And here I am

"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I ended up where I needed to be".

Douglas Adams

I'm gonna blog...No wait...I'm going to watch Braveheart

Ok.  So I suck at Blogging.  Truly suck.  I have good intentions.  I think "WOW! I am so going to blog that" and then I never do.  I tried making my kids individual emails to send them my thoughts and memories.  I can't do that either.  I could say I'm too busy.  But truth is I'm lazy and unmotivated. But then Erik had THE NERVE to go and start a blog.  This pissed me off.  Why?  I have no clue but it did.  It was like calling me out for being a lazy ass.

So I'm gonna show him.  I'm going to blog.  The problem is I feel like I have to go back and fill in all that I have missed.  I know I don't.  But my OCD says I do.  So if your bored (and if you are reading my blog you must be) feel free to troll it for oldies but goodies.

7 more Years

So today started like shit.  I woke up late.  I had nothing to wear.  I arrived tardy to work only to find a major crisis.  Boo.

Luckily, I had scheduled an appointment with a new counselor who would console and understand me.  I drive downtown and confused by the one way streets get lost.  I find the building and the only parking is on the street.  Parallel parking.  Everyone knows I can not parallel park.  Another reason it eats shit to drive in Seattle.

So I find a "near" by parking lot.  12$ for less than an hour.  No elevator.  No stairs.  5th floor in heels, then straight up 3 blocks.  I obviously arrived late.  It was immediately apparent that we were not a good match and agreed to not work together.  I left feeling defeated and trudged back to my car.

My car which I smashed the driver side mirror in a tearful attempt to back up a steep hill and deposit a stupid token in a box.  A smart girl would have put the car in park, climbed out the passenger walked the 50 steps up the hill, deposited and left. But obviously I am not that girl.

Nearly 500$ for a new mirror and instillation.  It's not possible to drive here missing a side view mirror.People drive like utter and complete morons, causing me to be in a constant state of what would not even begin to be described as panic.  So, it's fixed tomorrow am and I pray they don't cash the check for a few days.

Folk Life Fest-For the REAL PNW

Ava on the Bus

 Today we decided to get out of the house and enjoy a day without rain.  We loaded up the "littles" and jumped the bus to the Folk Life Festival at the Seattle Center.  The teens less than politely declined to attend, with eyes rolls and looks of disgust.  Psssshhhhhh.  what's wrong with a little folk in your life???

Burning up

After an uneventful bus trip (which is always a good thing) we were greeted with a 3 block walk straight up hill and a giant sign at the beer garden reading "NO ONE UNDER 21".  Oh snap.

Before we could even begin to take in the culture the kids were mesmerized by  

beautiful dread locked girl offering up face painting.  Irresistible and I must say the best at the festival and well worth the wait.

Ava-Aloha

On Fire

 The lengthy line gave us more than ample opportunity to people watch and take it the true flare of the Pacific North West.  Tiered skirts, hiking boots, Teva sandals (which have replaced Birkenstock), head scarves, dread locks and ethnic food.  Everywhere.  The kids were especially interested in the "legalize Marijuana Team" which all happened to be wearing variation's of fur costumes.  I'm down with legalizing pot, but it just looks like a bunch of whacked out nut jobs instead of people who wanted to address the real issues at hand.  Funny non the less.

Next was on too food which there was plenty of!  Any thing from Africa, deep friend PB&J (my personal fave) and giant ears of corn.  I also feel in love with organic booze filled chocolates.  YUM

Elephant ears as big as your head

MMMM with butter and Parmesan

Delish with extra butter and pepper

Next we were off to shopping.  drooling mostly but the kids did each get a t-shirt, Ava a fun ring, an awesome poster for the boys room, my first henna of summer and a bitchin hat.

• Luckily after some begging and bribery Amonte picked up the littles and Erik and I enjoyed a round in the beer garden.  Luckily I had my cute hat since the temps had dropped dramatically.  We finished off with some yummy Ethiopian food and African tea.  Took the bus home and enjoyed the peace of a sleeping house.  Heaven.

Beer Garden and cute hat!

Drowning

It's cold.  It's rainy. It's dark. It's nearly June.  If one more person tells me "Summer's here are amazing"....meaning the month of July...I'm going to cut a bitch.

Yesterday there was a glimpse of sun.  I was literally giddy.  I wanted to throw myself down in the parking lot and do sun angels.  In five minutes it was gone.  Gray returned and so did my gloomy mood.

Vikings on the Loose

Seattle Finest

Ballard is traditionally the center of Seattle's ethically Scandinavian seafaring community.  Each year the entire neighborhood comes together on May 17th for Norwegian Constitution Day or Syttende Mai-to commemorate the signing of the Norwegian Constitution.  Not a big deal right?  Wrong.  Huge deal here with a full day of parties ending with a huge parade.  Attending the parade isn't really optional.  It's mandatory.

All of the local schools participate in one way or another.  The boys school has a unicycle troupe.  Yes a unicycle troupe.  In the 3rd grade unicycle training begins.  Thankfully they get helmets.


Anyway I rushed out of work early to beat the traffic and make it to the party.  I quickly realized I left my purse at home so we scrounged up quarters, loaded my tote bag and headed to the bus stop.  Slight detour because bus route IS the parade route but we made it just in time.

The parade had all the usual.  Bands, flags, a large number of clowns, a pancake brigade chasing giant pancakes with skillets.  Awesome right?

At the end of the day we waited with a friendly drunk man who shouting "everyone is Norwegian today!!!". And I think we did feel a wee bit Viking.