The Great Escape: A Prequel

I introduced you to Angel, the kitty escape artist, in a previous post. Here she is in action. Had to get it on video...photographs wouldn't do it justice. 

Pet Sitting our Favorite Bulldog

We are expert pet sitters. Tell your friends, tell your family...we are open for business. We missed all of our pet sitting jobs when we lived in Mississippi, and are so happy to be back. Our favorite house belongs to Curly the bulldog. We have a framed picture of Curly on our mantle. My husband loves this dog. His dream is to own a bulldog one day. My dream is that he will get his bulldog fix from pet sitting. In any case, we both love to take care of Lord Curlington.

Mimi's Cowboy Bathroom

Those of you who know my Mimi, or have known me long enough to hear me brag about her, know what an incredibly creative and gifted woman she is. She is a fabulous seamstress, quilter, knitter, scrapbooker, painter, cook, baker, hostess, party-thrower and interior decorator, and she is always using her talent to make other people happy. I love everything she has ever done for me...aprons, quilts, purses, cards, photo albums, picture frames, bedrooms...we're not talking not tacky grandmother stuff here...its the real deal. And I love her house. She is always doing something or other to spruce up the place. One of my favorite spaces in her home is her Cowboy Bathroom...kind of a John Wayne-style tip-of-the-hat to all of her kids and grandkids. I had to take some photos of it on my last visit. Love it!



Smoke Free Campus

Another thing I wanted to remember about our time in Mississippi was a scenerio we encountered on a somewhat regular basis on the way to work. The hospital where I was employed was a smoke-free, tobacco-free campus, as stated on the blue sign in the middle of this picutre. Well, patients would get around this rule by taking their smoke breaks on the sidewalk in front of the hospital, so they were not technically "on campus". But sometimes, they didn't quite make it down to the sidewalk. That was funny enough since the no smoking sign is right there in the front lawn. But sometimes, it got even better--patients in hosptial gowns, hooked up to IV's, would light up their Marlboros right there in front of that darn sign. I took my camera to work every day during my last week in hopes of caputuring this on film. On my very last day, just when I thought I might never be able to document this, lo and behold, there were two of them out there just waiting for me. Hospital gowns, IV's, cigs, and all. I said a prayer of thanks (for which my husband rebuked me) and grabbed my camera. I wish this were a better picture, but my husband wouldn't slow down or stop. He is a nicer person than I. I don't care you who are, this is funny.

The Garden of Eden

I took pictures of things I wanted to remember when we were getting ready to leave Mississippi. This is one of them. We named it "The Garden of Eden". It is an oasis of beauty situated in the middle of seminary housing in Clinton, MS, courtesy of my good friend and neighor, Dee Dee.  The first thing she did when she moved in? Did she unpack, move boxes around, set up her living room? Nope. She headed straight to Lowe's to take care of the most important part of the house: her patio. There are no backyards in the townhomes, but there are patios. Most people don't do much with them, but Dee Dee is not most people. The inside of her house is gorgeous too, complete with curtains, custom upholstered furniture, decorative pillows and paintings, all of which she has done herself, but my favorite thing about her home is definitely this little "add on" outside her living room window. Moving away from friends has been hard, and I'm thinking about Dee Dee today especially because Tuesdays were our Starbucks days, but distance can't change the fact that is she is one of my dear friends, and I know when I go back for a visit, Dee Dee and her patio will be there waiting for me :) 

The Great Escape

Looks like a nice day outside...

We are living with my inlaws. I love them, and I love their cat. Angel is an inside cat, but her dream is to live in the wild, or at least the front yard. She is always perched and ready for an unsuspecting human to leave the front door open so she can have an adventure. This is how it usually goes:




Maybe if I jump down, someone will open the glass door.



I'm waiting....

Come on! There's a squirrel out there with my name on it.

Oooh, someone opened it...here's my chance.

I'm out!! Let's see if the front yard still smells the same as I remember....

The sweet aroma of freedom...I am a lion and the world is my jungle.



It was nice while it lasted, but that inlaw got me again. Inside I go to plan my next breakout..



I Miss Asians

My husband and I have an ongoing debate about the demographic make-up of our home states. He says there is an Asian population in Florida. Compared to Washington, I disagree. Florida cannot hold a candle to our Vietnamese noodle shops, our sushi, or the Chinatown districts in all our major cities. I went to a grocery store while I was visiting home, and just had to take a picture of the aisle sign to support my case.

Rebecca from the Map



Where do I live, Honey?



Two of my best childhood friends are sisters that lived down the street, Kasia and Andrea. We are all grown up now, and Kasia has kids of her own. I was so surprised that Isaiah knew my name so well since I don't get to see him very often. Turns out Kasia is teaching him the U.S. states by associating people who live in each one. So, I was a bit of a celebrity when I came to visit: Rebecca from the Map. 

  

Forever friends :)



Work it Zay!

Hi baby!!





Seattle



Typical Seattle day



Every time I go home to Washington, my Dad and I spend a day in Seattle. First stop: Owajimaya in Chinatown, the biggest Asian market I have ever seen. Second stop: Pike Place Market, including the fish tossin' at Pike Place Fish Company, fresh flowers, endless produce, local artists, and street performers. Third stop: cross the street to get coffee at the original Starbucks and grab lunch at an ethnic restaurant of choice. Perfect day.

  

Owajimaya has an entire aisle dedicated to ramen. Love it!



Pike Place Fish Company

Home of the flying fish!

Check out that salmon!

Now these are some real crab legs

Close your eyes and smell the fresh!

Five bucks per bouquet. Amazing.

Did he just roll his piano downtown? Don't worry, I tipped him after I took his picture.

The original Starbucks girl was a little scandalous, huh?

Prime time spot for a street band.

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Look at this bass!

A little cajun flair

Yummy Piroshky from the Russian bakery, filled with Spinach and cheese. Buttery pastry goodness!

Northwest-grown Dahlias bigger than your face!

Lulu's 99th Birthday

 

 

Awesome cake from the Cake Studio!

Last week while my husband and friends were packing our moving truck in Mississippi, I got on a plane and went home to Washington to celebrate by great grandma's 99th birthday. Her name is Doris Lulu. We call her Lulu :) It was so good to be there. We had a big party, enjoyed a family cookout, ate lots of dinners together, and mom and I played Lulu's favorite hymns on our guitars. Good times were had by all. Happy Birthday, Lulu! 





This is the famous "Four Generation" picture pose we've been doing since I was 2.

Now where do we put our hand again?

Me, Annette, and Uncle Jeff :)

Me and my cousin Zoe



Uncle Farrell and Lulu



Mimi and Pop Pop. Love them!





Pop Pop looks good for 81, huh? And he can still cook up a storm!



He made a belated birthday dinner for me, too!



Filet mignon, prawns, ceasar salad, green beens, potatoes, and bread. Pop Pop is awesome!





The grandmas and the grandkids

Making targets...

Shooting at targets...

Watching for ashes from the fire pit. Cute!

Guitars, guitars everywhere!





Lulu's birthday slippers :)