A Poem For Thursday

Owen's dad has been sending me books. The first one arrived in the mail room at work. I got an email from reception telling me to please pick up my mail. I don't get mail at work so I was confused. I still confused when I unwrapped the package to find a book. The only clue as to who bought it was the email in the order form. Yesterday another arrived. It's The Niagara River by Kay Ryan. One poem in particular has been following me around since I read it.

Things Shouldn't Be So Hard
Kay Ryan

A life should leave
deep tracks:
ruts where she
went out and back
to get the mail
or move the hose
around the yard;
where she used to
stand before the sink,
a worn-out place;
beneath her hand
the china knobs
rubbed down to
white pastilles;
the switch she
used to feel for
in the dark
almost erased.
Her things should
keep her marks.
The passage
of a life should show;
it should abrade.
And when life stops,
a certain space—
however small—
should be left scarred
by the grand and
damaging parade.
Things shouldn't
be so hard.

Apartment Flower Garden

I have no yard. But I'm starting my first "garden". I'm not doing it for me though. Owen's sister is getting married in July and she hopes to have flowers from her friends and family's homes as bouquets. To my understanding they are going to be dried. So I guess I'm growing them to kill them...but I won't think about that until the time comes. For now, good luck little buddies!

The Best Things in Life Are Free

I (finally) have my own desk! In my favorite corner of our apartment. I can see the space needle right now from the window. Last night, Owen found the desk shivering on a sidewalk in Georgetown with a free sign taped to its side. He sent me a picture of it to see I wanted it. I saw it and immediately knew it was my desk. So we adopted it.

Paint brush power!

All this junk used to live on our kitchen table.

Now the plants have room to breath and we have a place to eat.

Signs of Spring

final days for last years leaves.

brand new yellow flowers brighten the walk.

Dinner at Palisade

Owen's parents gave us a buy one - get one coupon to use at a list of fantastic Seattle restaurants. We decided on Palisade, and so I took Owen out on a date.

We got dressed up and took funny pictures


We dined next to a starfish

We both got seafood stuffed with other seafood (Stuffed Scallops and Stuffed Tiger Prawns). I almost got the live Maine lobster. I was glad I didn't when I saw them pull a live lobster out of the saltwater pool right next to our table. The table next to us had ordered the lobster. It was like watching the circle of life at Palisade. One minute that lobster was enjoying his life in the saltwater ... the next he was served up with sherry just a few feet from his home.

The food was delicious - we finished off dinner with the creme brulee sampler. It was great date.