Lake and Baba have been fast friends since the day they met about a week into Lake’s life sojourn.

Fast forward two and a half happy golden years…

Now Baba just had a big birthday and Lake was so excited to wish him a happy birthday. Right up until the moment he was on the telephone with Baba or there in person visiting with Baba he was joyously singing “Happy Birthday to you!” He enthusiastically sang and congratulated Baba in private with me, then he would completely clam up when in the presence of Baba. Not a single birthday wish escaped explicitly from Lake’s lips.

They had a great time together in spite of the unspoken congratulations. Lake cherishes his time with Baba and he is so blessed to have living, devoted, and involved grandparents! We all are! We recently spent a gem of a day together at Ruby Beach in celebration. We love you, Baba! So glad you’re alive… a perfect day, we’re glad we spent it with you.

The answer was “yes,” and the response was a resounding “yea!” We went to the beach, although a couple of courageous and playful visitors from Russia did go in the beach swimming! Altogether, it was a beautiful Veterans’ Day at Ruby Beach on Washington’s wild Pacific Coast. It’s a special treat to share the majesty of the Olympic National Park, mama’s homelands, with Lake and the folks who made it so: Nana and Baba!

Ending with sunset soccer at Kalaloch. A perfect day! I’m glad I spent it with you in the beach!

One of Lake’s favorite expressions is Mama Do Yoga! Sometimes it’s a sweet question, “mama do yo’ga?” Sometimes it’s a cry of joy, “mama do yoga!” Often it’s accompanied by a strategic plan of something Lake wants. It’s a kind of gift he’s offering me, “yoga?” as a lure, yet also with an ulterior motive. “Lake look at pic’tures and mama do yoga!…(?)” He looks at me beseechingly with his beguiling and crafty innocence. It usually works. He’s got my number! (and then he’s also got my cell phone! … requisitioned for the purpose of looking at the photo album). It’s true: Mama loves yoga! And Lake loves looking at pictures!

Thanks for being my yoga champion, Lake! For your price of admission, I’m getting a great deal. I seize any opportunity to yoga with you. And here we are with Nana and Baba at Kalaloch beach. A perfect day, I’m glad I spent it with you!

The Northwest Trail Runs Ravenna Refresher Trail Run was this morning. We joined the race and given distances of 4, 8, and 12k, we opted for the 4k! Lake’s first trail race! It was super fun and super relaxed. We were happy to see our friend Lisa Hall there with her family. Thank you Lisa for introducing us to the Winter Trail Series. It is indeed a great way to stay active in the cold, dark months so we’re fit and ready when the Bloomsday’s of our early spring Bloomsday Tradition and bikini season suddenly arrive! Run for joy and be forever bikini ready!

Before basking in the warmth of the winter morning sunshine, then racing the ravine during…

and afterwards… a Family Of Finishers!

Our Ravenna Refresher was rather refreshing. We enjoyed exceptionally beautiful weather and the trails weren’t too muddy for the stroller to pass easily. We felt the 4K was plenty and took our victory lap over to the University District Farmers Market for a championship Tandoozy feast… followed by a nap! A perfect day, I’m glad I spent it with you for your first Trail Run!

Lake has been practicing his “yoga ballet!” ever since I mentioned to Lake we are going to see the Nutcracker together this year.

Yoga ballet is a combination of yoga asanas (postures) performed jubilantly whilst repeatedly enthusing Yoga Ballet! The popular place for engaging in yoga ballet is in our pajama lounge. The popular costume for the yoga ballet is our new Hanna Andersson gnome holiday pajamas. Lake invented yoga ballet after I showed him the George Balanchine Nutcracker brochure and explained we were going to go see the Pacific Northwest Ballet company annual performance with Nana.

He’s thrilled!

One advantage of the end of Daylight Savings is we got up early enough to make it to the Woodland Park Zoo before the winter hours (9:30 am to 4 pm) early closing time. The last few weekends we’ve tried to no avail and last Sunday we ended up going to The Locks since they have a generous closing time of 9pm. This time Michael gave us a turbo boost by dropping us off at the zoo before 10 am on his way to work.

This zoo excursion brought so many animals: Lake got to feed the penguins (Twing Twings)! We rode the carousel (horsies) three times. The operator really got to know us and I think by the third visit she even forgave us for running inside through the open exit gate (twice) while she was clearing the last group before opening it up for the line of new riders. Lake likes the Colobus Monkeys, the Gorillas (go-Lillas) especially the toddler Yola (Lola) , the Andean Cock-a-Rock (Baby octopus), tiger, snow leopard, jaguar, bears [brown and sloth], mountain goats, eagles, otters [small clawed and river], [red ruffed] Lemurs. We also saw a few animals that Lake enjoyed even without naming them: wallaroos, ostriches, elk and wolves. Somehow is didn’t rain on us even though the clouds were threatening all day.

We mean to drop off our old mobile phone next visit.

It’s always a new day at the zoo! A perfect day, I’m glad I spent it with you!

Seattle is somewhat unique for having locks and it’s always an eventful place to visit full of action even on a grey rainy off-season afternoon. Since missing the closing of the zoo last weekend by just a few crucial minutes we kept on the 44 bus nearly “to the end of the line” and walked one short block to The Locks. We were rewarded there with working boats and with a real deal seal show. We saw no spawning salmon climbing the fish ladder, but we saw at least three very well fed (read huge) self-satisfied seals doing flips and turns in the spillway. Seals! combined with Sailboats! and our visit to the locks make it a perfect day!

We revisited The tableau from Halloween 2017 when Jo lived with us as our au pair. Jo was dressed up as a cat and Lake dressed as a pony last year. So sweet! Now Luisa is our wonderful au pair and Jo is back visiting for ten days. It’s lovely. Lake and Jo are very happy to be reunited together again. Also Luisa and Jo are having a good time together. And we have a revival of the Au Pair Halloween costume party! The cat returns* for Halloween 2018!

*The Cat Returns is also a reference to the Studio Gibli film which is Lake’s all time favorite film. (He’s seen two so far.) He does ask to watch it anytime it looks likely: Daddy is nearby and the laptop or projector is visible, or when he’s just simply feeling optimistic/hopeful. He would like to “push the Button and watch the Cat DeTorns. Eat PopTorn, eat Ap-ples.”

Three resident cats. Two German au pairs. One Halloween. A perfect day for Lake!

Ranch Bravo’s $2 taco Tuesday on “the Ave” (4241 University Way)… one of Seattle’s best kept secrets? My colleague friend and I stumbled upon their (unadvertised?!) special a few weeks ago. It was already hands down my favorite street food for the past decade. Now I try to make it a revolving lunchtime tradition. Anyone interested in joining? Tuesdays, of course!

Soon after we bought our current house we started dreaming of a dog and discussing which dog to look for. Michael immediately began researching on the American Kennel Club website and we both quickly agreed on the Newfoundland breed. Everything clicked for us. The heroism the massive presence, the heart of gold, the gentle nature. The biggest, the quietest, and uniquely attentive to children. Not a guard dog per sae, but a guardian dog, and certainly a protective entity by pure mass.

At that point we were confident we would be found by our new Newfoundland. We put ourselves on the Seattle Purebred Dog Rescue list and completed our interview for the Newfoundland breed, and we joined the Newfoundland Club of Seattle. We went to a few Club events and when no rescue was forthcoming in the first year, Michael researched Newfoundland puppies and initiated contact with a spreadsheet full of regional breeders. Still, no dog found our home.

Then, we got to know Karen Rupert at Nolte State Park at another Club event six weeks ago. She and her husband Mark are steeped in Newfoundland culture. They currently have three Newfoundlands (Langley the black male, Piper the two year old black female, and Brinkley the Landseer), one comparatively small St. Bernard Xusie, and a pony. She offered us to come visit to get a close up view of life with Newfs. We came and witnessed their grooming station and ADA (aka Newfoundland) accessible floorplan. We had a great time. They offered to loan us one of their Newfs. All their dogs are lovely; making choosing perhaps difficult, except not for us. We chose Langley, the seven year old 150 pound retired Grand Champion. He is some dog!

The weekend arrived. I was worried they were going to change their minds. Then, they arrived promptly at 9 am. Langley was in good spirits exceedingly well-mannered, and freshly washed and blow dried. I’ve never smelled a better smelling dog.

They entrusted him to us for the overnight. It was a dream come true. Yes, there was a lot of hair and slobber but not as much as I was braced for. And he was here with us in our home. I was happier than I could ever have imagined.

Langley, for his part, was affable fellow, up for the adventure. He and Lake got along swimmingly. It helped Lake to see how much other people loved meeting him and always were wanting to pet him. We went to the Farmers Market to Ravenna Park and walked our neighborhood. We simply enjoyed listening to Langley moving around the house from place to place between resting. We practiced doga (dog yoga) we fell asleep to the relaxing sound of him snoring at nighttime.

When Karen and Mark picked up Langley on Sunday afternoon and they said goodbye, the house felt empty. Lake felt it too. He said, “want big dog in our home. Want Langley in our home.” Well, sweetheart, it sounds like he will get to come visit again soon for longer even, a whole week! Hosting Langley was a special experience. Everything was better with Langley in the picture. A perfect 27.5 hours… I’m glad I spent it with you!

A huge note of appreciation towards Karen and Mark Rupert for the exquisite care they provide Langley and their other animals day-in and day-out since 12 weeks old.