Merry Christmas

Traveling yonder, to the Pacific Northwest

During the last five days we were lucky enough to visit Dunc, Bets and fam in Seattle, whilst staying in a romantic  cottage on Vashon Island, overlooking Puget Sound.  Being in the cottage was a lot like being on a houseboat, in that everywhere we looked there was water--calm, peaceful, clear, beautiful water.

 View from our livingroom window

 View from our bedroom window

View from our deck

You get the picture, right?  We even had a friendly neighborhood crane, a cat who came with the house (after we let him in he went into our bedroom and took a nap on the bed), and a sea lion who popped his head out of the water regularly while we were there.

But most of all, we got to see these guys:

And we got to eat a lot of delicious food, Seattle-style.

We also got to drive in ye olde car (which looks even better than it did before we bequeathed it to Dunc and Bets, if that's possible).

We went to Pike Place Market, where Dunc talked a lady into taking this photo of us, and she didn't even run away with my phone!  Impressive, non-stealing, high-integrity Seattle-ite!

We got really good at taking the ferry to and fro, and we learned that it is not appropriate to prop your infant up on the handrail during the ride over to the island.



 

Highlight of the trip:  La Boucherie!  We had an amazing and healthy meal, and the proprietress remembered Duncan and Betsy.  We reminisced about the wedding!  A lot!

We did get to spend some time with the rest of the family, and tried (with varying degrees of success) to take portraits of each family member.

(Sometimes fuzzy photos look better if you make them really small.  Clarence obviously does not like to have his photo taken.)

In conclusion, we had fun!  Can't wait to come back again real soon...

Purdy as a picture

Bob made us a fruit tart last weekend, and it was the purdiest thing you ever did see.  It looks exactly like the picture in the book, see?

It also had the excellent quality of being delicious.  Yessiree, I am one lucky girl.

Not a vampire either

Gus spends quite a bit of time doing this, actually.

New life for love seat

You remember the love seat I had in my office, right?  The one that is 17 years old and was in the living room for a long time and then it "retired" to my office when we replaced the living room furniture?  The one that the cats ripped the lining off of, such that it made a most excellent hiding place whenever dogs came to visit?

We reupholstered it.  Here it is in its reupholstered glory. 

The fabric turned out to be a little more gold than I'd hoped (when I picked it out, I could have sworn it was mainly burgundy), but the worksmanship is terrific, so the fabric will do.  Gus has not exactly fallen in love with the "new" love seat so far, but I am hoping it will grow on him soon, because last week we got rid of the office chair I bequeathed to him.

Side note:  Bob put Gus's office chair out on the street because it is "neighborhood pick up" season in Salt Lake City.  Someone must have snatched it within hours because it was gone before I even realized Bob put it out there.  I am not sure why any human would find an ancient, totally shredded office chair covered in black cat hair to be of value, but apparently they did.  Utah is a very interesting place to live.  And thrifty, too.

30 years

Happy birthday to Lindy, who is (drum roll please) 30 today!

Can you even believe that this little baby grew into this bigger cutie pie...

...and then this gorgeous woman...

...who then had these other beautiful babies?

Sheesh!  Life comes at you fast.  Happy birthday, Lin!  I love you!

Sad postscript:  Nora Ephron was such a stud.  RIP, Nora.

17 years!

Today is our 17-year anniversary, and Bob sent these gorgeous roses to me:

What a great husband.  Let's all sing the Happy Anniversary Song! 



This weekend we will celebrate with a romantic dinner somewhere special.  I'm a lucky girl.

Happy birthday to Logan!

On this day 32 years ago, who would have guessed that a boy named Logan would be born, and that he and Jody would beget another amazing boy named Tatum?  

Happy birthday, Logan. You are a wonderful son and father, and I love you tons!