Columbus Day, 1962

When I was a little girl, my mother had a "night out."  Sometimes she would go downtown on the evening when stores stayed open and just "knock around."  Or sometimes she would go to a movie.  Back in the day when neighborhoods actually had a local movie theatre, she would "take in" a movie at the Magnolia Theatre.  My dad would stay home with my brother and me, tuck us in, then go pick her up.

On Columbus Day, 1962, the Pacific Northwest experienced an epic wind storm.  I think over 40 people died due to wind related injuries.

I still can not forget the sound of the wind on our home.  Lights flickered, trees crashed, and finally my father got up, telling my brother "you're in charge" (words, I am sure, my brother loved hearing!).  Dad darted out the front door and left to get Mom.  The whole time he was gone all I could think about were trees crashing on his car or hitting a live wire.

But they came home, both seeming to be nonplussed by the wind.  Calm.  And they tucked me in even while the wind was still pounding the house.

On Sunday night we had an unusual lightening and thunder storm.  One lightening bolt hit the Washington Ship Canal Locks, which is about 1.5 miles from the house.  It was the middle of the night.  Annie shook, Sage rustled.  And my job was to be nonplussed.  Calm.  It's what parents do.  I miss mine.

Murphy's Day.

Wet Weekend At Home

What's a girl to do on a wet weekend at home?  Well, we loaded up in the car on Sunday and like hundreds of other Seattlites, depressed about no football and miserable about the Husky game on Saturday, we went shopping at U Village.  Actually, bought absolutely nothing, but just "knocked around" as my mother used to call it.

I rarely shop.  But it was actually fun to just wander, look at things, try to figure out the iPad at the Apple Store, how come Restoration Hardware now seems to be a furniture store for Really Really Big People With Really Really Big Houses In Washed Out Dull Colors, and why it is stores that sell cupcakes seem to be the hit of shopping malls.

The patient girls got rewarded with a great walk underneath the Montlake Bridge to Foster Island (yes, there was some swimming in the canal and Annie now thinks she wants to try out for crew at the U Dub).

Lazy, wet weekend.

Murphy's Day.

Sleeping In

I get up pretty early on the weekdays.  Way too early.  But on the weekends, I try to sleep in for an extra hour or two.  Try is the operative word.  Around 5 AM, Annie decides she has had enough sleep and fidgets.  If she senses there is any movement from me I will get kisses and the thumping of her tail while it wags.  It's great, except I am trying to sleep.

So, tonight I will get to bed early and hopefully sleep a little late.  Unless Miss Annie has something to say about it.

Murphy's Day.

Me First!

Another aspect of the sisters is: "Me First!"  Annie always tries to get one paw ahead of Sage.  Whether it is meeting me at the door, trying to be just a little taller when it comes to treat hand-outs, or wiggling in between me when I am talking with friends and neighbors I see while out with the girls.  I think it's the job of the younger sister to always try: "Me First."

Murphy's Day.

My Team Likes Orange

For those of you who know me well, you know I love sports.  Football, college basketball, and baseball (although these days, the Seattle Mariners are in the doghouse with me).  Today, the Major League Playoffs start.  And the San Francisco Giants are in the hunt.

While I have a personal beef with the President of the Giants (it's a long story, but let's just say he jilted a number of women here in Seattle), I have very fond memories of going to a Giants game with my father and brother.  We rarely, and I mean rarely, took family vacations.  But here we were in San Francisco and my mother wanted to roam the shops, so my Dad took my brother and I to a Giants game at the old Candlestick Park.  I still remember it.  I also remember my brother got a batting helmet that I really wanted and I got a bobble-head which were not as cool back then as they are now.  But when you see those dewey-eyed MasterCard ads about the time with kids at a ball game being priceless, well indeed, it's true.  50 years later and I still remember it.

I'll be cheering for those Giants, along with my family in California.  And I'll be thinking of my Dad, taking Mark and I to a game oh-so many years ago.

Murphy's Day.

Purple Ball

Annie has been the "hand-me-down" pup.  She loves toys, absolutely loves them more than any other dog I have ever had.  But all her toys are "seconds," something that Sage didn't want or even from Murphy.  Until the purple ball.  It's a cheap toy bought at a lumber store. You know, one of those things near the cash register.  But it's all hers and she loves it.  She know exactly where it's kept, when it comes out.  She has a special place where she plays with it, and no matter how far she romps, she always can find purple ball.

Pretty amazing.

Murphy's Day.

Sisters, Sisters, There Are Nothing Like Sisters

I am absolutely convinced these two girls are so closely connected they could not imagine life without each other.  I think (and I can hear the howling all the way up here) my two nieces are like this.  Close, very close.

Sage and Annie wrestle, they nip, Sage growls at Annie (Brooke, do you growl at Megan?), but at the end of the day, there is love.

Sisters.

Murphy's Day.