I'm very content sitting here on Sunday night knowing that my alarm will not go off at 6am tomorrow. Yes I am officially on Christmas break! For those moments when I think about leaving the public education school setting, I need to remind myself of this moment (and months June, July, and August) to keep me going in my current work setting. I'm more than delighted with the idea of having no plans for the next 4 days other than to join Regis and Kelly each morning with my coffee and lounge in my pj's unitl noon if I so desire. My week ended on a very good note as I found out that I have been released from jury duty! As soon as I read the e-mail a huge weight was lifted from my shoulders and I truly smiled for the first time since leaving the courtroom 8 days before. I sent an e-mail to the judge spelling out my concerns for the potential of such a huge leave of absence from work and my supervisor also sent an e-mail explaining the potential impact it could have on the district-especially honing in on the financial aspect. I am very thankful for having such an understanding judge on this case and for him to take the time to hear my concerns. What a relief and definitely an early Christmas present! :-)
Tonight I went with a friend to the "Nutcracker Burlesque" holiday show. It took place at my favorite venue in Seattle. We sat and ate delicious Asian food as our eyes took in nothing I have ever seen before. You definitely had to go in with an open mind for this show. I was surprised at the variety of the audience (lots of open minds of all ages). I was anticipating dancing and maybe some acrobatics. The performance included both of those things with very little clothing. The story was that of a Christmas party where the audience were the guests and the show itself was the performers at the party. They had the Sugar Plum fairy and King Rat with some familiar music but it was hard to see where the Nutcracker really fit in. It was unique if nothing else. The real surprise came when we went to the parking garage where our car was parked and found the garage to be closed. Who knew parking garages had closing times? We certainly didn't. We had about 3 minutes of panic before a car pulled up to the garage and the door opened for them. We quickly ran inside as the doors closed behind us. We had little time to be concerned about whether or not we were going to be spending the night in the garage as we found our car and high tailed as quick as possible to the ticket booth. Luck was on our side as we paid the fee and the doors opened for us. What was the lesson tonight? Read the sign before pulling into a parking garage and they will charge you extra if you get locked in!

I got caught up in Lifetime Christmas movies yesterday and failed to post an update last night. Yes I do watch the cheesy Christmas movies on Lifetime and the Family Channel and I'm not afraid to admit it. It's a perfectly relaxing way to spend a Sunday :-)
Joe and I spent Saturday afternoon at a Christmas show in a little theater in the International District. These two women, who have performed together for 20 years, wrote the show and performed with two other guys in "Ham for the Holidays- Lard Potion Number 9." It was quite funny-poking fun at the Seattle transportation system, the Family Feud game show, and a trailer park talent show. We followed it up with dinner at our favorite chinese restaurant and then a little Wii competition at home. Joe and I bought ourselves a Wii for Christmas as a way to "bond" together. So far, if I'm not good at a game right away I make Joe stop it and move on to the next game. We have become fierce competitors with one another with wakeboarding and I kicked butt with bowling and table tennis. Fortunately for the golf game there is no way for me to throw my club when I get frustrated so that is definitely a step up from the real deal. My involvement in Wii in no way condones video game playing but is a compromise (there is that great word in the married world) to bond with my husband. And if I can prove that I am better than him at some activities then that is just an added bonus. :-)
I had a tough Thursday last week as I spent a grueling morning at Jury Duty part two. I can't go in to any details but let's just say I got out of court and called my Dad with tears in my eyes. I am one of 85 potential jurors for a case that could go on for months! I'm not going to try and begin to explain all the stress that is causing me. I can't sleep and walk around with a constant stomach ache at the thought of a) having to bear witness to the gruesome details of this trial and b) stepping away from my job for essentially 1/3 of the school year. I wonder if I shared with the judge my "Radicchi" gene in that I cry at every sad commercial, movie, song, or card and I'm not emotionally equipped to handle something of this degree if that would help my case? I am currently in attempts to work with my supervisor to form a plea to the judge. Being female and my age is not helping my situation right now as I do believe they've kept me on as a demographic. I'm certainly missing the small town court system right about now.
My day got a little better as that night the Speech Therapists celebrated Christmas on a house boat on Lake Union. One of the girls is house sitting for friends and we all got to reap the benefits. It was a beautiful view of the skyline and the Space Needle with all the lights. The whole house boat community is very quaint and you can only hope to like your neighbor as your proximity to them is very close.
A downtown condo and a house boat to celebrate the Christmas season- not a bad way to celebrate the holidays. The only better way to celebrate is with family and friends and we get to do that in less than two weeks! Can't wait for a little piece of an east coast Christmas!

Brrrrrrr. It's chilly here in Seattle. Our weather forecast for the next 3 days has a high of 32. Some people are hopeful for snow at the end of the week. Not this girl! Let the snow stay in the mountains and please let the temperature increase by about 10 degrees. Those are my pleas to Mother Nature.
My countdown is 2 weeks until Christmas break. I'm already losing my momentum to get to the end as I'm just buried in paperwork!
I took a break from stress Saturday night and went to the Christmas party for my elementary school. Our principal hosted it with his partner at their downtown high rise condo right across from Pike Place Market. I always wondered who lived in the "glamorous" shindigs and now I know two. The party started at 4 o'clock so that we could all bear witness to the beautiful sunset on the sound. The views were amazing from the 16th floor! I should backtrack my story as my trip getting downtown was almost as entertaining as the rest of evening. I was dressed and ready to go in my tights and cute boots. I was planning on walking until I took 2 steps out my door and realized that my cute boots weren't really made for walking and I was better off taking the bus. Two stops from where I got on the eclectic group from the nearby hospital stepped onto the bus and I knew I was doomed. This man who was already mumbling to himself asked to sit down next to me. His stench was immediately all consuming. There were no introductions and no formal greetings. It was just right into the comments about the cold weather and beautiful sunset and did I notice that the sunset was only orange and not red and that the reason that there was no red was because of a volcano erupting in some far away place. I type with a run on sentence for emphasis as he literally said all of that in one breath! From there he went on to explain his background (engineer) and what he did (something about working on ships) but then delve into how he had to quit because he didn't want to hurt the environment but he could still be 3rd in command on any ship around. (Hopefully ones I never travel on!) He mumbled a few more things, bid me good night, and hobbled off to the shelter. I let out a deep breath and hoped for no more company on the rest of my travels.
When I walked into the condo I was just in awe. Big open spaces and the most spectacular views of the Sound and the Space Needle. 2500 square feet of heaven. I told someone that I thought I would be less stressed if I lived in a place like that as it just felt like a little piece of heaven. The kitchen was spacious with a huge island and beautiful countertops. The stove looked pristine as it has never been used in the 10 months that they've been living there. Right off the kitchen is a little sitting room that opens up to a deck in the warm months. 2 bedrooms, an office, a bathroom, and the master bath round out the square footage. The bathtub was the size of our bedroom and propped in the corner was a flat screen TV. Forget feeling less stressed- I would never want to leave with these amenities. From the master bedroom they can wake up everyday to the view of Nordstrom's sign, along with Macy's and other shopping delights. The place was absolutely incredible and they were such gracious hosts to about the 60 of us who attended. It's always nice to step away from work and socialize on a more personal level.
I have round two of Christmas parties this week on a house boat.....Stay tuned for details!

Hope everyone enjoyed their holiday weekend. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner with more food than I could imagine at Charlie's cabin. It was a white Thanksgiving for us but luckily no additional snow entered the mountains while we were visiting. Movies were watched, a tree was decorated, and lots of wonderful food was consumed. Joe and I came back to Seattle on Friday afternoon. I headed downtown to immerse myself in the hustle and bustle of black Friday while Joe went to work. Friday evening was the lighting of the Christmas tree at Macy's. Although the tree wasn't as big as Rockefellar Center and there wasn't an ice skating rink underneath, the ceremony still brought out the Christmas feeling. There were songs sung by a choir group as the ever growing crowd waited patiently (and some impatiently) for the countdown. There is a big star that lights up at the front of Macy's along with the Christmas tree. After all the lights were on, fireworks illuminated the sky above Macy's. I was standing amongst lots of families and the kids were just taking it all in. As quickly as the fireworks went off, people quickly headed back into the stores for more shopping.
On Saturday I got our apartment in the holiday mood as I dug out (and I mean I had to dig!) for our Christmas decorations. Nala has already found her favorite to knaw on and my pretty gold present box currently has a T-shirt draped over it to avoid any more kitty teeth imprints. I found myself wandering another Mall Saturday night. We're doing quite well with our Christmas shopping but I find that I like to just wander about in the mall and take in all the shopping frenzy.
This evening Joe and I enjoyed the light show at Bellevue's Botanical Garden. It's amazing to see the creativity of lights done in vineyards, under the sea, and flowers galore. More Christmas cheer was felt near the shopping area as there were toy soldiers walking around on stilts, people dressed up as polar bears, and Christmas music blaring from the outside speakers. As the weekend comes to a close, I'm filled with lots of holiday cheer and my game face to make it the next three weeks until Christmas vacation. Gotta love the school calendar!

Thanksgiving Preparations

In light of the holiday (and my need to share my baking disaster), I'm doing a Wednesday update and sharing my story. Joe is at work and Nala is not much for responding to my kitchen frustrations so type I must. Let me preface my story by saying that for the first time in my life I put leftovers in the freezer. I have never been a leftover kind of person but in these hard economic times I'm trying to be more senseable. About a month ago I made some delicious pumpkin bread using just a small amount of pumpkin from a very large can. I knew that I would be needing some pumpkin again around Thanksgiving so I got myself a tupperware container (okay so it was a plastic container leftover from lunch meat-my first mistake), put the leftover pumpkin inside, and into the freezer it went. Fast forward to this past Sunday when I thought I was being really good taking the pumpkin out of the freezer to thaw. I noticed Monday night that there was some orange liquid at the bottom of the refrigerator but chalked it up to the peaches that Joe had opened that night for dinner. Tuesday comes and there is more orange liquid and no more peaches to blame it on. Joe thought it might be his grapefruit juice. I just kept wiping it up and didn't think much about it. This afternoon I decided that it was time to do the inevitable and tackle this chocolate chip pumpkin cookie recipe. I start to get everything together and pull out the pumpkin. As soon as I open the lid I see that something is not right. I'm not too familiar with pumpkin consistency but I'm pretty sure it's not supposed to be lumpy mush sitting in a pool of liquid. Upon further inspection I notice that there is a crack in the bottom of my makeshift tupperware. The culprit of the leaking orange liquid has been found! At first I just tell myself that the pumpkin will be fine once I start mixing it into the other ingredients. Joe comes out to inspect my project and makes a face. I ask him if he thinks my chunky pumpkin will make a difference and he kindly suggests that I make another trip to the store. After some whining (on my part) since I had just come from the store not two hours earlier, and it was not an experience I wanted to repeat, I headed into the grocery abiss. I don't like grocery shopping on a normal day so going to the store twice on the day before Thanksgiving was worth than a trip to the dentist. Back from my shopping escapade (it was tough but I survived the masses), I'm ready to start again. As I look at the recipe I can't help but wonder why so many recipes suggest combining some ingredients in one bowl and others in another bowl before combining it all? To me this just means more dishes and more time spent cleaning up so into one bowl everything goes. I'm going along well until I come to the lowercase "t." Does this mean teaspoon or tablespoon? I'm used to seeing another letter beside the "t" so I was a bit perplexed. Trying to think back to 7th grade Home Ec class didn't help much so I just took a guess and decided teaspoon it is! I'm almost to the end and notice that the recipe calls for salt. This spice (can you call salt a spice?) is something that we've been out of for quite sometime and just can't remember to get at the store. Luckily we have some seasalt in the cupboard so I decide this will be a good fill in for regular salt. Yes Betty Crocker may be shaking her head at me but at this point I just want to get out the kitchen! Last line of the recipe calls for chocolate chips. I just assume it means the whole bag until I look again and see that it says 1 cup. My 1 cup measuring cup is already dirty so after pouring the whole bag in I just take a handful out and assume the rest is a cup. Who says you need to stay on specifics when baking? (Actually that was probably Betty Crocker too.-oops) Cookies just came out of the oven and they look normal. I think I might have Joe test one for me before they make the trip to the cabin. Breathing a sigh of relief as my baking adventure is complete, I look at the contents of the salad I must create. That I can handle as it's really just throwing a bunch of vegetables together and making it look nice. I even bought the already chopped red onion so I don't have to touch them. All I can think of is all this hassle for some cookies in a salad, how would I ever handle a turkey?

It's been a long rainy week here in Seattle. I'm starting to wonder if the "true" Seattle weather held off until our second year here so as to not deter us. Between that and the short daylight days, this time of year is already getting to me a little bit. I've spent much of this past week trying to complete progress updates for work. Take 45 kids x's 3 or 4 IEP goals to comment on and that is a lot of typing! I needed a break mid-week so I decided to take a fitness class at my gym. Normally I don't do this but I really needed a pick me up. I had quickly stuffed clothes in my gym bag that morning; not really paying attention to what I packed. Needless to say it wasn't the cutest or nicest gym outfit that I own. As I was approaching the door to go into the class, I noticed two familiar faces on the other side-parents of one of my students. I froze for a second and then quickly retreated to the stairwell and had a conversation with myself about whether or not I should go in. It's always awkward running into parents outside of school and what made this worse was that this set of parents were ones that always make me so frustrated during meetings. I decided not to let them stop me and went into the class-ugly gym clothes and all. Mom smiled at me and said hello and made small talk for a few minutes. Dad gave me a slight smile but looked almost as uncomfortable as I felt. Needless to say through the whole entire class I was very aware of their presence and couldn't leave fast enough when it was finally over (after politely saying goodbye to them). Not sure if I will be returning to that class although it was a very good midweek kick in the butt that I needed.
Saturday Joe and I headed to the neighborhood of Fremont. It has some really good vintage shops that we always enjoy browsing through and Joe had his eye out for a vintage belt buckle. After successfully finding what he was looking for (but unsuccessfully figuring out how to get it on his belt), we headed to "Roxy's Diner" for a late lunch. They advertise as "The Real East Coast on the West Coast." What makes it east coast? It serves sandwiches! And lots of them. Their specialty is pastrami but they have almost every combination you can think of. You're probably wondering why this is such a big deal right? Well the thing is that we have very few sandwich places out here. You can get any kind of ethnicity that your heart can desire but a true sandwich shop- you're going to have to do some digging. 15 months after moving here and I had my first really good bagel sandwich.
After returning from our vintage escapade I went out to get a haircut. Normally I am really good about keeping up with bimonthly trims but 2 unsatisfactory haircuts and hair that seems to never grow has kept me away from a hairstylist for longer than I'd like to admit. The last time I got my hair cut I was convinced it was uneven, but after several days of washing and blowing I began to wonder if it was all in my imagination. Apparently it wasn't as the nice hairstylist last night informed me that half of my head was almost an inch shorter than the other. An inch! How embarrassing. I've been walking around for too long of time with uneven hair! Guess that's what happen when your hand held mirror goes missing in the move and you can no longer see the back of your head. Look what I missed out on! Crisis averted as I left last night assured that I now had an even head of hair. I'm going to go buy a hand held mirror just to make sure.
We started our Sunday out to brunch with a couple that we've become very friendly with. As we were waiting for our table a group of tight dress wearing, high heeled clad "women" stumbled out after what looked like a late night/early morning party. After noticing the blond leg hair on one of the "blonds" we realized that we were looking at a group of men dressed as club going women. Not sure if that ever becomes common enough not to at least give them a double take . We weren't the only ones. Brunch turned into drinks while watching the Seahawks game and any other football game that we were privy enough to see. Within the course of an hour we saw two drunks fall off of their chairs and then not move. We weren't sure at first if they had a medical issue but when the staff came over to them and called them by name it was obvious that this wasn't the first time. The woman just looked at us with the most vacant eyes. Definitely a bit scary to watch (twice!). And to think that a Sunday could be dull and boring?

Sitting here on a Sunday night with the new Star Trek movie on (I'm already clueless and very uninterested but I won't tell Joe that) I was knee deep in progress updates (it's report card time of year) when I almost forgot to check in. It was a dreary rainy Sunday here today and I can't even tell you what I've done to make the day go by. I guess when you stay in your PJ's until noon (yes it feels good to do that every now and again) it's easy to get lost in the rest of the day. I find on Sundays I have a little more desire to really plan out a dinner and maybe even (gasp!) find a new recipe to try. I felt in the Italian mood and did a little search on the Food Network website for ideas on how to spice up a sauce. I was happy to find something that sounded tasty and was labeled "easy" to make. With my list in hand I headed to the grocery store. I was surprised by my revelation of finding garlic already minced in a jar. After talking with my Dad and Joe somehow I found I was the last to know about this amazing creation. When trying other recipes, I have done my own version of minced with knives and a cheese grader (form your own picture here). Who knew I could be sparing myself this hassle? Dinner was delicious and I got kudos from Joe. I told him I was now done for the week :-)
I had a different kind of beginning to the weekend as I spent Friday at jury duty. My first time ever that I was called and I had no idea what to expect. I was one of 450 people called in on Friday as a potential juror for a specific case. After a back story and other procedural information, we were given a questionnaire that took me almost an hour to fill out. I guess they are hoping to weed some of us out before the formal interviews. I can't say much more about my experience until I am (hopefully) released from consideration. I'll know on November 24th if I made it to phase two. I was done by noon and enjoyed a little sunshine as I meandered downtown and procrastinated from the paperwork that I knew was waiting for me at home.
Saturday night I helped my friend Sydney celebrate her 29th birthday. Glad I still have 6 months for that occasion. It's funny how birthday celebrations in your early twenties are about bars, drinks, and top 40 radio on the dance floor. Now as I'm approaching the horizon to my 30's, birthdays are more about a good glass of wine, a nice ambiance, and good conversation. Is that a sign that I'm getting old or just more mature? I'm hoping for the latter. At least I have another year and a half to wait before I find out!

Weekend In Vancouver

Joe and I spent this past weekend in Vancouver (or "America Junior" as Joe is calling it). We've been wanting to get an opportunity to check out this city and when Joe was given the weekend off we took the opportunity (despite the weather reports for lots of rain-which there was). We got into the city Friday night after a 5 hour car drive. What should have taken us 3 hours took us 5 due to a single lane leading into the tunnel after crossing the border. A single lane for rush hour traffic on a Friday night. Somebody does not have their traffic rules correctly in the book. We checked into our very quaint hotel that Charlie had recommended for us in Vancouver's West End neighborhood. It sat right across the street from the water and we did have a partial view from our room. We were in walking distance to everything we could need which was great. About a half a block away was Denman St which was filled with restaurants galore. We found the Whistler Brewery to eat at Friday night. After that long car ride we were starving! After dinner we headed to the bar at our hotel for a drink before returning to our room. I learned there that a glass of my favorite Pinot Grigio cost $10. Yikes! That was my last glass and I resorted to water after that expensive drink! On Saturday we woke up to rain but were determined to explore the city nonetheless. After coffee and breakfast at a cafe, we headed out to wander the city. Right off Denman is Robson St which feeds you right into the shopping mecca of Vancouver. Any store that you can think of is found on this street. We wandered along amongst the mist, rain, and dry weather all the way through past the art museum, library, to the hockey stadium. This stadium was #1 on the list of tourist attractions on my map. Guess that's what happens when you're country is all about hockey. Joe made fun of me for purchasing this map but it was a useful tool for me to get a feel for the layout of the city and we did refer to it more than once. I told Joe he was lucky that I didn't purchase a guidebook to go with my map and highlight the places to visit. I saw the map only purchase as an even compromise. After wandering the city center, we walked across the bridge to Granville Island. You can take a water taxi or walk the bridge and since we were already on foot we figured why not. The island houses some beautiful homes along with more shopping and restaurants. The waterfront has a large public market which we missed due to the downpour that happened upon us. After lunch we started walking only to be met with a downpour. I had a rain jacket and umbrella but Joe only had his rain jacket and was gambling with mother nature not to carry an umbrella. He was soaked before we were a quarter of the way across the bridge but we had no choice but to continue to walk. We made our way back to our hotel via Davie St which Charlie described as "more gay" than the rest of the city. It had its mix of restaurants and video shops with the rainbow flags hanging freely. Back at our hotel we dried off and took a rest. After flipping through the channels on the TV we game across the end of the Penn State/Ohio State game. Even in Canada we were able to witness the sad game. I couldn't even bear to watch the end and see Ohio State celebrate. Located right next to us was Stanley Park which is about 5 miles in radius. We didn't want to chance the rain again so we decided to drive around it and take in the views. We did get out of the car to take some pictures and it was neat to feel out in the open with the bustling of the city so nearby. We got some pictures of the skyline which consists mostly of very tall (and ugly) condo buildings. Some brief research on the internet let me know that this is the most common way that people live downtown. And at 1/2 a million dollars all I have to say is that there must be some pretty wealthy people in Vancouver with no room for the poor (although we say very few homeless people as compared to Seattle). Dinner Saturday night found us at a great all you can eat Sushi place followed by the largest desserts I've ever seen at a little cafe called "True Confections." The slices of cake filled an entire plate and we enjoyed the sweetness after so much walking that day. On our way back to our hotel we saw something interesting crossing the street- 3 raccoons running together towards a tree on the other side. Nobody else seemed to think this was weird as I was talking and pointing. Must be pretty typical. We ventured back to the States a little after 11 on Sunday morning. We had had enough of the rain and I was eager to get back to a country where I didn't have to translate kilometers into miles. It took us about 45 minutes to cross the border and by the time we came home Nala was very eager to see us.
It was a great weekend of "together time" for Joe and I and it was nice to get away and see some place different. I'm glad to have seen what Vancouver is like but I don't feel like I need to go back there anytime soon. Aside from the restaurants and shopping, I felt the city was lacking in authenticity and it didn't really have anything to give it its own character. Maybe Seattle has just spoiled me but I was happy to return home nonetheless. :-)

I Don't Do Sick Well

This week has been highly uneventful. Mostly because I've spent the better part of it on the couch. I have gotten one of the worst colds (and longest lasting) that I can remember. It started last Monday and I took Tuesday off. I was able to function on Wednesday and Thursday and then it came back with avengance on Friday and I have been on the couch ever since. I have befriended Musinex, Tylenol, Sudafed and a box and a half of tissues. I have a come to include standing over a pot of Vick's Vapor Rub and boiling water into my daily schedule (at least twice a day) and my taste buds seem to be permanently missing. On Friday I was able to take in every talk show host and their Halloween costumes and by noon I had once again affirmed how bad day time TV is. The sinus pressure has made it impossible to read a book and the little bouts of energy I did get were spent lysoling all apartment surfaces to assure that my germs are killed. By this afternoon I was close to tears out of frustration of why this cold just will not go away. I don't do sick well and after 3 days of doing nothing I have had it. I'm hoping some NyQuil and and some sleep will make it possible for me to be a productive member of society tomorrow so fingers crossed!

Sitting here on the couch with my computer and a cup of tea and Nala just popped up to say hello. There is a small sheet of paper sitting beside me and she chooses that exact spot to lay on. If it wasn't the paper, it would be a magazine, a folder, and anything else that looks appeasing to her. Cats are so funny and I often find myself looking at Nala and thinking that I would like to spend a day in her world. Maybe the idea of sleeping 14 hours for a day and having my wants and needs met with a simple meow (or squak) in Nala's case just sounds really appealing right now as I head into a busy week with an alarm that will go off before daylight sets in.
It was quite a dreary Sunday here and in a quest to procrastinate doing some paperwork, I did something unthinkable- I took out a recipe book! I sat and looked up something new to try when that never ending question of "What are we going to have for dinner" arises. I made an actual grocery list (more often than not I walk through the grocery store picking up the same things out of habit) and stocked the fridge so we're good until Wednesday. I will admit to having a small feeling of peace to start off the week. This dinner thing really stresses me out!
It's been pretty quiet on our end. We went bowling Friday night with some people that I work with. I can't remember the last time I went bowling but I know that Joe and I have never bowled together. The first game my goal was just to get a score higher than my age- I was that bad! After some gently coaching from the music teacher I was well on my way to hitting above 100 the next 2 games. It was a good thing I started to do better as I was just about to add bowling to the list of "things I'm not good at right away so therefore I will not do." So far this list consists of skiing, golf, and running more than two miles before keeling over. Guess bowling is safe for now.
Last night Joe and I went out for Susi in the International District. We had forgotten that the soccer team was also playing last night so finding parking was next to impossible! We worked up an appetite driving up and down the streets and craning our necks to see if we could fit our little Mazda in any of the tight little spaces. 20 minutes later we were successful and well on our way to having a wonderful meal. We made it home in time to see the Sounders win before watching "Back to the Future." Yes I am a product of the 80's and I've never seen Back to the Future. What makes it worse is that I bought Joe the trilogy for Christmas 3 years ago and there it sits on our shelf. Needless to say I enjoyed it and may at some point may sit down again for the sequel. I added to my list of "classics" by also viewing Casablanca after waking early on Saturday thanks to Joe's countless attempts at using the snooze button. Gotta say I was a bit disappointed. I found that when they said the famous "Here's looking at you kid" it was very anti-climatic. But then again what do I know?

Another fall weekend gone by.....Scary to think that November is just around the corner. I've loved hearing about the experiences in State College with all the snow on homecoming. This will certainly be a homecoming talked about for years to come! Congrats to those who experienced (and survived) it!
We got our rain back here this week. All those months without it and it's now back with a vengeance! The poor kids at school on Friday had no where to hide from the rain at recess and they came back into school looking like little drowned children! Unlike most other schools that have an awning and therefore safety from the rain, my elementary school does not. Wonder what the architects were thinking?
The rain also carried us into Saturday and I somehow got the idea that if I'm going to be stuck inside all day then I should bake something. Yes I know- a crazy thought for me to have but I have this recipe for chocolate chip pumpkin bread that I just had to try. Of course the only thing that I can find in the baking isle of the grocery store is the "just add water cookie mix" so it took some time for me to sort through the flour, spices, and different colored brown sugar. Really what is the difference between light and dark brown sugar? Once home I had to "set up shop" in the kitchen. This includes positioning my laptop at just the right distance so as to not spill anything on it during my baking endeavors as I catch up on my TV shows. It's a perfect way to keep the boredom at bay and my attention to the task at hand. One cup of flour, then look up to see who is dating whom on Gossip Girl. Add the sugar and see the ending of Private Practice. It's my answer to tolerating time spent in the kitchen :-) And by the way my bread came out edible and even a little bit tasty!
Joe was off today and the sun decided to come out so we walked downtown to do a little shopping. Of course our first stop was REI outdoors store and somehow I came away with something to put on my Christmas list. How does Joe have a way of doing that? It's only October and we started our Christmas shopping without meaning to. It was kind of nice to just wander and find things.
We had dinner with Charlie tonight at a bar that serves a special pumpkin beer that Joe really wanted to try. Somehow our last 2 Sunday nights have included Joe's search for the best bratwurst and pumpkin beer. I think after tonight he found the place for both.
And on one final note~ Joe and I will be making it back to Susquehanna right after Christmas! Thank you Mom and Dad for taking care of this for us! We're definitely looking forward to the trip!

Another beautiful fall week gone by. Mt. Rainier is now showing snow on its' peak. A sure sign that colder weather and winter are on the horizon somewhere. Hope it stays at bay for a while longer. This week seemed to fly by (as did the weekend!). With both Joe and I arriving home around the same time at night we are constantly struggling with the question of "What's for dinner?" The nuisance of this is one that I can't shake. I am not creative (nor do I care to be) and hate to have to find an answer to this question. One day this past week Joe decided to take it upon himself to answer this question early in the day. He was eager to show me his find at the store- a $4 frozen lasagna and cream of broccoli soup. My first thought is that these two things do NOT go together. My second thought is that I can't stomach the ricotta cheese/meat/noodle/sauce combo when it is homemade. How am I supposed to even attempt a bite into something that was once frozen. I didn't even try to pretend that I could. I praised Joe for taking the initiative and then stated my case for my aversion to all things containing ricotta cheese (apologies to my Italian heritage). Needless to say that Joe quickly realized that error in his food combination as I feasted on my meatless chicken patty. A new week is starting with the "What's for dinner" conversation to start once again.
By Friday I was ready for some rest and miraculously Joe had a Friday night off. This is a very big rarity for us. We got together with another couple for Thai food. Three and a half hours later we left enjoying good company, good food, and an incredibly high bar bill....ooops!
On Saturday I decided to venture down to Pike Place Market. One of my favorite things of the fall season are Honeycrisp apples so I decided to support the local produce by splurging on them as they are quite expensive. I kept with my "fall" theme indulging in homemade Autumn Harvest Orzo pasta and pumpkin pie tea. Since the summer has now become a distant memory it is so much easier navigating through the market and I left happy with my purchases. En route home I came across the "Jesus Saves" protesters (a common sore sight in the shopping area). As I waited for the light to change I couldn't help but notice a pamphlet in the hands of the girl wearing her Christ is Risen sweatshirt. It read "What to Do to go to ____" with flames all around it.) I'm pretty sure I could fill in the last word. Way to kill my "fall high." Continuing on my walk home I found a new crepe place (that now I can't wait to try) housed right next to a gay bar. Now normally I don't take a second look at places like this but the sign hanging above the door caught my eye. It read "This is a gay bar." "We welcome you if you are not a homophobe, bigot, and the list went on. I really wanted to take a picture of this but decided that it would be inappropriate. After all I have to play the "local" card and look unfazed by such a posting. This is the only place in the entire city I have come across with a sign such as this. Usually we just guess that every other bar in the Capital Hill area is a gay bar.
Today I further indulged my interest in old movies by watching "Singing In the Rain" with Charlie. How have I gone 28 years and never seen this movie???? Mom and Dad- how could you let this happen???? Besides forming a crush on Gene Kelly within the first 30 minutes I was amazed at the quality of a film for that time period. And the tap dancing was amazing! Afterwards we googled Gene Kelly and found that he was born in Pittsburgh. Who knew? I will soon be further indulging my new found love with the viewing of "American in Paris." I feel like I'm learning so much and am gaining further appreciation for another era.
Our day ended with Joe and I sitting in a pub in Ballard while Joe indulged in his Octoberfest guilty pleasure-bratwurst. We discovered this place last October and Joe has not forgotten. After 3 bratwurst combined with German beer, Joe was in a happy food coma and is still talking about how good it was. I was playing the supportive wife/compromise card as my love of bratwurst is right up there with ricotta cheese. Could someone please pass the meatless/tasteless soy patty?

It Finally Feels Like Fall......

It finally feels like fall here in Seattle. I was afraid with our lack of rain that we might not get to enjoy watching the leaves change color. As I went out for a walk today it was obvious that this would not be the case. With the sun out, the crisp air, and the color of the leaves, I was reminded why fall really is my favorite season.
Joe's parents were here until Thursday. Unfortunately the week was filled with chilly temperatures and a little rain. Joe had taken a few days off and was able to entertain by visiting the Market, going over to Alki Beach, and visiting Fremont neighborhood. We spent Tuesday and Wednesday night have dinner with Charlie- one night at his and one night at ours. Joe and his Dad played chef in our tiny kitchen and cooked up a really good chicken recipe on Wednesday night.
I struggled to get through the week at work. I don't know if it was the lack of sleep from the weekend before or the first round of flu germs circulating in my buildings but I have not felt like myself at all. I refuse to give into sickness so early in the school year so I've been a hermit most of the weekend- getting lots of sleep and vitamin C and catching up on all my TV shows from the week. Hopefully it was enough to propel me into the first full week of October as I've got lots to do this month. I hesitate to turn my planner each week as I'm fearful of looking too far ahead.
I think I need to find something fun to do to have something to look forward to.....Maybe a trip to Vancouver?

To Portland and back....

My update is a day late this week as we were in Portland for the weekend and just got back today. I must backtrack first to Friday when Joe's parents arrived for a 7 day stay. They couldn't have arrived at a better time as the day was crystal clear and the views from downtown were beautiful. They had friends that happen to be in town at the same time so we met them for dinner down at a restaurant by the Market. We had a seat right in front of the window over looking the Sound with views of the Olympic Mountains as we watched the sun set. We couldn't have asked for a better view if we tried. Saturday morning we got up and drove to Portland to explore the weekend Market right downtown. I didn't realize how big it was going to be! It's located right under one of the bridges by the river. There were so many different kinds of vendors from pottery to jewelry to paintings to photography to cat toys. We enjoyed walking amongst the crowd and exploring. From there we made our way to our hotel which was about 20 minutes from downtown. We had a little downtime before finding our way to the rehearsal dinner (Joe was in the wedding) which was another 20 minutes away down open roads and in a little neighborhood. Joe's friend Matt was the one getting married and his parents rented a house and hosted the rehearsal dinner there with a caterer. It was an eclectic group to say the least and I had some interesting conversations and made some interesting observations of people. I was grateful to the brides' brother for being into football as I actually got to watch a Penn State game on the west coast-a rarity! (although by the end I was sorry that I did- it was a sad ending!) The wedding wasn't until 4 on Sunday so we passed the afternoon with a little shopping and lunch. I was the emergency relief for the groomsmen who forgot his white undershirt and the ride for the groom and his groomsmen when they weren't sure another way to get to the wedding. The wedding and reception was at a really neat facility- it felt barn-like with the wooden planked floors. The ceremony was outside and then we made our way to another part of the property where the tables were outside but the bar and dance floor were inside. I made a mistake in wearing heels as I caught my heel more than once in the spaces between the boards. The wedding color was a deep red with beautiful arrangements of fall flowers for the centerpieces. Everyone seemed to really enjoy themselves and it was a nice night. Our first west coast wedding with some definite differences but enjoyable none the less!
We woke up today and headed back to Portland to see the Rose Gardens that are located within Washington Park. It was amazing to see all the different kinds of roses and surprisingly there were a lot still in bloom. We wandered the Pearl District and Powell's bookstore before grabbing lunch and then heading back to Seattle. We were met with very fall like weather here and I just might make it through a week without sweating at work! Joe and Colleen are here until Thursday so Joe has the job of playing tour guide with them.

Husbands Can Be Good For Many Things........

As our 3 year wedding anniversary approaches, and after 5 years of being together, I sit here reminded of the many things husbands are good for.......Mine in particular is good at cooking delicious food and thinking beyond my staple of chicken and rice, helping me find my love of nature (or maybe just like- it depends on whether or not I have a flushing toilet nearby), exposing me to every football game that is on on Sundays, feigning interest in Broadway musicals, and the biggie today- putting together furniture. I'd like to think of myself as an independent female; one who does not have to rely on my husband to get things done. But alas- I am ready to admit defeat and give in to chivalry. Okay maybe not chivalry persay-Forget holding doors open, or pushing in my chair, I'm talking hard labor on furniture with lots of pieces. I will not even attempt to hold the screw driver when instructions and lots of wood pieces that may or may not fit together are involved. I will steer clear of the pile, the frustration, and the unpleasant call to the furniture company. I will admit whole-heartedly that I prefer the opposite sex to put together furniture; not that I couldn't do it but it's much easier to stay out of the line of fire. And after 3 hours we have a wonderful new table thanks to my dear husband!
And on another quick note- We went to see the Broadway musical WICKED last night and it was AMAZING!!!! Makes me wish I could sing or at least carry a tune. The staging was phenomenal and the lead female roles were simply incredible. I was so excited to be able to indulge my love of musicals being this far away from NYC!

Feels Like An Indian Summer

Dear Mother Nature,
Just because it is now September does not mean that you need to continue giving us summer weather. It feels like an Indian Summer out here and not in a good way! After starting the week off with 70 degree weather, the temperature spiked to the mid 80's leaving me sweaty and confused. Where is my favorite time of year where the sun is out but the air is cool? I doubt that we will be seeing any changing colors on the leaves as they have been brown for months with no life in them left. What am I to think when I have sweat pouring off of me with no reprieve in sight? I have cute cardigans and long sleeve shirts begging me each morning to be let out of the closet for the day only to be rejected for minimal yet "professional" clothing that leaves my arms bare and my body room to breathe. If you're listening Mother Nature please hear my plea.
Sincerely,
"Baking" in Seattle

Made it through another four day work week followed by a low key weekend. The kids are settled back into school and now it's time to start focusing. After figuring out the nuts and bolts, it's now time for me to start actual therapy sessions this week. I feel a little pressure as most of my kids I had last year which means they are familiar with most of my materials. I've tried to get the creative juices flowing which is why I will be doing an art project (horse puppets anyone?)with my new kindergartners in an attempt to get them to like me. Bribery at its' finest! I've spent some time at the toy stores, the "teacher" store, and Target looking for some new therapy materials to start me off. I tend to get carried away which is why I spent too much money on everything monkey for a bulletin board. I figure if I'm going to spend hours each day in a room I at least want something cute to look at! Nala was a big help last night as I was making flash cards and she was making a game out of swatting at the excess paper and then making a bed out of paper, index cards, and a magazine. She doesn't let us do anything without her input! (You should see her help us make the bed).
Joe and I made attempts to fain interest in the Seattle Seahawks today and went to a sports bar for the football game. Yes it's fun when the whole restaurant high-fives for good things and "ahs" for the bad but I really could have cared less for the team on the TV. I kept sneaking peaks at the Giants game that was playing on a little screen in the corner. I guess once an sports fan of east coast sports, always a sports fan of east coast sports. (I just won't say that out loud to a Seahawks fan).

Who Knew Seattle Had a "Gum Wall?"

Love a rainy day on a long weekend. Yes I said rainy! We actually have had measurable rainfall this weekend and it seems to just keep on coming. The last few days have really felt "fall-like" with chilly temperatures and a slight breeze. It was the perfect opportunity to do a little furniture shopping on Saturday as Joe and I have talked for quite some time about buying a table for our apartment. We've been using a hand-me-down since we've moved in and although it's quite functional, it's also quite big! I've had my eye on the pub-style tables for a while now and we were fortunate to find just what we were looking for- bar stools and all. Now our living room/eating area hopefully will not crowd each other so much! Saturday night I went to the longest running Improv comedy show downtown below the market. When we got to the ticket booth I was amazed to see that the whole outside wall was covered with chewed gum! Yes it sounds gross but it was also pretty neat to see as the colors and shapes sort of create this mural on the wall. Only took me a year to find something so eclectic!

This entire weekend has been the Bumbershoot Festival in Seattle Center right around the Space Needle. Bumbershoot has been going on since 1971 and has artists that represent in music, film, comedy, dance and theater. Sydney and I got tickets for yesterday as one of my favorite musicians, Jason Mraz, was headlining. We woke up to pouring down rain and had thought we'd be walking down in the late morning but instead drove down and took the monorail (my first time!) to the grounds. Its pretty neat the way they have it set up with 5 different stages for music and then other buildings to stage the theater and comedy along with craft vendors and food vendors. By the time we got down there the rain had subsided for the moment and we walked around a bit and saw one of Seattle's local bands. During their set I saw some of the most eclectic group of people dancing (off beat) with their natural hair flowing, barefoot, with a unique sense of style. I couldn't help but stare a bit. The rain started again so we decided to seek refuge at our apartment with a movie for the afternoon before heading back down to the show at night. We were fortunate enough to get standby tickets to see a comedy show that included acts from Comedy Central and the Daily Show-very funny! We then made our way over to Jason Mraz. We were inside a huge stadium with many many people sharing their love of the same music. This is the second time I have seen Jason Mraz perform since living in Seattle and he did not disappoint! He had a full band with saxophone, trumpet, trombone, bongos, and drum and really put on quite the show. I'm a sucker for amazing live music and can't get enough! The rain luckily held off except for a few sprinkles. The festival is going on again today but I think one day in wet weather is all I can handle. I've instead decided to visit another era in movies and have been enjoying the work of Marilyn Monroe and Carey Grant. I figured it was about time that I expanded my horizons a bit!

Gotta love a Sunday night after the day has been spent outdoors with yummy food to follow. Spent my Sunday walking in Discovery Park with beautiful views of the Puget Sound with dinner to follow at a new restaurant that I've been wanting to try for months! After a week of getting back (and still getting back) into the swing of things at work it has felt good spending a low key weekend. This past week went by fast in a swirl of meetings, familiar faces, and that overwhelming feeling of another year beginning. I'm continuously making mental lists and notes to myself and the post-it note flurry has begun! By Friday night I was happy to be sipping a Martini at a new bar and watching all that Friday nights have to offer. Saturday morning we got up and drove to Charlie's cabin for a day of low key living in the mountains. He invited a few friends for a tupperware party where we learned to make a chocolate bunt cake in the microwave for 11 minutes and a 3 course meal in 15 minutes-all in plastic! For the love/hate relationship (okay maybe I'm missing the love part) I have with cooking, it made my eyes wide with excitement with all you could do with such little time and energy! We opted to start small with a rice cooker where rice can be cooked in the microwave in only 5 minutes and then we'll see how it goes. So long pans and the wait time of boiling water! Our tupperware instruction was followed by a BBQ and then a neighborhood gathering where several millionaires were lurking (although you would never know by looking at them). We got to talking with a guy who climbs Mt. Rainier every year and was ready to retire by the time he was forty. I was trying to take as many mental notes as possible from some of what he had to say.
Early this morning we made our way back into the city and now with Sunday over with, I look forward to the extra day off as I don't have to head back to work until Tuesday. Gotta love four day weeks!

On The Eve Of A New School Year

Twenty three years ago I'm guessing that I was a bit anxious, a little nervous, and even a little eager to see what lay ahead of me once I descended that big yellow school bus. No longer a student, with the days of yellow school buses long gone, and I still have the same feelings approaching a new school year. Guess some things may never change!
Try as I might to hit the "slow" button this past week, the last week of summer vacation has come and gone. And what did I do to enjoy this last little bit of freedom? Slept late, enjoyed my morning coffee with Regis and Kelly, drank Bloody Marys at 3 in the afternoon, and went to see my first professional soccer game. We bought tickets months ago to see the Seattle Sounders play and the day finally came Thursday night. We went as a foursome with Sydney and a friend of hers. Dressed in our bright green attire, we made the 30 minute walk through the International District to Quest stadium (also home to the Seattle Seahawks). We went down early to get a table at one of the bars to eat and drink and take in all the die hard sports fans. The restaurant was a sea of green and bright blue and I've never seen more winter scarfs in August then I did at the restaurant and then at the game itself. That was the first thing I learned that night---scarfs are a big accessory at soccer games. Who knew? (Except maybe the Hargrove household :-) We had great seats at the game-8 rows up from the field right in the goal area. It was neat to see the faces of the players and at the same time gross to be that close to the field to see the sweat fly off foreheads when the players did a "header" (not a "head butt" as I was so inclined to call it the first half of the game...oops). The crowd really gets into the games with chants and there is a section in the end zone area that jumps, does hand movements, and has their own little routines. Sort of reminded me of the "S" zone in Beaver Stadium. Unfortunately we lost the game but it was still a fun night and a new experience to add to the list!
Some interesting politics going on out here. We just voted in the primary election for city positions with 2 important areas of focus. The first was the "bag tax" that someone thought would be a smart move---way off. We were voting whether or not we wanted to be taxed and pay 20 cents for each bag we got at the grocery store or any other place we buy goods. With good conscious, the city as a whole uses a lot of reusable bags when shopping and we're always asked if we want a bag with our purchases but making us pay for that little luxury when we forget to bring our own bags....I think not! (It didn't pass). The other important vote was for city mayor. Seems our current Mayor lost major support after the snowfall in December when the city did nothing to clean the streets. Here I thought I was the only one disappointed by the aftermath. Seems it bothered others as we are bidding adieu to our current leader. Wahooo for the potential of road equipment for bad weather if (and I hope not!) we need it.
You know if I'm typing about politics that it has been a quiet week. That's okay because I'm pretty sure it's going to get a whole lot louder in the month of September. Goodbye summer and hello fall!

My Aversion to Port-A-Potties Has Lessened

Within the past 4 days I have made some progress with my aversion to toilets that do not flush and how did I do this you may ask- it was either the Port A Potty or the woods.
Joe and I went to Mt. Rainier on Thursday for an overnight camping trip. We haven't had the clarity in the sky like we had in June but it was still worth it anyway. I had done some careful research into the camping facilities as I didn't want a repeat of Colorado 2007. The website boasted "flush" toilets and fire pits and there were high numbers given for each site so I was pretty sure that we weren't going to be alone. I have to thank Aunt JoAnn for passing along information she learned after their stop there in July and the area of Sunrise Peak (Elevation 6400) became our destination as it's supposed to be the "most beautiful view in North America." We got to the park around noon and chose our campsite. I was easily relieved when we arrived as I saw a number of people out and about-some with dogs. I couldn't help but think that if some wild animals came to visit in the middle of the night at least the dogs might warn us. Each site had its own picnic table and fire pit and after setting up the tent (I supervised Joe's efforts) we had a picnic lunch and then drove the 10 miles up the mountain to the Visitor's Center. It was apparent quite quickly how cloudy the day was turning into as well as how cold it was going to be. The high was 44 and the low was enough to allow us to see our breath in the middle of the night. Needless to say I was wearing 5 layers and wishing I had brought a winter jacket and gloves. There were lots of hiking trails to choose from and we chose one and walked as far as we good until my hands needed to get out of the cold (I'd say about 3 miles). The area was described as "meadowlike" with deep drop offs on one side and open on the other. We got some good pictures on our hike and just breathing in the crisp air was refreshing. Afterwards we toured the gift shop (every tourist attraction has to have one) and then settled into the warmth with coffee and a Barrel of Monkeys. Yes we passed some time while reverting back to childhood. An onlooker even commented about how she admired our youth. :-) Back to the campsite (and the nonflushing toilets) to start the fire. It's illegal to gather firewood there so conveniently starting at 5 o'clock a truck drives around the sites and sells firewood for $5. Some my argue that we weren't "roughing it enough" but may I remind you that there were no flushing toilets and I had to wash my face not with running water but with a face wipe. That to me is roughing it! Not long after we enjoyed our dinner did the rain start to fall-and then fall really hard. We were in our tent by 7:30 with no reprieve of rain until about 2 in the morning. So much downtime and I made several attempts to have a serious in-depth conversation about life with Joe but I was met with him playing with his head light and all attempts at a conversation were lost. I will say that sleeping was a bit easier this time around. Instead of gripping the car alarm for dear life, I slept with a small flashlight within reach and would just check to make sure it was there every now and again through the night. I think that's progress right? In the morning we made our way back up to the mountain in attempt to get some clearer shots of the mountain-which we did! It was a good experience together and Joe told me that I got "half" my camping card back after losing it back in Colorado. Again I guess that's progress. :-)
My second encounter with nonflushing toilets came yesterday as I attended an acoustic music festival at an outdoor park. 7 artists and 6 hours worth of music. It was so much fun and normally in these circumstances I would avoid the bathrooms at all costs but after 2 glasses of wine and a bottle of water I had to face my fear-again. If you hold your breath and squint your eyes you can trick yourself into thinking it's not that bad-which I did twice and I survived. I feel like I can walk with my head a little higher today after concurring and reconcurring my fear. The festival was wonderful with so many talented artists. One of the best parts of the night was hearing David Gray sing live "This Years Love" which was the last song we had played at our wedding and I must admit to tearing up just a bit. What can I say except that I'm a sucker for romance! :-)
One week to go of summer vacation.....may it go so ever slowly!

1 Year Anniversary

54 posts and 1 year later and here I sit ready to divulge my experiences of year number 2 of west coast living. In honor of the new year I chose a new lay out and since I've been reading lots of fashion magazines telling me that "green is the new black" I decided on this background. I've found myself asking the last few days "Where has the summer gone" and now as I type this entry I ask "Where has the last year gone?" Many new experiences, a new job, and wonderful new people (along with 2 address changes) have gotten us to this spot. Although it hasn't always been easy and at times I still wonder what the heck we're doing out here and if we're not here where are we supposed to be, I just have to walk down the street, look up at the mountains, or out onto the water and know that for right now this is home. This past year has taught me that anything goes in the wardrobe department (and I mean anything!), you may not cross the street if you cannot see the little white person on the walk sign (even though you may be the only person and/or vehicle in sight), Teriyaki joints are Seattle's answer to McDonald's, the stereotype about coffee out here is true, it does not rain out here as much as people think it does, this city does not believe in snow plows or air conditioners so in extreme weather conditions there is a chance that as an east coaster familiar with both may freak out (which I have-more than once!), pasta really does taste better when it is homemade, one can never tire of seeing Mt. Ranier or the mountain backdrops, there is such thing as traffic as bad or worse as traffic in NYC, Philadelphia or any other major east coast city, pedestrians always have the right of way here in a cross walk and therefore we can walk freely throughout the city but one must remember to look and then double look when traveling back on east coast territory, Thai food really does taste better on the west coast, it is possible to need a coat, an umbrella, and a tank top all in the same day and in rotation.....and the biggest thing I've learned in the past year is that a type A personality such as mine cannot just be "erased" by living on the west coast and my hopes of less list making and more spontaneity are still a work in progress. Stay tuned for year #2 of East Coast Girl Trying West Coast Living.

Sitting here trying to position myself with fans blowing on either side of me in an attempt to bring down the temperature in our apartment; or at least the temperature of my body. It's still SO HOT here! I didn't think it was possible to actually swim in any body of water here as how could the water get hot enough? Well with this kind of heat wave I was proved wrong and found myself swimming in Lake Washington on Saturday. Sydney, Joe, and I took a picnic lunch to a beach about 15 minutes from our place and enjoyed the sun and the water. The lake was so clear and after the initial shock on the cold water, it was surprisingly refreshing. This weekend was Sea Fair so everyone who is anyone that owns a boat was out on the water both for pleasure and to witness the boat races that take place as well as to see the Blue Angel fighter planes that do a show in the afternoons. We had a pretty good view from where we were sitting and it was pretty neat to see. The result of the day in the sun has given me bright red legs and a bright red stomach. At least I can't complain about not getting enough vitamin D.
This morning Sydney and I got ambitious and did a 6 mile hike up one of the trails on Tiger Mountain just outside the city. Wow were my legs burning! It took us about 3 hours and we were never so glad to get to the bottom. Needless to say they will need a little TLC later on in a hot bath. Oh wait- that can't happen as I can't let anything hot near my body as I'm afraid I might combust! I will never be so happy when the weather man tells me there is 70 degree weather in our future.....Frying like an egg while I wait for the news.

Back On The West Coast

7 beds, 5 airports, almost 15 hours in the air, 8 hours spent in airports, 53 lbs of luggage (I knew my bag was heavy and that was confirmed when I checked in to fly back to Seattle. Thank you American Airline attendant for looking the other way at my extra 3 lbs!) and travel of almost 3,000 miles and I'm now back on the west coast and welcomed by a heat wave! I guess we missed out on the record breaking 102 degrees downtown on Wednesday. (Oh darn!) A wonderful trip out east it was indeed! I am truly grateful for my family and friends and with so much time and space apart, it was great to pick up right where we left off!
Nala was VERY happy to see us last night. So happy that she proceeded to let us know for 8 hours as she meowed (or sqwuaked as Joe puts it) from the time we walked in the door until about 7:30 this morning. Between that and the time change we were able to start our day quite early. (I paid for the interrupted sleep later in the day). With extra time before Joe went to work we were out on the road headed to Best Buy. His computer died last week and needless to say he was eager to get its replacement. For me, shopping for electronics is as about as exhilerating as shopping for things in bulk at Cosco- I would rather just not do it and in no way feel the satisfaction I do after a purchase of a great pair of shoes (ah yet again how it always comes back to the shoes!) But I digress. Needless to say this shopping extravaganza worked out to my benefit as I came away with a new laptop thanks to an insistent husband and a too good to pass up interest free payment plan. My laptop has given me 4 good years, gotten me through a long distance relationship and more IEP's than I care to count, but it is time to bid adieu as the thing just doesn't run with the speed as its younger predecessors. Of course when we get home I walked past the box on the floor and go to check my e-mail on my old one. What can I say old habits die hard. Joe was VERY eager to get our new systems up and running and when he left for work he left me with a short and easy assignment to get acquainted with my new computer. I put it off for as long as I could but with the accompaniment of a glass of wine (or 2) I pressed the keys for the first time. Of course the first thing I had to do was to make sure I had the right background design and carefully choose the colors on my homepage. A girl does have to have her priorities after all! So here I sit typing my first blog entry on my new computer. So far it's holding up well but the real test will come just after school starts when my report writing will be in full force once again.

East Coast Update

Greetings all from the east coast! I'm sitting here in Pittsburgh at the tail end of my 16 day whirlwind trip and thought I should update my post. My time started out up in Mystic with Lauren for a few days where I got to bond with my "niece puppy" Bella. We walked (and then walked some more!) to keep her content but even I have to admit her cuteness did win me over! Some time at the beach followed by some shopping capped off a great start to my trip. From there we piled into the car for the trip to Susquehanna. As the saying goes, "there's no place like home" and it was good to fill up on family time (and Erica time!) with time spent at the lake, "cocktail hour" on the porch with Dad, teaching Grama how to expand her understanding of e-mail, and making sure Mom and Dad are more connected through the world wide web with their new e-mail account. On Wednesday I rented a car and drove down to Jessica's house in Glenside where I was greeted with heavy levels of humidity! I definitely forgot what that feels like and the feeling was just reaffirmed that I do not miss it one bit! It was great to see Jessica's house the progress she has made on putting her personal touches on it. I give her huge amounts of credit for taking on the project she has but have no doubt that the end result will be amazing! We had dinner in Manayunk which I always love to visit, and then enjoyed a quiet evening with drinks on her porch. Thursday was the day of rain and saying it was a little wet would be an understatement! I started the day visiting Nicole and Abby in Newtown. It was neat to see the renovations they have done to their house and Abby is just too cute for words! She's definitely at a fun age! That afternoon Sue and Molly met me for coffee in Newtown and of course it's always nice to catch up with friends in person. Then I met a few people that I used to work with back in my old neighborhood where I worked. I was there long enough to find comfort and familiarity in the surroundings and being able to go back was a nice added bonus! I ended my day in Havertown at Amber and Gary's where I spent the night and then picked Joe up in the morning at the airport. After 10 days apart it was nice to see my hubby again! :-) We had a lazy day (again in humidity) before heading to Em's wedding. What a fun night of festivities it was!!!! Emily looked absolutely beautiful and the whole venue made a perfect backdrop for the wedding. The ceremony was outside with the isle lined in rose petals. The ceremony had nice touches with a string quartet, a song by Leah accompanied by Brian's brother on guitar, and reading of Dr. Seuss "Oh The Places You'll Go." At the reception, an announcement was made that instead of clinking glasses to make the bride and groom kiss, each table had to stand up and sing a song with the word love in it. Our table was the first to take on the challenge as we sang the "Barney" theme song. There's nothing like a group of 20 somethings reverting back to childhood. :-) Dad was the real crowd pleaser at the wedding as he was acknowledged for dancing to every single song. It's pretty funny when your Dad can even muster enough energy and toleration for the likes of Beyonce, 50 Cent, and Justin Timberlake. Go Dad! :-) It was so nice getting to spend the evening with everyone and Nicole gets props for her plan to bring Joe and I back to PA. :-) By the end of the evening we were all exhausted but were able to get up early on Saturday for breakfast with Joe's parents and Sara. How nice it was to all be reunited together-first time since the wedding! Our trip to Pittsburgh was uneventful and a good reminder of just how wide the state of Pennsylvania really is! On Sunday we had a BBQ here at the house where some of Joe's friends (and their kids) and Joe and Colleen's friends gathered for good food and conversation. We were entertained by the kids and Joe made sure to try and keep me far away from them as he says he doesn't want me getting any ideas....:-) The night was capped off by a huge downpour making me realize that I have seen more rain as I've been here than I have seen in Seattle in the last 3 months. It's a sunny day here once again and I'm thinking a lawn chair and a book might be calling my name:-) I'm meeting friends from grad school for dinner tonight in the city and am looking forward to catching up with them as I haven't seem them since last March! I'm bottling everything up to tied me over through the fall and winter once again.....

With my attention and focus on my upcoming travels, I completely forgot to update last night. Ooops! What can I say, the week has been filled with what vacation is all about- nothing on the agenda and doing with the days as I feel. That has included lots of reading, doing some organizing, and just enjoying not working. I've loved that any errand I've had to run I've been able to walk to accomplish and can leave my car parked as the weather has been cooperating nicely. We've been playing in a kickball league once a week and that's been fun and something different to do. On Friday the sun was out in full force and I enjoyed a day by the pool with some of the teachers from work followed by Bloody Mary's on Sydney's deck. Not sure that I got much of a tan that day but I definitely have more freckles! Joe and I enjoyed breakfast out on Saturday morning at one of the new hot spots and then spent a lazy day in the park with our books and enjoying each others' company. Sunday welcomed us with rain and grey clouds so we took the outlets for a little shopping before hitting the movies. I'm getting myself ready for 16 days on the east coast and can't wait to catch up with everyone!

Another beautiful week in the Pacific Northwest! On Monday night Joe and I drove down to Eugene, Oregon to stay with Joe's friend Matt before meeting Aunt JoAnn and Uncle Michael at the beach the following afternoon. The sunshine was out but so was the wind when we arrived on the coast. That didn't deter us from taking in the beautiful views of the waves hitting the rocks or hurt our attempts at searching for Agate rocks. It was fun to explore the little beach towns, take a peek in the galleries, and just look out the window of our beach house to see the ocean. We attempted a walk on the beach but for me the wind won out but not before my first "dip" in the Pacific Ocean. And when I say "dip" I mean my toe within my flip flop making contact with the smallest amount of cold water possible. That has to count for something though right? We had lunches at a little Inn and dinners overlooking the bay in Newport Harbor. The atmosphere is set up there to make you feel relaxed. I wish I could have bottled that relaxation up for say September? Joe and I drove back to Seattle on Thursday as he had to work and then Aunt JoAnn and Uncle Michael arrived on Friday. After some yummy Thai food and a visit to the bead shop, we retired ourselves with books and a glass of wine to our wonderful and inviting courtyard at our apartment complex. Later in the evenings have been the best time to be outside as it has been really hot during the day. On Saturday we went down to Pike's Place Market before Aunt JoAnn and Uncle Michael met up with friends and I did a little shopping as it seemed a waste not to take advantage of the holiday sales.
Joe and I watched a great fireworks display overlooking Lake Union. People start to congregate over an hour before showtime so we got to witness a beautiful sunset complete with pink skies and the Olympic Mountains in the background. The fireworks did not disappoint and it was a nice culmination to cap off a wonderful week.
Joe and I started our lazy Sunday with crepes at a little cafe before I decided that my "to do" could wait one more day. I'm currently on movie number 2 with less than 80 pages left in my current book that I'm reading. The best part is that I can finish both from my couch. The only thing missing is that little thing I miss so much known as air condition.

Mom and Dad's Visit

Where have the last 10 days gone? Mom and Dad were here and we took the city by storm with all that we did and now our apartment is empty again. What a great week it has been! As soon as I said my goodbyes on the last day of school I was out of there; eager to see my parents. With a slight glitch in their travel itinerary, they arrived safely on Friday morning. A little weary looking but ready to go, we headed downtown in the afternoon sun to Pike's Place Market. It wasn't long before we had fresh pasta in our hands, saw the fish guys do their thing, and had already made another purchase or two. That was just the beginning of the ground we would cover on foot and in the car! We met Charlie that night for dinner at my favorite Thai restaurant and then it was an early night as Mom and Dad were exhausted and they had been up for 22 hours. Saturday was really a "welcome to the west coast" as the four of us drove to neighboring Fremont for the Summer Solstice Festival to kick off the first day of summer. It's a huge event with a parade that kicks it off. The novelty of this parade is that it is led by people riding naked on their bikes. Most of them were covered in body paint; some in design and some in character (one of my favorites was a man dressed as a stimulus package-how patriotic of him!) I have never seen anything like it in my life and we were definitely all in awe at first. More power to those that are comfortable being naked. The area was packed with thousands upon thousands of people of all ages. Joe and I found ourselves in conversation about our "hypothetical children" and whether we would take them to the naked bike parade. Joe said yes and so I told him that if they had any questions my response would be to go ask their father.
Father's Day found us at the aquarium and then on the Underground Tour where we got to learn a little history about the city. I learned of this great deal where selected cities in the country offer what's called the "City Pass" where you can get passes to a number of attractions for a discount price. It was so worth it and throughout the course of the week we did the Space Needle, Pacific Science Center with an IMAX movie 3D called "Under The Sea," a harbor cruise that went out on the Sound where we had great views of Mt. Rainier and the Olympic mountains, the Museum of Flight, and the zoo. I've been waiting for visitors to do more of the tourist attractions and now have checked everything off my list! On Monday we took a ferry across to San Juan Island where I attempted once again to see the Orca whales (with no luck!). It was a gorgeous sunny day and we walked around the town and the shops, had lunch at a little cafe, and took the car out to Limekiln Park where there is a lighthouse and where when the timing is right you can see the Orca whales. We were about 2 hours too early as they were spotted north on their way down. It became the running joke with mom that she was going to buy me a stuffed orca whale since I've missed seeing them twice now. Maybe three times is the charm!
An even further getaway for us came on Wednesday and Thursday where we drove 3 and a half hours through the Cascade Mountains to the center of Washington and an area known as Lake Chelan. In the middle of desert mountains sits this beautiful (and huge!) lake (the 3rd deepest lake in the country) surrounded by vineyards and a little downtown. We got there around lunchtime and got some munchies and took them to the picnic tables right by the lake. Lots of families and kids around enjoying the beautiful weather and a hotspot for groups of teenagers to hang out. After lunch we visited a few wineries and then hit the shops downtown. We got a hotel room for the night and had a BBQ dinner at one of the wineries with a glimpse of the lake. It triuly is a beautiful area.
Since we were so close, we made a stop at the Bavarian town of Leavenworth to show Mom and Dad how a little taste of Germany was just plopped in the mountains. Joe and Dad enjoyed their brautwursts and german beer and it was another nice day to walk around and enjoy the weather. We made it back into Seattle with perfect timing to try a new Italian restaurant in the city. A little hole in the wall that Grandpa would have approved of.
Friday early afternoon was spent at the Museum of Flight (dad was in his glory :-) before heading downtown to do one more walk through of the Market and for another taste of Pike's Place Chowder which we turned Mom and Dad onto. We had a beautiful day at the zoo yesterday and then met Charlie for dinner. We got a nice guided tour of the mansion houses on Capitol Hill thanks to Charlie before calling it a night.
Now Mom and Dad will be able to attest to the fact that we do have nice sunny weather out here as they got to see it everyday! It was fun to show Mom and Dad all there is to fall in love with in Seattle and why we like it so much. Now my belly must recuperate from all the yummy food we ate and it's time to get ready for our next adventure.....time on the Oregon Coast with Aunt JoAnn and Uncle Michael and then their visit to Seattle. Gotta love summer vacation! :-)

I'm sitting here on the eve before my last week of school and all I can do is think of things to put together a tentative itinerary for when mom and dad visit. Can you see where my mind has gone? I think it's been on "summer vacation mode" since Memorial Day. I've finished up my last week of therapy with all of my kids and now this week I get to focus on getting my paperwork done, tying up loose ends, and actually getting organized for the first time all year! I am sooo looking forward to having time to get these things done! The end of the school year could not come at a better time as my commute has gotten increasingly worse as the days and weeks go on. I'm looking forward to a break from sitting in stand still traffic, inching my way at less than 10 miles an hour, and taking 1 1/2 hours to get home. Thank goodness for cell phones as it's a great time for me to catch up with people (in a very safe and focused way- don't worry Grama!)
Joe and I have found ourselves in a bit of a haze when the weekends approach. We are very inclined to sleep in and then spend a few hours together before Joe goes to work. Yesterday the sun was out and was inviting to anyone sitting in their stuffy apartments. I talked Joe into walking to one of our favorite places to pass time-the used bookstore. This place is great for 2nd hand books and the selection is huge. After making our purchases and stopping for coffee (because 9 times out of 10 that's just what you do when you're out and about in a city where coffee is more prevalent than food! ), we found an empty bench on Seattle University's campus to park and enjoy the sunshine.
My reading material consisted of the Happy Hour booklet that was just published this week for all the summer deals and Joe was intently focused on his fantasy book. As we sat in this peaceful and serene atmosphere I found myself wanting to talk out loud about all the fun things I was finding. After the 3rd time of reading off an entire menu, Joe looked at me as asked if I could just read silently. I had to remind him that I don't do "silent" well and I'm more inclined to just talk about anything. I guess I should have just stopped at "enjoying each other's company" and not gone overboard with too much chattiness. Isn't it true that you should keep the lines of communication open in marriage- even when it is just to share your excitement of cheap food and drinks?
I spent today wandering downtown among the shops and the market (a past time I've come to really enjoy when I've got nothing else to do). I learned that with the summertime comes an influx of tourists and not just of the English speaking type. Lots of French was heard amongst the throngs of people. The cruise ships dock now on the weekends (huge boats right on the Sound in front of the market) and I'm guessing that they have to be coming from somewhere in Canada. I also was privy to the passing of the wonderful British accent as I watched two guys in their very obvious British trousers and trainers jaywalk in the middle of the street. You just don't do that here and I found myself squirming for them. I still feel faraway from being coined a "native" in this area but at least I got the street crossing rules down pat!

The heat has subsided (for now anyway) and we can finally tolerate being in our apartment once again! This past week was another hot one and temperatures just started to cool (and by cool I mean 70) on Friday afternoon. It was so hard to be at work, be at home, pretty much be anywhere and feel such heat! Who knew that I could actually enjoy sitting in traffic as it was one of the few places that I could have air condition blasting on me. Of course the sun took hiding this weekend and only made brief appearances but for now that is okay with me (at least until mom and dad get here). Joe and I ventured down into the International District yesterday for lunch and then walked into some of the asian stores. I keep rediscovering my love for Asian food. I mean there aren't many ways to go wrong with rice and noodles. :-) We went into this neat Asian antique store with beautifully designed chests, vases, tables, etc. Not one piece could we afford but with the right house there were some really neat pieces. It's always nice to dream. Later in the day I went with a friend to a BBQ over on Alki Beach. This beach house was right on the water and as soon as we got out of the car I could smell the salt water. Of course the sky was gray and the air a litte chilly but the sound of the waves was literally right at the doorstep. I learned how to play a new game called Ladder Golf. I'd like to think that my years of playing bean bag toss at the lake helped with my skills as I definitely had beginners luck!
Today Joe actually had a Sunday off! We went to the Arboretum which is a park full of trails nearby so I could try out my hiking boots. I will admit that they are comfortable to walk in but the cuteness factor is still low. It was nice to have the fresh air and the time together. Sometimes it feels like our lives are going parallel with our work schedules and time together is not always a given.
Today was one of the days where I missed something important as Emily's bridal shower was today. I got to see pictures and hear about it but it's not the same as being there. I struggle sometimes with wanting to be two places at once and realizing some sacrafices will need to be made from time to time. So far telling myself hasn't made it any easier....still waiting for that to happen. And so it goes....

Heat Wave In Seattle

There's a heat wave in Seattle! As I was driving to work on Friday morning the VJ announced that it was going to be unseasonably warm for this time of year. By 1 o'clock I understood what she was talking about. We hit temperatures of the low 80's. Now anyone who knows me knows that I don't tolerate heat well. 80 might not seem too high but when paired with zero air condition at work and at home, 80 might as well as be 100. I love the sunshine and it's been out in full force for 9 days straight but the heat and humidity (yes we got some of that too) I can do without. Poor Nala just looks at me with a little pathetic look on her face and spends a lot of time against the porcelin of the bathroom sink. Saturday Joe and I walked down to Pike's Place Market for the annual street fair. It's really a glorified version of the everyday market with more vendors, a stage for performers (have you ever seen a person play what looked like an old washboard with brushes?) and a beer/wine garden by the water. The nice day brought lots of people out. Later in the day Joe went to work and I went to seek solace in the one air conditioned place I could think of-the mall. I love the mall for many reasons but yesterday walking through the doors and feeling that wave of cool hit my face, was the best reason of all. I'm probably jinxing myself typing this and will wake up with rainy and cold weather tomorrow but I can't help it. I did say that if any bad weather is in the forecast I'd like it to happen and get it out of its system before mom and dad come. One just never knows what Mother Nature has in store for us. With such a busy weekend last weekend I was happy to have a low key Saturday night with a glass of wine and a chick flick. I watched "He's Just Not That Into You" and not only smiled often but also fell in love with Ben Affleck all over again. I had a poster of him on my bedroom wall many years ago.
I've got my countdown to the end of the school year....3 weeks and counting (and also my countdown for mom and dad's visit) Cant' wait!

Memorial Day Weekend

My blog is a little late this week as this is my first free day from the weekend as Amber and Gary came out to visit. We had such good time together and had the most perfect weather you could ask for. Four straight days of sunshine with temperatures hot enough to make you sweat. We were able to give them a nice over view of both the city and the mountains and covered quite a bit of territory in 3 short days.
They arrived on Saturday and after showing them our place we headed on foot down to the market. Shortly into our walk Gary commented how this didn't quite feel "within walking distance" as he had thought. That became the running joke of the weekend-that everything in Seattle was "within walking distance." Pike's Place market was packed with people enjoying the holiday weekend and the sunshine. We enjoyed taking in the large sea creatures for sale throughout the market and even purchased a full size Grouper fish to grill for dinner that night. The guy working at the fish place was kind enough to hold the fish and open his mouth wide to get the full effect of what would be making its way into our stomachs later on.....Let's just say that I had to look away. After some further food shopping-Gary was excited to find sausage from South Africa, we made the trek home. After dropping our fish off we headed over to Alki Beach for drinks by the beach. It's such a great ambiance over there on beautiful days. Our mango margaritas were pretty tasty out in the sunshine.
On Sunday we headed into the Cascade Mountains to the town of Leavenworth. It's a neat German town that sits in the base of the mountain and the views are stunning. After lunch of Bratwurst burgers (and my turkey sandwich) the boys headed to the German beer garden while Amber and I explored the shops and then stumbled upon some wine tasting. The town was bustling with tourists alike taking in the sunshine, the German music, and of course the food. Sunday was by far the warmest day and by late afternoon we needed some relief from the sun. The 2 1/2 hour drive back into the city gave us just that along with some stunning views of the mountains-some even still snow covered.
Yesterday we ventured to Discovery Park which offers trails along the "beach." The beach is more rocks than sand but the sound of the waves and the smell of the salt air is good enough for me. There is a little lighthouse that sits out on the point and there were sailboats out along the horizon. After more walking through the park we made our way to the neighborhood of Fremont for lunch. At least point I think I had gotten all the walking I could out of Gary and he needed to be replenished with food and beer. Another evening of grilling and drinks brought culmination to a wonderful weekend. I took them to the airport very early this morning and was glad that I had taken today as a personal day as it's been nice to just relax before putting in the last 3 days of the work week.
I'm heading out to a concert tonight (I can't pass up an opportunity to see some wonderful singer songwriters). The weather has turned gray once again but at this point we can't complain after the sunshine this weekend.

As I sat down to type my latest entry, I realized that I missed a posting last week! Somehow May is going by more quickly than I seem to be able to keep up! It's either going too quickly or I've got my eye at the end of the school year and seem to be missing the parts in between. I'm definitely taking time to enjoy some of the beautiful sunshine we got this weekend. I dare say that it reached 75 today and my whiter than white skin now has some lovely tints of red after my time outside. Yesterday we went to the Street Fair over in the University District. I read this morning in the paper that it is one of the largest street fairs in the country and dates back 40 years. Guess they started it to help with the shift towards something more positive than dealing with riots in the streets and shops broken into. The weather brought out people like crazy. The vendors were the typical mix of pottery, jewelry, "Go Green" memorabilia, and anything else random. It was no State College Arts Festival but was still a nice way to spend a sunny afternoon.
I got my running legs on this morning and ran along the water at Alki Beach before finding a nice bench to enjoy my book for a while. The smell of the the salt and the people all around were a great combination for a Sunday afternoon. If only Sunday weren't followed by Monday....all would be even better! I say that as an evaluation report is staring me in the face ready to be written and all I can seem to think about is enjoying the last hour of sunshine....Guess which side wins???
On another note, I know that one of my faithful readers has been dealt some hardship. Uncle Chuck- you're in my thoughts and I'm sending you a BIG hug from the west coast. Stay positive........

Hiking Boots....To Be Or Not To Be

Hiking Boots- an outdoor necessity or a fashion fo paux? After months of deflecting Joe's comments and constant insistance that I need to have a pair of hiking boots, I caved. I am now the not so proud owner of chunky, not at all cute hiking boots. I can't even bear to take them out of the box and place them near my other shoes for fear of what they will do to my family of fashionable footwear. Instead, they lay in their box in the bag in which they came while I take time to digest the events that took place to make me a an owner of ugly shoes.
It was a rainy day in Seattle and by a matter of coincidence REI started their big anniversary sale. How convenient that this big sale coincided with my birthday? Not only did I get ugly boots but I got them as a birthday present from my dear husband. Diamonds- forget it! A piece of jewelry-not even close! Hiking boots- Whoopty doo!
So we enter the store and it is swarming with Seattle's outdoor enthusiasts. I had scanned the sale papers to make this process as painless as possible and went straight for the boots that I had seen. What luck they had one pair left in my size. As I slid my foot into all of it's "chunkiness," my height increased by a few inches with the tracking on the bottom of those babies! As my face began to crunch, Joe was nothing but smiles. He pushed on my toes, squeezed my ankles, and even made me take a test walk through the "terraine." (aka- an incline that is supposed to represent the rugged ground). After giving confirmation that they would do, I thought I was in the clear until Joe mentioned wool socks. What does a girl with brand new hiking boots need? Wool socks of course! And to further top this already growing ugly ensemble was a pair of "outdoor pants" complete with pockets in the front, back, and sides, nicely accentuating all the "curvy spots" in the most unflattering way. So I ask the question again, hiking boots- outdoor necessity or fashion fo paux? Guess this one ends in a tie with pictures to follow when the ensemble braves the great outdoors!