting for the bus the last two mornings.  She was quite sure about what she wanted and was willing to work quite hard with a metal tube to dig out her icy treasure.

There is snow in the forecast for the next few days, but it doesn't sound like it will amount to much.  We have had twenty inches so far this winter apparently, but the average would be about three feet by now.  Right now, a good fall of snow would be a welcome bit of drama to break up the otherwise bleak midwinter - and thanks to the groundhog today, we know that 'mid' is exactly where we are in this winter.

Day 3.022: Corn snake in space?

Exile #2 noticed how similar Exile #3's dress design and colours were to the markings on this corn snake at CMOST - you may need to click to see clearly.

She later disguised herself as an astronaut.

First corn snake in space?

A few of you may know that we originally came out here for three years.  Title watchers among you may have noticed that we have been here three years and twenty-two days.  Only the most dedicated would recall this post which marked the beginning of my three year contract, some 112 days after we arrived.  Latest news is that, all else being equal, we will now be here until at least August 9th.  For now we're counting down to Day 3. 2, 1, 0.  Blast off!