17 Candles, 16 Friends

Note: not all guests are pictured here.

We celebrated C's birthday on Memorial Day. The party was held at his friend Dawson's house since the guest list was so large. D's house is very spacious and has much better parking availability than our house. There were 16 teens at the party including C.

We brought in BBQ from Carolina Smoke. They were closed on Memorial Day so we had to purchase the food on Sunday and warm it up on Monday It was pulled pork and beef brisket. The brisket disappeared pretty fast. We also had potato salad and coleslaw from Carolina Smoke. I made a fruit salad. We brought soda and flavoured sparkling water. We got an ice cream cake from Dairy Queen. I wanted to get a large cake from Costco but they were closed on Monday as well. We would've save some money if the party wasn't on Memorial Day!

C wanted to do blind taste tests with his friends. The first one was chicken sandwiches. A picked them up from KFC, McDonalds, Ezelle's, and Chick Fil A. 

Six of the ten boys did that taste test. Here they are blind folded ready for a sample.

A secretary wrote down their guesses.  The second taste test was water. The girls did this one. No blind folds needed. The boys brought them cups of the various waters: tap, Costco bottled water, Arrowhead spring water, Fuji water and Disani. The girls did very well and most guessed correctly.

We were impressed with the girl whose answers went against the trend. C had intended to do a fries taste test but the kids were hungry at this point so we served the food.

This was the first party of C's where girls were in attendance.

Cake time.

After the cake was served and we did some clean up, J and I left. This was about 6:30 pm.

C was about to open his gifts when we left. The gift bags were funny including ones for baby girl and baby boy and Father's Day. The gifts were mainly gag gifts. One was a t shirt that reads Best Grandpa Ever. He wore that to school the day after.

That's D, the host, next to C.

The party was concluded at about 9 pm since it was a school night. A mishap meant that J had to go back to give a car key to C. Other than that, everything went very well.

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Ascend Prime Anniversary Dinner

We celebrated our 24th wedding anniversary by going to Ascend Prime Steak and Sushi in Bellevue. The restaurant is located on the 31st floor of an office tower in downtown Bellevue.

The view was amazing. We were there during sunset and the skies were pretty clear.

The clientele was a bit strange. J was expecting an older crowd. There were three young Chinese couples. The young ladies were taking selfies most of the time. One of the young men was dressed in a sweatshirt and sweatpants. The service was top notch. We had more than one waiter. We enjoyed chatting with the younger one. 

J had a hamburger and I had salmon. The steak sizes were quite large and the prices were very high. 

My dessert was served with dry ice which was fun and dramatic. 

I have a video of the dry ice but it needs a bit of editing in order to share it. 

Will we go back? I'm not sure. I really loved the view. I wonder if they would allow you to just have dessert?

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This Family Knows How to (Tea) Party

J and I planned and successfully executed an afternoon tea party for moms of Boy Scouts. I think we started planning back in March.

We had several goals for this event. One: for the moms to have a chance to get to know one another. Two: for the scouts to learn how to prepare and serve food and tea. A third motive might have been to demonstrate what an afternoon tea looks like.

We had ten moms and scouts including me and my son. We had one last minute drop out due to sickness and one last minute addition. J and the Scoutmaster were hoping for a larger turn out but I was happy with the size of the group.

I began collecting tea cups back in March. I went to an estate sale where I found about 6. Our photo backdrop was borrowed from C's high school. The event was held at the church were scout meetings are held.  I borrowed four tea pots from friends. The rest were in my collection or were bought recently from thrift stores. I also borrowed a plate stand from a friend. The church where the event was held has some 3 tier plates which we were able to use.

The food was:

- scones baked (using a mix) by the scouts, with jam and Devonshire cream

- cucumber sandwiches made by the scouts

- salmon salad sandwiches prepared by the scouts (I made the mix beforehand)

- cream puff and mini eclairs (purchased)

- macaroons (purchased)

- lemon bars which I made

- cut fruit: pineapple, strawberries, grapes, and blueberries.

We had tea donated by a mom who works for a non-profit tea company. We were able to offer lots of choices. 

The Scouts took orders for tea from their moms using a notepad and paper.

When the moms arrived they were escorted to the table by their son (or sons). 

The table decorations. The church supplied the white table cloths. We used two tables with five moms at each table. I brought 2 of my vintage table cloths to add some colour. The centrepieces were designed by me. Inside the apothecary jars are roses made of paper. 

I did calligraphy on the name cards.

We used paper plates that look like china plates. 

I glued one get to know you question on the back of each name card. I also printed out more questions and they were scattered on the table. I do know that some of the questions were used at my table. My table was was a quieter one with no moms knowing each other before the event. 

The get to know you questions were:

Who at your table has the oldest child?

Who at your table has the youngest child?

Who at your table has two or more Boy Scouts?

Was anyone at your table born in a faraway place?

Who at your table has been married the longest?

Who at your table has the oldest living mother?

Do you have a hobby?

Do you have a secret talent?

If you went to college, what was your major?

If you work outside the home, what is your job?

All time favorite movie? Two is OK.

Have you had an unusual job (even a short term one)?

What do you like to do with your son? Favorite shared activity.

Do you like to camp? 

Have you attended a Scout event that you enjoyed? Tell us about it.

Have you travelled to an interesting place?

What book are you currently reading?

A took photos of each mom with her son. He also helped cut fruit.

no C didn't dye his hair. there is some strange reflection/lighting.

The Scoutmaster took a group photo at the end of the event and a photo of the tea family.

Are you wondering if anything went wrong? We forgot to bring the cucumbers for the sandwiches. C was sent to the grocery store to replace. I forgot the salmon salad mix at home so A was sent home to get that. We had two cars which was good. Another mishap was during clean up. A scout was carrying a three tier stand (the only one with china plates) a little too carelessly and one of my china plates hit the floor and broke. That plate was a recent find at a thrift store so not too valuable. We didn't plan ahead for lunch for the scouts. We had them come at 11:30 am and the tea was at 2 pm. C was sent to get pizza from Costco but that took much longer than anticipated.

The title of this blog post is because all members of our family helped pull the event off.

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College Visits in California

C now has two college visits under his belt. I'm relieved and grateful. We only managed one real college visit for A which was Trinity Western before the pandemic. His other college visit was a drive thru tour of Biola in April 2021.

C and I flew from SeaTac into Santa Ana on Monday night. Monday April 18th was the day that a federal judge ruled that the mask mandate for air travel was struck down. It was announced on the plane that masks were optional. A lot of people clapped.

The first night we stayed at a hotel not far from the airport in Santa Ana. In retrospect, this was a mistake. I wish we had stayed near Santa Clarita. In the morning I had to drive 2 hours north to the Master's University. When I looked up the time before it gave me an estimate of one hour. 

This billboard helped us find the school. 

TMU's motto is For Christ and Scripture

We missed our scheduled tour of 9 am but they were able to accommodate us. That's the advantage of a small school. We had a personal tour riding around campus on a golf cart. Our guide was very enthusiastic. She is local to the area and a communications major. We saw the library, the cafeteria, the bookstore, the gym which also serves as the location for chapel, the fitness centre, and a dorm room.

We got free coffee/tea at the coffee shop. I saw this and thought it was funny. 

John McArthur is the chancellor of The Master's University. C was able to attend a class. He got a free meal in the cafeteria. He could've attended a 2nd class but that one would have been an hour and twenty minutes long and he declined. He met with an admissions counsellor.

While C was in the class, I went to nearby Santa Clarita to get lunch then I did some shopping. When C and I were ready to leave, I was taking a photo of C by a sign. A nice young man offered to take our photo together. Very kind of him.

C really likes TMU and can see himself going there. It is smaller (900 on campus students vs. 3000 on campus students) and more conservative than Biola. 

The drive back to La Mirada was an hour and a half. We met up with A and got pizza and wings from Dominoes. We went to a picnic table to eat on campus. C and A played one on one beach volleyball.

On Wednesday morning we came back to Biola and C had an official tour of campus which started with a visit to chapel and then a tour. C was the only teen on the tour without a parent. I didn't think I needed to come for the tour and I wanted to spend time with A. I took him to get some boxes for his dorm move out. 

C was given some vouchers for lunch. We ate outside in the perfect temperature. About 70 degrees. 

The flowers were definitely showing off at Biola.

I don't know what this flower is.

C and I went to In and Out burger to get him a t shirt. A has lots of homework and editing work so he didn't have much time to spend with us.

C and I did some investigating regarding shipping A's computer (and other things he wants for the summer) back home. We went to greyhound package express and took a box of something I ordered for A (back in the fall) that he doesn't need. Unfortunately they gave us a quote of 57 dollars. Too much for something we don't want or need. We came back to Biola via a scenic route. I was amazed at the view from Whittier Heights on a hill where you can see the expanse of the L.A. area.

Back at Biola, C did some volleyball practice and I relaxed in the shade by the coffee shop. C posed for a photo.

We left for the airport and filled up the rental with gas along the way. Gas prices are about 599 a gallon.

Our return flight was about 60 percent full. It was Wayne to Paine which is the best option. John Wayne (Santa Ana) to Paine Field in Everett. 

The sun was setting as we left. 

It sure felt cold when we came out of the airport back home!

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Springtime Visit

I went to visit my parents in Victoria last weekend. The weather was beautiful on Thursday when I travelled. On the ferry from Tsawwassen (Vancouver) to Swartz Bay (Victoria) I sat on the sun deck and enjoyed the views. It was unseasonably warm.

remember you can click on photo to enlarge

It was 7 hours from the time I left my home to when I arrived at my parents' building.

I stayed at Marketa's Bed and Breakfast in the James Bay neighbourhood. My family and I used to stay there regularly when the boys were young and my parents lived close by. Only the "honeymoon suite" was available when I booked. 

After a few days, I got tired of eating pancakes at breakfast so I tried the eggs benedict. I was surprised how much I enjoyed it.

On Friday, my mom and I went for afternoon tea at The White Heather in the Oak Bay neighbourhood. 

We had a nice time enjoying the full meal for me

and soup for my mom. Mom liked the sandwiches. The desserts were taken home and enjoyed later by my parents who love desserts! It is a small restaurant and not very elaborate. The waitress needed more experience communicating with seniors. This figurine near the front door caught my eye.

I took Mom on a short drive along Dallas Road which has the best views in Victoria. 

I was very thankful for the sunshine. On Saturday my dad and I went to Value Village. He was pleased to find several items of clothing. I loved the huge section of classic and collectable books.

I found some fabric that I liked that might be used in a future quilt. I also visited the consignment store called Super Chance in James Bay. They always have a very large section of china. I collect American Beauty and was able to add to my collection. I was good and didn't buy too much. Here is what I bought.

I helped my mom with some computer stuff and did some shopping for her in the afternoon.

On Saturday night my dad and I went through a box of old photos together. It was fun seeing such a mixture of times and people and places. On Sunday morning I drove my dad to church. My mom finds it hard to get out so she watches the livestream. It was good to see a few of my parents' friends. I enjoy hearing some different worship songs when I visit their church. Two songs that were new to me were Mercy Tree and How Long O Lord.

On Sunday afternoon we posed for a photo in the lounge on the main floor of my parents' building. The ladies that like to monopolize the area were awfully nosy about our "photo shoot." The door greeter/screener graciously took the photo at the top of this post.

I returned home on Monday morning. More photos taken from the ferry:

Again, it was about 7 hours from when I left Victoria until I arrived home. The border patrol asked me to come inside again since my green card is expired. I have done all the necessary steps for renewal. I am just waiting for the new card to come in the mail. At least this time, the agents didn't make me wait very long. 

I brought back donuts and chocolate for my son C.

One sad note. It has been now been three years since my husband and my boys have seen my parents. I pray that the Canadian government's COVID restrictions will be eased so that my hubby can join me on my next trip to Victoria. There are over 50 countries that a traveler can enter without a Covid vaccine but unfortunately, Canada is not on that list.

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Enemy of the People - Mainstage Play

Enemy of the People was written by Henrik Ibsen and adapted in the 1950s by Arthur Miller. It is a play that tells the story of a man following his conscience and doing what he feels is morally right, despite the negative impact on his reputation and his family's security.

This play was this year's "mainstage" production. A full length play. C auditioned for an acting part but wasn't chosen. He worked behind the scenes with costumes, sets, and lighting. During the show he helped move furniture between acts.

The play is set in Norway in the late 1880s. The main character is a doctor and scientist who finds out that small town's tourist attraction, the springs, are poisonous.

Instead of this news being welcomed by the press and general public he becomes a pariah. He is declared an enemy of the people. He is fired from his job, his adult daughter who is a teacher is also fired, his family is evicted from their home and rocks are thrown through their windows. He has the opportunity to leave for America on a ship but he decides to stay in his town despite the situation.

There were many powerful lines. "Public opinion is an extremely mutable thing." "The majority has might, unfortunately - but it hasn't right!" You see, the point is that the strongest man in the world is he who stands most alone."

J and I attended the last performance of the show on Saturday afternoon. I was very impressed with the acting and the play itself. Very relevant for our current political situation. 

Here is C with his close friends who were also helping behind the scenes.

Frankly, I'm glad that the show is over now. C has started coming home at a more reasonable time in the evenings!

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Padilla Bay

On Friday we had a very short window of time to do a day trip with A. J had physical therapy for his shoulder in the morning and A had a previously scheduled lunch with our senior pastor. That gave us a grand total of 2 1/2 hours!

I don't have many photos to accompany this. I thought I'd blog to remember this and also if one of my friends wants an idea for a short road trip.

I picked Padilla Bay because it is an interesting place that I'd been to once before. I went as a chaperone for a field trip with A and his classmates when he was a high school freshman. J chaperoned a field trip with C when he was in middle school.

Padilla Bay is straight east of Anacortes and north of Mt. Vernon. It is an estuary where the salt water meets the fresh water.

We saw lots of snow geese along the way as well as some donkeys in some fields. I'm wondering why people would keep donkeys?

The little town of Bay View (which you pass through on the way to the interpretative center) seems charming

We had a little trouble finding where to park to get to the shore. It was over 4 years since I'd been there.

There is an interpretive center where we were able to get some guidance. 

We walked short distance from the interpretative center, went through a tunnel and then took a spiral staircase down to the shore.

We spent some time at the shore. 

It was littered with this shore life.

I didn't know what it was so when I got home I consulted my Mac's Field guide to northwest coastal invertebrates. Threaded Horn is the name of it. Were they dead or alive? We weren't sure.

We drove to Padilla State Park beach. A Discover Pass required to park here. We were running out of time at this point so we headed back home.

Apparently there is a 4 mile shoreline walk which I'd like to do the next time we come.

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