"Where I'm From..." by George Ella Lyon

I designed WORD SOUP for groups of about 12 people; the first time I presented it for Field's End, we had six or seven participants. This year, we had 18 people at our first session - the beautiful West Reading Room at the Poulsbo library was filled with writers!

The energy around the table was positive and friendly; participants were ready to get right to work (which is really play). It is a joy to see people writing freely, and to have so many of them willing to share what they had written, reading it aloud to the group. We write to prompts, so we are sharing our first-draft work. It takes courage to share your work in a new group, especially writing which you haven't had time to polish, and I see plenty of courage - and talent - in this group.

What makes WORD SOUP especially fun is the fact that I do not allow ANY criticism of this first-draft work; we share only what we remember about the writing which has been read aloud, and what we enjoyed in it. These practices make for a safe, encouraging environment, which allows imagination to flow freely.

Last evening,  I read aloud a poem which was given to me by the out-going leader of Field's End, Barbara Clarke (author of "Getting to Home"). Here it is:

"Where I’m From…" by George Ella Lyon

I am from clothespins,

from Clorox and carbon-tetrachloride.

I am from the dirt under the back porch.

(Black, glistening,

it tasted like beets.)

I am from the forsythia bush

the Dutch elm

whose long-gone limbs I remember

as if they were my own.

I’m from fudge and eyeglasses,

From Imogene and Alafair.

I’m from the know-it-alls

And the pass-it-ons,

From Perk up! and Pipe down!

I’m from He restoreth my soul

with a cottonball lamb

and ten verses I can say myself.

I’m from Artemus and Billie’s Branch,

fried corn and strong coffee,

from the finger my grandfather lost

to the auger,

the eye my father shut to keep his sight.

Under my bed was a dress box

spilling old pictures,

a sift of lost faces

to drift beneath my dreams.

I am from those moments—

snapped before I budded—

leaf-fall from the family tree.

Isn't that a beautiful way to express one's roots?

I offered the poem as a writing prompt for the group. Since I write to the same prompts while the students write, below is my own rough version of "Where I'm From..." I've been tinkering with it, because I am not accustomed to writing poetry; it would be a good idea to consult my poet friends to hear their thoughts.

Where I'm From... by Karen Boren Gerstenberger
I'm from saltwater and sand
Barnacles and Indian beads
I'm from starry nights and wave-song
Salty air and sea-breeze,
Bonfires and make-believe.

I'm from grass stains and cedar cones
Pine pitch and blackberries
Old Man Ghost and Sardines
Beach seines and rope swings.

I'm from the Gold Rush and Great Depression,
Pioneer Square and Capital Hill,
Enatai and Medina,
California and Washington
Kent Valley farm and Olympic Hotel.

I'm from Bavaria and Alsace-Lorraine,
Bronze plaques and fortunes scattered,
Ivy League and West Coast 
Ancient faith and new covenant.

But really, I'm from
Saltwater, lapping the shores of sacred Indian ground.

 

I'm grateful to my colleagues at Field's End, the program staff at Kitsap Regional Library, WORD SOUP groups, and my family for making this work possible. It is a joy!

Your Kindness, O LORD, Endures Forever

"I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart,
for you have heard the words of my mouth;
in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise...
Because of your kindness and your truth,
you have made great above all things
your name and your promise.
When I called, you answered me;
you built up strength within me...

Your right hand saves me.
The LORD will complete what he has done for me;
your kindness, O LORD, endures forever..." - Psalm 138

Today, I'm giving thanks to our Creator for sunshine, the glorious beauty of Western Washington, flowers, trees, fresh salty air and water.

I'm thankful to live in a place with mountains and salt water, where you can commute to work by boat

...a place that a cruise ship company thinks is worth a stop

...a place with a bakery that makes these

...and especially these.

I'm giving thanks for fellowship with kind, whole-hearted, understanding, talented, intelligent, funny, wise women. I'm thankful for the gift of this vase of flowers - an early Mother's Day treat from one bereaved mother to another:

Thank you, Teri!

...and for the gift of our writing group, with its encouragement, laughter, inspiration, education and even the occasional tears.

I'm thankful for my family, for time and space to listen, learn and serve, for the gift of the NSA Northwest Speaker's Academy camaraderie and lessons, for support and insight into my work, and for the work itself.

I'm thankful to be able to "barter" (or "work off") the cost of the most wonderful bicycle I've ever ridden. I have not enjoyed cycling since high school, but this bike (6 years old, but new to me) is a revelation - it's actually FUN to ride! I'm thankful for a delicious brunch and bike ride with a friend who we originally met at Seattle Children's Hospital - and for her friendship. I'm thankful for a recent barbeque with Gregg's work peeps in a breathtakingly beautiful location, and for conversations wide-ranging, deep and not-so-deep.

I'm thankful to be able to host Gregg's family to celebrate Mother's Day this Saturday, and to spend Mother's Day with my side of the family - especially with our son, who is finishing his final exams today. I'm grateful that Gregg's mother and mine are both still with us, at 91 and 80 years of age, respectively.

Though life is not easy or simple, life is GOOD. God is GOOD. He makes His promises GOOD. We can be joyful and trust in that fact. Thanks be to our Creator!

I Love This Spot

I love the place where Katie's bench sits. 

It is in the park beside the marina in the city of Poulsbo, on the shores of Liberty Bay.

I took this photo at dusk on Friday evening, just before we met friends at a local restaurant.

I'm thankful that we have this memorial to her, 

in such a beautiful place - 

a place she knows and loves.

Book Talk

Let's talk about books! There are two new books that I want to discuss with you. One is just out now, and the other will be out in August. Let's start with the present.

Through Camp Goodtimes West, I met a lovely woman named Anna. She is sassy, strong, fun, intelligent, independent, courageous, kind...I could go on and on. Anna is living the life that many young women dream of leading: she is a senior editor at Cosmopolitan magazine, living and working in NY, and writing books on the side.

This song could be written about women like Anna, who have the courage to follow their dreams to the big city. I tried it (in Boston), and I only lasted a year. Anna is doing fabulously.

Anna Davies (by Paul Dudley Photography)

She has just published her first novel, which is called "Wrecked." I'm in the midst of reading it, and it is good. It's a novel aimed at a young adult audience, yet even at my age (!) I can feel its appeal. In fact, it is related to one of my favorite stories (The Little Mermaid), and is set in an island community, complete with ferries for transportation. So far, it deals with issues of loss, comfort, mystery, life beyond this one, hard choices and consequences...and it includes friendship, family and romance, too. Good stuff!

The big local news is that Anna is coming back to Seattle to have two booksignings, one in Seattle on Friday night, June 8th from 7:00 - 9:00 P.M. at a store called "The Secret Garden" (Ballard), and one right here in POULSBO! The Ballard store is owned by the mother of a Camp Goodtimes staffer, and part of the proceeds of that event will benefit camp. Thank you for doing that, Anna!

The Poulsbo event will be held on Saturday, June 9th at 4:00 P.M. at Liberty Bay Books (owned by our friend, Suzanne Droppert). We are going to attend with local friends and camp friends - everyone is welcome.  Here is a little bit more "scoop" on Anna and her new book:

Anna "Jiffy" Davies will be reading and signing her novel, "Wrecked", on Saturday, June 9th at 4:00 pm at Liberty Bay Books in Poulsbo. "Wrecked" is an updated version of The Little Mermaid, and is a paranormal romance for ages 12+. Anna is also a senior editor at Cosmopolitan magazine and, before writing "Wrecked," worked on the "Gossip Girl" series and the "Vampire Diaries" books. Come, mingle and ask questions. For more information on Anna, check out www.annakdavies.blogspot.com or @annakdavies on Twitter.

The other book will also be available at Liberty Bay Books - it is due to come out in August. Suzanne loaned an advance copy to me, and asked me to review it. It's by Maria Semple, and is called "Where'd You Go, Bernadette?" It's set in Seattle, and the author is a "transplant" here, so she has what I'd call a fresh take on all things Puget Sound Area.

The book is written in an unusual format, using letters, memos, emails and the like to construct the story of the disappearance of a mysterious woman - a wife, mother and former award-winning architect. It is quick, engaging, witty and funny in a way that will especially appeal to people who have lived in the Seattle area. She makes fun of many of our local idiosyncrasies (such as the need for "blackberry abatement") in a way that had me laughing out loud (see pages 90 - 91 for a good example). I recomment this book to anyone who is looking for a fun, fast-paced, light-hearted read.

I hope you'll check out both "Wrecked" and "Where'd You Go, Bernadette?" at Liberty Bay Books (or Secret Garden Books, or your own local, independent bookseller).

Lastly, remember this book? If you haven't read it yet, please do (it's also available through Liberty Bay Books), and tell me what you think!

Springtime Miscellany

Ah, Spring - how I love thee! - almost as much as I love summertime. The colors, the breezy days, the puffy white clouds in the deep blue sky, the new growth & infinite shades of green...Springtime, your riches are a gift after the deep grays of winter in the Pacific Northwest.

Last week, I was felled by a one-day flu bug. I spent the entire day in bed, and slept for most of the 24 hours it held. The following day, I was up, but moving more slowly than usual. Then it was time do some work for the guild (deliver quilts to Tracie for the hospital; Lucile & Noble delivered quilts and picked up donated fabric; I gave an informal presentation to 3 ladies in the neighborhood) and attempt to work out some kinks in the publishing business. I signed books at Liberty Bay Books, picked up knitted blankets from their group for the hospital, and took care of some business at the post office.

On Friday, I went for a walk with Reba and Robin, two women who I would not know if our children hadn't died - but who I am glad to know in any case. We had a cup of coffee afterward and got caught up on more news. One item that came up was the fact that Robin does some volunteer work for Field's End, a local writer's community. I've looked at their offerings before, but felt much too shy to attend. Well, Robin mentioned their next workshop, and suggested that Reba and I might want to sign up. The result is that we are all going to be there, and I am alternating between nervousness and excitement. What a blessing, to have such a community right nearby!

After that, I drove north to Hansville, to the home of Heidi's mom & dad, Lila & Gary. We have relatives in the town of Hansville, and it is a place of great natural beauty. Lila & Gary's house sits atop a very high bluff, overlooking a stupendous panorama of Puget Sound, the Cascade Mountains and Whidbey Island. It is a great place to meet friends for lunch and a lesson in how to make real Norwegian lefse. (Don't know what lefse is? Follow the link and you will find out.)

As regular readers here will know, Poulsbo is known as "Little Norway" because this area was settled by Norwegian immigrants - and many of their descendants are still here. Gregg is descended from some of these hardy, stoic, loving people, and so is Heidi, so when our friend Suzanne purchased "A Lesson in Lefse with Lila" at a charity auction, it promised to be not only authentic but great fun. FUN is part of the deal when you do something with Heidi and her family!

Emily, Heidi, Heather, Della, Suzanne & Lila

We ate a delicious lunch, chatting and taking in the view, and then we gathered around Lila to watch and learn...and eat. We ate Lefse Friday afternoon until we had no room for anything else - not even for dinner. Thanks, Suzanne, for allowing us to tag along on your auction purchase!

Saturday was "date day." Gregg and I decided to take a long walk somewhere, but where? His choice was to take the ferry to Seattle and walk around the city. That's exactly what we did - for about 6.5 miles! It was like being tourists in our own back yard - the kind of thing we love to do on trips out of town, but applied to our own nearby city.

We walked up from the waterfront to Capitol Hill, where my parents both grew up. We stopped for a chai latte and sat in the WELCOME sunshine together. This was the first day that the temperature has broken 60 degrees since last autumn. Aaaaahhhh!

Then we hit the road again. We walked up to a busy street called Broadway, which is now a very colorful neighborhood hub, and we saw lots of local color there. We then took a side street through a residential area, known for its beautiful, traditional architecture. We ogled the houses and the view to the west, enjoying crocuses and other signs of spring in the neighborhood. We turned at historic St. Mark's Cathedral, crossed to the other side of the neighborhood, and found ourselves walking past Lowell Elementary, which my parents both attended, and the old Anhalt-designed apartment buildings, known in Seattle for their architectural flair (my dad and his family lived in one of these when he was a boy). Gregg surprised me by noting the many Dutch Colonial-style that houses we saw, identifying them by their roofs. I wouldn't have guessed that he knew about this - he is full of surprises!

We walked down Denny & Olive Way to the R.E.I. flagship store, where we browsed for a while. Then we walked to Tutta Bella (authentic Neapolitan pizzeria) right on time for happy hour, and enjoyed a small pizza & beer (for Gregg) and wine (for me). After happy hour, we walked to the new Nordstrom Rack (recently re-located) and shopped a bit (their new shopping bags say "score" on them, for good reason). After that, we took a saunter through the Pike Place Market as it was closing down for the day, down Western Avenue and back to the ferry terminal. We rode over to Bainbridge Island as the sun was setting behind the Olympic Mountains, and walked from the dock to our car.

To round out the day, we stopped at our favorite pub, the Harbour House, for a little snack. While Gregg was parking the car, I ran into our nephew, Joey, and his girlfriend, Shannon. They just happened to be down from the Mt. Baker area, staying on a friend's new sailboat for the night after a shake-down cruise. We invited them to join us for a nightcap and we had a blast getting caught up with them.

I love being a tourist in my own back yard! Do you ever do this in your home town?

"BECAUSE of KATIE" is HERE!

My book is now available for sale in my createspace eStore! You may use the link on my sidebar, or simply click this link to order:
Because of Katie

If you would like to buy the book on Amazon, it is available there now via this link. It will also be available in Kindle format soon!

If you would like to buy the book from your local bookseller (such as Poulsbo's own Liberty Bay Books),
it may take a few weeks for the title to become available there.

I'm thrilled that Liberty Bay Books will host a book-signing on Friday, March 2nd at 6:30 P.M. at The Loft Restaurant in Poulsbo, Washington. I will give a brief talk, answer questions and sign books afterward.
If you would like to come early and eat dinner at The Loft, they feature a happy hour and wonderful menu. The book talk and book-signing event will have a no-host bar.
Books will be available for purchase at the event, and afterward at Liberty Bay Books.
Please spread the word, and join us!

Can you hear me screaming and jumping up and down for joy?

Girl Talk

Well, I could call it "female talk." It's about "the change," as in "change of life." Did I lose some of you, just by saying that? Do you dislike those euphemisms as much as I do? They're so weak. Yet I don't want this blog to rev up any oddball search engines, so it's euphemisms or ****.

I'm going through the change, full-on these days. I thought that I started the process back in October of 2001 when I had surgery. It turns out that that was just a tiny bit of what was in store for me...now, this is the real thing. I won't bore you with all of the symptoms, but I do want to tell you that hot flashes are not for sissies.

It's as if the devil has taken up residence inside of one and poured oil and gas on the fire - and people - those of you who are still reading - this woman is almost ALWAYS cold. The sensation is a kind of instant flash-flood of heat that awakens one in the middle of the night, or causes one to literally soak one's clothes with sweat for no apparent reason, at random moments during the day. Even your face and scalp are not exempt. And then a few minutes later, it's back to normal...except you're wiped out and wondering, What just happened here?

I experienced this last week as never before. Listening to a talk in the packed-to-the-aisles cathedral, I became drenched, and simply HAD to fan myself as surreptitiously as possible with a program. The sweet young man sitting next to me gently took over, fanning me with HIS program, and saying, "You're making yourself hotter by doing that." It was so chivalrous of him. He tenderly inquired how I was feeling when the talk was over. I was fine, by then - embarrassed, but back to my normal temperature.

If we could harness these sudden bursts of energy, I wonder what we could do with them. Scientists, any ideas?

My mother has been advising me to see my doctor about it, but it's such a normal part of the process of menopause that I didn't want to consult my doctor - and I don't want to take hormones. So when Laura & I were in Portland visiting the Super Supplements store, I asked a staff member about natural remedies, and lo and behold, an item I've heard about was recommended. It sounds like something that belongs in a witch's cauldron - black cohash - but I tried it, and it helped IMMEDIATELY. As in, the first day I took it, I felt better and have had only one or two flashes per day since I started taking it last week. So far, so good!

I will tell my doctor about this eventually, but for now, sweet relief in an herbal remedy is the good news here. I also found some great nutritional supplements and learned more about what Laura has discovered. Check out her "Live Healthy" blog on my sidebar if you're interested.

*****

On a totally unrelated subject, last week Gregg and I took a walk through our town. I love the fact that Gregg and his parents grew up here, before I even knew they existed. We were walking past the Lion's Park where our children loved to play when they were little, and we stopped to use the "facilities" (another useful euphemism).

The park needed an update a number of years ago, so the town launched a campaign in which you could go to the local pottery-painting studio (The Dancing Brush) and buy a tile to help raise funds. Townspeople were invited to make their handprints and write their names on the tiles. We bought two - one for David and one for Katie - and I re-discovered them on the wall last week.

I love knowing that both of our children have signs of their presence around our town.

I looked up from my laptop and this is what I saw:

 ...in case you need a closer view:

Beautiful, classic wooden boats are coming to town!

I hope you have a "classic" weekend, too.

The Last Day of Senior Year, 2010

Today was David's last day of his senior year of high school in the North Kitsap School District. Graduation will be held on Friday, but today was the last day of classes.  I put a sideshow together with memories of school days gone by.

Outrageous...

...and not in a rad, good, surfing kind of way.
Outrageous is what last night's School Board's and Superintendent's actions were at the school board meeting:  outrageous - as in, inciting outrage.

David was in the audience, with his peers and many others, prepared to speak. They were denied access to the democratic process.

You know that I don't cover politics here, generally, but I hope that the Superintendent and the school board are all fired from their jobs, and I'm suggesting it, here and elsewhere.

This is not the first horrendous trampling of the public's views and wishes that we have seen from them. They have forgotten who they were called, hired and elected to serve. Yes, serve, as in public service (and accountability).

Oh, our kids are getting a REAL education from this.
You can read about it here.

"It Ain't Braggin' If It's True"

School is nearly out here, and that means that David is getting very close to his high school graduation day. He has GOLF on the brain, and on the agenda, as much as possible.

This time of year always seems to include a mad scramble by the schools to honor, fete, gather, and remember every single thing that they haven't done yet - and this particular school district, while staffed by some lovely individuals, does not always excel at timely communication. Or is it this particular senior? I don't know.

Last week included a holiday AND Senior Skip Day. I was cleaning the house when David asked if I would walk around the local golf course with him for 18 holes. I said, If you'll help me get this done, I can go with you. So we split the housecleaning and got it done quickly; I packed a lunch, and we went to the course.

There were good shots...

bad shots...

...and lovely places to walk.

When there were bad shots, I reminded him: a bad round of golf still beats a day spent behind a desk! We walked between four and five miles, with David carrying his clubs. Have I mentioned that he LOVES golf?

We found out on last week (I think it was on Wednesday) that David was nominated for a very prestigious award - and that the ceremony was Thursday evening. We also learned on the same day that David won the Scholar Athlete of the Month - in April!

Congratulations, David!

The three of us attended the North Kitsap Athletic Booster Club Sports Awards Banquet. We congratulated the many wonderful athletes who have excelled during the 2009-2010 school year at North Kitsap High. We had dessert and visited with great coaches and families, and heard about what the seniors were planning to do next year. It was nostalgic and fun. Then David was called up on stage with the other nominees of the Joe Shandera Award. (David is the one in the blue button-down shirt with khaki pants.)

The award is given to one senior boy and girl, each year. It is a memorial to a beloved coach who passed away at a young age. Here's a blurb from the local paper about the award:

     "The Joe Shandera Award is the most prestigious athletic award given to a senior boy and girl at North Kitsap High School.  The award was first given in 1969.

     "And being nominated for the award, let alone winning it, is a noteworthy accomplishment as the nomination process and list of criteria are exhaustive. The criteria includes dedication to excellence in athletics, maintaining good academic standing, exhibiting good sportsmanship, showing interest in attaining the highest level of responsibility toward the school and the community.
     "In addition, the nominees must display loyalty to teammates, coaches, school and the sport, leadership by example, participation in a variety of sports, evidence of sacrifice to achieve in the sport, coachability, and admiration accorded by coaches, teammates, teachers and opponents.
     "Also taken into consideration is the nominees’ ability to overcome obstacles to achieve or surpass their athletic potential.
     "The athlete doesn’t need to be a 'star.'
     "The head coaches from all the athletic programs nominate athletes whom they believe meet the criteria for the award. Then they discuss the nominees and vote for one boy and one girl." - North Kitsap Herald, Jun 07 2008

David didn't win the award, but I am proud of him for being nominated with such a great group of his classmates. I'm thankful for his beautiful character, and the fact that he was appreciated and recognized for it.

Tonight was the Senior Award Ceremony, held at the high school. David and his classmates were recognized for the scholarships and awards they are receiving, and he was given his silver tassel, to wear at graduation (gold is the highest honor, and silver is next). Here he is (above), greeting the principal on his way to collect his certificates and tassel.

One of the most moving parts of the ceremony was seeing his classmates, who we have known since "tinyhood," receiving honors. One of his oldest friends, who he's known since they were about 5 years old, in the first grade of the "gifted" program in our school district, is very dear to me. She is one of the gentlest, most kind, gracious, funny, beautiful, intelligent young ladies you could ever hope to meet, and I love her.

Tonight, she received an award from the Daughters of the American Revolution, and then was honored by an alumnus of West Point Military Academy, whose voice broke as he announced that she was going to attend his alma mater, on a full scholarship. I looked at Gregg, and there were tears streaming down his face. Just for perspective, I've seen Gregg cry maybe a half-dozen times in our 19 years of marriage. This was one of those "moments" that you just FEEL.

We love you, Johanna, and we are SO proud of you!

Photos Are Up

The photos are up on the Rebecca Wells posting. Fun!

Rebecca Wells and Liberty Bay Books

One of the blessings of living in a small town is that people really get to know each other. You may know families for generations, and you get the opportunity to support their business enterprises, whether it's a restaurant, a grocery store, a coffee shop, a shoe store or a bookstore.

Gregg's maternal grandparents had a farm in Poulsbo, and his mother is one of their nine children, who went forth and multiplied. Gregg knows the history and ownership of many of the buildings and businesses in town. Many of his aunts, uncles and cousins eventually moved to other towns, and his mother is the last one living of her nine siblings, but Gregg still has a lot of memories, relatives, and friends here.

It's one of the reasons that we decided to settle and raise our children in this town.

We have two bookstores in Poulsbo: one is a used-book store called The Book Stop, and it's wonderful. I have found some real treasures there. You can trade books in for credit, and then use that credit to buy more. Perfect business model for a biblioholic like me!

The other is Liberty Bay Books, and it's owned by our former neighbor, Suzanne. It's on the corner of the main street of our town and a pedestrian-only alley, which is shared by the quilt shop and other local businesses. Suzanne runs a cozy, well-lit store filled with the latest books, as well as classics and lots of local-interest books - and she even has a latte stand set up in the back. It's a great place.

 

I was invited to attend a small gathering of friends at Liberty Bay Books to meet Rebecca Wells (the author of the "Ya-Ya Sisterhood" books, which - I confess - I haven't read) and to discuss (and hear her read from) her latest book, "The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder." Rebecca Wells once lived in our neighborhood, but I didn't know that for a long time, and I never met her (our neighbors are very respectful of one another's privacy - love that!). So I borrowed the book from a neighbor who does know Rebecca, and read it. I loved the book.

On Tuesday night, Suzanne closed the store, and put out some appetizers, chocolate and wine. There were 10 of us, plus Rebecca and her husband. We visited, ate and drank, and then Rebecca started to talk about the writing life, and about her book. After a little while, she stood up, and read aloud to us, in character, and the story came alive before my eyes.

Rebecca (seated, in Liberty Bay Books) is a great story-teller, actress and playwright. With her are Heidi, me, Julie and Wendy (in the background).

Heather & Rebecca

I love this photo - it captures her energy!

Pictures and video were taken as Rebecca read aloud, and then we talked about what the book meant to us - what we thought about the characters and the story. I bought two copies of the book, and Rebecca signed our books for us - even the one I borrowed! We all went home richer in friendship and in spirit.

A Fieldtrip to the Suquamish Tribe and Dinner Company

Here is a link to an article in the local newspaper about our French Exchange students, and the fieldtrip that they took to the Suquamish Indian Reservation yesterday.

Yesterday after school, I picked up Zoe and her friend, Chloe, and we went to Dairy Queen so that they could have a sweet treat. They each chose a different Blizzard. They had never seen ice cream cakes like the ones that DQ makes, so it was fun to show them the catalog of photos and ideas. Then, I drove them to a nearby shopping mall. We shopped in Macy's, Zumiez, Bath and Body Works, Aeropostale, Forever 21, World Market and Old Navy, among other stores. The girls said that the cost of clothes here is much lower than in France, and they each bought some nice things.

When they saw the Sweet Factory, both of them stopped and took pictures of it - but they didn't go inside.

After we finished shopping in Old Navy, Chloe went home with her host-father, and Zoe and I went to Costco. She hadn't been inside of a Costco before, so that was fun to show her. I bought a few items, and then asked her what kind of food she would like to eat for dinner. Her answer: Italian - specifically, spaghetti. So we went to a local Italian restaurant - a very casual one, where we used to dine when our kids were small. I told her that it didn't have a lot of "ambience," but the food is good and there were many choices.

And the food was good...but, before we had finished eating our salad, the entrees were delivered to the table, and left to sit.

I don't recall that ever happening, before. I could see how strange and inappropriate it was, especially when trying to look at things from Zoe's perspective. I don't think this would happen in France, where food and the dining experience is very important. It felt as if we were being rushed, and it was not good for our food to sit and get cold. But otherwise, it was fine.

Today, the students "shadowed" a North Kitsap student in their classes. This afternoon, I picked Zoe up from school, and we went to our local grocery store to order handmade pizzas and buy a few items for the weekend (ingredients for pancakes, etc.). It was fun to tour the store that is so familiar to me with a guest. She took photos from the 2nd floor (it's a huge store), and bought some handmade soap. Zoe tried the fresh barbecue pork and beef brisket, and decided on the pork for lunch next week. We also found a nice gift for her parents in the gift department.

Tonight, we had our dear friends (the Dudleys - Paul & I met in 8th-grade French class) over for dinner. We ate pizza, green salad and angel food cake with fresh berries and whipped cream (chantilly, in French - thanks, Heidi!). We chatted, sang along while Paul played the piano, and the boys played video games. We had fun and lots of laughs. Good friends from "way back" are a priceless gift; we love them!

Visitors!

Smileygirl brought visitors to see me today... from far away, across the country.

Karyn and her dog, Beverly, came to Poulsbo, all the way from New York!

We had lunch on the deck here at our house, and then went to wander through our little town, shopping, and seeing the sights. After that, we came home to get Gregg and David, and returned to town, to have dinner at

Burrata Bistro. YUM!

Bev can SMILE.

She models for the camera.

Look at that face, up close. She is truly smiling.

Isn't she so pretty?

(Karyn and Smileygirl are also very pretty and photogenic, but I've never seen a dog smile for the camera before. We took lots of photos.)

Bev is so good that she was able to go everywhere with us, without barking or causing any disruption at all! We shopped, visited a bakery, a coffee shop, a toy store, a bead store, met other dogs, ate in a restaurant, and she was an angel. She didn't even bark at Latte when they were in our house together.

And she liked me...do you think it had anything to do with the doggie treats that I had waiting for her at our house? Or that cheese cracker from the bakery? I don't know, but I'm so glad that they came to visit us.

Have a wonderful time during the rest of your trip, Karyn and Bev. We loved having you (and Smileygirl) here!