Vacay Part 1

I just looked, and I have 65 some pictures taken. So I decided I’d work on a draft of the blog, because it is going to take a while to get it done. And I can’t get online at my parents house. The security on his wireless hook up is really good. Even with passwords I can’t crack the code. So here’s a draft.

Before I left for vacation, my friend from Alaska, Janice, came to visit. She said she has been sending me e-mails for months, and I haven’t responded. I haven’t gotten any e-mails and was very surprised when she called me from Mpls. Either way, she was staying in Iowa with her in-laws, and came up to visit for an evening.

So here we are. I’ve known Janice for over 20 years. Unbelievable….Unbelievable that I can say I have known a person for over 20 years.

I ran a race the weekend before I left. Saturday, I ran the St. Mary’s trail race. I have to tell you, it was HOT and humid! Here I am at the beginning of the race-(Ignore the stupid look on my face)

This is me at the end

Note the soaking wet shirt. I followed Nina, a girl in my age group that usually beats me by 30 seconds or so. She is standing next to me in the top picture-blonde hair/green shirt.

Here’s a picture of Dave. The reason I took this is that he is dressed in clothes that were owned by Cody. It’s kinda weird really. I should try to find a picture of Cody wearing these clothes.

I won 2nd place in my age, after Nina (by about 30 seconds). It was my best time at that race. And Nina set the course record for our age division.

Sunday we went and watched the Mariners get shut out at Target Field.

We had good seats-this is the view.

This is Ichiro-anyone who knows baseball would recognize this.

It was very hot that day-we were glad it was a little overcast, because the sun beating down on us would have been brutal. It was 89 degrees at first pitch.

Here’s a few random shots.

    

After this, I went to my hotel. I ended up walking the mile to the Mall of America to get some food. Holy Cow. I took a shower as soon as I got back.

I got up early and got the shuttle to the airport to come to Seattle.

Empty airport at 5 AM

Breakfast.

 

We took off right on time. And the got to Seattle right on time. However, we didn’t land in Seattle. There was fog in Seattle. Lots of fog. We were supposed to land at 8:10 or so.

Instead we circled…….

And circled…..

And circled……

….I was able to capture Mt Rainier several times. Finally we ended up in Moses Lake, in Eastern Washington.

At the Grant County International Airport. International! We got to sit on the tarmac for about 45-50 minutes. Because I had extensive heat training at the Twins game Saturday, I was not too bothered by the rising temps in the airplane. But other people weren’t too happy and the screaming baby was definitely not happy.

We finally got into Seattle 3 hours late. My sisters, who came to pick me up spent their time at the mall at Southcenter, buying clothes at Nordstrom. Traitors.

So, anyway, I arrived in Tacoma at about 1 or so. Did I mention that my bag was overweight and I had to pay 75 extra dollars? I am still trying to forget that.

Happy is still running the show. They got a furminator, which we called a furilator. Either way, Happy really likes the thing. Which is amazing to me.

This cat is giant. Here he is dwarfing my knitting bag.

I went on my annual personal shopper trip. And not one picture. What’s that about? My Katie is still there for me, and did not let me down. I did NOT spend nearly as much as last year, but enough that the credit card company called to make sure the card hadn’t been stolen. I saved a ton of money after we figured out there is no sales tax in MN, so I don’t have to pay it in Washington. That was 9 or so percent. WooHoo on that one. We had to void the original bill, which is really the reason the credit card company got spooked.

On Saturday, there was the Tacoma Narrows Half Marathon. The weather was perfect-cool, little drizzle. Wonderful. I really need to rethink my energy strategy though. I am really losing steam about mile 8. Fortunately, they had some Goo there, which was helpful for the last 5 miles. Someone said the last 3 miles were downhill, and they would be lying. Because the last 2 were flat and downhill, but were still rolling hills between 10 and 11 . I liked it though, and ran in under 2 hours by about 50 seconds. I was glad about that.

This is the finish line, with a walker going through.

This is the recovery area, with the band playing. One of the guys in the band won  a prize in his age division. It was a really good band.

Before the race, I met up with a friend from Ravelry, April, and we rod the bus and hung out at the start. It was nice to know somebody there.  And after the race, we met up with another Raveler, Kelly, who won a prize in her age, which is my age, too. I was 11th in my age division, and she was 3rd. I was very happy for her.

Kelly, April and Me. Why do I always look so stupid?

This is me too, not looking as stupid

and Kelly with her prize, in the sweater that she knit-so fitting for a Ravelry meet up.

And so ends week one. Exhausting, I know. But week two is equally as exhausting, and  even nerve-wracking in some cases! But fun all the same.

In the Cities

I’ve been busy, just too busy. I know I keep saying it, but it’s true. It’s really, really true.

Every weekend has been filled to the brim with activities, which makes the weekday evenings the catch up time for everything I couldn’t do on the weekend because I was so busy.

Jeepers.

I went out early Saturday and knitted with my friend Barb at Dunn brothers. I didn’t get a picture of Barb, but I did get her basket.

Then it was off to Laura’s for a cat photo shoot and to make our way to Stewartville.

Laura is fostering something like a billion cats, and wanted a picture of herself with said beasts.

Do you know what it’s like trying to get 9 or so kittens in one place?

 

Ok, but we did get some cute pics, this one being my fave

   

Plus, I got to goof around with kittens.

 

The place is alive.

Then it was off to other things. Saturday was Morgan’s first birthday, which is why we rushed off to Stewartville. We had to attend .

See? She’s all dressed up in birthday hats.

This child has some serious cuteness going on.

 

And look how much she loves her little cake! Also a girl after my own heart. She is really a ham, I couldn’t believe how she loves an audience.

Ali brought our little Chase. Look how big he’s getting-

He’s a regular kid.

And it wouldn’t be anything without Laura hogging a baby.

  

Even I got into the action

I have taken to calling us the crazy aunts.

We drove off to Racine and picked up my sewing machine. Laura was waving at the other cars, but didn’t know she was waving and hilarity ensued.

You would have had to have been there I guess. We, however, know, that being in the car together can be dangerous.

Sunday I went to the cities to meet up with some knitters I know from Ravelry. We went to the Pannekoeken restaurant in N St Paul.

Here we are. A pretty darn fun group. There’s (from Right) Jill, me, Monica, Lorri, and Casey. I would put down their Ravelry names, but it would take too long.

We sat there and talked for almost two hours, then went off to Lila and Claudine’s, the cutest little knitting store ever.

It’s just the kind of place I like. Lots of fiber and comfy chairs.

It’s a great place. And I had so much fun.

Yesterday, my friend Janice came from Alaska, but I don’t have her picture up yet. Next time. I do have a picture my sister sent from my mom’s birthday.

There they are! And I’ll be seeing them on Monday.

I have been meaning to post this picture from my sister Debbie’s backyard. I’ve had it quite a while.

She calls it a javelina, but I call it a pig. Or maybe a boar.

Upon closer inspection, I am going with a pig-a wild pig.

So, I’m leaving Sunday for the Twins/Mariners game, then off to Seattle at oh-five-hundred in the AM on Monday. I’ll see how much blog I get in. Hopefully some because I have big, BIG, plans.