Happy Valentines Day

I hope you are all having a fun Valentines Day.  We just finished a great lunch.  My friend, Grace Best, parked her taco cart at Supersonic Car Wash.  She has two Latino partners she works with in the business.  I had a "huarache" with avocado and beans and carnitas.  It was so delicious.  Dad and I walked in the park.  The weather is in a weird, beautiful place somewhere between fall and spring, but definitely not winter.  I guess the resevoirs are filling up as the snow is melting already.  I hope and pray we get a LOT of rain in the next ten weeks.  The roses are getting ready to bud and bloom.  Poor California is beyond dry.  I called Dawn the other day and it was 91 degrees there. 


And on the other side of the country, Alex is wearing the same socks day after day.  He can't get to the laundrymat.  The weather is relentlessly cold with snow and wind.  It was 9 degrees below this week, but with the wind chill it was about 30 below.  Cornell has a website to check for school cancellations: http://www.iscornellclosed.com/  Check it out.  it's pretty funny. Fortunately he has lots of activities today: brunch, potluck, and an Ira Glass performance to go to.  He's looking forward to Travis' visit in May.


We caught Travis at home this morning (night for him).  Warsaw is having a warm, open winter, too.  He had plans for tonight, too.  It's always fun to talk to him.  His opinions are always kind but so interesting.  What a broad understanding of cultures he has from all of his international friends.  I told him he should write an ex-pat blog.  I think it would be interesting.  I'm so glad he was able to go to California with us at Christmas.  We still haven't finished the "Serial" story we were listening to on Christmas Day.  It got a little depressing. (more than a little).


Danny was having one of those days when you get to stay home and work on the house.  We all need those days.  Jakson was helping him.  Jenni had a masters class for her students.  They were meeting all day with a musician who wrote musical scores for film.  I think it sounded like a brilliant activity.  Jak and the older students were meeting with him in the afternoon.  How inspiring!  Danny said Snoqualmie Ski Resort is closed due to no snow.  Probably it's dry in Brisky Canyon, too. 


Dawn said that Ivy woke up one day and was talking. Nonstop.  And you can understand her.  It's fun to watch the third child in each family go through this.  Tommy was a non-talker, too, then just talked.  I think they let others do the talking for them.  I also think they don't like to be misunderstood and corrected by everyone.  Ivy talked to me on the phone and I could understand her just fine.  Laurel and Lilah were having fun with valentines and school parties.  I think they have some days off for Presidents Day.  (What is that?)


Dad is working on making walnut saw handles in the garage.  I'm busy ordering down pillows from OneKingsLane.  So fun.  We like our new couches.  They are very comfortable.  We saw a new episode of our favorite show: Alaska, the Last Frontier.  The guy on the show built a forge out of a rusty iron wok then made a knife out of some old iron.  We could both see Dad's retirement future before us.  We need a place where he can build a forge.


I'm busy with Primary downtown.  I have a fun activity in mind for tomorrow.  Last week we had a linger longer after church and set up chairs for 124 people and served sloppy joes.  People brought amazing things.  It was really fun.


We'll miss Tommy and Rilee tomorrow.  They are in Moab and texted that they were on their way to Telluride, Colorado.  Weather is not a problem.  Some of their very best friends, Kate and Jake and family, moved into a house very close to them on Capitol Hill. 


Here's some "precepts" I like.  If you don't know what a precept is, read "Wonder".  Such a good book.


DON'T CLING TO A MISTAKE BECAUSE YOU SPENT A LOT OF TIME MAKING IT.


FIND HAPPINESS IN ORDINARY THINGS AND KEEP YOUR SENSE OF HUMOR.


LIFE IS A DARING ADVENTURE OR NOTHING.


Love you! have a great week.  Mom