July 16, 2011

Washington: Between the Weekends

A whole week in Washington plus weekends! Almost too good to be true ...

On Tuesday we spent the afternoon with our friends the Specktacular family. They have a little girl just 6 months younger than the Boogie (almost to the day!) and another 2-year-old daughter whom we hadn't met yet. The girls played in a wading pool for a bit despite the sixty-something degree weather, and then happily entertained each other for the rest of our visit. The adults supervised while we chatted, and Mr. Specktacular grilled some delicious steaks to go along with the yummy food his wifey prepared for us. We had a nice time and although I'm pretty sure I did take my camera, I don't have a single picture. They are talking about coming to visit us again this fall which should be fun! On our way home from their house we stopped at WinCo Foods for some groceries. That was a cool store. The bulk section was especially fascinating to us. My favorite thing was this, though:
I didn't lift the lid ... but I wanted to.

By Wednesday the Phebis had had it with being in her car seat, so we didn't go anywhere except to visit another church that evening in order to see some more friends. Poor Pheebs. She only just tolerates the car seat now and to be trapped in it day after day was too much for her. One day she fell asleep and when we got home I laid her on the floor like this

where she stayed asleep for quite a while right in the middle of the family room.

Thursday was chilly and rainy and we just took it easy all day. Eric and I did make a shopping trip to Camano Island Coffee Roasters to buy some gifts to take home. We bought several pounds of coffee and put it in our room -- every time we open the door we catch a huge whiff of coffee. That afternoon Pops smoked some chickens for dinner. Amazing! They were sooooo delicious.

On Friday Mom had to work so we stopped by to see her and meet some of her coworkers, and to do some shopping. Then we met some friends for a late lunch. After lunch we headed to B & D's place for more good food and cousin playtime.











It was really nice just to spend some time with my brother and his wife, talking about this and that. I wish we lived closer to each other. Oh! On Tuesday B found out he had been promoted to a position he had applied for but didn't think he would get. That's the second time he's been promoted during one of our visits to Washington. I'm thinking we can use that to our advantage the next time he wants to move up the corporate ladder: job application plus plane tickets from Philly to Seattle? Sounds like a winner to me!

The rest of the week we just enjoyed being with Pops and Lela and Auntie Vee and Uncle Furry, playing games, going for walks, wrestling, watching old movies and tv shows ...

Pops teaches every grandchild how to play checkers. This time he had an audience.









Uncle Furry was a good sport and played more with her later.

This high chair was my mom's and her siblings ... and then we kids used it ... and now grandkids use it!


Pops couldn't teach this one how to play checkers but he could work her over a little bit which she loved, of course.



Pops and Uncle Furry took the girls on some "rides" one day in the laundry basket.









Auntie Vee came over on Thursday but she wasn't feeling too well. She drank some hot tea and hung out on the couch for a while.




Isn't my mom pretty? And she's pretty swell, too.

So's my Pops. He's a pretty swell guy.

We drove past something, um, interesting every time we went somewhere. Finally we had to stop and get a picture.


Eric really wanted to buy the big one for our yard but he couldn't talk me into it. But maybe we should go back and get one for Pops and Lela's yard ...

Last, but not least, it (almost) goes without saying that we have been drinking LOTS and LOTS of coffee. Pops has been having to make 2 pots first thing every morning, one right after another. We've been drinking drip, iced, hot, mochas, macchiatos ...

Mmmmm coffeeeeee ...

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