Preferences vs Opinions

Less I forget like every other old geezer forgets;
On Jean's last day in Seattle we planned a meal with many of our grocery store treats. What a meal.

Bavarian hot dogs, at first I thought it was odd that they were raw Bavarian hot dogs until I remembered hot dogs are considered a sausage and many many sausages are bought raw. Delicious.
French Brioche hot dog buns.
Danish Smorkage from our locally famous Larsen's Bakery. I thought the buns were going to be along the line of cinnamon rolls. Wrong, they were an almond paste type of pastry. My favorite.
German/Pacific Northwest beet/cabbage/carrot Kraut. Made in downtown Seattle.
Vietnamese Coffee and Tea, I didn't notice where they were made. Jean liked the tea the best, I liked the coffee the best. Christian says this is his favorite coffee from Thai restaurants. I don't know why I have never tried it at a Thai place, but I will. Soon.

The piece de resistance however was the Japanese pastry roll. Pale green, green tea flavor, soft and pleasantly sweet, baked with natural brown rice yeast. To preserve its freshness it contained a small square alcohol infused tab like nothing we had ever seen. Product of Japan. It was beyond description. When you come to visit I will get you a Japanese pastry roll. Yummy is all I can say.

Jean is very good at finding unusual tidbits.

I am fascinated by the idea of having favorites. Janice has a favorite type of dishrag, but I have an actual favorite dish rag. A dishrag that is dying and I can't replace sad to say. It might have a year or two longer if I use it until it is threads.

So favorites, like a favorite grocery store are interesting. Ian's used to be Tops Grocery Store, now I'm not sure, it might be the Thriftway by where he works. Christian always had a favorite dictionary. Does that even make sense? Roger has a favorite running shoe, Asics Gel-Nimbus. I have heard Amber has favorite pens. Favorite computer, route, season, diet, knife, especially a cooking knife, suitcase. Dad gave me a favorite hammer. How could he possibly have had a favorite hammer among all his hammers? Restaurants, books, and movies are too broad, too many choices, too many favorites, but the small comforts of home, like dishrags, what are your favorites?

What sets you aside as different? Uniquely you? Where is the line crossed from preferences that we enjoy to opinions that need defended. Where is that line?

I have fallen in love with the movie The Imitation Game. The film talks about preferences and how differences doesn't make us wrong but creates a different type of thinking. Claire and I talked about preferences and differences. Spouting an opinion vs expressing a preference. Expressing feels free, fun, enjoyable. Opinions, on the other hand, feel like they have dangerous undercurrents somehow. I try to live my life with as few opinions as possible.

Just thoughts rattling around in my head. something for my brain to play with.

On my last diabetic exam, my sweet doctor wanted blood, urine, poop, vaccines, colonoscopy, chest x-rays, she keeps trying to make me healthy. Some of the recent blood work informed my medical staff that my b-12 was now too high, so get busy and lower it.

Ian asked why chest x-rays? I said well I suppose to see how my COPD/lungs are doing. Josianna Conception never mentioned my lungs, but she called me at home and on my cell after hours to tell me my heart had an anomaly in keeping with myocardial infarction and to get my butt to a cardiologist. One heart attack was enough for any person, so off I go Friday for an echo-cardiogram and I'm booked for a gig with the cardiologist. That's the story of my life; one doctor appointment leads to seven. Just saying.

Claire is selling her house and so that the realtors can have ease of access to her house she has been hanging out up here. I think it takes a lot of courage to make such a major change in her life at her age, selling out and moving to Minnesota. It isn't easy for her, but she is admirably plugging ahead. Inspirational actually.

Back to favorites, my currant favorite quote:
"Just because I can't do it today doesn't mean I can't do it."

I'm thinking about quitting smoking.
I don't want to be the last smoker in Seattle.
The last smoker standing.
If everyone else can do why can't I.

I'm thinking about quitting smoking.
Probably a better use of my time then thinking about opinions,

Three weeks until Julia is sitting on my couch. I love sibling/sister play time.

All Good Things Come To An End

It is a sad, yet wonderful feeling as good things come to an end. Jean is leaving today, sad, yet wonderful that she came and played, and played, and played.

Jean is amazing! She read an article about a park and off we went park hunting. She read an article about a restaurant and off we went to Anthony's Seafood Grill. She saw a road and off we went following the curve of the highway. She saw a plant, house, view, boat, bay, building, and off we went following the whims of Jean.

She reads, observes, notices, thinks, looks, ponders, and engages in just about everything around her, all the time keeping in touch with Cathy, Brittany, Chris and Kenny via text, Facebook, and calls.

All the time volunteering for cooking duties; Mexican crock-pot casserole, bacon, cookies. She made a pot load of chocolate chip cookies, but not enough for me to share at work. I got some grief at work when I wouldn't share my last six cookies. Heck I don't like them at work that much. Jean is amazing.

When I told the folks at work that I took Jean back to Central Market to have fun grocery store browsing, I thought they would make fun of us for such a silly activity. Man o man was I wrong. Instead they were all mad that I didn't take her to their favorite grocery store. Didn't you take her to Trader Joe's, didn't you take her to Haggen's, didn't you take her to World Market, Top Foods, geez I didn't know everyone had a favorite grocery store. Learn something new everyday.

We had fun being "saucy" photographing our mini adventures. Sometimes our mini mini mini adventures, and not being very adept we sometimes forgot to take pictures. We were always smug when we remembered. And being two old geezers let loose, sometimes we just didn't give a hoot and didn't bother. The only photograph I regret not capturing is a photograph of Connor. He is amazing.

Yep, Jean is packing up her groceries, her c-pap machine, her underwear and jacket and heading home. She is monitoring the Midwest weather hoping to slide in between storms, so far it is forecast rain not tornadoes.

What a wonderful unplugged time we had. Sibling time. Sister time. I only snuck out of work once. Ferry tolls are higher. The Mukilteo waterfront park is now going to charge for parking. Impromptu sons dinner was great. Lots of fog, rain and sunshine, we had some glorious days of sunshine to play in.

We didn't make it to Ma'Ono Fried Chicken and Whiskey, we found out it's not a Thai place it is a Hawaiian influenced place. Who knew it was a four star, make a reservation, only open at dinner, $40.00 a chicken plate place -- and only street parking. It is over in West Seattle around Alki Beach so we were going to go for lunch today on our way to the airport. Needless to say it presented some challenges. It is on our bucket list now.

Jean enjoyed seafood last night at Anthony's Seafood Grill, she had shrimp cocktail, clam chowder and garlic infused prawns. We ate our way up the food chain, first was Spuds, then Ivar's and then last night, oh yum yum.

What can you say when good times come to an end? It was great. It was fun. It was relaxed. Nothing particularly special but perfect for us. I can't hardly say good-bye Jean.

~except~

In twenty-eight days I get to say Hello Julia.

Day three of a lazy do nothing day.

Jean kept quiet when I turned in front of a fellow driver. And the other driver just honked instead of crashing into me, thank goodness. Anybody else come visit I'll drive bad for you.

Thursday we went plane watching at Roger's location at Boeing before we went to breakfast. No accounting for entertainment tastes in some of us.

We had an awesome breakfast at the Rusty Pelican. Jean discovered a biscuit that is as good as any we have every had anywhere. Jan now knows where to go to finally get a good biscuit in the Pacific Northwest. That was our restaurant entertainment -- like we are want to do. Fabulous. Anybody else come to visit I will take you to the Rusty Pelican.

I was needing a packet of Hidden Valley Fiesta Ranch Dip for a new recipe I wanted to make and QFC didn't have it, so Jean and I went to the Central Market close by the restaurant. I was sure they would have it, they have everything. Well, no packet of dip, but I discovered a whole new side of Jean. 

Jean in a new grocery store is like a kid let loose in a toy store. She was awesome and found the most awesome tidbits and treats. Things I wouldn't have noticed in twenty-two years. We came out with lots of new, different, enticing, unusual, locally made treats: bean dip (roasted chipotle bean dip, made in Portland) bread dipping sauce (artichoke/caper/olive oil bread dipping sauce made in Seattle) bread (pesto pan tomato roll from Pinks Bakery) whole grain fig newton type cookies stuffed with peach/raspberry/strawberry/blueberry, a cupcake as a thank you for Ian that is beyond description. It was shaped like a soda fountain ice cream Sunday complete with a waffle cone cookie tucked in and a cherry on top. We love Ian. Any one else come visit I will let you love Ian also.

We passed on the kale chips which Roger swears are delicious. That was entertainment grocery shopping. Anybody else come visit I will take you to the Central Market. It is a really good thing we went after breakfast instead of before when we were hungry.

Ahhh, the continuing saga of old lady adventures in Seattle. We always make it home in time to take a nap before we head out again.

We headed out again for book club. Brittany had asked her granny what we had planned and Jean said book club. Brittany said, "How exciting." I think more than a little yeah-that-sounds-old- lady-ish. Jean added that the next day we were going ferry hopping, Brittany said, "That sounds like more fun." And off we will go ferry hopping today. Anybody else come visit I will take you ferry hopping.

We are now socked in with fog up to my back window.

Come Sunday Connor is going to have an official introduction to our official "Cookie Lady". For the rest of his life he will know who the "Cooke Lady" is. Can't wait, and I promise he won't have to eat spinach cookies. Everyone should have a "Cookie Lady."

Day Two of Sister Time

Day two of a lazy do nothing day.

Conversation:

An Onlineshoes employee had to be in Ohio at our warehouse for a few days, she said, "All of a sudden I heard all these sirens blaring and blasting -- then -- everybody disappeared."

Jean's conversation with a fellow passenger on her flight to Seattle. "I was in Oklahoma and I was thrilled, I GOT TO GO MOUNTAIN CLIMBING! I've never been mountain climbing before." Cute, huh? Where was she from? Florida. I didn't know Florida was so flat. Learn something new every day.

A Seattle TV weather person was in Oklahoma and was thrilled, I GOT TO GO STORM CHASING! His perfect vacation included Oklahoma tornadoes. Happy man. Now you know there are all kinds of roads to happiness. Jean said there are lots of those ecco-weather-storm-chasing tours around tornado season.

A young guy at work was talking about getting old, he turned all of twenty-five. I said, Hell, I have shoes older than you.

Events:

Ian explained to me what a bad job I did picking out Christian's new house slippers. They were shoes not house slippers. I delivered them to Christian and told him what Ian said, Christian took one look at them and said, those are shoes, but he agreed to try them and see if he would keep them or exchange them for what he actually wanted. I always knew I had questionable taste in shoes.

I was thrilled I got to share a three-son day with Jean. Ian in the morning, Christian at noon, Roger in the evening. A practically perfect day. I am not questionable in my taste in sons.

Surprise:

You've all heard of pay-it-forward? Well get ready for this. Claire and Jean and I were having breakfast at Shari's, just talking and laughing, probably loud like Jean and I are, about moving to Minnesota, bad health, being out of a job, Oklahoma storms, floods, and tornadoes, just having a great time finishing up the dregs of coffee, the smear of jam, and the last bit of toast when the waitress walks up and said a man just paid for your breakfast-es. Jean chokes and asks "All of them?" Yes! All of them, plural! All three.

The man had paid and left without us being able to thank him. Jean asked the waitress if he was a regular? Had he done it before? She said no, she had never seen him before. Jean asked if it happened often, she said one other time and those people were also sitting at the table we were at. That is one lucky table.

It made all of us, even the waitress all teary and goose-bumpy. I'm talking maybe $45.00 worth of breakfast-es. I have to admit it felt really, really, REALLY odd to be walking out without paying. I felt like I was walking out stiffing the restaurant. Ian asked if we bought someone else's, as is the tradition at Starbucks. We said no, we were in such shock we just stumbled out stunned. We didn't even think of it. Somebody will get it today!

None of us had ever, ever had anything like that happen before. Have you?

Jean was sitting facing the gift giver's direction and observant soul that she is had noticed him, because she notices everything. She said it looked like he had only had a cup of coffee. Me? I think he noticed how cute Jean was and Claire and I floated out on her coat-tails. Thank goodness for Jean. Everybody needs a sister Jean.

Christian:

When we did the Ballard drive-by to see Christian. He mentioned he will probably come up Sunday to visit before Jean leaves. Key word here is probably. So a quasi-invitation went out to the rest of the family for an impromptu Sons Dinner. I'll be working but Jean volunteered to man the crock pot and probably make chocolate chip cookies. Jean's probably isn't as slippery as Christian's. Everyone needs a sister Jean.

Connor:

Connor became excited at the chocolate chip cookie talk. Stephanie teased him that they might be spinach cookies.

Connor read the word Dewey as in Dewey Decimal System and asked me what it meant. Explain that to a six year old.

I was able to observe him reading at the dinner table last night. That was a first. It made my heart soar.

Connor was explaining to Jean which Pokemon card was rare and that that was why it was valuable. I said, Connor you are rare so that makes you valuable. He puzzled on that for a moment, so I continued, I said you are the only Connor, there is only one of you. He thought about that for a moment and said no, he knew of other Connor's. I said well you are the only Connor Jensen Carrillo. That he accepted. My rare and valuable Connor.

Sibling Time, Sister Time

Day one of a lazy do nothing day is done -- and seven more to go.

Between Spuds and nap and bedtime Jean and I talked about everything and everyone. Nobody was safe! If you are elected, related or have a cat, dog, or pet...we talked about you. Clark's college, Nora's marriage, Summer's career, Chris's career, Amber's dog, Mark's weight loss and yes we touched on politics just long enough to back off. Semi-conservative and ultra liberal, yep that's us.

And I have a wild week planned.

Today is the grand Claire and Connor day. My traditional Wednesday breakfast with Claire, home for a nap and then an evening with The Connorman. I can't tell you how excited Jean is about that.
This weeks events, the coming attractions will also include a breakfast at the Farmers Cafe, a ferry jaunt, a mountain drive, and book club. Sounds exciting doesn't it.

Sibling time is the best time! Ease of conversation. Physical comfort with each other, it doesn't matter if we fart. Long history of memories and past events. Shared experiences, drives, trips, meals, events. Shared relatives to talk about. It is fun.

And our current wild lives of grocery stores, doctor appointments, grandkids, ageing, ageing, ageing. Lots about ageing, getting up in the morning rituals, going to bed at night rituals, hobbling out the door rituals, remembering everything we need when we leave the house whether it be for a few hours or a few days. And in spite of all those rituals, how glad we are that we aren't young anymore and suffering the angst of youth. Youth -- anyone under fifty. Don't laugh, you will be there soon enough. As Jeff said, "I'm looking at the coming attractions." Aches, pains, hobbles, and myriad other hazards of the graying of America.

The weather is moody broody, but no tornadoes. It supposed to rain for the next seven days and we might reach 65 degrees.

Ian is in town, I have new house slippers for Christian's new home. Christian has connections with the shoe industry. Roger and Stephanie this PM.

Life in the slow lane.
Life in the sibling lane.
Life in the sister lane.
Life.

Life is good.

An Evening With Connor

After Connor explained to me, in detail, he is all about detail, what a googleplex is.

After he told me I was wasting water because I had inadvertently leaned against the water fountain tab.

After he told me the other Connor in his class is a bully.

After he told me his Lego class was awesome. He was one of only two kindergartners all the rest of the class was older. The other kindergartner was Leo and he wasn't very good building their pirate ship so Connor helped him. Sweet child. And that no one was a bully. Sweet child. Connor said there were more than six attending, Roger said it was closer to twenty.

After all the chit chat was over we didn't play Legos,

Connor announced he was going to teach me how to play Pokemon. He sat me down and explained it was going to be a teaching moment. He wouldn't let me touch his best Pokemon cards, the best ones he was saving until I was ready for a more challenging game. He showed me the coin flip, the evolved group, the basic group, the training cards that are used for training purposes, and allowed that I was in fact training to play.

He told me to write down all the rules, but I have to admit I am still very wobbly on how to play Pokemon.

When Roger asked me how much Coke I had left in my Coke can, I swished the can around and said it was about 1/3 full, Connor explained and demonstrated how all I needed to do was run my fingers down the side of the can until I came to where the can was colder due to having Coke inside up to that level. Connor showed me, precisely, how much Coke was left. Sweet child.

When Stephanie started to reach for the Veggie Straws chip bag so she could have a few more, Connor took it away, folded and clipped the bag, and proceeded to put them away in the pantry. He explained if his mother kept eating another handful there wouldn't be any for a treat the next day. One handful was enough for any mother. He finally relented and let his mother have an additional snack with her evening meal. Stephanie explained that Connor seldom gets any kind of chip snack and that accounted for his being overly protective. Sweet child.

An evening with Connor that delighted this granny.

Taylors and Mothers Day

T A Y L O R S

T -- Smart
A -- Funny
Y -- Helpful
L -- Kind
O -- Gracious
R -- Practical
S -- Inquisitive

- and also -
travelers, adventurers, yacky, loving, original, responsible, sincere,
- and also -
good cooks, slightly socially inept, readers, hard working, creative,  
- and also -
A wee bit oddball,
Thank goodness.

Big family, big feelings, big experiences, fullness of life.

In case you missed it, Jean and Julia are coming for a visit. I can't wait to play. I have birds in mind, I have drives in mind, I have what is supposed to be the best fried chicken in Seattle in mind, at a Thai food restaurant of all places. Jean I'm thinking we will have to try Mo'Ono Fried Chicken and Whiskey. Julia I'm feeling Camano Island calling our name, supposed to be good birding. There will also be an opportunity to see and admire The Connorman, I know you don't want to miss that. I'll hear today how his first Lego class went.

By the time you get here Mother's Day will have come and gone. Me and the boys are going to Kosta's Greek Restaurant for some fine Greek dining. Kosta's is always quiet and calm, something I like better then hyper and busy and trendy. Tonight Roger is cooking some kind of fancy burger with bruschetta buns? What the heck?

What a lot of good mothers we are. It makes me swell with pride when I think of all the good Taylor mothers. Even the guys are good mothers. Jeff, Jason, Roger, Marc, Mark, good mothers all. Don't know about New Chris yet, I've been afraid to ask if children loomed on Chris and Nora's horizon. Actually it is none of my business, so I haven't asked. Chris D looks a good mother to his friend's children, Brittany is a good mother to her Dax. Summer shines as a good mother. Some mothers are stern, some are whacky, some would get up at midnight to make fried chicken for their chicks, I am not that mother. I'll get up if it involves a wound or a crash otherwise let me sleep.

Mothering my sons is the easiest job I have ever had. They are so much more than I deserve. Can I tell you how grateful I am for each one, each and every day? What a lazy mom I am and what delightful boys I have. Speaking of sons, Christian's birthday is Saturday. I remember that Mother's Day birthing a boy. The longest, squallingest, cutest baby birthed at the hospital on that day. Even birthing them was easy. No long labors for me; BOOM, here they are. I would come in, have a baby, and leave while the woman next to me was still, well, still laboring.

You can try to Happy Birthday Christian on Facebook, but he doesn't pay much attention to FB.

Getting ready for family checklist:
Clean house -- check. Ian did that.
Laundry -- check. Ian did that.
Vacuum -- check. Ian did that.
Sweep -- check. Ian did that.
Groceries -- check. Ian did that.
Groceries put away -- check. Ian did that.
Prepare the guest room -- check. Ian did that.
Daydream about what to do -- check. I did that.
Plan a road trip, restaurant trip, bird trip -- check. I did that.
Gather all the fixings for Chocolate chip cookies -- check. I won't admit who did that.
Extra coffee, extra spending money, new rocking chair -- check, check, check.
Dust -- no check. No one ever does that.

So to all you Taylor mothers out there, male and female, with children or without, Happy Mother's Day, but also, just Happy Day.