This is the sight early Christmas morn. David has camped in the living room with the HD screen and portable heater going, and the Christmas lights on. Yes, a high amp evening for him. But, hey, he is without his right arm here, away in Kooskia Idaho with her family. We love this kid

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Here, our boy checks out his new iPhone, which with accessories, constituted his main gift. So many cool applications, but too complicated for his dad to figure out.

At long last, love arrives, looking different yet again from any photos we have of her. She is the lovely Kymberlee Smith who, along with her sister Samantha lit up the house until their departure flight to Phoenix on New Year's Eve. The visit was so low impact, we're hoping they return often.

More Denver Video

Those of you who missed the Thanksgiving movie need to check the previous post. This time I'm showing the funny movie where it looks like someone pushes Izzy off the stage backwards. And of course one of my favorites-Grady in pursuit of invisible floor monsters/Klingons/bad guys from Star Wars!!

Denver Doings

Fast and furious was the pace, but fun and fanciful was the party. Delightful brine-prepared turkey, then turkey sandwiches, then turkey soup. Good sleepover with Izzy and Grady (notice the cookies and hot chocolate bedtime snack), to include breakfast at Hampton Inn followed by a good swim in the heated pool with the whole Parker clan, then a tree lighting ceremony featuring Izzy and her choir, then the movie "UP" on the wall with surround sound, then saturday with football games [yay BYU!!] and finally dinner at Papadeaux where we got to watch Laurel browbeat the service staff into getting us seated and comping our spinach-crab dip.

This video may be a little hard to hear. I think I may have had my finger over the built-in microphone. Whatever, sit back and learn about Thanksgiving folks!

Denver Bound (again?)

Once was a time when heading for Denver meant reliving my mother's life. We lived in Manassa Colorado during my Dad's stationing in Saudi Arabia and then Eniwetok Atoll. A drive to Denver meant getting cool board games, going to May D & F Department store, and maybe Elitch's Gardens--an amusement park. How it has changed. Now it means deplane (there is such a word?), drive through Aurora to the new suburbs of Parker to visit my daughter, her husband and three grandkids. That's where we are bound on Thanksgiving Day itself. Flight back on Sunday, so there's really no time for sightseeing, is there? So much fun to roll around the carpet with the kids, capturing them and having them miraculously escape, eating turkey and turkey leftovers and no doubt singing around the piano in the evening. There'll have to be some shopping done, to save December postage, and I'd love to go to Papadeaux now that I know there is one near Denver. Sleepover for the two oldest grandkids and a wonderful Hampton House breakfast buffet for the four of us! Oh yeah--I'll be sure to take my warmer coat to face les nieve du hier. Right? Jingle jingle, save me some gravy.

Not so bad

There are times when everything comes together--good weather, good company, fun things to do. This is from County Fair time when the fam made a trip to the Pasco Farmer's market. Not too big a deal, Pasco hasn't realized how wonderful this all is.

Brandon or Carol serves as photographer, but where is Dennis? Ah, yes, being the magic grandpa. I have Ade in the child seat and am driving circles around the market, lulling Ade to sleep with my smooth chauffering and cool tunes. Later, I pick up some of the clan and we push on to other exciting (well, for the Tri-Cities) things to do. We love it.

A buccaneer used my bathroom

No, I did not see him
But, he left his buccaneer hat on the back of my toilet
And an almost perfectly round rock next to the soap dish

Other clues

He moved my truck keys from the key bowl to the back bedroom bookshelf
He hid the remote control from the sewing room
He scattered my office paper clips to each room of the house
He left a Tommy Tippy cup in the dishwasher
He left a longing in my heart

He must be a strange buccaneer
I hope he comes again real soon.

Grease is the word

Yes, just when we thought we'd entertained ourselves to death, here comes our annual trek and anniversary celebration in Walla Walla, the home of the coolest outdoor musical theater in the state. Our dear friends, Bill and Laurie Pofahl get the tickets every year (reserved seats $20 each--a deal after the AI concert) and we go out to the finest restaurants available in Eastern Washington that night. On this night we chose to go to a gourmet restaurant in Waitsburg, a mere pimple on the nose of progress here. Oh yum, as the women munched down on lobster ravioli, I had a wonderful Jambalaya and Bill had a seafood etouffe. Not to be found anywhere else this side of the Cascades. Then off we headed for the production of "Grease" on the outdoor stage you see in the photo above. The production did not have the quality of voices one could expect in a Phoenix or Los Angeles venue, but the enthusiasm was there and the orchestra was a rockin' 50's band, so as the subtle burps of Andouille sausage and smoked venison rose to the surface we settled in to the fun of Southeastern Washington, where everyone talks to the people in the rows in front of you and at intermission you buy popcorn you know came from one of those industrial bags cooked somewhere in Stockton, CA about 2 months ago. Oh well, something about "les bon temps rollez!!!" What's next in this whirlwind summer?