Sometimes Tacoma just Ticks Me Off.

Yeah. It does. Because it’s the city and I haven’t lived in the city in such a while that I got a little cocky about it.

So cocky, in fact, that I left a bag on the seat of my car while I went to early morning Yoga and when I got out my bag was gone that this is what was left of my window.

See it? There was a little left on the other side too-

The rest was on the floor-

and in my purse, and in my seat belt clicker rendering it useless  for buckling on the way back home. (I got the stray piece out with some tweezers).

Yes, my purse remained untouched even though it was inches from the stolen bag, which had my lunch, a good pair of jeans, shirt, knitted socks, nice earrings, and a really good umbrella. I hope the stupid thief enjoyed the thrill. I enjoyed the stress and the 250 dollar price tag of replacing the window. Which, fortunately, was done by Speedy glass in an hour. Yep. Because obviously in Tacoma they get lots of practice. I guess they get lots of practice in Seattle too, from what I hear.

So now I feel a little nervous about what I used to do-like running early in the AM. But I can’t really let it bother me. I run on well lit streets AND there are lots of other runners and walkers at 5:30 AM. Still. I think I’ll start carrying my phone……

In other news, I went to a Christmas Craft Fair a week or so ago and picked up some beer for the dogs. Because nothing says crazy pet owner caring like buying fake beer for your dog.

Yeah. I know.

And on the knitting front the Knit Swirl is coming along. It’s a LOT of knitting for sure.

And I have some socks that won’t knit themselves. And a quilt top that’s almost done. I may have a smart machine but it doesn’t have opposable thumbs to do the job without me. I worked on that this morning during the Sunday AM football games.

And now-off to watch some evening Packer football and get back down to knitting. Which I was doing during the afternoon football games. Ya gotta love all the football all the time on Direct TV.

Fan love…..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6OEKr3OIAj8

Galas and Cakes

For someone that doesn’t get out much, last week I got out.

It was Case Manager week last week. Yep. Went by and no one even noticed. That’s really ok. I was busy anyway.

Our group had a little soiree at the yacht club, put on by one of our larger partners in the provider world.

But first we had lunch at Anthony’s-

This is the gray day view of the water. And of the Vashon Island Ferry-right up close and personal.

It’s called the Chetzemoka-I know. I wondered too so I looked it up and the MV Chetzemoka is named after a Klallam chief, influential back in the day in the settlement of Port Townsend. Who knew? Obviously not me.

We wound our way over to the Yacht Club-I KNOW it!

Kind of pretty Point Defiance View with the leaves and all.

This is Vashon Island out there in the middle of the water-hence the island designation. Just saying.

 

We had our picture taken out here with the ferry in the background…

Our Case Management Group-over 50 years of CM experience!

On Saturday I went to a Gala in Longview. A GALA!! To benefit the Columbia Theatre. My cousin David is on the board so I picked up Grampa and Carol and off we went.

David bought a cake for a good sum, the most expensive cake I have ever eaten. AND-again I didn’t take a picture of it-even though it was sitting right in front of me! Before it was cut up and I had a slice about as big as my head. Good thing I was wearing expandable clothing.

There was some interesting entertainment.

Here’s Frank Sinatra and I’m pretty sure a female impersonator. Pretty sure.

These “gals” are up from Portland where they perform somewhere-but now I can’t remember where. I tried to Google but not sure I have the right places and would not like to be mistaken. Seriously.

A good time was had by all, I must say.

On to Halloween-It’s coming right up!

 

Humans or Varmints

I went to Minnesota just last weekend. It’s true.

I went to the annual Pine Needles Eagle Bluff Quilting Retreat. I had to miss last year because I moved and all, but this year was the best yet.

Here’s a picture of Hawaiian airlines taunting me.

I got to Minneapolis and rented this giant vehicle. I believe it’s what they call a crossover. What ever that means. It was a Ford Edge. And was it ever.

 

Yep-it was crazy and it did things like bring the seat back when you stop the car-then push it back up when you start the car. It also had quite the touch screen and played my iPod.

 

It dimmed the dash lights so my eyes would be comfortable.

 

And it got pretty danged crappy mileage. But who cares when you are riding high in luxury on the empty Minnesota roads.

I had dinner with Laura and Nancy P. And guess what? No pictures. I am with my blog muse and I again get no pictures. I should be banned from the blogosphere.

Although, Laura did send me some pics of her new friends-

I know-right? Laura is living on Farm 3 with-gasp-some cows AND-

 

Yeah-chickens too-although these look to be roosters….

And this one I hear is kinda mean and a little bit chasey. Like chasing Laura around the farm yard. I wonder if she realizes that she’s only getting one or so egg a day because she has all roosters?

Plus she doesn’t feed them or have a house for them.

But enough about that because I can just feel the seismic eye roll from here.

I spent the night with Cathy, who I also didn’t get a picture with.

I missed my Angie and didn’t hook up with Mary K either. Oh well. I’ve decided my next trip out is going to be very relaxing AND will be at least 4 days meeting up with the old gang.

But-after busily not seeing or photographing my friends, I wound my way out of town in my giant car and went out to Eagle Bluff, where we were having the 8th Annual Eagle Bluff Retreat. I must say, the best retreat on the planet.

This year Sheryl flew in from Florida, and I flew in from Seattle, so we won the prize for travelling the longest distance (although I beat her by 300 miles-just saying).

I attempted several pictures-

But Marsha got the best one of us.  

That’s Sheryl’s “mini facelift” look.

Here’s another Cheryl-

 

and Suzie-who had to put up with the rest of us at the table-

But not one picture of Marcia. The hell? What was that about?

Again-I need remedial blog school. Jeesh.

Sheryl and I were up the earliest both days-and of course made coffee-

Our set up-look at all those Bernina’s. Reminds me of home….

Sunrise…..

It was beautiful and I have to admit I haven’t laughed that hard in at least a year. I mean the kind of laughing so hard you are crying and you can’t breathe and you are doubled over and can’t stand up. That kind of thing. I think Suzie made some sort of reference to us being like a bunch of girls-like elementary school girls. And I’m not sure it was a compliment…….

It’s hard to perfect obnoxious, but I think we were spot on.

During the time I was there, which was only Friday-Sunday I managed to get away and see Blane’s best friend, Jeremy Beck, get married. (He’s so cute-like one of my own)

Blane was in the wedding too.

Walking the mothers in-

Jeremy waiting to get married-

Jeremy and Jade-

The surroundings were beautiful in Alma WI

 

Blane’s posse was there too!

Gosh, the boys.

On the way back to Eagle Bluff, I saw some fabulous sky-

People do beautiful work at a quilt retreat-

Except for me. I was doing a paper pieced quilt kit that I have had for about 8 years now and decided it was high time to get it done. I have no pictures. Someone call the blog police.

However, said paper piecing was a huge topic of conversation around our table. Well, mostly me complaining about it and mostly others telling me to stop talking (Marcia).

And before I knew it, I was back at the airport waiting to come back to Washington and real life. Sigh.

But I did learn something while I was gone.

I told Laura that it took an hour to get to the airport from my house on Thursday, even though we were in the HOV lane. Which started a spirited discussion on what an HOV lane is and culminated in a wicked Google search-on my phone (I did not speak it into my phone, just saying. I have more pride than that). The real meaning is High Occupancy Vehicle. But there have been other suggestions.

The bottom line is that Laura and I have a little drinking game that goes like this-every time you see, use, or quote an acronym you have to take a shot. (It was the only thing that got us through our acronym filled days) See where this is going? How can we be driving and at the same time drinking the shots we will be forced to drink going past all the HOV lane signs? It’s a DUI waiting to happen. And we’d get pulled over for DUI and have to have another shot because it’s a DUI.

Really Washington? We are just an accident waiting to happen.