Ick

Okay, it has been a woefully long time since the last post. All is well. The Wallaces' visit last month was great. Then we were up in Washington state for Labor Day weekend - we spent a day in Seattle (including a visit to the original Starbucks at Pike Place Market and drinks at the tower club, high above Seattle); then we spent a few days at Shaw Island in the San Juan Islands (via ferry) and a few days down at Silver Thistle in Winlock. A whirlwind trip indeed - and an opportunity for Rich to meet nearly all of Kara's extended family .

This past weekend we celebrated Rich's 40th birthday with a trip through northern New Mexico and a small party at home. Actually, it started out as a trip in southern New Mexico in a Ford Focus that jittered so bad that we couldn't think straight, but we retooled and ended up camping by the side of the Rio Grande in the Rio Grande Gorge near Arroyo Hondo and Taos, well off the beaten path.