New Year's Eve

Well the year has come to a close.  It was an icy morning when I awoke so the cats were content to stay inside and play with their new catnip mouse.  I decided to bundle up and head outside to enjoy the sun.

Skye

Brigid

a rare occurrence - mother and daughter sharing

I love the sound and look of a flock of geese flying overhead

some vibrant color amid the ice

there was weird ice covering every puddle

a creative sign at the foot of the Sammamish Plateau - loved it

Bremerton Bust

Did you know there is a museum devoted to Pyrex right here in Washington state.  It's over in Bremerton and Holly and I had talked about going at some point.  It seemed like a great idea to head over there during our winter break.  If only the website had indicated that it would be closed between Christmas and New Years.  The trip wasn't a total bust.  We hit a few antique/thrift stores and walked through an art gallery. Had a pint and a salmon burger before heading home.  Guess we'll have to plan a return trip.

Art Gallery and Pyrex Museum Information

I love making homemade baked beans so I was totally pumped about the purchase pictured below.  This isn't just any old beanpot but an antique McCoy beanpot.  It's almost too pretty to use.

I'm always on the lookout for vintage picture frames and I found two nice ones today.  The gray one had a great photograph of a couple on a front porch (probably from the 40's).  Old photographs always make me a little sad because I can't help but wonder what happened to the people in the picture.

Christmas

Christmas morning began as usual.  Coffee, opening presents and the pets enjoying the wrapping paper more than the gifts.  Best present of the day - a beautiful (and soft) blanket from my sister and brother-in-law.

Brigid amid the wrapping and catnip covered rug

http://www.macauslandswoollenmills.com/

I feel blessed to have a core group of special friends, especially when my only immediate family member lives thousands of miles away.  We spent the afternoon getting caught up.  Dinner was relaxing and delicious.

A great meal to cap off a wonderful day

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve has typically been spent at my friend's home enjoying a traditional swedish smorgasbord. This year was no different.  After enjoying the buffet, we had great fun playing Bananagrams and Clue. Highlight of the evening was meeting the newest addition to the family - "Jack" the cat.  He's pretty damn adorable.

Tis the Season

My students were very generous this year as evidenced by all these Starbucks gift cards.

What's even funnier is this stack of gift cards/certificates from last year (or older) that I found in my desk. Hopefully, none of them expire.

Garage

Why is it that as the year moves from spring to summer and into fall, the garage becomes more and more disorganized.  The car is in the driveway so you keep pitching stuff in there willy nilly until you can't stand it anymore.  Here's what I'm currently facing.  This could take days.

The only organized part of my garage is the area with all the bits of free scrap wood for my wood stove - donated by my wonderful neighbor Jim, of course.

Ugly Holiday Sweater Craze

These things used to be a dime a dozen but not any more!  Just try to find one when you want it because it ain't easy.  Last year I hit the mother lode when I went to one of my favorite local thrift shops.  They had a whole rack of holiday stuff and I purchased TWO for about $10.00.  We've had a holiday sweater day at school for the past 2 years so it's nice to have a couple in my closet.  Today marks the first day of my holiday break.  I celebrated by sleeping in until about 8AM, relaxing during the day and once nightfall arrived, I headed out to the Annual Ugly Holiday Sweater Pub Crawl in Ballard.

Kelly's outfit included lights

Just a little video that captures the excitement as participants move from pub to pub...

https://vimeo.com/54263405

Work Related Holiday Festivities

We do have an awesome PTSA at our school.  I can't remember if this is the second or third annual cookie extravaganza but it doesn't matter.  Right before winter break, all those moms bake up an amazing array of treats. They bring them to school and set them up in the staff lounge along with take away (as my foreign friends would say) containers encouraging us to pick a dozen or so to take home and enjoy.  I've never been disappointed.

Just one of a number of tables. . .they continue all the way around the room

My selections

Oh yeah, we also had a staff party at the Gentes home.  These are always fun and I must admit I had a little too much fun. Moreover, I only took this one lousy picture with my phone.

Best Dog in the Universe

Grady never pushes any of the cats out of his bed.  He merely chooses to sleep on the cold floor NEXT to his bed.  The picture says it all.

NSTA Conference in Seattle

The NSTA (National Science Teachers Association) held a regional conference in Seattle from 12/8-12/10/11 and Holly and I were lucky enough to attend.  The seminars attended and booths visited offered up a multitude of great ideas I'll be bringing back to the classroom.  Lots of free loot handed out as well.

Don't you love that Beer's Law is about the concentration of a solution?

Perfect ending to my day - a total lunar eclipse tonight.  Bonus!

Gobble Off

The week before Thanksgiving we have traditionally held a contest called the "Gobble Off".  Homerooms build turkeys that must meet certain criteria.  There are dimensions that cannot be exceeded.  Materials are not supposed to be purchased - recycled materials are strongly suggested.  Turkeys cannot have or have ever had a pulse.  My homeroom violated the last rule yet we won second place.

Our sumo, sushi-eating turkey (notice the live goldfish) with creatively designed fake sushi

Awesome trophy isn't it?

I Could Knit a Sweater!

Some days my pets drive me crazy and sometimes I find them entertaining.  Poor Grady is REALLY shedding right now.  No amount of sweeping or vacuuming can keep up with the fur tumbleweeds that appear daily around the house.  When my friend Tracey saw this picture she lovingly referred to him as "patchy".

A Special Friend is Gone

This morning I received the call that my friend Paul had passed.  We met soon after I arrived in Seattle and were instantly connected because of our New England roots.  I'm feeling a tremendous loss but also relief that his pain and suffering has ended.

He enjoyed the simple pleasure of  a "pretty day" (his words) so I decided to honor that by taking some pictures around my yard. The cold snap last night coated many things with a beautiful layer of frost.  The sun came out and made things that much prettier.

Rest in peace my friend.

11/11/11

How cool is it to have your birthday fall on 11/11/11?  This evening my friend Holly had a get together at her local neighborhood bar aptly called "The Zoo Tavern".  We've all been there at some point in our lives. Bizarre side note:  one of her friends is dating a former student who was in attendance.  My apologies for the poor quality cell phone pictures.

One of her friends made a cool cake and cookies shaped like owls

Birthday girl opening her gifts

When I arrived home tonight, it was hailing!

Finally - A "Real" Lab

A number of my students felt like real scientists today.  They often groan when I remind them that they need lab clothing (long pants and closed toe shoes) but this is the reason why. . .a little something I like to call the triple threat.

chemicals, glassware and fire

those three add up to the triple threat

Halloween

Today was "Costume Day" during our spirit week and I couldn't resist asking this young man to pose so I could take his picture.  A shower...who would have thought of that??

Fall Color, Crazy Weather and Holiday Shopping

The trees are finally starting to show their fall colors and it makes me miss the spectacular colors I grew up with back in New England.  However, I have found some beautiful specimens along my drive to work.

Beautiful row of red maples right down the road from school

Some gorgeous yellows on the outskirts of Redmond Town Center

Along with fall color comes blustery weather.  The drive home today was a perfect example.  As I progressed north along I-405, it kept getting worse and worse.

Threatening skies ahead

Getting darker

Starting to rain

Really coming down

And upon arriving home in Everett, I was surprised to see the former site of Bally's Fitness now taken over by a store dedicated to nothing but Halloween.  Seriously?