christina's new roommate

Gonzo just moved in, making Kermit very happy...

birthday multiple choice quiz

It's Christina's birthday!

How do you suppose Christina is feeling about that?

a. Happy! Bring on the cake!




b. Another birthday? Scary!



c. Birthdays?! Pfffft!



Happy Birthday, Christina!

Sing along here...

our marb-meister

Since he pops up here from time to time, my blog friends probably all know Marble. Santa brought him to us as a kitten...



...and he is now over 16 years old. His health has significantly declined in the last 2 weeks, so Christina and David were able to make a quick trip home this weekend to check in with him one more time...



We love Marble so it's a sad time, but we're glad he has had a long, happy life.

blogger meet 'n eat

Yay! I had a blogger meetup today with Rev SS in Olympia (our approximate half-way point). We had a nice lunch, visited the farmer's market (where the picture was taken), and did some postcard hunting.



I found some good ones! This card, postmarked March 5th of 1912, features the "D.N. Tallman Residence" in Willmar, Minnesota.



While the Tallmans had a fine looking house, I primarily bought the postcard because I liked the writing on the back. I loved the excuse for not writing a letter.



Dear George,
Received your letter, was read with pleasure. Should write you a letter But I got a bad cold and Ma ain't home so will write later on. Send me a card for a change. From your girl in Minnesota. bye bye.

I can see the bad cold part, but not sure why Ma needed to be home...

still singin'

There is only time for a short post today, as Hubby and I are meeting Offsprings #1&2 in Seattle to hear Chicago and Earth, Wind, and Fire in concert. We were excited to learn they are letting both groups out of their respective nursing homes for the evening to perform.

weekend snapshots

On Friday Hubby and I zoomed up to Bellingham to attend the jazz band concert of Offspring #2. It was the perfect opportunity to hand deliver the prize mug he had won in the blog contest.



On Saturday, I accompanied Offspring #1 to the beauty shop (and I am happy to report the new 'do is very cute!) While waiting, I couldn't help but notice one particular photo under the glass of the coffee table in the waiting area:


I think it begs the question: "Is this the 'before' picture or the 'after' picture? (The mystery haunts me yet today.)

We stayed a little later than planned, but that was a good thing because Hubby and I got to have dinner at the Olive Garden with Offspring #1 and her boyfriend (Doug) and Offspring #2 and his girlfriend (Tien).



And as an extra bonus I got to snap a picture of Offspring #1 and Doug on their way to the "Theatre Prom". (Those theatre majors have all the fun. My biology major was definitely more boring.)

the weekend in pictures

The picnic!


The throw!


The catch!


The theatre!


The park!


The other park!

(Yes, even Mr. Tumnus got out to play!)

blogpal day

Today Rev SS and I met in Olympia (the approximate halfway spot between our homes) for her belated birthday lunch. We decided to take the standard "blogger feet" photo. The cute toes belong to Rev SS and the "Let's go hiking!" feet belong to me.



We also decided to pose with Garbage Puff outside the restaurant, located on the waterfront with our state capitol building visible waaaaaay in the background.



It was a nice day -- warm temps, blue skies, and good conversation. We had a tasty lunch and poked around some antique stores. I recently started collecting old postcards and Rev SS helped me choose a few good ones. (Yes, there will probably be a future 'postcard post'!)

a quick check in...

Another borrowed laptop; another short post!

Yesterday we went to The Happiest Place on Earth (aka The Walkingest Place on Earth). Above is a picture of Offsprings #1&2 with Garbage Puff (who managed to work his way into lots of pictures. He is getting a little obnoxious about it actually.)

Tonight we are heading into LA to see the play Frost Nixon (on which the film was based). Then tomorrow it's Disneyland, Part II and back home to cooler temps and rain.

what makes monday tolerable...

...is this for breakfast:



A cinnamon roll from Mount Bakery made from croissant dough.
Oh yeah.

blogger buddy birthday

We won't say how many "this many" is... but RevSS is having a birthday today! Head on over and wish her a happy one!



--------------------------------
picture from this website

Happy B-day to one of the coolest people on the planet!

Hey Blog-pals! Please join me in wishing a very Happy Birthday to Offspring #1!
(Here's a recent picture of her -- with Mr. Tumnus!)



And of course I had to do a video slideshow.

the friendship award (and a dead bunny)

My good blog-friend mompriest included me in her list of friendship awards. Thanks, mompriest!

Here's the 'fine print':
"These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award."

So now I will pass the award along to these nice blog-buddies. (I know some of you have already received it, but that's ok. Enjoy it a second time!)

Processing Counselor
Ruth
Laura
Presbyterian Gal (I included Presbygal just as predicted by Rev SS.)
Hot Cup
Purple
Jennifer
Diane

I was going to include Dust Bunny, but she pulled the plug on her blog.



(Wow, you can find a picture for ANYTHING on google!) Anyway, let's hope Dust Bunny will revive her blog some time.

but on the up side...

After we ordered that new roof, we went sledding at twilight (not the vampire movie; the time of day).



The main trick was stopping BEFORE one went into the lake...



And the Christmas lights were real purty:



Now it's off to the clinic for half a day of work. It's snowing again, so not sure how many patients will brave the weather to come in.

'tis the season...

...for loud holiday clothing.

Every year (for a lot of years now) my family gets together with the Dust Bunny family for a gift exchange. This year we decided to notch up the silly level by all dressing in either tacky Christmas clothes or ugly holiday sweaters. Here we are (actually on Dec 18th):


Unfortunately my arm was covering the obnoxious Santa face on my sweater. You can get an ever-so-slightly better look at it below. This is where we are playing holiday charades (using teams of two). Here's Dust Bunny and me, obviously quite amused with ourselves.



'Tis also turning into the season for snow here! Looks like we are going to have a white Christmas, which is quite rare for us. Today Hubby, Offsprings #1&2, and I took a walk on the snowy dike road. Here I am (and Mr. Ed is in the background.)



I started off using the snowshoes, but ended up carrying them (because I could go a little faster without them!)


-----------------------------
all photos by Offspring #1

the birds

I'm hoping it's not Hitchcockian, but...

birds seem to be attracted to Offsprings #1&2.






When Offspring #1 lived in the dorm, a pair of robins built a nest in her window. She watched the entire process from nest building to the baby birds finally flying off. Here is one of many pictures she took:



Now an owl seems to have found Offspring #2. He took this awesome picture from the kitchen window of his apartment.



Perhaps I should ask Tippi Hedren when one should start to worry.

on a lighter note...

I really like my next-door neighbor, Wayne. Whenever he sees me outside, he usually runs over to show me something -- a toy, his haircut, whatever! And if he can do a demonstration of the thing, so much the better! He also likes to tell me (in great detail) about what's going on in his life. Wayne repeats some things from home that I find uproariously funny (although I don't know if his parents would). :)

Today Wayne was excited to show me his new scooter. Motorized. (Hate to be a fuddy-duddy, but I'm thinking a regular scooter would be better exercise!) Anyway, he looked very cute in his helmet and shades.

#28

Today is wedding anniversary #28 for Hubby and me. (Where did the time go?!)
Anywhoo, I did a little video slide show of the 'early dating years' during our optometry school time in Oregon. (Yep, it includes Mount St Helens blowing!)

"we can make it happen"

Yesterday, Hubby and I drove north and Offsprings #1&2 drove south so that we could meet to attend a Chicago concert. (Offspring #2 plays trumpet and really likes Chicago, so that was the main reason we started thinking about going.) No cameras were allowed, but this picture from wikimedia gives you an approximate idea of what we saw (only we were much further back):



Actually the first date for Hubby and me (back in early September 1977) was attending a Chicago concert in Portland. So 31 years later, here we were again. (Hubby the Historian pointed out last night that Offspring #1 is the same age now as I was back in '77.)

The venue was on the grounds at the Chateau Ste. Michelle winery, so it was very pretty. (Didn't take this picture either; found it on google!)



It was a really pleasant day--blue skies and warm temps. Four of Chicago's original band members are still with the group, and they still put on a heck of a show. (By the way, does anyone remember good ol' Livingston Taylor? He opened.)

It was interesting to have that 31 year gap between the concerts, and I made a couple of observations regarding my Baby Boomer group.

Observation 1:
Back at the concert in '77, if a guy in his early 20's had had too much to drink, taken his shirt off, and repeatedly shouted "Woooooooooooooooo!" -- and no, I'm not talking about Hubby! -- I'm sure I would have found it mildly amusing (and perhaps a bit annoying).

However when someone in his 50's does this same thing in 2008 (again, not talking about Hubby!), it just sort of strikes one as pathetic, ya know?

As Joan Rivers would say, "Oh, grow up!"

Observation 2:
One of the "oldies" Chicago performed was Dialogue Parts I and II. (Great song!)

In part I, the question is raised:
"Will you try to change things
Use the power that you have, the
power of a million new ideas?"

And in part II is the repetitive, inspirational chorus:
We can make it happen
We can change the world now
We can save the children
We can make it better...

As I was listening (and watching the "Wooooooooooo!" man in the sea of Baby Boomers), I couldn't help but be somewhat disappointed in my demographic group. For all of our "million new ideas", energy, and idealism, we certainly seem to have dropped the ball a lot. Of course there have been some great accomplishments, but as a group we bought into the whole consumerism thing. And on our watch, we sat by as the health of our planet declined. We also managed to forget the lessons of Vietnam and are now in another unpopular war. (Of course I am generalizing about the group as a whole -- there are individuals who have been trying hard all along NOT to drop the ball.)

In any event, as many people were singing along to the "we can make it happen" part, I was thinking that to truly "make it happen", we Baby Boomers better get our collective butts in gear already.

tuesdays with tumnus

Offspring #1 had oral surgery today -- long, complicated, frustrating story as to why she needed it. (Perhaps that will be a future post, but not for now.) Anywhoo, the surgery went fine, and I am in Bellingham today (and part of tomorrow) helping out a bit.

One nice thing (in addition to seeing Offsprings #1&2) is getting to spend a little time with Mr. Tumnus. He is an indoor kitty (because of the apartment location, etc.), but he does get to go outside when he is taken out on his leash. (I'm amazed at how well he does with the leash.)



On today's outing, Mr. Tumnus exchanged high fives with Neighbor Cat: