Calculated Splurge

Only 2 a year---that's the deal! Chick-fil-A milkshakes that is.
After untold numbers of Chick-fil-A milkshakes during my 2009 cancer battle when eating could only be done thru a straw---I developed a "taste." Since life was more important than worry about weight gain, it worked. But....after that the 520 calories a "pop" began to take its toll----thus the rule. Only 2 Chick-fil-A milkshakes a year.
Wisdom finally set in and 2x earlier this year I had only 1/2 a peach milkshake and 1/2 a strawberry one. I love friends who indulge me and share with me to "enrich" my goal. So.....I had one whole one left for 2015 and sweet friend Drenda treated me to it.
A Peppermint chocolate chip milkshake with 2 cherries!!! YUM!! (
(I actually drank, ate and slurped mine before remembering to take a pic, so I borrowed one.)

Sweet friend. Sweet treat. A calculated splurge comes to fruition in the best way possible!!

Chair of Discomfort at the Table of Life

It is the holiday season---a joyous celebration for Christians throughout the world.

However, Christmas does not exempt believers from hard places----deep hurts----struggles and longings as they face Christmas without their loved ones. The best reminder is that Emmanuel is "God with us!" (Matthew 1:23)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God......(1 Corinthians 1:3-4)

That's what friends of the faith do----reach out to others to comfort them, even when they are suffering themselves.

That's what Jerrie did----she invited me to lunch. She shared her bounty and served me in a glass that reminded me, "Don't get tangled in the tinsel."

Such an act helped me refocus----enabling me to cut through the Gordian knots of life. Fear, sadness and disappointments being chief among them. Kindness can aid in disentangling those "impossible" knots that too easily surface this time of year.

Intuitively, my hostess listened to me "unload" from my chair of discomfort and made the table of life seem a lot more palatable. Just sitting at her table made me smile!

Let them eat cake....

Let them eat cake is probably a misinterpretation of Marie Antoinette's, Qu’ils mangent de la brioche." Let them eat brioche" or rich & expensive bun, would have shown her disdain for the peasant class but was probably said 100 years earlier by the wife of Louis XVI.

Regardless, since I don't eat chocolate at night, I chose to follow my neighbor's offering----"let her (Dotsy) eat this rich, dense chocolate cake" for breakfast with a cup of tea! Fairmont Organic Breakfast* to be exact. YUM!

*Ali Baba, Turkish apple tea was hubby's PM leftover---but he says YUM to it as well.

Holiday Humili-TEA

Humili-TEA---a great cuppa to serve for the holiday.

Humility is the "tea" of our souls which nourishes and enriches others.

Humili-TEA, anytime of year is a great cuppa to serve others but especially during the Christmas Season as it personifies our Savior.

Sayonara Seattle

 Listed my  好きなもの  (Sukinamono, translated favorite things) as a way of saying sayonara (good-by) to Seattle.

Japanese language was used b/c topping off my favorites of NW Washington trip was our kind, capable, knowledgable and funny bus driver (think lots of verve) who spoke Japanese. He also steered us safely through the Cascades to SNOWY Leavenworth, WA via the Snoqualmie Pass and back to Seattle thru the Stevens Pass (Hwy 2) so we would not have to chain up twice. Chaining up is hard enough for cars BUT for a BIG bus it takes skill, patience, strength and perseverance---not to mention that he also did another bus for a lady bus driver. Raymond Borge is bus driver extraordinaire! Corey, our Viator tour guide, was great as well and had lots of snacks, music and Christmas movies available. BEST tour duo, for sure
Best Breakfast Treat---Lolo's donuts in a bag served with cranberry jam & vanilla mascarpone cheese* (Could eat the mascarpone on card stock and love it.) Yummy omelet with Beecher's cheese too. Seattleites love Beecher's cheese & Berkshire pork.

Best Lunch--Andreas Keller Bavarian Restaurant Leavenworth WA--Schnitzel---all 3 varieties. (I ate my weight, which has increased exponentially on this trip, in the Spätzle alone.) Courtney, the BEST waitress, booth in a barrel, and Bavarian decor of this "underground" establishment all added to its cozy ambiance. Of course, the snow falling and cold temps outside and warm mulled wine served inside heightened the appeal.

Best Tea---the  Fairmont "1907" black tea at the Georgian Room in the Fairmont Olympic Hotel. The elegant surroundings didn't hurt either. (Pix at 12/12/15 blog entry)
Best Fine Dining maybe one of the best ever for me--Canlis Restaurant---Pacific NW fare (Peter Canlis prawns) steak, twice baked potato, tho I was skeptical about this Canlis tradition served in a ramekin, it was yummy--- Best View--our table view of Lake Union, aglow with lights.

Best Christmas Display--21 miles of lights coming ablaze at the Christmas lighting in Leavenworth

Best Gingerbread House Display--Star Wars themed ones at the Sheraton hotel

Best Surprise--The Chihuly Garden and Glass. Amazing. Other displays elsewhere but this is TOPS!

Best Extra--a car available, compliments of the hotel, with a true gentlemen of a driver.
Best Reason to Travel this far---seeing Gigi and Bonnie, even in the rain and snow!

LEAVENWORTH

Leavenworth.........and I'm "NOT" in Kansas anymore! 

But......I am in my cuddle duds!
There is snow! Lots of snow!!!
A true winter wonderland.
No wonder Leavenworth, WA was voted today the #1 Best Small  Town in America for Christmas.
Just click the link to see it and 19 other " best town" candidates.

Snow continued all day. Carolers, Santa, Snowmen, Elves and folks in crazy shoe-shaped hats walked the streets. Music groups performed all day at The Gazebo in the town center. Stars were carried in along with placards proclaiming being "born again" as the mayor reminded each of the importance of following the One who lights the way.
Prayers were offered in His holy name and all gathered together there sang "Silent Night"---3 verses!
How blessed I was to be there with friends to share this snowy day.  

HIGH! HIGH!! HIGH!!!

HIGH!!! HIGH!!! HIGH!!!......605' high. I said I was NOT going up!!
That's what I told myself long before I even boarded the plane for Seattle.
As my family knows, my feet hurt when I am high above the ground.
Bridges. Ridges. Skyscrapers. Elevators. Helicopter rides. Hotel rooms with a double digit number.
My head swims. My feet hurt. The tingling starts at my feet and goes all the way up----so, as I've aged, I've chosen to avoid very high places.
I know the spirit of fear is not from the Lord but was this endeavor in the sound mind category which He does provide? (2 Timothy 1:7) My mind was spinning just thinking about it.

My friend Gigi had planned this trip and reserved this "upward excursion" to the space needle as part of our fun. The 10 mph glass elevator ride to the top (on a very WINDY day) was a little unnerving to consider as was my fear of being in a place that might be considered a "soft target" by Isis.
The Paris massacres had occurred as I was leaving Turkey a few weeks ago and just 16 hours before I left for Seattle, 14 people were killed in San Bernardino, CA in a terrorist-style attack.  I checked the area for unattended backpacks. If I could sweat, I probably would have been doing that as well.

But.....I also don't like to hurt someone's feelings. So.... I went. I prayed. I peeked over at the downtown Seattle skyline and Puget Sound and across at Mount Ranier. I returned to earth and seriously considered kissing the ground.

This pic is a FAKE backdrop tho you can probably tell---'cause our hair isn's flying!!

No more High! High!! High!!! for me so don't even think about asking.....unless of course I'm worried about hurting your feelings.

SEATTLE BOUND

The 25th year of Tres Amigas Trips. The first weekend of December since 1990.

Our "girlfriend getaways" started out with 3---expanded to 4 from the north (IN), south (TN) east (MA) and west--after losing Maureen to breast cancer and health problems thwarting Bev's travel---we became 2--- the last 10 years we have been back to 3 with another sweet Calkins gal.

So.....with Gigi's (Keith's gift) 1993 Dom Perignon in hand we toasted our 25th Anniversary trek!

Fairmont Olympic Hotel Seattle, Washington Room 838 

Chemo Kindred

There is no color here. No religiosity. No gender differences. Cancer is no respecter of persons.
Chemotherapy is the common denominator.

West Clinic. Nothing seems changed since previous visits with different friends. 

This Clinic still has dedicated, friendly, capable staff and volunteers. People care for each other---even patient to patient.
Outside, the pond still reflects trees though sun is not shining and most of the branches are bare. Just a few scraggly leaves are holding on.
Inside, patients are holding on awaiting the drip that hopefully will save their lives. Some have been there weeks, others months and even years. But all with hope.

Seasons change. Weather changes. Cancer is the constant. Hope remains.

However, this is the last Tuesday at this location. Lots of emotional detritus will be left here. The good the bad and the ugly as cancer leaves it's mark.
But God .....is in this place. Today I once again saw "the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living."(Psalm 27:13) 

The good news is----God and hope will be at the new location as well. I know because sweet friend Pam will take Him there! 

DOUBLE DIGIT

Double-digit birthdays are biggies. Hallmark knows this and takes full advantage.

But the first double digit seems the BEST---a real milestone! 

For Caleb it was an extended celebration of sorts---from party with friends earlier in the month to a celebration with extended family days before---a pogo stick was even delivered to the door and a family dinner at Texas Land and Cattle on the “real” day!

Happy 10^th Birthday to our football playing fisherman CDL!
Cabela's awaits you with open arms anxious to help you spend your birthday "bucks."