02-27-15

So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, good-bye.  The station wagon served us well for many many years.  When the kids were little they would sit on the third bench, backwards.  When the kids were young drivers they gave the poor wagon more than a few battle scars.  It's falling apart.  No longer freeway worthy.  Heck, it's practically worthless. It's time to part ways.  Two vehicles gone this month, this one by choice.

02-26-15

How many Shark Tank products are in your life?

We have some...

Ice Chips mints
Wild Squirrel Nut Butters
Element Bars snacks
ScrubDaddy sponge
Grace and Lace boot socks
Bombas socks
Groovebook photo subscription

02-25-15

Last night was the finale episode of Master Chef Jr.

Nathan, the great baker, is turning head with his dessert.  I was intrigued with the Earl Grey and Meyer Lemon Tart.  Debbie is more than intrigued, she is going to try to replicate it.  And Bruce was inspired by the blood orange coulis to make a berry coulis to go with dinner.

Yum!

02-24-15

Party on Commerce!  We were on our way to walk in Kelso when we saw that a new Ingress player was near downtown, so we swung by, introduced ourselves, and gave him some pointers.  Next thing we know there was a gaggle of Ingressers, impromptu gathering!

02-23-15

How do you photograph alone?  Came home to an empty house twice today, and the lake was empty for our walk in the dark.  This is my impressionistic photo of the moon in the sky and the lampposts down at street level.  It looks like snow on the ground, but it isn't.

02-22-15

This photo was taken on our block, but we traveled far and wide around town today on foot.  Because it was sunny and warm.  Lot's of signs of spring! 

02-21-15

Saturday brought sunshine, steps walked, and lots of neat artwork to explore.  This was the first stop of the day, at a really fun looking kiddie pool water slide complex in Centralia.  Bruce is collecting portal keys and sending links in an attempt to help the Resistance team triumph.  Yep, this is our free entertainment.

02-20-15

This is the spot where the scooter is usually parked.  But not today, because it was stolen last night.  Not the funnest way to start the weekend.  Police, case numbers, insurance reports, and the frustration of more money and energy to maintain the status quo...

02-19-15

I’ve been wanting to give myself a pedicure for over a week.  I can tell I need one when my shoes start to hurt.  This is the first time I’ve used the spacers, they feel like an ancient torture device.  Nobody every sees my toes, but it still makes me happy to have them bright and cheery.

02-18-15

"Dinner's ready.  Burgers and fries int he kitchen." - Bruce
"Those aren't burgers." - Xander, eyeing the veggie burgers on thin buns
"And those aren't fries." - Xander eyeing the spiralized potatoes

About 20 minutes later, when Anastasia got home, there was a very similar conversation...  call it what you want, it's dinner!

02-17-15

When I mention to Bruce that I am missing a blog photo for the day, normally that leads to him pulling out his camera and snapping some photos of me.  Tonight, night walking the lake, beefing up our blue portals.

02-16-15

Clear weather means gorgeous sunsets.

02-15-15

All-you-can-eat sushi for lunch.  Tempura veggies in the middle, fruit and veggie sushi around the edges.  So green and pretty.  Yum!

02-14-15

Happy Valentine's Day!

We spent part of he day getting so filthy that we needed showers.  It was an alley clean-up day int he Highlands - trolling the alley looking for large items to pick up and dispose of.  

Shows true love that Bruce is willing to support my passion projects.

02-13-15

Name that hangout... Subzero!

Neither kid was home for dinner, but they magically appear for dessert out.

TGIF!

02-12-15

What a gorgeous warm sunny day!  In February!  Too bad I'm not feeling well enough to enjoy it! Rain seems more appropriate for camping out on the couch.

02-11-15

Bruce helped Xander pull off a Valentines dinner this evening for his girlfriend.  Bacon cheeseburgers and french fries by candlelight. It would have been fun to just sit in the nook and watch, truly.

02-10-15

Not feeling much better, but moving a bit seems to help, so I'm trying to clear my scrapbook room of my card making supplies.  These are my latest and probably last batch of cards, for Anastasia to take to Europe as hostess gifts.

02-09-15

You know it's a bad day when you sit on the couch and watch 5 TV shows back to back.  Sicky, sicky.

02-08-15

Before Ingress, we didn't notice the benches at the lake and surrounding parks very much.  In Ingress, if there is a memorial plaque, they qualify to become a portal, so we are more aware of them now.  We noticed a bench had been replaced with a newer style.  Bruce is submitting a photo update to Ingress.

Restful day close to home while the kids traveled far and wide.

02-07-15

Bruce and I headed to Tualatin today to participate in the First Saturday anomaly event.  What is that, you ask?  When over 70 self proclaimed geeks and nerds descend on a park and spend the next two hours battling over portals to see who can accumulate the most points.  Yep, more Ingress talk, more Ingress fun, and more movement - almost 9 miles walked today!  They were actually filming a documentary at the event about the health benefits of playing Ingress.

02-06-15

How much time can you spend looking for flights from Seattle/Portland to Helsinki to Zurich to Seattle/Portland?  Turns out a lot of time... and here I thought Anastasia would sort out her graduation trip without much guidance.

I did, however, also get out with friends for a scrapbooking evening, and I finished making two chipboard albums for her to take to Finland  and Switzerland as part of her hostess gift packages.

Happy weekend!

02-05-15

We've been spending a lot of after hours in downtown Longview.  It's difficult to photograph, but look at the pretty new sidewalks.  The construction is wrapping up the signs and artwork is migrating back to it's normal location, and there are a bunch of level 8 portals.

02-04-15

Dunno why Xander wanted to showcase the new printer toner.  I just snap the photos for the few moments between him coming in the door and saying good-night...

02-03-15

Oh to be young and full of energy and enthusiasm.

Anastasia got a committee T-shirt and Teen Ambassador business cards at the Relay for Life kick off meeting this evening.  As I'm trying to blend in and not acquire any new roles or expectations.  The "drink more milk" sign makes me unhappy - drink more milk if you want to be a cancer patient, maybe.  It's harder and harder to support the American Cancer Society bureaucracy.

I was going to crop the car keys out of the photo, but maybe they will be interesting and nostalgic someday.

02-02-15

Today was a Monday of Mondays.

First clue: my empty fuel and Maintenance Required buttons both flashing in my car.

Second clue: both of my favorite kinds of homemade cookies in the lunchroom, on day 1 of trying to not snack between meals

Next clue: at about 2pm work exploded.  Mondays are normally my most productive work day, not the most chaotic.

Next clue: drained after getting home late.  Bad attitude, bad energy, bad Monday.

02-01-15

February!  How can that be?

Anastasia wearing our only Seahawks paraphernalia.  How can that be?

The Seahawks didn't win.  How can that be?!?

01-31-15

Family day on Superbowl weekend.  I thought it would be fun to add the 12th man gnome to the photo in tribute.  Fun driving through Seattle and seeing all the 12 flags and green and blue.