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.