Thanksgiving Beach bums

This is the front porch of the cottage we rented for the long weekend at Seabrook (10-12 miles north of Ocean Shores). I thought I had died and gone to heaven to find I had my own room with a TV, no less. Of course, I had to waste hours the first night watching "what not to wear" type shows just because I could.
Mom, Dad, and I headed to the Ocean Crest resort for Thanksgiving dinner, which was excellent! I ate my first brussel sprout and officially became a fan of the dreaded veggie. Mom and Dad both arrived in various stages of upper respiratory distress and at the end of the weekend, I am happy to report, they were both doing much better (the coughing chorus was beginning to wind down).

This shot was taken from the hillside by the beach. Out in the distance, you can see the specs of people digging for clams. This was the only cloudy day of our visit- the light shining through the clouds was spectacular! The cushiony compact sand at the beach made for a good place to go for a jog- not much wind for kite-flying.

"Zombies of Mass Destruction" Nov. 17th

This is a shot of new friends and I (from me going clockwise: Debra, Tamara, Torrey, and Eric) before donning our zombie outfits and makeup on location for the filming of Zombies of Mass Destruction. This is taken at the waterfront in Port Gamble on the Olympic Peninsula. When Torrey first mentioned this opportunity to be extras in a zombie movie, I thought of all the reasons I would not want to do this- ie: scary makeup, cold conditions, late night, what if I have scary dreams (mommy!), etc. But then my adventurous self dared me to do it. I couldn't resist the idea of saying that I was an extra in a zombie movie! I took a bunch of pictures of us in our makeup, but the flash gave everyone red eye and I have to say, we looked like a believeable group of zombies- maybe too scary to post.

So, this was our scene: It was the middle of the night in Port Gamble, Washington- we, the zombie extras- are poised spread out in a large number in an open field, ready to eat something living and acting like zombies- completely stupid, unaware and incoordinated. Floodlights fill the space, set to give all the zombies sinister, long shadows. A flaming (on fire) stuntman comes running out from amid the crowd and exits the scene, immediately doused with water and fire extinguishers. 20 seconds or so and our scene is done. I am the zombie way in the back, facing away from the camera near the white picket fence. Be sure to rent the movie and look for me!

I learned a lot from this experience. These are experiences that yes, do add to the richness of life. 1. I learned how to look and walk like a zombie. 2. It takes a lot of work to create one scene in a movie. 3. People volunteer all kinds of time and talents to movies- amazing! 4. You can meet some interesting people at a shoot for a zombie movie. As they say, it takes all kinds.

In Philly, it's just called a cheese steak

Good news- I'm headed to Philly in January. I'm looking forward to the adventure, learning, and new friends. But I am going to be very homesick and miss being close, or somewhat close to my family and friends. (Please pardon the pictures are all out of order.)

Al Capone's home at the Eastern State Penitentiary. I think I can see his ghost!


Halloween night at the haunted Eastern Pennsylvania State Prison. It was operational from the mid 1800s (I think) and closed in the early 1970s. It looks like a fortress and it was seriously spookified inside.





This is the view I had from my hotel room at the Loews. Awesome, huh? The bed was so comfortable- too bad I couldn't sleep- I was too nervous about my interview. No need to be nervous though- everyone was wonderful and I was offered a fellowship position. I get started January 2nd! Now is the real difficult part- getting my ducks in a row. Since returning home, I have felt so overwhelmed, it has me temporarily paralyzed. I'll blog instead of being productive.



Oh, hey, it's the liberty bell. I was walking by and - there it was! It's a few short blocks from the hand center.












Art museum steps- Melissa (my fellow fellow) and I checked out the Renoir exhibit before pounding the pavement to find an apartment.


















At the top of the steps at the art museum where Rocky made his mark. I wonder if I had photoshop, I could make it say "Robynn". Hmmm I think I'm onto something.

Bad Weather Poem (the adjective describes both the weather and the poem)

I can't resist the temptation to entertain myself by writing ridiculous verses in view of our dismal weather. Seemingly endless days of 50 degrees, mostly cloudy, and scattered showers with the occasional gusts of wind make me think local news stations put the weatherman on repeat for six months.

O wind and rain
you have attempted
to spoil my day.
The weatherman calls
for more of the same.

The sky so gloomy,
it is difficult to tell
whether it be
morning, midday,
or afternoon.

More positively,
this liquid sunshine
makes things grow.
(Like grass and trees-
and moss and slugs.)

The power is out,
I'm home early from work.
I love to walk
in the crisp breeze
while it is still light.

I long for May
when again the sun
will shine a few days
increasing my appreciation
for rain in the fall.

A beautiful mid-October

The Seattle temple with fall colors.

Hillari and Brent, a brand spanking new married couple. They make a great pair; a dynamic duo. 10/11/07

The Squash Soup

I've been looking for the perfect butternut squash recipe when I spotted this in the Everett Herald. This is a favorite at the newspaper and based on a recipe from the Algonquin hotel in New York where the great writers of the 1920s hung out.

2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 yellow onion, chopped; 1 pear, peeled, cored and chopped; 1 stalk celery, diced; 8 cups chicken or vegetable broth; 3 cups butternut squash (see note); 1 russet potato, cut in pieces; 1 head cauliflower, separated into florets; 2 teaspoons curry powder or more; 1 cup sour cream (or less); 3 green onions, diced

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large souop pot on medium heat. Saute onion, celery and chopped pear for 4 minutes. Add curry powder and stir for a minute. Add 6 cups broth, increase heat and bring to a boil. Add squash, potato and cauliflower. Bring back to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until soft. Puree in batches in the blender or with an immersible hand-held blender. The hand-held blender is easier to use because there's no messy pouring and hte soup stays in the pot. Reheat. Thin if desired iwth more broth, up to 2 cups. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkle with chopped green onions. Makes 8-10 servings. (I divided everything in half and it will feed me at least 5x.)

Notes: Butternut squash is difficult to cut up and hard to peel when raw. It's easier to cook the squash first; try roasting it in the oven at 350 until soft or in the microwave. Don't be afraid to be liberal with the curry powder. A chopped apple can be substituted for the pear.

ASHT Conference in Phoenix

This is a view from the Phoenix convention center where I attended the American Society of Hand Therapist convention this weekend. I attended some excellent classes, got caught up on new products and schmoozed with therapists from all over. I even met a therapist who recently completed the Philadelphia hand fellowship and got the scoop on the interview process. Often, I am the most anxious when confronting the unknown- it was a strange relief to hear that it is as scary as I thought it might be. :) My favorite quote from one of the classes, "There is a charge for the therapy; the pain is just free."

Dining at Carolina's- authentic mex in Phoenix, AZ. I had my favorite- tamales with a fresh tortilla on the side.






Behind the scenes at Carolina's. The tortilla chefs obliged me for a photo. These were the best tortillas I've eaten for a long time. They roll them out then stretch them almost like pizza dough.

McKean, Michael's bro, eating the delicious tortilla. It's almost as big as he is. My friend Michael's family took excellent care of me while I was in Phoenix- comfy bed and meals- what a deal!!

Philadelphia

I'm headed to Philadelphia for an interview for the Hand Rehabilitation Foundation fellowship in a month (end of October). I got the official letter yesterday with the invitation to interview on Oct 31st at 9:30AM. After reading the letter, my first thought was, "Whoa, what have I gotten myself into?" The interview involves Q&A with the fellowship committee, a 10-minute case study or journal article presentation, then meeting and greeting staff members at the clinic. At the General Relief Society Broadcast last night, President Monson encouraged women to pray not for tasks equal to our abilities, but for abilities equal to the task. I felt this was timely wisdom. Regardless of the outcome- I am excited for the adventure and experience. (Although, it is pretty much impossible not to get my hopes up for a successful outcome!)

San Francisco 9/21-9/23

Stephi and I traveled to San Francisco this past weekend- it was great fun. We made new friends, enjoyed the city and found yummy cream puffs. (see http://www.beardpapasf.com/) Sorry, no photos of the lucious puffs, they were eaten too quickly. We even trekked the 1.7 miles (?) across the Golden Gate bridge and back.

Climbing, not just walking the Golden Gate bridge. (Sorry random jogger for posting your photo in my blog!)

"There is hope," there is a phone. We didn't check its functionality.

"Act like you just met." Stephi poses with our new friends Katherine and Dave squared.

Scary croc at Boudin Bakery.

9/8/07- I didn't get the best picture of them together, but these are my pals Ben and Susan as they came out of the temple after they were sealed for time and all eternity. I am sad to lose my friends to wedded bliss, but happy they will be just down the street from me. Superfriends, Unite!

9/7/07- Vicki and I survived the well-known pirate ship ride (the one that swings back and forth) at the Puyallup fair. We followed it up with a ride that was more uncomfortable than scary- a little too much time hanging upside down gives you a headache!

"Summon the Silly" Bumbershoot '07

Stephi and I attended the West Coast poetry slam and were asked to be one of five teams of judges. This was my first experience with a poetry slam and we were feeling the pressure of judging with little expertise. Low scores were boo-ed by the audience! The fate of the enormous golden cup and its winners were in our hands. I was really impressed by the talented word play and performance. It was a breath of fresh air after a series of tremendously emotional poems about serious topics when one poet began with the simple invitation to "Summon the silly." Ah, I couldn't agree more. They all did great and no one egged us- we were nice judges.

This is me and John Legend. He's the tiny spec in white pants on the stage. Stephi and I got a little closer, weaving our way to the middle of the crowd on the ground by the end of the concert. He called for a volunteer to dance with him on stage (alas, the moment I've been waiting for all my life!) and... no, I didn't make it. Another day!

Check it out, I can put my pho-to on the web!! Color me impressed. This was taken on a ferry to the San Juan Islands in late July '07.