Season's Greetings!! Like they say, "another year has gone by....."

Lights on the front porch.....check. Wreath on the front door...check. Tree....check. Cards & family letter....coming along. Shopping.......yeah, yeah; I'll get to it......

Caught the Nutcracker this year at McCaw Hall. The last time I saw it was in the Opera House. I always marvel at how they change the scenery on the stage so quickly, and how characters seemingly appear on stage out of nowhere. The familiar music was crisp, and the supple, athletic ballet performances were truly captivating. Intermission arrived quickly. My wife had discovered we could pre-order consessions for intermission before the opening scene. We skipped by the long line to find our snacks waiting for us with our names attached--pretty cool. We went with a group of friends and had a great time.

Then it was Michael W Smith the next night! WOW. I've seen him a couple times. There's just something about his incredible gift as an artist. It's like I'm entertained and spiritually encouraged everytime I see him. Overlake Christian Church was beautiful, with several large, snowy, twinkling Christmas trees helping illuminate the stage as Smitty, wearing a crisp charcoal suit, noodled our favorites on a shiny black Yamaha Grand, front and center, before a 65-piece orchestra. The Katinas, with American Idol's Melinda Doolittle, added soul and incredible harmonies to all of the Christmas favorites. Bagpipes added Celtic flavoring throughout the performance. We saluted the troops as Michael led us in America The Beautiful. He rounded out the set with a song from his "Freedom" instrumental album. Everyone sang along during "Above All." Before Smitty ended his encore with "Friends," he asked, "Can I preach?" The audience laughed as we all perked up for some gentle advice. He said something like this, "It's Christmas. Slow down. It's about Him." He also said, "It's no accident you're here tonight. God has a call on your life. ....God not only loves you, He likes you, and He is fond of you. That's the God I know....."



Merry Christmas,

Tom

P.S. More MWS concert photos at spirit1053.com, thanks to our amazing staff photographer Robert Forbes.

Um... it's Fall in Leavenworth

Explosive. Furious. Colors of Fall on Hwy 2.

Last weekend, on a quest for apples, my wife and I took a road trip to Leavenworth.

Tsugaru... Fuji... Jona Gold...Taka-Ichi... and Golden Delicious were some of the varieties that made it into our bag at the fruit stand. The shopping is always a big draw for the wives. Seems like I'd always file out of the boutique before my wife would...waiting for her to catch up with me. That is, until I found the cutlery shop. Then she was waiting for me while I looked at all the handmade pocket knives and collectibles.

We stopped by the Applets factory in Cashmere, which lead us to a delicious cider mill/cafe complete with wi-fi about a mile east of the sleepy downtown.

The big draw of the whole trip (besides a fun double-date with close friends) was the bright, multi-colored leaves lining Hwy 2 just outside of Leavenworth.

Sarah is making me update

Hi, Tom here. Sarah Typing.

Wow.... well, I could write about needing a hair cut again, cause that's the last time I updated my blog. Time to shave those sideburns...

Lets see. I'm putting protective stain on my back deck. Finally got the sun shades set up the way I like them - in front of the windows. Just in time for the rainy season. Pretty much doing all the chores that I wished I'd done in May.

Um... what else is going on? What else should I write?

*Sarah interjects: Whats your favorite thing about fall, Tom?

Can you see the leaves turning color already? Seems like its an early fall. Sarah and I have this one tree outside our studio window that we named "Scarlett Tree." It's brilliant. Redder than Red. And it's the first to really show off it's plumage. All the other trees around it are brown and ordinary. We feel sorry for the "second fiddle" trees. We talk about them year after year and discuss how they must feel. We're codependent.

We'll try and post a picture when it hits its peak.

Ok, that's all.

Tom

Snip 'n Stitch

Hello!

Enjoying my new haircut---long overdue. I feel like a sheep that's just been shorn (spelling?) I mean, shaved down to the cowlics (sp again?). No hairgel required! The stylist may've used a "number 2" attachment on her electric trimmer instead of a "number 3." But I do like the convenience of not having to comb it.

My wife cut her finger last Friday:(
We had a (fascinating?) "date" in ER, where she got 10 stitches. She was very brave; the doctor kept asking ME, "Are you OK, sir?" to see if I was going to pass out at any point during our impromptu 3-hour visit. The assortment of hospital staff took great care of us both!

--Tom

Seafair 2007 with The Blue Angels

The Blue Angels.

What a priviledge when one of them happens to fly low right over your head; you wait to hear the thunder a few seconds later--WHAT A RUSH!!!!

What's not to love? I love what they represent. I admire their skill, their discipline, their precision, their style. The Blue Angels just make me feel good. They make me feel proud to be an American.

I wish I'd have worn one of my Blue Angels t-shirts to work today. I'm starting to make a tradition of going to Boeing Field every year during Seafair to see the resting planes up close and pick up one of the souvenier shirts. I'm a fan.

Enjoy your Seafair Weekend!!

--TP

San Juan Island Camping Trip July 2007

(Pictures: Tom at a lavendar farm, Tom disoriented on day 1, day 2 new improved campsite-- proud of my tarp art.)

Howdy!

Finally went camping for the first time on San Juan Island. Being a Seattle native, I'd expect to have gone to these "regional treasures," the San Juans, more than I have but've been intimidated by crowded ferry lines on the weekend. My wife and I budgeted a day each way for travel. Showed up in the morning just as the boat was leaving; got us first in line for next boat a couple hours later. Snacks, naps, and cribbage while we waited. It was fun!

We saw about 12 Orcas between 5-7pm one evening at Lime Kiln State Park. They swam about 25 yards off shore as they hunted for salmon. Orcas are regularly seen there. No surprise I forgot our camera in the car!! Soooo sorry I don't have a picture for you!!

Stayed at Lakedale Resort and Campground. What a great time!! 3 nights--drizzled all weekend. My wife and I DID have a blast, especially after we moved to a new spot between the trees the 2nd night, so we could string a tarp over our picnic table.

I have to say camping was, many times, not relaxing. Lessons are learned while camping. I'm learning to camp with the expectation that I'll need to practice being efficient, resourceful, industrious. Simple things become more difficult, even at a well-equipped campground like this one (It had a brand new bathroom with showers.) I felt so triumphant when I managed to attach a string between 2 trees for a tarp!! I felt the same way when I secured tarps over our tent. The floor leaked, by the way---brand new tent. I must've snagged it on the ground when I was carrying it from our 1st campsite to the one sheltered by trees.

The food was YUMMY---burgers, chicken fajitas, blueberry pancakes, french toast. My wife was deliciously resourceful: leftover burger patties became "meatballs for the next night's spaghetti, and she cooked extra fajitia chicken for lunch salads!!

PS My Spirit1053 Co-host, Sarah Taylor, says she has a magnet on her fridge that says "I enjoy NOT camping."

---TP

Tasty Coffee

Someone finally showed me how to make a decent pot of coffee.

The owner of Zukafe in downtown Edmonds took the time to teach me how to brew coffee using a french press. They serve french pressed coffee as their standard "drip," by they way. AND the first refill is free!!

First, he said, use fresh beans. Fresh beans are chalky in color with maybe the slightest amount of moisture. Coarsely grind 5/8 of a cup of beans. Pour into the bottom of an averaged-sized french press.

Next, pour in 200 degree water. Swirl the press as you pour. Fill to just below the chrome line.

Fresh coffee will be frothing on top of the nearly boiling water. Wait one minute. Tap the plunger on top of the frothing grounds a few times before pressing it all the way to the bottom.

Cheers!

Tom

A note about coffee beans: Avoid really oily, shiny looking beans. The oil is probably rancid. Also, stay away from those large bins in the grocery store. There's no way of knowing how old those beans are. (Or if the bins have ever been cleaned!)

FYI: Zukafe is about 1/2 block east of the roundabout in the heart of Edmonds; a fun spot to chill out.

Good times in The City!

(Pictures: Tom at, gee, guess where, and TransAmerica Bldg as seen from The Carnelian Room atop the B of A Tower.)

San Francisco was exhilerating! Unseasonably warm: sunny and 83 with a strong continual breeze that made it feel like 71. Often June in The City is foggy, colder and windy. Sept and Oct are the 2 warmest weather months.

Perfect weather to bicycle with my wife across the Golden Gate Bridge--what thrill! Bike rentals abound near Fisherman's Wharf. Kept stopping for pictures in front of the bridge the closer we got to it. It was fun to observe other excited visitors posing for the camera at this amazing landmark. At a prime view spot in front of the bridge I offered to take a photo of a couple in front of The Bridge. "There might be an ulterior motive involved," I said, as we traded cameras. They laughed and were glad to return the favor.

Also bicycled another day through Golden Gate Park down to the beach and watched the kite surfers and had lunch at a place called The Beach Chalet, right at the end of GGP. The park is phenominal. You could get lost in it. We went to the flower conservatory. There's also the new DeYoung Museum of modern art; we' ll have to do that on our next rip.

"Cable-carred" to Union Square and Chinatown. Hotels sell 1-day and 3-day bus/cable car passes; we learned of them on our 2nd day in The City but it was still worth it.

Thrilling view from the Carnelian Room, atop the Bank of America Tower.

Too much to mention; highly recommended. I'll be goin' back!!

---Tom

Golden Gate

Alright, Alright! I'm updating my blog.

But not without help. Sarah is typing. She is typing faster than I can talk.

So I'm getting ready for a trip to San Francisco. My wife and I are really excited. We got the suitcases out on Monday.

When I was little, I went to China Town and got the coolest little Asian, wooden "puzzle box." It had secret slide panels that you had to move in a particular order in order to get the lid open. Maybe I'll add a new one to my collection.

My wife and I want to walk the Golden Gate Bridge and ride a tandem bicycle through Golden Gate Park down to the beach. We've already seen Alcatraz; it was well worth it! I recommend booking your Alcatraz tickets in advance, even before you leave. We almost didn't get to go because tour bookings were almost full. Tickets can be hard to get, particularly the day of.

All that said, if you've already been to San Francisco, do you have any other ideas on places we simply must see? Let me know!

Tom