Mourning Fading

I am happy to say that things are back to normal here in Raechelle-land. Maydell was laid to rest last week, so I think that’s helped with the sadness.

Needless to say, last week was a crappy, crappy week. But after waking up Saturday morning and making the conscience decision that I was going to have a good weekend with my husband, the stars fell into place and Todd and had one of the best weekends we’ve had in a long time. The beautiful summer weather help tremendously.

I slept in Saturday, then joined Todd across the street for brunch with our neighbors, Dave and Greg.

Side note – I think I’m entering a new age bracket. In the last two weekends, I’ve attended two brunches. Each invitation led me to believe it was a come-hang-out-maybe-grab-a-muffin-and-a-mimosa kind of thing. Oh no. Val’s brunch-n-book exchange two weeks ago was a sit down, with tablecloths and quiche kind of event. It was lovely. Cold, but lovely. Then yesterday, Dave had told me to just wander over whenever I got up and about (the scheduled time was 9am. On a Saturday. Ha! Not even for a mimosa.) So I headed over about 10am. I knocked and opened the door but didn’t see or hear anyone. Oh no! I thought. Did I miss it?! Then I heard laughter outside, so I went through the kitchen, out to the back patio and found a group of nine people sitting around a table with linen napkins and fancy glasses. Another sit down! I’m glad I wore a dress.

Anyway, I met up with my hubby for breakfast with a few neighbors, then we all walked a half a block to California, set up our camp chairs and watched the West Seattle Grand Parade. I’m normally not a parade kind of gal (except the Solstice Parade) but this was low energy, not crowded at all, and a good excuse to just sit in the beautiful sunshine. I have to say, the police motorcycle brigade, both Seattle and Vancouver, were my absolute favorite. We chatted with one of the Vancouver officers while he was parked, blocking traffic, and learned that they’ve had to alter their routine in the last few years after they had a major accident that permanently disabled one of their officers. Very sad. But they’re formations were just incredible.

After the parade, we took Kayleigh and Lydia to the beach then garage saled. Yes, it’s a verb.

Side note – I have decided I want to be a grandma’s house. I want to have a toy box full of toys for all of our friends who have kids. I want to have some plastic play stuff out in the back yard, so we can hang out back there and the kids can play. I want to have some sippy cups on hand and maybe some tiny plastic utensils. I want the kids (and their parents) to love coming over to our house because we have everything they need.

So Todd and I picked up a free plastic slide, a box of sidewalk chalk, a bag of dinosaurs, a bag of cars and fire trucks and a doodle board. I need to get some coloring books and some toys for babies, so Trish and Dan don’t have to lug things over to our house for Rosiland.

All I need is the doily table cloth and you can call me Granny. Wait! I HAVE doily table cloth! And it’s on the table right now!

Saturday evening, I took Todd out for dinner. It’s been a while since we’ve had a nice dinner, just the two of us, and since we’d both been kind of icky last week, it seemed like a good time to bond. We went to Jak’s down at the Junction. Yummy yummy yummy. I’d never been, but Todd promised it was fantastic. And boy howdy, was it.

After dinner a couple of drinks, we walked back home to find two boys hanging out on our front porch. Gawd bless my daughter – I told her she could not have her male friends in the house while Todd and I were gone. So she made them stand on the porch while she and Lydia cooked them dinner. Mac-n-cheese.

Must remember this loophole in the future.

Todd and I were a bit too mushy and happy to be in the house with five teenagers, so we took our bottle of wine and plopped down out in the front yard. Once the kids left for the Movies on the Wall, we fired up the Wii and rocked out like a couple of young/middle aged parents can do after a bottle of wine. I rawked the hell out of “Heartbreaker” by Pat Benatar. Even those high notes at the end.

Ask our neighbors. I bet they heard me.

After the exhaustion of Rock Band, we curled up in our room, while the kids, back from the Movies on the Wall because they had no chairs and were uncomfortable, hid away in Tyler’s room to watch the exact same movie that was playing at the wall. Wonderful.

And it was a restless night. Hotter than a hippy in Kerrville and no breeze. Todd ended up on the couch, where there WAS a breeze from all of the windows open, and Tom took advantage of the open bedroom door to sleep with me.

Sunday, yet another brunch. Only we hosted and it completely wasn’t planned. I wanted to make dutch baby. I wanted to be social. So we called our trusty good-for-last-minute-plans-that-involve-food, Steve and Stephanie. Of course, you have to have mimosas when you have a brunch (complete with doily tablecloth) so that always starts a beautiful sunny Sunday off on the right foot.

After Steve and Steph left, and Todd took Kayleigh over to her friend’s, he and I got ourselves together and went to Crate & Barrel. My dutch baby was just barely enough for six people so I needed a bigger dish. Luckily, we still had some money left on our gift card, so we also bought some tea spoons for jam. As mom and dad taught us, tea spoons have that nice, long handle to get down in the jar of jam. What a great tip.

And then there was lunch and popping in to get our wedding rings cleaned at Ben Bridge, then spending yet another gift card at Victoria’s Secret and then a little java frappuccino before heading back home.

Once home, we were attacked by a vicious nap, so the original plan of grocery shopping was dashed. Oh darn. But a couple of hours later, we got our second wind and worked on some administrative stuff and made a light dinner and then tidied up the house, and then finally, bed.

Whew.

I do love the summer here in Seattle. But if you think I cram a lot into a weekend during the fall and winter, you should see me in the summer.

MUST.DO.EVERYTHING.RIGHT.NOW.

Our 10 day forecast shows nothing but blue skies and high 70/low 80 degree weather. Now THIS is why we put up with nine months of winter.

Although, ceiling fan shopping may be in order soon.