Sid & Emily's wedding

Apparently 7/7/07 is a popular wedding day! What a beautiful wedding, classy and traditional but with so many nice personal touches. Of course, Emily and Sid both looked stunning. It was so nice to have the opportunity to catch up with a number of old friends, many of whom had moved away but were back from the wedding. Jenna and Will, David and Courtney, Adrienne, Randall and Heather, Monroe and Priscilla, Jason and Chris, Amanda and Pat, Simon -- it was great to see all of you! Maybe we can all make it out to Shreveport for Sid's birthday again this year?

Big Bear, part III

Well, we can't say we didn't get to use the cabin in Big Bear much this year. For the July 4th holiday, we went back to Big Bear with our friends Kasia and Bill, and their 2 1/2 year old son Christoph. Despite a heat wave that pushed temperatures into the mid-90's (with no A/C in the cabin!), we managed to enjoy hiking, biking, boating, and generally exploring. Sebastian had never been to Big Bear for July 4th, so we got to experience the Rotary Club's annual picnic, with a fireworks display over the lake. The neatest part of that was seeing all the boats in the lake drop anchor to watch the fireworks - the lake was covered with the lights of hundreds of boats.

The first day of the trip we took a hike up to Castle Rock, a steep two-mile roundtrip. Christoph wasn't too happy getting strapped onto Bill's back, but he calmed down and promptly began looking for bears once we hit the trail.


We enjoyed a picnic lunch at on Castle Rock.


After the hike, we tried to get some rest while Christoph napped...I think only Bill succeeded in beating the heat to get a few zzz's. Maybe the two-beer-method was the right approach. That night was the 4th of July celebration at the lake, where we enjoyed BBQ, fireworks, and - for the kiddoes - four 'bouncy-bouncies' of various sizes and shapes.

The next day we tried another, tougher hike -- the Cougar Crest trail. This route was shallower than Castle Rock but longer, a 4 mile round trip to the top. The trail joins with the Pacific Crest trail just a half mile further, which runs from Mexico to Canada (we opted out). Kasia and Bill were both real troopers; a four mile hike at altitude either pregnant or carrying a toddler can't be easy, but they toughed it out without complaining.


On Friday, Bill, Sebastian and I rented mountain bikes while Kasia and Christoph went to Moonridge Zoo. We tried the same trail Sebastian and I had tried a few weeks prior -- a path from Mill Creek road up to the Grand View Point. This time, we made it all the way up, including a steep, tricky last 1/4 mile up to the view point. It was worth it though - a stunning look into the next valley.


The ride down the mountain went a lot quicker, and we met Kasia to rent a pontoon boat to explore Big Bear Lake. The lake offered a welcome respite from the heat, and we all enjoyed the breeze as we cruised the lake for the next two hours. Near the dam we docked for a while, and S and I jumped into the chilly water for a dip. Sebastian joined the teenagers there in jumping off the rocks back into the water.


The trip had gone by too quickly already, and it was already time to leave! We enjoyed a final meal together at the Peppercorn Grille before parting ways. Sebastian and I had a redeye to catch back to Houston in time for a Saturday morning wedding of my friends Sid and Emily....

Do we have to leave?

Just a few more pictures as we pack up to leave Big Bear!

Sydney howling along with Adriane and Nich:


A squirrel working through the peanuts on the front porch:


Amy and Sebastian enjoying the beautiful scenery via kayak:

Sticks and Stones

While Sebastian and I have been in Big Bear, Harry James and his crew got started on the stonework at our house. The "Texas Cream Cobblefield" will be over the entire tower and the first-level covered area on the front face of the house.

Here's a close-up look at the stonework, and some of the paneling on the front, inspired by the Victorian homes in Galveston:

Big thanks to Kasia and Bill for checking out our house and sending pictures while we were away!! Thanks guys!!!

Big Bear is Driving Me Batty

Long walks in the woods, dogs playing in the lake, relaxing and reading books in the cabin...the occasional rabbit or coyote...that's what Big Bear is all about. However, last night Sebastian and I got an extra bonus glimpse of Big Bear wildlife....

Just as we had tucked ourselves in for a good night's rest, we heard a scurrying not unlike a squirrel or chipmunk on the roof. At first we ignored it, but the sound got louder. And then a fluttering noise started. "It must be a birdmunk...or a chipbird" I said. Figuring some moths had flown in, along with the squirrel pacing on our roof, we tried tuning it out.

But then the fluttering turned to flapping. I impatiently jumped out of bed and turned on the light to check it out. Instead of finding a moth-squirrel-chipbird, however, fluttering away at our ceiling was...a bat. Ai-yi-yi!

Having recently heard of a death in Houston from a rabid bat bite, we scurried out of the room. Thank goodness for the trustly electronic Internet. We sought counsel, and found that all we needed to do was turn off the lights inside! Turn on the lights outside! And open the door! Abracadabra!

Slightly obstinate and hesitant to make his move, our little furry fanged friend napped and bumbled around the walls of the room for about twenty minutes before finally swooping through the door in a scene worthy of haunted mansions.

And I thought the mountain lions were the only thing to be afraid of!

Guess where we are?

In a fun and impulsive, mildly premeditated move, Sebastian and I packed up our dogs and our server Babylon, and headed west to Big Bear for a few weeks. With Sebastian's flexibility to work remotely, and my current assignment in LA, it made some sort of sense in our heads. Despite a nasty infection that sent me to bed for two days with a high fever and indescribable throat pain, we made it to Big Bear and have been enjoying the weekends together. Little did we know that we would get a much-welcomed visitor in Sebastian's father the Tuesday afternoon after our arrival! Fortunately this meant that Sebastian would not have to spend his workweeks all by his lonesome in the cabin.

We've made some time to let the dogs romp in Big Bear Lake...they seem to be enjoying Big Bear in the summer, despite the lack of snow.

It's a business trip....it's a cruise! It's a business trip....

Check out this cool vintage cruise ship where I've been staying this week:
http://www.queenmary.com/.

It's comparable in size and age to the Titanic, and during WWII was used to transport troops. Very vintage...a cool place to stay on a business trip!!

In Living Color

Ta da! The verdict is in. After agonizing over colors for the new house, spending hours taking pictures of Victorian houses in Galveston, we landed on a selection of blues and greens that we sampled on the house...



And selected a rich blue...



As it turned out, the blue turned out a little greener than we expected. Still a beautiful color, but is it The One? Stay tuned for the next episode....

MS150 2007

It's springtime in Houston, and that means that it's time for the MS150! 2007 will mark the third year that Sebastian and I have done the Houston-to-Austin charity bike ride benefiting the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

We were fortunate to have clear weather for this past weekend (April 21-22): no rain, with a nice cloud cover part of Saturday and most of Sunday. We even had a tailwind to make the ride that much easier. My company sponsored a team for the first time this year, and so Sebastian and I rode with BearingPoint team, along with Kasia's dad Wacek and husband Bill.

BearingPoint 'Team Red' getting ready to depart the parking lot of Katy High School early Saturday.

The ride was full of beautiful Texas wildflowers!

My family visited us at the overnight campsite in La Grange.

The rest stops got pretty crowded as people stopped for bananas, water or Gatorade, bike repair, and potty stops. This was the last rest stop before reaching Austin.

Five members of 'Team Red' cross the finish line in front of the Bob Bullock Texas History Museum in Austin! From left: me, Sebastian, Adam, Bill, and Wacek.

I'd like to share with you my fundraising letter - see below. Thanks to everyone who sponsored and supported me in this ride!!!

-------------------------------

The Challenge of MS

Dear friends and family,

When I first heard of the MS150 several years ago, it seemed like an impossible challenge. Riding a bike from Houston to Austin in two days did NOT seem like a good idea to me. Especially since I didn't have a bike. And frankly, didn't really know how to ride one.

So I supported my friends who did ride by giving donations, helping to tote luggage and setting up campsites. It was a fun experience to be part of such a huge event, watching people push their limits and reach the finish line, all for a good cause. But still, I couldn't see myself doing it.

The first time I rode the MS150 myself, I did it for the personal development and the physical challenge. I wanted to set a goal and reach it, and learn to overcome a fear I'd held for years. I bought an old mountain bike from a friend for $50, and enlisted another friend to hold me up as I learned to ride a bike around the neighborhood. Crossing the finish line that year was the culmination of one of the greatest personal challenges I had undertaken.

This year is different. For the first time, I know someone close to me who has experienced the symptoms of MS. For the first time, this cause has become much more real. Over the past three years, I have seen one of the smartest, most successful women I know battle through episodes of vision loss, dizziness, and difficulty with muscle control, all while juggling the demands of running her own business, managing her marriage, and raising her young daughter. Here is what she has to say about her experience:

"First, I want to thank everyone who is doing the ride (possibly sacrificing your ability to comfortably sit down for the next week) and those who are supporting the riders by donating to the MS Society.

"Sometimes MS is a curse and other times it's a gift. Yes, it can be a gift. Like now for instance, if I can make an impact educating you about MS and raising money with my story – that's a gift part. There are other gifts as well. MS has brought me closer to my family, who is ever so supportive. It has also increased my appreciation for life. When I have an attack and can't walk for weeks at a time, the piles of laundry and the left out toys aren't such a big deal anymore.

"When my body isn't under attack and I'm in my "normal life" as I refer to it, I own and operate a small software consulting company in Austin. I have a three-year-old daughter who likes to play dress up, a wonderful husband and a needy golden retriever. My first experience with MS was dizziness and severe face pain about three months after my daughter was born. With a newborn sleep was no longer part of our daily routine, so it was easy to attribute any strange symptom to lack of sleep. Next, I started experiencing attacks of severe weakness in my legs. I talked with my girlfriends who had young children about these symptoms. Maybe it was all those herbs I was taking in order to keep up with the demanding schedule of work and breastfeeding? My girlfriends all concurred with a, "No, that doesn't happen to me. You need to see a doctor."

"Three years, four neurologists, countless hours on the MRI table and more poking and prodding than I care to remember, here I am telling you my story. As much as I try to have a "normal life," everyday I wonder when I get up in the morning if I will be strong enough to pick up my daughter or if I'll be able to make it up and down the stairs of my house. MS can happen to anyone. The more we can learn about this disease the closer we will get to a cure. Thanks for your support!"

MS can happen to anyone. Please consider making a contribution towards research to fighting the effects of and finding a cure for this unpredictable neurological disease. Donations may be made by clicking on the following link:
http://ms150.org/edon.cfm?id=199961

For more information about MS, please visit:
http://www.nationalmssociety.org/

For more information about the Houston-Austin MS150, please visit:
http://www.ms150.org/

Thanks for your support.

Amy Pita Good