Hi, everyone!
After we got back from Snoqualmie Falls to Uncle David’s house on Saturday, we had something special to do with Bill and Karin. Karin said she liked Grandma’s sticky buns better than purchased ones, so Grandma taught her how to make them. Bill learned, too!
Grandma and I showed them how to make and knead the sticky bun dough. After it rose, we got the pans ready. We did an experiment! We made half the dough in a 9 x 13″ pan, the way Grandma usually does. We made the other half in a 9 x 9″ pan and only cut the dough into nine slices. That made super-sized sticky buns with extra sticky per bun! Then we made the sticky part, put it in the pans, and put the pecans on top. Karin rolled out the dough and spread it with butter and cinnamon sugar. Grandma helped her roll it up and cut slices. When both pans were full, they went into the refrigerator overnight.
Sunday morning, the sticky buns were ready to bake! The buns from both sizes of pan were yummy, but the super-sized ones stuck to the sides of the pan! We had some of the watermelon I helped carry for breakfast, too!
After breakfast, Grandma and I took a walk to Juanita Beach with Uncle David’s family. Grandma said she wanted to walk on the pier that goes all the way around the beach. Before we started, I made friends with Uncle David’s new lilac bush. Guess what? It’s a Sensation lilac, just like ours at home! Then we walked down Goat Hill. There’s a new shortcut path, but Uncle David and Grandma and Mocha and I took the long way. Aunt Emi and Karin and Bill tried the shortcut.
When we got to the beach, we did walk all the way around the pier. The water wasn’t very deep, even outside the pier. I saw somebody standing up in the water, coaching a paddler.
Before we started back up the hill, we stopped to get drinks. Mocha got a puppaccino at Starbuck’s! Bill was the only one willing to take the new path back up Goat Hill!
Monday evening was Bill’s high school graduation! It was after my bedtime, so I didn’t go. It was held in the basketball arena at the University of Washington. Grandma said there was a traffic jam getting there! Bill had decorated the top of his graduation cap, so he could be spotted from the bleachers. There was a big crowd, and it took a while to find Bill after the ceremony.
On Tuesday, the view of Mt. Rainier from Uncle David’s house was especially clear! Bill showed me his graduation gown and diploma case and yearbook. All of Bill’s lions got together to admire his cap design. His pride was very proud!
Tuesday evening was when we headed east for home. We flew from Washington state to Washington DC, going from bedtime to sunrise Wednesday. Then we took the shuttle that raises and lowers to get between terminals and our final flight back to Rochester.
On Friday, we headed east again, to the bay. We watched a cloudy sunset at Sodus Point. Saturday morning, I said goodbye to my rhododendron blossom friends for this year and hello to my penstemon friend. Grandma moved it to the herb garden to be out of the way of the work on the lawn. One of the old maple trees dropped a big branch while we were away!
My first kayak paddle for the year took me a little farther east, to Clark Creek! The water surface was fuzzy because the cottonwood trees were dropping fluff. The water level was high enough that we could paddle over the breached beaver dam. I made lots of water lily friends!
Last Saturday, we headed east again! First we drove to Toronto, then we took an overnight flight to London, England! Jellycats like me come from England, but this was my first trip back. The departure lounge at Toronto was very crowded with travelers headed for Greece and Brazil, as well as England. The flight route was mainly over the North Atlantic, and I watched the sun come up part way there.
The cruise didn’t start till today, so Grandma and Grandpa took me to the British Museum on Sunday afternoon. That’s a popular place to visit! British adventurers brought back cultural relics from the Middle East, Africa and India. Many of them ended up in the British Museum! I made a lot of new lion friends, among others.
British archeologists (studiers of old relics) seemed to have a particular interest in how other cultures dealt with death. There were lots of Egyptian mummy cases and even some mummy cats!
The most famous relic in the British Museum is the Rosetta Stone. Egyptian writing symbols and the corresponding Greek words were carved into the same rock. That allowed translation of the Egyptian hieroglyphs by scholars who understood Greek. There were big crowds around the Rosetta Stone. Grandma said it was like trying to see the Mona Lisa in Paris! Before we left, we had tea in the Great Court restaurant. There were sandwiches and scones and yummy desserts. I had a good time at the British Museum!
Today we took a bus from London to Southampton and boarded MS Marina. We had ice cream while we waited for our cabin to be ready. It’s good to be back!
Love,
Lion-san
Lucky Karin and Bill learning how to make sticky buns.
Congratulations to the graduate. His graduation cap certainly was distinctive.
Lovely sunrise from the air before DC.
Pretty water lily flower.
I wonder what After School Ice Cream tastes like. What is in it? That is a unique name for an ice cream. We have some unusual flavors here at WOODLAND POND from time to time.
Happy Cruise.