Thursday, September 29, 2011

Back from San Francisco












































Sunday night I got back from 3 short days in San Francisco, 2 nights. Brother Randall met me at the Bart area of the airport and gave me a card to get through the turnstile. We rode the Bart back to downtown, and then waited for a city bus ride to Hyde St. and Powell, only a block and a half from the apartment. Have not been there since 1996! Apartment hasn't changed much, top floor of a three story building built in the 1920's. Randall has the whole top floor, apartment is maybe 600sf, one bedroom, but it actually is pretty roomy. Kitchen is closet size, but WTH, he's a batchelor, and keeps his pantry bare for the most part. Mom was there, and brother Andy also. A Rattray Clan reunion. Nice. Randall went out to the gym, then had a rehearsal for a bit. After that we went out to a little diner and had dinner. Great food, and by the time we were done, about 9 pm, the place was packed and there was a line forming outside the door.

We put a dvd in back at the apartment, but I was crashing, and went to bed early. Cable cars start going by the front door at 6am, and I had been awake for awhile, so I got dressed and snuck out about 7am for my walk down to Fisherman's warf, which seems to be my tradition when I go to SF. It is about 11 blocks, but uphill to Lombard St. and then downhill to the water, so it is quite a workout. Stopped at Starbucks and had a hot chocolate and an oat bar. Cool and a little foggy outside. Then walked west a few blocks and headed back zigzaged a bit, looking for the area where we had dinner. Took awhile, but found the little market I was looking for and got a banana and some Diet Coke. Met mom headed out while at the corner of Vallejo and Hyde, so she gave me the keys, said Andy had gone out running, and Randall was still sleeping(he was sick, coughing and congested). So I went in and put water in the bathtub(no shower) and took a splash bath and washed my hair. Later when Randall got up we went a few blocks down Broadway to the Jug Shop and got two bottles of wine for Annie's wedding sent to her and Scott. Wedding Present shopping done! Then went to Walgreen's for a few supplies(ice for my diet coke!) and back tot he apartment. More climbing hills! About noon, I walked back down that way and ate at a Taco place I had noticed earlier, it was great. Then walked through a street fair and blues festival on Polk and then up California to Whole foods. We were eating in the apartment Sat. night, and so I got ingredients for Caprisio salad(fresh mozzarella, basil, baguette, mom had been given two tomatoes earlier). Walked back to the apartment(more climbing) and was ready to sit down and have some ICED Diet Coke! Decided I had walked at least 7 miles that day! up and down.


Randall had a gig at the Atlas Cafe, so he left about 3pm to drive over there and set up. Mom, Andy and I took a bus down there and got there about 5pm. Listened to the music and had refreshments. Met Randall's friend Ana, who sang a couple songs(in Spanish) with the group. Sweet gal, works at BAAQMD where Randall did. Anyway, she gave us a ride back to the apartment, and then came back for dinner with us. Randall made salad and broiled salmon. We had the Caprisio for appetizer. All in all, it was a really nice night, and the view from the windows at night was spectacular, golden gate bridge lit up with lights, and the lights on the layers of the city, and the bay out toward the west. Beautiful.


Sunday, Mom and I walked to the ferry terminal, about 15 blocks and caught the ferry to Sausalito. It was misty and actually rained and wind blew when we arrived, but we walked around the little artsy shopping area and then ducked inside a place called Winsome for lunch. i had a fritata and mom had clam chowder. We stayed in there over an hour to get warm and dry. Then when we left the sun was out for a little bit, walked around by the water, and then caught the ferry at 2:10 back to the city. The walk back was all uphill, and at one point we climbed 192 stairs up Broadway. Huff, Puff! I had to rinse off in the bathtub when we got back, as I was headed to the airport ! So, that was our great weekend as a clan, and I had never expected to get back to SF in my lifetime, and so it was a great treat to go again! Marvelous city, and having a great location to stay has always made it even better.

Friday, September 16, 2011

A much needed change

It's official, this grandma is off the couch! Monday this week, went to teh health club where my friends from church go and tried out the water fitness class at 9 am. Just happened to be the 30th anniversary celebration for the club, and my guest pass was free. My friends were not there that day, but the ladies were nice and it was a terrific workout in the water Pool is kept at 86-87 degrees, so it's easy to get in right away with no shivers! Besides getting in for free, the sign up fee was being offered at $30 in stead of the usual $100. I took it as a sign! Had to go home for my checkbook, but later went back and paid them and it is official. Now a member of the Stilliguamish Health Club in Smokey Point. It is less than five miles from home! Then on Tuesday, Gale Forrest and I had already arranged to meet in Sylvana at Zumba. Only five miles in another direction. Made it through the hour at a fast paced zumba. Hard, but really fun. So, M_W_F in the pool and Zumba on Tuesday. Beginning of something I have needed for a long time. The Health Club offers classes in the pool, or the gym all hours of the day. Beside the equipment room. So plan to take advantage as much as possible. Gale came to the pool on Wednesday and joined up also! (she had to pay the $100, bummer) but she is commited also to getting fit. I even have to return my bag of library books, unread! I know I will be too busy to read for awhile. quite a change from reading one book a day for the past few months. Books are good, but not sitting all day, reading!
House looks good, at least the living room is very cozy now, I don't wince when someone comes over. Relief Society Presidency was here for a meeting yesterday and I felt happy to have company and not uneasy about the house. Except for Tom's desk clutter, but I keep that door shut and call it "outer darkness".
Cara came home from school and we went to Costco to renew our card, and then went to hip-hop class from there. She did alright for the first half-hour, then started getting distracted, looking around the room and coming out into the hallway with one excuse or another. Then at 5:45 she came out and wouldn't go back in. I got disgusted and just left, pretty mad at her. I will give it two more weeks, and then will pull her out of there until she can appreciate that it is an expense and sacrifice for these classes. Maybe my expectations are just not realistic. I thought she would love taking hip-hop! Maybe it is not the right time for her. I will see if Augga will takje her into the Monday night acro class. I heard it is really full, but maybe I can squeeze Cara in somehow. There is a new hip-hop teacher starting next week, so we will see how that goes.
Oh well. Tom is working in Alger, so it's a long ways out of Mt Vernon, he got home really late last night. Lucky I had made rice for him, and Tara had left some soup here from the meeting, so he had a huge bowl of that mixed together. Well, today is Friday, and after Cara gets on the bus, I will leave for the pool again. Then have some errands and duties in Marysville. Hoo Rah!

Saturday, September 10, 2011

First week of first grade for Cara!

Well, we got off to a good start of school this week. She came home every day, and went right up to her "room" at the top of the landing and played school! Tuesday I cut it short so we could go to the lake, and Wed and Thursday we went to the Dance studio for classes. Wednesday was supposed to be the acro class, but when we got there, the teacher was doing the future starts dance class at 5pm. so that's where Cara ended up. She had a great time in there, her friends Adelin and Elliot were in there along with Marisa from last year, and our neighbor Sidney who rides her bus. There were seven girls in all. They did some acro and then mostly jazz dance. Heather got there about 5:30 and got to watch. So now we just have to figure out how to keep her doing the extra acro work somehow. Unless we sign up for the Monday night class with Miss Augga, and that means paying for three classes! The Thursday Hiphop class went well, lots of students. Sabrina from the summer class was there, so I enjoyed meeting up with her mom, Patti, and we talked alot while watching the girls. met some other moms, too.
Wednesday night there were so many Morman Mom's(grandma, me and Nanny, Ashley) we laughter about the Mormon bench we were sitting on. Rosia, Marisa's mom didn't know we were all morman's, even Miss Augga! Her husband is the President of the Spanish branch, and it was so much fun to be part of a group for a change. Our neighbor Tamara was there, her little 4 yr old Marisa had been in the 4pm class. So we all were just chatting like magpies. Last winter and sping, the Wednesday kinder combo class was my social life, meeting the other families that were watching their girls. All way younger that me, but it was still something to look forward to every week. And now when I chance to see them again, at the store or somewhere, it is nice to know someone to say hello and visit with for a moment.
Then Firday, Stacy picked up Cara after school, so that's our first week accomplished without too much drama!
Thursday I had made a haircut appointment over at the salon above the JohnLScott office. It had been recommended to me last year by a lady that I met at the tanning place. I saw her at the open house, and then in Costco, and I spoke to her and asked her how her boy was doing. Then I mentioned the haircut place, and she remembered me from last fall talking to her. So, I got brave, made the appointment, and went over there about 1:45 Thursday afternoon. Right away, before Gina was ready, I met a lady with a Saints t-shirt on, and started talking to her about the Saints. She is from New Orleans, and lives in Washington now, her kids got transferred and now they have a house to sell before they can move back down south. Has to travel to Virginia now(Navy ) to see the grandchildren they moved here to be nearby! She's Cajun and her name is Jean(pronounced the french way) I really liked her, so I hope to see her again somewhere. They live off Smokey Pt Blvd somewhere.
Then Gina was ready for me, and we hit it off famously. she made me PROMISE to not cut my own hair, and she evened my hair out and thinned it in all the right places. She has a plan, but we have to let it grow out some before she can do what she wants. So, it looks good now, and will really look great by Annies wedding, which is our goal. She was so nicve to me, ane it felt good to be pampered and treated like a person that mattered, not just another head to cut!
So, I am feeling happy to give myself these little treats.
I have ridden Buckwheat two times, Thursday and Friday in Jerry's fields. One day I saddled up and took the dogs also. Yesterday I just sent bareback across from Heathers in the small field. Went around it four times and then sat on her while she ate grass along the driveway. Except for the 100 yards or so that I have to be on the road, it is a great place to ride! Thank you God, that I finally met Jerry and had the nerve to ask his permission to ride the edges fo the fields. I hope to go over today and pick blackberries for cobbler.
Tomorrow we are having the misionaries for dinner, and Owen, too. It is going to be nice out, so we are going to BBQ hamburgers, have corn on the cob and salad and cornbread and beans! Oh yeah, and watermelon! I am excited to have company over and hope Heather Cara will join us after Cara gets back from Mike's. It is nice to still have the warm weather for at least another week, I think.
Made some cookies last night and took some over to the Moore's as a thank you for the help watching the dogs and unloading furniture. Had a good visit with Brenda, and saw her house, and the boys are trying to tame the jungle that is their yard, and they are making progress. Brenda is happy, and her house is nice. So many men/boys living with, I can't imagine what that is like!
Today is Saturday, and it is Stake Conference, so Tom will be going to the Church around 3 and then I will go at 7pm for the adult meeting. Still have some projects I want to finish up, so hope I can get them done today. Cleaned the bathroom up yesterday, and it really looks better. Now the laundry room is my next project. It is not a very nice room, so have an idea of how to make it somewhat better. We shall see.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Labor Day in Washington





















A great weekend all around! Sunday had church in the morning, then headed to a potluck BBQ at Rusko's landing(private) on the Stilliguamish River where Heather and Cara were camping with the Rusko family. Had a great meal and met Larry and Cheryl ? don't know last name. Larry knows Tom from the YMCA and they have horses and live on Lake Ki. Really enjoyed talking to them. They actually stopped over on Monday morning, when they were over at the neighbor Jerry's to get hay. We had just loaded up 32 bales out of Jerry's field, and with Mike Parada's help, it was stacked on the pallets and salted. I will tarp in a day or two, before the weather turns. Cheryl has MS and uses a walking stick, really nice lady.









Tom cut up the scrap lumber for the wood stove, and I wheelbarrowed it over to the cabin and stacked it. Then he started on the cabin, and got it cleaned and back together after his last project in there. He is going to put his computer out there, I just have to find him a table to put it on. Going to Value Village today to look. It will be wonderful to have his papers and stuff(messes) NOT in the house! My life is improving! Also there is a TV out there, so if we can get another DVD player, we can watch movies. Fun.









I gave Buckwheat a bath later in the afternoon, then came inside and started dough for calzones. Have not made them in ages, and wow they were fantastic. Cara and Heather came for dinner and it was just so special to have that fun family time. Tom had take the little air conditioner over to Heathers house and got it going. Her front rooms get so hot later in the day. So that will be good for awhile until the weather cools down.









So, this morning, Cara's first day of school! She acted a little shy about going this morning, but when the bus finally came, she was gung-ho to get on and go!

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Yesterday was probably the best day I have had since I moved here! I was out at daybreak brushing Buckwheat out front by the road, and the neighbor, Jerry was pulling out of his driveway. I waved and he called hello, and then drove over and we spoke face to face. He thanked me again for the cookies. I hesitantly asked him if it would be okay for me to ride along the edges of his fields. Our road is so narrow and the people drive so fast, no way to take a ride from home. He said okay, I was thrilled. Later I did get on Buckwheat bareback and only had to go about 100 yards on the road to the entrance to one of his hay fields. It only took ten minutes to go around, so we went three times for a half-hour ride. Since I have not ridden in over a year, that was long enough for me! Then at noon, Heather and I drove to Lake Stevens to pick up Cara at Mike's. Stopped at Target on the way and got two of my curtain rods that I needed. Then we got Cara and stopped at Ace Hardware in Lake Stevens to get the final curtain rod. Then to Marysville and a drop off of clothes to Value Village. (Wally pulled into the parking lot just ahead of us! He is a Value Village Junkie!) Heather found Cara some shirts, and I got three paperbacks (for airline reading, I go to the library now) .
Also went to the pet shop next door and got dog shampoo. By then it was after two o'clock and I had to pee and was hungry. So we went to Carl's Jr. and got some lunch. Cara wanted to come to my house and help me wash the dogs, so she put on her swimsuit(she calls swimscoot) and we went out to her kiddie pool and gave Dani and Fergi a bath. Put them in the kennel to dry off. Then Cara ran through the sprinkler, including doing cartwheels and round offs over the water.
I came in the house and made salsa and got ready for the football games. Heather came over to watch the Boise State Game with me, because her house gets really warm in the afternoons. My downstairs stays cool, and with the ceiling fan going, I actually put a sweater on!
Anyway, the games were great, and Grandpa Tom came home, so Cara monopolized him for the rest of the night. They macheted their way down to the creek and picked blackberries! It was time for Cara to go home, but first she had to give Grandpa Tom a haircut. I had to finish the job later! So, after living here for a year, I finally can say that I had a fabulous day!

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Up early this morning, Tom's alarm went off at the usual time of 4am. Saturdays he does not go swimming at the Y like usual at 5am, so the alarm should have been shut off! It woke me up and couldn't go back to sleep. So, already showered, did dishes and have been quietly puttering around, waiting for it to get light.
Yesterday I didn't have Cara coming, so I went to Winco Foods at 6am for groceries. I know the Labor Day weekend will be no time to shop anywhere, so it was good to get it done early. Then I returned curtain rods at Lowe's, came home and unloaded the groceries. Got on the computer and printed out the newsletter for church to make copies on Sunday, printed out two applications for the Tulalip employment. Then stopped to see Heather, who had the day off. Left her house and went to drop off the applications, continued to the Marysville Library to drop off books and get more. Then in to Arlington to the Hardware store to check on curtain rods there. They had three tension rods of the size I needed. (need 4) So, by then it was noon and went to the Fountain for a burger, yum!
Came home and got back online to check on my curtain order. Tracking said they were sitting on the front porch! And they were! So I hung up five of the panels, and am waiting to find the other three curtain rods to finish the fron window. So after having this house for 10 years, and living here a year, finally have curtains! It's very cozy, added to the couch and recliner that we brought back from Oregon last week, it feels more like home every day!
Later went out to the horse trailer and took all the tack out. Bad mildew on all the leather, first sprayed with Tilex, then washed them off with Murphy's oil soap and left saddles haning on the truck sides to dry out. Now need to condition the leather. Setting up a corner of the storage area in garage to put the tack in where it should stay dry. In Oregon could leave the saddles in the horse trailer and in uninsulated building and no problems at all except dust. Oh well, hope no permanent damage! Still have one saddle left in Oregon, will have to get it next trip. Not that I will use it on Buckwheat, but maybe by some chance I will have opportunity to do dressage again. Or Cara will grow up and be a rider?
Made cookies to be delivered with a meal for some people from church and delivered them to Tara who is doing the meal and delivery. Then later took a plate of cookies across the street to the guy there who is not there all the time, but I saw his truck and his gates were open . Have waved but never met him. He was out in the field haying, I could hear the tractor, The door was open to his house, so I just set the cookies inside the door, had already put a note in with our names and phone numbers. So later he called me and thanked me and said he would stop by to meet us. His name is Jerry, which I knew, and I think he lives in Seattle area. The 80 acres he owns across the street are really nice, and his buildings are also. It is a nice view to have looking over there, especially the rhododendrons in the spring. So it will be nice to meet him, and maybe he would let me ride Buckwheat on the edge of his fields. Hope so.
Anyway, yesterday was a busy day and one of the best I have had here all year! Tom even got home earlier than usual, although he left again for about an hour.
Heather and I are going to Lake Stevens to get Cara at noon. The Target in Lake Stevens is supposed to have some of the curtain rods I need so we are stopping to check!
Finally getting light out now, so will go feed the cats and check the horse!

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Wow, time has gone by, I have been the full-time Grandma now for almost a year! Cara starts first grade on Sept 6th. Tonight we have the open house, she is going to English Crossing Grade School in the Lakewood School District. The School is less than two miles from home. The bus will get her at 8:10am.
I don't think I blogged since Heather and Cara moved out of the farmhouse to a double-wide next door owned by Pat Swift. It came available in December and they moved about a week before Christmas. It was kind of bittersweet for us. We are glad they are still close by, and Heather is happy to be in her own space again. It was a shock, though, losing the rent money was a concern, and also because we did not really have much here in the way of furniture. Luckily we did have a couch/hide-a-bed, and a side chair to put in the living room. Didn't have any Christmas decorations and basically felt lost for a few months, adjusting . All in all it was a good thing.
We took a trip to Oregon last week and brought home a trailer load of furniture, and the dog kennel, wheelbarrow and misc. that could fit into the trailer. So the house finally looks like home and I was able to get beds upstairs and am sorting and re-arranging things up there. made the landing into a little room for Cara to do school work and play. Maybe I can keep the downstairs looking better without all her playthings scattered around.
Tom has had pretty steady work since the spring. Has had some good jobs for nice people that keep calling him back and he has not had to travel too far most of the time.
We got a cheap wood insert off of Craiglist and sold the pellet stove on Craiglist, so now we will be heating with wood, and we have lots of scaps from his jobs, and hope he will get some regular wood also. It is an old one, I forget the brand now, but uses no electricity, so is quiet and radiates the heat. In fact I buildt a fire yesterday morning and this morning to take the chill off the house!
The summer weather did not arrive until August, so we spent every day we could at the Lake Goodwin Park. It is a great place to have children swim, and it is sanded and very shallow a long ways out to a dock. So I don't have to worry about Cara. We always take a friend with us when we go, and they are out there jumping off the dock and having so much fun. There is a little playground there, and the ice cream man makes an appearance in the afternoons. Then the Lake Goodwin Store has Corn Dogs for a dollar, so that is usually dinner on the way home!
Cara also took six acro classes at NWDance and Acro during July(two days a week) and also a fun dance class for two weeks. Next week the acro classes start up again and I am going to get her into a hip-hop class. She has so much fun dancing. Last winter spring she took a combo class and at the recital they did a routine to Broadway Baby. Seven in the class ages ranged from 4-6. They did great and it was really cute.
Last Friday we went to the Evergreen State Fair and watched the horse show and then did the rides, barns and food. My friend Gale Forrest went with me, and Cara took her friend Maddie.
We spent the whole day from 9:30 until 3:30 there. Then I took Cara and Maddie back to the Lake when we got home to cool off!
Cara has a new friend named Adelin who lives close by. She has been over here two days in a row this week, and I think she may come this morning also for awhile. They really play well together, lots of time on the trampoline, and yesterday dressed up the dogs and had a dog show. Then made dirt stew on the porch( it's a mess right now!)
I have applied for jobs every week, only have been called twice and no job offer yet. I only want part time for now, or evenings. I started collecting Social Security, only $573 a month, but it helps me feel less vulnerable to at least have that much coming in.
Tom's Dad died end of June, and we had to spend on airline tickets and motels to go to Illinois for the funeral. Tom also had to go to Nashville early June to help with his dad. His quality of life had not been good for 10 months, and he kept getting fluid in his lungs , put on a ventilator twice and finally came home from the hospital and died at home. Tom's mom still not coping with the death, even though it has been obvious to everyone that it was coming.
She came here the week after the funeral and stayed with us and we all went to Chris Brock's wedding on July 17th. Cara was a flower girl, it was fun. Well this blog is covering a lot of lost time, since last November, so it's kind of long. Just wanted to catch up!