Christmas Holidays

Christmas came. The boys were here, we spent Christmas Eve with my sister Martha and the family. We spent Christmas at home relaxing. The boys left the day after. I return to work today.

Sigh. It was a really great time though. And I have a few pictures to prove it-

Martha decorated her tree. I took the picture from the window and you can see my reflection. Which I didn’t notice until this AM when I was reviewing the pics. Oh well. You get the idea.

Martha and Katie

The boys

The cousins playing Monopoly. I guess Cody dominated the game.

Christmas Day-

There was a burn ban starting at 5 PM, so we didn’t have a fire during the day. But we did have this-

We could barely look away.

Cody thinking about presents.

Blane, sitting by the fire, opening a present.

And, of course, Jack.

 

I didn’t take lots of pictures because I was too busy enjoying the time with the family.

Hope everyone else had a Merry Christmas and wishing everyone the happiest of New Years.

The Christmas Episode

I did a little Christmas Shopping with Laura the other day. She was at work and I was shopping over a thousand miles away. For some reason I felt compelled to e-mail every boring detail  the exciting events of my day--for example

Me-I have to go purchase a divot tool now.

Laura-Um…I was going to ask what that was, but then decided I probably didn’t want to know.  May the force be with you.

Me-I was charged for two divot tools and frankly, I barely wanted one.

A little bit of insanity slipped in (although some might consider that we even have these little conversations somewhat disturbing. Luckily for my 5 readers I am heavily editing-you people couldn’t handle  the content of all of the 15+ exchanges-and you’re welcome)

Me-Ugh. Where the heck are all these people coming from???? Costco was like a mad house. MAD HOUSE!

I pulled into the Fred Meyer and started on another fascinating e-mail (Laura could hardly wait). But while I was madly typing on my phone I felt funny, like someone was watching me. I looked up, and….

Hey-you lookin’ at me? Spooky.

When I got into Fred Meyer, well, this:

Me-Seriously-who hides peanut butter and jelly and honey on the back wall behind the bakery? Who. Does. That? I need to go home soon.

Laura-Well, not by the bakery, but Cub puts it over by the ready made bread.  Took forever to find it the first time.  Wouldn’t that go with other condiments?

Me-I know-right? What is wrong with people that they can't group their condiments correctly? 

When I left Fred Meyer the car in front of me had this hanging from the mirror--

Where do I get tickets?

The finale, however, went like this--

Me-OMG There are now 3 cat barf piles on the basement carpet. I ignored the first two because I am adopting the Dave Melde Cat Barf Rule of Law which states "One shall leave said cat barf where ever it is deposited (unless impeding on sleep or any other necessary bodily functions*) until they have evolved into such a state that they can be easily lifted off of said surface and disposed of properly.

*necessary bodily functions means necessary. If you can eat your meal around the cat barf, then you are able to adhere to the above rule.

However, three? Really? Again, barfapalooza.

PS Why am I compelled to send you these e-mails all day long? Really? Probably another reason why 1) you want to go home from work sooner rather than later and 2) you don't have e-mail at home.

Laura-At this point I would rather have intermittent cat barf than ringworm because if they are just puking every now and again I can still take them to events and hope to get some adopted out.  As it is, not so much.

It’s hard to believe that I actually admitted to having 3 piles of cat barf in my home, to which she replied that she preferred cat barf over ringworm. Then again, it’s not that hard to believe. Sadly, we talk like this almost EVERY DAY.

And when I got home, Beta was surprised because I was home so early and I wasn’t supposed to be home early so he didn’t know whether to be happy or mad. So he gave me his best snarly face

“I love you but I hate you but I can’t reconcile the whole thing and where’s my cookie and I might have to throw up now”

That’s a weird dog.

(We have a lot of throwing up here.)

On a brighter note-

That evening we (Dave, me, Grampa and Carol) all went out to dinner and to walk through the ZooLights at Point Defiance.

This is the dessert I ate

Bread pudding. Bread + Pudding=Best Dessert Ever!

And off to Zoolights-

Octopus on the aquarium

Mount Rainier

The Narrows Bridge, coming and going.

Tree.

And of course, the 12th man. We do love our Seahawks. While they are winning.

So, that was a fun time. Crowded though. I will rethink the Friday night visit next time….

We decorated the office week before last (this is going in no particular order)

 

Observe my lovely cubicle! I hid the drugs and alcohol that usually litter my desk.

Nina had her surgery a week ago at Harborview. And as I was making my way through the maze of skybridges and hallways I saw this out of the big windows…

 

It was so cool I had to get a few shots. It made almost getting lost in the bowels of a hospital worthwhile (Nina is quite well thank you, and I could post her arm incision but I think I might have to get a release before doing that. We did, however, stage said arm on a beautiful blue pillow background for effect. Sigh. That’s a little weird. But she was on drugs and I was all about getting the ambiance of the shot so it was actually all for art-oh, what the heck-WARNING. Nina’s arm.)

Nice backdrop, eh?

Moving on.

Company party complete with 200 dollar bonus promptly spent at Nordstrom, and then some. Really? I had to have the shoes-BOTH pairs. They read me like a book, those people.

However, my coworker was there too and we agreed they were a little off their game in the “waiting on us” department. Better pick it up a little Nordy, just saying.

Department breakfast two days later.

I am all partied out. (I am way in the back in the booth. It was the best seat in the house!)

Today it snowed…..

Everyone is late, running in the ditch. I, however, will be right on time.

So, I better go.

The boys arrive tomorrow which should liven things up. And I have the week off so I am anxious to get to work and get vacation started.

Everyone have a wonderful holiday season.

Jack, getting in to the holiday spirit.

….and 6000 of my closest friends.

I have been busy. That’s my go to blog excuse when I haven’t blogged for a while. But it’s been a wild ride. Much of it not photographed.

My blog muse, Laura, whom I seem to speak to daily-except for weekends because she doesn’t have internet because she’s living some sort of Bear Grylls Woman vs Wild thing, asked me how I was going to blog some of the events of the past month of November, or was it going to remain the thing that is not blogged?

Well, besides that being one of the longest sentences I have ever written about Laura, she did bring up a point.

So, I will say my dad got remarried on Nov 23rd. And that’s about that. I do have a picture of us.

And let me tell you, it was hellish trying to get this picture from the original format it was sent to me to the format of this page. Just saying. The dress I am wearing was my mother’s, along with the pearl pin. I thought it was a nice touch.

After that was Thanksgiving. Dave’s son and his girlfriend were down. I didn’t take a picture. Dave might have. Nah. I went to steal a photo off of Facebook but apparently he didn’t post one. Really? Do I have to photo journal EVERYTHING?

We did go to Seattle the day after Thanksgiving and I did photograph that event. I had to pick up my race packet for the Seattle Marathon in which I ran the half marathon. Because I may be crazy but I’m not stupid.

We got there early because I defy Seattle to defeat me with it’s traffic insanity. And there was going to be insanity what with the downtown parade and the Apple cup going on (hey, I supplied the link, you look it up). So, I was prepared for all that Seattle could throw at me. And, of course, there was no traffic. None. What. So. Ever. Damn you Seattle and your traffic patterns. You mock me.

Because of that I had time to enjoy some parade-

A band is always good.

and the Giant Seahawk helmet going by the Bartell’s.

Oh, and the actual Seahawk crossing in front of the national barrier truck. Right?

I am not really sure about these things. But they rolled right past.

….ballerinas. I wish they could have done a few pirouettes or something. Triple Salchow perhaps? Wait, wrong sport, but same costume, sort of.

 

And lastly, when I was going to go shopping these went by up the block.

Oh yeah, that’s what I’m talkin about. Giant freaking cupcakes rolling down the street. It was all I could do to refrain from running, screaming, down the street and launching myself at them. It’s like a dream.

After that, it was time to get serious.

I took a pic of the fancy purses to send to Angie, a purse aficionado. Every time I’m down here, wallowing in the fancy purses of Seattle, I think of her.

And of me. Cause although I bought presents, there was a little pair of jeans just for me. Because I had to replace the one’s that got stolen-remember?

We got to the Westin and I queued up to get my packet for the race-

 

The Seattle Marathon, and Restrooms. Sweet.

On Sunday, I ran. We got pictures of the start, but Dave took no pictures of me at all. If you want to see some professional images, you’ll have to go to marathonfoto.com, put in my last name, and the event, which was the Amica Seattle Marathon. And pay no attention to the picture of that girl in my grouping that isn’t me. I guess they thought she was me. Except her hair is much more flowey. Or maybe they are trying to tell me something.

I took these two pics of the pre race ambiance.

But we didn’t get any shots of the 5,999 others.

We put up our tree when we got home. It’s a fakey. I know, the center of the universe for Christmas trees and we have a fake. It’s because this year we just had to make it simple. I thought it turned out quite well.

 

Beta was happy because we had to pile up the dog beds and he got a super duper padded sleep.

 

And of course Jack.

I was at LeRoy’s, my fave jeweler and saw this pretty danged cool menorah. It was the most unique one I have ever seen.

Oh, and before any of this happened, we went to see American Idiot. The rock opera based on the Green Day Album.

We had the time of our lives.

Lastly, my friend Jill sent me a picture of her little cat Burt interrupting her plan to finish a quilt. I thought he was very stately.

And maybe a little possessive of the fabric.

And really lastly, I call this one

“When Dave and I come back as cats”

I will still rock the annoyed look, in a patient resigned sort of way.