Adventures Of Itsy The Sock Monkey

Merry Christmas from the North Pole

2011-12-24T09:46:00.000-08:00

I am having my most amazing adventure yet! I'm writing this while riding in Santa's sleigh up in the sky! We have already begun our journey around the world.

The rooftop landings are a little rough.

We just finished delivering our 695,192,364 gift and we are currently flying over Pavlodar, Kazakhstan. Track our journey here.

We can do it Blitzen!

Run, Run, Rudolph

These two are anxiously awaiting our arrival. I hope they've been good this year.

Merry Christmas!

Thanksgiving Day

2011-11-24T11:12:00.001-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving...

From all of us to all of you.

Happy Haunting!

2011-10-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

Pumpkins on a fence post

With their eyes alight,

Bats and cats and hooty owls,

Witches all in flight,

Ghosts and goblins galloping

What a scary night!

-unknown

Happy Halloween!

San Juan Islands, WA

2011-09-11T18:42:00.000-07:00

For one last hurrah of summer Darlene, Marydell, and I decided to visit Friday Harbor, WA. It's located on San Juan Island in the northwestern part of the Puget Sound in Washington's Pacific Northwest.

Here we are at the Anacortes ferry terminal. Waiting, waiting, waiting.

The Elwha arrives....

and we leave foggy Anacortes behind.

A beautiful view of Mt. Baker from the ferry.

Arriving at Friday Harbor.

Driving off the ferry. Here we go!

Cattle Point Lighthouse is high on a windy bluff surrounded by grassy dunes. Beyond is the waters of San Juan de Fuca Strait.

Maybe I shouldn't have worn a dress in this wind! I took this great photo of Marydell and Darlene in front of the lighthouse.

I was enjoying a walk along the beach with Marydell's dog when suddenly she took off and ran down a cliff! Marydell would never forgive me if I lost her dog. I begged and pleaded for her to come back with thoughts of ropes and pulleys or helicopter rescue teams needing to be called but she finally made it back to safety by herself.

San Juan Island National Historic Park is made up of the British and U.S. Armies' camps during the Pig War. The camps were set up in 1859 as a border dispute over the boundary between the U.S. and British North America triggered by the killing of a pig. When British authorities threatened to arrest an American farmer for killing a pig, American settlers called for military protection. The camps were occupied for 12 years until the Treaty of Washington was signed, negotiated by Kaiser Wilhelm I of Germany.

Both sides had blockhouses like this one even though they got along well and were never in danger of attack from each other.

We learned about what it was like to live in the camps.

Krystal Acres is an 80 acre farm with more than 50 Alpacas. We walked around the farm and visited the store. I drooled over the yarns. I left without buying the advertised guns and ammo though. Huh?

Hit Me With Your Best Shot - Fire Away!

2011-08-17T19:50:00.000-07:00

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Rock and Roll."

Where were you on August 1, 1981 at 12:01 a.m.? (Please don't tell me you weren't born yet.)

This was the moment Video Killed The Radio Star with the launch of MTV!

Music videos began playing on T.V. thirty years ago this month 24/7 with your VJ hosts Nina Blackwood, Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter (No, that's not Mork from Ork), Martha Quinn and J.J. Jackson.

Now, The Buggles had the first video on MTV but.....

The First Woman
The First American
The First Rocker was......

Pat Benatar!

"You Better Run" was the second video played on MTV. It starred Pat Benatar and her husband lead guitarist Neil Giraldo.

Her hits include "Love Is A Battlefield," "Hit Me With Your Best Shot," "We Belong," "Fire And Ice," "Invincible," "Hell Is For Children," "You Better Run," and "Treat Me Right."

She's a four-time Grammy winner for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance.

I was lucky enough to see her perform live at an outdoor concert!

While we were enjoying the music a beautiful sunny day turned into a dark moonlit night.

Here she is singing with her husband Neil.

I never claimed to be the best videographer. Pretend I meant to have their faces be white blobs and the view of my purse on the ground at the end is a classic. Oh, and while singing this song she swallowed a bug!

Central America

2011-06-19T12:08:00.000-07:00

I just got back from visiting Guatemala and Costa Rica. Two countries in Central America.

I came across this beautiful tropical Bird Of Paradise flower at the Porta Hotel in Antigua Guatemala.

The hotel pool was a great place to unwind after a day of sightseeing.

The Catedral de San Jose is a Roman Catholic church at the center of the city of Antigua. It dates from 1669 but was badly damaged in the 1773 Guatemala earthquake.

I'm in the church ruins. Click here to see a 360 degree panoramic view of the site.

We took a boat ride across Lake Atitlan to the village of Santiago. Most of the residents are Mayan.

The famous market at Chichicastenango where vendors sell handicrafts, food, flowers, pottery and much more.

I can't believe I'm standing in the exotic Tortuguero Tropical Rain Forest in Costa Rica!

The best way to see the park is by boat. Our guide, Fabian, took us on a wonderful tour of the canals.

One of the sights from the boat. See the bird on the tree branch?

The hotel pool had this fun waterfall.

Costa Rica is a major exporter of bananas. I think I'm in monkey heaven.

From our restaurant we could watch the birds surrounding these fruit covered sticks.

My friends are trying to talk me into trying the Monteverde Cloud Forest Zip Line. Now, for those of you who don't know about this - it means I would be holding on to a pulley suspended from a cable and riding it down the rain forest.

No way, not this monkey. Don't they realize it's also known as a Death Slide?

Ahh, much more my speed. Resting in Sarchi against their famous colorful and decorative wooden carretas (oxcarts.) The carts are the internationally recognized symbol of Costa Rica. They traditionally carried coffee from the highlands down to the port on the Pacific Coast. Today, they are a haven for this tired tourist.

Marcey

Vancouver Island

2011-05-15T12:47:00.000-07:00

I went to Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada with Alexis and her son Damian.

We arrived in Victoria on the Black Ball Ferry.

The magnificent Empress Hotel faces the inner harbour (note that Canadians add a lot of "u"s to their words) and is one of the first things you notice when disembarking the ferry.

The Empress is famous for their Afternoon Tea.

The Sooke Region Museum on the southwest coast of the island shows the pioneering history of the island.

Spirit Bear

Early 1900's fashions and artifacts.

Two handsome military men.

Butchart Gardens offers 50 acres of beauty. What started as a the Butchart family limestone quarry in the early 1900's has become a display garden visited by nearly 1 million people a year.

Hatley Castle is on the grounds of Hatley Park. It was built in 1908 by industrialist and politician James Dunsmuir to be the home of the couple and their twelve children. James is quoted as saying: "Money doesn't matter, just build what I want."

The grounds of Hatley Castle.

Rooms in the castle.

The Fisgard Lighthouse built in 1860 is still in operation. For the keeper's entertainment and to improve their minds, in 1865 the Light House Board spent $150 on books for a Fisgard Library.

The Victoria Government Parliament buildings front the inner harbour.

At night the skyline is lit up by 3,300 light bulbs.

I felt right at home at the Victoria Public Library.

You can see I barely register on this fish measure at the marina.

So I thought I would fit right in at Miniature World. But even I felt large next to the 80 displays in miniature.

We went on a whale watching adventure.

I made a new friend.

Olympia

The Royal Wedding

2011-04-29T23:02:00.000-07:00

Wasn't it the most beautiful wedding? Here I am on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after riding in the procession from Westminster Abbey. (For security reasons I haven't mentioned my new post as the royal Corgi handler)

The bride and groom look so happy.

Bangers and mash was served at the reception following the ceremony.

Along with tea, scones, finger sandwiches, and biscuits.

After watching this highlights video of the entire day you can read more about the royal family pictured above here.

Itsy

Easter Parade

2011-04-24T07:34:00.000-07:00

Happy

Easter!

Caribbean Collection

2011-04-09T20:59:00.000-07:00

Until now my only experience with a cruise ship was the "Love Boat."

Oh, the adventures of Captain Stubing, Doc Bricker, Gopher, Julie McCoy, and bartender Isaac Washington on the Pacific Princess. I was so jealous of Captain Stubing's daughter Vickie. She traveled the world while I had to go to school. Wait a minute---Did I just see Kim Richards pass by? From Love Boat to Real Housewives of Beverly Hills...

I finally got the chance to experience life on a cruise ship for myself.

I went with Chuck and Cathy on a two week Caribbean adventure aboard the Grand Princess.

The island of Curacao.

So pretty and colorful.

Grenada - The "Island of Spice" It's one of the largest exporters of nutmeg.

Aruba is only about 20 miles long and 6 miles wide. It's one of the constituent countries that form The Kingdom of the Netherlands.

This bridge swings to the side to let ship traffic through.

I found some shade in Barbados. I have to protect my delicate skin.

Santo Domingo - the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic.

Resting in Santo Domingo.

I made new friends on the ship. They were waiting for me in my room every night when I returned from my excursions. Oh my, that sounds a little hinky doesn't it?

Ahhh! This is the life.

I didn't run into Charo on the ship but I still had a great time.

Audrey

Five Little Monkeys Jumping On The Bed

2011-03-27T12:03:00.000-07:00

It was bedtime so five little monkeys took a bath, put on their pajamas, brushed their teeth...

...and said good night to their mama.

Then... five little monkeys jumped on the bed!

One fell off and bumped his head.

The mama called the doctor. The doctor said, "No more monkeys jumping on the bed!"

So four little monkeys...

...jumped on the bed.

One fell off and bumped his head.

The mama called the doctor. The doctor said, "No more monkeys jumping on the bed!"

So three little monkeys jumped on the bed.

One fell off and bumped her head.

The mama called the doctor. The doctor said, "No more monkeys jumping on the bed!"

So two little monkeys jumped on the bed.

One fell off and bumped his head.

The mama called the doctor. The doctor said, "No more monkeys jumping on the bed!"

So one little monkey jumped on the bed.

She fell off and bumped her head.

The mama called the doctor. The doctor said....

"NO MORE MONKEYS JUMPING ON THE BED!"

So five little monkeys fell fast asleep.

"Thank goodness!" said the mama.

"Now I can go to bed!"

Pam: Thank you for the beautiful quilt. You can see how much the monkeys are enjoying it!

Irish For The Day

2011-03-17T20:18:00.000-07:00

May good luck be your friend in whatever you do and may trouble be always a stranger to you.

Today at lunchtime I jumped in my car and drove to the the Irishmen Pub.

I was hungry for Irish stew and soda bread.

The St. Patrick's Day party was in full swing.

I made sure I had room for desert.

"If it can go wrong it will. 'Tis the luck of the Irish." This worker lived this saying. He slipped and fell into the White House fountain while dying it green. The good news - the video of his fall has pushed Charlie Sheen off today's top news stories.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Update: Less than 1/2 hour after writing the last sentence above, I received a phone call informing me that Charlie Sheen is coming to Everett and the story is all over the local news. Mea culpa.

The Winchester Mystery House

2011-03-06T18:45:00.000-08:00

In 1862 Sarah Lockwood Pardee married the very wealthy (I'm sure he had other nice traits) William Wirt Winchester, son of Oliver Fisher Winchester, manufacturer of the famous Winchester repeating rifle.

They enjoyed a happy life until 1866 when their infant daughter, Annie, died of the then mysterious disease Marasmus. Mrs Winchester became deeply depressed and never fully recovered. Fifteen years later, in 1881, her husband died from Tuberculosis.

She sought help from a spiritualist. The Boston Medium she consulted said that her family and fortune were being haunted by spirits of American Indians, Civil War soldiers, and others killed by Winchester rifles. The deaths of her daughter and husband were caused by these spirits and she could be next.

The medium told her to move west and appease the spirits by building a great house for them. As long as construction of the house never ceased, Mrs. Winchester could rest assured that her life was not in danger. While visiting a niece in California, she found the perfect spot for her new home in the Santa Clara Valley.

In 1884 she hired carpenters to work around-the-clock. Her financial resources were virtually unlimited. She inherited just under 50 percent of the Winchester Repeating Arms Company giving her an income of $1,000 a day at a time when there were no income taxes.

Eventually she had a seven-story mansion on 161 acres of farmland.

The Winchester Mystery House is a beautiful but bizarre example of Victorian craftsmanship.

With features like turrets, towers, curved walls, cupolas, cornices, and balconies.

The famous door to nowhere.

A room with a window in the floor.

Staircases that end at walls, columns installed upside down, miles of twisting hallways with secret passageways in the walls, all to confuse any ghosts that might be following her.

The number 13 occurs often on the grounds and in the house. 13 cupolas in the greenhouse and 13 fan palms lining the front driveway.

Sarah reportedly kept her face covered with a dark veil at all times and never slept in the same bedroom two nights in a row in order to confuse the evil spirits. At the very center of the house is the Blue Room where she would go every night to commune with the spirits and receive guidance for her construction plans. In the morning, after her nightly seance, she would meet with her foreman John Hansen and go over new changes and additions. Mr. Hansen would build and remodel rooms one week only to be told to tear them apart the next. It's estimated that 500-600 rooms were built, but because so many were redone only 160 remain.

She had extensive gardens with fountains and statues. Plants, flowers, trees, and shrubs were imported from over 110 countries around the world.

For nearly 38 years, the around-the-clock sawing, sanding, and hammering never ceased - not even on weekends or holidays. At the time of her death in 1922 the continuous construction was over 6 acres. The mansion contained 160 rooms, 2,000 doors, 10,000 windows, 47 stairways, 47 fireplaces, 13 bathrooms, and 6 kitchens. Carpenters left nails half driven when they learned of her death.

Itsy

The Emerald City

2011-02-19T21:24:00.000-08:00

I went with Joyce and Darlene to explore the city of Seattle, Washington.

We went to Westlake Center for a little shopping. It's a four-story glass enclosed shopping pavilion in downtown Seattle. We ran into this group of well-dressed people who wanted to have their picture taken with me.

Next was a ride on the monorail. The monorail was built in 1962 for the Seattle World's Fair. Now it provides a quick ride from downtown to Seattle Center.

I was a little afraid of this happening.....but I made the trip safely.

The Seattle Center is the home of the famous Space Needle. You can see a live view from the top of the Space Needle here. The space-age structure was built for the 1962 World's Fair whose theme was Century 21.

Watch Elvis ride the Space Needle elevator to the restaurant that rotates 360 degrees while you dine.

Seattle Center is the location of many wondrous things. The Pacific Science Center, EMP, SIFF Cinema, the Space Needle and Key Arena among them. I go there for the candy!

We did take in a movie while we were there but you can see I didn't have a very good seat. I could only see the middle of the screen. Couldn't you at least have gotten me a booster seat?

We did run into Justin Bieber. Some people say we even look alike.

What do you think? The resemblance is eerie isn't it? Everyone has a doppelganger.

We headed over to Chinatown-International District and ran into an amazing sight.

It was a celebration of the Chinese New Year. The Year of the Rabbit. During the Chinese New Year, lion dancer troupes will visit houses and shops in the Chinese community to perform the traditional custom of "cai ching" or literally (plucking the greens.)

A quest by the lion to pluck the lettuce tied to a red envelope containing money (hey, wait a minute, there was money in that envelope?) hanging highly in front of the building. The lion will dance and approach the green and the red envelope.......

to "eat the green" and "spit" it out to leave it in a nice arrangement but keep the red envelope. The lion dance is believed to bring good luck and fortune to the business and the troupe is rewarded with the red envelope.

I understand the slug is not found everywhere? Why are Washingtonians so lucky as to have them oozing down our wet sidewalks after a rain?

You don't tan in Seattle, you just rust.

Kirby

My Funny Valentine

2011-02-14T06:27:00.000-08:00

My funny valentine

Sweet comic valentine

You make me smile with my heart

Your looks are laughable

Unphotographable

Yet you're my favourite work of art

Is your figure less than greek

Is your mouth a little weak

When you open it to speak

Are you smart?

But dont change a hair for me

Not if you care for me

Stay little valentine stay

Each day is valentines day

Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart

The Rock

2011-01-23T13:39:00.000-08:00

"Break the rules and you go to prison, break the prison rules and you go to Alcatraz."

I have to admit I'm getting a little jittery on the 1.5 mile ferry ride from San Francisco, California to Alcatraz Island. After all, Alcatraz was the most notorious prison in the United States from 1934 to 1963. 1,545 men had made this same journey during these years to be imprisoned on The Rock.

Of course most of what I'd learned was from the movies.

And it turns out these movies were highly fictionalized. I wanted to learn more about Alcatraz when I found out last October that Everett, Washington had a connection to Henry Young. Portrayed in this movie by Kevin Bacon. Henry Young shot and killed William Buehrig in his bakery on Colby Ave. while his wife and eight week old daughter were upstairs. You can read about the murder and the facts not portrayed in the movie here.

I'm outside the cell-house about to enter the prison. At this point a prison guard greeted a new prisoner with the words "Welcome home, welcome to Alcatraz."

A prisoner's first day at Alcatraz began here in the Clothing Room where convicts were issued a prison uniform with an identification number. From here they were escorted to their cells.

A typical cell was 5 feet wide by 9 feet deep, and contained a sleeping cot, a sink, a toilet, and a small desk. Two shelves for personal items were along the back wall. Only one prisoner lived in each cell.

Walking to their cell they would have seen the armed guards patrolling the Gun Gallery at either end of the cell block. A multilevel walkway enclosed in bars and mesh allowed the guards a clear view and a straight shot at any point on the cell block. In 1946 Bernard Coy spotted a flaw in the bars of the Gun Gallery and fashioned a bar spreader from a bar, bolt and section of pipe. After starving himself so he would be thin enough to squeeze through the bars he climbed to the gallery (with the help of other prisoners) widened the bars and entered the gallery overpowering the guard. It was an unsuccessful escape attempt known as the Battle of Alcatraz. Over two days two guards and three inmates were killed.

Prisoners nicknamed the long concrete walkways between cell blocks. There was Broadway, Park Avenue, and Michigan Avenue. Times Square was the area between the mess hall and the cell blocks.

Warden Johnston, in charge from 1933 to 1948, knew that prison unrest often grew out of protest over living conditions. To avoid riots he made the Alcatraz cafeteria one of the best in the prison system. On the menu was assorted oat cereals, steamed wheat, 1 scrambled egg, 2 milk, stewed fruit, toast, bread, butter and coffee.

The prison library was very important for a prisoner's mental escape. It held 15,000 volumes including philosophy, fiction, and educational material.

6 Guard towers were installed in 1934. Heavily armed guards kept watch using bullhorns and bullets on escape-minded inmates and boats venturing too near the island. On duty officers were locked in the towers and connecting catwalks for eight hours, until the next shift. It could be frightening when the wind blew and the catwalks rocked. 36 prisoners tried to escape The Rock. All but five were shot or recaptured.

As portrayed by Clint Eastwood in the movie Escape From Alcatraz, the best known escape was that of Frank Morris and brothers John and Clarence Anglin in 1962. Their escape involved homemade drills to enlarge vent holes, false walls, and realistic dummy heads with human hair placed in their beds so they would not be missed during nighttime counts. They crawled out of their cells through the small vents, scaled the utility corridor to the roof, slid down a stove pipe, and crept to the shoreline. Using raincoats to construct a raft, they are assumed to have drowned.

Unusually dangerous or violent inmates were placed in "The Hole." Special cells with an iron door that blocked all light.

A stretch in isolation could last a few days or several years.

At the time, the warden's house had three floors and seventeen rooms with a wonderful view of San Francisco Bay. It burned down in 1970.

The island also has the first lighthouse on the Pacific Coast. It was built in 1854.

Besides the tour of the prison, Alcatraz Island is now known for its extensive garden and sanctuary for seabirds.

"Alcatraz was never no good for nobody."

Frank Weatherman inmate #1576 - the last prisoner to leave Alcatraz

Itsy

Christmas in Vegas

2011-01-08T16:48:00.000-08:00

I was lucky enough to visit Las Vegas, Nevada at Christmas time. These are the beautiful decorations at the Bellagio Hotel. They change this room to match the season and many of the decorations are made of flowers.

The Bellagio is known for its choreographed show of dancing water, music and lights on their 8-acre lake.

We took a side trip 35 miles south of Las Vegas to tour Hoover Dam. Named after America's 31st President Herbert Hoover, it is the highest concrete dam in the Western Hemisphere at 725 feet above the Colorado River. It has 17 generators producing 4 billion kilowatts of electricity a year.

From the dam is a view of Lake Mead, the country's largest man-made reservoir. The lake can store up to 9.2 trillion gallons of water.

Just completed in October 2010, the 1,900-foot-long Mike O'Callahan - Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge was built to reduce traffic flow and to protect the Dam, Lake Mead, and the Colorado River from hazardous spills or explosions.

It was built 1,500 feet south of Hoover Dam and includes the longest concrete arch in the Western Hemisphere. It provides a crossing of the Colorado River linking the states of Nevada and Arizona.

What a great way to end the year. A beautiful hotel, spa, shopping, a little gambling at the slots, a few shows, and some sightseeing.

Audrey

Ice Ice Baby

2011-01-01T18:28:00.000-08:00

What a year it's been! I've been watching all of the 2010 year in review segments on t.v. so I thought I'd do one of my own.

In just 2010 alone my friends or I have travelled to many places in the world. I made the trip of a lifetime to Dubai to see the Burj Khalifa (the tallest building in the world). I also went to India- Vancouver BC to see the Olympic Cauldron- San Francisco, CA,- Syracuse, NY- Illinois- Montana- Portland, OR- San Diego, CA.

I spent the weekend at Gloria's being pecked by a bird and chewed on by a dog.

Kirby went to Egypt. He saw the Pyramids, The Great Sphinx and temples. He also went to Seattle's Pike Place Market and was stuck to the famous Gum Wall. He went on a road trip to Colorado and on the way visited the historic Oregon Trail in Wyoming.

There were so many places to travel I had to let some of my other friends go in my place. Audrey, Marcey, George, Olympia and BeeGee visited Puerto Vallarta, Mexico- The Blue Ridge Mountains- Boston, MA- Leavenworth, WA- Montana- and Palm Springs, CA.

I even have a few places I haven't told you about yet. But I will soon!

Thanks to everyone who took us along on their vacations.

As you can see, the theme of this year's New Year's Eve party was "Velvet On Ice"

I ordered my drinks from a bar that was an actual ice sculpture. It was melting and dripping as the night wore on.

There was an acrobatic dinner show.

Ice sculpture centerpieces on the tables.

Ice by the desserts.

I want you to know that I'm getting soaking wet here for this shot.

Just look at the spectacular Christmas tree.

Happy New Year!

Itsy

Ho Ho Ho

2010-12-25T07:04:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas from all of us to all of you!

I had a wonderful Christmas. Connor hand-painted a sock monkey for me.

This jack in the box was under the tree.

And look what Santa brought me!

Itsy

Playaway Digital Audiobooks

2010-12-05T11:38:00.000-08:00

It's a busy time of year. Shopping, baking, wrapping, decorating, but I'm ~~begging~~ asking all of you to take one short minute out of your busy schedule to do me a favor.

Playaway the world's first pre-loaded digital audio player is having a contest.

The Everett Public Library is trying to win $10,000 as a finalist in the Playaway display contest. You can read all about us in the Everett Herald here.

So take off your shoes, kick back and forget all your troubles while listening to a great book.

VOTE HERE

FOR

EVERETT PUBLIC LIBRARY

(voting ends December 17th)

A Shot Heard 'Round The World

2010-11-28T17:20:00.000-08:00

I went on a road trip with the Hardister Clan and one of our first stops was Boston, Massachusetts.

I got to meet Madelynne's wonderful grandparents.

She carried me in her pocket for most of the trip.

I rode on one of Boston's fire trucks.

Abigail, Zach, Madelynne, (moi), and Nate.

Two handsome concierge at Patriot Place in Foxborough, MA. Patriot Place has 1.3 million square feet of shopping, dining, entertainment, and hotels.

Enjoying some fine dining.

Hanging around Patriot Place.

After my yummy breakfast I was ready to do some sight-seeing. Our tour guide took us around Freedom Trail. It's a 2.5 mile red-brick walking trail that leads to 16 nationally significant historic sites. Museums, churches, meeting houses, burying grounds, parks, a ship and historic markers that tell the story of the American Revolution.

There's nothing better than Schoolhouse Rock to learn about the history of our nation.

One of the places on the Freedom Trail is Boston Common. It's America's oldest public park. Established in 1634, Puritan colonists purchased the 44 acres of land from the first settler of the area, Anglican minister William Blackstone for 30 pounds ($47 today). Over 1000 Redcoats made camp here during the British occupation of Boston in 1775.

Another site on the Trail is the Old South Meeting House. It was built in 1729 as a Puritan meeting house and was the stage for some of the most dramatic events leading up to the American Revolution. On December 16, 1773 thousands of Bostonians crowded into the Old South Meeting House. Over 30 tons of taxable tea sat in the holds of three ships at Griffin's Wharf. There was a heated discussion of what was to be done with the tea.

They were protesting the Tea Act which had been passed by the British Parliament. Colonists objected to the Tea Act because they believed it violated their right to be taxed only by their own elected representatives. ("No taxation without representation.") After officials refused to return the three shiploads of taxed tea to Britain, a group of colonists boarded the ships and destroyed the tea by throwing it into Boston Harbor. It became known as the Boston Tea Party.

Here we are at Anna Green Winslow's pew. Anna arrived in Boston in 1770 at the age of 10 from Nova Scotia to live with her aunt while attending finishing school. She attended the Old South Meeting and the religious lecture on Thursday mornings. The letters she wrote to her mother from this time were transcribed and published in 1894 as Diary of Anna Green Winslow. The letters described her daily routine in colonial Boston.

Like any young girl she complained to her mother about her clothes. She wanted to look like everyone else. "I beg to look like other folk" See, nothing ever changes.

Also at the Old South Meeting House is this statue of Phillis Wheatley 1753-1784. Enslaved at the age of 8, she is the first African-American woman in U.S. history to have her poetry published. John Wheatley bought her as a servant for his wife. She began being tutored by their 18-year-old daughter and received an unprecedented education for not only an enslaved person but a female of any race. Her work could not be published in America due to the racism of the era. The family traveled to England where her book Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral was published. You can read and download the book here.

George Robert Twelves Hewes 1742-1840 was one of the last survivors of the American Revolution. As an apprentice shoemaker he repaired a shoe for John Hancock. He participated in the Boston Tea Party and the Boston Massacre. He fought in the American Revolutionary War as a militiaman and privateer. He died at the age of 98.

Madelynne and I worked very hard on the Old South Meeting House Scavenger Hunt.

Our next stop on the Freedom Trail was the USS Constitution. Built in Boston and launched in 1797 the ship is a wooden-hulled, three masted frigate of the U.S. Navy. Named by President George Washington after the Constitution of the United States of America.

She is the oldest floating commissioned naval vessel.

Watch above for a lesson on the U.S. Constitution.

Marcey

Thanksgiving

2010-11-25T09:36:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

La Ciudad Mas Amigable en el Mundo

2010-11-14T14:55:00.000-08:00

Here I am flying first class (note the leather seats) to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico! Puerto Vallarta lies along the Banderas Bay, the second largest bay in the Western Hemisphere, in the foothills of the Sierra Madre mountain range.

La Ciudad Mas Amigable en el Mundo - The Friendliest City in the World. One of the most beautiful vacation spots in all of Mexico due to its warm weather, great beaches, and culture.

The resorts provide many choices of amenities to relax in the sun. Chairs with blue beach towels, rod iron tables and even these indentations that some people put their drink in but fit me perfectly.

An assortment of exotic fruits were in my room when I checked in.

Cathy and I strolled the Malecon - a paved walkway along the seashore in Colonia Centro. It features a collection of contemporary sculptures on the beachfront.

This bronze sculpture, In Search of Reason by Sergio Bustamante, has a ladder with two children (odd looking) climbing up it and their presumed mother calling to them from the ground. Tourists like to climb the ladder for a photo opportunity but with my acrophobia I had my picture taken with me in the mother's hand.

"Come down from their right now! I'm going to tell your father!"

Paul, Karen and I are in front of La Nostalgia by Ramiz Barquet. A bronze inspired by the romance between the artist and his wife. They came to this spot to enjoy the sunsets.

La Rotonda del Mar by Alejandro Colunga Marin is a series of eight sculptures. A collection of bronze chairs created for the the Malecon.

I met these two handsome police officers while I was enjoying the sculptures. An added bonus!

Audrey

Lefse

2010-11-12T21:42:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year....with Thanksgiving fast approaching and Christmas not far behind it's time to make lefse.

For you non-Norwegians, lefse is a traditional flatbread made with potatoes. The dough is rolled very thin with a special rolling pin with deep grooves.

It takes a lot of skill to roll the dough very thin and round and not have it stick to the rolling pin.

It's cooked on a very hot lefse grill.

The dough is rolled onto long wooden turning sticks and then unrolled onto the the grill.

When the dough starts to bubble and the bubbles turn brown it's time to turn it over using the stick to cook the other side.

Spread the lefse with butter, sprinkle with sugar and roll it up.

Delicious!

Babs

Oktoberfest

2010-10-31T16:43:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween!

October is a fun month around here. It's time for the 34th annual Everett Sausage Festival. It's a weekend of fun with a Bavarian theme. Enjoy the Bavarian Dinner Haus and Beer Garden, carnival rides, arts and crafts, an assortment of food booths and Xtreme bingo.

A traditional favorite family competition is the water race.

Aim your water gun to shoot water into the clowns mouth. The first car that reaches the top is the winner.

Karen, Connor, and Jen played too and Jen was the winner! Look what she won - Sexy Monkey!

What would Sausage Fest be without eating sausage and kraut, corn on the cob, and elephant ears?

We headed to the Xtreme Bingo tent where guess what?

I won!

There was even a Jungle Madness ride.

What a great weekend!

George

My new friend Maxx and I went to choose the perfect pumpkin. It was hard to make a decision.

We spent some time relaxing on Biringer Farm. While the others clomped through the acres of pumpkins and the corn maze we decided to chill on the bank of Union Slough.

Later that night I met a Bavarian lad at an Oktoberfest celebration.

We ate German food I can't pronounce except for pretzel and had an array of Oktoberfest Bier choices.

We danced to the Beer Barrel Polka. (Sorry about the poor quality video but stick around past the first 30 seconds to see the dancers.)

The next weekend I went to a Halloween party.

The costumes were terrific.

This scary guy was guarding the door.

There was good food, music, dancing (Thriller was a highlight), and costumes. I ate this cupcake for desert.

Trick or Treat!

Itsy

San Diego, California

2010-10-23T14:24:00.000-07:00

Darlene and I are headed to San Diego, California.

We had some snacks and worked puzzles on the plane ride.

She even gave me the window seat.

I'm King of the World!

Lemon trees. Can you believe it?

Aren't the plants unusual?

We went to Imperial Beach to enjoy the sun and sand.

The view is amazing.

The view of the water of course. What did you think I meant?

I relaxed and worked on my tan.

This 18-foot-tall sculpture "The Spirit Of Imperial Beach" depicts a surfer and his long board along with two children building a sandcastle. The theme reflects the fact the this is the birthplace of lifeguards and surfing and home to the U.S. Open Sandcastle Competition.

Imperial Beach is the most Southwesterly City in the continental U.S. Only 5 miles from the Mexican border.

I wanted to be sure they remembered me.

I made a stop at the library.

I played checkers and chess at the mall but boy are those pieces hard to move.

I've been hearing about them for a long time but I've never been to In-n-out. They have great burgers.

Todd was such a gentleman to open the door for me.

It wouldn't be a visit to San Diego without going to the zoo.

I had to decide what to see first. There are over 4000 animals of more than 800 species.

My neck hurts just looking at them.

I didn't even have to walk the 107 acres. Darlene took me on her scooter.

Behind me is the Coronado Bridge. Sadly, it's the third deadliest suicide bridge in the U.S. It is 2.1 miles long and has a maximum height of 200 feet to allow Navy ships to pass underneath.

We visited the beautiful Hotel Del Coronado.

Built in 1887 it has had many famous guests including, Marilyn Monroe, Charles Lindbergh, 11 U.S. Presidents, Thomas Edison, Babe Ruth, Brad Pitt, and Madonna. In 1920 it was visited by England's Prince of Wales. Later to become King Edward VIII, only to give up his throne in 1936 to marry Coronado's divorcee Wallis Spencer Simpson. It is speculated that they met at The Del.

Now they can boast that Itsy the Sock Monkey was here too.

It was a lot of fun but it was time to return home. I strapped myself in for take off.

And up we went.

Itsy

A Visit To The Senior Center

2010-10-17T12:50:00.000-07:00

Gloria is always telling me about all the fun she has on her bookmobile route to the Senior Center so this time I asked to go along.

She takes a laptop inside to check out the books. Gloria calls this portable circulation.

Myrtle greeted us at the door and we signed in.

Ronald is a Wii bowler extraordinaire!

Here I am checking the score.

I was thirsty after all that bowling. Ruby the coffee station volunteer made me a cup.

I watched the guys play cribbage.

"Granny" and I chatted awhile.

Jerry the Senior Center Program Coordinator was surprised to see me.

Maybelle woke up long enough to say "Hi."

Charlie "the Muffin Man" is another incredible volunteer.

I can see why Gloria has such a great time at the Senior Center. Did you know they offer computer classes, dance classes and activities such as bingo, table tennis, pinochle, and bridge? What about that Nintendo Wii? I want another chance to beat Ronald at bowling. I hope Gloria takes me with her again.

Marcey

It's PUG Time Again

2010-10-10T17:39:00.000-07:00

I had such a great time at PUG last year in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina I decided to go again this year to Syracuse, New York to attend the Polaris Users Group 9th Annual Conference. As stated in the bylaws the Polaris Users Group's purpose is to serve as a forum to influence the development and improvement of Polaris Library Systems products for the benefit of PUG members. Polaris ILS (integrated library system) automates cataloging, circulation, and acquisitions at more than 1,000 libraries across the United States.

Yes, we learn a lot at these conferences but we manage to have a lot of fun too!

You may have noticed I have a new friend this year. I attended with Carol from Washington State and Marcey attended with Vice-Chair of PUG Tina from Arkansas.

We listened intently to the speakers...

...and attended many informative seminars. Carol was very interested in seminars such as Polaris and the Mobile Web, RDA Focus Group, and Understanding Your Data for SimplyReports. I, on the other hand, was very interested in Speed Dating with Polaris Staff. Finally, I thought, a chance to meet successful and

employed individuals interested in a possible long-term relationship. Not like the guys I met at my last speed dating attempt. It was a little strange. They only wanted to talk about Polaris functionality. Is it me?

(Thanks to PUG 2010 and Richard Theilig from the William F. Laman Library for the above three photos)

I hung out for a while with Mark, Jim and Tina at the Vendor Reception.

I met Randy from Midwest Tape.

Eric from Baker & Taylor.

Kelly from Backstage Library Works.

She had some great postcards about library concerns.

Bill from CompuType. We had a discussion about barcode labels.

The next night was the Polaris President's Reception at The Museum of Science and Technology in downtown Syracuse.

I discovered the hardness scale for rocks.

I was shocked my new friend Stephanie would let this happen.

O.K.?

I explored the Kinetic sculptures of Technotown, learned about the many layers of the earth and visited the Coral Reef Adventure Tank in the Earth Science Discovery Cave...

...and studied Polaris - in this case the North Star at the Planetarium.

I couldn't leave without visiting Toothpick City II : Temples and Towers.

An exhibit of more than 40 famous religious buildings and tall towers from around the world.

Made entirely of toothpicks and glue.

It's the largest toothpick structure in the world with almost 4 million toothpicks.

The centerpiece is the Burj Khalifa, Dubai.

Now I can say I've been to the real Burj Khalifa in Dubai and the toothpick version.

After partying at the MOST it was so good to get back the the hotel to rest.

I met Lisa while we were checking out of the hotel. We talked about what a good time we had at the conference.

Carol and I were exhausted waiting for our shuttle at Sea-Tac Airport to arrive to drive us home.

I don't know about Carol but I can't wait for next year!

Itsy

Introducing Audrey

2010-10-02T14:30:00.000-07:00

Hello, my name is Audrey and I was lucky enough to ride along with Cathy and Chuck on a drive from Seattle, Washington to Palm Springs, California.

One of our first stops was at Crater Lake, Oregon. We were surprised to see snow in early September. It was cold and windy - only 31 degrees. But isn't it beautiful?

Crater Lake has a depth of 1,943 feet making it the deepest lake in the United States. It was formed when a massive eruption of Mount Mazama 7,700 years ago caused the mountain to collapse, leaving a steaming caldera. (I had to look that word up) Centuries of rain and snow filled the caldera creating Crater Lake. You can view a live web cam here.

What a change the next day! From snow to the heat of Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park at Inyo County, CA. It was hot, hot hot. The basin is the lowest point in North America, with an elevation of 282 feet below sea level.

The salts of the surrounding basin make the water undrinkable (hence the name). Next to the water repeated freeze-thaw and evaporation cycles push the thin salt crust into these craters.

A person, or a monkey, can rent bikes at the Furnace Creek Cyclery in Death Valley. Let me think.... Furnace, Death, Badwater hmmm, do I want to go biking in the blazing heat. No thank you. Where's our air conditioned car?

Ahhh. This is more like it. Relaxing with a martini in our condo at the Welk Resort Desert Oasis.

Located just outside of Palm Springs in Cathedral City, CA. The average temperature is 75 degrees and sunshine 350 days a year. During our two week stay we enjoyed golfing, the tennis club, the swimming pool, the spa, and shopping.

The centerpieces at dinner were a little prickly though.

For you youngsters, Lawrence Welk was an American musician, accordionist, bandleader, and host of the Lawrence Welk Show from 1955 to 1982. Many people have the memory of growing up watching the show with their parents or grandparents.

Despite my crying and protests and explanations of my acrophobia I was forced to ride on the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway.

It involves an 8 1/2 minute ride ascending 2 1/2 miles up a mountain while sitting in a rotating tramcar. You're dizzy and nauseous too just hearing about it. Don't tell me you're not. It travels from the floor of Coachella Valley to near the top of San Jacinto Peak. You can see a live view from the tramcams here.

There's nothing like eating dinner after a ride like that but we headed over to Babe's Bar-B-Que and Brewhouse in Rancho Mirage, CA. The restaurant was started by Don Callender founder of Marie Callender Restaurants. It features hickory-smoked pork, chicken, and beef, from Baby Back Ribs to Pulled Pork sandwiches.

Here I am with Babe. I'm sure Cathy, Chuck and I will be added to the Babe's Hall of Fame. We'll be in the company of Steven Tyler (Aerosmith), Faith Hill, Alice Cooper, Jon Lovitz, Don Rickles, and Carol Channing.

I'm heading off to another amazing trip with Cathy and Chuck soon. I'll tell you all about it when I get back.

Tandem Cycling

2010-09-11T17:52:00.000-07:00

I went on a two day 110 mile tandem bike ride with Dan and Edwin. I appreciate them taking me along but I would have preferred my own seat. I saw a lot of concrete from here.

We loaded the bike with two days worth of supplies. Day one we biked from Lacy to Tenino to Rochester to Rainbow Falls State Park. A total of 60 miles.

While in Tenino we visited the Monarch Contemporary Art Center and Sculpture Park. An 80 acre nonprofit outdoor sculpture garden. The park has over 100 contemporary outdoor sculptures, a hedge maze in the shape of a butterfly, fantasy garden, bird and butterfly garden, Japanese garden, and a 20 mile bike trail.

The Sound Garden includes interactive sculptural musical instruments.

Ouch!

You can see we were having a lot of fun but it was time to move on.

Open, Open, Open.

The next day we had a long trip ahead of us and needed a good breakfast at Subway.

Day two we spent biking from Rainbow Falls to Chehalis to Centralia, to Tenino to Lacey. A 50 mile trip. I'm exhausted. But you can see all of my complaining on the first day worked. I was given my own seat sitting upright with a great view all the way.

BeeGee

School Daze

2010-09-07T19:31:00.000-07:00

School started today.

1. I wore my brand new dress and shoes and carried my backpack filled with my school supplies including the $100 graphing calculator mom and dad weren't too happy about buying. Boy is that backpack heavy.

2. My mom ran after my school bus screaming "Olymmmpiiiiaaaaa" "Sweetie, you forgot your lunch." I'll never forgive her and I'm never speaking to her again!

3. I couldn't open my locker no matter how many times I tried the combination.

24 right, or is that left?

4. My best friend and I have the same lunch time!

5. Tomorrow is already a half day!

6. I joined show choir. We're going to watch the season premier of Glee at my house.

7. Homework? On the first day?

The Greatest Show on Earth!

2010-09-04T17:39:00.000-07:00

One hundred years ago, on August 17th, 1910 the circus came by train through the wilderness to the frontier town of Everett, Washington. The population at the time consisted mainly of loggers and laborers. You can read about it here in the Everett Herald.

Fast forward 100 years and the circus came to town again. Barnum's Funundrum came by train this time also disembarking near the site of the original circus (now Lowe's Home Improvement) and parading the two short blocks to the Comcast Arena. The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus includes 130 performers from six continents. The Flying Caceras attempt a quadruple somersault on the flying trapeze. The Body Benders contortionists fit 3 humans in a cube the size of a milk crate and Mighty Meetal the strongest man in the world lifts over 1200 pounds including barbells and humans.

Hello, by coincidence my name is Itsy too. Amie brought me with her to the circus and she made sure I was able to see everything.

Carolann let us into the pre-show.

We got to meet the clowns...

watch acrobats up close...

and watch Kelly Ann the 9,000 pound elephant paint a picture.

There were souvenirs to buy.

Popcorn being popped.

And what would the circus be without cotton candy?

The Sky High Ice Gliders are high wire acrobats. They executed flips, splits, and walked while holding their partners on their heads.

The Spherical Miracle consists of the Torres Family blasting around the inside of a 16 ft. diameter steel globe with 7 motorcyclists at speeds up to 65 miles an hour.

We had a fantastic time.

Watch the circus finale.