The Maddis @ The Lake House-Hilarious!

Bags draped across our shoulders while the dog raced past our feet, bypassing the house to drink from cool lake water; we headed straight for the bedrooms, unloaded our bags and then shucked off clothes replaced by attire more fitting for the day: swimsuits.  The psychedelic wallpaper and green shag carpet catapult visitors through a time warp back into the easygoing sixties, where moms were still housewives, dads took two consecutive weeks vacation, and life generally moved at a slower pace.  Last weekend our crew had a wonderful time at the lake, Possum Kingdom.  The best part of a weekender on the water is that we were able to completely clear our minds and focus simply on spending time together.  No work, no stress.  Our dear friends Harold and Cheryl T., who are like a bonus set of parents to Matt and I, invited us over for our annual lake trip.  We cruised on the pontoon, zipped atop waves on the sea-doos, tubed, skied, and then floated.  At night we played board games and ate ice cream.  Ah, why can't summer last forever? 

Out of all the fun we had, my most memorable moment was a conversation I had with the girls, the Maddis.  Matt and I laugh at their zany antics ALL the time!  They are smart girls, but WOW, they have some blond moments!  Don't believe me? (Well, if you know them you believe me!) Check out this video in which they answer questions over history, geography, and current events.  Get ready to laugh!

                                        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_7daw5lZ2U


~Mother Hubbard [AKA Cinderella (the middle-class, thirty-something, working-mom Cindey)]

Seattle, Until Next Time...

Beneath Seattle, lies an intricate system of sidewalks and barrier walls, remnants of a bustling city from over one hundred years ago.  If you are going to visit Seattle you MUST take the Bill Speidel's Underground Tour!  To join the tour, go to Pioneer Square where you'll find Doc Maynard's Public House, a restored 1890's saloon, and if you buy a drink while you wait (come on, you're in a saloon!) then you get first dibs on seating when the tour begins.  The tour guides are highly entertaining, hilarious really, and also informative.  Matt and I learned bookoos about the early days of this remarkable city.  Fascinating facts like after the Great Seattle Fire, the business men were anxious to build again, (naturally) but the city planners knew they needed to raise the level of the city.  Business vs. Government, sound familiar?  So they worked out this plan of erecting business first, then the city engineers built retaining walls, and after they covered the original sidewalks with iron support beams and concrete, essentially raising the street one level on each block.  The first floor of these buildings became the basement.  Interesting, right?

Before we took the tour on day four, Matt and I joined a couple of his work friends for a full day of sight-seeing!  After breakfast, we strolled beside the bay, inhaling the crisp morning air while a cool breeze whisked through our hair as we took in a gorgeous view of the bright, blue water.

From the Pier

Kissy, kissy!

Smack dab in the middle of the pier was a random piano!  Uh-huh, your guess is as good as mine, but the sign said something about bringing arts into the city.  Sounds good to me!  I video "creeped" on another tourist who obliged me a tune!

On our walk to the iconic Space Needle we passed by the Sculpture Gardens. Although we didn't have time to walk through, I was able to snap a pic of a.... wait for it....metal tree.

 

Alas!  After a uphill climb that could have been Mount Rainier to my jello legs, we arrived!

Excuse the narcissistic Kardashian selfie: I couldn't help it. ;)

 The Seattle Space Needle hovers at 500 ft in the sky offering breathtaking 360 views of the city! Located inside the monument is the SkyCity Restaurant offering both brunch and dinner.  We didn't eat there because they were booked when I called to make reservations! Call early.  Brunch runs around $45 dollars and dinners can cost upwards of $60.  Sounds pricey, but you'll pay $15-$25 for a decent lunch in Seattle anyway.  Combine lunch with the price of a deck ticket and it costs the same.  Since we couldn't get reservations, we purchased a ticket to ride the glass elevator to the viewing deck for $26 and grabbed a coffee in the cafe.  Once inside, visitors can sign an electronic guestbook and view their name and home city on the map.  The Hubbards are in!

Whew! All this exercise and sight-seeing made us hungry, so we rode (because we darn sure weren't going to walk again--heaven forbid!)  the Seattle monorail into downtown only to walk, yet again, to Etta's,  for lunch.  I had the "Rub with Love" SALMON and it was tasty!

Refueled and ready for action, we leisurely strolled through downtown to Pioneer Square for the above mentioned Underground Tour.  Afterwards, on our way back to Pike's Market we grabbed a margarita, chips, and salsa from some cantina with an open patio.  Note: if you're from Texas do NOT bother buying Mexican food in Seattle.  The margarita wasn't good and the salsa didn't taste like salsa but more like straight tomato sauce.  The view was nice and the chairs were fantastic--really, any chair would have worked after trucking the hills of Seattle.  I'll tell you what, people aren't fat in Seattle! Incline of 50 on the treadmill!

So Matt and have this joke; anytime a place closes early we'll say, "Is this Sweden?"  because in Sweden when the shops close at 6:00 pm (if you're lucky), they WILL kick you out.  Like, in line to try on an outfit, a store associate will come up to you and say, "we're closing and you'll have to come back tomorrow." NEVER does this happen in the USofA because we ARE greedy capitalists who will NOT turn down a possible sell.  Come on! 
So we made our way back to Pike's at 6:00 pm on a FRIDAY in the MIDDLE OF PEAK TOURISM SEASON, and the place was a ghost town! We said, "Are we in Sweden?"All the market vendors had closed up shop!  I kid you not.  If you're reading this and planning a trip to Seattle, make sure to plan accordingly.  (The next day, before we flew out to catch our flight we returned so that Matt could experience all that is Pike's Public Market.)  However, we did spend the evening sampling beers at the lively Pike's Pub and had a wonderful time with our friends. My favorite sample, Pike Kilt Lifter.  Watch out!

As I mentioned, we drove back on Saturday before we left, and the big take-away from the morning was Ellenos real Greek yogurt!  This isn't your supermarket yogurt: this stuff is other-worldly delicious! Best news ever: they accept online orders!  This screenshot from Twitter best sums up our tasting experience:

After enjoying the exceptional yogurt, we drove to airport, luggage in tow. 

   ~Truly, Cinderella

Seattle, Day Three

Locks, chocolate, and books: three words that summarize Day Three in Seattle.

Back inside the rental, GPS led me past the charming Freemont neighborhood, through Ballard, and into a crowded parking lot in front of Hiram M. Chittenden Locks.  Parking paid, I received an unexpected gift of FREE admission onto the grounds! Inside the visitors center a kind gentleman invited me to join the hour long visitor's tour.  I highly recommend it because:
1. a well-informed tour guide gives the history of the canal,
2. at the channel she explains the inner-workings and process of the locks,
3. and she provides interesting information about the fish ladder and the types of salmon that navigate those waters, which flow from the fresh water of Lake Washington to the salt water of Puget Sound. 
Definitely worth the drive, but another option is to see it by boat. If time permits, take an Argosy Cruise and travel through the locks.

Under the water, on ladder 18 of the salmon run, visitors can view the fish that are making the journey to lay their eggs.

 

After seeing all those fish, I felt a bit hungry, so I made my way back towards Fremont to tour a chocolate factory about which I'd read. Theo Chocolate is an all natural, organic chocolate company that pays fair wages to workers in parts of the Southern Hemisphere (making it a fair trade co). Located in an unassuming brick building close to the water I was able to find free parking nearby on the street. Stepping out of my car, fragrant smells of sweet chocolate sailed atop the breeze that blew beneath my nose.  Heaven, really. 

Tours are given on the hour and cost $10.  I was able to purchase a ticket from the friendly lady working the front desk and I didn't need a reservation.  She gave me a fashionable blue hairnet to wear and verified that I wore closed toe shoes.  (Required for the tour and I'd brought along a pair of "tennys" just for this!) The tour guide was super: she explained the entire growing process, (Did you know that cocoa beans grow from huge pods on the trunk of skinny trees?)

gave us samples,

 

and taught us more about chocolate in general.  For example, I learned that the amount of cocoa bean that is required for a chocolate bar to be considered "chocolate" is extremely low, like 10%.  Theo's dark chocolate contains 70% and their milk chocolate contains 45%.  After the tour and sampling some downright delicious chocolate, I felt like a connoisseur!  Seriously, I now can taste the difference between mass-produced cheap stuff and high quality chocolate.  Chili was my favorite!

Inside the conference room before we toured the factory.

Our amazing tour guide!

The holding tank: where all that liquid chocolate is kept!

Don't we look fancy?

The good news: I don't have to travel to Seattle to buy it because Market Street carries the Theo brand!  Morally delicious! Score!  

The last place I journeyed on day three was The Elliott Bay Book Company.  A cool bookstore located in what seemed like a "sketchy" neighborhood.  I didn't feel unsafe, but I was careful to triple check that I locked the car.  I also didn't linger on the sidewalk to take in the scenery. Pretty sure I watched a drug deal go down, but hey, I'm not judging.  Whatever gets ya through the day.  Anyway, I would have liked to venture into other local bookstores in the area, but I only had time for one. I walked upstairs, read a few pages from 21st Century Skills: Learning for Life in Our Times by Bernie Trilling and Charles Fadel.

When I got back to the hotel, Matt and friends had already chosen the restaurant for dinner and it was nearby in Bellevue, the suburb in which they were working. No need to "write home" about it, because it wasn't all that great.  

Around eleven I snuggled into bed, eager for sleep and ready to explore on day four!

~Truly, Cinderella

Seattle, Take One

When Matt told me that he would be working in Seattle for a week and asked me if I'd like to go, I answered "YES!" without hesitation.  I envisioned breathtaking, lush landscapes nurtured by grey rainy mornings; I imagined a steaming-hot latte purchased from the first Starbucks, a latte in which I'd  sip indulgently, thus inspiring me to write the next great Dystopian young adult fiction novel; I pictured a cerulean blue sea juxtaposed against a pale granite sky where nature and mankind fuse in mutual, respected balance; I saw vibrant outdoor markets where gluten-free granola eating, vegan, yogi hipsters, who carry satchels and travel via Vespas, would shop for fresh produce--a group entirely too culturally cool for me to ever belong.  Yes, I was destined to meet Seattle. 

Day One: After arriving late Monday night, I wasted away Tuesday's hours staring at beige walls inside an Embassy Suites.  I'm embarrassed to admit that I didn't leave the hotel until we traveled downtown for dinner, but I felt perfectly content to call an old friend, write, and just relax.  (Never happens!)  And the second most embarrassing confession is that when we did go to dinner we went to Benihana's!  Listen, I was the guest on this trip, and Matt's über trendy, telecom geeky friends chose the venue.  Hey, who doesn't enjoy a replicated Seattle monorail made of onion that steams and "chu-chus" followed by an eruption of said onion, a Mount St. Helen volcano atop a scorching over-sized skillet? Exactly, hibachi is king. (Seriously, I really do like Japanese food.) Anyway, while waiting I took in the scenery outdoors.  Directly above the restaurant sat a uniquely circular white church christened by a huge cross, which just goes to show that Jesus loves fried rice, too.  

Next door was this place: 

http://www.mustardseedcafeseattle.com/

 Anytime I am faced with a problem, I remember the parable about a mustard seed, so I clicked a pic to acknowledge hope. Yes, I was surrounded by celestial signs, a Biblical prophesy, one that said, "if you have faith, you can move Mount Rainier," or at least navigate through crowded Pike's Place to buy Rainier Cherries. Regardless, I monumentalized the the gorgeous city at dusk, my favorite time of day, with this picture:

Day Two: After enjoying a complimentary waffle made to order (because I made it), coffee, and fresh fruit, I hopped in the rental, traversed I90, 

 and landed inside a public parking garage between Pike's and Elliott Bay.  

I planned to visit the outdoor market first, but I missed my intended destination by taking the elevator down instead of up to street level.  No worries, I made my way to the Great Wheel.  

 Now, I have no idea why I meandered to a ride that peaks at 175 feet above the ground when I'm afraid of heights, but the Ferris wheel beckoned me to her and I answered the call.  I guess I figured first impressions ought to be grand and with such perfect weather for viewing the city, our introduction was made. Seagulls soared above the docks, the sun bounced warmth against the sidewalks, and the air felt crisp and clean.  It was a gorgeous morning.  While I was in line I met the nicest ladies from Maryland. They invited me to ride with them and told me all about their trip across the country.  

 

 These adventurous two planned a week of sightseeing in Seattle, and this was after they'd driven the Oregon coastline.  It's no wonder the pair felt at ease at such dizzying heights. Nonetheless, we three enjoyed the magnificent scene surrounding us. From above I saw giant jelly fish floating in the water below; then I scoped out the best sea-side decks on which to have dinner--my choice this time ;).

 

 In the distance I scouted the Seattle Space Needle, and I watched a Cruise ship sail into the harbor. Ethereal indeed.

Back on solid ground, I said goodbye, perused a nearby gift shop, and walked up to Pike Place Public Market. 

 For a Wednesday, this place was hoppin'! Naturally, the first task: get in line for coffee.  By mistake, I went into the wrong Starbucks (1st and Pike) but soon realized that this shop couldn't be "the one" when I merged into a long line of four and noticed the place didn't look like the pictures I'd seen of the orig.  I almost asked the chic, urban Asian in front of me, but saved myself the regret and Google Mapped it.  Nerdy tourister judgement avoided.  Whew! So, back at the original 'Bucks (Starbucks, 1912 Pike Place, Seattle, WA 98101, in case you visit) 

I stood in line and listened not-so-attentively to a "starving" musician playing out front.  I read that in Seattle they call them Buskers, but I call them "trade in your day job because right now you're playing unsolicited music, free, for clichéd tourists who care more about a latte than they do downloading any future potential track of yours from iTunes (Correction, Spotify).  Don't get me wrong, ordinarily I enjoy these street artists/musicians/talent but this gal was terrible!  A cacophony of squawks sounded from seagulls flying above sounded better.  Mid-set she announced, loudly, that she wanted to leave Seattle to make it big, so if there were any agents or producers in the crowd she'd love an opportunity.  Right, because big-shot music producers also hang out in long lines with middlings, waiting to get a glimpse inside the iconic Starbucks.  More power to her; after all, this is America!  The line progressed and I made way inside, and veritable truth: I was standing inside the place where the coffee shop revolution began! Awesome!!  Even the sign is original--naked mermaid logo!  And the barista?  He was from Dallas so we chatted a little about home.  

 Silly me to think that they'd have tables and chairs (Ergo!  I shall not write the next great Dystopian novel at Starbucks!  Bummer.) Anyway, the floor was filled with wall-to-wall people and left no room to actually sit and enjoy coffee.  

However, the latte tasted the same as any other Starbucks latte, but isn't the magic of Starbucks consistency? My latte was great and overall I felt satisfied with the experience.  I would definitely recommend the visit.  Check.

Because I could blog on forever, I'll attempt to cut this short, or as one would say, "to make a long story short" but then in my head I respond by saying, "or to make a long story longer." (See, I'm doing it again.)  Anyway, Pike's Place was everything I dreamed of and more.  All types of people shopping for all types of merchandise.  The produce was amazing!  I purchased Mount Rainier cherries that somehow tasted better than ordinary cherries, and afterwards, I asked the vendor if I could take his picture.  (Secretly, I'm sure he was rolling his eyes, but he was sweet to oblige.) 

 I ate lunch at Matt's in the Market, chosen in honor of my hubby, and just like him the meal was divine!  (Sorry, had to.)  I had halibut sandwich with a tangy tarter sauce inside served on a brioche bun, an out-of-this-world cold gazpacho soup, and a glass of rosé wine: a befitting meal to complement a sublime day.  Exquisite.

I spent the afternoon sifting through underground stores and stumbled across a gem, the Old Seattle Paperworks store.  The old Time magazines propping open the door first garnered my attention.  I'm nostalgic for nostalgia and this place was my paradise.  (I mean, our guest book for our wedding wasn't a guestbook at all; instead guests signed the backs of old postcards from around the country.  Our centerpieces were designed around old, old family photographs.)  They carry vintage posters, postcards, magazines, maps, newspapers, you name it!  I combed through numerous headlines and when I tired, I realized something that we all know but forget:  Nothing really changes, our problems, our perfections, they all are recycled.  Society creates the new look, the refurbished modern design, but quintessentially, they're all the same.  From hippies to hipsters, the world turns round. Life.

Finally, at day's end the crew and I ate at Elliott's Oyster House.  We sat outside overlooking the bay.  I ordered Grilled Scampi Prawn Risotto and my dad (who was there coincidentally, on business) ordered Seafood Fettuccine and we sampled both, because neither of us could decide :).  I thoroughly enjoyed the food, the company, and the view.  An exemplary close to a wonderful day in Seattle.

~Truly, Cinderella

(Check back for Seattle, Take Two)

Easter @ UF!

   

Spanish moss cascading from a tree at UF. Beautiful.

Blessed.  I spoke the word inside my head, but kept my mouth closed in slight smile.  My daughter sat next to me, both of us relaxing in massage chairs indulging in our foot rub.  Only two chairs were anchored in the private nail spa room, which felt nice compared to those nail factory shops whose sanitation practices are questionable.  In a moment of quiet mediation I drifted back to a time when I was a young single Mama living on a prayer that my girls would have better opportunities than I; that they'd make better choices than their mom.  I glanced over at my Bella and my heart sung out with pride.  
   "Which color would you like?" The "girl-next-door" nail tech with an angelic face said, breaking the silence.  
   "What' trendy right now?" I asked. 
   "Pink is popular for spring.  Do you like any of these?" she handed me a nail color wheel.
    I tilted the colors and held them up for Bella to see, "What do you think?"
    "They're all pretty."  
    "Hmmm. I can't decide. You choose," I told the sweet blonde sitting in front of me. 
    "Okay," and she did and it was perfect. 
   
   Saturday afternoon we left Cloud 9 Spa of Gainesville feeling rested, relaxed, and ready for lunch.  The roomies came to pick us up and we headed to Adams Rib Co.  
    "Have y'all heard of it?  This place has great ratings on Yelp," I asked Bella, Ali, Sarah R., and Sarah B.
    "Isn't that the place with Comic Sans font?" Ali asked.
    "Weird detail to remember.  You should definitely change your major to marketing Ali."
    Arriving, Ali confirmed the Comic Sans font.  The girls then voiced their concerns due to the appearance of the exterior.  Other than small rectangular windows positioned at the top of the square building the place looked devoid of light and all together sketchy.  However, I remained positive. "Look, the parking lot is full.  That's a good sign."

 Ali poses below the unique ceiling mural @Adams Rib Co.

    Circling round to the back we met a dilapidated rusted old car that wouldn't go without comment from within. "But that car is not a good sign," Bella retorted.  
   "Bell, you know better.  Don't judge a book....and look at that nice, cute couple leaving." I said rounding out to the other side. 
   "Who wears pearls to eat BBQ?" remarked Bella noticing the girl's accessories.
   "Uh, your mother.  And that just means she's classy, which means this place is gonna be great!"
   "Classy eats Comic Sans, too," Ali quipped and the group giggled.
    The verdict: BEST ribs I've ever had and that's coming from a Texas girl.  Those folks at Adams know how to make BBQ.  
    That afternoon Sarah B., Bella, and I shopped storage places to house their furniture over the summer.  Once reserving a unit, and upon leaving the facility, we stopped in an adorable boutique, Pink Narcissus, that carried Lilly Pulitzer.  Here's the deal.  If you don't know or haven't figured it out, Bella is not a girly-girl.  So Lilly's bright pastels and busy patterns appeal not to her sensibilities.  Nonetheless, Sarah and I dove in with energized enthusiasm and forced Bell to come with. We could have left her alone sifting through clothes like one might pick for lice, but we wouldn't be so cruel as to leave her isolated on the yuppy island.  Instead we were quite kind, begging her to try on a pair of adorable seersucker scalloped shorts and begrudgingly she obliged her mother.  The moral of the story:  she found a pair she liked!

  Saturday evening we went to the theater to see the Disney film, Bears.  Considering Bell is a Natural Resource Conservation major minoring in Wildlife Ecology, watching these annual DisneyNature movies has become tradition for us. If you've seen one you know that the filmography is amazing and the observation to detail is fascinating, but that the applause stop there.  The storyline is fair, and if you zone out for a scene you can zone back in just as easily.  Ali and I sat next to each other, which made for a bad combination.  We talked loudly and incessantly and remained totally obnoxious throughout.  When the cub was lost and the audience thought he was killed, Ali and I held on to each other.  Sincerely upset I said, "He can't die.  This is rated G.  He can't die," I kept repeating. 
   "Mom, this is nature.  If he died in the wild, then he'll die in the movie," Bella answered.
   "I can't do this," I said and followed with an indignant, "I'll tell you what,  I would not let my four-year old watch this!  It's rated G, but there has been terrible violence!"  
   "Really Mom? You don't have a four year old,"   Bella said rather matter-of-factly.
   "If I did, he wouldn't come to see this movie!"  I have a flair for the dramatic, which irritates Bell; therefore, I amp up my dramatics just for her  :).
  "Mom, it's fine.  Watch the movie," she told me sounding more like the mother than I.
   Well, Ali and I took the role of rater and ran.  When the bears ripped apart the fish and crimson blood spewed from the flailing scales I said, "Horror and gore!  Can't believe it's G!"  
   When another bear missed the fish, smacking him across the jaw, Ali cracked, "He just got fish slapped!" Yep, we lost all composure at that one and the girls shushed us.  
   Moments later Ali whispered, "Nudity too.  Those bears aren't wearing clothes!" and that sent us back into hysterics. 

Ali, Sarah B. and Bella before service.

  Sunday morning I met the girls in front of their dorm to walk to a campus Easter service.  Sarah R. went to mass and Sammy went to Mormon service.  We'd convinced Ali, Bella's Jewish friend to attend service with us.  "Go for the experience," I said,  "gives you a reason to wear a cute dress!  Bella can go to synagogue with you sometime,"  I said without considering the possibility that non Jews may not allowed to attend.  I actually have no idea.  Hmm, I should look into that.
   Sarah B. interjected, "Except Ali never goes.  I think her parents told her she was Jewish, but she doesn't really know what that means!" 
   Mouth opened in protest, Ali argued, "I do know! I went to..." and she told us about a couple of events she had attended this year
   "I don't know Ali.  You said that you eat pulled pork at the BBQ pit in Georgia," I said. 
    "But only in Georgia," Ali rebutted. 
    I carefully replied, "I feel like Jews are supposed to eat Kosher at all times, right?" 
   Ali's face lit up and she chuckled lightly without comment.  

Easter Service 2014

   Walking through the gorgeous University of Florida campus in our Sunday finest, we arrived to a venerable sanctuary on the UF campus to enjoy a service by Greenhouse ministries.  The historic building was packed, and we quickly shuffled behind streams of college students climbing stairs to procure balcony seats.  All seats full, we stood at the back with many others until the minister asked for the gentlemen in the congregation to kindly sit on the balcony stairs so that the ladies could have a seat.  We generously thanked them and quietly moved to the front row balcony chairs.  Chivalry lives on!  Oh, how I do LOVE the South. 
   The pastor's sermon was engaging and his presence dynamic.  He spoke on Christ's love and forgiveness, and I found myself praying prayers of gratitude.  I peered around the large space and saw a handful of parents in attendance but droves of college students were present this glorious Easter morning.  Inevitably during these great times of joy, sorrow creeps in.  It is then that I dwell on past mistakes, and think of all the decisions and moments I would change over the course of my life.  I  will ride the pity train and zip past morose monstrous memories that haunt my present.  I begin with the "why didn't I" move to the "if only's" and usually end up in despairing regret.  But the train came to grinding halt, and the Lord spoke to my spirit.  You are blessed.  You are sitting here at a fine university, next to your beautiful daughter and her remarkable friends.  Your other daughter is thriving in spite of moving to a new city and a new school, and your step-daughter is a sweet girl who just made the high school dance/pom squad.  Your husband is kind and loving and generous and handsome (okay, that part might have belonged to me.)  Above all, know that I have been with you every step of the way, even when you made mistakes; mistakes are part of the journey.  I will always be with you.  You are blessed. 

Ali, Bella, Sarah B., Sarah R waiting for brunch.

   Moved nearly to tears, I thanked Him for revealing his kindness to me yet again, and prayed that my girls would always know His grace and love.  After service we enjoyed a delightful, delicious brunch at Peach Valley. If you go, I recommend the apple fritter appetizers!  Yummy!  That afternoon I said goodbye to the girls and wished them well until July.  (All five are coming to visit!  Can't wait!) And on the drive back to the airport, I basked in blessings, interrupted only once by a wrong turn!