Why We are in Casper instead of the Cabin

An unusual sight at the cabin!  The snow didn't blow!

 I took a lot of pictures in December of moose and of snow!  My snow pictures are because I never had seen it pile up like it did without blowing into huge drifts and then bare spots.  It just stayed on the level.  We had several adventures during this time that caused our kids to worry about us and finally to insist that we leave the cabin when they did after Christmas.  Here's what happened.

The snow just kept piling up!

Event #1:  Bob had a Dr. appointment in Denver.  We had to drive down over Cameron Pass due to big snow and ice and closed highways going over Berthoud Pass.  It was a bad drive but we made it.  We planned to see his Drs. and go up to Ft. Collins to stay and do Christmas shopping.  We did and added 1 more day to our stay since we didn't get finished .

When we got home we noticed that a big piece of the roof cap had blown off.  I guess there were some pretty big winds while we were gone.  That night we got some more big winds and we could hear a big rattling and banging going on over our heads.  Bob had to plow with the Cat the next day to keep the road open (since we had decided to drive all the way into the cabin in the pickup to unload all our stuff for Christmas).  He could see our roof from the top of the hill and it was not a pretty sight!  A big piece of the metal was ripping off and would need replacing or fixing.

Hughie watches the "boys" working on the roof.  The lift was a "roof saver!"

Discussing how to proceed with roof repairs.

Our "roof heroes" ascend to the top!

Bob decided he needed to have me help him get the ladder and go up (2 stories) and help him fix it.  There was no way either of us was going up there but he insisted, so I had to call Hughie and ask for help!  Harry had a big lift and so Hughie and 2 of Harry's employees (Jamie and Pete?) came out and fixed it for us.  It was a good thing they did it immediately because the next day the snows started and didn't quit for 2 weeks!  At least there was no wind.

Bob plows snow before the big snows hit.  See the bare ground by the house?  That disappeared a few days later.

Event 2:  As I mentioned we drove the pickup into the cabin and did not immediately drive back out when Hughie and the boys left (a big mistake).  Bob continued to plow snow everyday as it continued to pile up but it finally became obvious that there was getting to be too much and nowhere to go with it even though he had plowed a fairly wide trail.

Pickup at the cabin.  A big mistake.

So we finally tried to drive it out.  I followed him in the Argo in case he didn't make it.  It was so beautiful that I took tons of pictures as I was following.  He made it up the first big hill coming out of the draw so I thought we would have it made.  He had to back down and try 3 or 4 times on the next hill up around where the big pine tree used to be (pre-pinebeetle) but he made it!  We were going to make it!  Oooops a little curve right after the big long barbed wire gate got him!  The pickup was sideways in the road with snowbanks blocking him front and back!  We would have to go get the Cat.

Snow on the gate posts.  This is the sight of the stuck truck. 

Stuck truck.  The whole back is filled with snow!

After several tries of pulling him out and then Bob trying to spin on the ice underneath the snow, he decided to do a lot more plowing ahead and then give it another shot.  That resulted in making it about 10 feet further and stuck again!  By now it was dark so we gave up for the night.  Mind you, it was snowing this whole time!

Bob is trying to get the road opened better so the pickup will get some traction on the dirt.  Not successful since there was a layer of ice under all that snow!

The next morning we were back trying again and it seemed strange that the pickup just kept sliding and spinning and not getting anywhere. Finally after 3 or 4 hours I  said just hook on the front and tow it out with the Cat!  Bob was stubborn and said he wanted to try one more time.  I stood there and watched as he spun and went sidewards yet again!  I did notice that the front tires were not spinning and I mentioned that to him.  I got in the pickup ( major task since it was wedged up against the snow banks) and discovered it was not in 4 wheel drive!  I knew it was in the night before because I saw it and even asked questions about it.  What must have happened was that Bob had to climb over to the passenger side to get out in the dark the night before and must have kicked the gear shift as he was crawling out on accident!  Our next attempt was perfect and we got out .

Stuck truck.......Again!

Pick up is ready to give it one last try!  It didn't work!  But I did discover the problem.

Clint had come out and was snow blowing from the metal gate out to the county road.  He also had had some adventures while we were still trying to get to the gate so he was not finished blowing.  We waited and finally by late afternoon we made it out and were back home!

Final events:  Ozzie, JJ and Erin were coming in from Nevada and the road reports warned of feet of snow on the way.  They were on bare roads so they just kept coming hoping to beat the snow.  I had to go out in the Argo at 2 AM to pick them up.  Each day Ozzie had to make numerous trips in the Argo to bring in all the rest of our family.  Some trips--especially Carla's outfit--looked very Grinch-like with Argo and sled piled high.

Danny's family comes in on the Argo with Ozzie.  Seven people with all their stuff!

Getting unloaded.

Paul, Thomas, JJ and Ozzie with whoever is on the sled behind are headed up to the sledding hill.

Bob had parked the pickup across the cattle guard so no one would try to go further, since there was nowhere to turn around and snow had slid off the barn roof and buried where Clint had snow blown.  Someone going up to the lodge tried to go around the pickup and made a "$300 hole".  They had to call a wrecker from Walden to come pull them out!

Bringing in the Christmas tree on the Argo

 That was it, our fate was sealed!  We had to get packed up and on the road when Carla and the boys did.  It took us 3 trips with the Argo in blinding snow to get out but we did it!  Now if it would just warm up  here in Casper......

Casper in the snow.  4 days and a lot of wind and cold later!

Looking up the street.  Just beyond where we can see is a plowed up drift higher than the pickup!

One Year Anniversary of my Blog! My Bucket List with Comments!

Today I need to look back over the year and see how I did with my bucket list and if I need to add or subtract anything!  It was an eventful year with its high and low points!  I guess every year goes along that way.  If any of you have been following my blog you know pretty well how it went this year so I am not going to give a summary--you can just go back and read about it.  I do think I will put up my bucket list and comment on and/or delete and add to it.  That should do it.  I may have to comment on several major life changing things that have happened to us, though.

My Bucket List for 2010 and Beyond

I was going to write down my New Year's resolutions but saw a neat post by a teacher friend who is doing 40 by 40. I can't see listing 75 by 75 for me so I'll just kind of make a bucket list. Some things will be short term and some sort of long term although at this age I need to keep them not too long! Some are definitely pipe dreams, but who knows what tomorrow will bring!

1. Start a blog sight and try to keep it up to date. I have a lot of ideas to write down so it will have a lot of variety to it. (Already started)  Check!
2. Lose 10-15 lbs. during this year--hopefully by June but I know me and I rarely hit my target date. I am going to use Judith Becks method again because it seems to work well for me.  Weigh the same as I did last year at this time.  I guess I'll give it another try this year!
a. Count calories--use fitday.com (700-900/day) Did for less than 1 week.....
b. Plan meals ahead and write them down here? Ditto
c. Exercise regularly--walk away the lbs. on dvd, snow shoe, sweat to the oldies.  Sort of did but not too regularly.
d. Use her psychological tips and find a coach (Carla?)  Did not do!
3. Walk in a 5K event this spring and definitely the Race for the Cure next October in Denver or San Antonio if I am there.  Did the October one--May get to do the San Antonio one with Kim this year.  Definitely want to do the Denver one in fall this year again.  May want to do the Blue Shoe one for Prostate Cancer the week before the Race for the Cure.
4. Finish 3 quilts this year -- Bob's snowball quilt with embroidery in the snowballs, pink log cabin earmarked for Carla, and the generational quilt. Quilt the Christmas one sometime in the near future. Quilt or tie the Owyhee HS one soon.  Ha Ha!  I looked at the generational one several times and said to myself "I must finish this, but my machine is in Twin Falls being worked on." (You may remember this was not a good year for the embroidery machine, but now I am hopeful it is in good running order so I will again try to work on these quilts)  I am going to downsize this list to at least finishing the generational quilt this year!
5. Redo Carla's jacket by fall.  Another Ha Ha!  See note about my machine above!
6. keep up with my speed cleaning  I actually did do this for the downstairs!  Now I need to work on keeping up with the upstairs and getting our bedroom done!
7. Deep clean red room and our bedroom before going south for the winter.  Red room=yes; Bedroom is on the list again!
8. Get together with Mike and Sandi Struble and Maryann and Bob Durake while in FL. Also visit Linda Cox and Laura Atwood while we are there.  Check, except for Linda.  I would love to see everyone again this year but we may not make it to FL , but I can hope......

The next part of this list is more long range but I still hope to do some of these things!

9. Visit New Zealand and Australia while I am still able to enjoy it--see where Lord of the Rings and Man from Snowy River were filmed.
10. Visit Ansuya and Leonie in Great Britain.
11. Visit Dana and Ron in MD and Tip, Barb and Jennie's families at the same trip.
12. Stop to see and visit with Jenni Currie in Mobile and/or see her here in CO.
13 Go to a Struble family reunion in PA
14. Go to Mexicali for dental and to have a lapband checkup and visit with Dr. Aceves and his team.

These next ones are definitely planned for this year

15. Visit my friends in Wendover, Elko, and Owyhee (also relatives).
16. Go to Laughlin and Las Vegas with Annie and Katie. Visit my friends and former students in Vegas (Francisco, Becky--Have them organize the others who are there)
17. Visit all my children--Marianne, JJ, Carla and Danny at their homes. Check, except JJ's house but did visit with them several times this year at cabin and Denver!  Plan to do it all again this year, too.
18 . Do some more watercolor painting Nope, but still plan to
19. Paint some more trays with acrylic paints. Bought the paints--I think Carla took most of the trays to do and didn't get them finished either--I might do this while I am in Casper this month.

 20. Try to make soap again but study up on it before trying. Check and it worked so well I even sold some and used the rest for gifts.  Made embroidered soap!

 21. Continue to try doing innovative new things on the embroidery machine and use more of the options on my machine. Use the tutorial to experiment.  Nope, see note about machine above.

 22. Go to a beach and spend time there with family or friends.  Still hoping to do this--Maybe Corpus Christi with Micah's family?

 23. Have a family gathering dinner or BBQ like we used to do with all the Walden relatives here at the cabin in summer or at the Wattenburg building or Soil Conservation building.  Made plans with Jane to do this around President's day and now we won't be there!

 24. Do something for charity. I need ideas possibly organize a run/walk here in North Park or some type of quilting thing or cookie bake or SOMETHING!  Hoping for some suggestions or maybe helping Kim with garage sale for Haiti orphans counts?????  Still want to do some chairitable things this year too.

 25. Take another cruise--maybe for Carla's 50th birthday?  Carla has the plans in the works!

 26. Spend a vacation in Hawaii  Still hoping....

 27. Read Paul Richard's book about North Park.  Need to get the book from the Star office!

 28. Remodel the bathroom  Still desperately needs it!

 29. Tear out the blue sweater I knitted and was too big and long armed and knit another sweater with the yarn.  I have the sweater with me to tear out--need a pattern!

 30. Knit an ear flap hat with really cool yarn like the Opal yarn I'm using to knit a pair of socks.  Bought one at Walmart.  Am knitting socks with Opal yarn and they are beautiful.  Need to finish them this year!

 

I think I will write my new list on another blog so I can review it again next January!  I think I did pretty well on this list considering all the unexpected things that happened this year!  Especially the seven weeks we spent in Denver for Bob's radiation and my malfunctioning embroidery machine!  These caused us to have a lot of unplanned adventures that were quite interesting, too.

A Winter Campfire Complete With a Sensual Treat

Our High Impact Fire

 The last night we were at the cabin for this winter, Erin and Ozzie had a "Bonfire" planned.  Ozzie had informed the kids that they had to gather wood if they wanted a fire but the snow was so deep that all our wood was covered!  He finally went to town and bought wood!  How outrageous is that when we have been working so hard to give away all our pine beetle wood! 

Brrrrrr!  Do we really have to do this?

As the afternoon wore on and the temperature kept dropping I decided we probably wouldn't have our fire.  ( I didn't know Ozzie would buy wood he was so determined to do this thing!)  We had lots of leftover chili for chili dogs and I figured we could grill them outside and it would work well.  But no!  Erin insisted that was not a bonfire.  As it began to get dark she,  Paul and Thomas went out and got the fire going on top of the burm just off of our porch. 
When all was ready, they carried out folding chairs and got the hot dogs, buns, and marshmallows out.  We realized that we had only a few graham crackers and some chocolate frosting and some homemade 1-2-3 fudge sauce (see recipe at end of this story) around for somemores.  I put the chili on the stove to heat up thinking they would not last very long outside since the temperature had dropped to 16 degrees. 

Thomas is roasting a hot dog!  Can you see beautiful Izzy behind JJ and Paul?

 About that time the grandkids insisted we all had to come out and enjoy their "High Impact Fire" with them!  We had to don the whole snowpants, boots, sweaters, gloves or mittens and scarves equipment before going outside.  JJ and I wondered if anyone had cut willow sticks to use to roast our hotdogs and marshmallows.  Of course no one had, so we got out the metal skewers from the barbeque. 

Smoke gets in your eyes!  That's JJ and Ozzie all bundled up.

We all (except Bob, who does not attend our summer fires either) assembled around the "High Impact Fire" with our BBQ skewers and hot dogs.  Erin even sat in the snow to roast her hot dog!  We had to get so close to the fire that the smoke really did a number on our eyes and I kept warning people to be careful not to melt their gloves, snowpants, or boots.  Unfortunately, Erin thought the funky smell was her hot dog roasting and melted a big hole in JJ's $45 motorcycle gloves!

Erin roasts a marshmallow and a mitten!  Paul and Izzy are in the background.

 The hot dogs tasted great.  Some of us would roast the hot dog, run inside and put chili on it sit down at the table, eat it and then go out again!

Bob's chili dog that I made for him after roasting the hot dog over the fire.

 The marshmallows were great too.  I went in and melted the 1-2-3 fudge sauce so we could dip the marshmallows in it.  Yummmm!  Then Erin remembered a friend telling her about toasting Starbursts over a campfire and she just happened to have some so she got them out!  Everyone LOVED them and we added a few new twists to the sensual experience, which has prompted me to add the recipe for them to this blog, too.  We sat around the "High Impact Fire" until we got all the wood burned up and then came inside for some card playing.

Here are the recipes for the 1-2-3 fudge sauce which can be used on ice cream and as a dipping sauce for anything your heart desires and for the Sensual Starbursts.

	1-2-3 Fudge Sauce Description: This is a really quick and easy recipe when you want hot fudge sundaes.   It is truly fudgey.   I think it is one of Pug's recipes that I have used for many years. Ingredients: 1 can evaporated milk or equivalent 1/2 & 1/2 2 C. sugar 4 Tbsp. cocoa 1 tsp. vanilla Directions: Mix sugar and cocoa.   Add milk and boil for 15 minutes.   Stir in vanilla and let cool or put over your ice cream while it is hot! Number Of Servings:1 1/2-2 C. Preparation Time:a few minutes plus boiling time

Sensual Starbursts

Ingredients and equipment: 

Several  packages of Starbursts (depends on how many people are gathered for this event)

A small bowl filled with hot 1-2-3 Fudge Sauce

Small sharp pointed sticks or skewers for roasting

Hot Coals to cook over

Procedure:

Unwrap and place a Starburst on the end of your stick.  Hold over coals and rotate gently until 1 sacrificial drop of Starburst drips into the fire (be careful not to make it 2 drips!).  Quickly take your prize over to the bowl of chocolate and dip it in to coat the Starburst.  Let cool a bit before popping it into your mouth!  Mmmmmmmm!  Be careful not to eat too soon or you'll burn your tongue!

Carla roasts the Starburst.

Then dips it in Fudge Sauce

Cooling a bit is important! Doesn't that look Sensuous?

Carla prepares for a bite of paradise!

The Moose are Loose!

Out for a morning stroll.

A few days ago, Bob and I were just getting going about 8 AM, when Bob happened to look out the back windows.  Out in the meadow behind the cabin were 2 big bull moose (meese, mooses??).  Bob ran (well, went as fast as his bad knees could go) upstairs to look at them with his binoculars and I grabbed my camera and went outside, in my sweater in 30 degree weather to snap some pictures.  Well, the snow was deep!  It was almost to my knees out by Harry's rock pile by the fence!  I got on top of the rocks for my pictures but was sure they would look like 2 black dots against a background of beautiful snow clad mountains.  They just stood there posing and watching us.  Their paddles were huge but they kind of blended into the willows in the distance behind them.  I finally came in and they hung around a little while and then wandered off into the trees.

Checking me out while I check them out!

Posing for the camera.

That afternoon I was on a cleaning kick and was really making some progress, using my new $8 Black Friday electric broom, over by the big window next to the piano.  I looked up and there were the two big bulls standing right where I had taken my pictures that morning looking in the window at me!  I couldn't believe it!  One of them had jumped the fence and was between the cabin and the rock pile!  I grabbed my camera again and took pictures right from the window.  Again, they just stood there posing with their big old paddles!

Our afternoon visitors.

He turned around on me!  Oh well look at those paddles!

The shyer one of the two.  He didn't come over the fence.

  Finally I decided to go outside and see how close I could get.  (OK, I'm not like the people with the bears up in Yellowstone, but I wanted a clearer picture.  I wasn't going to pet them or anything like that!)  They decided that was enough and wandered off back out into the meadow but stopped and turned to see if I was coming with them, which I wasn't!  I got one last shot of them as they bid us farewell.

So long, boys!

The next day we had to take the Argo over to the pickup and go into town.  I decided to put my camera in my outside pocket just in case I needed to take a picture of something.  (On our last Argo ride into the cabin we had seen a cow moose with her calf but my camera was not available!).  As we were coming out of the draw, a big moose ran out of the trees in front of us!  I pulled out the camera just in time to see 3 more big bull moose come trotting out .  I snapped a few quick pictures and then decided to take some movies of them as they ran alongside us out in the meadow.  They finally cut across in front of us and I felt great that I had gotten some great video of them.  (I have to say I was just pointing and shooting because of the bright sunshine).  When I went to show the ladies at the medical center what we had seen, we were disappointed to see that my battery had given out after about 2 seconds!  Oh well, I did get a few shots of them and here they are!  Well, one good one.

3 big bull moose running across the meadow!

Kind of blurry but then we were moving and so were they!

We are heading into the trees.  The video takes over from here!

We haven't seen any sign of moose since but my guess is that they are around!  The weather is windy and cold so they are probably in the trees somewhere.

My video taping actually did work, sort of, so I put just a short clip of it on here.  Look sharp between the trees!  I missed all of them crossing the road in front of us somehow.......  Be prepared for a bouncy view from the Argo!

Cutting Holly For Christmas

The holly is bundled and ready to take up to the tree farm to sell.

While we were in Washington we did not just sit around.  Marianne had a few things planned for us to do and then there were a few unplanned events too!   Today I want to talk about the day we cut holly.  Darcy has had this little business at Christmas time.  He and Pat go up to Lynden, WA on weekends before Christmas to help on the Christmas tree farm of a friend of theirs.  Darcy fixes up bundles of holly to sell up there.


There are two holly trees in their yard and they are very tall and covered with lovely red holly berries this time of year.

A dark picture of some of the holly in the tall trees.  Pat is cutting the branches of holly.

 We all (except Bob) went outside and helped.  Pat and Brendin got out the ladder.

Check out the roof.  You gotta love western Washington weather!  That is grass!  Meanwhile Pat and Brendin are gathering holly.

  Pat got up on the roof of the storage shed and Brendin held the ladder.  I picked up the branches of holly as Pat threw them down from up on the ladder or the roof.

I gathered up the cut holly and put it in the wheelbarrow.

  Marianne and Darcy clipped and arranged the bundles of holly to sell. 

A nice bouquet of holly for the people.

 The dogs watched from the patio!  Here are some pictures of the event.

Pat chooses the best branches from the trees.

Brendin on ladder duty.

Reaching for some branches.

"The Group" working with holly.

Marianne has a big pile of holly to work on!

"The Trip That Never Ended"

Waiting and waiting and waiting at the train station!

 Bob and I had been planning a trip to the Northwest to visit Marianne's family for Thanksgiving for months.  He had found a good deal on plane tickets to Seattle and got them probably some time in July.  We were to leave on the Monday before Thanksgiving from Denver.  As the day approached, the snows began to come and soon we were "snowed in".  No worries for us, we have the Argo that will get us out to Harvat's and they keep the road open from there!  The morning arrived.  It was snowing and blowing and we had received about 1 foot of new snow!  No problem, at 9 AM we chugged on out on the Argo and took the 4 wheel drive pick-up down the driveway where Harvats were feeding their cattle.  A bit bumpy but not bad.  By the time we got to highway 14, after driving on a sheet of ice for 8 or 10 miles, the road was patchy but drivable. 

We got to town and had to get our car from Jack's Auto Parts where they had put on new snow tires for our drive down to Denver.  Whoa! what's this?  The car is dead!  No juice at all.  Battery is dead as a doornail!  Bob's not taking any chances so he gets David to put in a new battery.  Luckily we are not quite ready to start sweating the timing for catching our flight!  It doesn't go out until 8:30 PM but with all the talk about body searches and X-rays we wanted to be there plenty early!  Finally about 11 AM we were ready to leave Walden! 

The drive from town to Gould went really well and then we hit ice again.  I figured we'd have it until we got over the top of Cameron and maybe down to Kinnekinick.  But that was not to be!  30 miles an hour all the way up and then down the Poudre until after the waterworks clear at the bottom of the canyon!  Time was now slipping away!  Fortunately the weather was gorgeous in Ft. Collins and Denver so the rest of the drive went really well.  We got to the airport and steeled ourselves for the "invasive" procedures being used at airport security.  To our surprise it was the same as ever.  We were in security for maybe 30 minutes and in that whole time I saw one man go into the X-ray booth and did not see anyone pulled out for a body search!  What a let down.  I thought everyone had to do one or the other!  I secretly hoped to be X-rayed to see if they could see my lapband.  I figured if they saw it they may have to pat me down but if they didn't it was a useless procedure since I could have had any kind of plastic hidden and it wouldn't show up!  Anyway we breezed through and were on our way. 

When we checked in they told us our flight was going to be about 1/2 hour late but that is nothing out of the ordinary.  We had made such good time through the airport we had a long wait in front of us.  We had a leisurely dinner and did some people watching and then went down to our gate.  By this time our flight had been pushed back to an hour late.  Not a problem.  I got out my Kindle and started a new book.  By the time it got to be 2 hours late, I called Marianne.  She had just walked in to her house and heard on the news that Sea-Tac  was closed.  A plane had gone off the runway and they didn't know when it would reopen.  Meanwhile the announcements on our end were not encouraging either.  For awhile we were not sure about whether they would cancel the flight or not!  Marianne called back to say the airport was open again but the highways were impassable so she got a room for us near the airport and train reservations up to Mt. Vernon for 7 AM the next morning.  Time went on and still they were pushing back the flight.  It was now tentatively set for 12:20 AM but could not leave until the tower in Sea-tac gave the go ahead!  I decided 7 AM was not going to work for the train so called to change our reservations to 6:40 PM (the only other time available).  Finally we got the go ahead and were off to Seattle. 

At 3 AM we got our luggage and headed out to get a shuttle to our hotel.  The wind was howling and there was lots of snow for Seattle!  We had to wait outside for the shuttle but finally it came and we made it to our hotel without a problem!

The next day we asked how to get to the train station in downtown Seattle.  They recommended getting a towncar for the trip since the roads were still very icy and traffic was not moving that well.  It turned out to be a 4 wheel drive SUV thank goodness with a great driver!  He avoided going on I-5 and after picking up another man at some federal building on the way to downtown we got to the train station.  This driver actually offered to drive us up to Seattle University to pick up Brendin, but he was walking and we didn't know what his route was.  Brendin had warned us NOT to go up to his school since it is on steep hills and he had seen a bus wipe out a block of parked cars as it slid down the hill!  The driver gave us a discount because we had another passenger with us so we only paid half price!!!

The historic Seattle train station.  Notice the tile floors and old benches.

The train station was a surprise!  We got there about 12:30 in the afternoon and were planning on meeting Brendin there since he was also taking the train up with us.  It was bitter cold and this station in the heart of Seattle did not even have a

the ceiling and windows are old.  I hope they preserve the character of this old building!

coffee kiosk let alone a coffee shop!  It is an historic building with restoration plans.  I took some pictures but you can not imagine what an antique place this is!
Brendin arrived and we had to walk a couple blocks in the bitter cold (I didn't even bring a hat or scarf with me!) to find somewhere to get some lunch and a nice hot coffee for me!!!!  We got back to the train station and still had several hours to kill. Bob just wanted to rest since we had such a late night so Brendin and I decided to explore a little.

The only entrance to the station which is under renovations.  Hopefully there is a coffee shop in the plans.  Notice the floor in this part of the station.

We walked up the hill a block or so and found this Japanese market.  It had a huge food court with sushi and all kinds of Japanese foods!  Too bad we didn't go that way for lunch!  The market was kind of like a Japanese Walmart with all kinds of items plus a huge grocery store.  Prices were in yen as well as USD and the selections were great!  Seaweed, octapus, all kinds of fresh produce I have no idea what was, regular grocery items with Japanese labels, Mexican foods with Japanese labels and lots and lots of rice and soy products.

This display caught our attention!

  We wandered up and down aisles just looking at all the candies and other exotic foods.  The candy especially intrigued me since when we were kids, my dad used to bring some Japanese men home for dinner from his work.  They always brought us candy made from seaweed.  I think Mom put it away and never let us eat it but we would sneak into the linen closet where it was hidden and look at it.  We spent a couple hours there looking at food, rice cookers, chopsticks,  dishes, children's toys and much, much more.  By then it was getting dark so we headed back to the train station.

Go for it Brendin!  We didn't know how many yen it cost to get a nice drink of Sweat.

 It was beginning to get crowded in the station and there weren't 3 seats together.  Several trains were getting ready to leave, but alas, they were all running late!  Very late!  Only the local Sounder from Seattle to Tacoma was still running!  Apparently, it was so cold that the switches were freezing and trains were being held up all over.  They had to dig out the switches, thaw them and then replace them.  Then the freight trains had precedence so the passenger ones had to wait! People were going up to that food court and bringing back wonderful smelling stir fry.  The train people were handing out free water and snacks sort of like airplane snacks!

Still waiting!

Finally, after watching all the other passenger trains pull out 2-3 hours late, our train (which had been sitting down at Boeing Field just a few miles from the station and still in the middle of Seattle) pulled in 2 1/2  hours late!!!!  We finally were on the train, only to find out they had sold our seats twice!  Brendin and I found seats nearby, but Bob and a nice lady we had become friends with at the station were taken to the diner--but it was full--so they found seats in a car that is kind of equivalent to first class on an airplane.

The next morning Harley and Shadow enjoy the snow in the back yard.

We pulled in to Mt. Vernon at 10:30PM and Marianne was there to pick us up.  We were home a little before 11.  Almost 24 hours after we were supposed to arrive!  A very long and exhausting trip!

The next morning in Burlington.  Snow is unusual at this time of year!

Pat's BBQ set up in the side yard.

The dogs on a snowy patio.