Merry Christmas from Seattle

There are now many times when I appreciate having 2 boys that are early risers! Bob and I were woken Christmas morning by the boys' voices in the living room examining their presents from Santa. We had a pretty full hour of excitment and appreciation before I had to leave for work at 6:15. No photos though! Those got forgotten in the rush.

Happy New Year to everyone. We'll be spending the New Year in Connecticut, and I'm hoping the boys can make it to midnight to bang in the New Year on pots and pans.

Christmas in Puerto Morelos

Christmas in Santa Monica

Back from Brussels

We were lucky to get out of Brussels this morning.  The airport is now closed until Wednesday because they ran out of de-icer.  Our plane had arrived this morning and had no snow on it so we were able to take off.  Our hotel in Brussels did not have internet access in the room so couldn't post from there.  The museums were good, especially the Horta (an art nouveau sp? house) the Magritte Museum.  Snow every night and then most of our last day, made the city even more beautiful but not good for walking.

 

More on Brugge

The food is fantastic and beautifully presented.  We've had two very elegant evening meals (see Janice's sea bass below) and mussels for lunch yeaterday (Madhu had steak).  Went to a very interesting exhibit of art from Van Eyck to Durer that showed the influence of the flemish painting on mid-European painters up to Durer who then became the influencer.  Brugge seemed to be the Paris of the 1400s.  Picture below is the market square at night.

Brugge

View from our hotel window.  There is a skin of ice on the canal which is only enough to support the sea gulls, not the ducks and swans.  Very cold walking around but sunny so we could enjoy the beautiful sights.

Greetings from the Philadelphia airport

Brugge and Brussels here we come.

Tim is 50 today

How could that be?  We sang Happy Birthday on Saturday while Chris and family were still  here.

Snow = Holiday in Seattle

It snowed 6 inches in Seattle yesturday and the city has come to a skreeching halt! Literally. My 20 minute commute from work yesturday evening was a 2 1/2 hour ordeal. I5, our major freeway, was so congested last night that hundreds of people were idling on the highway for as many as 12 hours. The roads finally cleared at about 3AM this morning. There are stalled/abandoned cars everywhere

Luckily no work for me today. The hospital didn't call so I guess they had enough staff this morning. Bob is home for the second day. As about 3 more inches fell after the above photos were taken, the boys and I are going sledding again today. It's about 7:45 AM here, and both the boys are playing out in the backyard. Lottie is going crazy out there, never having seen snow before.

Ben's acting debut

We all enjoyed this unorthadox version of the Wizard of Oz. Ben did very well as the guard of Emerald City. I tried a number of times to upload a short movie of Ben in his role, but kept having trouble! Mom and Dad, Bob videotaped THE WHOLE RPODUCTION so you'll be able to enjoy it next time you visit.

Both Ben and Liam have lots of recitals and parties scheduled for this holiday season. The festivities will help us get through the dark and rainy days of winter in the NW.

End of the year for the lake

Yesterday we did the final preparations for winter.  It was a good year for closing - never had to feeeze our fingers on a cold rainy or snowy day.  We started early and did a bit each weekend and it was a piece of cake.  The water's off now and that was the final bit.  Adam wll be there next weekend to go fishing while we are in San Diego, so he will have to get water from the hydrant.  It was a good summer, as always.

Starched Ghosts

As always, we had a lovely visit with Mom and Dad. Photos are slim pickings however, as we forgot to take a camera with us ANYWHERE and EVERYWHERE. Highlights for me included the Picasso exhibit for which Bob took a rare day off, as well as the fantastic dinner that Mom and Dad cooked up and I enjoyed after working all day. So nice to come home to a happy house with chores already done!

We'll miss you all at Thanksgiving and Christmas, but February is not too far away.

Chris's 45th Birthday

We celebrated Chris's birthday at home and decided to cook our own food inside because of the bad weather we've been having in san diego lately. Chris drank a little bit too much and stayed in bed all of saturday.

Yesterday was Chris's birthday

Sorry I missed the actual day - I hope you had a good celebration with your family. Happy Birthday.






 

This year's gardening successes

We've pulled out most of our garden this past weekend. It's quite ratty looking at the moment and needs some substantial TLC to get ready for the winter. Bob planted some fava beans as a cover crop on Saturday. We've never done that before. As usual every gardening year is full of new experiments as we learn more. There's still cabbage in the garden. THAT was a great success. That is, if you like cabbage; we've eaten borscht a couple of times, coleslaw, and corn beef and cabbage. Ben enjoys a hunk raw now and then. I've been told the cabbage will keep for awhile on the plant so I've left it unharvested as I've run out of cabbage recipe ideas for the moment. We also still have leeks, parsley, asparagus (which can't be harvested for 2 more years,) and a few sad looking beets.

Our rhubarb plant is in the photo on the left and, this year, has provided enough stalks to start a small business. I made some absolutely marvelous rhubarb chutney with ginger, brown sugar, cinnamon and jalapeno peppers. We had it on pork loin the first night, and then made sandwiches with pork, blue cheese, mixed greens, and the chutney. It makes my mouth water to think of it.

Some of the easiest vegetables to grow I seem to always have trouble with: beets, spinach, carrots and radishes of all things. Our cherry tomaotes where so plentiful that we couldn't keep up. I made a ginger/tomatoe chutney, dried many with our dehydrator, and ultimately fed hundreds to our composting worms. We did quite well with squash and found we prefered the yellow summer squash to the standard zuccini.

I'm trying to branch out into livestock, but as of yet have not convinced Bob that chickens are a good idea. He usually points at Lottie and asks if I have enough time for chickens...

Message from Chris

Chris's company just hired a graduate of RIT.  I'm posting this email exchange so the Madhu clan can see it.  Read from the bottom up.

From: Leamon Raasch (Cobham DES SSA)

Sent: Friday, October 01, 2010 4:18 PM
To: Chris Ison (Cobham DES SSA)
Subject: RE: Personnel Announcement: R&D Department

Oh yes. He is a master (super effective teaching methods). I had him for Analog Filter Design and for a Motors class. I would give him a tie with one other teacher as being the best in my college career.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Chris Ison (Cobham DES SSA)
Sent: Friday, October 01, 2010 3:44 PM
To: Leamon Raasch (Cobham DES SSA)
Subject: FW: Personnel Announcement: R&D Department

Did you know Madhu at RIT?

Thunder, Raining and rainbow in the same day

Fall Lament.

Autumn used to be such a lovely time of year. The beautiful colors, crisp air, leaves crunching under foot, soups and the start of 'hot choclate' season. NOT ANYMORE! Autumn with kids means busy schedules, nagging about homework and instument practice, weekends full of sports games and birthday parties, and dinners on the fly. Not to mention the sicknesses rampant once the germ generating little warm bodies get together in school. Got to go....Lots to do!

Happy Birthday Bob

Hope you have a good one.

Acupuncture Work!

I am posting this since Tim and Chris both seem to be having issues with muscular-skelatal pain and might benefit from acupuncture. I was a sceptic, but have definately noticed increased mobility, and less pain after 2 visits. I have (had) been struggling with sciatic pain for about 4 months, and finally went to an acupuncturist on cousin Melissa's recommendation.

As I said, it seems to be working. Right after an hour long session , and for the next couple of days, I have a slight increase of very localized pain over my butt nerve, but then it eases up and disappears. Night times are better, riding in the car is better, and I can sit down to read my morning paper ( or could before school started; now I am helping with homework.) Liam and I even went for a bike ride last week. Something unimaginable this summer. I am so relieved.

The last lake sunset of 2010

Sunday night we watched a most beautiful sunset with totally pink clouds and sky (no pics).  It was as far south as it could be and still be over the water when we were standing on the beach as close to the water as possible.  Sad day.

Summer's Over

To quote Ben this morning "This is a disastrous day for children."

I know you all would love to help me with my homework :)

Since our family seems to talk about politics alot and I am taking AP government who better to ask for help on homework???

1. Philosophical & Historical events that factored into framing the US constitution. Between eletism and pluralism which had a larger impact on the constitution. What are important characteristics that define the overall success of the constitution.

2. impact of news media shaping American politics. How has mass media altered the political landscape in the last 5 years. (specific examples)

3. Information on the evolution of American popular political participation from 1718 to the present

Summer 2010

Going to Uncle Tims house for the week was really fun and relaxing but when I came home I went straight to work. This is now my second week of work and I really like it. The kids can sometimes get out of control but thats what lowering stars are for. (Ive only given 1 yellow). My hours now are 630am-8am & 2-5pm, monday-friday. Hope you guys are having a good summer!

Sunday NY Times at the Lake

We got a new Verizon mobile wifi hotspot device

The NW Pacific Coast is Desolate and Beautiful

The boys and I went camping with some friends this last week and had a wonderful time exploring the WA coast line and rainforst. The area is sparcely populated and quite desolate. What few towns are there are on Indian reservations. The beaches are amazing; piled high with the carcasses of ancient forests thrown haphazardly by the incredible strength of the ocean.

Mirror Lake Hike

We had an eventful hike up to Mirror Lake yesturday. The bogs above the lake were full of frogs and tadpoles, and the mosquitos were ferocious. I counted 22 bites on Liam's back this morning, and 27 on Ben's, and I wasn't even trying! They spent too long scrambling around the ponds catching frogs without shirts on.

The hike was shorter than I remember it. Bob thinks that's because the kids are bigger and faster.... Probably. They certainly are. As usual, considering it's only 1 1/2 hour from Seattle, there were few people along the trail. We didn't swim this time. The air wasn't quite warm enough.

Anyone care to join us for a repeat hike at the beginning of September? The bogs'll be dry so less mosquitos. The wild blueberries will be ripe, and the water will be warmer.

Backyard deer

"Cautious mother with her two fawns looks at a two-legged non-threatening biped holding a small black object, while standing together in the garden".
These animals are so lovely, that one would never imagine that last year in the US alone they caused approximately $1Billion in damage to cars, 10,000 personal injuries in 1.5 million collisions, and 150 human deaths (not to say, possibly 1.5 million deer deaths). In 2009 worldwide there were 61 shark attacks on humans and 5 human deaths.

Happy Birthday Sarah

We hope you have a great day Sarah.  Dad is home now and feeling good.  We took a walk up the street which is the extent of what he is supposed to do for the next few days.  Next week he can start to exercise again but build up slowly.

GP Jim

The angiogram and stent insertion went smoothly and Jim is now feeling fine and sleeping off the anesthetic.  They found 90% blockage where the right coronary artery joins with the aorta, inserted a stent, and all is well.  No heart damage.  They went in through his wrist instead of his groin so that part is easier to take. It all took about an hour and a half.  He will stay in the hospital overnight and come home in the morning.  He can do normal activities except no lifting with his right hand for about 5 days and no strenuous exercise.  They also found a 50% blockage point in the left coronary artery but the doctor said that is nothing to worry about, they will treat it with meds.

Summer vacation 2010

Another great vacation.

Summer vacation picture

Great Family Reunion!

I tried to post many more photos but it somehow confused the blog so I'm limiting this post to 3 good ones.

What a great time we had. Such a beautiful park, and ideal for the kids. Both boys say their favorite part was swimming. Thanks Mom for taking Liam out to the dock on the last day. That was very memorable for him, so much so that that was the first story he told Bob when we got home.

Ben's suitcase is still MIA, but the rest of our things came in the middle of the night last night. We're hoping Ben's suitcase doesn't arrive late tonight as both Bob and I are feeling quite sleep deprived.

Georgia and South Carolina

It was a great week but our pictures of the family are not worth posting.  Does anyone have any good ones?

Ben is 8 years old today

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BEN!!

The Sockeye Are Running at the Locks now

We went to downtown Ballard this morning to see the beginning of the Sockeye salmon run. The adult salmon come up from the Sound, and jump up the ladder to reach Lake Union. The ladder is to the right in the photo. The fry (baby salmon) come from Lake Union and beyond, and travel back to sea through those white shoots. I guess they go through tail first to somehow minimize injury. Quite incredible. When you stand on the walkway over the shoots you can't hear the person next to you over the force of the water.

We were also very happy to discover a new heron rookery at the locks. We discovered it by noticing some bushes that appeared to have been painted white. I looked up to see where all the poop was coming from and discovered a 4 foot nest with giant baby birds in it. We could hear their beaks knocking together, and see huge wings extending over the edge of the nest. We counted 4 nests. Woe to the baby fry coming out of Lake Union.

What Are Little Boys Made Of? Frogs and Snails....

Boys are crazy about Star Wars! It seems that the battle between Good and Evil is as much a part of a little boy's make-up as fighting is. I guess Star Wars offers such obvious opportunities for heroicism and villain play that kids are forever attracted to the characters and story. Anyways, Ben wanted Darth Vader to come to his birthday, and he now says it was his best birthday EVER! (Personally, I prefered the bugman who brought cool insects for the kids to look at and touch.)

So, Darth Vader came to Ben's birthday this year. He played tag, Simon says, hide and seek, and a Star Wars version of Duck, Duck, Goose. Darth was very high energy, and kept the party going for the obligate hour before cake and ice-cream was served,and presents were opened. We parents were quite happy to sit and watch on the side lines, and to NOT expend the energy that Darth did....

First Swim

I finally got into the water today for my first swim of the season.  This has to be a record for the latest first swim.  The water is nice and warm but there is a lot of algae at the shore.  I could not find any sand.  The gardens are doing well except the rocket (arugula) has been attacked by something which is a shame because it was very tasty last weekend.  The other greens are fine.  The flowers are looking good.  Dad/GPJim cleaned out a space on the beach under the willow tree where we should be able to keep the boats and not have to bring them up the bank.  I made strawberry jam and finished my book.  Yesterday we had a pleasant afternoon/evening at the Madhu's with his RIT group of  "Swami and Friends."  We have been taking Mondays off and enjoying long weekends at the lake.

Nathan's 8th grade promotion

Nathan went through his 8th grade promotion with honors. He received the President's gold medal award and the CJIF award. He is happy to be out of school for the summer.