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

Still Snowy In Seattle

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

Snowy in Seattle

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

Holiday shoppers- Oh my!

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

Post Turkey Bliss

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

Cooking for Thanksgiving-Really?

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

Concerts, Protests, and 50 degree weather

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