NWOutdoorGrrl

On Saturday, Nick and I took Ronan to see Harold and the Purple Crayon at the Seattle Children’s Theater. Part of the fun includes hanging out at the Seattle Center before the show. The fountain was spouting and spurting all over the place, so Nick and Ronan sat as close as they dared and watched for a while.

That only lasted a short time before the most important pre-show activities started:

Ronan made a careful study of the show program with Uncle Nick while we waited for the house to open:

Wow! I’m really milking this trip for all the blog posts I can get! After a week of deafening fun on the Isle of Man, we hopped on another micro-plane, this time to Newcastle upon Tyne – the start of our Hadrian’s Wall adventure.

We arrived mid-day and had plenty of time to explore the castle, visit the modern art museum, walk across the Millennium Bridge, grab a beer, write in our travel journals, seek out some awesome Indian food, and (most importantly) take in the colorful night life.

I have no idea what I’m doing with a camera most of the time, but I have no trouble instructing my husband on how to take better pictures. Here, he patiently listens to me as I give him a lecture on “filling the frame.” Or maybe he’s just enduring me until I stop and turn the camera back over to him.

Two home brewers went head to head tonight at Kirkland basecamp, comparing Saison of Our Discontent and The Bitter End. Both beers are coming along nicely, if I do say so myself!

Nick and I got word yesterday evening that Grandma Divine passed away Friday morning. It was somewhat expected, because she was nearing the end of a difficult struggle with Alzheimer’s, but that doesn’t make us any less sad.

I will remember her as warm-hearted guide to all things in Yorkshire.  We stayed with her for a week after graduating from college, and she helped us explore and make the most of local treasures. Her favorite, naturally, was Fountain’s Abbey. Every visit after our first included lunch in the tea room, looking out over the monastic ruins and beautifully manicured grounds.

Hugs to you in heaven Grandma. We’re missing you…