Monday, July 24, 2017

A fantastic birthday adventure!!

Sheesh, I have been gone awhile. I'm in training 9.25 hours a day - sitting at a computer. When I am not at work I don't want to be on the computer..... it is making my blog life suffer. Training is ok - lots to remember. By the end of the week I am exhausted. I do have a few finished to show but first my adventure....
My first birthday gift is this nightlight from Ikea - it's name is Spöka (it means ghost)
it changes color. I love it!! I had Scott put it by my bedside. My second gift was Haflinger. I have always wanted a pair but they are so expensive. My Gram had a pair but my feets was too big (yes, I meant to say feets) - I did buy a used (hardly used - worked out well for me) pair from EBAY once. I still have them but the back on one is ripped. They have so many different styles now - all cute! They are boiled wool and cork.
I can't wait for the Fall so I can wear them!! My third gift... may be the best gift I have ever gotten. I was NOT expecting it at all!!
It says " I am gift #3, to claim me, be at 500 Admiral Way in Edmunds Washington no later than 8:45am on July 22nd - Saturday. Check in at the Puget Sound Express"  What a surprise!! We got up at 4:30 am the next day and went to Edmunds Washington!!

 There is the catamaran we took
 Humpback Whale
 I hope I get to go again and I hope it's a smaller craft with less people so we can get closer - I kept telling Scott I was gonna go swim with the whales!! I have three great tail shots. You could hear the spout and when it's body broke the water - wonderful.

 Seals
 Elephant seals
 I had a great time!! We were out 9-2. Scott and I mostly stood on the back and felt the wind in our hair and the spray on our face! It was fantastic!! Scott booked a room at  The Silver Cloud Hotel in Seattle
He made reservations for Maggianos - the only one in Washington - one of my favorites!! It was a really great time!! Poor guy had a diverticulitis flair up this week so he wasn't feeling great but he still had a good time!!
I found an article online on accident called "The 50 most beautiful Starbucks in the World" I had sent it to Scott the week before the trip and so he planned on taking me to the one in Seattle we hadn't been to  (we've been to the main Starbucks) It's called Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Tasting Room I don't know what I expected - but not this!! It is a very pretty location - they roast coffee there and have some crazy drinks that you can't get at any other Starbucks!
 This person is Rose and she is heating water with a halogen bulb - when the water gets hot it rises into the cup sitting on top, she steeps coffee in the cup and then turns off the bulb - the cooling coffee drains back into the bulb in the bottom - pretty cool.
 There is an upstairs and a downstairs!

I had a hazelnut Bianco and Scott had coffee with ice cream in it - delicious!! We spent two hours in this place!!
The next morning we walked through Pike Market - ate breakfast and then headed home
 hmm.... interesting
 The Crumpet Shop
 One is a scone with lemon curd - sooo good!! One is egg, ham, cream cheese and cucumber, one is ricotta, walnuts and honey and one is English cheese, egg and ham.

Look how close they park your cars in the lots - the guy who parks them is Houdini. I know I said it before but I had a wonderful time!! I've never had a secret birthday trip before.  I asked Scott how he would ever top that great gift - then I said maybe you will just have to give up and get me paperclips next year because it can't be topped HAHA!
I did have some finishes in the last few weeks. Right now I am working on some acorns - I will show you next time - hopefully fully finished. I haven't finished the wreath by Victoria Sampler yet and my rotation fell apart. Eh - what are ya gonna do?

  Victoria Sampler Sturbridge Box






 Scott framed this for me
 Babe's Honey farm - Victoria Sampler
 Rooster Ride - Barbara Anna Designs
 Scott framed this for me. The pattern is Alessandra Adelaide Needlework - Maple Leaf. Stitched on Lakeside Linen Vintage 36 count light exemplar 2 threads over 2 threads. Thread is Florimell red clay - 114, 2 skeins. All the french knots are done with Mill Hill petite 42033 autumn flame beads.
 About the 40 count gauze project....Scott put this disaster on a frame for me because I was stretching it out - it's tedious, and it's not that it's 40 count that is tedious - it is remembering to do the continental stitch instead of the half stitch. ugh.
Scott framed this... Stoney Creek - Pleasant Unity
Scott framed this - I made it for his boss.(Bothy threads -Love Blossoms)  We went to a city by Bend Oregon for the wedding. We had a good time.It was hot and the hotel (which was expensive ) really sucked. We did have a good time though -saw a lot of people Scott works with.
So, for the 4th of July we decided to stay home - it was a work night and we had been told that if you do go out, know that everybody goes and it will take you hours to get home. We didn't need to go anywhere - every other house all the way around us had city sized fireworks. My car was covered with ashes the next day. It went on ALL day long. They were nice and promptly stopped at midnight though. I was worried they were going to catch one of the houses on fire. It was like a war zone out here!! We saw some pretty ones from our porch and felt the debris rain down on us - that is how close they were!! Crazy - never seen anything like it!
Scott also had a birthday but I didn't get him anything as good as a trip!! I bought him some stuff from a band he wanted, a book and a season of Game of Thrones. We went to a really good Italian restaurant in Vancouver called La Bottega - we had a Gorgonzola cheese cake (savory) that was slap your momma good!!! We overate - like we may never see food again!! Scott and Ryder had beer from Germany and they both really liked it. I had ordered him some Salted Caramel Roos from a place called The Kettle House in Iowa - we stopped there once on a trip - they came too early and so we had already eaten them! We had desert and coffee at the restaurant though!
Well kids, that catches me up. I hope you are all having a fun summer! thanks for stopping by!!