It is clearly the harvest season and every one is pumpkin patching for photo ops, sun, fun or food. We were generously invited to visit with Karen and Mark Rupert of Newfoundland Club of Seattle fame. Not only do they have four gigantic dogs but also four gigantic apple trees and an invitation to pick to our hearts’ content. I couldn’t have been happier! Unlimited pounds of big dog love and apples! Lake was slowly warming and thrilling to the big dog prospects. As we all munched on our fresh picked apples during the drive home Lake said, “want a Newfoundland at our home.” That’s a strong endorsement! We hope to share more Newfoundland adventures with you again soon!

A perfect day… I’m glad I spent it with you! (Shown above: Michael and Langley!)

We’re celebrating three years of marriage today! Three full years with many changes and adventures. We manifested Lake and that is the true miracle. We are continuing to learn, grow, forgive, and love one another. Seattle keeps changing and so do we. The restaurant where we had our first date, Rain Sushi, is no longer in existence. It later morphed into a Japanese restaurant which we occasioned to frequent for nostalgia. We thought of going there tonight, however it’s been newly minted Kokkaku, a steak house, and with, Michael vegetarian, it wasn’t the right fit. So we went out to the lovely Nishino in Madison Park while the good angel Tom Yuoderian and Lake played at home. Feeling blessed with a perfect anniversary day! I’m glad to spending life with you my dear husband and friend, Michael! And Lake is the all-out bonus!

Bedtimes with Lake have generally always been special bonding time together between us. First with cuddling and breastfeeding, and then beginning last month (September 6th officially marked end of breastfeeding era) exclusively with cuddling and lullabies. He would invariably request Baby Boats. I grew up on Baby Boats and it turned out Baby Boats is most certainly his jam, too. Sometimes he would sprinkle in requests for: “Twinkle Twinkle Little Dar,” but it was often a red herring for his true special request of the one and only Baby Boats.

This weekend we’ve had a complete upset. His new favorite is the ABC song! Newly minted “Lake Bake” is coming in a close second. Lake Bake is a song I made up Friday night. It is set to the tune of Frère Jacques and goes like this:

I love my Lake Bake

I love my Lake Bake

Yes, I do.

Yes, I do.

I love Lake Bake so very much.

I love Lake Bake so very much

Ding Ding Dong

Ding Ding Dong

He loves it. Tonight as he went to sleep I heard strains of him singing “…Din Din Dong.” I had just completed singing five ABCs, and about 12 rounds of Lake Bake, tucked him in and then left the room (…with “Big Door Open,” meaning the door is open wide, versus “Door Closed” or “Little Door Open”, ie open just a crack).

Also between Friday evening and Sunday evening his grasp of the alphabet expanded notably. Saturday was ABCC CCC. Today was nearly doubling his vocabulary at ABCDE8. He’s running strong!

Lake is pictured here running Saturday evening at Discovery Park (Christened “Big Daddy Tom Park”).

My grandmother Ruth Mary taught me many things. Darning was one of those tangible and special gifts that happens to be unique and practical too.

There was an evolution to our apprenticeship. First she would be seen in the background darning. Then I would ask her to darn my things. Then she taught me. Then she would ask me to thread the needle. Then I’m alone darning. Then Lake is there… and then once again I’m darning and Lake is hanging around watching. Along with her style and love of a good bargain hunt, I have inherited my grandmother’s sewing basket, needles, and thimbles. Also I’ve inherited many of her cashmere sweaters and fur jackets that actually require the loving upkeep of darning and sewing maintenance. As I explained to Lake this morning: you really need to love an item to mend it. Especially in our high turnover planned obsolescence consumer culture. Then through the handcrafted repair process it becomes even more special and unique. Therein melds communion with my grandmother over experiencing this shared moment across time.

A perfect day… I’m glad I spent it with you… darning!