Yawn

Here is a tower Liam constructed 2 months ago. At that point my camera memory was full. He had insisted back then that I take a picture for Grandmom Nellie. By yesterday he had moved on to other projects and had forgotten.

back to the beach

Geoduck (gooey duck)

The boys are cleaning up their tree house at Gedney View.

We had a sushi lunch near the airport yesterday, at which I got to sample geoduck for the first time. It was not as weird or delightful as sea urchin--which the restaurant also served.

Zoo carousel

On our way home.

Sunny in Seattle

Safely in Seattle

yummy marshmallow!

what's inside?

the easter egg hunt

Outside the game

At the softball game, both boys enjoyed being outside the stands. That was where you could catch a foul ball. Here is Crispin enjoying a break.

Crispin watching softball

There is a similar picture from a year ago.

Crispin at pond

Crispin enjoyed smelling the lilacs at the garden near the pond.

Liam by pond

Liam is wearing his hokie softball shirt. We are about to walk over to the game.

Crispin found a gem

The mine was very much in the country, with about 8 docile dogs milling about.

Crispin enjoyed the water but tired of searching for gems. He and I read beloved picture books that we only encounter on our Blacksburg trips.

Gem mining

In West Virginia.

Puzzles

Here is a page of puzzles for sale created by Liam. The price is 1 dollar and 99 cents. You may print it out. In Blacksburg Poppy or Grandma Maxine may print some out for you.

Pease porridge hot

Crispin demonstrating clapping games for Poppy.

Kabuki

The boys have been to this beloved Teppanyaki restaurant more times than you can shake an onion. Here they are joined by many relatives. Crispin now sautees his food on his plate after he receives it, to the amusement of the chef. With glee Crispin also catches the flying shrimp with his hands rather than mouth.

Not too close!

Says Mama or Papa Goose to Crispin.

Feeding Goslings

At Pandapas Pond with Grandmaxine.

Organ, 1 year later

Right outside Grandma Nellie's room.

Growing Stronger

Crispin pushed Grandma Nellie all way up to her room. They crashed only a few times.

Batting Practice

On a sunday thursday near Grandma Maxine's house.

Bubbles

On the deck at the mountain retreat.

Back at the playhouse

In a few hours in virginia, the boys have rediscovered the playhouse and have made a big mess with blowing bubbles. Crispin sits asleep while Liam and his grandma acquire more bubble wands and sports equipment.

Late night Buca di Beppo

Before the baseball game, we dined at my restaurant. The boys ate little of their entrees, and I reluctantly had their food boxed up, not sure when we would ever eat it.

When we arrived at the airport at 10:15pm, both boys were hungry. Liam finished the pizza he had barely eaten at Buca, and Crispin ate more of his rigatoni with a meatball.

posted from Bloggeroid

Friendly Canadians

We were worried at first when 5 large 20 something year olds from Canada sat in front of us. They immediately blocked Crispin's view, and they seemed intent on heckling the Mariners.

But, being Canadians, their heckling tended to be quite friendly and self-deprecating, and then they realized they were heckling their own team as much as the Mariners. They also handed Crispin a baseball from batting practice. Liam was tossed a batting practice baseball by a security guard.

This varied from the experience of the boys' GrandMaxine at some major sporting event--I think a hockey game--when a beer was dumped on her. This was years ago. When I was at Yale, I enjoyed sitting in the rough and tumble Yankee bleachers when the Yankees played the Minnesota Twins. I caught (on a bounce) a home run ball from the Twins and a beer thrown on me because I did not throw the ball back. I was young but not too young; it was warm; and found it enlivening to be baptised in this manner.

In any event, it seemed a pleasant environment for young children. Crispin was even able to fall asleep, at which point I had to stop demonstrating to Liam how to keep a baseball box score--something I haven't done for about 30 years or so; yet it all came back to me.

Last Friday the boys and I watched Balanchine's Midsummer Night's Dream--featuring the incidental music of Mendelsohhn--and Liam made favorable comparisons between the ballet experience and the baseball stadium.

posted from Bloggeroid

Liam on the dragon

Further back there is a picture of a shorter and younger Liam on this same Kimodo dragon.

posted from Bloggeroid

Mariners Win

It is fun to take the boys to Seattle before an outgoing flight. There is always a question of what to do to pass the time until an 11:15 or midnight flight. I am not one who could bear to be at the airport 3 or 4 hours early. I was pleased to see the Mariner's had a game against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Our local team had recently lost 7 in a row and has had losing records for the season. For a father of young children this was a blessing. Their relatively new stadium--Safeco Field--is lovely; it was easy to walk up and buy seats with a good view of the field; and it was easy to park and depart because it wasn't so crowded.

While Liam was hesitant about the Moose mascot, when we there, the stadium was so large and the moose was so often so far away this was not a problem.

Back to the zoo

It is something of a tradition to visit the Seattle Zoo en route to the airport. While I could have substituted a photo from 10 months before, the repetition perhaps help sees how Liam and Crispin grow.

Here Liam is with his camera.

Crispin with binoculars

Ever resourceful, Crispin chose to bring binoculars to the zoo. Here he is looking at a Toucan (that was about 5 feet away).