{mom}

My mother, Debbie, is coming to visit from MN. She arrives tonight at 5pm and to quote her "just in time for cocktail hour!". We are going to have so much fun. Seattle Art Museum. Chateau St. Michelle Winery. Pedicures. Dinners. Duck Boat tour? She leaves Sunday so expect blog evidence of our adventures then.

maybe someday...

...I'll work for an architect firm that designs creations such as these. Seattle based: Suyama Peterson Deguchi. Love.

Recent viewings.

In the last two weeks I've seen two live shows that couldn't have been more opposite. Hiphop + Bluegrass = awesome. Talib Kweli at the Showbox with some co-workers and Uncle Earl with Bess, Josh, Wendy, Angie and Chris. Opening for Talib Kweli was a local Seattle hiphop duo called Common Market. They were so spectacular. So much energy. They invited the audience to get on stage and give some breakdancing a shot. It was great...check it:




Uncle Earl I was not expecting to like. Five women. Bluegrass. I think I just hated the Indigo Girls so much in college that I was afraid of a flashback. But I loved them. And it SO made me wish A] I was in a band. B] I played my instrument C] I was in their band. Wendy and I briefly discussed forming a "combo" = me on trumpet, her on piano, Dave M. on tenor saxx ..and we'll see what else we can come up with.

This actually brings up, I think, a good point about individual interests in general. I remember a time where I felt lacking in interests. I felt boggled by people with overflowing pots of interest. Then I had a great conversation with a very smart lady. How can you be interested in something if you've never been exposed to it? You don't wake up one day and decide to like writing, dodgeball, climbing or bluegrass. Its only after you've been exposed or tried something can you really decide if its something you want to add to your portfolio of interests. How's THAT for incentive to try something or meet someone new. You may discover something about yourself you didn't even know was there.

I think I could start to like bluegrass...

again.

After {I hesitate to say} a failed attempt at summiting Mt. Adams, Bess and I have decided to give it another go. Just us. And possibly Lisa. September 7. The boys have already conquered it. They aren't interested.

Throughout our bike trip we could see Mt. Adams in the distance and noted significantly less snow. We've decided that with a GPS in hand and probably other climbers around us, we should be able to navigate our way to the top - weather permitting. Maybe this time I'll actually use the provided "deposit" kit.

Notice the included target. It advises you to place either a rock or some snow on the corners to secure it.

the middle

Last week I gathered for an evening with the girls from the U12 volleyball team I coached and their moms. I loved it! I loved seeing the girls after a hiatus from the regularly scheduled practices and tournaments. They've all grown so much even in just a few short summer months. The moms were wonderful too. All smart and successful, their job descriptions ranged from: lawyer (partner in her firm), family practice doctor, stay-at-home-mom of three, and dentist. Strong women and strong examples for their daughters.

In the middle, I swung back and forth between loving the energy of the girls and the interesting conversations of the moms. The girls love to talk about school, sports, their summers, boys, what's on their ipod, friends and their 100% exciting lives. The moms talked about their jobs, parenthood, their family vacations, the kids they just shipped off to college, their daughters and what is to come in the next 10 years. I learn things from both and each of those relationships have value.

I find that's true not just with the moms and my U12 girls. In looking at the friends I've made over the course of my life they are vastly different. Sporty. Not sporty. Girly. Creative. Conservative. Intellectual. Some watch The Hills, some don't have TVs. Some drink and some don't. Old. Young. -my mom is coming to visit next week and we're getting together with my girlfriend who just turned 50. My mom is 55! I love meeting new people. I love getting to know people. I learn things and see new perspectives. It makes life interesting. Much like the creation the girls made when they mixed their taco salad with their sodas and threw in some hummus on top. I'm sure the waitress loved cleaning it up too.

What's funny in this picture?

This was taken Friday night.

projects!

I think the feeling of Fall being just around the corner has me prepping for the hibernation mindset. Projects. Daylight fading 'round 4:30pm. Rain. Part of me is bummed about summer coming to a close in just a few short weeks...but I'm also excited about snowboarding and evenings spent being cozy with a project.

Here's a sampling.
Shirt made this evening with Angie, Lisa and Bess:


Scarf being knit (while watching Entourage DVDs) with yarn purchased at the Alpaca farm mentioned in the post below:



American Apparel kids' sweats and hoodies embellished with chirping birds:





[want one?]

Gals pedaling

Five gals and five bikes journeyed south to Hood River Valley, Oregon on Friday afternoon. With no testosterone and plenty of good dynamics we put up our tent and headed into town for dinner + drinks. Microbrews. More Microbrews. Four tipsy ladies and a driver headed back to the tent...and opened up a bottle of wine. And a box of Goldfish crackers.



Saturday morning we mounted our bikes and headed out to tackle the Fruit Loop = A 35-mile, scenic ride through the valley's orchards, forests, farmlands (alpacas!), friendly communities and a great winery. Our first stop - Roger's Blueberries! Roger was a cutie grandpa and allowed us to "graze" the plants eating as many blueberries as we could fit in our bellies. After collecting some in a bucket, I weighed my pickings. one .lb for one dollar! Yum. From there we climbed many steep hills and flew down long, rolling roads stopping for fruit, wine, photos of Mount Hood and Mount Adams, and even to meet a brand new alpaca born just thirty minutes before we arrived! The whole ride was incredible. I loved meeting the farmers and seeing their ways of life. Very, very cool. I grew up on a farm but it certainly wasn't a fruit farm or an alpaca farm and it was nice to feel that lifestyle again even for just a few hours. Simplicity.





After "exchanging doubles" here's a small sampling of photos from all of our cameras. Great photos! Click here [Bess's flickr page]. Then click to view as slideshow.

gay date.

Having a gay, male friend to go on dates with is one of life's little joys. No kissing jitters and you still get to walk arm in arm.




Manny's for my birthday.
Chino Latino for fun.
Joe Bar for Seattle's sake.



Thanks, Tim!
(Saint Tropez)

more .lbs

Each month I happily receive a copy of Dwell magazine. Mostly I obsess about the articles, the floorplans and the design ideas. But, I find that as I flip through the pages, my mind takes over and unconciously starts to wander into the future. I literally project myself into rooms with poured concrete floors and counter tops, flat, green roofs, open floorplans, herb and veggie gardens and even a womb chair in the corner. And its not just about the space, though the space is sort of the anchor. This wonderful box I want also contains the life I hope to have. Typically, I see myself in one of those clean, modern, sustainable spaces with a husband who is nothing less than my best friend and we have at least one child for which each day is like a little experiment: Will he/she be a feminist? An athlete? An environmentalist? A thinker? All of the above. Its exciting! ..Wham! back to reality.




Wow, that sounded so abrupt and sligtly dark. It wasn't meant to be.

It becomes difficult sometimes to relax in where I'm at in life. Though I am perfectly happy with my friends, my family, my job, and everything I'm so fortunate to have, I feel sometimes that I'm living temporarily. I'm waiting for that Dwell space!...and the other parts of life that come along with it! I know life isn't that simple and certainly having the space doesn't create the perfect life, but a gal can dream right? And dream I do.

brits. biffys. barns. bus rides. bun in the oven. beautiful.

It all started with a summer beer on a roof in downtown Minneapolis. From there the bus took us on a ride from highways to country roads while Pat entertained us with his past-life bartending skillz. We pulled up to a most spectacular farm and as I headed straight for the Biffys I whirled past flip-flops, khaki pants, fields of grasses and a feeling of anticipation for what could be nothing but a perfect evening. And it was.




Lemonade, ice cream cones, a bean bag toss and the first dance as husband and wife under the lights of a barn. Then, even though it was only 9:30pm, much alcohol had been consumed and it made for a hilarious bus ride back to the land of concrete. There was still a need for one more beer though -enough that an official auction was held and the last Amstel Light sold for a cool $60. Proceeds to benefit the new mister and misses.

Roses.

Mike and Michelle finally made it official after many years of friendship and love. I was absolutely thrilled to be in attendance and the whole weekend was one of the best weekends I've had in years. The Friday evening "official" ceremony couldn't have been more perfect. With no rehearsal, there were many stops and starts, nervous laughter and a heartfelt sense that it really represented what Mike and Michelle were about to experience in becoming parents = you can't plan for everything and sometimes you just need to roll with it! And they did.



Us girls. Our strong, witty, loving, and devoted group of CSB women was in full effect. Having not had all eight of us together in over a year, it felt even more special. Stories were told and retold*. Laughter rang to the rooftops. And many times I looked around the room so grateful to be a part of such an amazing crew of friends. We've experienced so much together in the last ten years and the love and support between all of us is constant. Cheers, ladies. Cheers, Mitch.








*[Kridi in Mexico with the moon shining on all her glory]

crazy.

Everyone I know is okay. I'm thankful for that. Very sad.