Beckett Point Crab!

We dropped our first crab pot and got our first haul. Three crabs in two days. We have to get a better system for the execution because Cindy's hatchet is too small to make it quick and clean. Enough about that. We steamed it in salt water for 15 minutes, then set it in cold water, rinsed it off, then gave it another cold salt water bath until it was cool. Delicious.

The SS Collioure

We were finally able to operate our new little boat on our own. Mike put a stronger set of wheels on it and we hauled it to the beach. We have it out all weekend!

Cobbler with love

The boys picked blackberries tonight then sent us upstairs while they concocted a surprise for us. Closing our eyes, Cindy and I came downstairs to a loving card that thanks us for "letting me see the earth," and a homemade blackberry cobbler displayed on a bed of Cracker Jacks, with two sprigs of dill. 

Errand boy

Love the double digits for a high energy guy. I gave him a list, $40 and he came back with every item, including a baguette sticking out of his backpack. 

Shoppers

I left these two shopping in Portland. They look way too happy.

Portland tourney

Portland soccer tourney for Kenzie was her first. The tournament was a little rough with two own-goals and some dirty play, but it was great that David was in the same tourney. We got to spend a bunch of time with Randy and Sary-Jo, especially since their hotel was just next door. No amazing planning, just great luck. We all got to share watching a few games and even found a way to Ethiopian food. 

Here David is complaining about his bum finger, that he will be disadvantaged in eating injera. Ermias happily agrees. 

Cliff jumping

We are in Bend, Oregon, for Mason's soccer tournament. Kenzie and Ermias went cliff jumping at Steelhead Falls with Whitney's family. Mind you, Ermias learned to swim about two weeks ago! Still, he jumped! The pictures are blurry, but he jumped with his sister.

Peter Pan

Kenzie's good friend Luca was in a local play called Peter Pan. We attempted to get tickets on Saturday but the doors were locked. We were also unable to get tickets online for Kenzie and Grammy so on Sunday, like last year, the plan was for me to drop them off and they would get tickets. I waited to see if they could get in. Kenzie came back to tell me the doors were locked again. Issaquah has two theatres across the street from each other so she suggested we try the other. I parked the car and went with them. When we arrived they had two seats left but not together and in the family room. They took them because this was the last performance. As I went to leave, we ran into Lucca's mom, Kim, and she had an extra ticket. So I joined them. It was a fantastic play. I gave Kenzie the closest seat. She thoroughly enjoyed it. We all did!!

Another Gunner

Pedicures!

A much needed pampering after our wonderful vacation. 

French countryside

We left Collioure yesterday and headed for a small French town called Montpezat, population 90. I "won" this house rental when trying to bid up an auction item, so we had very little information. Although there are many "Montpezat"s in France, this one didn't even show up on my GPS. Thomas put in the lat/long and we found it, arriving past dinner time to an empty house and eight hungry people. No restaurant in town. I stayed back for a work conference call with promises of a doggie bag from the restaurant in a neighboring village. Problem was the chef was a bit too snooty to allow his food to be bagged. Oh France. So, this part of the adventure had a bit of a rocky start....but then we started exploring the house, which used to be a blacksmith's, built in the 1600s, and the kids began to overcome their fear of the strange one-eyed clown doll.

We woke up and headed out to a neighboring town called Villeneuve Sur Lot, at least 1000 years old, with all its historic towers, buildings, and Roman aqueduct, turned bridge. We rented a couple of small electric boats and floated on the River Lot. We ate crepes, coffee in the town center, shopped, mostly while Cindy took a million pictures. A fun day of unplanned and unexpected adventures. I sit here waiting for another work call while the rest of the crew headed on a walk to the "scary windmill" on the hill, loading the kids up for this evening's night terrors. I may go prop up the one-eyed clown doll to greet them.

This medieval castle was on our way to Montpezat

View from our house

Mom is sporting a new way to wear her purse

Warning: new driver

Collioure, France

We love it here! Rick and Thomas visited this place years ago and brought us here for a couple of nights. Kenzie thinks she has found the best place on Earth.

Train