The other day I was driving by the Ballard Food Bank and operating just outside it was one of the Dante’s Hot Dog vendors. I’m just hoping they were giving hot dogs away for free because what kind of person tries to make a buck off of people who need to use the food bank? I mean if I were really hungry already and trying to get some food and this overwhelming hot dog smell comes wafting over I might go delusional and spend my last couple bucks on a dog. And somehow I think that’s just not quite right.

We’ve given in to the hype with the new documentary and remastering of the albums so we’ve been on a bit of a Beatles kick here lately. Jonah seems to really dig the simple straightforward rock so we’ve got a good thing going.
So many of our friends grew up with parents listening to the Beatles but I have to admit, neither Slanky or I have much experience. It’s amazing that we’ve missed such a big part of our culture and we’re hoping to play a little catch-up. The song I chose can’t really be called a favorite given my limited knowledge but it’s on the Revolver album that Slanky picked up the day the new ones came out. I think it’s pretty catchy and dancy so there you have it.
Do any of you have favorite Beatles songs? I’m curious to hear any Beatles related childhood memories!

Got to Get You Into My Life
I was alone, I took a ride,
I didn’t know what I would find there.
Another road where maybe I
Could see another kind of mind there.
Ooh then I suddenly see you,
Ooh did I tell you I need you
Ev’ry single day of life?
You didn’t run, you didn’t lie,
You knew I wanted just to hold you,
And had you gone, you knew in time
We’d meet again for I had to hold you.
Ooh you were meant to be near me,
Ooh and I want to hear me,
Say we’ll be together ev’ry day.
Got to get you into my life.
What can I do, what can I be?
When I’m with you I want to stay there.
If I’m true I’ll never leave,
And if I do I know the way there.
Ooh then I suddenly see you,
Ooh did I tell you I need you
Ev’ry single day of my life?
Got to get you into my life.
Got to get you into my life.
I was alone, I took a ride,
I didn’t know what I would find there.
Another road where maybe I
Could see another kind of mind there.
Ooh then I suddenly see you,
Ooh did I tell you I need you
Ev’ry single day of life?
What are you doing to my life?

From Revolver, originally 1966, remastered 2009 – Paul McCartney singing

In this era of the information superweb with its Amazons, its Zappos and its iTunes stores, I’m always a little surprised that those bizarre QVC/Home Shopping Networks still exist. Do people really sit around for a half hour just to see all the different angles of that commemorative eagle plate before they order? Why watch these networks with their ugly sets and bad lighting when you can at least watch some infomercial with some over-the-top guy selling exercise machines? Or there’s always NCIS. Do these channels still make money?

Not that I have any interest in finding out the answer. I judiciously ignore them when flipping through channels. The other night I was scrolling through the program guide and a intriguing listing in the swampland that is the collection of shopping channels caught my eye – “Hello Kitty Diamonique” is what it said.

I know Hello Kitty. I know diamonds (I came up with the word “bling”). But “diamonique” wasn’t a word in any language I know. And I know Hello Kitty is historically and ethnically Japanese and it didn’t sound like a Japanese word at all. So I had to stop and tune in.

Here is what I saw:

When I was about 10 years old, my mom’s friend Patty took us to Ebey’s Landing on Whidbey Island. It really knocked my socks off. I thought it was the most beautiful place on earth. On Sunday, September 13, I finally got to go back to this magical place and I am very happy to report that it is still the prettiest place on earth. This is an absolute MUST-see if you are still living in Washington. The weather was perfect. The sky was blue. It is so quite there you can feel it. Jeremy, Pedro, and I took the Mukilteo Ferry and drove there using the directions that I pulled off the internet by Googling Ebey’s Landing. We took the same walk I took when I was 10, walking along the bluffs and done to the beach. It was amazing. It was beautiful. Do yourself a favor: go there! It will make you soul feel clean.

Ok, I had a whole post written on the iphone wordpress and it looks like 3/4 of it didn’t load. Bah! Ok, redoing.

Today we went to REI to pick up a coat we ordered for Jonah and while I was glancing through the “returns” sale section I ran across a little blue wind breaker and the tag said this (in case my picture was not clear): decided it wasn’t pretty after 11 months of wear

Huh? It takes guts to list that as your reason for returning something.

Friday Music has taken a bit of a hiatus, mostly because I hit a bit of a try spell for a while there, musically speaking. Not much music was happening in the house besides Jonah’s music which is fun and all but not really blog-worthy most of the time. His tastes are expanding though and so I’m sure we’ll soon be hearing about bands like Peter, Bjorn and John or The Arcade Fire.

Going to Bumbershoot rekindled things a bit so here’s my favorite song from The Long Winters, who we saw on Saturday night. It’s a love song but a bit on the mournful side. I think there are several interpretations but right now I’m thinking it’s about moving on or the lack of ability to do so. I really like the lyricism though and its beautiful quality makes up for the depressing subject matter.

IT’LL BE A BREEZE

This fall I don’t know if I survived
I woke up still on fire
Are you saying I’m still alive
These are pieces I didn’t know I had
Each a different shade of blinding
These are pieces you left behind
Not the pieces that fit with mine

It’ll be a breeze
Is it your kisses I’m feeling?

I am a tree
Build a nest in my hair
Your voice appeals to me
It’s exactly how I feel

I’m fading in and out
And I don’t mind
I try to let you know I’m fine
And I can hear you crying

The Long Winters, When I Pretend to Fall

Also, for you music enthusiasts, here’s Ben Gibbard doing a cover.

Cheating a bit–this photo was taken yesterday. Today was rather painful, and I meant to take pictures, but it just wasn’t in the cards. Muriel’s nose is running like crazy and because of a fat upper lip she screams bloody murder every time I wipe it. My little climber! She had two huge crashes last week. The first she was on Rowan’s bed using the safety rail to stand up. It’s not very stable, and she toppled over onto the ground, splitting open her gums right above her front teeth. Then a couple of days later I was at coffee with some other moms from Ro’s school. She was standing up on the chair with me and I got up for two seconds to attend to Niamh and Muriel fell off the chair, injuring that darn upper lip again.

Anyway! She perhaps wasn’t looking or feeling her best today. It took me a while to realize that it hurt her when I wiped her nose. Whoops.

She is super close to walking. I found out accidentally last month (that was what I was going to write about, but couldn’t remember!) that she is not allergic to egg. I’d been showing Rowan and Niamh at the store how all the pasta made with egg has a picture of an egg on the package. A few days later Rowan said “Hey! Muriel’s biscuits have egg!” What I had thought was a picture of a pot of honey was in fact a picture of a yolk inside a half an egg shell. So Muriel’s been having egg since she was about 7 months old. Whoops (again). It’s a good thing my kids don’t have any deathly allergies or we’d be in trouble. It just didn’t occur to me that there would be egg in a teething biscuit recommended for ages 6 months +, since in the States eggs are a no-no until after 1 year (right?).

Other news is that she’s been sleeping through the night for a while now. Probably since right after her 10 month birthday. Hip Hip Hurray! I’m starting to feel like a new woman. Or at least somewhat human. It’s a nice feeling.

Anyway. Happy 11 months Little Miss!

1/2 cup brown sugar
4 Tablespoon butter
1 cup lemon yogurt
1 generous cup blueberries
1/2 cup yellow squash puree
1 egg
1 Teaspoon lemon zest
2 cups Flour (wholewheat or all purpose)
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1 Teaspoon baking powder
1 Teaspoon baking soda
1/2 Teaspoon salt

Cream butter and sugar. Add yogurt, squash, egg, and zest. Gently fold in blueberries. Add in flour, flax, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Be careful not to smush the berries. Mixture will be thick and sticky. Transfer into 12 muffin cups. Ice creat scoop works well for this. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes. Pull them out of the oven and let them sit for 5 minutes. Then pull them out of the pan and rest them on their sides to continue cooling so tht the bottoms won’t be soggy.