17 posts tagged “drake”
Drake's is out of town - with his folks near Calgary, Alberta - for a family gathering (60th wedding anniversary) on this father's side. We'll be visiting his folks in west-central IL - together - in August, so I sat this extra trip out as I'm pretty thin on vacation time these days.
I've been laying low this weekend, working through some cleaning/organizing projects. My goal is to have everything in tip-top shape by end of day tomorrow. The only project that will be left for the coming week is switching our filing system over to FreedomFiler - I've ordered the supplies, but they haven't arrived yet. And also getting updated full DVD backups of both computers to our safe deposit box. With all the little home organizing projects checked off my list, I'll be able to focus 100% on summer fun!
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Our neighborhood, as usual, was party central for the 4th of July. We've got a great view of the fireworks from our neighborhood, so there is a big influx of people (and alcohol consumption). Drake and I usually stay home and watch the fireworks from our place, so I upheld that tradition. I got out early this morning to run errands, and as I predicted, it was super-quiet everywhere I stopped. So I was able to zip in and zip out quickly.
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Just talked to Drake; the 60th anniversary celebration was today and it sounded lovely. Sheesh, we'll be looking to do that for his folks in the not-too-distant future (2011). For their 50th, we orchestrated a surprise party. It was quite an undertaking to pull that off. Actually, we unveiled the surprise the morning of - wrapping up one of the invitations we sent out as an "anniversary present" for them. We didn't want to give them a heart attack (figuratively or literally) with a complete surprise.
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OK - think I'll get ready for bed and crawl in and read for a while...
Photos are from our recent visit to the Orcas House.
And, Chris, if you're reading this post, the sweater in the second picture is the one I knitted with your beautiful Donegal Tweed Yarn. I'll post a full picture of it when it's 100% finished and blocked. I had a devil of a time getting the crochet loop trim right! It was tricky business to get the correct tension on it, so it didn't stretch out or pinch in the sweater. Now all I've got left is trimming one cuff! Yay.
You never know what Mr. Thrifty (and resident Costco Master) is up to in the kitchen. Recently, he's been replacing the name-brand almond butter that we've enjoyed for years with a version he's found at Costco. But I had no idea until this morning when I caught him making the transfer:
There is a functional reason for the transfer, in that it's just easier to use the almond butter on a day to day basis out of the smaller jar.
We recently ran out the fat-free refried beans we get at Costco. But Mr. Thrifty found the next-best thing at our neighborhood grocery, Taco Bell brand beans - 70 cents cheaper than the other beans on the shelf!
I predictably had an immediate negative reaction to Taco Bell taking residence in our pantry. But, reading the ingredients, they were just regular refried beans, nothing nefarious to be found. Honestly, I would have probably passed these by on the shelf, unnecessarily paying more. But when it comes to lower prices, not much deters Mr. Thrifty!
(Those with an aversion to hunting may wish to skip this post.)
I normally use a very light touch with Photoshop--not doing much more than fixing up scans of old photos, color/contrast correction, and occasionally removing distracting details. But for this photo I decided to do a bit more:
It's a picture of Drake, his Dad, and his brother this past hunting season. I didn't take the photo (I didn't go back this year for hunting season) -- a family friend did. It was taken with our old digital camera, which Drake brought with him. I loved the photo of the three guys, but felt the photo needed a little something.
The inspiration came from a beloved family photo of hunting in the mid-1950's. That little guy in this pic is Drake (with his folks, of course).
And so I decided to do an antique-y treatment on the photo, but I didn't want to go all the way to black-and-white or duotone. I wound up doing more of a faded-color-print effect, with a bit of a "burned" edge around it:
Drake found the perfect bronze-hammered-metal frame, which provided just the right rustic touch. I thought the whole thing turned out quite nicely--and both Drake's brother and his folks really enjoyed received the framed prints.
...John Lennon died. Garr Reynolds looks back at Lennon's message of peace.
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On December 8, 1980 I had just moved to Missoula, MT. I spent that evening with a nice, funny guy I had met on my last (archeology) field project for the season--really the only person I knew in Missoula. His name was Dave, but everyone called him "Drake." We had dinner at his apartment and listened to the radio remembering John Lennon.
This is a picture I've been meaning post. It was the day after Thanksgiving--Drake and I took a morning field trip to the Chicago Botanic Garden (just a couple of miles from my Dad's house). It was a very cold morning so we ducked into one of the green houses to warm up. Drake whipped out his hand lens (yes, he always carries one) and was looking at some blooms:
What I like is how his face is wrinkled up as he's looking through the lens (his face otherwise really isn't so wrinkly). And I think the photo kind up sums up his inquisitive personality.
...since I had that somewhat horrifying incision on my forehead.
And you know what. It's still pretty horrifying. Sigh.
Good news is though they got it all. I'm going in tomorrow for a follow-up appointment.
I'm still keeping it covered with a bandage (I mean who wouldn't?!) - but they want me to keep it covered even if I wasn't so inclined.
Actually, it kind of makes me cry to look at it. But it's been a tough week, with Drake out of town visiting his family. I normally go back with him this time of year, but since I had so much time off work this summer with my Dad (my current client waited a month for me to get back) I didn't feel I could take more than a couple of days at Thanksgiving. But now I just feel really sad that I'm not there visiting, since I adore Drake's mom, dad, brother (and his kids). I did get to see them (though not the kids) in Chicago since they came up for my Dad's visitation/memorial service. That was really nice.
I just think I'll crawl in bed with a good book...
-- > Drake's mom gets Drake's computer.
-- > Drake gets my computer.
-- > I, well...I get a new computer.
I just pushed the button on a new, Leopard-installed 24-inch iMac.
This is precipitated mostly by Drake's mom's computer, an ancient first-generation iMac, which seems on its last legs. Drake will back visiting his folks in a couple of weeks and can get her all set up on his (former) computer. And I've been wanting to switch to an Intel Mac for some time, but decided to wait until Leopard. So the timing was right.
Nobody can pack a dishwater like Drake (aka Mr. Thrifty).
After spending so much time away from home the past couple of months, I appreciate the simple pleasures of being at home. Drake talked me into going up to our building's roof deck last night, even though I was feeling somewhat wilted. It was a perfect warm Seattle summer night, with a beautiful view of Mt. Rainier.
Anyone remember the Cryan' Shames version of Up on the Roof?
Right smack dab in the middle of town
I've found a paradise that's trouble proof (up on the roof)
And if this world starts getting you down
There's room enough for two
Up on the roof (up on the roof)
Up on the roo-oo-oof (up on the roof)
Oh, come on, baby (up on the roof)
Oh, come on, honey (up on the roof)
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