Fixin' Leaks and Leeks

Scandalous, murderous, and mysterious tales abound in Vancouver, Canada, but why pay hundreds of dollars for an authentic ghost tour, when you could make up your own, inauthentic stories for free? Of course, making up ghost stories “for free” doesn’t have to involve any fancy planning, but Nate, Alex, and I decided to drive 2… Continue reading “Haunted” DIY Ghost Stories of Vancouver, Canada

I happen to have a black cat named SeaTac, but he’d be pretty upset if I set him loose in the middle of the ocean.  For this reason, I’m accepting this award nomination on his behalf.  I’d like to thank Elizabeth Drake of There be Dragons for my first ever blog award nomination!  Yay! Apparently,… Continue reading I’m a Black Cat, Blue Sea Award Nominee!

Halloween thrills needn’t break the bank. I’m in the mood for an old-fashioned scare of the kind that arises “naturally” from places that are actually haunted. Nate, my husband, is not entirely sold on the idea, but Alex, our fifteen-year-old was invited to a haunted house experience run by one of the local businesses in… Continue reading Halloween Thrills on a Budget: The Oxford Saloon

Pumpkins are capable of bone-chilling noises—especially when they ride along in the car while Nate my husband drives. The constant banging and thumping—every time Nate makes a turn—is particularly unnerving. Playing Monster Mash loudly, in an attempt to be festive and drown out the commotion, is not helping. Example: “He did the mash . .… Continue reading Decorating with Pumpkins and Slime

    Sometimes I can’t follow the rules–even though they are pretty clear: “Seven days. Seven black and white photos of your life. No people. No explanation. Challenge someone new each day.” Was I supposed to post seven photos on seven days or just choose seven days and then post all at once?  I really… Continue reading Black and White Photo Challenge

Some serious spawning takes place behind the Country Inn and Suites near North Creek Business Park in Washington. A terrifying crew of freaky salmon swims upstream near hotels, busy streets, and corporate buildings, which if you ask me, is not a very romantic way to meet up and start a family, but “romance” is not… Continue reading Scary Salmon Sightings–and a Mask–for Halloween!

Pools made of maple butter must exist in the Canadian countryside because the first time I bit into a mass-produced, “made-in-Canada” maple leaf cookie, I imagined myself swimming in one. “Canada is amazing!” I shouted. “How do they do this?” Any other store-bought cookie is dry and crumbly, leaving me with a generic, processed, flour-coated… Continue reading O, Canada! Blue-Ribbon Maple Leaf Cookies: A Re-Blog of Sorts

“Salmon are spawning all over the state and we’re missing it! Let’s go!” I frantically tell Nate and Alex, while pushing them toward the door. “The salmon will spawn from September through October,” my patient husband calmly explains. “We’re not missing anything. They’ll spawn all day and all night. It doesn’t matter if it’s 10… Continue reading Desperately Seeking Salmon at the Ballard Locks

Prove you’re not a stick in the mud when the parish priest comes to your house. Provide a fast paced, heart-pumping, interactive evening that will really give him something to preach about on Sunday. Sure, he may have plans for a house blessing, so you might be inclined to say to yourself, “Between the blessing… Continue reading Dinner Party Games for When the Parish Priest Visits

When some Jolly Ranchers overdid it at a party back in 2012, they slipped themselves out from their cellophane wrappers and fell into batches of Glacier Peak Winery Malbec Wine. I couldn’t be happier about this indiscretion on the part of those Jolly Ranchers on what must have been one wild, wild night. I happily… Continue reading Jolly Good Sips and Tips: An Adventure in Wine Tasting