no garfield is good garfield

I detest Garfield. I mean the comic strip cat, not the musically precocious Seattle high school. Why? Is it the perpetual mean-spirited humor? Is it the way he regularly abuses the dog character, who's portrayed as a drooling idiot? Is it the pathetically cat-strated Jon, Garfield's master, who makes me want to burn those books? Yes, it's all of that. But it's more.

Rowan loves Garfield. No, he doesn't just love Garfield...borrowing from Woody Allen, he lurves, loaves, absolutely luufs Garfield! And we have a house rule: if he'll read it, it will come. So the house is full of Garfield books. Which I could handle. Y'know, avert my eyes & such. Except that Rowan likes to read the "funny ones" out loud for others to "enjoy."

Hey, parenthood don't come for free; I know this. But I ask you, a combined total of over 50 hours in labor, all those diapers, the sleepless nights, the hospital trips, My God--the PTA MEETINGS... haven't I suffered enough?!

Apparently so. Because some internet angel saw fit to create, just for me & my kind, this New & Improved Garfield comic strip. If you are anything like me, you won't be disappointed. -k8-

can I get the 4-1 on that?

I thought turning 41 would be a real downer. I mean, how boring is that? 41?! Yawn.

Boy, was I wrong. Dead wrong.

While drinking my morning tea, I finally got to open a big "don't open until 2/19!" box that had been taunting me for many days. It turned out to be a teapot commissioned by dear ol' Da, from a potter in London, Ontario who was his student back in the '70s. Doesn't it look handsome sitting between my 2 favorite Dryden Pottery pieces.







The day continued on the upswing as the family headed out on a hike northward with a soccer ball and both dogs, about 2 miles up the Interurban Trail, all the way to my new favorite taquerilla, El Carreton. (See previous post for a complete review of this fine eatery-in-a-bus.)

Later that afternoon, basking in the sun and breathing the crisp air, I enjoyed a long solo soak in the hot tub. Meanwhile, my very excellent husband created a fabulous feast that featured thai chili glazed salmon...mmmmm! Rowan was in charge of table decorations.












I made strawberry chocolate crepes for dessert. Cake schmake. Larkin presented me with a sprightly green knit cap so freshly finished that it was still warm!
















Late that night I found Rowan had placed a final surprise on my bed. He explained the next day that he knew how great it was to get money for your birthday, but he wasn't sure if I'd gotten any, so he plundered his piggy bank.





From here, 41 doesn't look so bad. -k8-

2008 shows me the love

I've been meaning to post more pictures and highlights from 2007, but 2008 keeps getting in the way! And what a loving, generous year it's been thus far.

Take this act of kindness, for example. We asked Chas if he knew the maker of his blue rocking chair, because we really liked it and wanted to track one down. A few days later he shows up at our door with the chair. His story was that when his new couch arrived, it made his living room too cramped. Riiiiiight...

Speaking of generous, but also of brave, here's Larkin at the wheel. I'm sitting in the passenger seat while she practices. That's the generous, brave part.

Does anyone tire of seeing this animal love fest?

Many days before Valentine’s Day™, Tim came home with these beautiful tulips for me. I love spring flowers above all others.

Here's the view while saying the pledge of allegiance at our local caucus. Hadn't said it in many years, but it came right back. I will whole heartedly support either democratic candidate, but I have to say after the caucus experience that there are some folks out there who have gone completely Obomkers. Clintonians appeared to be more of the nose-to-the-grindstone, let's-get this-current-mess-cleaned-up, type people, while the Obomites have their heads in the clouds with their eyes toward the future. A lot to be said for either perspective, though I prefer a mix of both. I think it would be too much to hope for to have the two as running mates, but I am still hopeful one of them will at least ask Edwards to partner up.

We attended the annual BHS Music Program spaghetti dinner benefit. Larkin performed in 2 choirs, and we enjoyed fellowship with a few friends who came to show their support. None was more supportive than little Eli (photo credit: Rowan Murray).

I thoroughly and completely destroyed Tim the other night in a brutal Scrabble battle. He even tried desperately to get points for "presatanized." Would anyone have allowed that? It seemed like blatant capitalization of my brilliance, and anyway, when would you ever use that word? "He seemed like such a nice boy when he was presatanized. Once he was satanized, things really went down hill." Tim got back at me yesterday, though, by beating me in 5 straight games of racquetball.

Many folks know about my love for Highway 99 and my intentions to someday write its history, titled, Highway 99: Route 66 Turned Upside Down. One can always find historical hotspots along its stretches. Take this gas station I passed the other day. Time warp!

Another Hwy 99 treasure: an old school bus converted to a Mexican restaurant. You can order to-go out the side window, or you can step inside for a sit down meal. That's what I did. And whoa, 4 carne asada tacos and a Coke for 4.49? You'd pay that much in Tijuana! The Mexican couple that run it are warm and friendly. He takes the orders while she does the cooking. !Muy Bueno!

We loved seeing Emma's play performed at the Seattle Rep. She was one of 4 high school students who's plays were selected for professional performance. Emma's was particularly funny.

Snow has been a more regular visitor this winter. I took this shot from our deck and didn't alter the colors at all. What a captivating light there was that day!

Rowan created this snowman all by himself. You can see the pride of workmanship on his face.

The sounds of the birds in our trees can be deafening some mornings. When you watch this, turn the volume up to eleven. -k8-

larkin in wonderland

Today brings us our 2nd in a series of 2007 highlights. We have a Very Special Installment for you!

After giving up a weekend a month all year to do restoration work for the Student Conservation Assn, Larkin then spent 15 days on Mt. Rainier last August. Her group worked on closed portions of the Wonderland Trail that were ravaged in last winter's storms. They tented in a rustic Forest Service camp with pit toilets and no showers.

Upon her return, I asked Larkin to be a guest writer on LaughBlog to tell us all about her experience. Unfortunately, school started soon thereafter and the idea was pushed to the bottom of her to-do list. But I have the next best thing: Larkin agreed to let me transcribe this letter she sent from camp.

-------------------------------------------------------------
Sunday, August 19th, 2007

Dear Mom, De, Robo, Rita, Eartha, and Fish,

I miss you guys a lot. But mostly I miss home. I'm ready to come home now but I won't. It was all fun at first. Now it's just getting up early, eating dehydrated food and sandwiches, working 8 hours a day, peeing in the woods, trying to hold poo until I can get to the camp bathrooms, eating cheese and rice with every dinner, and sleeping in a tent with 3 other girls. Not to mention that I smell terrible and may never be able to scrub away all the dirt on my skin. And the blackheads, so many new blackheads. And right now it's raining. It's our rest/rec day and R**, M**, and I are hiding in our tent until noon, when we all have to pack into the van and drive around Rainier looking at places we haven't seen yet. That is, places we don't live or work.

When I get home I am going to immediately abuse all the privileges I don't have here. I am going to take at least a 30 minute shower then spend the next hour in the bathroom with my mirror and beauty products. Then I am going to go on the computer and email or message everyone I have ever known. Then I am going to watch High School Musical 2 on demand, then I am going to do something else disgustingly self-serving that I haven't thought of yet. The whole time I am to listen and sing along with loud music. And at some point I am going to eat a large steak and/or a large amount of raw fish.

I'm really sorry if this sounds disappointing and you wish I would talk about more fun things, but I'm really tired and I don't want to do anything but sleep and write today. We have had 5 workdays and will have 6 more. The next rest/rec day is Thursday.... I have made some really good friends here at least. B** is uber awesome and W** is really cool (but totally geekin'). I wouldn't ever see M**, but I'll probably talk to him on MySpace. M**** and R** both go to Ballard, and B** is switching there this year from Summit.

I'm tired and I think we're going to be eating lunch then leaving soon, so I don't know how much longer I have to write. Again, I miss you guys and the real world so much. I can't wait to see you all in about a week. Mucho hugs and kisses.

Love you all, Larkin

P.S. I meant it about the steak and raw fish, I've been having cravings for 3 days now.

P.P.S. I figured out Fish's name, it's Murcucio, as in Romeo & Juliet (my spelling is wrong though).
-------------------------------------------------------------


By the time we picked her up 8 days later, she was glowing--triumphant, proud, and oh so smelly!

Disappointed, she asked? Tim and I were both in tears by the end of her letter, between all the laughing and the swelling pride. She's really quite a person, that Larkin. -k8-

lucky 07

Here's a smattering of random moments caught over the course of 2007:

With a trailhead only half a block from our house, we spend a lot of time walking, riding, or playing on the Interurban Trail. I love this picture of Rowan running to catch cousin Max's toss of a super bouncy ball.


Bonus: see if you can read what's written on the ball...you may have to click on the picture.

About 10 blocks north on the trail sits this freight container off in the brush. I regularly see damp blankets and discarded food containers underneath, betraying a private, semi-dry spot to avoid the Seattle rain. When this graffiti appeared one day, the irony did not escape me.

Keeping with the Interurban theme, here's Tim and me in early '07 sledding the modest hill that runs down to the trail. There's so little snow, you can see the grass poking through, but around here we'll take what we can get!

Louis and Mark's feet as they run through a little stream's waterfall in the Japanese garden.

Rod by sconce light.

I found this picture online when doing a search for "Allgeier," the adopted name I grew up with and is on my legal birth certificate. This is the grave of my dad's dad, killed in WWII. Albert would never get to meet his son, who was only 7 months old at the time. His young, beautiful widow would soon remarry and add 8 more children to their blue collar, Catholic family in Erie, PA. I find it amazing that though I never knew the man, and though I'm not likely to ever visit Margraten, I can nonetheless see my grandfather's gravestone in the Netherlands American Military Cemetery. I love the internet.

Since we met in the student union at college when we were 19, I've been telling Tim what great hair he has. Imagine my delight when I found these two pictures! The orange shirt one is from a July '06 camping trip, and the black shirt is almost exactly 1 year later. As you can see, Tim got a wild hair in 2007. You'll find that when I eventually post the July '08 Tim-by-Lantern-Light picture, his hair will be back to its more modest self.

I'm cheating here, since this picture is actually from '06. I like to call it "Kid Soup." Note the weaponry necessary to keep them in line. Needless to say, we drained and cleaned the hot tub the next day.

There are so many more good ones...this may have to be Part One in a series. -k8-

make it suntory time

Highlights since Christmas:

Spending new year's eve in Portland with my baby bro, who faces the big three-OH! this year.

Hot chocolate dates with special friends, such as Owen the Fairy Princess.

All the quality time spent relaxing with the kids and critters. And check out those fabulous fingerless gloves Larkin knit for me.

Another successful contract training, first one in an academic setting. Yay! I got to bill someone for my services! Yay!

Getting to know little Adeline, the sweetest angel this side of Cloud 9.

Finding a home for the piano, thereby reclaiming the living room. How about that feng shui!

One night in the shadow of the Space Needle watching Rod and Tim work a bottle of Suntory, like outta Lost in Translation. -k8-

squeaky toys

This is a little something I like to call

Christmas Carnage...

-k8-

blades of glory

We had our annual holiday rendezvous with Sarah's family yesterday, which is always the quintessential Seattle Experience. We meet at the Seattle Center, which is a giant park and cultural mecca built for the 1962 Worlds Fair. It includes such icons as the Space Needle, Monorail station, and EMP, as well as the opera, ballet, theaters, museums, sports arenas...I could go on and on. But for one magical month every Christmas, it also features a semi-outdoor skating rink. Seattle doesn't come close to achieving the temperatures necessary to sustain an outdoor rink, making this one extra special.

We started the morning in the Center House enjoying assorted Starbuck beverages and baked goods, followed by a gift exchange. The coolest present had to be the ducks and honey bees their family gave us. We really appreciated that gift because it will keep giving in a meaningful way for a long time.

We also feasted our eyes on the extensive, tiny Victorian village that is set up each year. Rowan stood in line to be first when the conductor started allowing kids to help him operate the electric trains that wind through the village. He even scored a wooden train whistle from the conductor.

With those festivities concluded, we all headed for the rink where we paid a dour man in a little booth for entry and skate rentals. Each year, I'm reminded of when I was a kid and ALWAYS owned my own skates. Being raised in the east and midwest, I could always count on months of good skating. My favorite pond was in Fredonia, NY. There was an old shack next to it where you could warm up by a stone fireplace, and buy bad hot chocolate in a styrofoam cup for a quarter. It was the best bad hot chocolate ever. I always burnt my tongue.

From about 4th grade on, the day after Christmas usually meant hopping a Greyhound bus for the 8-13 hour trip to spend the rest of winter break with me dear ol' da in Ottawa, Canada. Upon arrival, there was always the initial visit to the skate-swap place to trade in our outgrown skates for "new" ones. It was essential to have skates there, as Ottawa boasts the longest skating canal in the world, winding for 8k through the city. Throughout the long winters, the canal is dotted with hot chocolate huts and chip shacks, and intricate ice sculptures that are judged in an annual contest.

And every winter, right up to yesterday, there's that ache I get in my ankles after I've been at it for awhile. But like all the years before, I ignore it and keep skating. One of the beauties of the outdoor rink is the way your feet eventually go numb. I find this to be a key endurance factor. I just plain love to skate. I can still do simple spins, but I'd need less of a crowd to attempt anything more adventurous. This short-timer rink was packed in no time, with a large number of the skaters being Rowan-sized or less and using little "walkers" to stay upright.

Larkin impressed everyone by boldly skating alone for the first time this year, and with enthusiasm to boot. She took a couple of spills, but just kept on going. In fact, she was the last one off the ice and could have gone longer. That was enough to thaw my frozen feet right there!

As tradition dictates, we finished off the rendezvous with an all-family spin on the old carousel outside the rink. I love that thing. Each horse has unique decorations that tell a story about its life before it was captured and rooted to a pole. Some are madly gnashing at their bits, some look like they're prancing happily. I saw one with tears in its eyes, and one armed for battle. The one must have known something about the other.

It's Christmas Eve now, and as I write, I think of the different family and friends near and far who may read this. I wish for each of you a moment of pure, childlike joy that allows you to access that feeling of unfettered freedom and limitless possibilities.

Merry Christmas to all! -k8-

hug-a-teacher day

He makes a real difference to a lot of young people on a daily basis.

My hero. -k8-

snow dogg

Lest you think we're nothing but sunshine and granola over here, I have proof that we occasionally experience actual "weather."

Behold, Leo's first snow!

Tim took this one in our front yard, under my favorite birch tree. A very unusual Seattle scene. -k8-

thanks were given

This Thanksgiving we declined all offers (no matter how tempting), loaded backpacks, and hiked all over Discovery Park with the kids and dogs. We walked for hours, looking for shells and pretty stones, discovering gnome trails and hobbit holes. The day was cold and clear.

As the sun dipped over Puget Sound, we sat on a scenic overlook to enjoy a deluxe picnic, complete with turkey sandwiches and mashed potato chips.

For all of this, I am truly thankful. -k8-

morning fire

Did anyone in Seattle catch yesterday's truly magnificent sunrise? I took this picture out our bedroom window, and while a bit blurry, it wasn't altered in any way. The sky was on fire! -k8-

rowan double feature

I know that I just blogged about the little guy, but it happened to be Rowan's 8th birthday last weekend. He had a party on Saturday with 8 of his school chums. We decked the double-doored garage out fiesta-style, leaving one door open to courtside.

In between showings of old cartoons like Fat Albert and Tom & Jerry, the kids played out on the court. Soccer, basketball, scooter & bike riding, and a lot of chalk art. Even Rita got in on the action.


Rowan received a nice collection of gifts from his friends, but none has been more highly prized than this Naruto headband. He has barely taken it off since.
-k8-