New Years hike

The view from Debbie & Joe's living room.  

After breakfast we decded to go take a hike.  We went on a 4.2 or 5.1 mile (depending on whose GPS we believe) hike around Little Mountain Park.  The top view was gorgeous.  A perfect view of Mt Baker.

It was cold!!

Very pretty trails but I must say I was exhausted.  A lot going up was STRAIGHT up and coming down was STRAIGHT down and icy.  Nathan had to help me go down.  I think I might be sore tomorrow.  

We got back home to have lunch and then recover.  Debbie is working on setting up her blog for India and I was trying my tablet again with George around. It still is giving me problems so this is helping me decide to take my netbook and tablet with me to India.

New Year's eve 2015

George, Nathan and I drove up to Debbie's home on Thursday.  We left right after breakfast.  We got to the entrance ramp on to Hwy 26 and traffic was at a complete standstill!!! What to do.  Luckily we had not actually started up the ramp so we went right instead and turned on the phone GPS to recalculate and alternate route.  We went a way I have never been before on Humphrey and then on to Patton.  That dumped us on to 405 down town.  Wow. We save a lot of time.  Later we found out the 26 was closed both directions with a power line that was down.  We missed it.  what a relief.  We got to Debbie's in time for lunch.  Nice relaxing afternoon.  We did a 2.5 mile neighborhood walk down to the lake.

George, Debbie and Nathan

Close to dinner time we started chopping vegetable that would be used for the boudza soup.  Nathan, George and I had made the boudzas back at home and frozen them.  We had turkey and meat substitute ones for the vegetarians.  

making boudzas.  

Once Sharon  arrived we started cooking the soup.  Michael couldn't join us because he was still uncomfortable with a dislocated ankle.  

after dinner we played a card game.  Nathan won.  We at least stayed up until the ball dropped in NY>  

Nathan dropped a big red ball at the same time as NY's ball drop.  We had our champagne.  A nice relaxing day.

Sunday, Oct 11

We had a liesuely morning.  After we were all breakfasted, showered and mostly packed up we went on a 2 mile neighborhood walk.

A big glass green house

a shared garage note the colors

back at the house

After the walk we finished packing and then headed out to lunch.  We went to lunch at Anthony's at Point Defiance.  Wow what a view and what delicious meal.  It was a challenge to get there but thanks to GPS we made it.  

I had a shrimp and cheddar melt

We could see Mt Ranier.

Aftr lunch we left Sharon and headed home.  We got home about 4:30 pm.  Thank you Joyce for driving.  Sharon went back to her sister's place.  What a nice weekend

Dinner at Gino's

What a fabulous dinner.  We drove out to a close restaurant, Gino's Bistro. Wine, bruschette, a variety of entrees, wine and salted caramel gelato for dessert. It was a very leisurely dinner. We all left with happy mouths and full stomaches.

Saturday, Oct 10

What a day!! We left the house about 9 am.  The drive to the art museum was very, very stressful because of torrential rains.  Traffic was a mess. I AM SO GLAD THAT I WAS NOT DRIVING.  Joyce and the Garmin did a great job getting us to the art museum.  We spent a couple of hours with the Impressionist show.   Then we drove to the Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum.  There was one room that we closing at 2 pm so we went there first then went to lunch at the Collection Café and then back to see the rest of the exhibit.  When we left the we dropped Sharon off to visit her dad and then we went to a fun coffee shop to sit and wait and hour.  It  was a fun coffee shop.  Kris and I had a glass of wine and Joyce had an Italian soda.  Then home for a short rest break. 

Friday events

Sharon had already gone to Tacoma on Thursday.  Joyce, Kris and I drove up Friday at 1 pm.  Joyce drove.  We are treating this like a beach weekend.  We are staying at Sharon's sister`s place.  We got here about 4 pm.  What a fabulous place.  We are right on the Puget Sound.  What a view.  We relaxed a bit with some munchies and wine.  Then we looked at Joyce's Sicily pictures on my tiny tablet.  We had hoped to be able to hook up to the TV but no such luck. 

We came up with a dinner plan.  The is an Indian restaurant just up the street.  Hilltop Indian Restaurant.  They serve Indian food and pizza.  We called in an order and Joyce and I went to pick it up.  It sure was yummy. 

Friday, Oct 9

This is a test. I am trying to blog using my new tablet but it may not work.  I am in Tacoma with some friends for the weekend. We will go to the Seattle Art Museum and the Chihuly Garden and Glass. This is the view from the porch. What a place!