April 19, 2006
Rachael and Lala Do Seattle!
(Very photo-heavy entry, Dear Readers!)
Thanks to the diva-esque nervous breakdown of my blogging software, I’m sorely behind in journaling about Rachael and Lala’s honeymoon in Seattle so please be patient as I catch up on all our adventures.
TMK, I, and our curiously distended bag of Cheetos flew home Monday, after saying a bittersweet farewell to Joaquín Miller the Rental Car, and after a Sunday spent having lunch (if you can call 4 hours of non-stop chatter a mere “lunch”) with TMK’s fourth-grade teacher, with whom she has kept very much in touch, and having a wonderful, relaxed dinner with The Bone-Crushing Italian Family, although it was a bit of a challenge explaining to them why we flew all the way down from Seattle for the wedding of some people we didn’t know.
If you’re reading this, Aunt Shirley, please thank everyone for such a wonderful evening!!!
We had a couple of days to reacquaint ourselves with Seattle life and for me to run the Herculean river through my house, and then Rachael and Lala arrived from Vancouver, B.C., fresh from their second wedding.
Here, a picture I never thought I’d see, Rachael, Lala and Frankie on my couch! Note that Frankie dressed in her best outfit for the occasion.
Another very cute picture of the twosome. Again, on my couch! How did that happen?
Soon after these pictures were taken, we whisked the newlyweds off to our favorite restaurant, Il Fornaio, for a honeymoon dinner and hours of Gettin’ To Know Ya’, which was an outrageously fun but surreal process because we knew everything about each other…and yet nothing.
Friday, the twosome spent the day visiting Lala’s old stomping grounds and, in my opinion, managed to cram more into one day than is humanly, or even superhumanly, possible...although it became much less of a mystery later when it was revealed that their jaunt was fueled by industrial-strength caffeine, the best, in the opinion of those who drink the stuff, in Seattle.
Saturday we rendezvoused on the Seattle-to-Bainbridge Island ferry with Rebecca and Anne—who, for some reason, everyone, even I, insisted on calling by her full name, “Anne C. Miner,” for the entire day—and headed off to Churchmouse Yarns & Teas.
Rebecca, sporting her Clapotis, and Lala on the ferry:
Rachael and Lala up at the bow of the ferry. Needless to say, they hustled themselves back inside the warm cabin seconds after this photo was taken.
The group, minus TMK who was, of course, taking der photo:
More of the same. (Rebecca loves teasing me about the admittedly true fact that I knit nary a stitch when I’m caught up in socializing, so I’m as happy as a clam to point out the distinct lack of needles, yarn or knitting of any kind in Rebecca's hands. Neener-neener, Rebecca, neener-neener.)
Lala knitting at Churchmouse. I love this picture!
Me, losing all control of myself around the rack of Koigu. And Rachael losing even more control of herself. What’s scary is I didn’t even know she had done the “devil’s horn” thing until we downloaded the photos. She’s a sneaky one, and TMK, who took the photo, didn’t let on. It’s a conspiracy, I tell you, a conspiracy!
The newlyweds:
A wonderful photo of Rachael and Anne C. Miner:
A thoroughly posed photo of Rebecca, me and Rachael pretending we know how to read:
After plundering the store, we display all of our booty (no, not “bootay,” “booty”). And, no, Rachael, we won’t use the power of Photoshop to make your bag look the same size as everyone else’s.
After shopping we squeezed ourselves into a booth at the next-door bakery/deli store, talked some more, knit some more, had hot drinks, and mulled over our schlep back across the water to Seattle.
Since we were loathe to let the day end, and since some of the original invitees to the Churchmouse get-together hadn’t been able to make it, we immediately segued into a knittin’-and-barbeque partay at TMK’s.
From the middle back, going clockwise: Janine; Rachael; Lala; Elaine; Elaine’s wife Leslie (Elaine and Leslie were wed in Vancouver by the same commissioner as Rachael and Lala and were, in fact, instrumental in getting R & L in touch with the commissioner); me (in the gloomy gray sweatshirt; again, what was I thinking? Tennis coach in California; gloomy, gray-clad schlump in Seattle.); Rebecca; Janine’s daughter, Gingko; Janine’s sister, Tori; and Anne C. Miner. And squeezed somewhere in there, as always, is The Dawg.
After all of this, you can imagine what a shock it was last Sunday when TMK and I discovered we had Nothing. To. Do. In the previous two weeks, we had gone to California, toured the Winchester Mystery House, attended a wedding, partied with extended family, flown home, hosted Rachael and Lala here, taken a trek to Churchmouse, had a large party and barbeque, seen Rachael and Lala off, oh, and, by the by, celebrated TMK’s birthday. Then, justlikethat, we found ourselves alone in the living room, with dust whirling around in little eddies, tumbleweeds meandering through the hallways, vultures wheeling overhead, and the lonely sound of shutters banging in the wind. Oh, and that strident “crickets chirping” sound used in sitcoms to indicate an unexpected, prolonged and uncomfortable silence. Lots of that.
But, never mind. We were glad of the opportunity to schlep around in our sweats, to garden if and when the mood took us, play video games, knit, and eat fresh sesame bagels.
Next?!!
YAY! After reading that post, I am tired.
Whew!
*sigh.
Still jealous.
*sigh.
One day Sue and I will come see you two.. and Rachel adn Lala.
Still very jealous. Hugs from Philly.
Posted by: anj on April 19, 2006 11:13 AMWell, thank goodness you're finally back and writing again--we so missed your chats while you were off on vacation and computers were hiccuping. You HAVE been busy, and for such non-socializing folks such as you and TMK too...... Methinks it's time for another Dulaan knit in, just to keep off the dull times. (I'm up to 24 items!!) Don't you just love Churchmouse? (PS I hear on good authority there will be some Koigu at tonight's Fiber Frenzy. See ya' there!) Mary B
Posted by: Mary B on April 19, 2006 11:36 AMHeck, Anj, as long as you get here before my house dirties itself up again, you're welcome to stay at the Mossy Cottage B&B!
Carrie, sorry to have exhausted you! ;-)
MaryB! So good to hear from you! We were hemming and hawing about the Dulaan Knit In because there was a faint--and I mean faint--possibility that Cuzzin Tom was going to wing his way through our fair city on his way to Mongolia and we wanted to plan the Knit-In around his trip, but it fell through. Anyway, so we can hold the Knit-In outside when the weather is more trustworthy, we're now thinking maybe the first or second weekend in June. What do you think?
Posted by: Ryan on April 19, 2006 11:43 AMhee hee hee hee hee.....
That's all I have to add, but I love this post. I hear you about the tumbleweeds, only ours are made of dog hair. Yes, I should clean, shouldn't I? Someday. Somehow that's just not as fun as what we've all been doing lately. Hmmm.
xo
Hey, looks like a great time!!
Show me the Koigu...heh.
What a busy couple of weeks! Missed your posts while you were gone, but you've done an admirable job making up for it with the recounting of your many adventures. Welcome home! :)
Posted by: Denise in Kent, WA on April 19, 2006 12:44 PMWhat a fabulous account and what a great trip! Y'all look like you're having a smokin' good time.
Posted by: moiraeknits on April 19, 2006 01:39 PMI just want to state for the record that I was THINKING about knitting even if I didn't have my needles out. That or Ryan is rubbing off on me and soon I'll just attend knitting gatherings without actually knitting a stitch BUT I'll still make sure to purchase enough yarn in case I get the urge!
TMK and Ryan -- Thanks for the FUN day and the BBQ party! Oh I had so much fun!
Posted by: Rebecca on April 19, 2006 02:03 PMGreat photos! Glad you had such a good time.
I think we should choose a blogger to get married every year, just so we have stuff to write about and a good reason to visit everyone. (Don't look at me, my marryin' days are over.)
Or maybe we should just have big summer BBQs. Might be easier to talk folk into.
Posted by: Rabbitch on April 19, 2006 02:04 PM*sigh* looks like so much fun. I wish I still lived in the Seattle area.
By the way, please tell Rachael that pink tweed skirt + cowboy boots is a completely rockin' fashion combination.
Posted by: Kirsten on April 19, 2006 02:14 PMGreat pictures!! Did they get married in Canada for legal reasons or are they from there? I'm very proud that my country legalized same-sex marriage! I married 3 years ago when the law was first introduced.
Congratulations to the lovely couple!
Posted by: celticknitter on April 19, 2006 06:48 PMI like how you just slid that "anditwasTMK'sbirthday" in there... Happy birthday, TMK!
Thanks again for all the fun. Dang.
Posted by: Ann C. Miner on April 19, 2006 08:30 PMWow, sounds like a memorable week or 2? And I just lurve Churchmouse... my fav LYS in all of the Seattle area. :)
Posted by: Jeni on April 20, 2006 12:21 AMYou can add my name to the list of People Who Have Read Your Whole Blog. It took about a month -- I'm a tax accountant and, in case you hadn't noticed, we just finished tax season -- my net surfing has been severely limited the past six weeks or so -- but I looked forward to it every day. What you should know is that, just like when I'm nearing the end of a book that I'm enjoying too much to finish, I kept reading slower and slower toward the end. I love Mossy Cottage Knits. I feel like I know you and TMK and MaryB and Janine and Frankie.
Needless to say, Dulann projects have begun percolating through my brain since I discovered you. I'd already decided that the way I was going to rid myself of the heap of acrylic yarns that I'd accumulated BBAYS (Before Becoming A Yarn Snob) was to knit kids' sweaters and donate them to a shelter, crisis nursery, etc. It seemed like a good way to try out some design ideas I had, to get rid of the yarn, and do some good at the same time. Unfortunately, I don't knit fast enough/devote enough time to my knitting to make a big contribution (50! Wow!), but I'll do what I can.
Looking back, my overwhelming impression of your blog photos is of yummy yarns and lots of smiling, no, make that "broadly grinning," faces. To sit in on one of your Feral nights or other knitting get-togethers must be a hoot.
Keep it up -- I'll be reading!
Posted by: Kathy on April 20, 2006 12:24 AMWow. What a busy time! Yay that you are back blogging!!!
Oh, and Happy Birthday TMK!!!!!!
Welcome back! The photos of Lala knitting are too cute for words...and I have tumbleweeds in my house too, though absolutely no exciting travel on which to blame them. Shame :-)
Posted by: Lee Ann on April 20, 2006 07:21 AMSo much fun, it does sound exhausting! Happy Birthday to TMK! It was so nice to see you last night. :)
Posted by: Patti on April 20, 2006 11:41 AMWow...I'm not sure who I'm more jealous of. You and TMK for meeting the fab duo of LaLa and Rachael, or of them for getting to schmooze around with you and TMK!
I swear when I finally make it to Washington State for a few days (I'm starting the save up now. Next cruise is on mom's dime!)I'm going to beg you to plan stuff. Cuz you guys rule as tour guides. Sounds like you had an awesome time.
Posted by: Stalker Angie on April 20, 2006 02:59 PM