SUE! I'm OKAY!

Just had to let my favorite fan base in Manchester, Iowa know that I am ok. Even after my belly dancing class! I guess since the caucus is over and the candidates have moved on, the chief form of entertainment in Iowa is my blog. Sorry that I have been behind. Looking ahead I can tell you that Feb is going to be a crazy busy month and I promise to stay up to date, just for you.

I wanted to show you what an almost snow day looks like in Tacoma. We had a very light dusting in our neighborhood. Even though Mitch was sending me weather reports every few hours, the big storm that was supposed to dump on us never came. Sad. But doesn't my green house look fabulous in the snow? I think that green is a perfect compliment to white (& pretty much every other color!).



ps .... I know it has been a while since I have posted pictures of your adorable grandchildren and their parents (who only complain about the pictures I take of them). Their house is still under quarantine. We don't know what sickness that they keep passing back and forth, but we want them to keep it to themselves.

Paul's new roommate

Luther is his name and boy does he have attitude. He is all energy when Paul comes through the door and has made the whole house his own. He is especially fond of the curtains. He is very cute and cuddly.



Gotcha. Luther loves to chase a little red pointer light and is very proud when he catches it.



Bet you all were wondering what Paul did with that womb that I knitted for him. It is proudly displayed in it's very own frame on the living room wall. After all the things that I have knitted, I never thought the first to be displayed as a work of fine art would be a womb. See, that degree in Fine Art from UCLA was not wasted on me.

Blue Man Group

My good buddy Rachel at Fife High School was raving about the Blue Man Group last fall. When we heard that they were coming out to Seattle, we snatched up tickets and went. After a scrumptious dinner at the center house it was time to head to the show!



The Key Arena was packed. And the show was great! these pictures don't really do the group justice. And no he's not on fire.



Part musicians, part comedians, part Marcel Marceau in blue is how the group is best described. If you want to see them in Vegas, I hear the tickets are $150 each. So if they are passing through your town, don't miss them, just go!



It was a night of great music and innovation. They were sooooo crazy and sooooo wild. What surprised me the most was their back up band. Truly amazing musicians, especially the drummers. They had two playing a surround stand up drum set. They were constantly jumping and dancing and moving at turbo speed. They make a heavy ymca work out look like day lounging at a spa.

Edgefield

Poor Katie was having a hard Thursday night. I knew this because she called me during each of her work breaks. Then she said the magic words, "I miss you Mom". Don't have to tell me twice! Since she worked all the way through her winter break, I decided she needed a get-a-way and a little pampering. I picked her up on Saturday & we headed to Edgefield



After we checked in, we headed to the Power Station Pub for a quick lunch before our 2 o'clock tour. The kitchen was a bit backed up which meant we inhaled lunch in about 7 minutes. Good thing we were hungry!



Next it was time for the tour. Edgefield, like all the McMenamins, has amazing artwork everywhere. Painted by 7 different artists, each painting tells a story. Murals can run an entire length of a hallway and back up the other. Here are some of our favorites.



The artists don't limit themselves to the flat surfaces of the building. Even the pipes aren't safe. It's a fun scavenger hunt to find little paintings where you would least expect them.



Once a County Poor Farm, then a Nursing Home one of Edgefield's landmarks is this big red water tower. Here is 2 of the previous residents blasting off into the heavens on the red water tower rocket!



Even the exit signs are things of whimsical beauty.

The Little Red Shed

When we called Rob, back in Chicago, to tell him that we finally made it to Edgefield (he's a BIG fan) he told us that we had to go to the Little Red Shed.



The Little Red Shed is cozy and comfy. It has two tiny rooms, one with 4 tiny tables and 8 chairs, the other has the bar, a fireplace and 4 chairs. The only electricity in the place keeps the kegs cold and the beer flowing. Candles and the fireplace provide the rooms with mood lighting.




It didn't take long for Katie to get herself behind the bar. And a busy bar it was as golfers would take refuge from the drizzle on the Edgefield golf course and stop buy for refreshments before going back out. Everyone who came in was very friend and we chatted the afternoon away.



Did I mention that everyone was very friendly???



Opps, can't stay, its time for Katie and I to go to our spa appointments. The spa was amazing. Facials, Massages and a fabulous soaking pool that wraps around the outside of the building.



Meet Meagan. She was Katie's facial technician and joined us for dinner at the Black Rabbit. The food and wine was oh so yummy!!!

A boy & his womb

Now these pictures require a story. When we were in Yuma, Arizona Margaret and I were talking knitting (surprise). Then we looked at knitty.com and a bunch of free knitting patterns. Paul was looking over our shoulder at one of my favorite free patterns: the womb.

Paul wanted one. So I took the challenge! Paul wanted me to make sure that it was soft and cuddly. So I bought yarn in Portland & then I started knitting. What do you think .... Does Paul like his womb???



True confessions. I bought too much yarn. But I had sooooo much fun knitting these little guys (errr, i mean girls) that I knitted a bunch. So I gave Paul the pick of the litter. Chris, my man, you are looking just a bit envious.



Sorry, I couldn't resist. I call this "Wombs with a View".

Rummage $ Free

One of my many New Year's Revolutions (Eli's new word) is to de-clutter. So until I have purged myself of all of my unneeded objects, the Monday Nighters will be treated to a weekly give-a-way. My first offerings came out of the kitchen and bookshelves. Come & get it!!!

Happy New Year!

Everyone gathered at Katie's place in Portland for a fun and fab New Year's Eve. First we went to a scrumptious dinner at Pinocchio's then a Pink Martini concert at the Arlene Schnitzer (I just love saying Schnitzer). But my favorite part of the evening was just hanging out at Katie's as the new year began.

We still had a few Christmas gifts to exchange. Here Katie is modeling the fabulous hat that Margaret had knitted her when we were all in Yuma. This pattern really gave poor Margaret fits. First were the miles of boring stockinette stitch & when it finally got interesting, the pattern was written so poorly that it was just frustrating. But for all of her blood, sweat and tears it really does look great on Katie.



Paul was pretty darn excited about his wine carafe oosik. We are sure that he will put it to good use.



Then Paul and Dave started telling tales of their childhood. 3 brothers, bb guns, and terminal restriction (that would be Dave), it is amazing that they all turned out so well (for the most part). The stories and laughter when on til almost 4 am before we all decided to call it quits.



Katie has a lot of room for company but 5 people overnight is about her limit. So Paul got to spend the night in his favorite Portland hotel, the Ace. Downtown and about a mile from Katie's place, the Ace is very unique and hard to catagorize. I would have to call it Trendy/Urban/Historical/Shabby/Cool. You actually have to experience it to get it. I took this group shot in their lounge area. The huge "couch" look like it was covered and canopied with army surplus tents.



Time to say good-bye to Katie & Becca. Dave, Margaret & Paul are going out to Molalla to visit more family & I have to go back to work, grrrrrr. Anyway girls, there is a new school term looming on your horizons, enjoy!