Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Before too much time slips away

In case you think I have forgotten how to find my machine, I have been doing a few fabric projects.  My two smallest grandgirls will be in their aunt's wedding, so those dresses needed re-hemming.  Janet W. is organizing three raffle baskets for the Statewide CTA lunch and I have been helping with that.  I got the border on a quilt that I made some while ago, and know who I will give it to.  I have done some machine quilting on a quilt started last year, made with antique fabrics from Spakenburg, NL.  And I got the border sewn on and was doing hand sewing while awaiting Alayne who was driving us to the airport.  We have safely and happily arrived in the Netherlands and friend, Caro's home.  Lovely to be here.

Today was a trip into downtown den Haag.  We had a terrific time, walking and walking, a bit of 
shopping, some lunch (cream of artichoke soup - oh my was that terrific) and then a bit more walking.  Now just relaxing with a cup of tea.

Off to friend Dieuwke's for dinner at her new apartment.  Great fun!
I forgot one more fun thing, in the window of the chocolatier, this hand bag.  And yes, it is all made from chocolate.







Saturday, August 16, 2014

More happenings at home then . . . . .

So, to bring y'all up to date with this crazy Nana -

we had one more camping trip scheduled for this busy summer of 2014 [although there are a couple of fall dates on the calendar].  Not the easiest to reach, but a wonderful park is Alder Lake.  It is part of the Tacoma Power Utility network.  We are told that Alder dam supplies electricity to both the city of Tacoma as well as some which is sold to Bonneville Power.  [interestingly, it doesn't supply the park itself - which might have been nice]



It really is lovely, although I could have done without the young men in their noisy power boats.  And that mountain - you can practically reach out and touch it,
It's a different side of Mt. Rainier than the side we see from home.  Really gorgeous.

Our friends Mary and Marne and their daughter Amelia came down for one day,
and as you can see, we had lovely weather.

We are now on the countdown to another biking trip.  Much to do, as well as getting in more "saddle" time.  It was drizzling fairly hard, but still warm.

Dinner with the little girls (and mom and dad).  Phone calls will have to suffice for the big ones, as they are headed to camp.

Hope we have everything that we need - or else we'll have to borrow it from Caro and Rob.  We will stay with them before we begin biking.  Stories and photos to follow.  Woo Hoo!

Monday, August 4, 2014

Annual Camping Trip

I won't bore you with hundred of photos (and there are lots we have taken) but this past week-end was the annual Camping with the Grandma's.  We have done this for the past 13 years - imagine.  Starting with our precious Emma and now there are 5 precious ones and it was such a joy to have them all together this week-end.  My daughter has always come along and this year my son and daughter-in-law were there.  It was a mother's happy time.  Breakfasts and dinners were together, and then bike riding, hiking, swimming.  Always a busy but fun time.  [It is our tradition that each Christmas each child will get a little photo book with copies of photos from our camping trip.  Thus, we have to take lots of pictures to be sure we have enough for each child.  It is interesting how precious these little books seem to be.  Some are wearing out, they have been looked at so often.]











Did have thunder, lightning and hail one afternoon, so all 10 of us got to have dinner in the motorhome.    Cozy, but we managed.


It all just makes this Nana smile.

RVing week-end out on the coast

 i am not sure in what order photos will come up, but here is the words part.

It was our monthly outing, this time in Westport, WA.  We arrived on Thursday.  Friday morning qe started the day with a bicycle (practice) ride.  [Americans reading this will understand that we do not do enough riding, on a regular basis to consider ourselves able to ride 20-25 miles (+\- 40 km).  As that is what awaits us on this upcoming bicycle grip, training is required.]. So this was a week-end filled with bike riding, game playing and of course, eating.  How joyfilled is that?

One group of gals got up waaaaaay early and went fishing.  They all caught their limits within a couple of hours, so that meant fresh BBQ salmon for the Saturday evening potluck.  In the morning we had our minthly book group, this time discussing "The Orphan Train".  Not the most challenging read but interesting.  Saturday lunch was fresh crab bought from one of the crab boats that just brought it in.  Such a treat.  Potluck supper was to bring something from your family heritage.  Elaine asked for Bahmi (Dutch/Indonesian).  No planned activities on Sunday, so more bike riding, games and left-overs.  Head home on Monday.

Still doing catch up

PHOTOS QUITE OUT OF ORDER.  SORRY.  STILL HAVE TO WORK ON THIS.

And so, to further bring you up to date, a week ago on Sunday, as a surprise, my son and family gave us a get-away week-end in Portland.  We rode the Talga train, in "business" class.  It was a very pleasant ride south (about 3 hours)' with lots of stops along the way.  He had arranged a suite at a hotel in the northwest part of the city, with easy walking, bus and tram rides, to get around.  We founf a charming boulangerie for some tasty supper.  In the morning we headed to the International Rose Test Garden, where literally thousands of roses are grown.  Unfortunately the Japanese Gardens were closed, so we headed back into downtown.  We got to see the Portland soccer stadium (very nice, large and right in the middle of the city). We walked around a lot, found some lunch and did the required trip to Powell's Books.  We also founf a Peet's coffee (my favorite) for an iced latte and a taste treat.  Some more walking and a tram back to the hotel.  We had a lovely al-fresco dinner at an Italian restaurant - my birthday dinner - asparagus lemon fettuccini with pistachios.  Oh my.  (heerlijk).  In the morning we got a cab back to the train station and headed north..

Relearning how to blog on the iPad

This is at the Bothell Park where we began a recent practice ride.  Following are photos from that ride on the Sammamish River Trail.  Isn't is a funny QUILT piano?  Apparently it is one of several pianos that are considered an art installation.  It was just alongside the bike path.

(Been trying to remember how I did blogging last year when we did the house swap.  I think this is it!  Hurrah.  Now to see if I can remember how to add photos.  (I had a personal "helpdesk" in Mr. Rob but where is he when I need him?  Oh I know - he is at home in the Netherlands.))