Vacation State of Mind...

We arrived back from vacation on Friday night and have been using the 3-day weekend to recover from a bit of jet lag. It's always nice to come home and this time was no exception, but this trip was truly extraordinary. I would go back to Il Casolare di Libbiano in a moment and I'm certain we will return. From the setting to the hosts to the food, we were cared for in a way that exceeded any of our expectations. In that place, we enjoyed the all too infrequent company of some very good friends and just simply enjoyed being. No TV, no internet, no newspapers. All were replaced by the surrounding woods, sun, distant thunderstorms, conversation, exploration, and so much more. There will be more to share as I reflect back on the month. At the end of that week, half of our group returned home and half of us went on to Venice.

Without access to local news, we were unaware of a train strike that was in place on our travel day until we arrived at the train station! Fortunately, even with a strike, some trains were still running and we were able to make our trip even adjusting for a fire on the tracks near Bologna. We arrived in Venice only an hour later than planned and a quick journey by water taxi brought us to the hotel, the Casa Santa Maria Formosa. This second week was more "energetic" than the previous one as we walked throughout the city, fascinated by the workings of this place that is built on water. The highlight for us was a visit from John's cousin Erica and her husband Nereo who had lived in Venice for 20 years, not far from the hotel as it turned out. Besides the pleasure of seeing them again, they were excellent guides and had arranged for a lovely "lunch" at a local restaurant; a 3-hour event with countless courses of local cuisine and lively conversation. John was our capable translator as we moved between Italian and English. Suffice it to say that dinner that night was only a gelato as none of us had room for anything more! Each day brought a different look at this interesting city. While I am not a big fan of being in a boat, it was the way to get from here to there. We spent some time on the water buses to travel the Grand Canal and to return from the Islands. We also used the speedier water taxis to get to the Islands and eventually to the airport. I'm sure I heard the theme song from Miami Vice playing as we sped along. Since we also had access to TV (one station in English - the BBC World News), we watched the progress of the newly erupting volcano in Iceland and wondered if it would impact our travel home. Fortunately, it did not.

We arrived home to find the grass as tall as the dog, the dog feeling better than when we left, and the cat suddenly finding his voice as he "talked" nonstop airing a long list of grievances. We'll tackle the day-to-day routines to get things back to "normal", but we'll do it with a post-vacation perspective; refreshed, recharged, and renewed. Last night we had dinner at our favorite place in the 'burg to celebrate our 12th anniversary! All good... 

Bella Italia...

John and I are off on our excellent adventure this morning. A short visit to the UK followed by an extended visit to Italy. We'll stay with 3 other couples (all friends) in a farmhouse in San Gimignano (Tuscany) for a week followed by another week (nearly) in Venice. There will be lots to share when we return.

Zoe is getting progressively better and we have a great house/pet sitter who will look after her. Hopefully Roosevelt will behave and will not try to impress them with gifts of the live, furry type.

Meanwhile, it's all good...

Where the Wild Things Are...

It's been a busy, interesting week. For the second week in a row, John headed off to California, this time for 5 days. I'll retrieve him tonight. We have some things to do this weekend to get ready for a much anticipated vacation that begins next Thursday when we trek to Italy for a couple weeks. I've got the house-sitter primed and we laid in more dog food than I imagined could be on the shelves. It's coming together.

The week began in earnest when Roosevelt brought a mouse into the house once again. I awoke Tuesday morning (and by that I mean 3:30am) to sounds of "something is not quite right". As an early tribute to Mother's Day, he had brought yet another mouse into the house, but with a new twist. He brought it up to the bedroom. Well, I was out of that bed and downstairs in no time where I could have a cup of tea and ponder my fate for a good hour or so. Although I have pleaded with John to get me a shotgun for times such as these, he is reluctant to do that citing some notion of widespread damage and mayhem. So, I was left with my trusty broom, a pair of gloves (yuck!), some plastic bags, and some vague plan to put a dead mouse into the bag. But Roosevelt wanted me to have a live present; much more interesting. Ultimately, I had to place a mixing bowl (where would I be without kitchen utensils?) over the unsuspecting gift whilst it was grooming and take it outside for release back into the wild. Since then, Roosevelt has slept in the garage with the cat door locked.

Yesterday, I spied a large coyote loping across the yard/meadow/jungle clearing. I gave him my most fierce yell, "Hey! You get out of here!". He took a moment to assess me and realized I meant business with my fierce words so he slipped quickly into the woods. Since then, I have accompanied our Zoe on her trips outside. She has spent a lot of time marking over the intruder's scent.

And speaking of wild things, I have ordered my "chucks" shoes for the upcoming wedding. Katie and Morey have encouraged guests to wear these purple basketball shoes (as their wedding party will do). Mine have MOB (that's for Mother of the Bride) written on the side and are quite spectacular.

I see that it's time to hop in a shower and get into the rat race properly. Enjoy...

May Pole or Just Running in Circles....

It just might be that Spring is here! There seems to be less rain than sunshine these past few days and more of the vitamin D-producing stuff is forecast. The days are definitely longer too. John did some mowing with the hand mower yesterday in preparation for doing the bulk of it on the shiny red tractor today. The grass has not been hampered by the wet weather.

We had a day of "getting stuff done" yesterday; post office, find a notary, check out smarter "smart" phones, load up on basics at Costco, get a few groceries and a lot of pet food. I also ordered the invitations for the upcoming wedding rehearsal dinner in July. I have a little work to do at the computer today, but should get to spend some time outdoors. I'll get the furniture set up properly on the back deck so it really looks like warmer weather has arrived. We'll use the barbeque tonight for the first time as well. John will do that mowing and will plant some shallots, potatoes, and beets in the garden. Last weekend he put the peas in.

Zoe is making steady progress now with her leg injury. She gets around more easily with only a small limp. We still don't let her climb the stairs, so she stays downstairs at night. She's not keen on that but she does it without too much fuss. Roosevelt has become a 3am nuisance. Once we're back from vacation, we'll get him a companion to tire him out a bit.

I'm sure the week will fly by quickly. John will travel back to California for a second week in a row as we get our ducks in a row for the upcoming vacation. I have a steady stream of things that need to get done at work and a small project to prepare for my class. I hope the sun keeps on shining....

Monday, Monday...

Great weekend! Gareth was here and gave us a chance to get out of our usual routine. For his birthday, we made lasagna for dinner Saturday night and strawberry shortcake for dessert. I haven't made either of those in a long while. Very yummy. We went out to the Point No Point Lighthouse and for the first time visiting there it was sunny and absolutely stunning. The mountains were clear and the sky was blue. People were walking on the beach and some were flying kites. Gareth seemed to really like the area here. We delivered him to the airport yesterday until next time :-)

My sister from Florida writes to tell me that she has already started up the air conditioning; quite early in the season for them. We haven't turned off the heat! This morning it's 36 degrees. Rain and high winds are promised for later in the day. On our trip to the airport yesterday, we noticed that the Scotch Broom is in bloom. It's an annual show of bright yellow all over the county, considered a weed by the natives. But it's a sure sign of Spring's persistence.

I'll deliver John to the airport transporter in just a bit and we'll get on with the week. Take care...

Let's Give a Big Shoutout to the Sun....

Well finally! The sun is shining and the skies are clear for two days in a row. Today the temperature is predicted to get into the 60s. The rest of the coming week is mixed with showers and lower temperatures, but for today we will celebrate the season of Spring in proper Spring-like fashion. All two days of it :-)


The goldfinches arrived on Monday or Tuesday joining the house finches on the feeders. And yesterday the house martins returned to their house under the chimney eave. They were here when we moved in and have returned each year since. Beautiful colors and fascinating flight. The trees have been saving their leaves for warmer weather and this weekend might just be the final push. Every day it gets more green here. And the brave tulips which have reluctantly poked their heads out will probably open fully today. I will celebrate by opening some windows to smell the fresh air in the house.

We have company over the weekend. Son Gareth arrived Thursday night to spend an impromptu weekend in the woods. It's great to have him around and share face time. This couldn't be more different a place from Las Vegas (where he lives).

Zoe remains on injured reserve. Her leg is bearing a little weight, but she has a significant limp. We stopped the pain medication as she seemed to be having some unpleasant side effects. Her demeanor since has been more alert and more cheerful. We do notice, however, that she seems to have lost her hearing. We had noticed it somewhat before the injury and perhaps it just seems more apparent now. We're grateful for her loving presence for as long as we can maintain her quality of life.

John is fully recovered from his tune-up procedure and will return to California this week. It has been nice to have him present for three weeks. I am plugging along at work and trying to squeeze in some school time. I'll be glad to have some unstructured time when this course finishes. It has made me see just how full my time is and how important it is to have some opportunities for doing nothing. And on that note, let's enjoy this day...

In Search of Vitamin D...

Still raining, but more breaks. It's running about 10 degrees below the normal temperature for this time of year, so it doesn't yet feel much like Spring; just an extended mild winter. Still, the tulips and daffodils are valiantly trying to put on a show and there is a lot more green around. It's just cloudy all the time. My head gardener has been on limited duty anyway, so nothing is lost. Perhaps next weekend he will plant some peas in the garden and I can do a spring clean of the garage. All the rain has made the grass grow (and grow and grow). Maybe we'll be able to make a first attempt at mowing it next weekend. Right now, the ground squishes.

The Z-dog has a tear in her remaining ACL (big ligament inside the knee). She has more will than physical strength at her age (87 in human years) and it tore while she was leaping into the back of the car. She's been on medical leave from all her doggy duties this week while she recovers. She's still limping, but last night, for the first time in a week, she climbed the stairs to be with the other members of her pack at night. John had been sleeping on the couch downstairs all week because she worries if she can't keep eyes on him and she doesn't settle down.  And then we can't settle down. They both slept poorly, I'm afraid. We won't put her through another one of those surgeries at this age, but the vet says it should heal sufficiently in time. She just can't do any more leaping. I know the feeling.

We enjoyed having some friends over for dinner last night. Good food and good conversation. We're very fortunate to have found friends that we can "hang out" with. Today brings school work. Maybe we'll make a run to get some bird food. But mostly it will be a day to study and complete assignments. If you see any sunshine, please send it my way...

Springtime Chatter...

We had some sunny days this week; two to be exact. But they were spectacular. The daffs are up all over the place and the tulips are beginning to bloom. All of this thanks to my resident head gardener who put the bulbs in last fall. The fruit trees, the dogwood, and the lilac bushes all have new leaves and seem to be thriving. Yesterday we joined a farming cooperative and will reap the benefits in the form of fresh veggies weekly from May thru November, even tomatoes! We'll still plant our garden, but this will expand our selection and we like supporting the local small farmers. This one is all of 5 minutes down the road at the Fox Dog Farm.

The Farmers Market  opened in Poulsbo this weekend. They have expanded and we enjoyed seeing all the vendors, some familiar and some new. That was on our route for the weekly errands which included the post office (to pick up John's new camera bag for travel) and the Pet Food Store (for the Z-dog's tasty liver treats she loves). We threw in a stop at the local Starbucks for good measure.

We said goodbye to Mr. Purrkins last weekend. He had been failing recently and had lost weight. Kidney failure was the agreed culprit. But in his three years with us since we rescued him from an undeserved and hard life on the streets, he had a good life and a family who loved him. We are pleased to have done that for him and he returned the favor with affection and some good stories to remember. Since then, Roosevelt has seemed a little lost, missing his buddy. Maybe we will see about getting him a companion.

John has an extra work week at home this month. He won't be traveling to California next week. My final school quarter has begun and is off and running. I'll try to keep up. It will be good to see the end of this program as work and home keep me well-occupied as it is. So, we're into a new week and new possibilities...

Calll it what you want - it's still rain!

I'm a patient person...really, I am. But seriously, it's time for some sunshine here. We're caught in this pattern of 50 degree, cloudy with showers and it's getting a little tiresome. It's Spring after all. (And that concludes this portion of the blog...the whining portion. Thanks for letting me get that off my chest.)

Living in the countryside has it's many perks, but it can also have its challenges. That was the case this week when, on Monday night, some locals looking for a place to drink some beer and sit around a campfire chose the lot that is for sale across the road. Once they drive up the steep slope, it's fairly secluded, but I noticed it because their vehicle made a heck of a racket going up the driveway. And of course, they were lighting a fire in the middle of a woods! (okay...so it's a pretty wet woods)  My peaceful existence here in the countryside felt a little violated and I didn't sleep very well (John was away). Next time (and I'm sure there will be one), our retired crime fighting friend advises a call to the local Sheriff's department. Apparently they are not unfamiliar with this springtime ritual.

Since it's been raining (pretty much every damn day...but I won't go there), activities tend to be those that can be done inside. I've been putting more energy into the family tree. I am back into the 1200s in one branch (my maternal grandfather's side) where I've discovered plenty of English nobility (Knight's, Earls, Lady this and Lord that) and some beheadings (one down to being on the wrong side of the Henry VIII divorce from Catherine of Aragon) and a Welsh nobleman who fought beside King Henry V in the battle of Agincourt. I had always heard we had some Welsh ancestry but hadn't discovered it until now and it's quite a rich history there. I am finding most of my ancestry is English with a wee bit of German and Swiss thrown in. While I knew my father's side was  English (with some Irish that I haven't discovered/documented yet), I though  most of my mother's side was German. The findings of the family tree have really debunked that misconception. No wonder I like Marmite so much!

John intends to plant peas in the garden tomorrow when the sun is promised to show in spurts. We will go to the monthly Farm Breakfast today, run a few errands, and tonight we are going to dinner and a dance with a 1920s-30s Speakeasy theme. I will wear a flapper-esque dress, a feather boa, and a headband, and John will wear his black and white sport coat with black shirt and white tie. The password to get in the place is "hoochie momma" :-) Should be lots of fun - even if it's raining...

Going Home...

My grandmother passed away a week ago. She celebrated her 98th birthday the previous weekend and by all accounts she enjoyed the day spent with family and friends. And then, without too much fanfare, she left.

Sometimes life seems made up of all the routines that fill our days. It's easy to allow the constructs we call "reality" to masquerade as "life". So, passages such as this serve to remind us how little all that matters.  Routines were quickly put aside as arrangements were made to get from here to there and back again. John stayed behind and kept our life here intact. Actually, none of my brothers-in-law made the trip. They all stayed behind to tend to the business of life. But my sisters and I (and one of my nieces) went home. Not so much the physical place, but a place where family comes together to share collective feelings and memories; a place we lived in the past but carry in the present as part of our becoming. Getting to "be" there and with each other was a cherished opportunity. Life continues and Grandma's passing is a part of that, not an ending.

So, back to routine. John had his first occasion to travel to Vancouver, BC on Friday. Crossing the border has become "sort of a big deal" compared to my experiences in the past. He was questioned and questioned some more. The Canadians asked him to bring a letter of invitation should he need to go there to "work" in the future as they are very protective of their citizenry's right to work. The US Customs required the usual 3 pieces of ID to prove his right to be in this country (once he made it to the front of the line which took a fair amount of time). But he made it back in time for dinner. He'll be off to California tomorrow, but we've enjoyed the weekend together.

We got some rhododendrons to add more screening at the front of the property. We had hoped to plant them where the county dug up the bank to clear the culvert which flows into our stream. But on inspection by the head gardener, he pronounced it too gravelly and opted to put them along the road-side of the lawn/meadow/jungle clearing. In the past week, lots of green has appeared on the surrounding bushes. Once the trees leaf out, we will be well-screened for the season. The daffodils finally burst into bloom and look lovely along the driveway and throughout. The tulips have pushed up another two inches and will bloom before long. John saved the fuchsias from last year and they are growing well. They should be ready to hang in another few weeks. And the bird count is up substantially with more to come.

We ran errands yesterday so today I will hope to get a wall quilt on an actual wall and see what else the day foists on me. I'm glad to be home...

Spring is almost here....really....

Seems like we have been busy the past couple weeks (post-mouse incident). It's been raining a lot (4 inches in the past two weeks) so maybe we've just gone into hunker-down and deal with it mode. John had a little dental surgery but recovered just fine. He's been in California this past week and will arrive home tonight. And it looks like we may finally be free of the rain (or at least most of it). Last weekend we spent the time inside for the most part. We have one more dance class tomorrow night and then we probably won't take any more for a while. By the time they start up again, we'll be packing for vacation.

This vacation is a team effort with 4 couples coordinating international comings and goings. The farmhouse/villa in Tuscany is confirmed and cars have been hired, train tickets have been purchased, a guide for Sienna has been arranged, and on and on. We'll end up in Venice for a few days before heading back to the UK and then home. And it's less than 2 months away. I'm loading up the Kindle with books and I will get John one before we go so he can give it a try while he's on long plane rides.

I finished up my work for this quarter of school yesterday. Only one more quarter to go! I'll take two classes in the Spring but one of those is the Practicum. I'll be glad when it's finished as I have been missing some of my "time to do things spontaneously".

Spring is due this weekend. The equinox will pass and days will lengthen, hopefully allowing more time outdoors. I promised John I would learn to kayak this year and we want to get that under our belts before long. Who knows. I might take to it like a duck on water. It's that part where the duck goes under water that I'm not too keen about. Enjoy...

*Local* Wildlife

Once again life was disrupted by the presence of a small furry critter inside the house this week. John was away when it began but thankfully arrived home that evening to play the part of the hero and bring peace back to our little world here in Poulsbo. Chaos reigned during the morning hours when, at 4:45 am, the offender was discovered. Roosevelt had brought it into the house and did not want any other members of the household to "butt in" on his idea of *fun* (which meant lots of threatening growling). Zoe was relentless as she sniffed out and uprooted the mouse from various hiding places, even enduring Roosevelt's attacks and scratches. At one point, the mouse found his way to the top of one of the flat panel speakers (5 feet tall) and then attempted  to fly toward the fireplace, only to come up short and drop like a stone on to the back of the dog who was in the middle of a heated discussion with Roosevelt over mouse-ownership rights. Right then, over the sound of the dog/cat cacophony, I knew I had to get out. So I showered, dressed, and gathered my things to go to work. When I left, the mouse was on top of the other speaker and the cat was on the windowsill beneath it. I hoped that when we returned in the evening, the battle would be over and the house would be secured. Unfortunately, there was no proof of that when we ventured into the house (I should say that John went in first as in written in some contract somewhere -I'm pretty sure of this). So, the game was afoot for my Sherlock and he set about to ferret the little creature out of it's too-secure hiding place. Some hysterical moments ensued (for me) (and I don't mean hysterical in the "hysterically-funny" way) as John had the little guy in his hands at one point but it wriggled free to run under the couch. Zoe was called in to assist and with John's muscle and Zoe's speed, they were able to capture the offender. Hopefully, this will not occur again this year as the weather warms and the small criminals do not seek the shelter of the garage.

Speaking of weather, surely the cold is on its way out now to make room for Spring's arrival. February apparently made up for the lack of true winter weather this season  by cramming it all in 28 days. Today the sun is shining and there are  many signs that Spring is ready and willing to move in. We bought a couple of rhododendrons yesterday and John has cleared a fairly large area to plant the lilac bushes along with some other colorful plants. Soon he will be able to place the foundation for the shed. I'll be able to do a little pressure washing of the porch and the deck before setting up the outdoor living spaces that are so nice when it's warmer.

We went to the monthly Farm Breakfast yesterday and were joined by some wonderful friends. What a great way to start a weekend. John had some dental surgery on Friday and recovered from that without a problem. All the running-around errands were completed yesterday, so today will be a day to enjoy being at home. I will make some progress on my course assignments, but will take some time to read as well. Monday comes back soon enough. March is looking good....

And the Winner is...

Interesting week. We got a little excited with a day of sunshine last weekend, thinking Spring would be popping out by this week. Mother Nature put the smackdown on that notion. We had snow. The temperatures dipped down and suddenly it was Winter again. The roads have stayed clear thankfully and we have only a little bit of the white stuff hanging on around the property now.

We got some propane added to the tank as we have had the fireplace pilot on all winter this year. Makes it easy to have a fire in the evenings and came in handy during the power outages. You can't keep it on too long when the power is out as the fan doesn't work, but it adds a smidgen of warmth even just looking at it. Otherwise, the week has gone along as most do.

I do a bit of genealogy from time to time and have lately been focused on finding some details that would take me back just a little further. I'm back to 1600 on one side and the 1500s on the other. I've discovered we have nobility on one branch and Salem witches on another. This has got to be the most social of social networking.

We went to dance class on Friday. We have only been able to attend every other week this session and that makes it doubly difficult. Just getting through the class is a challenge, but retaining any of it seems to be in a league of it's own. Saturday evening we went out to try our "skills" (a term not seriously applied here). It was somewhat frustrating to say the least. Maybe we were just tired. Who knows. But the company was nice :-)

A few tasks have been checked off the list this weekend. I got an eye exam and will sport new spectacles in a couple weeks. One pair will be just for computer work which, hopefully, will prevent some of my neck discomfort. And taxes have been done, at least as far as I will take them. I like to do a first run through just to see what to expect before handing them off to the accountant. John has had his lab work for some upcoming dental surgery next week. And he has been clearing space for the new lilac bushes as weather permits. So, March is upon us and will either make its lion or lamb-like appearance this week. Either way, it means Spring really is just around the corner. Nothing wrong with that. Meanwhile, we're set to watch the Academy Awards with some wine and snacks-passing-as-dinner. Have a good one (whatever it is)...

We're havin' a Weekend

It was a "John in California" week so Z-dog and I had a relatively quiet few days on the homestead. John came home Thursday night to chilly weather which had moved in earlier. He missed a vicious little storm on Monday night, bringing lots of rain and wind which, thankfully, didn't result in a power outage. We weren't so lucky yesterday when it abruptly went out about 8:30 am. The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day, but very windy all day. It didn't come back on until we were wakened in the night by the TV. In the interim, we enjoyed the sunshine at least. We spent much of the day doing things away from home anyway. I got John to come with me to the Kitsap Quilters 25th Quilt Show at the Fairgrounds. I admire these artists and what they create from fabric. And later we had dinner at an Indian restaurant we've been wanting to try. It was good food and we'll put it on the list for future visits.

Friday evening we attended a fundraiser in the form of a Mystery Dinner Theater. There were also silent and live auctions. We pronounced it one of the best and most fun things we've done since moving up here! I don't think either of us expected the level of talent these actors displayed. There were musical pieces in it as well and they could sing! The dinner courses were served between acts and the auctions were lots of fun. I actually bid during the live auction! I didn't get the item (a sort of loveseat-sized bench made from branches) but it was fun. I did get several of the silent auction pieces and perhaps my favorite of the bunch is a painting done by a 7-year old student at the school. It's an abstract painting of the mountains in rich, deep colors. Cost me $10 (I was the only bidder). We'll look for this event again next year.

Today I will have a massage. I have found a practitioner who I really like and the massage is quite helpful for my "sits at a computer all day" aches. Hopefully, the power will stay on all day and we can do those things that require electricity. Having heat in the house is very nice as well. Tomorrow is an extra day off for the holiday weekend. I have some school work to accomplish so the extra day will be appreciated. John has some lilac bushes to plant and we'll just take it as it comes after that...

Who's in Charge Here???

It's the middle of February! It's like that feeling one gets while driving the same route each day and suddenly you realize that last few miles have gone unnoticed. How did I get here? It's actually not quite like that as each day I know exactly where I am. But sometimes when I pause to consider where that is in relation to the rest of the world construct, the calendar part surprises me. And here we are...

Yesterday, we did those things that must be done but cannot get done during the working week. I'm coming to the conclusion that housekeeping is incompatible with a 40-hour work week. Really. And it's not that we're generally messy people because we're not. But there's a fair amount of general "keeping the place in a hygienic state" tasks that have to get done on a somewhat regular basis and they get done on the "weekend" (the time not spent at work). And they get done at the expense of something else that might otherwise be done during that time; maybe immersing myself in a quilting project or a watercolor or a good book, Even just deciding spontaneously to drive 4 hours to see something remarkable and then spend 4 hours driving back. So, we will have to find a way to deal with that and I'm considering using some of that 40-hour paycheck to hire a house cleaning service. Because, more and more, I want to spend those not-at-work hours not working.

Zoe may be getting up there in years, but she is still the protector of the property. John discovered a dead rodent in the yard yesterday. We still don't really know what it is, but it was about 9+ inches long, quite thick in body, with a long tail and a stubby face, gray fur and white belly. At least that's how he describes it. I haven't actually seen it and I am thankful for that.

John planted one of the new fruit trees yesterday before the rain came in and put a halt to his farming activities. The other one will likely go in today. And we got two new lilac bushes. These are much larger starts than our first attempts and will hopefully survive. I just love the fragrance of lilacs. Springtime is at the door and pounding to be let in. It's reassuring to see the swollen buds on the foliage everywhere. The bulbs are pushing up and will burst into bloom certainly by month's end at this rate. Soon we will not be able to see the neighbor's house through the woods and, likewise, our house will be obscured from easy view. It's like getting a big hug from Mother Nature.

I am a week behind and a project pending in my homework so that will have to get some attention today. John will be off to California in the morning and we'll mark off the days on the calendar.  Another week begins...

Say Goodbye to January...

Hard to write about living in the Pacific Northwest when I have been absent the area most of last week. I left last Tuesday for a conference in Miami, Florida. It's about as far away from Poulsbo as can be found in the U.S. and I say that on many levels. I love to travel and I enjoy experiencing new cultures and places. And as the actual logistics of getting there go, I have to appreciate that I had good flights with no delays. But Miami is a long way away! I had to connect in Chicago on my way out, so I had two long flights. My day started at 3:30am so I could catch the 5am transport to the airport (I could not do that to John....a 3 hour round trip to the airport at 0'dark thirty is no fun). Then waiting and flying and sitting (lots of sitting) all day until I finally arrived in my hotel room at 9:30pm Miami time (6:30 to me). Then it was reading until I  could reasonably go to sleep in order to be down at the conference for a 7:30am start (4:30 to my little brain). Why anyone thinks that attending a conference is laden with "fun", some kind of boondoggle away from work, is beyond me. Maybe they haven't had the pleasure of attending one. I find them interesting, sometimes uplifting, and always worthwhile, but rarely have I ever had "fun" as the main feature. If I am attending with a work associate, there's usually a dinner somewhere and, depending on the associate, it can be relaxed (which translates to some amount of "fun") or it can be one of those socially stifled occasions where you are making nice with a "work associate". I traveled on my own this time, so aside from the actual event that started early and finished at 5 or 5:30, I enjoyed my own company. Fortunately, I enjoy that company. I flew back on Saturday, once again starting my day at 5am Miami time. It was a direct flight home (6+ hours) where John did in fact pick me up from the airport. We enjoyed lunch at Dave's Diner near the airport and then back to the absolute peace and beauty of the place we live. It might take us an hour and a half to get there from the airport, but it's worlds away from the city.

John and I didn't have much time to catch up as he left Sunday midday for a conference in Las Vegas and then on to the Bay Area per our usual routine. He'll return tomorrow evening. While he was in LV, he had a chance to visit with son Gareth which made the trip much more enjoyable. It's that face-to-face time that we have precious little of these days. Meanwhile, it's turned sunny here but quite chilly (the 20's overnight). I can't complain about that given the state the rest of the country is in at the moment. Spring isn't far off up here as we notice the trees have buds waiting to open. And the light is coming earlier and staying later day by day. I don't even need to leave the gate lights on for my post-work arrival now.

John will be home tomorrow and we'll have time to settle in and enjoy the routines that make up our days. Saturday is the monthly Farm Breakfast. And Sunday we will watch my Packers (yes, with my Cheese head hat on for that added support) win the Super Bowl! Welcome February....

Here and There, This and That...

I'll be off to Miami on Tuesday for a conference. I've never been there and it seems about as diametrically opposed to my current surroundings as it could be and certainly as far a trip as one could find from here in the continental U.S. It will be "interesting" but not really a trip for seeing much of the sights. John will keep the home fires burning and when I return it will be his turn to travel. He'll be going to Las Vegas for a conference and then on to his regular beat in California before we have real face time. Truth be told, we'd both prefer to stay here and goof off, but a mortgage is a strict task master.

The rain came as promised this week but we had some sun in there as well. The snow-covered mountains are fabulous this time of year. There is just so much "eye candy" up here. We've also turned the corner on winter as it is getting light earlier and staying later. Not too much just yet, but at least I'm not driving to and from work in what son Jake describes as "camping-dark". That makes the commute much less tiresome. We bought a ramp for our brown dog to make getting in and out of the vehicles a bit easier. She'll turn 13 in another couple months which translates to about 91 in human years if the 7:1 ratio holds true. She's much younger in spirit (aren't we all?) but the jumping in and out, up and down, was taking a bit longer with more effort. I took her with me to retrieve John from the pick-up place when he returned home Thursday night and, while she needed some encouragement to use the ramp, she was able to ride in the new (and significantly higher) vehicle. Prior to the ramp, I would have had to lift her into this car so the ramp is good for both of us older ladies :-)

John is ramping up (no pun intended) for the garden this year. We'll add a couple more fruit trees to our "orchard" and try to get an earlier jump on planting this year. I am nearly at the end of our potatoes from last year and am using the last bag of frozen blackberries in my morning smoothies. I'd like to get a little freezer this year to store some things but I'll have to balance that with the potential for power outages and potential loss. We're considering putting concrete down on the garage side of the house where it gets very wet in the winter. The grading and reseeding effort didn't seem to make much difference to the amount of sloppy, wet puddles there. If we do that, a small greenhouse might just be a good addition to that space. A few dry days now and then and he will begin to work on creating a level foundation for the shed that will be priority #1 this year.

So, the weekend brings groceries, homework, housework, and football. But first a shower and then off to dig my Cheesehead "hat" out of the closet. Go Packers! Priorities.....

Grab Bag....

It's been kind of a mixed bag this past week. Weather has varied from 5 inches of snow on Monday night followed by slush (new boots very helpful there) which, in turn, has been followed by warm temperatures (mid 50s) and rain straight from Hawaii. Steady, drenching rain. Being the near-local that I am now (insert smugness here), I don't even use an umbrella anymore. Just put the hood up and go. This week suggests that lower temperatures will return as well as lower snow levels which lessens the  chances of flooding in areas. We haven't been threatened by any of that but the stream is flowing heartily.

John and Zoe have been up to their usual routines this week; a few trips out to run some errands or just to get out of the house. Nice as it is to work at home and commute up the stairs, a trip to the 'burg now and then is a welcome distraction. John will be off to California this next week and we will be in "counting the days mode". My schedule has been busy this week and it has been nice to come home to dinner being readied. One of the perks of having a work-at-home husband.

Last weekend I did not get to my quilt project as first thought. Instead, we had a football weekend! We don't usually watch much "American football", but the playoffs are on and the Seattle Seahawks (i.e. our home team) are unexpectedly playing. We settled in and watched them beat the more highly-rated, defending champions New Orleans Saints and it was great fun. And we're tuned in again this weekend. We watched the Green Bay Packers trounce the Atlanta Falcons yesterday. If our Seahawks win today, I will have a difficult choice to make next week as I am a Cheese Head (even have the head gear). But I'm also a Pete Carroll fan. Football fans will understand those last few sentences.

I received the most delightful communication this week. I have been researching my family tree for several years and I had reached a dead end on my father's side; couldn't seem to find information about my grandfather's family. So, a long while back, I placed a query on the bulletin board there. This week, a "family member" replied. And she didn't only reply, she has reams of information and shares it readily! The daughter of my second cousin lives in Cambridge, UK. This is like finding a treasure that has been buried and the map lost. I love having the information; it feels like something is being completed. But, having a connection in the form of a real person who shares a lineage is very special. I'm sure one day we will meet in person on one of our trips over there.

I'll be off to get a massage this morning. Finding a massage practitioner (they don't call them therapists up here) fills in yet another box in my "establishing life in a new place" list. I will enjoy every moment and will surely benefit. My job is largely the sedentary kind; hours spent at a computer. Not the best conditions for staying in condition. So, like a car that benefits from an oil change, I will appreciate my tune-up. And my second quarter has started in my online program at UW (University of Washington). It promises to be a heavy one and, wouldn't ya know it, I have buggered up my log-in account. It's a long story and it's my fault. Just hope they can get me back in before I "show up late for class" too many times. Meanwhile, it's all good....

Quietude...

Not much to report this week. It came. It went. There were bits and pieces in there as with any week. I started and finished a book, John traveled to and from California, work went along well enough, and here we are at the weekend. We had supper in Kingston last night at our "local" to smooth the way. I'll get a haircut and do a few errands in town this morning.

John reports that he went out to his car yesterday to take some packages to post and found his car dead as a doornail. Further inspection revealed that mice had chewed through his battery wires. He remedied that and will do a more permanent fix today. To the battery that is; not the mice. If only.

Sewing machine is set up very nicely in the new cabinet. Maybe I'll work on that wall hanging. That would be very satisfying. It's that quiet time of the year when the house and garden aren't demanding much attention. That will pass soon enough. The seed catalogs are arriving daily :-)

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Welcome 2011! It's 18 degrees outside, frosty but no rain. Clear as a bell. Still dark. We'll be off to the monthly Farm Breakfast this morning.

We enjoyed a visit last week with son Jacob who arrived on Christmas Day and left on Thursday. It's a quiet (rainy) time of the year so the visit was low-key. The only "adventure" was the mouse reported in the last entry. After that, it was movies, dinners out, conversation and such. Very nice. I like face time with my "kids".

Lots of folks are on vacation at work and the hospital has been quiet. I worked from home a few days as well. And John had an extra week at home between California trips. Things will get back to "normal" now.

On the home front, since it has been so cold we have been using our alternate heat; the all electric source. The heat pump has little heat to pump and struggles to keep up. So, there's this "emergency heat source" function on the thermostat that we figured out this year. Nice...

I'd like to get my sewing machine and cabinet set up this weekend so I can grab the right moments to work on a wall-hanging that's been in the queue. I won't have to rely on the dining room table to have the machine at the ready and collect all the bits and pieces of a project when I can work on it. They will be waiting for me! In my new-found lingo, that's a much Leaner process :-)

Forgetting Lean for a moment, we are off to breakfast and then I will watch the Rose Parade as usual and John will tape soccer matches for watching later. Happy New Year to us all...