Dig, Dig, Dig
I’ve been in a bit of a writing rut since the first of the month. It seemed I was so excited when December arrived and things have just taken off from there, but I just haven’t been able to catch my breathe and capture my thoughts without sounding like I’m full of it or complaining. So I’ve just decided to let it go….
I really like having a blog and writing, but sometimes I find myself second guessing my words because they might give too much away or be over-sharing. But then I read stories written by other women that I admire and see images that inspire me to take more photos in my own life, and I let it go. Because when we started this blog (way back in 2005!) when Barry and I went to Australia for a number of months, I never thought that I’d still be using it as an outlet in 2011 and I certainly never thought that there were so many other women out there like me….telling stories of their own.
I’m gathering myself up and finding my words again, they seem to have escaped…perhaps with the golden glow of our Carmel trip? I’m thriving on the glow of our Christmas lights and all the preparations that come with the season. We wrapped gifts last night and Maggie hauled them from the den to the living room with her handy, dandy Radio Flyer cart. She hasn’t quite figured out that the presents are for opening and she’s content to haul them from here to there now.
Last weekend we escaped to Kirkland and only left our hotel to walk around town and meet up with Greg and Linda for Snowflake Lane. We watched the boat parade on Lake Washington and listened to the booming Christmas music coming from the floating line. We ordered hot chocolates and walked the streets, talking of our Christmas tree back home and shared interest in finding good sushi. We did indeed find sushi and Maggie slept through the whole lunch, it was scrumptious and being able to talk with Barry uninterrupted was an added bonus.
In the lobby of our hotel were piles of newspapers for the guests and you better believe that I scooped one of each up. We poured over the paper each day that we were there and traded tit for tat on different articles. I passed him the business section and he passed me the comics….not sure what that says about our relationship.
Saturday night we bundled up and hustled to meet up with Greg and Linda for dinner before heading to Snowflake Lane in Bellevue. Aside from getting lost, we had an enjoyable time. Since we were late and had already eaten plenty of Trader Joe’s dunkers, Barry and I decided to share a plate. I ordered Camarones Rancheros knowing that it typically is a delicious shrimp platter with tortillas and other tasty sides. Well. It was that and certainly more because I somehow missed the part of the description that mentioned that the shrimp would be wrapped in bacon.
It was delicious, but I wasn’t expecting to see bacon on my plate! Snowflake Lane did not disappoint and both Barry and I were glad for it because Maggie was a CRAB POT before and after the extravaganza. Thankfully the dancing penguin was fascinating enough to distract her along with the drumming and guy on stilts.
Anticipating the start felt a bit like waiting for a big parade, with people angling for the best spot but nobody really knows where the entertainment will come from. Greg and Linda scored a great spot and we ended up having tons of characters stop by and high-five Mags or pass her candy. We also were in full view of a couple drummers; however, the BEST drummer was directly across the street from us. He was bustin’ a MOVE!
We were those people with a screaming child walking back to our car. We were also those people that thought we had a tired child, but really she just wanted to play a bit. So we ran up and down the hall and organized the sugar packets and coasters before conking out.
There you have it. Last weekend….and me working myself out of a writers rut.
Work Party
Gracious. What a whirl-wind of a weekend. It all started last week when my dad mentioned that he had a bit of time open up in his schedule to come down and build us a small rock wall where part of our pond once was. It just so happened that I was scheduled to work on Thursday, the day that he and Izak were set to arrive. I didn’t exactly get minute by minute updates as to what was going on, but the time I got home I had a pretty good idea.
When I walked through our backdoor into our yard, I discovered that there was a HUGE bonfire where our pond once was and concrete had been poured where we once had an odd collection of rocks. The work party had all but commenced without me and Maggie was having the time of her life making sure that all was right in her Construction Sal hat.
Friday morning brought the smell of coffee wafting from our kitchen, and my mom’s early arrival at our front door with work gloves spilling out of her pockets. Eventually we were all out in the yard, digging, mixing and making a ruckus. I was informed that my rain gear wasn’t up to snuff and when the rain really started to fall, I retreated inside with the rest of the girls.
I called my grandparents to make sure that they stopped by because there is something that my grandpa loves about construction and he couldn’t miss this chance to see his own son creating something beautiful. Plus, my grandparents never, ever turn down a chance to see Maggie. Look at my grandpa’s face in the photo below. That is one proud chicken.
Work, work, work. I’ve said it before and I’ll probably say it again: working outside digging, lifting, hauling, bending, chopping and everything else is hard and extremely rewarding. My dad and Izak didn’t complain once about the horrible weather or my endless chatter when I was ‘helping.’ My dad especially was a machine….a miracle worker, if you will.
Towards the end of Saturday night and daylight was all but gone, Barry and I started to haul gravel to cover the nearly finished pit. I had been fussing earlier over his inability to use power tools and ability to haul a large load of rocks. I think he was ready for me to stop hover-mothering him because he threatened to do a blog post titled ‘My Wife Thinks I’m a [Wimp].’ Personally, I think it’d be a funny blog post to read, but I don’t think he’s going to write it. Don’t hold your breath.
Cora and Chaya stopped by too, but we were too busy eating lunch to take any photos. I also convinced Barry and my dad to help me hack down some branches that have been bothering me and I was informed that I am for sure ‘my mother’s daughter,’ a badge that I’m proud to wear. My mom and Maggie spent time both inside and out and those of us still outside could often see her curly top perched next to the window babbling orders to my mom or through the open window to us.
Technically we’re not supposed to sit on the wall until Tuesday, but some of us got a chance to test it out earlier….you know, just want to make sure it can hold us and all. Last time my dad came and built us a wall, Kurt and Debbie literally walked in as we were putting the tools away. Today Joe beat them to the punch line and strolled into our backyard just as we were lighting the fire to test out our new digs. He invited Barry to the Seahawks game and Barry changed out of his dirty clothes and they hit the road. [Side note: Kurt and Debbie ended up coming over for dinner (Thanks, Deb!) so they weren’t too far off with their timing!)
A short time later my mom and dad pulled out of our driveway, with Maggie ‘beep beeping’ to the dump truck and blowing kisses to my mom. With just Maggie and I now at the house, we went back up to the fire pit and got the digger-thing and practiced moving rocks from here to there. We also dug out some dry wood and built a heavy-duty fire…..I don’t think that either of us were ready for the work party to be over.
