Whew! Things have been crazy here. My main computer at home had problems a few weeks ago. I ultimately had to wipe the hard drive and start over. I did not lose any data; I have good backups. However, it took quite a long time to get up back up and in a usable condition. I still do not have all the software reinstalled. But, my current classes are coming to a close. I needed to catch up on all my homework. I am nearly caught up now.

I hope everyone had a good holiday. Unlike most years, Rachel and I actually dressed up and went out to celebrate. It is the first time since our wedding since she has worn a dress! She looked wonderful in it. She will probably post the pictures we took on her site.

I hope that you took some time today to show your love to the people you love. Of course, I would hope that you do that on a regular basis anyway. I met Rachel at an Olive Garden after work. We arrived at a good time; there was only a ten-minute wait. Our section was empty when we first arrived. But, by the time we were leaving, the section was full, the bar and waiting area was packed. There must have been at least an hour wait.

I can finally say that I have experienced my first blizzard. On Tuesday, the snow started coming down heavy in the afternoon. By the time it was time to go home, the roads had lots of snow. Rachel had been sending me regular reports of highway closings and snowfall. So, I figured that I might not make it in to work the next day. I packed up my laptop and headed home.

Happy (belated) Valentine's Day! Rachel and I did not do anything extremely exciting. However, we did go out to dinner with some family members. I got Rachel a necklace and some earrings. She got me a nice jacket. It is black with playing cards on the front and back. And, at eight dollars, the price was hard to beat.

I hope that everyone had a good Valentine's Day. Due to some work conflicts, my wife and I weren't able to go anywhere exciting, but we still had a good time. I bought her a bear holding a vase that contained a red rose. Also, I her a small mailbox that has her name on the outside and a small teddy bear and candy on the inside. Lastly, I got her a six-gallon tin of buttered, cheese and sugar-free caramel popcorn.