BIG news from Seattle~ we can see the streets and sidewalks once again! Yes we witnessed and survived (barely) the freak of nature snowstorm that hit us big time and gave Seattle multiple headlines on the news stations across the country. Yesterday was the first day in a week and a half that I drove my car; such amenity that we take for granted everyday but something that I had missed in my week and a half of doing everything on foot! I cannot complain about not being rest and relaxed-what else could I do inside? You can quiz me on any guest that was on the talk show circuit, or where John and Kate Plus 8 took their kids on vacation, or about the marathon session of "What Not To Wear." Yes the snow allowed my to indulge in my quilty pleasure of TLC and HGTV but a girl can only take so much! Our big excitement prior to Christmas was the day we bought a shovel-yes a shovel. The broom just wasn't cutting it anymore and Joe had spent too many mornings getting stuck in the driveway trying to get to work. I have never been so happy to shovel snow in all my life! How the weather made me see the little things I take for granted.
We did miss our family and friends over Christmas. Joe kept busy working at Blockbuster so I was in charge of Christmas dinner. We decided to have seafood from the market as a toast to our first Christmas on the Puget Sound. I admit to getting a tad excited with the thought of carrying through a real meal that took research from cookbooks and more than 20 minutes to prepare. My excitement bubble was quickly burst when I read the word "juliene" and had no idea what it meant. Further into my cooking, a call to my father to see how to get lobster meat out of the tail took the rest of the air out of my bubble and I was left frustrated and sweaty from the oven and every burner on the stove going. It pained me to cut through the tail and little legs of the already dead lobster. He could feel no pain and yet I felt as though I should spare the little guy and make tofu bisque instead. I persevered and learned about the kitchen tools I never knew we had and made my own improvision as to what "juliene" could mean. Two and a half hours later (and a couple glasses of wine) I displayed my cooking creation. Joe was pleased and said it tasted good. I sat at the table thinking there were two and a half hours that I could never get back of my life and that this dinner fulfilled my domestic duties in the kitchen well into the new year. Our day came and went and although we received many wonderful gifts and talked to lots of family and friends, it felt a little anticlimatic. Distance is definitely felt most at the holidays.
Since mother nature has given us a reprieve from our winter wonderland, Joe and I are going to celebrate New Year's in Portland. We decided it was a good opportunity to explore someplace new and who doesn't like a night in a hotel where you can leave the bed unmade and towels on the floor and know someone will clean up after you?
Sending Happy New Year wishes and hugs for 2009!

Still Snowy In Seattle

Greetings all from snowy Seattle! I'm sitting here literally surrounded by a winter wonderland but instead of seeing picturesque white, I see hard white stuff that won't go away! I've had to close the blinds because I don't want to see what our true accumulation is (probably between 6-8 inches with ice underneath and on top). I didn't expect to have a white christmas on the west coast but that's exactly what we're going to have. This all started on Wednesday when school was canceled because of the threat of snow (it didn't happen). Mother Nature did however drop a nice bucket of white on Thursday that left drivers abandoning their vehicles and collisions happening all over the place. The weather was so bad that school was quickly canceled from Friday as well and so my Christmas break started much earlier than expected. At first most people around here were excited for the snow; having sled races in the streets and cross country skiing in the parks. Having grown up with so much snow I just saw it as missed opportunities to go places and get things done (and Dad's voice in me head saying "There's snow on the ground. You're not driving anywhere.") Just to get out of the house, I walked downtown to the shopping district. With my Christmas shopping done, I just wanted to get out of the house and be around people. And boy were there people. I don't think anyone went to work on Friday. Or they were just smart gearing up for what Saturday would bring.....more snow and wind and ice. It started in the evening and had laid a nice coating of a couple of inches by the morning. Joe tried for 2 hours to get his truck out of the driveway to get to work but the snow and the ice won and his tires just spun. After a nice gesture by our neighbor to lend Joe a shovel and with a few good pushes, he was able to get the truck back to his original parking spot in the driveway. We have seen no plows, there is no salt because it is not good for the environment, and nobody owns a shovel so it's walk on the sidewalk at your own risk. I became so frustrated today that I used a big brush to try and sweep our sidewalks and entrance-laughing at myself the whole time and embarrassed that we too do not own a shovel, or chains, or snow tires. They haven't seen it this worse since 1990. What a way to remember our first winter here. So instead of aiding the side streets (somehow the interstates are worthy of cleaning) they wait for mother nature to run her course and bring warmth and sunlight to melt it away. Well this city must be on mother nature's bad side because all she keeps giving us is more snow! So as I rant (I think I lost patience sometime yesterday) I want to say that I'm jealous of anyone with clear streets, and shoveled sidewalks, and a state system that knows how to deal with bad weather.
But on a much lighter and happier note, I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and know that Joe and I are with you all in spirit. Enjoy the holiday season!
Sending hugs from our coast to yours......

Snowy in Seattle

It's snowy in Seattle! Yes even moving to the west coast did not allow us an escape from mother nature's white stuff. It is the coldest its been since we moved here (32 degrees) with wind and it feels like true winter. Everyone was so excited to see snow and even more excited with the possibility of a late start or early dismissal for school (although not going to happen tomorrow). Those of us that have experienced snow and all that comes with it were just hoping for it's dismissal as quick as it appeared. It was very entertaining to see our neighbors trying to clean their cars off with brooms, plastic plates, and a dust pan. I wanted to just tell them to turn it on and let it warm up and they'd be good to go but it was funny to watch:-)
It was a weekend of white elephant christmas parties. For those that don't know what white elephant is (I had to look it up online) it pretty much means you bring something that you don't want from your house, wrap it up, and exchange it for someone else's junk. It's pretty funny with a big group of people. Last night was my school's christmas party at one of the teacher's houses in Sammamish. Gorgeous huge house that was decorated beautifully for Christmas. It was lots of staff and significant others. One of the traditions they started last year was to offer $50 to anyone that jumped into the pool and swam a lap. Last year only one person did it. This year six people were brave enough to take the cold and one of the people was Joe. They swam in heats and then ran directly into the hot tub. Then there were 6 envelops to choose from containing $50, $20, 76 cents, and nothing. Needless to say Joe got the 75 cents but he was a hit at the party:-)
Today I went to another white elephant party at one of the teacher's houses in the city. I was excited when he invited me as I always like to check out condos and lofts and see how people decorate. It was a nice mix of some people from work and some of the teacher's friends. I reused my elephant gift from the night before and ended up with something slightly better today so I guess it was a good trade. I enjoyed getting to talk to my collegues outside of the work environment and it makes me feel even more a part of things at school which I'm glad for. I even got to rub elbows with the head honcho of the education association at today's party and he recognized as a new SLP so that was a plus! :-)
Well I'm off to face one more week before my two week holiday break begins. Can't wait!
Hugs to all~

Holiday shoppers- Oh my!

Holiday shopping is always an interesting (and sometimes stressful) time of year. I'm feeling the pressure a bit more this year as I have to count on the efficiency of the postal service to deliver the goods and I can't wait until the last minute. This weekend found me again in the thick of the shopping central downtown and at the market. I was hoping for some inspiration for the few last gifts we have to buy. But I found myself focused less on the shopping and more on the people milling about. Street performers were out in full force at Pike Place. My favorite was a guitar player who was hula hooping while shaking his shoes that had chestnut shells on them. Very creative! Of course a close second was the guitar player who was the singing the worst (and slowest) version of the 12 days of Christmas I've ever heard! Amongst the hustle and bustle of holiday shoppers I couldn't help but take note of the interesting attire that people chose to wear for a day out. Let's just say there was more than one person who could have vied for a spot on "What Not To Wear." Of course I couldn't help but take note of all the different boots walking by. They are my envy of choice this season and I try and remind Joe whenever I can about what I would like from Santa. :-) It's amazing how my ramblings always come back to shoes.......
Last night we went out with Charlie to an area known as Georgetown which sits south of Seattle sort of tucked away in the industrial district. There was an art show that Charlie had read about and wanted to check so off we trecked. Housed in a small fire house was some interesting displays of what people call "art." From jewelry to pottery to the guy trying to promote his band wearing a hot pink wig and tiara, it was an electic environment to say the least. We all walked away with a little something so I guess it was worth going to. We experienced yet another Mexican restaurant (much to Joe's delight) and after a few cocktails at one of our nearby breweries we were ready to call it a night.
My last task of the weekend is to come up with some creative therapy activities for the next two weeks. I still think my creative juices are packed away somewhere and I don't know if I have the energy to go digging. Fa Lalala Lifetime movies sound like a better way to unwind before the week begins.....

Post Turkey Bliss

I hope everyone enjoyed Thanksgiving day surrounding by friends and family with traditions new and old. Continuing on with our theme of everything new this year Joe and I spent Thanksgiving with Uncle Charlie and Jim, 2 of their friends, and Joe's friend Matt who drove up from Oregon. Dinner took place at their cabin in the mountains about an hour outside of Seattle. The weather was unseasonably nice (last year they had to dig out their cars from all the snow) and we were able to take advantage of the sunshine and take a walk around a big lake with the mountains as our backdrop. The exercise and fresh air got us rejuvenated before tackling our big meal later in the day. Charlie worked hard at creating a very tastey feast with new dishes to try and new takes on old favorites. (I learned the many directions that cranberry sauce can be taken but I'll take the canned kind any day!) One of the most entertaining parts of the day was when it came to setting the table and things had to be moved around to accomodate 7 people at the table. When all was said and done the light hanging above the table was not centered and so that opened up a whole problem solving situation as to how the center the light. Let's just say the solution came from a padlock and key and leave it at that! :-) We introduced the group to Apples to Apples which turned out to be a big hit with everyone. We came back into the city on Friday as Joe had to go back to work. Matt and I headed downtown to the market and to see the Christmas Tree at Macy's. Not quite the spectacle as compared to the tree at Rockefellar Center but combined with the white lights lining the streets it gives you that Christmas feeling just the same. I was even able to dig out our Christmas decorations and got our place in the holiday spirit. Nala has definitely been enjoying new things to try and play with! So now here I sit trying to get ready for some busy weeks ahead before the Christmas holiday. How did it become December again?????

Cooking for Thanksgiving-Really?

Just a quick shout out to everyone on the east coast. We've had a pretty uneventful week out here and find ourselves getting ready for Thanksgiving. This is the first year that I've really had to contribute to dinner itself as I previously contributed to dinner by setting the table or pouring the water. Welcome to adulthood and greater participation on the day we give thanks. I found myself asking "What does someone who dislikes to cook, and isn't a big fan of casseroles, or potatoes, or stuffing bring to a Thanksgiving dinner ?" I turned to my good friends at the food network for some advice and after looking to see what category my cooking level fell at (less than 10 minutes and an easy level), I narrowed my choice down. Did I also mention that I have strict rules about never using a recipe with an ingredient I never heard of, never attempting anything with more than 6 ingredients, and if it involves cutting things with more than a simple cut in half then forget it! Believe it or not such recipes exist and I will attempting one to bring to Thanksgiving dinner. This year is not just about new traditions but also about stepping up to the plate and trying something a little scarey. For some that means jumping out of a plane or moving to another country. For me it's stepping outside my comfort zone of pouring more than water at dinner and actually having a contributed dish at the table. Of course I could just substitute the water for wine and consider it baby steps to really cooking...........
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and know that we're sending hugs from one coast to another!

Concerts, Protests, and 50 degree weather

Another interesting week here in Seattle. I started off the week attending a Jason Mraz concert on Monday night. For anyone who knows who he is, and knows his amazing ability to make girls swoon with the first strum of his guitar, will understand the major crush I developed after his show. (Joe's even okay with it) He was soooo good live and a great way to kick off the week. I should have been a groupie in my previous life:-) The week continued much the same and went by in a blur of therapy sessions, paperwork, and a neverending list of e-mails to respond to in my in box. Does anybody else ever find e-mail to be more stressful than helpful???? I've also added two identical twin girls who were adopted from China less than a year ago to my caseload and of course and wondering to myself "what am I going to do with them?" I really do learn on the job everyday.
This weekend Joe and I found ourselves witness to something very real to what has made so much of the headline news (at least on the west coast anyway). We were downtown doing a little Christmas shopping and one minute the streets are filled with shoppers and then the streets become filled with protesters against the passing of Proposition 8. It went on for miles with thousands of people walking in it-gay, straight, animals, children. Reading the signs was the best part-from "Jesus had 2 dads" to "Britney had 2 marriages why can't I have one"- it was an interesting thing to watch. I felt a little sad for the couples who were holding hands with signs with the date of their wedding and accompanying pictures. Love is love-nobody should be denied all that it encompasses. The most amazing thing was that it was a peaceful protest in the sense that cops were on the sidelines keeping an eye on things but no one got out of hand. Even the protesters who were speaking out on the other side of the issue remained respectful.
Saturday night I attended a showcase of singer/songer writers called The Hotel Cafe Tour. Almost a smaller and updated version of the Lilith Fair. It's always inspiring to hear the stories behind these amazing talents that my not be played on Top 40 radio but have so many good songs to listen to. The venue was small and the audience eclectic at most but I heard some amazing female voices accompanied by their guitars and piano. Gotta love the indie scene!

The "Real" Seattle weather has come upon on

Well it was too good to last-the sunshine that is. The changing of the clocks also brought the changing of the weather and here in Seattle that means rain. Our skies have been dark and our days have been shortened. I didn't realize that we are far enough north to have it start to get dark around 4 and completely dark by 5. It's hard when I leave for work and it's dark and then I'm coming home in the dark as well. I find I need to give myself little "pep talks" to not just come home and snuggle under the blanket by the fire but to actually be productive even when the sun has set.
We were given a small reprieve and had sunshine yesterday with very mild temps (around 60). Joe and I decided to check out an area north of Seattle called Fremont. It's described as "an eclectic, artsy neighborhood of Seattle located in the north-central section of Washington’s largest metropolis. Overlooking Salmon Bay, the small community of Freemont bills itself as “the center of the universe.” It's is such a cool little place filled with shops, cafes, interesting statues, and a picturesque landscape to make it an enjoyable place to wander on any given day. We found ourselves browsing through a number of the vintage shops. They had furniture, records, dishes, clothes, accessories, shoes-you name it and these stores had it. It was so much fun to look through the clothes-especially the women's clothes from the 20's and 30"s where everything is so girly and feminine. One shop even had an old pink hair dryer that women sat under to get that perfect "beehive" look. I told Joe I wanted that for Christmas:-) We stumbled upon a Belgium brewery and of course Joe's eyes lit up at the word beer. It turned out to be this cool place with a great ambiance and a leather bound book that looked like the "bible of beers." A little piece of heaven for Joe.
This week is a little out of the ordinary in that I have Tuesday off for Veteran's Day. I'm taking advantage of the extra day to sleep in and am spending Monday night at my first concert in one of the downtown venues. So much music to see and hear here that I'm excited to finally take advantage of it!

Much Needed Mother-Daught Time

The past 5 days have been spent getting lots of mom hugs and getting just a bit spoiled:-) Thanks mom! It was great being able to show mom around and give her a feel for Seattle. We spent Wednesday down at Pike's Place Market and we were fortunate to have sunshine to enjoy the walk and the scenery. I introduced her to the homemade pasta booth and we enjoyed a great Italian dinner that night. Thursday brought rain and grey skies but the temperature continued to stay tolerable as we walked along the water at Alki Beach, stopping in for coffee in one of the cafes before heading over to Capitol Hill to take in the view of some of the million dollar homes. Friday mom was in Joe's hands as I had to work so they met Charlie for lunch on the Pier downtown. That evening we celebrated Halloween at a comedy club downtown. Now being new to the area, so much of what we know about a place is based off of reviews read on the internet. I found one with decent reviews and we decided to check it out. The club was located underground of one of the bars in the downtown area known as Pioneer Square. This area houses lots of bars and restaurants as well as a park that is often frequented by Seattle's homeless. Well don't you know the bar that we need to go to has a back entrance that faces the park where at least 25 homeless people were hanging out. We entered the bar only to find that we had arrived a little early and had an opportunity to enjoy a drink at the bar. The bar was empty and little shady to say the least but mom was a good sport and the show itself was very entertaining. On Saturday I took mom to the east side of Lake Washington to show her where I work, the area of Kirkland where I would love to live if we weren't downtown, and then to my favorite mall in the area. Over the course of 5 days we filled our stomachs with a variety of ethnic food from Thai to Vietnamese. It was a quick five days as I sit here having mom somewhere enroute back to Pennsylvania and I'm back to reality at having to face another busy week.

The Joys of a Working Partner

After staring at the computer for hours on end today trying to write 4 IEP's, I will admit that my creativity and enthusiasm for typing something witty is at an all time low. I do apologize. I've found that the months of October and November have decided to present a challenge to me in terms of how many IEP's I can write, how many meetings I can attend, and how many new preschoolers I can take on before hitting my breaking point. Thank goodness mom is coming to visit to give me a little break. I plan on getting enough "mom hugs" to last me until at least April:-) As I've been hitting the computer hard this week, Joe has started a new job at Blockbuster. He finally gave into searching for any job to fill his time (and our bank account) and was hired as an assistant manager at Blockbuster. Right now he's in training and comes home every night with some kind of random story from the day as well as lots of frustration. It wasn't long before he was on-line looking for graduate programs. This week has also been an adjustment in that Joe is no longer home to cook which leaves the question every night of "what are we going to have for dinner." My enthusiasm for cooking after a long day (okay who are we kidding, my enthusiasm for cooking in general) is always lacking and although I could be perfectly content with my eggs and toast or bowl of cereal, those foods aren't consider a meal in the world of boys and so we are back to trying to alternate cooking, dishes, etc. As I stand putting dishes in the dishwasher for what feels like the hundreth time that week, I can't help but close my eyes and wish for the kitchen fairy to come and relieve me from all things domestic....... Joe was off on Saturday so we decided to venture down to the international district to hit up the big asian market that sits at its center. There is any kind of ingredient for asian cooking that your stomach could desire so we filled our basket with goodies for cooking Pad Thai along with some other sauces and spices. Of course now just sits the question of who is going to cook it?

In Search of the Laid Back Attitude

As the weeks progress and I find myself inundated with an overwhelming amount of work, I find myself asking "Where's the west coast laid back attitude that I've heard so much about?" It certainly doesn't exist in the education environment with everyone arriving early and staying late constantly in motion of trying to take care of everything. I found out early on that the majority of Speech Therapists all share the common trait of Type A personality to which I too join that group so there is no solace of laid back attitude at our monthly meetings. So where does this laid back attitude exist? Suprisingly enough I found it with a trip to the dentist. The dentist-I know! For those of you that are aware of my fear of sitting in the chair with the bright light shining at me and latex gloves checking out every crevix of my mouth only to hear that I again will be hearing the sound of a drill and another silver coloring will be added to my mouth should be just as surprised as I was. I found myself sitting in the leaned back chair Saturday morning with different people poking and prodding in my mouth, yelling out numbers to be recorded, and saying words that I know do not exist in Webster's Dictionary. The numbers; referring to the state of my gums around each tooth, were what I had heard in the past but the reaction to which was very different. A previous visit to the dentist had them upset with my "4" as a person my age should not be experiencing something that high, etc. Here the hygienist didn't even flinch when she said 4 outloud and instead said that it was not big deal and they only really get concerned with "5." Well I reached that magic number too and still-very mellow reaction and a mild scolding to floss more. When the dentist walked into the room I was waiting for my fate to be handed to me, already hearing the drilling of the needle, my arm hairs beginning to raise. But what she informed me of was something minor and I had a choice of how to proceed. A choice! Yes I was given a choice of how invasive the next procedure was going to be. Where was this all those times when I would work myself up and almost be in tears of what I was told was going to happen next? Not only did I have a choice but I could have it taken care of "whenever was convenient." What-you mean they work around my schedule? I walked out with my little plastic bag filled with floss and a new toothbrush and felt relaxed and laid back after a trip to the dentist-not tense and scared for the life of my teeth like previous experiences had given me. So although I continue to search for the prominient showing of the west coast attitude, I can sleep soundly knowing that my first encounter came in the least expected (and one of the most feared) places-the dentist office.

Loving the Fall Weather

I am loving the fall weather! Yes the leaves are changing and there's that crispness to the air that is very reminiscent of fall. I will admit to not taking too much notice of the leaves since there are limited trees in my immediate environment. On my drives to and from work I find my focus much more on not getting rear ended by the person behind me or checking my blind spot at least 3 times before merging in all the traffic. But I digress......
I was able to attend a conference in downtown Seattle (right by the Space Needle) presented by one of the gurus of Speech Therapy. It was a great breakup to my week and I got to meet some really nice therapists. My walk to the bus stop found me stumbling upon the Seattle famous "Top Pot" doughnut cafe featured on the food network. Since I was right there I had to go in and get a tea just to say I've been inside. Looks just like it did on TV. Of course my bus riding adventures continue as I still insist that I have a sign around me that says "talk to me." A nice older man sat down and introduced himself and starting talking to me and comparing Seattle to Texas. I admit to listening less to what he was saying and being more conscious to how bad his breath smelled! I gave a sigh of relief when he got off much earlier than my stop.
This weekend found me in neighboring Kirkland for drinks and dinner with 2 fellow therapists that are newbies to the district. There's nothing like talking through your frustrations with a glass of wine and good company! I explored yet another shopping mecca-this time south of the city. Another area to feed the shopping habit. I happend to be just a sidekick and second opinion for couch shopping with a friend and a little browsing on my part. I feel like I should be given a pin for 90 days "no purchases" for the willpower I present in shopping situations! We headed to the market today for another taste of homemade pasta (I feel like Grandpa would be proud with my sudden interest in Pasta:-) and this time sampled "Spice Thai Linguini." Not your typical Italian meal but they give you a recipe and chicken is involved so it must be good! I sit here with a mountain of paperwork staring me in the face for the week but all I can think about it snuggling up to the fire with a nice cup of tea. Work can wait for one more day.....

Seattle Music Scene

This weekend Joe and I got a little glimpse into the Seattle musice scene. We traveled to Ballard-an area just north of the city that sits along the canal connecting Lake Union with the Puget Sound. The area itself is older with a feel that can best be described as Manyunk meets Shadyside. We found ourselves walking along the streets with big buildings that seemed once to serve as warehouses and now house boutiques, wine bars, and restaurants. The event was called "Reverbfest" which brought together 60 local musicians to perform in 9 different venues along two streets. We paid a $10 cover and were given a bracelet to wear allowing us access to any venue of our choosing. We first found ourselves outside a building boasting the name "The Tractor" with music spilling onto the streets. Curious we walked inside only to be met by a girl singing with some major chops. She could have been straight out of the Lilith Fair and I quickly became a fan. Joe tolerated her well and after her set, we wandered further down the street to feed our musical tastes. We instead decided to feed our stomachs as Joe saw a sign featuring Oktober Fest at Peoples Pub. After Joe's stomach was filled with what he swears was the best sausage ever, we continued our music quest. Shows lasted between 30 minutes to an hour and were held in coffee shops, bars, and small concert places. We got to see 5 different places each featuring a different genre of music. It was interesting to see the variety of people it attracted and hear the different sounds from the area. I've read so many times how Seattle is such a big music hub. For a girl that loves indie folk and is always looking for the next up and coming act, this was a perfect way to spend a Saturday night. We topped the weekend off with dinner at the oldest sushi restaurant in the city (1908) in the company of Charlie and Jim. With our stomachs well fed and some new music to add to the IPod, another week begins........

Cute Shoes-Part 2

Well after a very busy week of meetings, scheduling of more kids, playing catch up, and learning enough new information to make me head spin, we decided to have a low key weekend complete with catch up on e-mails and our favorite shows. Stress has gotten the better of me at times over the course of the last few weeks and I've been searching for outlets from pilates, to long walks, and yes even cute shoes. Now the practical person would look to invest in those hiking boots or even rain boots (yes thank you dad for your input:-), but when feeling stressed, my feet look to find solice in something a little cuter and a little less practical. There is something about walking into a shoe store; the smell of the leather, the displays of heels, and flats, and boots (Oh how I love the boots!). Roaming from aisle to aisle picturing your feet, the outfit you'd be wearing, and even the place you'd be wearing them to. I find such comfort in the endless fashion possibilities! To let yourself forget if you would ever really wear them, or the dent that they would leave in your bank account is all part of the experience. My feet enjoyed the feeling of trendy slouch boots straight out of the 80's, the sophisticated heel, and of course my fall back ballet flat. As I walked out of the store with the bag in my hand I couldn't help to smile. Whatever the week is to bring, however stressed I may feel, I can always just look down at my cute shoes and the day may just get a little bit better........

True Seattle Weather

Well just as I suspected, once I put it in print (and purchased a new pair of sunglasses) mother nature went and waved the magic wand to bring Seattle back to its place of gray skys and drizzle. Joe and I didn't let that stop us from going on a little exploration (and an early celebration of our 2 year anniversary). We hopped aboard a ferry and rode to San Juan Island which sits north of Seattle in the middle of the sound. Our trip started with an hour and 45 minute car ride to the ferry port in Anacortes followed by an hour long fairy ride arriving in Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. It was drizzling when we first arrived and of course Joe's stomach was growling so we set off in search of lunch. The streets sitting closest to the harbor are filled with restaurants, shops, and of course coffee places. We settled on a little hole in the wall that boasted "the best fish and chips." Joe concluded true advertisement with a stomach full and we set off in search of sunshine and a chance to see our surroundings. Well the sunshine never happened (in fact the rain got worse as the day went on) and the opportunity to see the island was roadblocked when we found out the charter bus was no longer in service due to it now being the "off season." I had my heart set on finding the Orca whales at Lime Kiln Park and so we set off in search of other transportation. We ended up renting a car (an old white Chevy Cavalier to be exact) from a small rental company on the island with a very laid back attitude. They had no problem letting us know that they would be closed by the time we brought the car back and that we could just drop the key in the door slot and park the car "wherever." So we set off in hopes of finding Orca whales. After just seven miles of driving we were at the park which was more like a small cliff overlooking the Sound. We missed the whales by 2 hours but did get a nice view of the lighthouse and the surrounding sea (with very gray sky). Back in the car we continued our travels around the island to visit Roche Harbor and then onto the San Juan Vineyards. After some yummy wine samplings and a chance to interact with some friendly locals, we were back in the car on our way back to town. The whole island could be driven in under an hour and we were able to cover a lot of ground in our little car. Back on the ferry by 5 o'clock and after a short nap we were back in Anacortes tired, damp, and just a little chilly. I have yet to wear the right shoes or the right jacket for these outings of ours so I was feeling more of the chill than Joe. Rain or shine, we had a nice day together and got to explore yet another area on my every growing list of things to see. I think I'll put it back on my list for next summer when I can be guranteed sunshine and a view of the traveling whales.

Yes It Really Can Be Sunny In Seattle

This statement could come back to bite me in the back in a month, a week, tomorrow but for now I would like to declare that it CAN BE SUNNY IN SEATTLE! We have had a week of beautiful sunshine and 70 degree weather. I have been able to see Mt. Rainier in the backdrop of my drive to and from work along with sailboats, cruise ships, jet skis, and parasailors in and around Lake Washington and the Puget Sound. The beautiful scenery has helped make stressful days a little more calming and weekends that much more enjoyable.
Any time I'm in a new environment, I always want to learn everything in the first week! Although it's taken some time, I got a little sports education this week courtesy of the teachers lounge and asking lots of questions. I learned that I have to get used to hearing "PAC 10" vs. "Big 10", the big rival between University of Washington ("U-Dub") and Washington State ("Wazu") is called the Apple Cup, and I finally know where Gonzaga is after all those years of seeing them in the Sweet Sixteen. Up until Wednesday I didn't even know they were a west coast school....oops. So there you have it, weather update and a little sports education courtesy of east coast girl trying west coast living.

Getting A Handle On My Job

I spent so much of last week observing kids, making a schedule, and getting a handle (still) on all that I need to do that I was so happy for Friday to come. And now sitting here Sunday night I have to get ready to do it all over again. Spending this past week in and out of classrooms from kindergarten thru six grade, I came to one conclusion (well actually make that 2) a typical school day is NOTHING how I remember it being and to take that observation further, I just feel plain right OLD. Now I know, I know, for all those reading this and rolling their eyes at me that I'm really not that old but coming from preschoolers who love to be around you and give you hugs, to seeing the eyes of the 6th graders like I'm walking into their secret world without an invitation has led me to this feeling. I think my first project is to find out what 6th graders really like and then to find out how to "speak their language." Thinking back to when I was in 6th (and yes I cringe at some of those memories) this could be a year long assignment. Along with my observations came some great "kid quotes" from a first grader arguing with me about whether the picture scene he was working on was a playground or a beach based solely on the lack of sunshine in the sky to a 6th grader responding to his teacher when she told him that "There are times when I'm going to have to tell you "no;" it's a simple one syllable answer." The 6th grader proceeded to first raise his hand and ask "if that syllable was the "n" or the "o." Did I mention that I was also offered lessons in chess by a first grader who was proud to tell me that he would be leaving early on Wednesdays to go play "strategy games" at another school. He is going to be (if he's not already) too smart for his own good. If anything this past week just gave me a quick glimpse into my challenges and opportunities to become a better therapist. Oh how I have a lot to learn! "I'll definitely be earning each paycheck!

Cute Shoes

We've been trying to take advantage of the nice weather while it's still here and took the long weekend as an opportunity to go to Snoqualmie Pass about 50 miles outside of Seattle where Joe's Uncle has a cabin. We did a little hiking on Saturday up the mountain with some beautiful views of the land below. We didn't quite anticipate such a cool climate (there was snow at 4,000 ft; we were at 3200 ft) and our hike was cut short as my hands and feet were quite cold! Later in the day we ventured downtown to REI-this is an outdoors store that is Joe's idea of heaven!:-) I'm looking around at the hiking shoes since the past two weekends my feet could really have benefited from more traction on the bottom. I tried to show Joe what my "compromise" shoe would be as he keeps insisting that I need a pair of hiking boots. My defense was that the boots just aren't as cute as "light hiking shoes" as they call them and I would not wear them. Joe continued his "outdoor lecture 101" adding that the boots would give my ankles more support if I was ever to trip and they were the better of the two. Insert here my stubborness and love of shoes for looks and not comfort (or practicality as the case may be) and Joe's declaration that if I did trip in the woods and twisted my ankle that he would leave me and my "cute shoes" and continue on. Now I see my willingness to even consider wearing something from an outdoors store a compromise but Joe just can't seem to see that. I keep insisting that I am an outdoorsy kind of girl but I don't think anyone could argue my desire for something that looks good on my feet (except maybe my husband! :-)

Traffic, public transportation, and the beautiful scenery

Another full week gone by, and with it came more orientation to my new job than I can wrap my head around, experience in the unpredictable traffic that is my commute home (it can range anywhere from 35 minutes to 2 hours when accidents happen), and more introduction to the beautiful outdoors. After a long week, Joe and I decided to do something outdoors on Saturday. We drove about 30 miles east to Snoqualmie Falls which is a beautiful natural waterfall that sits at the bottom of a gourge. We hiked about a half mile down, climbed a fence and a few rocks and got to take in a breathtaking view of the falls. Unfortunately we then had to hike back up the hill which really kicked our cadiovascular systems into high gear but the trek was enjoyable none the less (of course Joe may argue that last part:-) Later we explored the downtown surrounding the University of Washington. It definitely has the college feel with students milling about and eateries for any ethnic palate. Not quite as inviting as State College but then again I could just be a little biased!
Today I woke up to sunshine and thought it would be a great day to explore the shopping mecca of downtown. Only in true Seattle fashion, the sun disappeared and rain accompanied me on my walk downtown. I could not be discouraged by the rain and wind and found my way to Nordstram's a little wet but content none the less. How could I not feel any different when so many wonderful stores are within walking distance from my front steps? The rain continued for the rest of the day leaving me no choice but to take the bus once I hit retail overload. I am familiar with 3 different buses that are choices to drop me within 2-3 blocks of where we live. I've had little experience on public transportation since my days at Pitt but somehow I don't quite remember the strange smell of bodies mixed with rain or the unkept looking man yelling "watch out for the truck" as we treked along. I could feel myself shifting to take up as small of a space as possible with every lurch and stop the bus made. The very nice driver whose breathing could be heard in the microphone before announcing each stop managed to get me where I needed to be. As I walked the rest of the way home I decided to remember what that ride felt like on a Sunday afternoon and to weigh my transportation options the next time I ventured downtown; if only to save my sense of smell if nothing else!

A Citys' Answer To The Beach

I had the pleasure of viewing first hand Seattle's offering of a beach experience at Alki Beach in West Seattle. History says that Alki was the landing point for the first white settlers coming to Seattle. As you drive along the strip, your eyes take in the bicycle riders, in-line skaters, and kids running about. As you look to the right you get a breathtaking view of the Seattle skyline complete with the big cruise ships leaving port on their way to Alaska (someday we hope to be passengers on that boat!) All along the waterfront are high rise condo's that go for over a million dollars and further down cafe's, restaurants, and shops. The smell of the sea is easy to find and if you get close enough to the water, small waves can be seen and heard. It's peaceful and picturesque and a perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of the downtown area.

Little Fish In A Big Pond

With most of the unpacking done and almost everything in its place, it was inevitable that the day I started my job would come. I found the school with ease and walked in to 100 new and eager faces looking around with the same look of question marks that I felt. After a big welcome to the district-I join 22,000 students and over 1200 employees, all of the new Special Ed hires were escorted to a very hot computer lab to be introduced to writing IEP's in the state of Washington. For anyone who can understand and appreciate Pennsylvania IEP's, be glad that they are the ones that you are filling out. I have to erase some of what I learned in PA, give new names to old terms, and learn the new lingo for goal writing all the while clicking away with the mouse as it is much more "clicker" no-friendly. I know it will become easier with time but for now my mind is just going in circles. My placement is going to be at an elementary school and a preschool (yay something familiar!:-) When I found out my placement, people surrounding me kept talking about how I was "up on the plateau." I still am not sure what they meant but if a plateau in their dictionary means nice houses in a suburban neighborhood in a school that is just 10 years old then yes I am on a plateau. I got a brief (and confusing) tour by a very nice kindergarten teacher but have not yet met the principle or special ed teachers-both of which should be very helpful to me! I had a change to review a number of files and it looks as though I'll have a nice variety of children (along with some challenges). I feel as though I'm starting from square one and that the last 3 years have been erased from my experience as everything feels so different. Of course there was the topic of what to do with difficult parents and I was able to easily relate (and relive my nightmare) with my experience in that area. We continue to have our orientation schedule jam packed with things to do all next week before returning to our respective schools. I'm sure I'll just be a walking question mark by next week. My commute continues to be unpredictable with a beautiful view and 25 minutes in the car in the morning traveling across Lake Washington. The afternoon is completely different with traffic galore and the nightmare of crossing lanes to get to my exit in time while being patient with the carpoolers (or noncarpoolers as I've seen many people abuse that privilege). It has taken me up to an hour to get home but with everything so new I haven't even minded. I'm sure once the novelty wears off I'll feel differently. Both at work and on the road I feel like a little fish in a very big pond (with a great view:-)
xo
Nicole

City Driving

Although I was able to practice city driving while living in Pittsburgh and had some more practice with trips into Philadelphia, traveling 611 day in and day out voided me of the constant city driving in which I could have benefited. I was quickly brought back into practice today as I successfully attempted to cross 4 lanes of highway quite easily to reach my exit and am slowly learning how to navigate in and out of the carpool lane. It is not as easy as it may seem. As much as I like to think my driving skills stellar, there was a moment where I wanted to make a left turn and proceeded to switch into the left lane only to hear Joe yell "One lane" over and over. It seems that the city of Seattle does not feel that everyone is privy to 2 lanes on either side and does not always designate it's turning lane. A lesson well learned. All I could do was turn and smile at Joe and give a little "ooops" as our journey continued on. We reached our destination of home in one piece with a little driving lesson to stick in my back pocket.
XO,
Nicole

The Adjustment Period

My first few days here on the west coast have been filled with unpacking boxes, settling in, and of course exploring (and getting lost!) in this new city. I've already learned that in the quaint little neighborhoods surrounding our temporary residence that stop signs don't always exist and instead you just slow down and yield at each intersection all the while having faith and crossing fingers that nothing is coming on either side. Seattle has been surprising us (and maybe welcoming us) with sunshine and enjoyable temperatures everyday. I figure it's just the honeymoon period before the clouds come in. Of course at this point I find that an even trade after sweltering in the humidity of the Pennsylvania summer. I've already drank more coffee in the past 4 days and have nearly doubled my daily comsumption. I'm not sure if it's just fatigue or the fact that coffee places stare you in the face (and intice you to come in) at every intersection or a combination of the two. Our neighborhood is teaching us about cultural diversity and my first experience in the neighboring Starbucks had me as the minority. Looking around I knew that I was no longer in my safe haven of Pennsylvania residence. And after I get used to the constant car alarms, and sirens at all hours of the night (and did I mention my constant paranoia that someone could be breaking in at any momeny?) I will add it all to the positives of this new experience and all that comes with it. But for now I'm still an east coast girl trying out west coast living.
XO
Nicole