Friends in Seattle

One of the neatest thing about my recent trip to Seattle was that I got to see several friends. Here are the highlights:

On Friday night, we went out to a cool bar called "the Ram." Pat got to meet up with his buddy Raul who used to coach at Long Beach State but has recently moved on to the University of Washington. There were lots of track coaches hanging about, talking fervently about who might or might not run very fast the next day. Blah, blah, blah...

Meanwhile, Audra and I enjoyed very large beers and had our own entertaining conversations. Audra is Raul's girlfriend, and she worked with me in Long Beach at the Girl Scouts.

On Saturday, I got to catch up with some longtime friends, David Ing and Tom Andringa. They both worked with Pat and I in Yellowstone, so many years ago. Tom was my roommate one summer but I am not sure I have seen him since. It was so much fun to catch up with him. The crazy part is that he has applied to work in Yellowstone again this summer, after many years away. I can't wait to hear his stories...

And it was awesome to see David Ing again. As many of you know, David holds a special place in our hearts because David was the officiant at our wedding. He did a magnificent job and has since gone on to perform several more wedding ceremonies. We don't get to see him nearly enough.

NEXT UP: The sights of Seattle

Around San Pedro

Last weekend, Pat and I headed over to San Pedro (pronounced San Pee Dro) which is the next city West of Long Beach on the water. However, the two cities are separated by both the Port of Long Beach and the Port of LA. Unfortunately, I was driving so I couldn't take any pictures of that area. It was so industrial and wasted. Now, I know why the cancer incidence rate is so high in my neighborhood.

First, we stopped at Cabrillo Beach to check out the Point Fermin Tide Pools. We didn't see anything too interesting but it was pretty.

This is the view to the West from the tide pools.

Then we began the quest to see the Point Fermin Lighthouse, the only remaining wooden light house in the world. At first, we thought it was this lighthouse out near the breakwater. However, there was no way to reach it. I kept insisting that couldn't be it because the guidebook said there were tours but didn't mention a necessary boat ride. I put a lot of stock in guidebooks. When we got back to the car, we looked at map and realized we were well South of the lighthouse's location.

We drove three miles north, and, low and behold, there was the Point Fermin Lighthouse, right beside the road. We just missed the tour so we had to be content with just walked around it.

I didn't think it was very "lighthousy." In my mind, I was envisioning a tall, round standard-type lighthouse. Oh, well...

Then we headed uphill about a mile to visit the Korean-American friendship bell which was presented to the US in 1976 to honor Americans who fought in the Korean War and to symbolize friendship between the two nations.

On the way home, we stopped at Ports O' Call, the touristy waterfront village where many cruise ships port. However, my camera battery gave out so there are no pictures.

Next Up: Seattle

BLISS!!!!

STEELERS WIN!!!!!

Wow! What a game! Yesterday, watching the game, I thought I might just have a heart attack. It is amazing how ramped up one can become watching a big game. I was totally freaking out in the fourth quarter when that evil Kurt Warner was marching down the field. But, in the end, all was well.

So, my plan for the next nine months or so (until October) is to wear my Phillies and Steelers gear as much as possible. Because, I am pretty sure that it will never be this good again!

Super Year or Super Jinx?

As a sports fan, baseball was my first love. I became a Philadelphia Phillies fan back in 1979, and my claim to fan fame is that I was present to watch the Phillies beat the Astros in game five of the National League Championship Series in 1980 to advance to the World Series. The Phils then beat the Kansas City Royals to win the World Series. Except for a brief period in the early 1990s, the years have been pretty lean for Phillies fans since then. So, you can imagine my delight, when, this year, they won the World Series!

And, now, my dreams could come true: My beloved Steelers play for the NFL Championship this weekend! Imagine a world in which the Phillies and my beloved Steelers are both World Champions! I would be giddy. It would be a Super Year! However, there is the possibility that it could be a Super Jinx, rather than a Super Year. What, exactly, is a Super Jinx? A Super Jinx is when a person negates the possibility of an event occurring by mentioning it out loud prematurely. So, by even touching this subject in my blog, I risk a Super Jinx. Luckily, there is also what we term an "Anti-Jinx." An Anti-Jinx is when the likely hood of an event happening is increased by a person opining that it will probably not occur. For example, I don' t think the Steelers can win the game this Sunday. My favorite player, Hines Ward, (who I rooted for way back at his University of Georgia days) is injured, and I just don't think they can win the game without his heroics (he plans on playing but won't be 100 percent). My pick: Cardinals by 10. Come on, Anti-Jinx!

A Day at the Zoo

Last weekend, we went to the Los Angeles Zoo. I'm not big on zoos--I find it somewhat depressing to see animals in captivity. I try to tell myself that many of them have been rescued or couldn't live in the wild but I still feel bad. But, we had free passes, and it seemed like a good way to enjoy another beautiful day.

The gorillas drew a good crowd.

And they look so tough!

And the tigers were fun to watch.

This zebra was very happy to see us!

And Giraffes are apparently very tall. This one's head was only a few feet away.

Camels are definitely one of the world's funnier looking creatures.

Pat is so cooperative--I always make him stand in front of something silly. This time it is flamingos.

Koalas are so cute and cuddly, but, like polar bears, the are mean as all get-out. Apparently,

Koalas rarely move so we were excited to see this one walk from one tree...

to another where he (or she, perhaps) immediately started munching again.

This sheep made for a good pic.

This is what I discovered at the zoo: people watching is far more interesting that checking out the animals. I couldn't help staring at all the LA denizens. The place was filled with pubescent boys dressed like the Jonas Brothers and eight-year-old girls in Uggs and four-hundred dollar a pair jeans. Not to mention the moms with Coach bags, silicone boobs and Bo-Tox foreheads. I was so amused by this guy's dye job that I had to share it with you. Do you think he did it just for the zoo?

Games, Games, Games

Now, I remember one of the things people in cold climates do to entertain themselves during the winter months: play games. I didn't seem to take many Christmasy pictures but I have plenty of us doing silly things because of these games.

I have a special fondness for any game that makes my husband look silly, and Cranium Jr. didn't disappoint. I think Pat had to find something that would fit around his head during this game with his family.

He had to push something with his nose for this task.

Kerrie, Brian and Timmy had to balance a cube on their noses for this one.

Then Kerrie and Brian had to stack cubes into a tower while intertwined.

After all the games, we were very tired.

Our nephew on my side got Apples to Apples for Christmas, and my extended family played before our annual gift exchange. Here my cousin, Lara, explains the rules to us, since we had never played.

I highly recommend Apples to Apples, it is really fun! However, there isn't much logic to being the winner which is hard for competitive people to accept.

Beth, my sister in law, on the right, won the game easily, by asserting that "THE IRS" best represented the word "patriotic" and other nonsense.

Next Post: More Southern California Outings

Winter Here and There

When we left California on December 23rd, it was about 60. When we arrived in Rhode Island, it was 28 degrees, and both Pat and I thought we might perish from the cold.

However, we were very excited to go sledding with our nephew! Here are Pat and Timmy on the backyard slope.

We discovered that we aren't as good at sledding as we used to be!

Really--it wasn't my fault. The "snowboard" I was riding was defective.

Not surprisingly, the sledding turned into an epic snowball battle. My conclusion: I am old--I felt totally beat up afterwards.

When we got to PA, all the snow had melted (it rained) but the weather was once again very cold. Even so, we decided we needed to get some fresh air. We headed to Wildwood Lake where my mom volunteers at the Nature Center for a three mile walk. It was about 20 degrees and the wind was howling.

I thought even the geese looked cold.

Pat and I were so cold, we yelled "hurry up, hurry up" while my mom took this picture.

We were so happy to get back to the mild California winter that we went hiking our second day back. Interestingly, it still looks like fall here. Notice Pat's shorts.


And here is a picture from the apex of our hike. No snow, barren trees or howling wind. God bless California!

The Over-Under on Holiday Travel

"Keeping up with Katie" will be on temporary respite while Pat and I head to the East Coast to join our families for the holidays.

On December 23rd, we fly to Providence, RI by way of Cleveland, OH. Now, I've been keeping tabs on airport conditions around the US, and I must say that I don't think it looks good for us. First, we have the airplane that careened off the runway in Denver. Continental Airlines. Well, at least we aren't flying THEM. Oh, wait, we are! And last night, the news channels were over at LAX interviewing all the travelers going to Portland, OR and Seattle, WA who had been stuck in the airport for two days. At least we aren't flying out of THAT airport. Oh, wait, we are! Well, at least the weather is always perfect in Southern California. Oh, wait, it isn't! It has been raining at lower elevations and snowing relentlessly at higher elevations for days. So, amidst all this chaos, what are the chances that Pat and I will be snug at his parent's house tomorrow by 10 p.m. EST?

If somehow, we make it to Rhode Island, there is plenty of opportunity for travel disruptions on the return trip, from Harrisburg back to LAX with a stop in Newark on New Year's Day. I just hope our pilots don't celebrate too much the night before! And, of course, I think it is probably too much to ask that spring come sometime between Christmas Day and New Year's Day. So, there might still be some weather lurking...

I'm approaching this trip with my usual sense of adventure, and all the necessities of airline travel: lots of food, a 1,000 page book, Jelly Belly's, and, of course, my camera. If anything goes horribly awry, perhaps I can take consolation in the fact that my plight is Blog Worthy. And, of course, I'll have plenty of cash on hand, just in case we are forced to take refuge in an airport bar.

Happy Holidays, everyone! Hopefully, I will have lots of posting to do after the New Year.

Belmont Shore Holiday Parade

It isn't officially the holiday season until one has gone to a parade--that is what I always say! So, last Saturday, Pat and I went to the Belmont Shore Holiday parade. Belmont Shore is one of the many cool little distinct neighbors in Long Beach. It is lined with independent shops and great restaurants, and we usually take the bus the two miles down the coast to hang out there.

I think anyone could be in the parade if they paid the $400 entry fee. The employees of our local newspaper did a little routine where they spelled out Press Telegram. Not bad.

We thought this girl who twirled a flaming baton was pretty cool.

And we liked her even more when we realized that she was sponsored by one of the Girl Scout troops I oversee!

Of course, there were marching bands. Here is Long Beach Poly--which always has one of the best high school sports programs in the nation. Is band a sport?

Speaking of Best in the Nation, here is the Long Beach Parks and Rec. float. When I worked for the City of Fort Worth Parks and Rec., the LBPR beat us out for this national honor.

The Long Beach State president was the Parade Marshal.

The students on the float behind him looked like they were having a very good time.

This float was decorated like the Queen Mary--smoke even poured from the stacks. Pretty cool.

I got a little bored and started taking silly pictures of us.

It wouldn't be a parade without fire trucks.


After the parade, we had to find the temporary bus stop to get back home. Here is Pat waiting for the bus.