Chapter 304

This week's announcements include a late Happy Birthday for Carter, who's two...

and late well-wishes for something that happened last week that I didn't write down. Please excuse my lapse in memory if it happened to be your event!

 Reagan goes to a wonderful daycare. They are awesome about doing activities and art with the kids for each holiday. Here's Reagan's 4th of July foot flag. Upon reflection, they do a lot of foot art.

 Tuesday I met Bonnie and Dad in Ellensburg, the halfway point between Richland and here. We traded Dad at the Buzz Inn Restaurant and he stayed with us for a wonderful few days. One of our activities was to go to Poulsbo and see Carissa and Reagan. Poulsbo is the cutest little town.

 Dad has never seen his great-granddaughter before and he was immediately smitten with her. He couldn't stop smiling and talking to her. He was so pleased that she came around the table and held his finger when she first met him.

Nothing pegs out the Cute-O-Meter like little pony tails!

We shanghai'd some old guy in the park to take our 4 generation photo.

Over... 

and over...

 and over...

 and over...

and over. As you can see, Dad couldn't stop touching Reagan he was so excited to be with her. 

 The next day Erik and I took Dad to the Museum of Flight. Erik will take any excuse to go to the museum even if it's escorting Dad and I. Erik and Dad swapped airplane stories and obscure facts and seem to get along famously. Those two had more trivia, facts, and stories than any two guys have a right to have crammed into their heads.

While Dad and Erik dovetailed their aviation trivia, I was occupied by stupid stuff like this totally shrink-wrapped airplane. I don't recall what's in there 

 and don't really care. It just looked very, very, cool all wrapped up like this.

 This picture is for Chris.

The original Boeing factory building set up with tools and faux workers to approximate how it used to look when William Boeing started the company.

The City of Auburn used to fly in Alaska. I only took a picture because I live in the City of Auburn. The town, not this airplane. I'm sure there's a story to this plane, but I didn't care enough to read it. I quick look and I'm on my way.

Dad inside the Concord. The inside of the plane is very small, then with the "showcase" over the seats, it was even tighter.

Erik in the Concord looking as relaxed as a flight steward.

The control area and cockpit of the Concord. 

 From fast to large. This is the inside of 787 #3. Notice the headroom, it's over 7' tall.

The cockpit of the 787. How fun would that be to start flipping switches?

Erik and Dad at the museum.

Back on the home front, I was pleased to see that we'd finally attracted some birds of color to our bird feeders. The bright yellow birds that look like canaries are the state bird, adopted in 1951, the American goldfinch.

But while I was enjoying my new diners, they all disappeared in a flurry and Mr. Squirrel arrived for his afternoon snack and a drink of water.

On occasion JoAnn brings us things to pass to Reagan from Payton and Carter.  As you can see, Reagan is enjoying a nice afternoon ride with a couple of friends. I'm glad to see the horse is having a good long life.

Remember that extra springy horse I proudly brought home a few weeks ago? The one Bob reminded me that we already had one in the attic? Well, we loaded it into JoAnn's car and she hauled it down to Jenna's and turned it loose in their yard on the day of Carter's birthday party. As you can see, Payton was enjoying it as much as Reagan was enjoying her horse. Nothing like a good ol' fashioned horse trade! I remember riding mine long past when my legs reached the ground. I hopped that horse all over the desert and I could really cover some ground on it. 

Bob and Reagan play together with the vintage Tupperware set that Reagan's mother, aunt, and cousins had played with. 

Speaking of vintage toys, I dragged out all the Fisher-Price sets I had put away. Guess who's enjoying a trip down Memory Lane?

 Today we took a walk to the new park down the street to let Reagan check it out. She found a cow to ride and took it out for a spin. It's not the same without a few of your friends in the saddle with you!

While we were at the park three noisy helicopters worked their way overhead. I assume they are military and are following Highway 18 over to Yakima. Military equipment has clattered it's way over our house for as long as we've lived here.  The big double helicopters used to fly over with trucks and other equipment dangling beneath them. I don't see that anymore. I wonder if they've changed the rules?

Why?  

Reagan loves to read and be read to. Here she shops for a book to read.

Reagan's next favorite activity is eating. As you can see, she's very serious about eating.

Have a good week, Everyone!