Bees, Trees and Lakes

He was a good husband (of course, when has he not been?) and let me sleep in until 7. Roy knew something was up and was totally a hyperactive puppy the entire hour drive out there. With the window rolled down, he would stick his head out happily and then abruptly blow his nose...covering me in a spray of dog snot. Great way to start the day.

We were on the trail by 9 (it was about an hour drive away), Roy loaded up with his pack and our fleeces zipped up against the cold morning air.

Matt had told me that this hike, though 7 miles round trip, was only uphill for a small part of the way there. I should have known better. We gained 1,400 feet spread out over the entire way to our destination--Annette Lake. Thankfully it was a beautiful trip, although I was sure I saw something tan colored duck behind a boulder near a rock slide and Roy kept looking uphill. No cougar ever showed if in fact it was one.

We saw fantastic looking mushrooms, crossed bridges over tumbling waterfalls and even walked along a walkway cut into a log--it was awesome! Roy was frantically excited and the heavy pack didn't seem to deter him one bit.

As we trudged along Matt pointed out something gross on the trail. At first we thought it was a slimy turd, being brown and about four inches long. Then, four-year-old that I am, I tossed a pebble on it and we watched in disgust as it writhed! It was a HUGE slug!!!

At one point while climbing switchbacks, Roy decided to do his business in a most messy and stinky way. Sorry to be disgusting, but its the truth. I held Roy's leash while Matt took a stick and tried to bury it and cover it up.

All the sudden I see him shake his hand, then jump a bit and say, "What the--"

Then he bellowed RUN!!! GO GO GO GO GO!!!

I heard a buzzing sound growing and spun around and as best as I could in hiking boots heading uphill and bolted up the switchback. Roy wasted no time and took this opportunity to sprint--effectively pulling me uphill. I felt one or two small pelts on my fleece and everytime I turned my head back Matt was running behind me still yelling GO!!!!!

He had hit a beehive and they were MAD!

We made it far enough away, but Matt had been stung three times--once on the hand and one in each leg. I whipped out the credit card and got those suckers out while we caught our breath. Thank God Matt's not allergic to bees!

Finally, after a couple of uphill hours, we made it to the lake. What a beauty! Azure waters that turned turquoise around the shore, a stiff breeze whipping up whitecaps and the glorious mountains surrounding it all. I can't remember the last time I saw anything so BRIGHT! Even in manual mode the glare was blowing everything out in out pictures! Roy proved he really is a lab at heart and headed straight for the water. Its like he know's he's supposed to be in it and like it..but he's just not sure exactly what he's supposed to do in it.

And no, we didn't let him off the leash. There were a lot of other dogs around and he was flipping out every time we got near one. I mean, crazy dog. We're going to have to keep working on that...

We have found Roy has a superhero hidden inside him...I mean, don't we all?

he's.........

BAT DOG! Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo BAT DOG!

Ok enough about my dog. We just like him, that's all.

The hike down was much easier than the hike up, though this time there were a lot more people and dogs on the trail which seemed a tad traumatic for Roy. He'll live.

To end, we went back to Issaquah and loaded up on a Target hot dog and a Chipotle burrito--great post hike food. Fall is definitely on its way. As I type this I can hear the wind blowing and rain spattering against the window with every gust. Tomorrow it's not supposed to get above the high 50s--yay! And here's a few leaves turning for those of you who don't get seasons:

That's all for tonight! I posted the rest of the pics, and a few videos of the lake on our Picasa album if anyone cares to take a gander. Love to you all!

Picasa album: http://picasaweb.google.com/kaitpalmer/AnnetteLake?authkey=Gv1sRgCLXcpNLFjc7nowE&feat=directlink

And don't forget to read up on hubs and click on those Google Ads! Here's a link to some of the top ones in case you've forgotten:
http://hubpages.com/profile/Solorya

You're going to be pop-u-lar

What a weekend!

Let's start with Friday night which began with me throwing Roy in the car and heading to Fred Meyer to get toilet paper. I got everything else I needed and returned to an ecstatic Roy waiting in the car. As I was driving away I saw a man carrying out a large pack of toilet paper--whoops! That was the one thing I forgot! I had to park and leave Roy again...and let me tell you he was NOT happy about it! That dog has a way of speaking his mind through his barks and he was definitely telling me off as I headed into the store again. I thought it humorous but maybe that's just me...

That night I got a call from my friend Stephanie Larsen and she told me that she and her husband's family were going to see Wicked the next night and someone had dropped out of their party...would I like to go?

WOULD I LIKE TO GO!?!?!?! Is she crazy for even having to ask that? I tried to act cool and hide my uber-excitement as I informed her, sure, why not? (as my insides were setting off fireworks and performing cartwheels with ribbon dancers)

The next night I sung along to the soundtrack loudly as I got myself ready for the evening. So loudly was I singing, in fact, that when I left to take Roy outside one more time I noticed a note taped to my door from the apartment manager informing us that a plumber was coming Monday to check for leaks. Apparently I had been singing so heartily I drowned out the sound of his knocking...whoops! At least it wasn't a complaint about my voice and an admonition to never flex my vocal pipes again...

Peter and Stephanie picked me up and we were off to the theatre! For convenience sake, we parked in the convention center parking and walked a couple short blocks to the Paramount theatre.

Peter's parents and sister met up with us there and I have to say what lovely people! Stephanie and I were able to convince them we had time to grab a coffee before heading into the theatre, and can I be allowed to say that Cafe Ladro's macchiatto blows the socks off Starbucks?

That is all.

We went into the theatre and sat down in our A-M-A-Z-I-N-G seats. As the show started and the opening scene came to a close, I knew I was sitting with the right people because they began their hooting and woo hooing along with the applause that early! Yes!

The show was incredible. I was lucky enough to see it in LA, but I'm sorry, this Elphaba ran circles around the one I saw down there. Astounding. I'd kill for sustainment like that. And the Glinda (with a Ga...for those of you who have seen it) was hilarious and at the right times proved deep and raw as well. Great blend of the main actresses, I must say, and I haven't stopped singing the soundtrack since. Matt is sick to death of "Popular" and wishes I would return to my semi-normal way of speaking.

After the show we headed to Gordon Biersch for some yumminess. Usually a beer and wine girl I followed Stephanie's lead and tried a pomegranate mojito...oh yum yum. And breaded and fried artichoke hearts? Helloooooo. Now COMPLETELY satisfied we headed back to the car...to find the garage closed.

Uh oh.

Then Stephanie remembers seeing something about closing after midnight.

Double uh oh.

We traipse blocks around the convention center which is, by the by, gargantuan and I thank my lucky stars I wore decent pumps rather than the strappy stilettoes I was originally planning on. Eventually we find our way into the parking garage...and we estimate ourselves two miles from our parking spot. Ok, maybe it wasn' two miles but this garage is like the labyrinth of Minos. We did find our car and made it home, listening to the original soundtrack the whole way.

Thanks again Stephanie and Peter--it was FANTASTIC!!! (And for those of you who have yet to see it, GO!)

I was so high on theatre (I get that way) that I didn't get to bed until 2 am...with an early morning looming in front of me.

We had a hike planned for Sunday, and Matt wanted to get an early start and beat the crowds.

Oh boy.

...to be continued when I get home and have access to my photos...let me just say that yesterday involved dog snot, bees, and lots of wind.

Gotta brand new bag...

I did it. I made a whole bag all by my little selfsies.

First I found the pattern on http://www.burdastyle.com/patterns

A lot of nifty looking patterns for either a couple bucks or completely free!

this was the bag I wanted to make, called a traveler's bag:

So I printed out the pattern pages and arranged it in order

then i taped it together and cut the pieces out

Then I assembled the whole thing, threw the zipper in (its not perfect but it works) and voila! My own bag!

Nifty spiffy, eh?

So there you have it, My first bag!

And this was Roy watching me the whole time wondering why I wasn't paying more attention to him

And that's all I've got for you today! Anyone got any exciting weekend plans coming up? Matt and I are going to venture out Sunday for a hike--yippee! But he's working late tonight and tomorrow...maybe I'll tackle the dining table and chairs, then...stay tuned!

Autumn

The nights are cooling down and in the morning there is a crisp tangy feel in the air--like a bite of pumpkin spice milk shake. The tips of the trees are just beginning to trade in their summery green for the warm hues of fall. When I take Roy out in the morning I can see my breath and in the evenings my cheeks are rosy by the time we finish our walk. Autumn is definitely peeking his head around the door of summer.

This is my favorite time of year. It always has been, but this is the first time I've been able to experience firsthand the little changes that signal the end of summer. Yesterday after church Matt and I stopped in El Diablo to grab a latte and savor the warmth as we walked back to the car in the cool early afternoon. By midafternoon, however, it was warm enough to change into a t-shirt to take Roy for a walk. Every Seattlite in the city is complaining of the one day of rain we've had in weeks and dreads the impending cold. I think Matt and I are the only ones ready to pack away our shorts and break out the scarves and mittens...we love it! To those who said, "How are you going to handle the weather???" I say we miss the rain and can't wait for story nights!

That same day that Jamie called me about that horrific bug web site, I was at the farmer's market happily snapping pictures (until she called, that is). With the coming of harvest the tables are loaded with the fruits of the farmers labor--turnips and peas and pumpkins and squash. Even things like wool and shocks of corn added beauty to the display.

There's only two more weeks left, so you can bet I'll be there again this week, camera and cash in hand!

As for our Roy Boy, he has taken to chasing his tail lately. He's pretty keen to the sound of my camera turning on, however, and as soon as he hears that sound he stops running and lays down with a look on his face that says, "What? I wasn't doin' anythin..."

He, too, is ready for cooler weather.
Here he is practicing his part for the annual Christmas play--he's starring as Rudolph.

Yesterday we watched about 8 hours of football and in honor of the coming season I made a beef and stout pie. Oh. My. Gosh. SOOOO good. Here's the recipe if you ever care to try

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/recipedetail.cfm?objectid=A3F7E1DB%2DE41C%2DE23E%2DFBA1EA0EE6A953B1

I used blue cheese instead of stilton (stilton is stinkin' expensive) and it was DE-LISH. If only it had been about 20 degrees cooler.

Sadly both the Patriots and the Cowboys lost, and to Matt's chagrin the 49ers won. Boo. On to happier subjects.

For those of you not turned in to the latest northwest news, last week an insane murderer escaped during a field trip to the Spokane County Fair. Yes, that's what we do with killers in Washingont. We send them on field trips. They need fun too, don't they? I mean, who wouldn't want to ride next to this guy on the swings?

Did I mention it was Family Day at the fair? Oh, and it wasn't exactly a mad dash to freedom. He walked away. Just walked away! Hellooooo??? And he had ordered pre-packaged food and had all his clothes in his backpack. Last time I went to the fair they checked my purse...wouldn't you think that whoever was supposed to keep an eye on this crazy murderer would have taken a peek in his backpack? Nah.

After he walked away he went to a friend's house who gave him a guitar (insane people need music, too) and a sleeping bag and drove him out of town. Nice. People, I love you but if you ever murder an elderly lady and soak her body in gasoline to throw off the scent for dogs and you showed up on my doorstep, I'd have your butt hauled away. Apparently he had duped the friend into thinking he had just been released. You gotta give the crazy some credit.

The happy part of this story is that he has been captured. And the especially sweet part? When this convict made his first escape, he assaulted the officer who arrested him, separated his shoulder and knocked him unconscious. The same guy was the detective who nabbed him the second time. Revenge is sweet.

So, Mom, you can take a big deep breath that he's back in custody.

Until its Family Fun Day at Bullwinkle's.

Ok I've dwadled long enough. Love to you all and more adventures to come later. Until then, here is a site I've recently discovered and am now addicted to.
http://www.awkwardfamilyphotos.com/


Ohhhh so awkward.

Happy thoughts everyone.

Creeps.

Creeps.

That's what I have.

Let me backtrack. Two weekends ago I went down to Orange County for a brief visit and on the last night I went out to coffee with my good friend Jamie Bacon. 

Hi, Jamie. 

During our discussion (which are, let's face it, never normal), we progressed from discussing the lifespan of butterflies being one day and applying that morbid fact to the kid's book Hungry Hungry Caterpillar and preparing to tell our non-existent kids about the imminent death of the beloved protagonist TO me telling her about Matt's old coworker who used to order tarantulas online and have them delivered to REI for her to take home. She would leave the boxes or jars or whatever it is tarantulas are shipped in sitting on one of the desks that was shared by the managers. 

Can you imagine sitting at your desk and there being a little cardboard box with holes in it and all of the sudden you hear something inside scurry around then poke one of its hairy legs out of one of the holes? I think I would have a heart attack. 

After telling Jamie about this we both begin to wonder...where does one even GO to buy online tarantulas? Is there really a market for this?

Anyways, the Thursday after our creepy conversation Jamie sends me a text. She has found a place online where one can buy tarantulas. And not just tarantulas, she informs me. Scorpions, spiders and centipedes are also for sale.

"Wait," I say, "Aren't centipedes poisonous?"

"No," she replies, "I think those are milipedes...BUT THEY SELL THOSE TOO!!!"

Yuck.

Now for those of you out there who hold a soft spot in your hearts for arachnids, (you know who you are...Charissa), I apologize. But this thoroughly creeps me out.

So what did I do as soon as I got home?

Went straight to the website. Kenthebugguy.com

Oh.

My.

Gosh.

oh dear.

mommy?

excuse me while i run around pulling my hair and screaming.

that's all for now. more to come later. I promise. I'm just sleepy but i feel its been too long since I've said anything to y'all. nightynight.

American Idol Auditions for My Bro

Sorry for no funnies yesterday...I was in suspension all day while my brother was at American Idol auditions. For those of you who don't know, Jeremiah auditioned at the end of june with 12,000 other people in Pasadena. When we found out he was audition (through a fluke--Matt's cousin and his girlfriend were there too but J had wanted to keep it a secret) we quickly spread the news of what he was doing. He and about 200 other people made it through that round which seemed quite grueling, but we were sworn to secrecy because producers want people to think the audition all takes place over a few days. So sorry to those of you who thought he didn't make it through the first round, but we didn't want to risk him getting disqualified.

He went back for a second audition in July and sang in front of the producers and executive producers and made it through that round with about 60 other contestants. 12000 to 60 is pretty darn good if you ask me!!!

Anyways, yesterday was the big audition in front of Simon, Randy and Kara. I don't have all the details yet, but basically he wasn't prepared to sing a second song and didn't make this cut. Maybe next year he'll have a whole slew of songs prepared just in case, but we'll have to wait until then. At least it was affirmation that people other than us think he's got talent!

Now to make you smile since it lowers blood pressure makes you prettier and a whole other slew of things I'm sure.

This one's for Ammah who refers to graduates as "gradu-idiots"

A young man hired by a supermarket reported for his first day of work. The manager greeted him with a warm handshake and a smile, gave him a broom and said, "Your first job will be to sweep out the store." "But I'm a college graduate," the young man replied indignantly. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know that," said the manager. "Here, give me the broom....I'll show you how."

Hardey har har.

and this made me laugh today

Hope you all have a wonderful Labor day weekend! And if you missed my last hub on Eating well for cheap here it is again

http://hubpages.com/hub/frugaleating

I looked at our grocery bill from June--YOWSERS! August's groceries were less than HALF that! Woo hoo!

Love to you all

K8

Did that make you smile? Haha, I almost busted up at my desk when I found that one! Don't you just feel like that some days? Well, some days I feel like the ass (literally speaking of course) that's sticking his nose in every one's business, and other days I feel like the kid who's having a conniption fit.

Don't we all?

Oh a completely different and unrelated note, Matt started a hub yesterday which I finished up. Joint effort for the best results. We're a team and I like that. Roy's part of the team too, like this morning when I tried to wake Matt up and get him out of bed. Roy was right there with me giving cold wet dog kisses on Matt's face, jumping on top of him and forcibly coaxing him out of bed with me. It's good training for kids.

Oh, the hub.

Eating Well for Cheap

or http://hubpages.com/hub/frugaleating if that link doesn't work.

And if you wanted to you could click on one or two Google ads while you're there. Did I tell you we got a check last month?! My first check ever for all my writing! It went right into the emergency savings fund! And I'm already at $40...this stuff accrues faster over time! Woo hoo!

Ok, that's all for today folks.

Go hug someone you don't like today.

K8

A Tolkein-Type day

I really need to hit spell check before I send these.

"I did found a nice gray wool coat"

OH man. I is smart!

ready for your smile of the day?

and here's a heart warming story for ya:

WELLINGTON, New Zealand - A New Zealand man who promised his wife he would find his wedding ring after it fell into the capital's murky harbor has succeeded — 16 months later.

Ecologist Aleki Taumoepeau was checking Wellington harbor for invasive plant species in March last year when the ring went into 10 feet of water.

"It flew off into the air and everyone on the boat was looking at it and said it was like a scene from 'Lord of the Rings' in slow motion," Rachel Taumoepeau was quoted as saying in Thursday's Dominion Post newspaper.

He tossed an anchor overboard to mark the spot and pledged to Rachel, his wife of three months, that he would find it.

She offered to buy a replacement. "I just said 'No, I'll find it,'" he said.

An initial search three months after the loss failed, but Taumoepeau was determined. He returned again recently for another dive, risking chill midwinter temperatures.

"I was getting cold and tired, so I said to God, it would be really good to find the ring about now," he said.

He spotted the anchor — with the ring lying just inches away.

"I couldn't believe that I could see the ring so perfectly," he said. "The whole top surface of the ring was glowing" in the normally murky waters.

Friends have taken to calling Taumoepeau "Lord of the Ring."

Isn't that sweet?

That's all for today!

Kait