Spooktacular Pumpkins!

Wednesdays are good days at Valley Medical Center. Once again, yesterday was a special day as they awarded gifts to the employees of the month and had the annual department pumpkin carving contest! Of course there was cake, fruit, candy, carmel corn, punch and coffee for everyone. Since the gift shop is right across from the big fountain, we are right in the center of activity! Here are some of this years entries in the contest. There is definitely some creative talent at VMC!

"Dehisced"

I didn't know what this meant, so here is the definition: "To rupture or break open, as a surgical wound."  Now it makes sense!

 

"Count Coagulation"

"Corny" Yup, it's made of candy corns!

"You Got Me Back in the Game"

"Veggies are Brain Power"

"Nurse Pumpkin" Check out her mouse!

"Spooky Sliders" The burger is made from chocolate rice krispie cookies, and the Fresh Finger Food is their version of French Fries.

Here is "Mr. Yuk" and his friend

"Rockin Round the Pumpkin Patch"

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and this entry was created by
the Breast Center

"EPIC is Coming" I'm not certain just what EPIC is, but I guess I will have to find out!

And finally, this one was my favorite...
"Angry Birds"

New Knitting Projects

Lately I have been in a knitting mode, so wanted to post 3 of my latest knitting projects. I love creating things and this time decided to make some things for myself. The first two of my creations are cowls. If you haven't used circular knitting needles, they are great to work with and I had loads of fun with these 2! I can knit pretty quickly while watching TV, but do get messed up sometimes when Dave talks to me. Especially when I need to keep track of where I'm at by making notes with paper and pen. I really get goofed up when interrupted while I'm concentrating real hard doing more intricate work, like with this cowl:

I really like how this turned out and am enjoying wearing it!

Here it is laid out so you can see that it was knit in one piece.

This teal/blue cowl was also knit with circular needles and is twice as long as the previous one, so I wear it wrapped around my neck twice.

This was taken with a flash which shows a bit more detail.

And this was taken without a flash. Just so you can see the comparison! Someday I plan on learning how to use my new camera, but for now.....

There are just so many pretty yarns out there that I do have trouble telling myself "no!" One of my favorite yarn shops is Cultured Purl in Gilman Village in Issaquah. I have also found some fun ideas and yarns at the Knittery in Renton. This next neck wrap knit up in about 2 hours. I have seen it made in metallic ribbon yarns and was tempted to just make it up like that, but then I found this variegated turquoise ribbon yarn at the Knittery and had to get it. I may go back and get the metallic silver and make a narrower version. I'm really having too much fun!

So what color is this really??

When I was golfing two weeks ago it was an overcast and somewhat wet day, and when I walked down the slope from one green to the next tee box, I skidded and went down on my bum! OUCH! I had a wee bit of a whiplash and that lasted for 4 or 5 days, but I must have cracked my tailbone because it still hurts and I find that sitting is difficult without a pillow. So, I have spent some time resting my tailbone and knitting is my companion. Luckily it rained last Tuesday so most of the ladies cancelled out, which means that this Tuesday we do get to take part in the tournament that got cancelled. I'm hoping I can manage to walk the course without too much pain! And I hope I don't slip and slide again! The one thing I learned from that adventure was that I need to clean the cleats on my golf shoes. The soles of my shoes were packed with so much mud that I had no traction left. You better believe that I will be checking my shoes when I golf in wet conditions!

The golf season with the ladies club will be over in two weeks so I will be doing lots more knitting I suppose....and reading!

I love my life!

Charlotte's First Birthday

Charlotte turned ONE on September 22, but Pete and Shauna had a gathering for friends and family on Saturday, Sept. 24th.

Now that I have my new desktop (that is another story...a boring one) I am able to download the photos and put them in my blog. The video is for you, Robin! It was a fun afternoon!

Bri Prather and her daughter, Eloise, and Baar and his mom Sarah Weeldreyer

Kelsie and Emma

No, No, No!!!!!

Cousins



I made these hairclips for Kelsie's new baby Emma

Shauna liked the ones I made for Emma and asked if I could make some for her her girls. Hailey likes Thomas the Train!

People are the Fabric of My Life

What better way to spend part of an afternoon but to drive about 3 miles down the road to sit on the deck and visit with a lady from our garden club. Helen is a sweet 89 year young widow who still lives in her own home on about an acre, still drives and tends her flower garden. It is not always possible during our garden club meetings to really get to know each other even though we always have a luncheon afterwords.

As we sat on her very nice deck looking out over her flowers and the neighboring huge pasture off to the side, I discovered that when she and her husband were first married they lived in the Cedar River Apartments before buying their first house, one of the wartime houses that were offered for sale in the late 40's in the Renton Highlands. I mused over the thought that she had lived there most likely when my husband Dave's parents lived in those same apartments before buying their home in Skyway. What a small world!

Helen had phoned me to ask if I would like to come visit and see her flower garden which was looking especially nice right now. This lovely lady had just hosted a wedding for her daughter in her back yard! My goodness, I hope I am fortunate enough to be as spry as she is should I live that long! After a pleasant talk, she showed me her flower garden, spouting off the names of each plant. My memory is not as good as hers at remembering all the plants I have in my yard. She had placed a piece of string on her shoulder prior to my arrival and asked if I could tie up one of her delphinium flowers for her since it was leaning way over. Here are some photos of her flower garden. Hasn't she done a beautiful job with the mix of colors and texture?

 

I feel so blessed to have an abundance of people in my life. But then, I'm a people person and getting to interact with folks energizes me and gives me such joy. I know that we people are all different and some like the solitude of their lives, while others are content with the boats and motorhomes and vacation condos they retreat to. I like those things too. Well, I would if I actually had them! But meeting and getting to know people and finding commonalities is the most fun I can think of having. I do believe in the idea of "Six Degrees of Separation" and if I spend enough time talking AND LISTENING to a person I learn the most amazing things and find that we usually have something or someone in common! Try it next time you have the opportunity for conversing with someone new to you. See what amazing facts you can uncover!

High School Classmates '67 Golf Tournament

Last Thursday, Dave and I had the pleasure of getting together with some of our high school crowd for a golf tournament at Maplewood Golf Course. What fun!! The night before some of us got together at Jack's in the Renton Highlands to share a bite to eat as names were drawn and teams formed. There were lots of loud protests and a bit of trash talk during this process....all in good fun!

There were 5 teams and since we had 6 girls one team had 2 girls. We played a scramble format, which is a super fun way to compete. It goes like this: Each one in the four or five-some tees off and the best shot is selected. Then we all tee off from that spot and repeat the process until the ball is holed. The only requirement was that each player must have 2 of their drives used, then we could take any drives. We were all in golf carts and we had a preview of things to come when one of our drivers (RICK) got his cart high-centered when going over the curb just after teeing off on the first hole! He and Steve had to get out and push. We did kind of go downhill from there, since our group came in last. We had an even score, meaning we shot 72, which is par. We did have lots of laughs along the way as our balls seemed destined to go every which way but straight!

Here we are pictured shortly before the first group teed off. My teammates were from left to right, Tim Cummings, Rick Scappini, yours truly, and Steve Patterson.

Here are all the golfers

Dave's team, though they had 5 players, came in next to last with one under par. His group was right ahead of mine and since one of his players had never golfed before, they slowed us down a bit since the guys were giving this fellow lessons on each hole. His teammates were Michelle Cooper Dieckman, Dave, Rick Sodorff, Ron Lee and Gary McMillan. A side note is that only 2 couples of the many who married classmates showed up to golf. Michelle & her husband Al and Dave and me.

The other 3 teams all tied with 5 under par, and since we only had trophies enough for one team, a team was drawn from a hat (so to speak) and declared the winning team.

The person who is most responsible for organizing us, Mike Willis, and his wife Diane, had us all over to their home for a catered dinner (we all did pay for it) in their fabulous back yard. And who catered? Of course....another former classmate, Marilea Addington Peterson and her sister Judy. Marilea is married to classmate Jim Peterson. Isn't it wonderful that so many of our classmates are still married to each other!? Oh...my....goodness!! In 6 years we will celebrate our 50th high school reunion!! WOW!! Add 3 more to that and Dave and I will celebrate OUR 50th Wedding Anniversary.

Some other classmates who didn't play in the tournament, showed up for dinner and a few others who played weren't able to attend for one reason or another, and both Dave and I can't wait until next year's tournament....Lord willing!

Birthday celebrations for Pete and Shauna

Kyle and Kari came down from Bellingham so they could take Pete and Shauna out for their birthdays (which are on the same day.) That meant that we had the pleasure of having all four grandkids for the evening. We fed them dinner and played and before long it was time for bed. Kyle and Kari and kids spent the night but the Myron girls went home with mom and dad for the night. I had noticed at about 11 pm that Hailey escaped from the bedroom and I found her sprawled out on her tummy just outside the door in the hall.

Thankfully all the kids are good eaters

Charlotte was in a happy mood

In the morning I made waffles for breakfast, with chocolate chips of course, and Jill arrived at about 9:30 with our niece Emily, who I had invited to spend the day with us. Emily was a big help and kept the little ones entertained quite well!

Just a wee bit of TV time, which all the grandkids ask for when they come to our house!

Awww. Aren't they sweet??

 Kyle and Kari and kids had to leave at 11:00 am to go to her mom and brother's birthday celebration, so I tried with marginal success to have all four grandkids sit together for a photo.

This was the best of six shots! Saben, 6, Annika, 4, Charlotte, 10 months, Hailey, 2 1/2 years

Dave was sick all day Saturday so he pretty much stayed in the bedroom most of the day. Poor guy! The reason we had the Myron girls was that Pete and Shauna had rented a Harley Davidson "Fat Boy" for 24 hours so they wanted to make the most of it. They had planned on doing a sky dive but the weather was too overcast so the place in Snohomish where they were scheduled called them in the morning to let them know they would have to postpone it. Pete and Shauna did stop by for a little while in the afternoon so they could get a photo with their girls. Shauna was very bored sitting on the back!! I do believe she is eager to get back in the driver's spot on a sports bike again.

Looks like Charlotte is ready to take control!

Jill very kindly came and picked up Emily and Pete came by to pick up the girls and I had kind of a boring evening since Dave was in bed by 8 pm. Shauna had Pete's family and Jason & me (Dave still wasn't feeling tip top) over for dinner Sunday at 4 pm. I made a gluten free chocolate cake which was pretty tasty. What a fun family time! The guys raised two walls of the huge shed Pete is building.

When this is complete they can clean out the garage and get the car back in!

It was fun watching 5 little girl cousins play together.

Sylvia, Ella and Hailey

Charlotte and Genevieve. Miss C is 7 weeks older than Gigi

How about a kiss!

OK, but I need to give you one too!

All in all a fun birthday weekend. Sure wish Dave had felt better so he could have enjoyed himself. Thanks, Emily, for your help on Saturday.