Back to WI

Friday
1. The Swensons picked me up at the airport
2. Lunch at Key Lime Cove
3. Rest up before the big par-tay
4. Surprise!

We threw a surprise party for the Twins 50th birthday (and for you people who don't know who the Twins are, they are my mom and Aunt Khristy). They had no clue it was coming, which was great. Everyone was there - even me. I flew home for the party and surprised everyone (the Swensons were the only ones who knew I was coming home). There were lots of screams and tears and hugs when I came in the door. It was great.

5. Cake, dancing, PBR

Saturday
1. Sam's soccer game
2. Madison because Rachel didn't have a test today
3. Drove around the campus
4. Nick and Amy's house to play games and watch the draft
5. My favorite Eldorado for a guacamole chalupa

Sunday
1. Slept in
2. Dad cooked cornish hens and veggies on the grill
3. Drove to airport
4. Culver's for hot fudge chocolate chip cookie dough sundae
5. Mike is waiting at the airport because I told him the right time this weekend
6. Nollie is in the car wagging her tail
7. Home

I am not coming to WI this weekend.

Baby Shower Trip Highlights

Wednesday
1. Flight was delayed into O'hare - no big surprise there
2. Sara picked me up from the airport
3. Dinner at Duke of Perth
4. Met Sara's English bulldog, Ginger
5. Spent the night at Sara's apartment

Thursday
1. Took the train to get home
2. Mom picked me up at the train station
3. I have jet lag
4. Lunch in Lake Geneva with Mom and Rae
5. Starbuck's so I can stay awake
6. Shopping for baby shower
7. Wine at Aunt Khristy's house
8. Call Nick and Amy to surprise them about my visit
9. Make quesadillas for dinner

Friday
1. I wake up sick with a cold
2. Rachel takes forever to take her test for school so no Madison today
3. Lunch at Culver's - I get fried cheese curds and custard
4. Shopping for baby shower
5. Everyone comes over - Nick, Amy, Khristy, Cliff, Katie, Jessica
6. Beer run for some WI microbrews - I know Goose Island isn't from WI, but whatever


I am happy with my selections.

6. Beer run #2 because Nick and Dad want some of my beer
7. Pino's pizza for dinner

Saturday
1. Get cupcakes
2. Get flowers and balloons
3. Prep for shower
4. Amy's shower is a huge success!

Sunday
1. Fly home to Seattle
2. Nollie wags her tail when she sees me

April Showers...

Steve, Matt, Nollie, and I went to Mt. Baker today for another powder day in our above average season.

There was a golden retriever party in the parking lot, and I was having trouble keeping track of which dog was Nollie within the play group of four goldens.

The snow was really good and much gnar was shredded.

We saw a guy fall into the net at the Chair 1 midstation. It was like watching a trapeze artist miscue, but it was a clumsy old man on skis.

On the way back we stopped at the Beer Shrine and met up with Scott and Chris for beer and pizza. As we were finishing our meal Matt noted that if we took a different route home there's a Dairy Queen in Sedro Wooley. His father must be very proud of him.

Steve took all the pictures today, so I don't have anything to show other than the lift ticket above. Instead take a look at this picture of Steve at Baker from last year and just imagine he's wearing a neon green jacket with a giant brown stain on his back, rather than the red jacket pictured.


Note the Packers handkerchief flying from his left hip.

The Sun Sets on the Sunset

The Sunset Bowl closed its doors last weekend. It was recently sold to a developer for about $13M.


So last Saturday Nels and I said good bye along with some friends: Big Ern, Ishmael, Roy Munson, Claudia, The Dude, Donny, Jesus Quintana, and Walter. As you may have noticed all nicknames for the day were derived from the only two famous bowling movies we knew of (The Big Lebowski and Kingpin).


7:15 AM. I arrive at the Sunset Bowl and get on the waiting list for a lane.


Donny (Kevin) keeps on eye on our breakfast food stuffs from the Ballard Market across the street.


Big Ern (Nels) was throwing rocks and had the highest score of the day (and his career) with a 224.


Man bowling with baby strapped to chest = dedication.

Nels and I continued to bowl as friends filtered in and out throughout the day. We were there from about 7:15 AM to 7:15 PM that day.


The Dude's (my) stats after 11 hours 39 minutes of bowling.

Until the last three games things were going pretty well. A couple games over 200. A couple clean games. Eight strikes in a row (the most I've ever put together, but unfortunately over two games). A 176 average through the first 15 games. Lane conditions changed dramatically, and my games fell apart in the end. I wanted to stop while the stats were looking good, but it was the last time I was ever going to bowl at the Sunset, so I gave it everything I had. I continued to roll my 16 lb ball long after Nels was forced to switch to an 8 lb alley ball without using his thumb due to pain and swelling.

One last time...

204, 167.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Yesterday my friend Claire and I went to Qwest Field to see the Dalai Lama speak. He is in Seattle for Seeds of Compassion. It was an amazing experience - who knew the Dalai Lama was so funny? He has sparked my interest and I want to learn more about what he has to say.

Amazing opportunities like this are why I love living in Seattle.

Cheese Curds and Beer...

...no meat races here (see also Sausagegate).

Why the baseball references? Uh... I guess because Monday was opening day.

Anyway, a bunch of us went out to Zayda Buddies last night for some MN/WI style pizza, beer, and cheese curds. Some pictures were taken.


Topher contemplates drinking another $3 can of Blatz.


Hoen on the rings.


Sarah's curds.


Mike's beer.


Why do I drink Old Style? 'Cause I can kick your ass, that's why.

Salmon Digger Beefcake...

...in reverse order.

So I bought a flat-incline-decline bench on Monday.  I know, I know, I'm already pretty beefcake, but you actually have to work to maintain it.  

Then I took a spill (i.e., digger) riding home today.  I was diverted form my normal route by an accident around 8th Ave NW and NW 70th Street.  Anyway at a roundabout I signaled my left turn, leaned into it, and soon discovered I was right at the edge of about a 1 inch ledge between two pieces of concrete in the road.  Down I went.  My recently purchased salmon and bottle of wine survived. 

Then I cooked salmon for the first time.  I used the same recipe Sarah used for the last two Christmas dinners, which I think she got from my mom, who got it from I don't know where.  Not quite the same quality King Fillet Pike's Place Market salmon, but Fred Meyer sockeye is good for the weekday.  

No pictures of anything from this week, so take a look at this.

Nollie on our kitchen floor.  Picture taken with 35mm prime lens my parents gave me for my birthday.