Birthday torte

Brought a piece of chocolate torte home from North by Northwest for us to share since none of us (except for Jade) thought we should have an entire birthday cake in the house.  Served it on Depression glass plates that I've had for 40 years now.  My understanding is that during the Depression, you'd get a plate inside your laundry detergent, kind of like getting a prize in the cereal box.

Time to make that timeless wish: "I wish that all the good wishes I wish come true!"

Sweet Papa Tom gave Jade his last piece of torte.

Papa Tom demonstrated how to mash the fork tines onto the plate for every last crumb of deliciousness!

Birthday brunch at North by Northwest: July 26, 2014

Kirk, Sarah, Jim, Sadie, Beka, Papa Tom, Amon, and Jade

Beka, me, Amon, Jade, Kirk, Sarah, Jim, and Sadie

Happy birthday to Mia!

Jade made me a yummy toy birthday cake Saturday morning.  The play cake is from the Toybrary, near our house.  You can check out up to three toys at a time and keep them for up to a month.  Great idea!

"Happy Birthday to Mia!"

Time to remove the last cat whisker from Jade's face before we head out for birthday brunch with Sarah, Kirk, Jim, Beka, and Sadie.

New shoes and a walk: July 25, 2014

New walking shoes for the hiking we plan to do in Colorado later this week.

We gave our new shoes a trial run on the boardwalk that runs along and partly over Lady Bird Lake.  Was warm at first,  but later, a nice breeze came up. Papa Tom's silhouetted against downtown Austin. (July 25, 2014)

Used Papa Tom's phone to light his face for the photo after dark.

Jim and Sadie

Beka and Sadie were in town from Manhattan last week.  Here, Sadie is held by her Aunt Sarah and Papa Tom is holding our grand-nephew Jim.  We had dinner at Bobbi Kaye and David's house on Wednesday, July 23.

Jim wanted to wear Sarah's sunglasses.

Bath time for Jim, who'll be 2 on August 24 (Emma's birthday!) and Sadie, who turned 2 in February.

Sunflowers!

House of light and joy, late July 2014.

Barton Creek greenbelt: Saturday, July 20, 2014

Papa Tom and I took a hike in the Barton Creek greenbelt on Saturday. Papa's breaking in his new shoes for our upcoming trip to Colorado.

Wading across Barton Creek to get to the rest of the trail.

Got my Anna (from "Frozen") braids.  We didn't swim in the creek; a lot of other people sat in the waterfall and swam.

Some people cannonballed from the trail into the creek.

Papa Tom's "gate," a marker on the trail.

Can you spot Papa Tom under the arch?

The trail is very green after all our summer rain.  Thanks, El Nino!

A moth rests on a . . . I'm not sure what!  Very pretty though.

Walking back to the Zoomer, we spotted the epitome of an Austin tree hugger's house.  They saved the tree by building the porch around it.

Back home: one of our beautiful passion flowers.

On our way home: July 18, 2014

Five of the eight of us flew home after the conference ended on Friday: Beth, Penny, me (and a photo bomber behind us).

Tommy and Hunter were in the row in front of us.  I tried not to kick Tommy's seat and he tried not to lean back on me too much.

Seattle: July 17, 2014

Leaving Seattle on the ferry to Bainbridge Island.  The ferris wheel allows you to have great views of the city and Mount Ranier, apparently.  Didn't have time to check it out but hope to get back to Seattle to check it out.

On our way to Bainbridge Island.

Underway, on the top deck:  co-workers Beth, Paul, Renee, Kerrie, and Penny.

Dinner at Café Nola in Bainbridge:  Bernadette (an Oregon administrative law judge) joined us Texans:  Kerrie, Renee, Paul, Beth, Penny, me, and David

On our way back to Seattle, Penny and David say "hi" from a lower deck.

Arriving back in Seattle:  the Space Needle and ferris wheel

Cyclists disembark first

Seattle: July 16, 2014

Co-workers Kerrie, Hunter, and I stop at Elysian Brewing after a long day of focusing on the ins and outs of special education functional behavioral assessments.

Beer is piped directly from the vats to the "on draft" machines. 

On our walk to Volunteer Park, we spotted this Greek Orthodox Church and stepped inside.

Inside the Greek Orthodox Church.  A member told us the congregation is Russian.

Hydrangeas!  For you, Brandy!

The Seattle Space Needle, framed by this sculpture at Volunteer Park.

Micro-creamery treat!  I had the salted caramel ice cream with hot fudge and whipped cream.

Kerrie and Hunter, waiting for me outside the Bluebird Micro-creamery.

Jimi Hendrix and me, in downtown Seattle: July 15, 2014

Jimi Hendrix and me.  Hendrix was a Seattle native.  Someday . . . .

Garden in July

Attack of the tomato worm!  This big guy ended up in our butterfly habitat and, as of July 20, is cocooned.  Waiting to find out what he'll turn into.  Whatever it is, it will be re-homed far away from Papa Tom's tomato garden!

Mad pepper!  This guy was in our garden too, along with Papa's beautiful tomatoes and basil.

Seattle: July 15, 2014

Sushi and Sapporo after a long day of learning about special education law: with co-workers Paul, Beth, and Penny.

I couldn't even tell you what this is, except that it was delicious.

And this was delicious too: squid, shrimp, salmon . . . . Apparently there's a sushi place on Burnet Road in Austin that makes rolls with chicken fried steak!  Hmm!  Fusion cuisine for sure.

Paul took on the squid.  Go for it!