A Lovely Saturday Off

We had a great Saturday with the keeper. She took today off and we all lounged

around a bit. She let us go outside and we just rolled in the sunlight. She went out to lunch with friends who are getting married in Spokane this autumn. When she got back we all went out again.  The flowers are so happy with all this rain.  But they have gone absolutely crazy in the front yard.  It looks like a mad gardener lives here.  She does.  She doesn't want to tear anything out until  its all done blooming. So it's a chaos of colors and fragrances. Even the spearmint took over a border garden.

Guardian Angels

Last night the keeper came home sick.  Achy, sore throat, miserable. We sympathized.  Today we advised her to stay home and rest.  She listened to us. Well, she didn't work, which is unusual, and a clear sign that she is not well. She let us out in the yard to play and we stayed close to home.  We didn't want her to die or anything.  We noticed she did spend a great portion of the day on the phone and computer with two phone companies trying to get her email to work. We think the extra heat of her anger helped to chase the virus away. After 5 hours she resolved the issue, and then she took a nap.  You know that we will have pizza, ginger ale, and red hot chiles for dinner with 1/2 watermelon for dessert.  This is her sick diet. We will stick with out premium no grain cat glop, thank you. 

Is This Heaven?

The keeper bought me a new catnip plant since I wore away the sprouts of the old plants that were trying to break through.  It was sunny this morning and she let me out.  I rolled and rolled on the warm concrete slab nobbling away at the tender,tasty little leaves.  Such a fine treat! Sun! Warmth! Catnip!

On Wisteria Lane

This was a good series of days off for us with the keeper.  We love it when she stays home with us.  We played outside and snuck over to the neighbors to leave marks for the big gray cat who is stealing our catnip.  When he snuck over on Monday evening, Cecil hid inside, and I, Alice, had to chase him away.  Cecil really does not like conflict. The keeper also found out that one of the neighbors feeds all of us out of a big bowl in his back yard.  Now she knows why we sometimes are not hungry.  Meanwhile the wisteria is cascading over everything and the hummingbird are in heaven.

Flowery Bird Heaven

When the keeper FINALLY got home, we all went out and just breathed.  Ah, such fragrance--- lilacs, wisteria, cut grass,  smells wafting from our neighbors' grills, all mixed with the sounds of the hummingbirds beating their little wings, the robins and sparrows chirping, chortling.  It was lovely.

Social Sin Class

The keeper did not come home after the First Communions.  She headed to another church where she met up with the young adults and the great teacher who offered them a class on social sin.  The young adults were unusually reflective, she said.

More First Communions

Sunday was a busy day for the keeper and many families with children celebrating First Communions. While they were busy, we were home, inside, watching the crows eat the little birds' food.

Noche de Celebracion at La Spiga.

The keeper left us again tonight to meet up with her colleague F for a meeting and celebration of a good year of collaboration.  Seattle U was wild with Quadstock--noise, police, bands, inebriated students.  No, they did not stay at Quadstock. They went to La Spiga and feasted on cheese and crostini--the cheese was from buffalo, goats and sheep, beet ravioli stuffed with lamb, and stinco--pork hind soaked in beer.  Oh my.  She brought home the Stinco because there was so much.  That's what stinco looks like above.  To the left is what La Spiga looks like.
She said it looks much smaller from the outside, but it is spacious and has great acoustics.

Glorious Friday in the Sun

The sun came out for two days in a row.  On Friday, the keeper came home early and we all sat out in the sunshine.  We are happy to announce that the white lilacs are bursting all around us. However, our beautiful new tulips with all the feathers and frills couldn't stand up and are decorating the ground, like fallen dancers. We believe it was the rain.

50 Incredible Years

Yesterday the keeper came home very late and we ate very late because of this.  Although we understand that we sacrificed for a very fine cause...Fr. Roger's 50th Jubilee Mass.  Tonight they all had a lovely dinner at the Lynnwood Convention Center. But tonight she came home earlier and we got to go outside. The crows have chased the squirrels out of the bird feeder, by the way.

Special First Communion Guest

One of the most popular guests at the First Communion was the lovely dog whose owner tied her to the post outside the church. 

First Communion Saturday

The keeper barely got home from the opera and then got up very early

to help out with a First Eucharist for 179 children and their

families.  Each child had 2 godparents.  The church was 

overflowing, maybe 1500!

Friday Night at the Opera

On Friday we waved goodbye to her as she headed to Magic Flute.  She came home enchanted.

Ride Home From Issaquah

We'r'e back!!! It's been awhile.  We howled and mewed but each night when the keeper got home she wouldn't go to her computer.  She told us she was sick of  looking at it all day. But it seems she had a change of heart.  A week ago she was driving home from Issaquah and it was beautiful. Yes, she shot this at 60 mph.  We already talked to her about foolish choices.

Feliz Dia de las Madres

The keeper left us this morning for work.  She told us she had a very busy day. It seems she spent most of the day in Bellevue where her Young Adult group was throwing an incredible celebration of mothers after the Spanish Mass.  They had music, a whole fancy sound system with lights and smoke, they had skits, a raffle, jokes, songs, poetry, as well as gifts for the mothers and lots to eat.  This was for 100s of mothers.  She came home with a bouquet of beautiful flowers which they had presented to her as well as a beautiful drawing done by a prisoner.  They were so kind and generous to the whole community. But were also very grateful when she stayed to help them clean up. We are enjoying the flowers, although Alice needs more allergy pills because of the lilies. Happy Mother's Day all!

A Retreat for 500

Today after the liturgical ministry class the keeper didn't come home.  Instead she went over to the family retreat for the 200 Spanish speaking kids who are making their First Communions next week. They all showed up at 9 and ended at 4.  It was like being in the middle of an entire school locked in one room for most of the day with occasional walk through rehearsals in the church. It would have been the claustrophobic's nightmare.  But given the crowd, it was orderly and it seemed that the groups were pretty engaged.  But she was grateful to close the day with  a very lovely Mass at the Cathedral where she ran into several old friends from a previous parish. Then we all watched Social Network and ate ice cream.  Cecil really likes Coconut ice cream.

Class in the AM

We all got up early because the keeper wanted to make sure she didn't get snarled on the bridge because it was opening day of boating season. But there were no boats on her schedule today.  She didn't mind.  It was chilly. They had the final liturgical ministry class until fall. She really likes that group because they hare so hungry for knowledge and are even buying all of the books.

It Was Sunny This Week

It was sunny for a while this week.  The two of us took advantage of it and the keeper even let us stay outside while she worked in the yard. She redid a lot of the hanging baskets and some planters. More summer bulbs, some new perennials, and raking and weeding.  She is getting back in the groove which benefits us because we get to stay outside.

Spring Green

The keeper left us this evening for a meeting with her young adults in Bothell.  On the way she pulled over for a series of fire trucks and was overcome by the enchantment of the green evening.  The cows were out and the mist was falling.  She said it was breathtaking.

The sky over the lake was Dali blue and the clouds were silver luminescence. The new leaves are so enchanting, so fresh and tender.

Odd Night

So, we understand that Osama Bin Laden is dead. We understand the sense of  accomplishment after the long years of hunting. What we find troublesome tonight is the  giddiness and triumphalism in the streets and even the bottle rockets going off in the park across the street from us. It is a sober night, as far as we are concerned, and the talking head on ABC should go to sleep now.

At Blyth Park

The Bothell young adult group didn't want to stay indoors on such a gorgeous Sunday so they headed to Blyth park for a picnic and the keeper caught up with them.  Great conversations about ethnicity, race, disk golf, and unidentified flying objects!

Old Friends

The First Communion brought some of the keeper's old friends from the great days at Cristo Rey.

First Communion Day

The keeper celebrated with the St. Brendan Community today as the Spanish speaking families celebrated First Communion. The young women were decked in frothy feathery creations and the boys were more muted.  They were all very serious and attentive. It seemed to be an important day for all.

The Cabrini Ministry Dinner

The keeper let us spend a lot of time outside on Saturday while she sat at her computer and phone all day.  We had a great time. We are not telling all the places we visited.  She thinks we stayed in the yard.  But later in the evening she left us for the Cabrini Ministry Dinner.  They were raising money. She was supposed to bring a cake for a dessert auction.  North Hill Bakery made a lovely coconut cake for her to bring.  She really can't bake, you know.  Anyway, she ran into many old friends and parishioners and had great time. she hopes that they also made lots of money.  They need it.