Summer 2014 Overview

2014 Non-Sailing Summer Overview with some photos

We left for our Summer 2014 Cruise on the 14th of August. Yet our summer was incredibly busy and full. This was a summer of up and downs. It started with J.'s Namma (99 3/4) being hospitalized and our going to the midwest for L.'s mom's (Nana's) burial. But it also involved great things, too. Some of these great things included Jazz Camp, Ballet Intensive, an Art of Architecture class taught at the local University. There were little things, too, like I. picking up her double French horn, J. being asked to officiate a wedding for one of his cousin's kids, doing some house sitting, even being invited on a hike to Mt Baker. And there were times of struggle also, like finding out a dock neighbor was suffering from a very quick setting brain wasting disease, or having other dock neighbors family members and/or friends die. In the midst, there were incredible stories, too. One of our dock friends (adoptive grandparents to the kids) were traveling in Europe. Part of their European travels involved a stop in Rome. While there, a crowd spontaneously gathered. Wondering what the hubbub was about, they gathered, too. Turns out that Pope Francis was walking down the street and shook hands with our Mrs. friend.

So here is some of the overview of this summer. Some of these items have their own posting: like Jazz Camp and the Mount Baker Hike. Others are just mentioned briefly here.

By the second week of school we're on "Summer Break." We visited with J.'s family while he attended a conference. We were glad to spend this time as J.'s 99 year old Gramma (Namma) had been admitted to the hospital.

Following this, we flew back to the midwest for L.'s mom's/Nana's burial near the family farm. It was a great experience to see extended family, hear stories, and love on each other.

Upon our return, we started a short house sitting stint (on a Tuesday). In the past this has provided us with opportunity to work on boat related projects. This year we took a "vacation" and watched lots of the World Cup Soccer matches.  On Wednesday, I. picked up her double french horn and excitedly started practicing away. On Thursday, we receive word that J.'s grandmother (Namma) had died.

The following week, E. started Jazz Camp, while I. and M. started a two week ballet intensive. Poppy, Grandpa and Gramma, plus Auntie KT. come for the final Jazz Camp performances.

Then we drove down to the south Puget Sound for Namma's funeral. This was a great time to catch up with extended family, share stories, and celebrate a long life. This photo of J.and his mom (Gramma) was from this event.

Upon our return home, friends of ours from the Palouse area of eastern Washington were vacationing in the area. It was great to see them.

The next day, we met up with our friends (the R.s) who are currently working and living in the Far East. They had returned home for a week of visiting friends and family. We had the opportunity to spend a morning with them while I. and M. were at their ballet intensive.

What a great time to reconnect.

After doing some catching up, we all went down to the ballet studio so that as M. and I. left class, they could do some catching up with the R.s, too.

Poor Mr. R. He must be blinded by the sun ray shining through his face.

Later that day, one of J.'s cousin's sons (Q.) called to ask if J. would officiate his and his fiance's (B.) upcoming September wedding. This was an honor. We reflected that this is the year of that generation's weddings. One had already been married in May. This one was to be in September. Then Q.'s brother is planning an October wedding.

The following weekend, we returned to the south Puget Sound area to celebrate a cousin's surprise baby-shower [the shower was the surprise, not the baby]. In addition, one of L.'s college classmates' mother had died. Her funeral was the same weekend, so J. and L. attended. 

On our way home, we heard that J.'s brother's dog had died, too. He was such a great dog.

The next week, I. and M. started their week long "Art in Architecture" class at the local University.

In the Art of Architecture Class one of the assignments was to draw up plans for a club house, and then construct the play house with foam-board to scale. I. had some help she could have done without, which put her behind. When J. and L. showed up on the last day of class for an Open House, she was still at work.

The girls had a fantastic time. It was really great to see their final projects.

 

 

 

During the week of class, our friend G. called inviting us on a Saturday hike up Mount Baker. Even though we've lived here several years now, we've never been up the mountain. People might think we never venture above the tide-line, so of course we said yes. You can see this trip in its own post.

It was the next week that we heard about our dock neighbor having a brain wasting disease. This was shocking to us as he was just in great health at the beginning of the summer. Now he could not recognize a friend of twenty years. We were glad projects kept us on the dock, actually, as this meant we could be here to check on his partner and be supportive of her.

It was in the next day or so that we heard of our friends trip to Rome and her shaking the Pope's hand. We teased her, "Have you washed it yet?"

In the midst of all of this we worked on projects and enjoyed our summer vacation.