8.20: Weekend Condo: Adventures RULE! Happy Weekend L&LL

Good Morning Afternoon LL!! (YUM! Vanessa outdid herself this morning: PRIMO!) HAPPY CATURDAY to everyone!

LL! It's is I, Vanessa, president and CEO of The Coffee Cat! Life is GOOD! Bug and Lola, Co-CEO's of Paw Prints Pizza are open, and ready for business! They are running a Weekend Special: BBQ Pizzas! It is summer after all..... Lots of kitteh treats in them pies, tuna, chicken and shrimps! All on their signature catnip crust. It is mega good. They also have a dessert berry pie, lots of whip cream to holds it all together. So.... order early, and party hearty! I have been very busy this weekend too! My special for today is a coffee infused 4 berry and watermelon frappe. It is mega good, I swear! So..... Coffee time! For today, I proudly offer Vanessa's special 10 hour energy coffee, and triple shot espressos, with beans from Starbucks Pike Place Market, their original blend, AND.... for all my Mocha fans: a VENTI Quad Blueberry infused white mocha/mocha blend with white chocolate chips melted within, swirled with a raspberry puree, topped with a strawberry infused whip garnished with caramelized berry sprinkles and white chocolate curls and a caramel drizzle.......SWEET! Vanessa's bakery is all stocked for today too: baguettes and croissants and donut holes, including my signature berry jams. I have a new one: watermelon! They too is mega goods. I made them myself!





I found this photo today while looking for others... it was always one of my Favorites: a Mannie and Tess moment, from days long gone.



I hope everyone has had a great week. We have been.... well, busy again! Hopefully I can get this condo posted today... looking GOOD so far, minus any interruptions. As I have said in the past: I just can't imagine not being on the go. It keeps us out of trouble, and makes for great times! Not to mention endless memories. I often think back on the weeks happenings, and wonder how in the world did we do all that! We have had a week of adventure, and fun, and crazy as we all deal with summer, and sunny warm HOT days. Well, hot for the PNW: 85 up to even a few 95's! We have been swimming, and to parks, to beaches, and spray parks (home version), and rivers, and had adventures at home too, including a sleepover on Wednesday night. It has been a good week...



Normalcy in Three MusketeerVille The kitties are all doing well, no one is fighting or growling or hissing, sharing of toys and those nanners abound, and life is good to be a cat. Vanessa, Lola and Bug are well. There really is not much new with them. The days have been warm, really warm, so most of the time they are napping, as close to an open window as they can get. We've had fans on, seems none of the kitties are big fans. Lola jumps when I start them up. Bug ignores them, and Vanessa moves closer to the open windows. I am still working on Lola's catio.... sadly not much progress. It too has fallen by the wayside, as busy and life took over this week. I SO HOPE to get something done with it this coming Monday and Tuesday, when I expect to have some at home time. PAWS CROSSED. Vanessa continues to bring me kitty toys to play with and share, day an night. I continue to wake up to see that Vanessa had brought me nanners, always setting them all next to my head on my pillow. I opened my eyes to see nothing but those nanners. Thank you Vanessa!! Lola continues to escape... wow on it all. It is a daily occurrence now, at least two a day on most days. We are all getting very good, once again, at making sure she doesn't. Haha, we try, we failed more often than not. Ah Lola... what will we do with you? Yes, I know.... make you a catio! I will, I swear! Bug continues to be my laid back mellow kitty. Nothing ever seems to phase him. He is so affectionate, comes by all the time to snuggle, purr and dish but a few head butts. It has been a good week for Lola, Bug and Vanessa. Normalcy rules in Three MusketeerVille!


Bug


Lola


Vanessa



We have indeed been busy! Nicholas and William are still swimming, and will start the final session of summer swim lessons this coming week. We have such fun when we go just to swim, every morning when they are with me. I cannot imagine a time where we are not in the pool. William began swim lessons two weeks ago. He is having such fun with it, is a bit timid with it all, but says he LOVES swim class. SWIMMING RULES!!! As always, we are grateful for our time in the pool. It has all enabled to boys to explore another aspect of growing up, one they really enjoy. It has just become the norm for us, we go each week, and just never tire of it. It proves to be such fun for both boys, and their excitement with it all has not wavered.
GO NICHOLAS! GO WILLIAM !!

Afternoons have been filled with adventure: The Snoqualmie River, Juanita Beach, and an at home version of the Spray Park. Summer days are great, ours have been no exception. We have been very warm, so our focus this week has been on rivers they can get into, creeks they can wade, and water parks. It has been a fun week. The Snoqualmie River link has some videos that hopefully show the fun that Nicholas and William have there. Our Spray Park this week was an at home version, aka my lawn sprinkler, as it was 95+ out, the parking lot was full at the for real version, and well... boys were tired, so we stayed played at home. We even managed an at home Burger Feast. Normally we would do that after the Snohomish pool on Friday nights. This Friday the boys were off to a Mariners Game, complete with Fireworks, and a star wars theme, so we had our burger pigout as their pregame dinner. FUN STUFF! Wednesday after the beach we raided the local DQ, as both Nicholas and William were convinced they was starving, and chicken strips and burgers and hot fudge sundaes were needed. Sleepover night was after that. I love those night, and I am grateful that they have fun when they spend the night on a sleepover at Grammie's. What a great week it has been. It has been so fun! It has indeed been a good week for the boys, and their Grammie!


Nicholas and William: Juanita Creek


Nicholas & William: FUN with "floaties"!


Nicholas, teaching William the ins and outs of river swimming, Snoqualmie River


William, Snoqualmie River



For my own time I continue to hike the local Meadowdale, and Picnic Point when I can. I was able to visit Edmonds Beach and Marina this week too. It is nice to have them so close. On Tuesday I hiked up in the North cascades. YAY!!!! FINALLY!!!!! The weather gods gave me gorgeous weather, albeit a bit warm, it was beautiful out. I hiked the Chain Lakes hike out of the Mt Baker area. It is one of my favorites, as I was elated I could get that one in this hiking season, before the snows return in two months, if not sooner. What an extraordinary day. One cannot go wrong when you hike the Mt Baker area. I went to the Chain Lakes via Bagley Lakes, up and over Herman's Saddle, down to the Chain Lakes, winding up at Iceberg Lake. Route back was the reverse , which meant I had to climb Herman's Saddle twice. FUN! well, yes, it actually was. Such a gorgeous day to be out on a hike, all 8.5 miles of it, and 2000 feet of climbing..... In the link for the Chain Lakes hike there are some videos of the area, well worth watching, IMHO. I think you'll enjoy them.


Mt Shuskan, from Herman's Saddle


Mt Baker, and Iceberg Lake, from Herman's Saddle


Have a great Weekend everyone! It is rather low-key here... I spent Caturday catching on home duties, and managed a local walks, early in the day before today's HOT wave hit. I did do a very short 2 miler in the woods mid afternoon. That was nice, love how it can be cool in the woods. Have a great week everyone!

KITTIES!! Remember: BLUE, think GREEN

 

Hi Michelle,
I'm on my iPad right now, multitasking with the Mets game. But as soon as I get back upstairs I will be able to see the rest of your pictures of the Chain Lakes area. What a beautiful landscape! That looks like a fantastic hike. 2000 ft in elevation on the climb. Wow!
I love that "Mannie & Tess" picture, too.
Another great week with the boys, despite the hot weather. Fun days.

Lola, some day you'll get that catio. Patience! Interesting that the kitties don't like the fan. Rusty loves our fans.
How neat with Vanessa and the nanners. What a wake-up with nanners on your pillow!
Vanessa, the espresso this week is just wonderful. Thank you, Kitteh Barista.

I hopenyournweathernhas cooledmoff and that you arenhaving a good week. (thisnis how my iPad behaves.. I decided to leave it for fun!: itnputs ns and ms in regardless of how carefully I type!)

Hugs and scritches. I hope your DH is continuing to improve.

Ella & Rusty

 

@Ella & Rusty & Stu(GA) - Hi Ella The chain lakes area is GORGEOUS! It is one of my favorite places to hike, and I make sure I get there every year. I hope you like the rest of the photos. Be sure and look for the two videos that are amongst the photos. One was taken from Herman's Saddle at the top of the climb, the other at Iceberg lake. Such a great hike! - Me too on the Mannie and Tess photo. Anytime the kitties did a boat thing those two had to play Titanic. Another one of those great memories. . -- we did have a great week . Those two really love the river adventures. I am so happy that the weather has allowed us to go, and that we've been able to make it all work, what with the amount of time we also spend in the pool. It has been such a great summer. I so hope (!!!) on Lola's catio. She has been more than patient. Lol, nanners rule, fans do not. and our resident Batista loves her job! HAHAHA. On typing on the iPad. I have to laugh as my verizon tablet does the same thing!!!! . I always gave to fix the text. and yes, we gave cooled down to the 70 range, but the 88/90 stuff is due back by Thursday. Looks like more river trips! And in DH. He is doing ok, getting around ok. The fatigue remains, that as been very slow to recover from. Thanks for asking!

 

I love that Mannie and Tess picture too . . . good times!

Glad DH is getting around ok - he went through the wringer, so it's no surprise it's taking him a while to recover!

 

Your scenic photos take my breath away. I really want to visit the Pacific Northwest. I've never been to Washington - one of only three states in the continental US I haven't set foot in. Must fix that.

I'm sure DH is frustrated by the slow progress, but considering all he's been through, it truly is amazing that he's doing so well. Sending continuous vines and prayers his way.

 

It sounds like you and the boys had another fun week. Nice that you were able to get so much personal hiking time in. The pictures are gorgeous. I'm glad the kitties are doing well. Sending prayers for your DH.

 

Glad to hear all is well, hope DH is doing well. I get my water fix from looking at your pictures. The kitty pictures are the only "dry" ones.
Liz

 

Hi again, Michelle,
I just looked at your breathtaking photos of the Mt. Baker area. Wow, what a fantastic day you had for that hike. There isn't a ripple on the water and the reflections are amazing. I love the rock formations, the little snowfields, and the still, blue water. I love the shots of the mountains. I looked several times for the 2 videos and couldn't find them. Perhaps Google put them into a separate album? Anyway, these pictures are stunning. Thanks for posting them. I hope you get in some more hikes in that area before the snow falls.
Hugs and scritches,
Ella & Rusty

 

Hi everyone! I cannot believe that it is Sunday night, already, I haven't done a new condo, and wow.... where does time go!

@Ella & Rusty & Stu(GA) - Hi Ella! I am glad that you liked to photos of Mt Baker. It is such an awesome area, all of it is as you described Mt Baker. I hope to get in a few more before the snows return there in a few weeks. Bummer on the videos! They were there when I uploaded them and created the link. I will have to look. ok - just did... the first one is about half way through, on the right side on my monitor, has a small arrow upper right hand corner, with a time indicator of 1:08. Please let me know if you can, or even can't find it.... The other one is in the lake with the snow section, time indicator of :54. I SO HOPE you can find them. I will be disappointed if they are not there for viewers, as I finally thought I'd found a way to include the videos..... Paws crossed!

@Anne & Zener GA - Hi Liz, and Anne! LOL on the Dry kitty pics! We ave so much fun when we get wet, whether pool or the river or a spray park/ Life is good!

@carfurby - Hi Carla! Week was great! Hike was outstanding, and all of us are content! DH is doing well, thanks for asking. THX on the pics!

@Tricia Cinco(GA) & Harvey - Hi Tricia! Thanks on the pics. it is very hard to take a bad photo when you are in such a gorgeous area. It is beautiful there. I so hope to get back in the next couple of weeks. I hope that someday you can make it over here. The three states of the NW are indeed gorgeous. Idaho is outstanding, Oregon has such wonderful hiking spots and scenery. and well... can't beat any of the Cascade range, rainier, all in Washington, all of it. yupp, think you need to fix that, make a trek on over. THX on DH - and I totally agree. he has been through an ordeal, one that was extremely trying on his person, physically and mentally, so the fact that he is still with us is good. progress is slow, but it is progress. no complaints!

@julie & punkin (ga) - Hi Julie! So agreed on the Mannie and Tess pic - such great memories with that one! Many thanks on DH, I so agree.

 

Hi Michelle,
I FOUND THEM! Spectacular panoramas. It was almost like being there with you! Thanks for the clues. Now I'll know what to look for in the future.

 

Yay!!!! I'm so glad you found them. It is such a great hike, and I'm glad you were able to view the area. It is so nice to read that it was like being there along with me. That is one of the goals I have with the photos and videos I take: to portray the feeling of what it was like to do the hike. I'm glad you felt that way.

 

Such lovely photos, and I found the videos with your hints. Everything is so much greener this year. I've only done hikes from the north side of Baker, I assume you are starting more from the south. So much to do around there.

Almost time for school for the boys (well, and kindergarden). Are they excited about it? I love that William is taking swimming lessons now.

Scritches to the kitties. I always love the Bug photos. He looks so wise and that he's looking right into your eyes.