He is Back

Lukas was given an incredible internship opportunity and has spent most of September on the East Coast. It gave us a glimpse into life when Lukas is off to college. On Saturday, I had the pleasure of picking him up at the airport. After a quiet dinner, since Bob and Noah were not home, he headed upstairs to his tinkering desk. It is good to have him home again.

And They are Off

Bob and Noah headed to Lake Powell for the weekend. They loaded up the car on Friday afternoon and took off. Part of the time was spent doing a service project - picking up trash - and the reward was plenty of swag. The wind made kayaking a bit stressful - but they arrived home safe and sound and with lots of sand.

Sushi

All of us enjoy cooking. All of us enjoy good food. All of us enjoy sushi. So, when I spotted Ahi Tuna on sale at the store, it did not take me long to change our meal plan and add sushi to the menu.
We pulled out our trusted Sushi book, one of the few cookbooks that have traveled with us since we were first married. Bob used a bamboo mat to roll up the rolls, whereas Noah took great joy in using the 'extractor' given to us as a gift.
Two large plates of sushi and our bellies are happy, and our hearts are full from the laughter and jokes cracked while making and eating our rolls.

From Trash to Treasure

It is not unusual for us to stop and look at discarded items set out for the trash. A few weeks back, a neighbor threw out a nice wood cabinet - the only visible fault being a piece of broken glass in one door. A previous blog recounted Noah's efforts to revamp it. He is done! Paint and fabric and we now have a new, helpful, tidy shoe rack.

So far, all the shoes are making it into the cabinet - maybe having doors was the secret to get the shoes in place?

TiddlyWinks

After dinner, Noah challenged us to a game of TiddlyWinks, a game Pappy gifted us. Before we even began, we needed to learn a whole new set of vocabulary: squidge-off, pot, squidger, squopped, and wink, amongst others. Despite best efforts and some tasty libations, Noah took home the win with one wink in the pot. I think we need more practice. 

Wildfire

Wildfires are raging again. Unfortunately, the regular monsoon season was short, so everything is really dry. The fire is southwest of us. As the winds move, we smell the smoke, and yesterday this was the sun at 2 pm.

Celebration of Dad's Life

On Saturday evening, we gathered at Parkvagen to celebrate a life well-lived. It was just like my Dad would have wanted it, good food and wine, along with lively conversation.

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Far, Lars, Morfar

My Dad has fought the fight against cancer for a long time. He served as a role model by how he handled the pains, the aches, and the consequences of his illness. Cancer would not stop him from traveling, hosting dinner parties, hiking the woods, foraging for mushrooms and berries, entertaining, spending time at Larsboda, and of course, working out. Whenever there was a setback, and he had to succumb to hospital stays, he did not lose his spirit. Towards the end, as he sought help, there was not much that could be done, to which he said, "See, I am healthy!"
Most pictures of my Dad show him smiling - even this last one that we took at the hospice. He ran a good race. He finished well. Many are we who will miss him. The world is a little bit darker and quieter without him.

Flag 

Backpack for School

With a new laptop comes requirements for a new backpack. Rather than purchasing one, Lukas decided to make it to his specifications.  He used some of the leftover fabrics from his summer sewing adventures and added in a bit of color by picking up a red liner at the store.
It fits his laptop, can carry his water bottle, and it is distinctly Lukas!

Leaving on a Jet Plane

He could not delay it any longer. It was time to pack the bag. Lukas is off on an adventure. He will be doing an internship in South Carolina. We are all feeling the upcoming change, maybe that is why the cabinet got attended to and the lighter was fixed? We are excited for Lukas, and a bit sad for us who will miss him.

Lighter

Lukas had received one of Pappy's lighters. It was not working, which Lukas took as a challenge. With a bit of tinkering and google research, it is now a fully-functioning lighter. For what will he use it? I do not know!

Decorating

Bob spotted a piece of furniture at the curb. He thought it would be a good shoe storage solution for our front entryway. Noah tackled the renovation project one evening - removing the broken glass and painting the entire cabinet. Now, if only the shoes would land inside...

Flexible Hiking Plans on Labor Day

Labor Day - what is Labor Day without some work? We hunkered down in the morning, each one of us completing a few things on our 'to-do lists.' After work, it was time for play. The initial plan had to be altered as the distant thunder made hiking a mountain top less than ideal.  Fortunately, there is no shortage of incredible hikes in this area, and we reverted to plan B.
Shultz Pass made the news this summer - it was the location of the massive wildfire that made breathing the air hard and forced many locals to evacuate. Since some of the trails are still closed as the Forrest Service is working to mitigate, eliminate, and prevent future disasters, we had to pick a different path than planned, but we could remain in the area. It is a good thing we are flexible.
The hike we took was fun and full of wildflowers. Around each turn and twist in the trail, there were new things to explore. The stopping and marveling hampered our speed drastically, but who could resist a stare or a photo? 

The weather changed quickly and drastically - the ominous clouds only shed 12 drops on us.....

Ten Dollars

Noah quipped I'd pay $10 for this breakfast in a restaurant. Fortunately, he did not have to; the meal was already paid. Bob cooked pancakes for breakfast. These were topped with leftover whip cream and fruit from the dessert the night before, and the chocolate sauce beckoned in the fridge - the artistic touch.