Ok, so it was more of a visit than an invasion… and really more from SLC than from Britain… 

Two days after the Ashleye departed, Kathleen (who really is British) arrived to spend 5 days in the lovely northwest with her fantastic friend (me).  She thought she was coming to relax, but I had other plans.  Actually I didn’t really have other plans, but we kept ourselves busy nonetheless!

She arrived in Seattle at the ungodly hour of 7:50am (neither of us are “morning people”) and we headed straight into Seattle for the “Savor Seattle” tour at Pikes Place (review to follow in another post).   This is Kathy standing by one of the many flower peddlers in the market.

After a fabulous, but exhausting, 2 hour walk around the market, we made a few purchases and headed back to my place.   Kathy (who hadn’t slept the night before, worried she wouldn’t hear her alarm) took a much needed 2 hour nap…. that lasted until late the next morning .   

We took it pretty easy on Friday, exploring my small garden and left the condo only for dinner at Azuls and a little shopping at the fabulous Musings, which features the work of local artists.  We finished the evening off with pedicures. Our feet were very happy.

Saturday was another big day.  We started off by browsing a couple of shops at The Country Village, then headed to downtown Bothell (which is tiny) for a bit of lunch at the Kozy Corner Cafe - and then were off on a quest to find the Chateau Ste Michelle winery.    We took the scenic route through some lovely Woodinville farmland (i.e., I didn’t know where the hell I was going),  and eventually found ourselves entering the incredibly beautiful grounds.

Neither of us had ever been to a winery before so decided to take the free tour.  We both learned a lot about how wine is made, why red wine can be so expensive (aging them in expensive, hand made oak barrels imported from France or Italy) and all about why Washington’s Columbia Valley offers the perfect climate for growing wine grapes.    And did you know that the year of a wine is not the year the wine was made, but the year the grapes were picked?    Neither did I.

The tour ended with a tasting of 3 wines….  I should point out that I hate wine.  I think it’s nasty.  And it’s deceptive!  It smells so wonderfully fruity, and then has this dry, bitter taste.  Blech!  So the tasting was a bit awkward to say the least.   I graciously did try a sip, and when our cute tour guide noticed I was disposing of the remainder (or pouring them in Kathy’s glass for her to finish )  I explained that I like my drinks sweet.    

So she was delighted to tell me that the final wine we would be tasting is a sweet wine…  a dessert wine, Muscat Canelli (2006, I believe), available only in the retail shop at the winery.    I was a bit apprehensive, but discovered it was quite tasty and finished the glass.   Wouldn’t it figure that I’d like a dessert wine?  And an expensive one at that.   I’d probably never buy a bottle, but if you offer me a glass of dessert wine, I’ll try it.

Kathy, on the other hand, really enjoys wine in all its varieties.  She can expound on which were her favorite. 

We would have loved to spend some time exploring the beautiful grounds, joining the other winery visitors who had spread blankets on the grass to enjoy a picnic or some wine and cheese…  such a delightful place to spend a Saturday afternoon… but it was TOO DAMN HOT!   Most residents of the area were enjoying Seattle’s unseasonably warm weather (80-ish) that weekend, but we both prefer a cooler temp, so we got back in the air conditioned car and made the requisite pilgrimage to nearby Molbaks.

Look - while I was taking photos of hydrangeas, Kathy found more wine and passed out on a lounge chair.  

Molbaks is the ultimate garden store…   acres of flowers and fabulous interior decorating/gift sotre. On a rainy or cool day we’d have spent hours there.  But, unfortunately, it was also a bit warm for both of us - so our stay was brief. 

We had a party to get ready for anyway.

After a bit of freshening up, and preparing a tasty spinach salad for the potluck, we headed to Mercer Island for lovely evening socializing with 15 members of my fabulous Seattle Post Mormon group.  Great conversation, good food, perfect temperature, and a beautiful view of Lake Washington. 

Kathy was a hit at the party, of course.  This woman is very clever and knows how to tell a story… she can even make funerals funny.  They were very disappointed to learn she lived in Salt Lake and won’t be a regular attendee.

And so ends part 1 of our adventure…. tune back tomorrow (or the next day) to hear about our journey to the San Juan Islands…

Last night my typically bizarre dreams were accompanied by Kenny Loggins singing “Celebrate Me Home.”  

The song has been playing in my head all day long, but I don’t mind.  It’s one of my all time favorite songs - and one that always makes me smile.  I share it with you now.  Enjoy.  (Just click the little arrow to listen.)

Does that every happen to you?  You wake up with a song in your head and it just keeps playing?   It happens to me all the time - which can sometimes be really annoying, depending on the song.  And with the discovery of this cool little flash player, I am going to start a new feature called “Song in my Head” over there on the left column of my blog…    Check back often for this thrilling peek into my mind!  

What song is in your brain today?

Thank you Ashley and Ashlee for sharing your “girls trip” with me.  It was so fun to have you nutty girls around.   What a treat to be able to spend Mother’s Day with my (all grown up) baby.   I’ll let Ashley share the details of her trip on her blog, but will post a review of our “Savor Seattle Tour” soon!

I’m so glad I found out about this!

The correct way to weigh yourself: 

I can’t believe I was doing it wrong all these years.

We must spread the word.

I just learned that my sister, Kristin, has adopted a very important family tradition.  I’m so delighted!

It began when Ashley started dating.  The first time a new suitor would come to do the door, I would answer and greet them.   Unbeknownst to Ashley, The dialogue woud go something like this:

   boy:  Is Ashley home?
   Me: Yes, she is - but first, a song.
   boy:  Huh? 
   Me: A song. You need to sing me a song.
   boy:  (visibly weighing options)  Umm…  what song?
   Me: Oh, any song will do. Maybe ________ (then a suggestion).
   boy:  really?

Some took a bit more convincing - not wanting to look foolish, I’m sure.  But when they realized I was dead serious and they were NOT getting in the house, nor was Ashley being made aware of their arrival, they’d give in and sing.   Some even enjoyed themselves, and those were the boys I knew would be fun dates for Ashley.

I heard “Give Said The Little Stream“, “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” among others.    My all-time favorite response was Ashley’s friend Josh - all 6′4″ of him…. without batting an eye, he launched into “I’m a Little Teapot” (which he chose) and even did the actions.  He got bonus points.

One kid, named Richard, absolutely REFUSED to sing and I eventually relented in letting him in.  But I knew he’d be a very POOR MATCH foor my daughter (which he was… not a fun bone in his body)… and after a far too long dating spell she finally realized it too

Justin, now her husband, performed Rod Stewart’s - “Have I told you Lately That I Love You” beautifully… ending up on one knee, I believe.   The two of them are still singing today!

So…. today I learned that J’Neil (my neice) had her first suitor arrive today - and Kristin was serenaded with “Itsy Bitsy Spider.”   I nearly cried with joy.

Since J’Neil is just entering her dating era, Kristin would love a list of song suggestions…. any ideas?   

Did, or do you have any “first date” traditions like this?

So, we learned this week that our sorry excuse for a president gave up golfing in 2003 “in solidarity” with the families of soldiers who were dying in Iraq, concluding that it was “just not worth it anymore” to play the sport in a time of war.

“I don’t want some mom whose son may have recently died to see the commander in chief playing golf,” Bush said in a White House interview with the Politico. “I feel I owe it to the families to be as — to be in solidarity as best as I can with them. And I think playing golf during a war just sends the wrong signal.”

That’s his idea of sacrifice, to give up golf?   This man is a shallow moron. 

Be careful… there are a few trick questions….

Click here to take the Bush-McCain Challenge!

If you get enough answers correct, you advance to my favorite part - the final round…

The McCain-Carrot face off!

I bought my first beer today.    I had to ask assistance from a fellow Albertson’s shopper to even find it - and then asked her recommendation for a good beer for snails. 

She looked confused.  “Snails?” she asked.  “You’re serving beer with snails, or do you want to cook with it??”

“No.” I replied.  “I want to lure them to their drunken deaths in my garden.” 

She looked relieved for some reason.  She was then quite helpful in pointing out that the single cans were in the walk in cooler room (something unheard of in Utah Albertsons), and that I wanted a high gravity beer - which apparently have more alchohol.   She thoughtfully  suggested a can of Steel Reserve and I bought it.

I set out a couple of pie tins and poured the beer into them.  I wonder if the slugs/snails will appreciate the fact that is is slow brewed for exceptionally smooth flavor?

For all my feline loving friends….   enjoy