Maine ~ part 1.

It was 11 hours, from departure in Seattle to arrival in Portland Maine.  I am not the best traveler.  Vacations always begin with me working much longer than I anticipate and therefore running way behind schedule.  I always seem to underestimate the time involved in packing, dropping off the dog and preparing to head out of town.  This trip was no exception.  I arrived home an hour and fifteen minutes before the shuttle was scheduled to pick us up.  Clyde was dropping off Bailey and we both still needed to pack.  By the time the car service arrived at the door our bedroom appeared ransacked, my checked bag was four pounds over the limit and Clyde was asking me, "why I need 7 pairs of shoes for a 10 day vacation".  Ugh!!!!  

After re-packing a few items, grabbing my purse, and a few bottles of glitter nail polish, we locked the door and were off.  We arrived at Sea-Tac with an hour and a half to spare, the check in lines were short and we breezed through security.  After a few deep sighs, the stress of going out of town quickly adjusted to the excitement of going home and seeing family.  We took off at 10:55 pm, the weather was clear and although I was exhausted I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep. 

I can't sleep on planes I think it the combination of many things, the dry air re-circulating through the cabin, the seats, and my nerves on overdrive.

After a comfortable layover and quick breakfast in Atlanta, we arrived in Maine about 20 minutes early. 

Luckily for me, my parent's are always ahead of schedule, obviously a trait that I did not inherit, and there was Mom standing at the bottom of the escalator.  She was cute, surprised to see us so early, and welcomed us with big hugs.   My Dad was right behind her with open arms and it felt so good to be right there at that very moment.

Thus began our trip home and let me tell you, Maine in the Fall is beautiful.

.....more to come soon.

Returning Home.

Tuesday Oct 17th Clyde and I took the red eye home to Maine.  This trip was long over due as we had not been home in 2 years.   The day was hectic and as each minute passed I was more excited to be spending the next 10 days with my family.  We arrived at Sea-Tac hurried and exhausted.  As I boarded the plane the anticipation of hugs, smiles, laughter and family reminded me that I really need to do this more often.

It was early morning when we arrived in Atlanta, for a quick layover, and I remember thinking just a few more hours.  I closed my eyes and pictured my Mom and Dad meeting us at the airport with open arms, happy to whisk us off to a long overdue family dinner that evening.

The flight was uneventful, the landing was smooth and I was anxious to grab a quick breakfast and a cup of coffee before we boarded the next flight to Portland.  As the plane approached the runway we double checked the pockets in the seats in front of us, gathered up our ipod, magazines and a now crumpled, half eaten bag of Pepperidge Farm goldfish crackers.

As we taxied towards the gate a flight attendant came over the loudspeaker, “Welcome to Atlanta. Ladies and Gentleman we'd like to take a moment to thank our armed services who are flying with us today and we'd like to send out a very special thank you to Sgt. "..." who is accompanying one of our fallen soldiers home.  We have a special request to ask of you.  Please allow Sgt. “...” and our other soldiers to deplane first so they can continue to escort our fallen soldier.  We appreciate you remaining in your seats and as soon as the Captain turns off the seat belt sign, you may begin to deplane.”

As the plane came to a complete stop, there was no movement as the entire plane sat in silence.  Tears welling in my tired eyes I could not help but think of what it means for all of us  "returning home".  We all watched with honor and respect as a highly decorated Sgt. quietly arose from his seat, retrieved his bag from the overhead compartment and started walking off the plane.  Once he had deplaned,  about 10 other soldiers stood up, grabbed their backpacks and followed him off the plane.  The sight of this was overwhelming, and my heart just ached at the thought of a very different family reunion.  Heavy tears now running down my cheeks we gathered our own bags and walked, in silence, off the plane that had instantly become sacred ground. 

I have though a lot about that Soldier during the past few weeks and the soldier's whose job it is to ensure that every fallen soldier returns home.   

It is with great honor and deep appreciation that I say, Thank you, to all of our armed services, your dedication to this country is a gift.  May you all safely return home to the loving open arms of your families.

Halloween

I like Halloween.  It's a Holiday that brings back memories of home made costumes and those classic 1970's purchased outfits complete with the hard, thin plastic masks.  You know the kind, the ones in the box.  They were the ones with the masks that had a thin elastic string that fit directly across the back of your head.
 
Like this one.

I loved those as a kid, even though they never really fit that well.  It seemed as though five minutes after I was dressed, steam was building up inside the mask.   And dare I try to hold a conversation, well forget about it, the mask was hoisted up on top of my head so I could breath and communicate.  But oh how I loved those masks.

I still love a costume party and we have rocked some pretty fabulous costumes, but this year we are staying in.  We just returned from a trip to Maine and are still in the process of getting back to our daily routine. 

But costume or no costume, I still love the whimsy of this holiday and I decorated early to enjoy it.  Here are a few pictures of how I add a touch of Halloween to our home.


Spanish moss hangs on the chandelier.


I love these bugs.


I have a few of these guys.  My handmade candles add a nice glow.




This alcove above the fireplace is a great spot to decorate for any occasion.

So there it is we are ready for the spooks tomorrow night.  
Have a safe and happy Halloween my Sweets.

Farm to Fork Dinner at Circle Creek Home

Saturday night was over the top fabulous. 

As Summer gently stepped out of the way and welcomed Autumn into the Pacific Northwest, we were welcomed up to Circle Creek Home, for a farm to fork dinner, hosted by our good friends John and Brenda.   


John and Brenda's home and business are nestled on 16 breathtaking acres along the Pilchuck Creek.  This was the perfect backdrop for the incredible six course dinner prepared by Ryan Edwards, of Table 9, and his partner Mike.


Check out the farmhouse table, below, made from reclaimed wood, one of the many talents of John and Brenda.  You must visit their Etsy shop here, Circle Creek Home.  I'll dedicate an entire post to Circle Creek Home soon, their vintage finds, handcrafted furniture and hand poured soaps are highly sought after here in Washington and around the world. 


Clyde and I were the first to arrive, of the nine lucky guests fortunate to participate in this end of the season celebration.  Dinner was to be served, al fresco, on the covered deck and the table was beautiful in shades of white and blue.


As guests arrived we mingled and toasted to what was sure to be a memorable evening.


I love this fire pit and the chairs take me back to the Adirondack chairs I grew up with in Maine.


This vintage sign on the coffee table said it all.


First Course: Assorted Charcuterie, Roasted Peppers, Local Artisanal Cheeses, and Fig Jam. John in the background.


We laughed, we shared great wine and we enjoyed every moment.  Clyde, Brenda, and Jay.


Second Course: Artisan Bread, Tomatoes, Boothbay Cucumbers and Capers drizzled with olive oil.


Third Course: Local late summer Corn, house made Crème Fraiche with Cilantro Oil and locally foraged Mushrooms lightly warmed and served with a Thyme Brioche.  I loved my name tag set in a vintage flower frog.


OMGosh, if you could only smell this bowl, it was sweet and earthy and so very yummy, we all raved about the corn chowder. It was delicious and Timi could not bear to leave even the slightest bit behind.


The Fourth Course: Spot Prawn Ravioli with a sweet pea cream sauce, was wonderful, but somehow missed it's photo call.

Fifth Course: Slow Roasted Pork served with a Cauliflower Gratin and Creamy Parmesan Polenta.


With the sun now set and the hush of the creek in the background, we all settled around the bon fire for coffee and some good old campfire chit chat.  Ryan and Mike also joined us.


Sixth Course: John and Brenda made dessert in their vintage 1940's mini pie tins. What a treat!!!  Seriously, is this the cutest mini apple pie you have ever seen? 


My cup was not only half full but deliciously overflowing.  Artisan dinner with friends, foraged mushrooms, 1940's vintage pie tins, Adirondack chairs, amazing; and I haven't even mentioned the unicorns jumping in their apple orchard or the permanent rainbow that resides directly overhead.

Yup, I'd say Saturday night delivered big time with dear friends, great food and an evening that begs to be remembered. 

If you have the opportunity to attend a Table 9 dinner I highly recommend it, and if you ever have a catering event, contact Ryan and Mike, they will exceed your expectations. Click here for more information on Table 9.

Many Thanks to John and Brenda, and Ryan and Mike.

September 11th -

I struggled today to put my thoughts in writing regarding the events that changed our Nation and our world 10 years ago.  My mind was blocked as I wanted to convey the sadness along with the heroic actions and the compassion of a Nation that truly came together.  So I found myself pausing throughout the day attempting to put it all together.

I glanced through Facebook this afternoon looking for inspiration.  I read all the usual posts and I waited for some epiphany to unleash my thoughts but I just could not find the right expression.

As I read the words, Never Forget and In Remembrance it felt static, heavy and still.  I was taken right back to my emotions of that day.  I changed that day, we all changed that day.  Ten years have gone by...... What have we learned?  How have we changed?  How have the events of that day evolved us as a Nation?  I felt compelled to really convey how sacred this day is and how necessary it is to nurture a better tomorrow.  Tonight I watched a documentary of that day, of all that we lost and the impact left on those who experienced it first hand.  September 11th, 2001 was tragic and sad and heart breaking, it was also heroic, inspiring, and hopeful.

"Strange is our situation here upon earth. Each of us comes for a short visit, not knowing why, yet sometimes seeming to a divine purpose. From the standpoint of daily life, however, there is one thing we do know: That we are here for the sake of others...for the countless unknown souls with whose fate we are connected by a bond of sympathy. Many times a day, I realize how much my life is built upon the labors of people, both living and dead, and how earnestly I must give in return as much as I have received.” Albert Einstein

This evening my sweet, sweet friend Diane called to share some very happy news.  At seven o'clock tonight she became a Great Grandmother, when TWO babies, a boy and a girl, took their very first breath.   We briefly weighed in on how their birthday will forever be linked with this solemn day.  Yet I could not help but feel a sense of comfort because life goes on, with a new soul or two, to leave their footprints upon the world.

And just like all those Facebook posts earlier that I knew would tie into my post tonight.  They are the posts telling their friends, that they spent a wonderful day with their Mom, took their kids to the fair, made oatmeal cookies for a loved one, are proud of their college bound Son, and are cherishing the first signs of Spring in Fiji. 

Life does go on, memories are made and each day we are given the opportunity to leave this world better than we found it. 

The legacy of the Trade Center should be one of humanity, bravery of human spirit, and overcoming adversity.  It has to be positive, because we always have hope and life sustains us by going on.

Setbacks and Moving Forward.

When you have corneal transplants, great vision is a day to day process.  A multitude of issues can arise and the word rejection constantly looms overhead.  I have had an infection, in my right eye, since March and even with the strongest of prescriptions, it is not budging.  A week ago, at a regularly scheduled appointment, my doctor noticed some blood vessels growing into the transplant in the right eye, the one with the infection.  She stressed to me the importance of removing the blood vessels as they cause high risk for rejection of the entire transplant.  She said I needed another surgery.  During surgery she would scrape the entire top layer of the cornea, to remove the infection, and eliminate each of the blood vessels with an injection of a drug called Avastin.   I left that appointment feeling disappointed and relieved.  Disappointed at the fact that I was in this situation and relieved because the vision in my right eye has been awful, and I knew this surgery was the best option in the long run.  I planned to have that surgery the first week in September. 

Last Wednesday night my right eye started bothering me, it felt like something was in it, it hurt and was painful when I put in my nightly drops before bed.  The next morning my eye was not any better, so I made the call to NW Eye Surgeons and scheduled an emergency appointment with my doctor.  I was glad they were able to squeeze me in that afternoon, since we had a camping trip planned for the weekend.  After the usual wait in the lobby and the routine pre-checkup with the technician, Dr. Rostov came in and she knew what was wrong as soon as she looked at my eye, three loose stitches.  The last time I had loose stitches I thought the pain was an eyelash, that would eventually work it's way out, that was a big mistake.  The loose stitches eroded a channel in my cornea and took quite awhile to heal.   This channel was painful and resulted in poor vision until it healed.  That was a tough lesson to learn but with any cornea transplant if you have pain, redness, or a change in vision, you have to go in to see your doctor.

As she prepared me for removing the loose stitches, Dr. Rostov flooded my eye with numbing drops and told me to sit very still, then she took a very sharp needle and like a seamstress ripping out the seam of a hem, she cut the final three stitches in my right eye, and then pulled them out with teeny tiny tweezers.  She then prescribed two new drops to keep out any additional infections and sent me on my way. 

On Monday I went in for a quick check up to ensure the area where she removed the stitches last week, looked healthy and free from infection. 

I was thrilled as she declared that the eye looked great.  She said the blood vessels as well as the other infection finally seemed to look better and on the mend.  This infection has not budged since March, so this is amazing news.  Dr. Rostov was so pleased that she has postponed my surgery and wants to see me in two weeks.  We are hopeful that my eye is on the mend and surgery will not be needed at all.  I am not sure what helped, it could be the removal of the last stitches, the new drug Durezol, the fact that I was flooding my eye all weekend with preservative free artificial tears, or the mountain air from camping.   Whatever the reason for the improvement I am thrilled and I am keeping my fingers crossed that we are moving forward.

I hope whatever setbacks you may be dealing with this week are on the mend.

Seattle Sunset Sail

Saturday started out lovely.  We slept in late, ate breakfast on our fabulous new patio, and enjoyed lounging in the sun for a good part of the morning.  We drove into Seattle around 3:30pm for a late lunch early dinner at one of our favorite cheap eats, Paseo.  Around 5pm we left Paseo and began our 15-20 minute drive to the Seattle waterfront. 

I had planned a surprise sunset cruise for Clyde and we had to be at Pier 54 by 6:15.   I was happy we were right on schedule, since timing is not usually my strong point.  We drove through Shilshole, to Ballard, and then on to Elliott Avenue, just in time for the traffic to come to a screeching halt.  It was awful and I could not help but think our romantic evening was going to set sail without us. 

I contemplated, should I call to cancel or trust to fate, what to do?  We have never seen traffic so bad and Clyde actually imagined the gridlock that would overcome the city should a natural disaster strike.  He went on about how we would have to evacuate on his bike if we needed to go anywhere.  Natural disaster?, evacuate on his bike?, what happened to my romantic sunset cruise?  The traffic was ugly and I was so stressed.  I watched as the clock displayed 5:38pm, and then 5:50pm.  We were so far away and all of a sudden Clyde says, "Should we turn around, go up to Second and down to Seneca?" "Turn around?, no we can't turn around!"  I piped back.  I thought for a moment and peacefully said, "All right, if you think we should turn around, let's turn around."  Ok, maybe it wasn't so peacefully, and maybe there were other words mentioned, but the truth was, we had to turn around; so we did.  We whipped a u-turn, ran some orange lights, dodged a few pedestrians and flew passed Clay, Bell, Lenora, Pike, Union and countless other streets. Just then I saw it, Seneca, we made a sharp right turn.  It was like Clyde had rehearsed this very drive for just such an occasion.  We ducked into a garage right across from the Pier and barely made the pedestrian light to cross Western Avenue, whew!  We made it with about 8 minutes to spare.  It took all of 15 seconds to recoup when we spotted the Obsession, our sailing vessel for the next 2 and 1/2 hours. 



The sky was perfectly blue.



Up went the sails, and soon we were gliding across the calm waters of Puget Sound.



This was amazing and I am in love.



.....and the views were breathtaking.



It was so quiet and it felt like we were on a reality show enjoying an over the top date.













This is wonderful and if you live near Puget Sound I highly recommend it. The next time we spend money on a date,  and if the weather is nice,  I am so going to pick sailing.  You can bring a picnic, pack beverages, and make it exactly what you'd like.

What is your perfect date night?