a holiday and memories

Martin Luther King Day
so
no school
so Grammy gets to spend the day with little man


He arrives about 7:30 and has already had his breakfast
               ( every morning, favorite granola bar )
He takes his shoes off at the door and heads upstairs to find dirty clothes
               ( once we get the laundry started, we can start our adventure )
He is hungry now and those waffles sound good
                ( amazing what a growing boy can consume )
We are ready to start our "journey"

First stop is Bartells, favorite drug store,cleaners, Rx, just a little of everything.... for years
                 ( just ask any of our kids who was the candy lady )
Next stop is Aunt Gingers.  She belongs to everyone. 
                 ( little man keeps track of numbers 1122..almost there )
  As soon as we enter her cozy home she directs little man to a lego board and he begins to "sign" his name and make a design.
                   ( Grammy  needs to add he was a perfect gentleman while visiting. )

As we drive down the hill I tell little man to look carefully out the window and see the beautiful mountains.
Little man says:  " One thing Grammy, are you paying attention to the traffic, or looking at the mountains? "

a little later little man says:  " One thing Grammy, I love you "

I could stop right there and not write another word, because that is the highlight of the day.
However,
We  continued on to Crossroads. They were celebrating the holiday and were handing out toothbrushes, water bottles, bandaids , candy and a fireman's hat
This mall still has those great  25 ¢ rides.    And little man is still happy to take a ride

 

Hungry again we are heading to the final stop.  Keeping track of time and little man remember it is just like Aunt Ginger's ...11:22  .....
    ( he is good at math )

and where does little man like to get lunch?

I live an exciting life and the best part
    Little man loves me 
   

There are some things we cannot change

We are just born with certain "things"

like.   we are good at math,or not, 
         we are high energy,or not,  
          we are right handed, or we are not, 
 there are many things we are born with and we cannot change, 
            like a brain for maps, or not.

And that would be me 

So, that is why  we have GPS in both cars.  
So, with GPS logged in, Sabrina and  I are ready to join my little man at the school Reflections  event.

BUT,  5 minutes on the road and all dash lights go out, and the headlights, too.  I quickly pull off the road. Sabrina starts up and the lights go on, but this grammy is not going to risk getting caught miles from home with a dead car.

Back to home plate and into the Boogie Buggy . Why has the GPS been broken for so long and the driver with the map in his brain is playing basketball ...Oh, I have GPS on my phone.

Not sure why we arrived at an apartment complex instead of the Reflection address...and why did this homeowner have no idea where the facility could be.    Re enter address. Arrive and seconds before the main man arrives !!!

No need for GPS inside. Viewed lots of entries, and the best of all, our little man's .   Light refreshments ( one chocolate cookie for me-which I saved for later. Snacked on in the car. Crumbs found their way to the seat of my pants - don't ask ) 

hugs and on the road to Sally's for Hallmark movie night.

Quick text to Sally...on my way...
This is going to be easy. I just retrace my steps to Totem Lake and I know my way from there.   
But, it does not look right. And it does not feel like the scenic route.  Juanita Drive, yes, I now that and a right turn seems right. It is dark and rainy and I am not sure now if I am going north or south. Time to  put the appropriate address into my phone GPS. 
Turn here, turn there, go here and...why does that look like the Reflections address? !

Now I listen to Gladys and turn and turn , and again ,Juanita Drive ( so I was not completely wrong  - I think I was just wishing my friend Juanita was with me and we would be laughing ) 
Arrive at my desired destination
  When I turn off the engine, the GPS shows up on the screen.  It has not worked for months. This is when you think the writer is making up her story, but it is the truth.

and when I got back in the car after treats and a movie with Sally, it was still working. I know how to get home, no GPS needed.

Tomorrow?  When I need help getting to West Seattle? Who knows.

But tonight I am just remembering what my niece Lisa asked, about 51 years ago  " Auntie, are we going to get lost today? "

And that is a true story.

What's in a box

or
who's in a box..

An afternoon at  G and G  ‘s  and a sleep over. 

Arrived just about the end of the first quarter…

Football games/ wore his KC t shirt  ( sorry Rick, it did not help )

Uno /  He won / Grampy won / He won

Snack/lunch?  4 pieces of toast with Dane and Sarah’s jam

Dinner ( he choose to stay at g & g’s ) french toast, bacon, syrup, lots of syrup  / 4 pieces of bacon and  a waffle ( he prefers the frozen waffles )

Ice cream bar/ could not finish. ( I think we know why ) 

Help unload Avon order.  “ You call this fun.?   Oh, it is kinda fun “ 

Climb into a box and  “roll” down the hall , in the box, a sort of hide and seek.

And then….

Started with a fun video, about coffee ( somebody around here loves coffee)
Then while scrolling, we came across

        Eric’s hero…. Will, in Bothell. ( viewed over 30,000,000 times )   You have to see the video. There are actually two.  After we watched twice, we talked about how it feels to be kind to friends who are different / challenged. All the time, Little man was sitting on Grammy's lap. Eyes never leaving the screen .  Little man said he has a friend who is like Will.  He calls himself a goofball.

Off to bed. No struggles ( ok, Grammy always makes hot chocolate and Grampy sings and tells one story )

In the morning, little man remembered Will’s name and he talked about his classmate, again,  who calls himself a goofball, like Will does.

And that is the part the touches my heart.  Little man is 6 years old.

I think it will touch your heart too.

Enough said. 

2018...almost

No long standing traditions around here,
except, hubby usually likes to avoid the noise and hit the sack early

So, this year, I decided to celebrate with a favorite octogenarian neighbor and friend.

Down to her place at about 7:30



First the countdown, from New York, Live on Fox   

And now for the apple cider toast

Happy New Year 

Ok, by the time you read this, it will be

2018 

fan thru thick and thin

What do you do when your favorite team is in the playoffs?

and you do not have a TV

   ( or a TV with cable and the station that counts )

you go to the mall

you go to Nordstroms, Men's department

you will probably catch Vern there.   

That is Vern on the left
Still happy Cougar fan on the right 

What is the score?
Don't want to talk about it.
Left in the middle of the third quarter. 

Me ? 

Enjoying Andy at the Grand
after a bit of shopping 

People watching
Who is that guy in the red suit?
maybe an employee from  the shop around the corner

Nope
Here comes the lady who must love a red suit 

Need a little free entertainment?
Head to the mall...

Just so you know

well, just in case you Didn't know...

I am up until past  midnight almost every night

but here is what happened last night.

We had been to our family holiday party and by the time we were home and I  said goodnight to hubby I thought I would play a few Christmas carols before wrapping gifts.
  So, I sat down to the piano and before I got through Silent Night, I was falling asleep.  Sort of played myself to sleep. I told myself "Kathy, you need to go to bed". 

 So I did.

And now, tonight, I have wrapping and more wrapping, no piano playing for me 

so I will say goodnight.

anyway, it is only 10:30.

hopping

Bar (tels) hopping that is..
and it pays off.

Here is what happened.

Saturday afternoon, they had an open house event at Bartells,  my always favorite drug store.

So, I started downtown Bellevue. They had the cutest little chocolate gingerbread men, peppermint brownies and coffee.  Done
   ( drank some coffee and saved the goodies)
There was a box to enter for a prize.  Done 
Also found just the right size candles, only 3, but a good price. Done 

On my way to my favorite Bartels, I passed another Bartels.
They also had cute chocolate gingerbread men, peppermint brownies and coffee. Done
They also had a contest box.  Done
Six candles and an even better price.  Done 

Arrived at my favorite Bartels.
Yes,chocolate  gingerbread men, peppermint brownies, sorry, the coffee was cold. Oh well.
Candles, yes, even cheaper. Now I have about a dozen.   Done.

Today I get a phone call.
You are the winner  !

It is the skyline of Seattle Olympics 
I do love puzzles.

Yep, I am a winner