I just returned from visiting Rawlings and her doting parents last night. I was only away for three days, but it was three days of bliss. I sat, as I said I would, on the couch, holding my newest grandchild, and watched her face as she slept and listened to her little baby grunts and gurgles.
Once in a great while I let her parents have a moment with her....but mostly I hogged her the whole time I was there. Her mommy did a little work while letting Rawlings sleep in her new carrier. It worked out very well.
Her daddy headed for her the minute he got home from work. He seemed to expect that I would relinquish her to him. Bah. Fathers! What do they know?
Occasionally I had to let them hold the little one because it is exceedingly hard to hold a baby and take a picture of that baby at the same time. I know this for a fact. I tried it repeatedly with less than stellar results.
Rawlings is definitely interested in the people around her. She is also very enamoured with lights and her father's hair.
And, oh my! How her daddy does love her.
Her mommy loves her, too. In fact, they dote. (As they should.)
I enjoyed both my flights, to and fro, as the weather was clear and I had lovely views of passing mountains. Mt. St. Helens was looking most interesting.
Annie and Alex made a snowman, too. I am especially fond of the broccoli eyes.
I miss my little house when I'm gone. I miss my DH and my Orcie and even poor ol' Toes. I miss my own bed! I have been traveling so much since August that I am (almost) traveled out. That's unheard of for me to say, but it's true. I have a rotten cold (thanks, Ian!) and it feels good to be home and to know that I'll be here for a good, long while. By the time I start my traveling again, I'll be foaming at the mouth to get out of "Dodge," but for now I am more than content to just be home. It was rather a shock to go from warm and sunny in Southern California (and beautiful vistas all the way to mid Oregon were spread out below me on the flight home) to the rain and wind of Seattle and environs today. It absolutely poured as the shuttle drove into my little town of Edmonds and I got a good soaking just rushing from the shuttle van to my front door, a distance of maybe thirty feet! But inside all was cosy, warm and dry. 
Autumn has arrived while I've been gone and it was dark so much earlier than it was just ten days ago. Most of the leaves have turned and the color was lovely to see, from both the air and from the drive home. I plugged in my branches with the little grain of rice bulbs that I found at Michael's a while back that I have arranged in Grandma's crystal vase in the dining room, and immediately it felt snug and homey. Nothing like some twinkle lights to brighten a dark, wet evening!
The theme for this book is Romance of the Sea and I like my cards. Simple but evocative, I think. The photo of the Tall Ship is one I took in Victoria, BC at the 
Jen came home for a very short visit last weekend and brought her friend Chris. It was a real pleasure to meet him and to have the chance to get to know him a little bit. Chris was very involved in Jen's training for the Coeur d'Alene Ironman as he also took part (and had an excellent finishing time, too, I might add!). DH and I are happy that our "girl" has found such a nice young man. It was fun to take Jen to meet her two newest nieces. Spike (Abigail) and Squeaker (Olivia) were very nice to their Aunt Jen and didn't scream or spit up or act up in any way. Their big sister Emma was very entertaining and had lots of fun playing with the gift of paper bag puppets that Aunt Jen brought to her.
While Chris and Jen were here we took a stroll through the Taste of Edmonds and Chris had to try the climbing wall game. He reported that it was harder than it looked from the ground and that the hand holds were extremely greasy. Kudos to him for making it as far up the wall as he did!
It was great to have Jennie home but it was much too short a visit! The two days she was here flew by at the speed of light.
Last Sunday we ventured over to Don & Kellie's to visit them all, but especially so that GG could meet (and hold) The Twins. I know that GG enjoyed herself and so did I.
I am a very lucky woman as I won the Mother-in-Law stakes. I know that many women have troubled relationships with their husband's mothers, but that has never been true for me. I have adored my mother-in-law from the very first time I met her. She has treated me with nothing but love and kindness from the very start, way back in 1967. I love her with all my heart.
