boy can close

Here is my latest hat.  For me :)  I used some really nice berrocco sundae from the store So Much Yarn near the market downtown.  I had some leftover lambs pride in orange and green that I threw in there too.  Gotta do something with it.  I picked up a set of 5 to #5's to knit baby socks, but those needles are so dang small, I think I am gonna knit Linda's boys both hats...seems not only do shovels not fit my hands, but neither do toothpicks!

Ummagumma

When I was four years old, I doubt my parents were listening to Pink Floyd.  I don't really remember what they were listening to.  Roy Clark and Buck Owens probably, which I still enjoy when I have to.  I remember being chased around the yard for something, and my mom wasn't able to catch me!  I remember throwing rocks with Ben Blackman and the police coming to our door.  I remember falling out of a plum tree.  I started kindergarten when I was four...that's right, an overachiever from the get go, a tendency thankfully crushed by lethargy and a system that rewards the average.

That whole moment of inertia, seems to take forever sometimes...

I am applying for another job.  It's part time, but it sounds fun and will fit with my other part time work.  If I get it, I am going to get a new economy-minded car.  It would be nice to get good gas mileage and not worry about the fortune in gas that I am spending to singlehandedly destroy the environment. 

I have to get busy again, and will hopefully not be distracted again soon by the chirping birds and splashing water...

A blustery day

I have to admit I wish I were sitting at the window and knitting...a terrible thing to admit to, though I am working instead.  I got a  call from Nathan.  He played a gig on Saturday and was feeling good about it.  He recommended a book to me by Thomas Pynchon, The Crying of Lot 49,and its a fun read so we talked about that.  I will do what is recommended to Pynchon Newbies, and just read it (and then try to dissect it on the second run-through although that isn't recommended).

People are huddled at the bus stop, and another bunch are huddled apparently waiting for the zoo to open.  I should get back to working...it doesn't help that I am listening to Pink Floyd either.  It matches the day.  Waiting for worms...not the most inspirational or uplifting song...for some reason...I have some really nice yarn...

Update:  "Drats!" to these ambiguous data requests, always send me off on a tangent!

A nice weekend!

Was going to head over to mom's this weekend, but unfortunately we weren't able to go.  Instead, we stayed around home and had quite a bit of down time just hanging out.  I gave the kids some options for Saturday activities (I would only pay for one) and they chose ice skating!

 Elizabeth and I went grocery shopping Saturday after skating, and picked up some necessities...stuff for waffles and some bacon!

Here they are: The Waffle Brigade!

William and I did some sidewalk art.

And we all played on the playground!

After lunch, we headed to the Center for Wooden Boats, and played with their pond boats...until...SPLOOSH!  I look over from the bench and watch William take a header into the pond!  ACK!  It was totally slow motion!  By the time I got around the pond, he was out and we got him quickly out of his clothes and wrapped in a blanket and towel.  Poor guy, I felt bad for him but we had a good laugh, got home made some cinnamon rolls and spent the rest of the day stamping and embossing paper, courtesy of Sandy.  Man, do I ever feel blessed.   

A weekend slower than usual...

This past weekend, we didn't pack in as much as we normally do.  Saturday morning we hit the first showing of "Born to be Wild" at the IMAX, and that was pretty cool.  The 3d effects were super, putting you right into the jungle and the savannah following orangutans and elephants that were orphaned and being raised by humans...it was a really neat story.  Then we went and hung out at EMP for a couple of hours.

 William expanding his mind at Seattle Center!

How is she doing that?  Megan in the anti-gravity mirror.

 Elizabeth riding the fish :)

Whale's tail...

On Sunday, we started out at the skate park, but it was pretty intimidating because there were lots of bigger kids there and more than a few bikes.  Bikes make it dangerous because they don't follow the same lines as skateboarders, and I wonder if they are even looking sometimes.  Leaving there, we headed for the "zip-line park" and had some good play time :)

 On the merry-go-round

 Monkey bars

William getting ready to launch as Elizabeth looks on...

I think the other parents cringe when we are there, because my three are daredevils on the zip line, wanting to be spun around and launched fast!  I gotta say they come by it honestly!  

I feel so blessed to be spending time with them.  Last night we went bowling!  It was fun as heck with Elizabeth getting a high score of 102!  I think I scored somewhere in the 60's <ugh>.  

Ice rinks, skate parks, pumpkins and ponies :)

This weekend was a pretty full weekend for us!  We started at the library on Friday and picked up books and a movie and for dinner Elizabeth made some rockin' spaghetti sauce for us, got up Saturday morning and got started!

First, we went to a wet and deserted skatepark

Megan kicking her board

home for lunch and then off to the ice rink

 Elizabeth and Dad

 Megan and Dad

 William and Dad

 The four of us on skates

 Future figure skater?!

Future hockey player?!

And on Saturday night we carved pumkins!    

 Bat Cat Pumpkins by E and M, Grave Yard by W, the supposed to be a scary face (the one with all the holes in it) by myself, and the Ghosts by Sandy

Sunday we chilled at home playing Uno and Scrabble, went to a harvest-festival-type-thing for bouncy houses, pony rides, and bobbing for apples. and before you knew it, the weekend was over :( 

Ping Pong Wizard there on the left!

 Sandy and Snowflake

A hat someone got a steal on!

This was my latest hat almost done.  I got it done and blocked out without taking a full picture of it, but you get the idea I hope.  It went to the charity auction and someone got it for next to nothing.  I bid on it too, I liked it!  

Climbing in the Wallowas

Last weekend, Woody, Mark, and I went climbing in the Wallowas in Eastern Oregon.  We met up in Portland and drove my rig out to Two Pan trail head up the Lostine River with our sights set on climbing Glacier Mountain.

Glacier Mountain is about 6 miles and 4,000 ft above the trail head.

Mark coming across the river.

A swimming hole.

Me, just below the summit, getting ready for some 3rd/4th class terrain.

Is that Roasty on the summit?!

Mark filling up water bottles in the meadow after the climb, only 5 miles left to camp.

It was really cool to climb with Woody again, after so long, and I am kind of proud of myself for sticking with it to the summit.  

Skate Park Weekend

This past weekend with the kids was pretty chill :)  They brought their scooters and on Saturday morning we headed to the skate park.  As they were skating, it was announced that free classes were going to start shortly, and if anyone wanted to participate, they would get a loaner board and helmet.  All three jumped in line and  grabbed a board! (Will in orange, Megan in stripes, and Elizabeth in yellow)


After the class we headed home and had lunch, and then chilled out, played games (I suck at battleship!) and watched a movie.  As it was getting closer to bed time, we took turns building a story.  It was a lot of fun!

Sunday morning, Elizabeth got up early and made me coffee before breakfast!  After breakfast, it was back to the skate park...no boards on Sunday, just scooters, and we had the park pretty much to ourselves.  Then we headed to Luna Park cafe for milkshakes and lunch!

 On the way home from lunch, the freeways were a nightmare because of Obama's visit, so instead of heading back to the skate park, we headed home and watched a movie on tv, then played Uno until it was time for the trek to Tukwila.  Lots of fun :)

It's Friday!

A very nice day too I might add :)

Working from home...

looking out the window, wishing that the summer hadn't gone by so quick.  Not that it wasn't exceptional, it was just too darned quick...and things don't seem to be slowing down at all either.  I already have plans well into October!

I have been taking the kids to music lessons for the past few months.  Every Tuesday.  They seem to get cranky about going, but always have a real good time once they get there.  Not sure if I had mentioned that when Nathan was up here last month, we all took an instrument and formed a "band!"  The instructor was quite impressed with Nathan's guitar playing.  Last night it was Megan on drums, Elizabeth on keyboard, and William on guitar...quite a joyous cacophony! Elizabeth would look over at me and wink at me, big ol' smile on her face,  William was hitting the chord changes right on time, and Megan was bobbing her head and banging on the drums doing her best to keep time for "the band."  Totally fun to watch!

Woody and I are going to the Wallowas soon.  He has quite an ambitious itinerary for us it seems.  I am getting stoked for that.  I need some time in the backcountry.  Must remember to bring some hunter orange to wear...not wanting to get shot at.  I wish Sandy could go.   Other than that, MPK and I have plans to go hiking in a few weeks, most likely a day trip unless I can talk Sandy and him into an overnighter.

As for the group I am working with here in Seattle, they are moving forward gangbusters.  Quite fun, but a lot of work.

Well, thats about it for the news.  Back to work for this kid.  I will try not to stare out the window....

Is it time for an update?

I don't know, maybe, but come to think of it, I am not sure what I would be updating you on!  I guess I could tell you that I have been uber productive lately on a number of fronts.  The non-profit I am working with in Seattle is getting ready to have their first real fundraiser.  I told you a while back that I had done well and scored $K's for them, which I did, but the investment they made stands to net even more.  It's possible that they could quadruple their money which would set them well on the road to meet their goals.  Is that the first revolution of a trains' wheels I am hearing?  The ones that bring the cars taut together?  I hope so.  My work in Pierce County has been solid as well, and its fun when the editor is better than the writer, cause then you can write nearly anything germane to the topic and the editor plugs it in where it should be.  PD-P=awesome.

We had a good weekend over on the eastside last weekend.  We hit Grandmas on Friday night, played mini-putt in Leavenworth and sat by the river at 8-mile then tubing on the Wenatchee river.  The kids didn't listen to me straight away on the river, fighting me on my recommendation to stay together.  They were safe, but disconcerted about getting somewhat separated on the river. Once back to Grandma's, they were back in the pool and downing hot dogs.  We played a variation on the game of Dominoes that mom taught us.  It was fun and we all took turns winning :)  We are all looking forward to seeing Nathan next week.  Camping please.

They  next morning they all cooked breakfast and Grandma was totally in her element!  She really didn't do anything but encourage them and breakfast was served post haste!

Dropping them off was kind of a drag.  William went against my wishes by snagging the stunt kite and jumping into his mothers van.  He wouldn't give it back!  I understand on one level that he wants to show it off and that he is rightfully proud of his new found skill.  I get that. But on the other hand is my selfish wish to share something only with him...which is stupid, because we do share things unique to just us.  It was frustrating on another level because I know too that if the shoe were on the other foot, I would have supported Mary's parental role especially over what is so common as children of divorced parents having things unique to one parents household.  Since then its been hugs all around though, at least with us kids :)

 Living.  Present.  Mindful.  Deliberate.
Stretched.  Confronted.
Malleable. Reactionary. Compensatory.
Losses. Gains.
Learning.

Weekend Update

This past weekend was the first "full" weekend with the kids. Activities included a trip to the library, DVD's at home, a trip to the park, a birthday party (Skylar's), a trip to my dad's where we BBQ'd and the kids got to drive his tractor, and a car ride from hell!

like lizards...

we started moving when the sun hit us...till then we were content to be chill on the balcony...all good things...

strict definitions

rarely do I ramble in type.  but tonight, you get what you get.  :)  I was thinking and asked myself a question about anthropology and got was instantly stymied, not knowing if the question I had asked myself was really the question I had meant to ask myself...going through my own understanding of semantics, which I admit is fairly limited fairly, all that, I started searching for a strict definition and I ended up with the word "Enterprise."  You with me?

Enterprise is a way to co-notate an activity with merit.   Activities without merit are folly.  An enterprising young person, or a fool, you would rather be? omg I sound like yoda Or both? Most wanting to be the former, is where most of us end up. Which is exactly what I didn't know for quite the longest time.  So back to my anthropological issue.

Uh, which is what?  Oh yeah, my anthropological issue.  I was thinking about talented people that I know.  I was thinking about the passion that they hold.  And how our cultural value of what they are gifted with has given them the opportunity to do such good works in a capacity that most suits them and wondered whether or not the study of ancient civilizations could explain the current phenomenon.  I know.  I specialize in "dry."  Can't help it.

It's nearly 2.  Will be two by the time I finish this.  I reckon' I am sleeping on the couch, not for punishment really, but I know how she hates being woke up.  And there is little chance I could go lightly back into the bedroom so as not to be yelled at again.  She rolls her eyes, and can get quite mean, best to leave her be!

I did good tonight, I think, its not quite two so I have time to tell you.  This group I am working with is at a tipping point.  There is cash momentum building up.  It's scary almost!  I don't think they realize what is about to happen.  They are going to be in the drivers seat.  OK, so that's a little optimistic :)   Really though, I have met some very talented people, incredibly capable, and wanting to do the right thing.  How can you beat that?  So I told some folks, and that's how I did good.  Pulled K's for them.  I am half hoping they choose someone else to hold on to the handlebars.

Two minutes.
All I know is,
all I know is,
I, love you,
yes I,
love you
all I know is
all I know is
I love you,
yes I love you,
all I know is
its two o'clock.  G'night.

Happy Monday

A weekend is exactly what I needed.  This past weekend we were given tickets to the Mariners game on Saturday.  The Mariners ended up losing, but that didn't stop us from having a good time!  My Dad came up and it was a nice reunion for him and the kids.  Poor guy couldn't say no, and ended up buying cotton candy, hot dogs, soda's, and baseball caps for the kids.  

Will before the cotton candy kicked in!

Will and I

"Miss Mega" Megan

Elizabeth

Living United! Fun times :)

Ugh...

at least its the weekend...

ok Spring, we gave up on you...Summer! You're up!

Start warming up!

A Sunny Sunday!

Picked up the kids and hung out for an AWESOME day!  

Hung out with the Troll for a while and then went to the fountain at Seattle Center.