trick or treat in ballard

We like to keep it nerdy. You can plot your trick or treat route online or on a smart phone with Google Maps. The idea came from our neighborhood blog My Ballard. Anyone who is accepting trick or treaters can add their address to the map.



View Ballard Trick-or-Treating 2010 in a larger map

crock pot win

My new crockpot arrives tomorrow. My old one has been kind of worthless because it doesn't have a timer. I'm gone for too long during the day so everything overcooks in it. This new one has a timer and a probe!

Work on the basement has been coming along. The ceiling is up and the wood paneling is sanded and ready to be painted. Next week they will lay the floor and paint the walls and trim. It should been done on Thursday. We have a new sofa bed that should also be delivered Thursday so that will be the new guest room.

Autumn is in full swing here and we're at the peak of the fall colors. We've had wind and rain all weekend so I don't expect them to last until next weekend. Nate's brother is coming into town Thursday and we're having a Halloween party Saturday so we've been busy with lots of planning. You can expect something served out of the new crock pot!

dim sum

I may officially be addicted to dim sum. I crave that salty, savory goodness at the most random times. We did not have this delicious concept in Florida that I was aware of. You sit at a table (often sharing it with other parties) and they wheel around carts of small dishes you can choose. They mark off what you've taken on a little card and by the end of the meal that card is covered but your bill is still somehow under $25. In the International District, it's customary to get dim sum on Sunday mornings so you have to wake up super early to get a table without a long wait. You may think your body will reject Chinese food before 10 but in fact it loves it.

In other news, we drove up to Mt. Vernon yesterday to pick up our tulip bulbs that we ordered last spring. We also picked up a variety pack of daffodils. I love that the daffodils are the first flowers to bloom and most of our neighbors had them last year. It brightened up the neighborhood after the gray winter. Between the tulips and daffodils, we're talking about 75 bulbs. I wish they would magically appear in the ground for me....

As for a basement update, work begins next Tuesday. Off to get ready for dim sum...

house projects

We will be finishing one of the basement rooms soon. It will be a game/guest room. More to come soon.