SIRIUS RADIO SUCKS

Okay, two years ago I thought it would be a great present for my husband who would commute from Cincinnati to Indianapolis for work. I got him a great package and got a great deal. A year later, my new truck came with a SIRIUS radio free for a year...and I loved it. I was so excited with it that I wanted to renew it once it had expired. My husband and I thought we would combine our accounts and be SIRIUS customers until we couldn't afford it anymore. Well, the calls started at the end of October. So my husband called and asked them if he could combine our accounts and pay for it. They told him to wait until my account expired and then reactivate it then and add the two accounts together. Seemed reasonable. Well, I kept getting calls. I explained that I had to wait until it expired to combine the account with my husbands and that I loved the radio...but please quit calling as it was a cell phone. The operators were really apologetic and told me they would add me to the DO NOT call list. However the calls kept coming. And I kept calling back to ask them not to call me. Then, finally after about 15 calls I decided I didn't want this harassment...so I told my husband and he decided to cancel his radio too. The calls kept coming. As I have a east coast phone number and live in the west I was getting calls at 8:30am on Saturday morning (5:30am in my phone's reality). I emailed their customer service. Finally I was told that it takes 4-6 weeks to get off the call list. FOUR TO SIX WEEKS????? Do we not live in an age of technology? can't it just be deleted??? Well the calls are coming more frequently and I got a call on Saturday at 4:30am.....is this reasonable???? Of course whenever I call, I need to talk to a supervisor....who can't be reached...so....I am SCREWED...please consider this before getting a SIRIUS radio...it can't be undone...and they are friendly but can't really do anything.

My Sister's Birthday Weekend

So, my sister came to visit Nov. 9-12 for her birthday. We actually took NO pictures. But, we did have a good time. Friday night we headed to our neighborhood pizza and wine joint called Villagio. It was so good. We had some pizza and salad and wine of course! We returned to watch some TV and chill. Saturday morning we left (after my WW meeting, of course, I lost .6) and headed out to do some errands and shopping. I really wanted to take her to the Milk Bottle http://experiencespokane.com/garlandvillage/ and have a cheeseburger and shake. It was so yummy and we even got a slice of homemade pecan pie for Tim. Then we checked out some of the shops, Ruby Slipper and the Tin Man. From there we headed out to Liberty Lake, WA...checking it out and seeing the library and the children's library. Then, as we headed back, decided to stop at the mall...we hadn't been shopping in awhile. I was on the hunt for some boots and my sister just wanted to shop some. So, we had a great time walking all over and shopping. When we left there it was getting late, I had one more stop to make. Latah Creek Winery for a wine tasting http://www.latahcreek.com/ she enjoyed that. Then we headed home to make dinner. Tim had made some spinach pasta and some chicken and ricotta filling, my sister got to stuff her own ravioli and then we cooked that up with some tomato cream sauce, garlic bread and broccoli. It was SOOOOO good. Then after seeing the rebirth of so many 80s fashions in the mall, we watched FLASHDANCE, neither of us had seen it before. It was fun! Sunday we had bullseye eggs for breakfast, then headed downtown to catch a pre-12noon show of FRED CLAUS (funny!) and then walk around the Riverfront Park, see the falls and look around. Then lunch/dinner about 3pm was at the Peacock Room in the Davenport Hotel. I finally found some shoestring fries in Spokane!! The food and the drinks were great. Once we left there we were pretty tired. We hung out at home for the rest of the night. She left Monday morning...it was a great weekend!! Many Happy Returns of the Day lil T!

TBIT Post 6 Oct. 22nd - the Nati

So, Monday morning Tim and I got up to do a quick trip to Cincinnati! Yeah, how do we do that? Anyway, our plane was scheduled to leave at 7:50am on Tuesday morning...so we did have a challenge ahead! So, we got to Cincinnati to meet a friend for breakfast and we were joined by a couple more friends which was really nice. I can't tell you how much I miss First Watch http://www.firstwatch.com/ My personal favorite is the POWER WRAP and it was just as good as I remembered it. Then, we headed to the new Bond Hill/Reading branch of the Public Library to see it. It was just being planned and built when I left so I had to see it. It was combined in a location with a community center and job services which is so awesome! And, then I headed to Norwood to see another friend at the library and then downtown to see my former boss and talk with her. Then it was to West End to see the library I miss so much!! It was good to see everyone and get a chance to see some of the kids and changes since I have been gone. It made me a little homesick. But...it RAINED and Tim and I were reminded as we drove up I-75 in the rain why we like Spokane....no traffic to deal with. We headed to Joseph Beth Booksellers (we also miss that store) to see a friend there...and then to our old stomping grounds in Northside to see some more friends. I picked up a friend for dinner and it was hard to decide where to go. There are so many great places to eat in Cincinnati Zips, Vincenzo's, Habits, Boswell's, and the list could go on...I even miss Steak and Shake....anyway I settled on Habits for some Potato Rags!! So yummy, I think they made them specially good for me!! Anyway it was past 11pm when Tim and I headed back to Columbus to sleep for a couple hours before heading out of Ohio....

TBIT Post 5 Oct 21st

So, Sunday morning Tim and I got up and got ready to go. We were headed back to Columbus to meet a couple of my friends at Easton in Columbus. http://www.eastontowncenter.com/ We decided to meet about 12:30pm for lunch at PF CHANGS, yummy!! We got to visit and shop together. It was really fun! Then...we left about 5:30pm to head back to meet Liz and Eric for dinner. We went to a place called Marcella's in the Short North http://www.marcellasristorante.com/ which had the small plates as well as full sized entrees. It was INCREDIBLE!! The food was so good. We tried about 5 different small plates and shared and also tried both the red and white sangria, also good! Then, we headed back to go to bed. Big day on Monday!!

TBIT Post 4 Oct 20th The Wedding Day

So, Saturday started with all of the girls getting up and getting ready to go to the salon to get their hair and face done. It was fun!! My hair ended up looking like an 80s flashback...but everyone assured me it looked great...except my dad...who rolled his eyes when I asked him how it HONESTLY looked...I guess I am used to seeing it flat. Anyway, we got ready from the neck up and then the limo (a stretch Hummer) came to get us and take us to the hotel. We arrived and proceeded to get ready. It was an exciting time. Tim was awesome as he helped with getting things from one place to another, also taking pictures and being a very helpful person all around. I don't know what I would do without him!! Tim and I's room ended up being the groomsmen staging area and the girls got ready in the bridal suite. It was all very nice! Anyway, after we got ready, we walked around getting some pictures done and visiting in the lobby! My sister and I did a VOGUE shot...and we waited until the wedding started. The wedding was a gorgeous affair...the same room had the wedding ceremony and then it went under a transformation to be the room for the reception! While the room transformed the guests went to a room with appetizers and drinks to visit. There were so many people who came. It was so great to see friends and family!! Then the reception was beautiful, as was the cake!! We had a GREAT meal and Ted's Best Man did a great toast complete with Chi Chi's birthday song, well changed to the wedding song...the bride and groom wore sombreros! The band played throughout...it was AWESOME as the band leader was from Kool and the Gang!! They did a great job!! Things wound down at 12midnight! I was tired when I hit the sack! And, my feet were sore, but it was a fun time had by all!

TBIT Post 3 Oct 19th

Wow, what a busy day. I let Tim sleep in...and we met Tom to do some hiking in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. http://www.nps.gov/cuva/ It was a gorgeous day. We found several small trails and enjoyed about 4 different areas of the park. Again the colors were not as brilliant as I recalled...but still beautiful! Tom and Tim did a little impromptu climbing. Then it was a race to get back and change for the Rehearsal Dinner held at Osteria http://osteria.us/ in downtown Cleveland. It was right next to Fay's Psychic (which was hysterical considering our mother's name is Faye). The food was really good and it gave the chance for our families to meet. Then, we headed to the hotel for the rehearsal. It was in the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Cleveland. http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/clebr-renaissance-cleveland-hotel/ Which was gorgeous, old and rennovated really well. The rehearsal went by really well. Then, afterward, a bunch of us headed over to a Wine Bar to visit and talk. It was really fun. Terri and I rode back with Anne to spend the night at her mother's house.

TBIT Post 2 Oct 18th

So, we got up a little later than we thought we would. But the previous plan of meeting my friend in Dublin, OH changed and so my sister called our mother and she said that she, our grandma and a neighbor were meeting in Dublin at a place called the Morgan House. http://www.morganhse.com/ We decided to join them...but not before a quick visit to TJ Maxx and DSW (boy do I miss those living in Spokane) to get a couple last minute items. We met them for brunch/lunch. The food was good. There were plenty of neat things to look at and plenty of knick knacks as well. We had a great visit and took some pictures out front. It was a nice day, the fall colors were brilliant, although not as normal because of the dry weather. We left there about 1pm and stopped for some travel stuff at Walgreens and then headed to Akron. Once we arrived, Tim and I checked into our bed and breakfast, I highly recommend it. Check it out http://www.oneilhouse.com/. We went to Ted's house on Casterton and waited for everyone to arrive. Tyler and Tom had been out running around, Ted was at work. Our cousin Jeff was on his way. We decided to check out Ted and Anne's new house and then head out to dinner. The house was so beautiful! And, I got to see my little man Phineas, now Sammy. He is still lanky but definitely has adopted Ted and Anne has his new parents. Then we all went to the Blinking Lizard or the Winking Lizard or something like that for some food and to watch a baseball game...Cleveland vs Boston! How exciting. We had some of the best WINGS I have had in a LONG time!! Tim and I turned in early. He didn't sleep well and I wanted to take advantage of the HUGE tub in the B&B!!

Traveling Back in Time Post 1 Oct 17

Okay, the next series of posts are from October, so you will have to use your imagination. Anyway, my husband and I traveled to Ohio Oct. 17th to Oct. 23rd to attend my brother's wedding in Cleveland. While we were there we also visiting Columbus, Akron, and Cincinnati. It was an action packed week. We had lots of fun!

On Tuesday Oct 17th we flew out of Spokane at 8am...arrived in Columbus about 7:30pm. We stopped in Oakland, CA and at Midway in Chicago...but the Southwest flight was great!! Once we arrived in Columbus, we met up with Terri and got the rental car and then met Liz and Eric at Cap City in Gahanna, OH for some Matag Bleu Chips and some great food. Check them out at http://www.capcityfinediner.com/

Then it was to bed...long day!

Fall in Manito Park

Today, Tim, Elphaba and I decided to do our hiking a little closer to home. We walked from our apartment to Manito Park, around the Park and back. Roughly about 4.5 miles. It was so beautiful. It was about 65-70 degrees with the sun warm and cool in the shade. We walked an indirect route to the park and back so we could enjoy the huge tree lined streets and the crackle of the leaves under our feet. The smell of decomposing foliage/leaves and pine filled the air...the smell of FALL. This is my favorite season. I love the smells, the chill in the air and the things that come along with it. I took a lot of pictures today...and most of them were of leaves and trees. I picked only two...one to show that the flowers are still looking great and smell great even with the chill in the air. And the other, hopefully a small taste of the yellows and oranges. This morning we tried brunch at Vin Rouge, one of our favorite dinner spots http://www.vinrougespokane.com/Default.aspx it was really good, we started with Pumpkin pancakes...they were YUMMY! And then I had a tomato bacon and provolone omelet and Tim had a chorizo scramble...really good as well. The coffee was good too. Needless to say we won't be eating much for the rest of the day!

In other news...I am still losing weight, not as quickly as I had before, but total weight loss is 29.8 lbs (since May 15th of this year). So I am happy. I tried on a skirt in a size I haven't been in for at least a couple of years...if not longer. I was thrilled to see that it fit and I may be leaving that size behind soon!

Enjoy the FALL! Wherever you are!

Shakespeare Weekend

Last weekend, Oct. 5th-7th Tim and I drove to Ashland, OR to meet Tim's parents and see the Shakespeare Festival go to http://www.osfashland.org/ for more information. Anyway, Tim and I left Friday after work, about 5:30pm and headed to Bend, OR for the night. Then we continued through Oregon, near the Crater Lake area to I-5. Our backroads trip took us through some breaktaking countryside. And, we saw about 2-3 inches of SNOW!! It was GORGEOUS, but, did I take a picture of it? No, we were on a time schedule. We arrived in Ashland about 12:30pm on Saturday Oct. 6th. We met Tim's parents and walked around the cutest town...and there was a lot going on and the weather could not have been more perfect! We ate at a cute little lunch spot where I had some of the best seafood chowder I have ever had. Of course I can't remember the restaurant name. Anyway, we walked around some more then headed back to the hotel to get ready, rest before dinner reservations at 5:30pm and catching the show AS YOU LIKE IT at 8pm. It was great! I am definately going to return next year!!

Sunday we got up and had some breakfast in the hotel...then headed back to Spokane, WA. Tim and I drove through some breathtaking scenery on I-5 as well. And, we hit a Factory Outlet stores area and did a little shopping. Then, we stopped in Troutsdale, OR for a bite to eat at Edgefield's Black Rabbit Restaurant. This is a great place to stay as well...see http://www.mcmenamins.com/index.php?loc=3 Anyway, after a great meal...I pretty much fell asleep. Tim did a great job of driving...and I slept. On our way into Portland we saw a beautiful rainbow. Anyway, it was a great weekend.

Seattle Rainy Day - Sunday Sept 30th

So, Sunday we had a late start. It was really RAINING. I think this was finally some typical Seattle weather. To date my other visits have had some pretty great weather. So my sister and I decided to catch the bus and head to the Seattle Aquarium. http://www.seattleaquarium.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?&pid=183&srcid=-2 We walked through Pike's Market and down the steps to the Aquarium. Once inside, we settled in to enjoy the fish. We actually touched stuff in the Tidal Pool (I only touched a starfish, my sister touched something a little more slimey). We looked at the WALL OF FISH, then headed through the exhibits. The concentration was primarily fish of the area...and then there were some tropical fish. The cutest part were the harbor seals and the sea otters. We could have watched the sea otters all day. Once we left there we climbed the steps to Pike's Market again. Then we walked around trying to decide whether to have hot chocolate or ice cream. There was a Rocky Mountain Chocolatier which had ice cream and chocolates..so we decided to eat there. The service was poor and the clerk tried to pass off magic shell for hot fudge, but the chocolate was YUMMY!! Then we walked around a little more...found a place to have a drink and some fries...then headed back to my sister's neighborhood for some stuff for dinner. We got back and fixed dinner...then watched the Sunday night premiere line up...it was great! I had so much fun!

Hiking in Seattle - Saturday Sept.29

So, I headed off to Seattle this weekend to go hiking with my sister. We decided to try our luck at Mount Si, http://www.mountsi.com/which was said to be a pretty busy trail, but great views and moderate. We set off Saturday morning after a cereal breakfast and a trip to REI to find my sister a good day pack. The day was partly sunny, but definitely looked like rain. We got to the trail and started off...definately moderate and to us (not in very good shape) a little difficult to breathe...and the trail climbed fairly quickly. It was interesting to see the many people running and walking by us as if we were standing still. We did make it to the first stopping point on the trail...roughly 1.25 miles. It was pretty, saw lots of green! Saw a banana slug...and at the point we stopped to have lunch, the overlook was gorgeous and the mountain to our left had a frosting layer of snow! It did start to rain on our way down. But, the weather was still perfect for hiking, cooler and mostly in shade. Once we got to the bottom we took a small trail near a creek...and then left to check out a closeby antique store. Then, we headed to Snoqualmie Falls...on the way we encountered a couple herd of elk...which was pretty exciting. My sister hadn't seen any yet. So, we pulled over to watch them for awhile. Then, on to the falls http://www.snoqualmiefalls.com/. The Falls were gorgeous, not as tall as Mulnomouth (I can't spell this) but still, awe inspiring. We also had Flat Stanley with us. So, he got into several pictures. I need to send them to FL. Once we left the Falls, we had hiked a total of 3.25 miles of moderate to strenous (at least for us). We headed back to Seattle and on the way back my sister wanted to take me to a park with a view of the Puget Sound...and the sun was going down...what was left of it through the rain clouds! It was beautiful except for the shrieking children (although it did sound as though they were having fun). The tide was high...and there were birds. We saw several bits of crab along the shore, some shells and it was scenic. The park had some great places for kids to play, kind of looked like it was under the sea. Then it was to my sisters to shower and find a place to eat for supper. We were HUNGRY! We settled on a newer Italian restaurant down the hill http://www.asteroidcafe.com/ and it was good. Not our first choice, our first choice was Swingside Cafe...but it had an hour and a half wait...and we were hungry! Then, it was walking back up the hill and to bed. What an AWESOME day!

Sunday Sept 23rd - Hiking in Idaho

So, my sister came to visit. Tim and I had planned a hike in Idaho on Sunday, so she agreed to come along...and we also brought the dog. We did a small hike just past Wolf Creek Lodge near Marie Creek (I believe). The trail was for hikers and horses, so we had a LOT of crap to try and walk around. Eventually I think the dog got tired of walking around...so she thought she would try eating it. The day was overcast...but nice for hiking. We went up over a ridge and then down into a valley...need to go back when there is more wildflowers, I bet it is very pretty. Anyway, we all had our packs (yes, even the dog). We did about 5.5 miles...the trip over the ridge was steep on one side but had a lot of switchbacks on the other...but all in all it was a great hike. On our way back we encountered a hunter, he was hunting grouse...but looked like he was set for anything. He walked up on us as we were singing (not Tim) a yodel from Sound of Music, I am sure he thought it was all really weird! Anyway, we had fun. Didn't realize how sore we were until we tried getting out of the truck once we got home. Tim made us some FABULOUS Salmon with ginger butter sauce while Terri and I made 2 pies with the apples from Green Bluff. It was YUMMY!

Apple Picking - Saturday Sept. 22nd

So, I am behind on my blogging...isn't everyone. Well, this weekend we decided to go to Green Bluff and pick apples! It was the PERFECT fall day, sunny but cool. We headed out a little later than we wanted but stopped at several points along the way while driving in the Green Bluff area. Check it out http://www.greenbluffgrowers.com/ Anyway, we settled on some cherry cider, apple cider and tried a freshly made (while we watched) pumpkin donut (YUMMY). Then we went and picked some gala (better when they come right off the tree), jonagolds and some macintosh for pie! Then headed back home to make a pie! Well, not immediately. I went to a baby shower...then jean shopping. Yep, my jeans just aren't fitting me these days. Finally Saturday night I tried to call mom to get THE apple pie recipe. I have never really liked apple pie, except for my mom's recipe. Apples too mushy, too much cinnamon, etc. So she has this recipe from an old Gold Medal cookbook...it is perfect! Didn't get mom, but tried calling my sister instead...once she heard I was baking pie, she decided to come for a visit! Oh, and by the way, that is Flat Stanley in the picture helping us pick apples....courtesy of one of my cousins in FL!

Two Fair Postings

Okay, I feel like I should explain why I have TWO fair postings. Well I wanted to add the pictures...AND to be honest I forgot that I had already written about it. So...be amused. I must be getting older. And, after all I am Blonde!

Have a great week!

Intercounty Fair

So Tim and I went to the Spokane Intercounty Fair this past weekend. It was a beautiful day with strong sun but cool in the shade. We got there about 1pm and immediately had a corn dog! They were SOOOO yummy! Then we headed through the animal areas...watched the lumberjacks for a little while...and then had a roasted turkey leg....headed to see the photography, produce and baked goods...then had to run out to get a spot to watch the Mutton Bustin' contest...what is this? Well for my friends in Cincinnati and Louisville with kids, it is for kids ages 6 and under and less than 60 lbs. They get geared up with a crash helmet and padding and then get put on a sheep who is in a chute like a bull for bullriding...then, they release the sheep, who sees part of the herd at the end of the arena and bolts and runs while the kid hangs on for dear life...using arms and legs only...only one kid actually managed to hang on until the sheep got to the other end of the arena. The goal is to stay on for 6 seconds...which apparently is harder than it looks. There were kids who got on without question and there were kids who cried and fussed, and maybe never even got on. This was EXTREMELY amusing to watch. We watched with friends who were expecting and our first question was, will your child do this in a couple years?

Then, we looked at the rest of the arts and crafts...and had a pulled pork sandwich, twist cone and went to watch the hyptmotist. That was Something!! I had never seen something like this before. And, at 7pm Tim and I decided we were ready to go home and take care of Elphie, so we got some carmel kettle corn and a small taste of fudge on the way out. It is not Hartford County, and it isn't the Ohio State fair, but it was fun! Now, if I can convince Tim to let me go to the compact car demolition derby this weekend...

Weekend Fun!

Well, Tim and I had a fun weekend this weekend. Friday night we ate at a local restaurant which is fairly new called Villaggio (spelling could be wrong). It is on 29th street and specializes in pizza, panni and wine. Tim and I usually split a salad and pizza. It is really good! Then Saturday I weighed in at WW and lost another pound so I am at 27 lbs total lost. My goal is to get to 30 lbs and then make my way to 40 lbs. It is a process for sure but definitely worth it. I have been able to hike more now that some weight has come off. SO, this weekend Tim and I headed to the Turnbull National Wildlife Preserve http://www.fws.gov/turnbull/ which has some great trails and you have the opportunity to see wildlife. We saw a deer, coyote, praying mantis, lots of chipmunks, squirrels, and of course several varieties of birds. We even saw some muskrat mud huts!! We walked about 5.5 miles. Then we headed to Cheney for some lunch about 2:30pm and happened upon the Artist Cafe...http://www.artistcafe.biz/Home%20Page.htm it was really good! Tim and I will definitely return again!! I did laundry Saturday night, didn't have to fight any crowds which was nice and then Tim and I watched BLADE RUNNER.

Sunday Tim and I headed to the fair. The Spokane Intercounty Fair. http://www.spokanecounty.org/fair/sif/ There was tons of great fair food. Tim and I had a corn dog, roasted turkey leg, soft serve ice cream, pulled pork sandwich and of course some Carmel kettle corn! It was all really good. We also got fudge samples and of course we looked at all of the animals and vegetables and baked goods at the fair as well. We watched the Kids Mutton Bustin' contest...what is this? Well the kid has to be 6 yrs or younger and no more than 60 lbs and they have to stay on the sheep for at least 6 seconds...which is harder than it sounds. they get to wear a crash helmet and some padding around the body. They are sat on the sheep in a chute and then the sheep is let go...and off it runs and the kid must hold on for dear life while the sheep runs to the end of the arena. Several kids fell off in seconds, one kid actually stayed on. The prize is a silver belt buckle and a chance to come back next weekend to win a 4 wheeler. IT WAS NUTS! We also watched the hyptomist (I can't spell today). It was fascinating. You wonder if the people are really under or not.

The Trip Home

So, we got up about 8am Sunday morning to the sound of a helicopter...WHAT?? Where were we? Well, it turns out that they were clearing new ski runs...using a helicopter to bring the trees down from the mountain. As luck would have it, we sat and watched one drop off some trees as we left the hotel! Then, we headed back to Naches to find a place for breakfast. We stopped at a small local joint with some good greasy spoon food. Then, headed off to Wine Country. We stopped at 4 different wineries. Tim took one for the team and tasted at all 4 places. I only did a little at the first (being a responsible driver). We drove through orchards, fruit farms, corn fields and vineyards. The only places that were green were areas watered by irrigation. Where do those Washington apples come from? Yakima and east on 82. We did part of the Rattlesnake http://www.rattlesnakehills.com/wine.htm Hills wine trail. It was great! The people were nice and the wine was good (so I was told!). We headed home after only 4 places because Tim was sure that he was going to fall asleep if he drank any more. So...we headed home up 395 to 90. Right through farm country! Once we got home, Tim made some AWESOME burgers on the grill and now we are resting to prepare for work tomorrow. Perdita was so happy to see us home. Elphaba gets picked up tomorrow and I am sure when she sees Tim she will spaz!

And, we listed to BOOMSDAY by Christopher Buckley http://www.amazon.com/Boomsday-Christopher-Buckley/dp/0446579815 which was read by Janeane Garofalo and it was HYSTERICAL!

Happy Trails!

Mt Rainier Day Two

So, Sunday we were up and out the door before 7:30am in hopes to cram as much of the park in as humanly possible AND still do some hikes and see some great things. So we headed down the road and stopped for breakfast at a local joint called Buzzy's...apparently around for 25 years and it was small, cute and had some great food. Then, we headed to Carbon River. I wanted to check out the rainforest area there and possibly do a hike. When we arrived we found out that the road back was washed out. So it was 3 miles to the trailhead then another 3.5 mile hike. Since the road went through the rain forest we decided to hike the road up past where it was washed out and then turned back. It was incredible. Not just the nature, but where the road was washed out...entirely! We recognized a lot from our trip to Hoh Rainforest in Olympia National Park...so we saw a banana slug, a nurse tree and a collinade (sp?). It was great. Then, we headed to Mowich Lake so Tim could try out some fly fishing and we had a little picnic along the lake. It was beautiful. Then, we headed back to the main hwy to hit the most popular sections of the park. It was hard to get around as the flood of Nov 2006 had washed out many roads. So we had to go out of the park, then get back in to get around. But, it was well marked, and in hindsight we should have just concentrated on the Carbon River and Sunrise sections and left the rest for later. But...we pressed on. We entered through the Southwestern Entrance and headed towards Longmire, Paradise, and Ohanapecosh. We stopped to do a short downhill hike to see some falls, then we headed up to Paradise to walk around the visitor's center and see the view of Mt Rainier from this point. Then, we left and headed down toward the Grove of the Patriarchs (a Hike Tim wanted to do). We made it there in time to hike it before it got too dark! Then it was time to try and find a place to eat. We were unsuccessful. So we ate our cheese, crackers, grapes and snacks that we had packed. We had to drive to Naches for gas and then it was a 2 hour drive back to our hotel. We got in close to 10:30-11pm. Tired!! But, we managed to see the WHOLE park!

Mt Rainier Day One

So we left Friday night and stayed in Yakima, what is in Yakima? Well it is the gateway to wine country...and we stayed in the Oxford Suites http://www.oxfordsuitesyakima.com/ ...very nice and affordable. And we were told to eat at Santiagos http://www.santiagos.org/ which was really REALLY good.

So, after a great night's sleep and a nice breakfast buffet (included in the price of the room) we headed to Mt Rainier National Park. We went in via the Chinook Pass and it was breathtaking! We stopped for a few pictures of the mountain and then headed to Sunrise http://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/sunrise.htm

We decided to do the Mt Fremont Lookout Hike, a little more strenous but not too bad. We left with daypacks. It was a steep climb to both of our way points, but finally once we hit Frozen Lake, we kind of broke away from the other hikers and headed even further up. We had almost a 1,000 ft gain in elevation...ended up at 7,181 (or something close to it). Three months ago I could have NEVER done this hike. It reminded me of some hikes I did in Colorado in August 1998 (and I was in MUCH better shape then). The view was spectacular! You could see for miles, lots of mountains. The pictures don't do it justice. Once we got back down we had a little snack in the truckbed overlooking Mt Rainier. Then, we headed to our hotel. We stayed at Crystal Mountain, normally a ski destination http://www.crystalmtlodging-wa.com/index.htm so there was quite a deal on the stay...nearly half price or more. We stayed in one of the hotels there. It was quite pleasant...my husband's only complaint was that they had removed their hot tubs, and he said "what kind of ski resort doesn't have hot tubs?". The rest of the stay was great. We ate at Alpine Inn that evening and dinner was great. We turned in early as we had a long day ahead of us on Sunday!

Crohn's Walk

So, this weekend my sister and her boyfriend came for a visit. We did a lot of walking and hiking and climbing. And, it was fun showing my sister some of the sights here in Spokane. We also tried out Wolf Creek Lodge. Excellant steaks!! I definately recommend it. Anyway, I did a 5K walk for Crohn's research, patient awareness. It was so awesome and I felt like I could really do it, I think a month or so ago I wouldn't have been able to do it as easily! Not much has been happening. Work has been going well. I am headed off to Phoenix, AZ to help out down there. I can't wait. And, for Labor Day weekend I am headed to Mt Rainier National Park. I can't wait to do that either!

Well, just a quick note to say that I am alive and well.

Peace
T

1st August Post

Oops, it has been awhile hasn't it. Well, what have I been up to? Well, mom came to visit on August 2nd and stayed through August 16th. Her last night in town we went out to eat at the Davenport Hotel...was YUMMY. We did tons of other things while she was here...Mt Spokane, Manito Park, Seattle, Coeur D'Alene, shopping, Flour Mill, Cat Tales, walking, etc. She and Elphie got along great. Tim got home from Italy on August 13th after being gone since July 16th. I was happy to see him home...although we aren't sure who was happier, me or Elphaba...she REALLY missed him. It was actually pretty pathetic! I weighed in at WW today at I am down to 221, I am so excited...I would like to try and take another 20 lbs off before the wedding in October. I am going to try and do better about posting. I just get so distracted by other things, typing isn't the first thing on my mind. Anyway, I have a couple more trips coming up and I am also walking in the Guts and Glory walk for the CCF on August 26th...so I will have lots more to talk about. Oh yeah, good movie to go see, if you want action and just plain entertainment...THE BOURNE ULTIMATIUM!

Another Year Older

So, when you turn a year older, you look at where you have been and then where you are going from here. I know that I am approaching 40 but sometimes I feel like I am still 30 and life is still full of possibilities. I guess I am not a traditional 37 year old...and in many ways I feel like I am catching up to what I am supposed to be at this age. But...I still feel like a life done any other way wouldn't make me as happy as I am now. Embrace life...live life to its fullest. Don't worry about what you SHOULD be doing, but instead think of the things you ARE doing. Are you living life by your standards? Or someone elses? Are you concerned with how other people look at you? Or are you most concerned about your view of yourself? I think my age is finally catching up to me. But inside, I am still the same rebellious teens and twenty year old that I often have to talk out of things.

Many Happy Returns of the DAY!

Bellevue, WA

So, today, Sunday July 29th, Terri and I headed to the Art Festival in Bellevue where Terri's boss had some pottery at the show....and Terri and I worked at the booth for the first part of the morning. http://www.bellevuearts.org/fair/index.html There was lots of great art and artists. I purchase a couple pieces of jewelry. Then, we walked around the mall which was HUGE!! And found a cute little Italian place to eat. Maggiano's Little Italy 10455 Northeast 8th Street Bellevue, WA 98004 with some awesome cream of mushroom soup, Caesar salad and pizza!! And a very good wine choice! Then Terri and I split a strawberry kabob covered in milk and white chocolate. Then...it was time to head to the train station. I got a call that said the train had been canceled, and I would be catching a bus. So, we got to the station about 4pm...and I think the bus left about 5pm and I was back in Spokane by 10:30ish!! Now, I have to get ready for the week. My birthday, mom comes, and work of course. On the weight front...I am waffling between a weight loss of 19 and 20 lbs...I will definitely be weighing in on Saturday...but hopefully all will be well.

Fremont - Seattle WA

So...Friday night July 27th I stayed awake so I could catch a 2:15am train Saturday morning to Seattle to visit Terri. Well, I arrived about 1:45am to find out that the train was delayed until 4:45am...and I don't think the train left until after 5am. And YES, I did stay awake that whole time. Needless to say I was rather TIRED once I got on the train and I slept for most of the way. I woke up around Everett, WA and looked at the scenery. It was gorgeous. The train went along the water and you could see the Olympic Pennisula! Then...we were in the city. Terri and Zach picked me up. I think we got there about 1pm or so. Terri and I went back to the apartment, which is SOOOO cute! And I showered and got ready to hike around Terri's neighborhood, lots of cute shops and things to see! http://www.gonorthwest.com/Washington/seattle/Fremont/Fremont.htm

Then, we met Zach at another AWESOME McMenamins restaurant http://www.mcmenamins.com/index.php?loc=14&category=Location%20Homepage

And headed to Ballard to the Seafood Festival http://www.seafoodfest.org/2007/index.shtml
It was YUMMY, although a lot of food was gone as we got there kind of late. Zach had some bbq salmon, apparently the specialty, and Terri and I shared a shrimp melt, which was ooey gooey liscious!!

Then, we rented Premonition, and I fell right to sleep, was the movie good, I have NO idea!

HARRY POTTER 5 was AWESOME!

Okay, so Tim and I went to see Harry Potter today, it was SOOOOO good. I don't want to give away anything, but obviously things weren't in the movie that were in the book and some liberties were taken to make a very long book fit into 2 hours and 18 minutes...but I think it was good none the less. My concern lies with some of the plot points that are foreshadowing things to come or explanations...but I guess if you didn't read the book it would be confusing and too long to sit through some of those. I had to go out and buy a second copy of the Half Blood Prince as mine is in storage somewhere and I will be reading it to prepare for the book coming out on Friday.

In other news....I am going to play with my new camera today, so hopefully I will have pictures to share next weekend.

And in diet news, I am down 18 lbs now!! I am excited and can't wait for another 18 lbs to come off!!

It is HOT

So, here I am in Washington, thinking that it will be hot and dry this summer, but I wasn't prepared for 102 or 104, these are the highs the last couple of days, UGH. Granted, it is a DRY heat...at least that is what everyone tells me, okay, it is still HOT. This week was all about getting back into the groove after being on vacation. Back to dieting religiously, back to work, and apparently Tim is headed to Italy on Monday. I am so proud of him...and yet, jealous and sad that I can't go too. He flew to Seattle to get his passport on Thursday, which was also our wedding anniversary...5 years!! My how time flies. In other news...an apartment in our complex burnt last night (about 3am or so) the fire crews were still out there at 6am this morning. Send all kinds of positive thoughts to the families. No one died, but I think maybe a few pets did, which is also sad. Tim and I are headed out to dinner tonight and to Harry Potter tomorrow. Keep Cool!!

Return from Iowa DAY FOUR

So, after a great night's sleep and a HOT shower....we had breakfast and headed out. We left Butte about 10am and got home a little after 2:30pm. The rest of the trip was pretty uneventful except for the sad sight we saw right before we hit Coeur D'Alene, ID. Looks like there was a death on the highway and the car was packed for a vacation...it was a sobering sight, please be careful to all of my readers!!

As we merged into the single lane, several cars decided to get ready for it, but a few people decided they would like to cut ahead....the driver behind me noticed this and pulled his car into the left lane so they couldn't pass, I was excited!! Then the van behind him arranged it so the person trying to rush ahead couldn't get in the right lane until 5 or 6 cars behind him...it was great!! More people should do this to those idiots who can't merge when they are told and make it suck for the rest of us who are merging as we should. Kudos to the silver car and maroon van from Washington State!!

Tim is napping and I am going to veg....groceries need purchased and we need to clean up...but it is hot and we have NO energy.

Return from Iowa DAY THREE

So, when you wake up from a night at a hotel, what is the first thing you want to do? Shower right? Will a cold shower do? What is a shower worth to you? For me, it is the reason I stay in a hotel and I am not camping. I figure if I am paying 100+ per night then I am entitled to a hot shower. So, Tim takes a shower and it is TEPID, by the time I get one there is just COLD water. This is a convention center sized hotel...If I wake up and shower at 8am, should I just expect that the water is cold? Spearfish Holiday Inn believes that the shower was worth 15.00 which is what they credited us for our trouble. Is this acceptable? Well, we had spent 2 nights on the way to Iowa and two nights on the way back so far all in either Holiday Inn or Holiday Inn Express hotels...there was a man in front of us in line to sit down for breakfast....he got mad because it took them 5 minutes to tell him they would be right with him...and I will bet he didn't get a hot shower either. So...something to think about when you are traveling. I am not one to complain...but if you are paying 100+ per night...I feel that it is a GIVEN you are getting a hot shower in the AM, and that is just the way I feel. Now, all of our other stays were great...but let's just say that when we made a decision about where to stay for our last night...it wasn't a Holiday Inn...we chose Best Western in Butte, MT, and it was HUGE, had convention rooms and I got a hot bath that night AND a hot shower the next morning...the place was nearly sold out...and I STILL got a hot shower...something to consider on your next trip.

Anyway, back to the return trip....We got up and headed out to Devil's Tower WY, it was a pretty drive and Devil's Tower was amazing. Saw prairie dogs and lots of people, it was HOT, so there wasn't a lot of hiking, and I felt a little clammy, could have been the sponge bath I had that morning. Anyway Tim started looking at the map and thought maybe we could take a scenic detour on the way home...seeing those mountains to the south of us made us want to go up in them...so we decided to take a small detour...up into the mountains...in true Tim form, we underestimated the time....but we got to go 9370 ft, saw snow, saw a moose and her calf, had to come down the side of the mountain in low gear....10% plus grade hills and once on the bottom, the storm of the century was brewing and lightening and wind and rain were going like mad around us. We managed to avoid a large blue infatable pool blowing right at us, I managed to keep us on the road...and it was INCREDIBLE. Tim tried to get a picture of the LARGE bolts of lightening coming down...and after 20 shots, got one!! It was GREAT!! Well, this small detour was more than a couple hours and got us to Butte, MT just outrunning another storm close to 10pm...we picniced on the mountain, so we ate at Perkins once we arrived. It was good. And, we slept well.

Return from Iowa DAY TWO

We got started fairly early the next day...we went through the BADLANDS, which looked different than it had when Mom and I went through....and then we headed to Mt Rushmore. On the way we stopped at Bear Country USA http://www.bearcountryusa.com/ to drive through and see some bears...there were also some wolves, bison, bighorn sheep, and other animals. Once we left the auto tour we went to see the baby animals....bears, bobcats, river otters, etc...it was really cool! Mom and I had wanted to stop there but it wasn't open when we went through. Then we headed to Mt Rushmore. There were TONS of people there and it was REALLY hot...but I am so glad we got to see it. We stopped to see the Story of the man who carved it in Keystone, SD http://www.rushmoreborglum.com/borglum_story.htm which was really neat...then we headed to see the national monument. It was incredible...and we learned about the Hall of Records created behind Lincoln's head which was designed to preserve items...we didn't know about that. Then, we took a scenic drive to Deadwood, I wanted to show Tim where it was and what it was like, we want to return there sometime! Then we drove to Spearfish, SD to spend the night so we could head out first thing in the morning for Devil's Tower WY.

Returning from Iowa Day One

I am going to post a series of my return from Iowa...I want to plug a couple things we did...and say that this was a really fun trip. I got to see my aunts and uncles, all of them...and most of my cousins, which was fun. We arrived in Iowa on July 2nd about lunchtime. We took about 2 days and a few hours to arrive. We left Spokane Saturday morning June 30th and drove on I-90 to I-15 and headed south to Park City, UT, where we spent the night...then headed West on I-80 through UT, WY and then NE. We spent the second night in Grand Island, NE and finished the 3 or 4 hours the next morning to Exira. We arrived as the last of the group. It was nice and shockingly cool for July when we arrived. So, we hung out outdoors for a change and it was great. Tuesday, we ran errands and did some visiting...and then Wednesday was the 4th...so it was a day of parades, food, games, etc. We walked to and from the parade site, watching 1/2 the parade with the Hays clan and the other with the Littlefields. Then we walked back to get our food and head to Atlantic to eat with the Hays clan at Grandma's residence. Lots of good food and talking. We headed back to Grandma Littlefields for some r and r and the clay shoot...everyone tried it out, we nearly convinced Mom to try it as well. Then Terri and I walked to Exira to ride some rides with Freedom and Anna....we both nearly got sick on the Octopus....and I had a hard time recovering...so Jason gave us a ride back to the farm....where we joined a volleyball game in progress (Ted's set up). Then it got dark and it was time for fireworks...which were awesome again this year. Then, we built a fire and had marshmellows and leftovers around the fire. The next day it was belgian waffles and bacon for breakfast and then people started heading out. Terri, Zach, Tim and I left before 11am and had a lamb burger in Omaha at the M's Pub http://www.mspubomaha.com/

If you are EVER in Omaha, NE, you NEED to go to the Old Market area and eat here, tons of GREAT food http://www.omahaoldmarket.com/ Lots of great shops and lots to see and do!!

THEN we headed to SD. We arrived in Mitchell, SD to have some frozen custard at Culver's and go to Cabella's http://www.cabelas.com/home.jsp;jsessionid=UDVYBVY0QSMR4CWQNWTCCNIK0BW0CIWE?_requestid=59368

We slept just past the Missouri river for the night and then headed on to The Badlands.

Weekend Fun

So, this weekend Tim, Elphaba and I headed to Mt Spokane for a picnic on the mountain. It was a lovely day, very few clouds in the sky and sunny, still cool but we figured the day would warm up. So, off we went. On the way we stopped at Green Bluff to pick some strawberries and we stopped to purchase some rhubarb so I could try a cobbler or crisp. Check out http://www.greenbluffgrowers.com/ it was really great!! Then we continued up the mountain, mind you this is not a huge mountain, check out http://parks.wa.gov/parkpage.asp?selectedpark=Mount%20Spokane or http://www.mtspokane.com/ for more information. Anyway, we got out of the car in our shorts and sandals and it was COLD!! So we bundled up in a blanket we brought with us and huddled for warmth and had our picnic of smoked salmon, brie, gouda, apples, cherries, cucumbers, hummus, crackers, white wine, oreoes, and strawberries. It was YUMMY but COOL!! So, Tim looked around, we walked a little and decided we would have to return another day when it was a little warmer, or we were better prepared. But, on the bright side, Tim said it was REALLY clear up there compared to his last trip...and for me, my last trip up with Marty we couldn't even get to the top as there was still snow there in early May.

Job Update/Clarification

I have noticed that perhaps I haven't said what my job is.(thank you K for pointing that out) Well, I have been working for Apollo College here in Spokane, WA. Here is their website - http://www.apollocollege.edu/ It is a medical and dental assisting, massage therapy, vet tech, etc kind of a trade school for the medical field and they are accredited and part of that process is a library, with a librarian, enter ME!! When I was interviewed for the job I was too excited for words. Here is a job where I can use EVERYTHING I learned in Library School!! Sometimes I hardly believe they pay me to do my job. So I get to be an all in once librarian. It is awesome. I have been there since May 23rd and I love it. Having a new job always has a transition period so it has been rough at times, but overall I love it and am very excited about. I think I may have told Tim that this job is "every librarian's wet dream" which may have been a little strong, but I was SOOOOO excited!! Anyway, it is giving me opportunities that I really appreciate and enjoy. I will try and keep you updated with my job and job progress. I cataloged several books, I have been creating policy and procedure. I have had a lot of people tell me they think that my job may be boring...NOT SO!! I love it, always a new challenge, always things to do.

Saturday June 16

So, I haven't written in over a week and now I am posting several times. My goal is to post AT LEAST once a week...so I need to carve some time out to do that! This weekend should be fun. My job gave me some money and I get to do some book shopping this weekend!! I am so excited. Also, I want to go see NANCY DREW, I know it will be NOTHING like the books I remember, it seems like a fun movie. I am also tempted to head to BLOCKBUSTER and rent BIG LOVE so I can finish out the season that I started in Iowa when I was moving out here. Tim is working today. But, tonight is date night and I am taking him to THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE in Coeur D'Alene, ID tonight. I am so excited!! This afternoon I hope we can head to Costco and see about getting some potstickers!! Elphaba gets to have a spa day...and since I have met my 10 lbs mark, Tim is treating me to a pedicure. So...should be a Great weekend. I hope to post again tomorrow to update all of these plans. But, last night after Tim and I made some very YUMMY homemade mac and cheese with ham and broccoli, we headed to Manito Park and it was gorgeous!! The English garden is planted and looks beautiful and the roses are coming out. I am including a couple pictures from our walk last night! Also came across a turtle, so involved it what it was doing (I am guessing laying eggs) that it didn't mind how close I got to it. I have to do some searching as I a curious, it was just sitting there, about 2 feet from the duck pond's edge working its back legs digging up dirt. Hmmmm. It was so interesting. Elphaba was there, all of the ducks were fleeing into the water and the turtle looked our general direction, but didn't pause, stop or leave the area.

Weight Loss Update

So it is week 5 and I have lost 11.2 pounds as of my Weight Watchers meeting this morning. I could not be happier. I am really enjoying the fruits of my labor. It is so hard for someone like me who LOVES food to think about losing weight, and then to actually DO it. Well, it is amazing. I have to say that I can thank my cousin and my brother for their support...and here in WA, going to the meetings is VERY helpful. I know, it doesn't really seem like it would be for people who don't go. But there is a celebration when you do well, commiseration if you didn't lose that week and encouragement to do better. People talk about their issues and challenges and share shack ideas. It is so great. I had done WW before, but only came to weigh in, never stayed for the meetings. I really like the meetings. And, I have gone to a meeting and didn't lose weight...so now I am more compelled to make the right decisions so I can maintain OR lose. I know I will still have roadblocks along the way. But, I am confident that I will be able to meet my goal. To all of my friends out there, ask me about it...I will talk about it and help you out! Also, for those men out there, there are several men in all 4 of the different meeting times I have gone to...not just one or two...but several. So it isn't just for women. So...watch your portions, eat more vegetables and fruits and love yourself enough to become a more healthy and active YOU!!

Combine Demolition Derby Lind, WA

So, what IS a combine demolition derby? Well, here in WA they have grain, wheat, so a combine is required to harvest...so I understand. So, last Saturday June 9th Tim and I and another couple went to Lind, WA, about 90 miles away to pay 12.00 per person and watch combines, decorated and altered a little crash into each other for big money, I think the grand prize was like $1000 or something. For more information about it, check out http://www.lindwa.com/ and see what it is. If you go to YouTube and type in Combine Demo Derby you will get a selection of things to watch similar to what we saw. IT WAS AWESOME. I have never laughed so hard or listened to more country music in my life. Not only did we get to see the demolition, but we also saw grain truck and pickup truck races. It was so cool! Tim LOVED it. All of us did. It was an overcast day, kind of on the cool side, with just a hint of rain and even that didn't deter us. We sat in the stands for nearly 3 hours watching the fun!!

My Review of SMITTENS

Originally submitted at UncommonGoods

Keep love in the air and your hands out of the cold. Knitwear designer Wendy Feller came up with the idea for Smittens while on a romantic but chilly walk with her husband. Instead of holding hands through bulky mittens, Feller designed a plush fleece set of two regular mittens plus a third overs...

SMITTENSSMITTENS

Keep you and your honey warm

By Librarygirl from Spokane, WA on 6/7/2007

 

5out of 5

Pros: Durable, Attractive Design, Easy To Assemble

Best Uses: Travel, Outdoors

Describe Yourself: Stylish, Practical

I purchased these for my husband and I for Valentine's day, it was perfect for those evening walks with the dog keeping our hands warm and able to still hold hands as if it were spring or summer. We loved them.

(legalese)

More for Monday

Okay, back from my walk...I wish it would just rain...it is so hot!! But, tomorrow promises to be cooler!! YIPPEE!! So, how was my weekend? Well Friday night we had pizza, it was so good, I guess when you can't have it all of the time (high in points) it makes you appreciate it that much more. Well, Saturday we headed to Mule Days in Reardan, WA check out http://www.reardanmuledays.com/ It was HOT, we got there about 10:30am and left about 1:30pm or so...walked around and met some guys Tim works with and their wives. Then, Tim and I headed out to run errands with the dog. Once we got home, we were pretty much done for the night and watched TV until 11pm, then to bed. Sunday we went to the Pet Expo with Elphaba, Tanya, Yosi, and Bridget...check out http://www.spokanepetfest.com/ Elphaba and Tim entered the Funny Dog Games and Elphie came in second place in "fastest sit" and she did really well in the relay too. We wanted to check out the agility so Tim and Elphie can look into doing it soon! Elphie just needs one more obedience class and I think she will be ready.

Okay, another book I read was IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS by Lena Williams about race relations, things about blacks and whites that annoy each other and cause tension. It was pretty insightful.

THE KILLING KIND by John Connolly about a man who can see dead people and about a religious cult which apparently disappeared and has resurfaced killing an old friend of his. It is very creepy, and if you don't like spiders, there are places that may really creep you out. I liked it and plan on reading more by him!

Well, have a great week! :)

Update - Books I have read

So, I have done some reading and decided to catch everyone up on what I have been reading.

THE BOOK OF LOST THINGS by John Connolly - Was a combo of Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe meets a retelling of childhood fairy tales, I liked it and it had an interesting twist on some favorite fairy tales. Meet David a little boy whose mother died and left him the love of reading, what happens when he starts seeing the Crooked Man?

YOU HAVE TO KISS A LOT OF FROGS - by Laurie Graff - cute and funny, definately a light read. Follow a single Jewish actress through her journey of dating all sorts of men...and it will make you laugh as you remember some dates you may have been on.

I read two other books and can't remember them right now...how weird is that?

More to follow after my walk...

Picnic

Today, Tim and Zach went canoeing...and Elphaba and I went for a picnic in the park. We ate lunch, we fed the seagulls and ducks, and we walked all over. I wanted to take pictures but there were too many distraction for the dog, so next time, I will get some pictures. We went to Manito Park...it was a beautiful day. Sunny, cool, blue skies and puffy white clouds. I did some vacuuming today and I planted some herbs on our small deck. If the birds don't take them all I should have some basil, sage, cilantro and rosemary. I am including a picture of what Tim did yesterday, that is him climbing to the top. WOW!! He was exhausted after doing that a few times. I have been watching some movies...CATCH AND RELEASE, not worth the time. I also watched THE WOODSMAN and WE DON'T LIVE HERE ANYMORE...both are slightly depressing, but worth the watch.

Exciting News!

Well, I haven't written in awhile as I have been busy...with my new job!! I was offered a job on Tuesday and my first day was Wednesday. I was so excited! So, I was able to work three days this week. Now, I have a three day weekend to enjoy. So far, I have done laundry, saw the movie WAITRESS, which was good and I had a steak dinner. I don't have too many plans this weekend. We have a visitor for the weekend, Tim is doing a lot of outside stuff like rock climbing and fishing and boating. I am glad, because some of those things I can't do with him. I want to get a few things done this weekend, but I also want to take it easy. The weather is fabulous. It is really nice out. Sun is shining but it is cool. I wore my KENT STATE t-shirt today and it was quite the conversation starter. I had three different people ask me about it. Who knew!

I need to get out and get some more pictures of the area. Maybe a trip to Manito is in my near future. I wish I would have taken pictures last weekend. But, I wasn't sure what the hike would be like. Now I have some chores to take care of before I crash.

Monday Monday

So...the weekend was a good weekend. Tim and I went out for sushi Friday night, it was good as always. http://www.spokanesushi.com/Spokane%20Sushi%20-%20OKANE.htm Then Saturday Tim worked while I cleaned. Then, because I was going fishing on Sunday with him, he went to a movie with me. I chose Georgia Rule, which I liked, he did not. Then we ate at the Italian Kitchen, really good food!! We were unaware of the Lilac Festival http://www.lilacfestival.org/ and large parade that shut down Spokane downtown for 3 hours...so after eating we had to find a taxi to get us home and come back for my truck after 11pm. The parade was long, 3 hours, and had lots of interesting floats and bands. We just had a dog that needed out and fed!! Sunday we got up and headed to Lake Roosevelt for some fishing. http://www.nps.gov/laro/ We didn't catch anything, but we heard turkeys and I saw several birds, including a couple bald eagles. Elphaba found a family of mice and we enjoyed some time sitting, communing with nature. Tim took me to a really good Mexican restaurant, TRES FIESTAS, I had a club quesadilla, which I could barely eat. The rest of Sunday was spent watching TV and THE GOOD SHEPHERD.

Today, I feel like a blob...no energy and no will to do anything. I can only hope tomorrow is better. I am looking forward to a 3 day weekend with Tim. And, I got a call back from my job lead, I go in tomorrow for an offer.

how did my week go?

Well, I haven't written much this week. Mostly because I am concentrating on my diet. So far so good. Tonight I may indulge a little and have some sushi. But, yesterday I had enough points to have some COLD STONE CREAMERY light chocolate ice cream, it was good. Tuesday I started the diet, went okay, then Wednesday was HARD, yesterday was okay and today I am doing fine as well. I have been walking twice a day and I hope to add Jazzercise one or two times a week as well. I want to start doing Yoga too. I am really committed to this. I LOVE food, so this is really difficult.

In other news, job hunting is at a standstill...I am waiting to hear back from one lead, hopefully first thing next week.

Saturday I will try and clean the apartment again. Also, made a grocery list so I can get some things and try some new recipes. The weekend will be better because I can spend time with Tim.

Nothing else new to report.

Weight Watchers

So, I have decided that I am WAY TOO FAT for words. And, I just don't feel good. So, yesterday I joined Weight Watchers. I have heard lots of good things, AND a few years ago I did it successfully, so now I am trying again. Today is day two, and so far so good. Who knows, I want it to work...and as much as I LOVE food, I guess it is time.

By the way, my last post picture was a picture of Tim and Elphaba, not Marty, althought it may have looked that way.

I am anxiously awaiting a job...I have a background check going through and once the results come back, hopefully I will be employed. So, that is about the size of it. Maybe something more exciting will happen tomorrow.

Goodbye Marty :(

I realize that my happy face on the last post may have made it look like I was happy to see Marty go, which wasn't the case....just happy to have him around, and we tried to do things that were fun for his last day, so happy face for fun!!

I dropped him off Saturday AM about 8:45am and went back to the apartment to do some cleaning...and may I add that my loaner vacuum from Oreck WAS AWESOME!! I was really impressed. For those of you out there who like a powerful lightweight vacuum cleaner that almost steers itself. Check out http://www.oreck.com/oreck-xl-upright/index.cfm the XL 21 Titanium series. It has two speeds and for pet hair and so forth, INCREDIBLE, mind you, the regular one is good too. I love mine, I have had it 5 years and have never had any trouble with it except that I broke something on it...and repairs were not too bad on it. (It suffered a bad fall, all my fault). Anyway enough with the product plugging.

Saturday Tim and I went to see the new Spiderman movie at the IMAX. The place was PACKED. And, the movie was good. Exciting, lots of effects and some sappy parts...but it was good. Would I think it was the best one? Not really. Tim is an avid comic reader and pointed out the story lines that weren't true to the comic...but said that it was still okay. I think IMAX is great, but for movies with that much action, it is too much to see on that big screen. I think if the people have to sit in the very front row, they are missing a lot. And, sit to one side so you don't feel like you are at a tennis match...my 2 cents. Before the movie we went to Red Robin for dinner, Tim got his birthday coupon and we split the burger. YUMMY as always.

Sunday, we ate breakfast early, to beat the Mother's Day rush at Maggie's South Hill Grill, always a great place to eat, this was my second time and between my breakfast of poached eggs, proscuttio, asparagus on sourdough with cheese and chipotle sauce and Tim's stuffed french toast, wow, both really good. Then it was off to the storage unit to dig out some stuff, which was really fun and challenging. We took everything home and got the dog and headed out to the dog park right near the state line. http://www.spokanecounty.org/animal/ It was really nice and looks like it is expanding. Lots of dogs and it was fun watching them run around and play with each other. And, I am as proud of my dog as a parent with a child, she graduated Intermediate Obedience School...and she looked so cute in her graduation cap. And, she actually let Tim put it on and kept it on. She looked so intellectual! Elphaba needs to go to the next level now. We hope for her to try agility soon too!

The rest of the evening was really great, steak dinner, baked some cupcakes and made some popcorn for Tim.

Marty's Last Day :)

Well, today is Marty's last day. We left to go to Mt Spokane around 9am. We were unable to go all the way to the top as there was still snow up there. Tim said when he went he was able to go up but it was August. They say that the road finally opens in June. We saw some magnificent views and did a little hiking, but neither of us are in any kind of shape. Then we had lunch at Burger King (yep, all that nutrition). Then a drive to the Riverside State Park to look at the Bowl and Pitcher part of the park, it was gorgeous!! And then we headed downtown to the Davenport Hotel for a short walking tour of the hotel and its gorgeous ballrooms. Tonight we are going out to applebees for some drinks and dinner to celebrate and say goodbye! It was a really fun time!

MAC and the Campbell House

We did some fun things today (Thursday). Looked into some of Spokane's History and went to the MAC museum which featured an exhibit about SHOES!! http://www.northwestmuseum.org/northwestmuseum/ Check out the website for more info! And Sue, from the Chicago Field Museum has come to visit as well. We did a tour of the Campbell House which was interesting, early 1900 furniture and customs. We also looked at the older neighborhoods in Spokane. Then, it was off to a cute little stretch of town with an old theater, a milk bottle that serves ice cream and shops called the RUBY SLIPPER and TINMAN GALLERY. Then I had to show Marty the Downtown library. We started the morning with a HEARTY breakfast at Frank's Diner (in a train car). Then we topped off the day seeing a play called SEE HOW THEY RUN, a fun little case of mistaken identity. It was cool. Definately a small theater. I can't wait to see some of the plays for the next season. Then, I met my downstairs neighbor...she seems really nice.

Creatures of the Park

Today (yesterday) we visited two of the parks closest to my apartment. We went to Lincoln Park and walked Elphaba and the view of Mt Spokane was amazing. Then, we got lunch at Wendy's and took it to Manito Park where we had to battle the seagulls to eat our lunch (the people next to us thought it would be a great idea to feed them their leftovers). Then we hiked around the duck pond, still taken over by seagulls...but we saw ducks, geese and TURTLES!! Then through the Lilac Garden where the lilacs were coming out, not all the way, but close. Several varieties and in many colors, the fragrance was so sweet. Then it was on to the Japanese Garden, more things in bloom and some HUGE fish. We went to the Rose Garden, but there wasn't much to see there yet. Then, to the wall of flowers and the perennial gardens which seem to look different each time I go. The greenhouse has a display of flowers that we went in to look at. Several varieties of orchids and cacti as well as a little fountain and several other unique flowers. The Duncan Garden is ready to plant, apparently they are asking for volunteers to help plant next week. I may go and try that out. Then, on around and back to the car. Then we headed to the Flour Mill and the Sourdough Place. Both interesting, the sourdough place was a restaurant so we will have to try that soon. And, the Flour Mill has some very interesting pieces of jewelry and beads. Then it was back to the apartment to make dinner and crash. We made some more of Tim's awesome sea bass. It was good!!

Adventure in 3 states

Well, today I decided to take Marty to Idaho to Coeur D'Alene and since we weren't that far from the Montana border, we decided to drive there as well. So, we left about 9:00am and headed to Idaho. We stopped to get some snacks and drinks and then headed off to the scenic drive around the lake Coeur D'alene. It couldn't have been a more beautiful day. The drive was magnificent. Once done, we headed to Wallace, ID for some lunch and to explore. My mom and I stopped through there on our way out and thought it looked like a great place to visit sometime. Apparently this town has claimed CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE. There is a marker and they are registered with NASA and everything. Then we headed to Montana. We could still see snow on the mountain tops and at Lookout Pass, we got out and could actually walk on the snow! Once that was done, we headed back to Coeur D'Alene to explore and walk around. I have included a picture of the lake. There is a long floating boardwalk that goes along the edge of the lake near the resort. The boats, the windsurfers, etc it was all incredible. We headed back home about 6pm. What a day!

Portland Day Two

So, Sunday morning, we woke up, had breakfast in bed and then headed out to meet Marty at 10am. We met up with Marty and then headed on the Portland Streetcar towards the South Park areas and the Portlandia statue. We encountered several neat things to take pictures of, statues, sculptures, fountains, and flowers. We also decided to cross the river and walk up the East side of the river to take pictures of downtown Portland. It was a beautiful walk and lots of people were out walking, riding bikes, and strolling down the pathway. We crossed on the steel people bridge and got to see a yacht go through the drawbridge. We headed to Jake's to have brunch/lunch and then headed towards the train station. We walked through Old Town and Chinatown. There were so many beautiful buildings but everything was in a state of disrepair. There were a lot of shelters and halfway houses in the area as well. We arrived at the trainstation about an hour and a half early, and just chilled for awhile. The train started loading about 4:30pm and then headed out. It was a great ride home...we got in a little after midnight. It was a great trip and I can't wait to try it again!