Winter in Seattle

By Mom of TJB and MMB February 27, 2017

Family pic at Bloedel Reserve

Mommy had the week between Christmas and New Year's off this year and so she took Marit and me to lots of fun places. For Mommy's birthday on the 28th, we got to go to the Seattle Aquarium and the Seattle Great Wheel. Marit was scared and she cried because it was windy but we got to go around 4 times! And then we got to go on the carousel and had Bahn mi sandwiches and bubble tea for lunch. Daddy took Mommy out for a surprise dinner at Canlis, a very fancy restaurant overlooking Lake Union. We also went for a sunny hike at my favorite beach, Carkeek! Marit and I both got haircuts this month. It was Marit's first official one and she sat very well and got a lollipop while I ran around the toy store thinking about what toys I want for my next birthday (in July).

What a beautiful sunny day at Carkeek!

On New Year's Eve, we hosted my PEPS group over for some hor d'oeuvres and bubbly beverages with a Netflix countdown to "midnight" so everyone could be in bed on time.

New Year's Eve countdown

In January, Mommy and Daddy got to go on the Walrus and the Carpenter Oyster picnic. Named after Lewis Carroll's poem about the Walrus and the Carpenter (full poem found here), my favorite part is this:

"O Oysters, come and walk with us!"

The Walrus did beseech.
"A pleasant walk, a pleasant talk,
Along the briny beach:
We cannot do with more than four,
To give a hand to each."

The eldest Oyster looked at him,
But never a word he said:
The eldest Oyster winked his eye,
And shook his heavy head--
Meaning to say he did not choose
To leave the oyster-bed.

But four young Oysters hurried up,
All eager for the treat:
Their coats were brushed, their faces washed,
Their shoes were clean and neat--
And this was odd, because, you know,
They hadn't any feet.

Four other Oysters followed them,

And yet another four;
And thick and fast they came at last,
And more, and more, and more--
All hopping through the frothy waves,
And scrambling to the shore.

The Walrus and the Carpenter
Walked on a mile or so,
And then they rested on a rock
Conveniently low:
And all the little Oysters stood
And waited in a row.

"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--
And why the sea is boiling hot--
And whether pigs have wings."

Sadly the poem ends with all the oysters being eaten. Fortunately for the oysters, we were only allowed two coach buses with hungry people who, despite being allowed to eat unlimited oysters, plucked, shucked and ate as many raw and/or grilled oysters as we could find right on the beach but there were thousands more that remain and will have to wait for next year's adventure! It was a perfect night (for us but not so for our little delicious oyster friends) and the open fire and delicious oyster chowder to end the night was a perfect touch. Yum yum!

Oyster picnic!

Shucking oysters

Also in January, Daddy's good friend from Macalester, Chris Harmes, came to visit and they left us at home and headed for the slopes. Unfortunately, they were a week too early to get the foot of fresh powder but the conditions at Crystal and Mount Baker were still pretty amazing! I also begged Mommy and Daddy to take me on the Bainbridge Island ferry because I had not been on a ferry in a long, long time, and we had a nice afternoon running around the Bloedel Reserve Gardens before it closed and then throwing rocks in the Puget Sound at Fay Bainbridge park. Finally, we ate fish and chips for dinner in Poulsbo before heading back on the night time ferry.