Dr. Doolittle

We used to call my husband Dr. Hoover.
Cause whenever someone was sick
he always had to head up the critical response team.

Well, now the kids are gone...
and I'm in Seattle...
and he's there all alone...
with the critters.

So he has become a different kind of doctor...
Dr. Doolittle.
Yes, he talks to the animals.

More than one person at church has told me
"Pastor has been around the animals too long?"

Our conversations every night have to include
a running commentary on every animal.
(Thank goodness he can't tell the difference between the chickens!)

Strider's limping today...I think he pulled something.
I massaged his shoulder.
The vet said he should be fine, keep an eye on him.

Percy got in a fight...somethings wrong with his little paw
so I'm letting him sit in my chair.

Kirra woke me up last night crying at the fence
Cause I didn't feed her enough and she was hungry.

One of the chickens is missing...
not sure where it went or how it got out.

It's like when your kids are little
and everything you have to say concerns them
and you talk baby talk most of the time
and aren't sure how to converse with adults...

Yeah, it's like that...



Hang on, Russell, I'm coming!

"The 7th Floor"

The Seattle Cancer Care Alliance
 is a busy place.
People all having something to do...
everyone going everywhere.

The first floor
is where the lab is.
Almost everyone goes there.
Some everyday...
others a couple of times a week.
Always packed.
The elevators to parking
and the upper floors are there also.

The second floor
is the restaurant
and Imaging.

Third floor
is Dental and Women's Health.

Fourth floor
is Oncology.

Fifth floor
is Infusion and Pharmacy.

Sixth floor
is where the Doctors meet with you
and where all the scheduling is done.

We spend most of our time on the fifth floor
and the sixth floor.

But then there's another floor...
a secret floor...
where none of the patients get to go.
You have to have a special card
hanging around your neck
that you swipe to get there.
And no one even knows what it looks like
cause, of course, everyone thats left
gets off on the 6th floor.

The people that swipe
their special little secret card...
never seem to smile...
never converse.
They swipe their smug little card
and stand in the corner, alone, in the dark...

One young guy
I see everywhere,
on almost every floor,
carrying a backpack
filled with "who knows what"
always going to the 7th floor.

What's going on up on the 7th floor?
Are they doing secret experiments?
Maybe they're having a big party up there
that they don't want anyone to know about.
And what's in that little black bag
that has to be delivered to the 7th floor?
Maybe it's CUPCAKES!!!
for the party they're having...
maybe it's blood
for the creepy experiments they're doing.

I must know these things.

One time when Russell and I were in France.
We went to Mont St. Michel.
We were touring the monastery
when a guy comes out of a rickety old wooden door
closes it...and walks off.
What was behind that door?
I had to know!
So, we looked around to make sure no one was watching us...
and went in the door.
Around and around and around
this spiral staircase
all the way up to the roof of the monastery.
We took pics and sat up there for awhile
overlooking the sea and the town of Mont St. Michel.
It was very memorable and one of the funnest
parts of our trip.

Now, I doubt knowing what's on the 7th floor
will be very memorable OR fun.
And I'm sure they're doing something
very boring, yet life saving...
but I can't stand not knowing...
it eats away at me...
it invades my dreams...
it...
okay, enough of the psychotic ramblings.
Maybe I'll just ask someone...
(borrrriiinggg)
or maybe...
when someone's on the elevator
going to the seventh floor...
I'll just stay on
and say I'm waiting for it to go 'round the bend.

And then if I see people wearing lampshades
and eating cupcakes...
I'll know they're having a party.
Or if I get met at the door
by a three headed dog...
I'll know they're doing
creepy experiments.

But I'll know...
and that's the point!

Wallingford

Monday is Laura's Birthday
so I went to a cupcake shop
that I saw on Yelp.

Lots of good reviews...
Plus the lady that started it
was on the Martha Stewart Show.
So I decided to get cupcakes
for Laura's Birthday.

It was in a neighborhood of Seattle
called Wallingford.

I always get a little anxious
going to new neighborhoods
in Seattle...
cause I never know what to expect,
(as in the case of Broadway!)
and if there's gonna be tons of traffic
or anywhere to park.

Turns out
Wallingford is this super cute
older neighborhood.
Lots of beautiful older homes and buildings.

Trophy Cupcakes was situated
in an old school house
that they remodeled into an indoor shopping mall.
WITH tons of parking!
(that's a biggie)

I kinda wanted to get one of every cupcake
(cause I'm not great at making decisions...
especially involving chocolate)
But wound up getting six:
Double Choclate, Chocolate Vanilla,
Red Velvet, Salted Caramel Chocolate
Peanut Butter Chocolate, and Very Vanilla.
(I got the Vanilla one cause I felt guilty getting all Chocolate)

Can't wait to go back to Wallingford just to browse
all the storefronts and cute stores and restaurants.

Assumptions

Never assume anything
while driving around Seattle.



Never assume the blocks are square.
If you take a wrong turn...
don't assume you can just turn
at the next block
and come back around again...
cause you would be wrong.
Where you might end up, though
is on the other side of town
before you can find a way to get back.
This does make for interesting experiences, though.
Yeah, I've pretty much had my fill of interesting experiences!

Never assume that as long as you go somewhere
before 3 you won't have to worry about traffic.
Cause you would be wrong.
I seriously think there are a million people
just wandering around in their cars
trying to make life miserable for everyone else.
...and they do...

Never assume people will smile and thank you
for letting them go first...
even though they broke every law in the book
to get in front of you and you didn't HAVE to let them in.
Not only will they not smile and thank you...
They'll probably cuss you out and tell you you're number 1.
(If you don't know what that means...ask Kevin Johnson...I learned it from him)

Never assume that the bus drivers
drive safely...
or even have a driver's license for that matter.
They go anywhere and everywhere
they want to go...
...cause they're BIGGER.

Case in point:




















Never, and this one's a biggie...
NEVER assume the freeway
is faster.
The only advantage is
you're not turning so you don't
have to use your steering wheel.
Unfortunately, you're also not moving.

And if you're a good Christian girl...
you won't be after spending a few hours
in Seattle traffic!
Just sayin'...

Someone's Child

I went shopping yesterday at Safeway.
As I got in line with my overly priced items...
I noticed this guy in front of me
with major issues to say the least.

He was dirty, had greasy hair,
filthy clothes and was super fidgety.
Absolutely could not stand still for the the life of him.
Obviously wasted on something.

So, I kept my distance
and really didn't want to look at him
any more than necessary.
Certainly didn't want to get too close.

But something inside of me
(probably the Holy Spirit)
made me look at him.
As I looked to see who was behind
all that mess...
He turned and looked directly in my eyes
and smiled uncertainly 
and my heart smote me...
And in that swift moment of time
I could see someone's little boy
who has wandered too far.
And maybe they cry for him every night.
And pray that God will send someone to help him.
And here I stand in my smug certainty
not wanting to get too close.
And God broke my heart...
Cause I'm that person...
I'm the one with the answer.
That's the only reason I'm not standing where he is.

He walked off...
I paid for my stuff
with a lump in my throat
Not even able to talk to the cashier.

When I got outside I looked for him...
to give him a tract...to talk to him
who a moment ago I didn't even want to look at.
Nowhere in sight...my heart fell.
Lord, why did you show me him...
why did you allow all this to happen in my heart
if you weren't gonna give me a chance to tell him?

But then I realized He wanted to break my heart
and not give me an opportunity to make it right...
so that next time, I'd remember
the person who was someone's child.

I don't need to worry about this young man.
God is faithful...even when I'm not.
He will bring someone to him
to give him the answer.

Pastor Andres once said...
"God's boat sails whether
or not I get on. It's up to me
if I want to help sail."

Keep breaking my  heart, Lord...
and let me help sail!

Reality?

We've never had TV stations much since we've been married.

So imagine my surprise when I get to Seattle
and see the myriad of offerings on the boob tube!

What is really perplexing to me is the reality programs.
Almost EVERYTHING is a reality program.

Why would you want to watch other people's lives?

OK, I can see it if it's about a smokejumper...
or a spy...
or a mountain climber...

But watching rednecks wander around
and do whatever it is they do?
Do I seriously have nothing better to do?

Amish Mafia...really?
I didn't even know there was such a thing

 I thought they were a peaceful people...

Did you know there's a show called, "I Didn't Know I was Pregnant!"
OK, outside of the totally uninspired name...
Are there such people?
You don't think the big belly in the front would be a huge giveaway?
Not to mention barfing, excessive weight gain, inconceivable cravings
and abrupt chest expansion.
Surprisingly enough, there ARE women like this.
They go into the bathroom...
And come out with a baby!
I've watched more of these than I care to admit.
Most of the time...with my mouth open in bewilderment!

Prison Wives

(Are they wives in prison...or are their husbands in prison. These are questions that demand answers.)


Teen Moms
Funeral Boss
(Do I want to know what they do to Granny to get her ready for the grave? I think not)
Lizard Lick Towing
(Totally don't even want to know)
Untold Stories of the ER
(OK, now this is kinda good in a freak show kinda way...)
Oh...and now there's one on taxidermy.

Now I will say I haven't watched almost all of these.
The idea of most of them just doesn't appeal to me.

But I think I could make up some of these programs and make a ton of money!

Day Care Mafia
(Don't Laugh...I've seen some of these kids! I might have even had one or two)
I Didn't Know You Were Pregnant
(This would be about that horrible moment when you realize the person you congratulated is NOT pregnant!)
Preachers' Wives
(Follow some of us around for awhile. You'll be hittin' the altar before the program's over)
Old Moms
(My mom had my sister when she was 39 and let me tell you...it's a whole different animal than
when my brothers and I were little!)
Mourner Boss
(This could be good! A person with a crew of people crashes funerals and mourns with the unfortunate. You know, kinda like they did in Bible times)
Untold Stories of the Bathroom
(Use your imagination)
Trash Truck Tales
(I've dumpster dove before...this could be a hit!)

What does this say about us as a people?
We would rather watch someone else's boring life than live our own?
...sad...

Ooohh...gotta go...
a new episode of Untold Stories of the ER is on!

Rebellion

My husband left me today.

Now before you get the rumour mill going...

I'm in Seattle
and he's in Montana...
for the time being.

He was visiting me here in Seattle
for our 30th Anniversary.
Yep...our oldest kid is 29.
That's proof we've been married that long.

We had a great time...
going out to dinner...
going out to lunch...
going to the museum...

But today...
he had to leave.
After all, he's got a sermon to preach tomorrow.
People to minister to...
besides me, that is.
Go figure.

So I'm rebelling today...
Not gonna shower...
got my hair in a ponytail...
wearing a T-shirt with holes in it...
Watching a Matlock Marathon...

Yep...I'm pushing the boundaries today!

Then later when I feel better
I'll get right...

 And Redeem the Time...

 The Ballard Locks

Seattle Museum

  The First Starbucks Sign

 And of course, the waterfront!