Fixin' Leaks and Leeks

Since raiding the blackberry bushes at the local high school last weekend could have led to the distribution of campus-wide “wanted” posters, Nate and I decided to keep a low profile at the curriculum night event on Thursday. Keeping a low profile in fact is the best advice when attending these sorts of things, in… Continue reading Keeping a “Low Profile” at the Parent Curriculum Night

Ambushing the shrubbery at the local high school takes guts—and a willingness to drive onto school property in broad daylight and operate under a “pick-the-blackberries-now-ask-questions-later” policy. On a Saturday at 3 p.m., Nate, Alex, and I decided that we had what it took to carry out an attack: an appetite for blackberry shortcakes and two… Continue reading Planning a Blackberry Bush Attack

Flournado: The “Pie of the Storm,” reared its ugly head in my kitchen last night in a massive flurry of white powder and shortening, but I gained the upper hand and made an apple pie, so all is well—until the sequel, which I hope won’t happen any time soon. I must confess: I don’t like… Continue reading Flournado: “The Pie of the Storm”

Jelly fish appear to have invaded my pantry because, if I look closely, I can see tentacles poking out from the shelves—and clear bellies filled with “hot n spicy peanuts mix”—held together by a twist tie that seems to be gagging the whole thing in a most unsightly manner. And it’s not like I go… Continue reading Pack that Snack

When the sun sets over the Everett, Washington marina and the band strikes up a tropical beat, cocktail emboldened audience members hit the dance floor with salsa moves that range from “traditional” to a hip swaying version of the “chicken dance,” which I didn’t think was possible until I saw it. And, when the crowd… Continue reading How to Know When It’s Time to Take Salsa Dancing Lessons

After a rump-numbing, two-hour wait at the Washington/Canadian border, you’ll have plenty of time to avoid all of the traditional touristy things in Vancouver because they will all close in one hour and the line to see them will be at least two hours long. This situation eliminates the pressure of having to see the… Continue reading What to See When you Have 5 1/2 Hours in Vancouver, Canada

Those adrenalin-pumping, heart-stopping, hug-the-curves-with-the-car, hang-on-tight-to-the-door-handle days of motherhood are here, and I think I need a rear-facing car seat. I thought morning sickness went away for good, but it comes back when a child gets a learner’s permit. Luckily, since I’ve done my part by giving birth, my husband Nate will take over the driver’s… Continue reading Jesus, Take the Wheel! My Son is Driving!

When the Wild, Wild West of Eastern Washington calls, we have no choice, but to hitch up the Subaru, throw a sitter at the cat, and see if we have what it takes to rough it at the Sun Mountain Lodge Resort and Spa—drawing on the history of sturdy pioneers who braved seaweed body treatments… Continue reading The Most Ambitious Sun Mountain Lodge Vacation Itinerary. Ever.

For a crippling case of “the willies,” order a frog in a box, and see what happens when it arrives on an otherwise perfectly pleasant Saturday afternoon. The box in question, which I actually ordered on purpose, comes complete with a preserved specimen lurking inside. Since my delicate sanity could instantly go wayward with the… Continue reading Biology Class Redemption Day

Throw down a steady, pulsing drum beat in a crowded street and I’ll take off running after it—like I escaped from the set of a spectacularly low-budget, low-expectations community theater rendition of Fame. “Could you take it down a notch? Maybe not end up in the parade this time?” Nate asks when we arrive at… Continue reading A Dragon Fest Celebration To-Do List: Make “Naked Rosemary Lemonade” and Join a Dragon Boat Racing Team