Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Finally! Flat Jake and Flat Just Harry Tell Seattle Tales
Uh, Mom, our flat selves don't have tails.
Of course, not, Flat Boyz. But we're talking tales, not tails...Remember, like the Heron-Cam used to do when Jake and Just Harry couldn't be present.
OK, Mom, we get it!
So, hello everybody!!! Here we are (two months ago) in Seattle, Washington, for the annual seaport convention that Mom always attends.
The first thing we did when we got there was to go to the famous Public Market. 
On the way, we saw this interesting sign...
but somehow we never found the shop because the humans were distracted by a French restaurant where Mom ate escargots (and drank lots of wine).
And then they were distracted by the amazing fish and flowers and exciting ambiance. We were shocked to see that our Dogdad has his own fabulous fish shop!!!
The flowers, grown nearby and not imported from Colombia the way the flowers at home are, were spectacular!!! Huge bouquets for $10. We bought some for the hotel room -- and then stopped to sample some delicious cookies!
The next day was September 11 -- and from our room we could see the American flag at half mast on top of the Space Needle. It was an emotional moment.
We visited Washington University... where of course we saw our first president, for whom the university (and the state) were named.
The grounds of the university and the buildings are impressive. Lots of the buildings are named after one of the uniiversity's benefactors -- including Bill Gates and members of his family.
Not all of those on the campus were students or faculty members. We found splendid Canadian geese -- including one who reminded us a bit of Ms. Lacie, our Lakie friend ...
An exciting museum -- the Burke Museum -- that features Northwest native art is right next to the main campus of the university. Of course, knowing how much Mom loves that art, we had to visit.
Mom and Dogdad each had their eyes glued for their special interests. For Mom, it was the gantry cranes at the port.
For Dogdad, it was the articulated buses...
And the monorail. 
The convention included three delightful evening events. First a cocktail reception at the Space Needle, where everyone (except us) watched the sunset, ate prodigious amounts of oysters, shrimp, and Dungeness crab, and then viewed Seattle by moonlight.
Next evening's event was at the Aquarium, where jelly fish, star fish, and a seductive octopus were the stars.
We visited Washington University... where of course we saw our first president, for whom the university (and the state) were named.
The grounds of the university and the buildings are impressive. Lots of the buildings are named after one of the uniiversity's benefactors -- including Bill Gates and members of his family.
Not all of those on the campus were students or faculty members. We found splendid Canadian geese -- including one who reminded us a bit of Ms. Lacie, our Lakie friend ... An exciting museum -- the Burke Museum -- that features Northwest native art is right next to the main campus of the university. Of course, knowing how much Mom loves that art, we had to visit.
Mom and Dogdad each had their eyes glued for their special interests. For Mom, it was the gantry cranes at the port. For Dogdad, it was the articulated buses...And the monorail. The convention included three delightful evening events. First a cocktail reception at the Space Needle, where everyone (except us) watched the sunset, ate prodigious amounts of oysters, shrimp, and Dungeness crab, and then viewed Seattle by moonlight. Next evening's event was at the Aquarium, where jelly fish, star fish, and a seductive octopus were the stars.
And the third evening event was held at the Museum of Flight, a gala, where everyone (except us) sat and ate under an array of airplanes -- including a drone.
Seattle is a fascinating city, and is proud of its world-recognized companies: Boeing, Microsoft, Amazon, and Starbucks... as well as the original Nordstrom's, which is in an elegant plaza, with an extraordinary bird. (Did Mom buy anything? We're sworn to secrecy.)
And those are our Seattle tales, two months late for reasons beyond our control.
Seattle is a fascinating city, and is proud of its world-recognized companies: Boeing, Microsoft, Amazon, and Starbucks... as well as the original Nordstrom's, which is in an elegant plaza, with an extraordinary bird. (Did Mom buy anything? We're sworn to secrecy.)
And those are our Seattle tales, two months late for reasons beyond our control.
Flat Jake and Flat Just Harry
Friday, November 11, 2011
Remembering what 11-11-11 remembers
IN FLANDERS FIELDS
By Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place: and in the sky
The larks still bravely singing fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the dead: Short days ago,
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved: and now we lie
In Flanders fields!
Take up our quarrel with the foe
To you, from failing hands, we throw
The torch: be yours to hold it high
If ye break faith with us who die,
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields
Composed at the battlefront on May 3, 1915 during the second battle of Ypres, Belgium
