I’m babysitting my team’s iPad this evening*. I spent a surprising length of time playing with the Google map app. It’s not like I don’t have phones or laptops or other machines to do the same, the power was suddenly very engaging. It’s living in the future.

* I still like wheelson’s description: “Sorta like getting to take home the class hamster for the night like in 5th grade.” Yes! And Geraldine‘s reaction to my calling it babysitting: “Cripes – those things are sentient ALREADY?!”

Today I ran the Seattle Rock and Roll Half Marathon. It’s my second 13.1 mile race in Seattle — my first and the last time was 3.5 years ago. It snowed or rained the entire route that time. I’m happy to report the streets were dry today. The cloud cover kept us from getting too hot.

I can’t remember how far into the race we were, maybe 10 miles or so when I took this? It’s the only time I stopped to do so, unlike some other races. I seem to hit my cruising altitude and just kept going except for water stations.

If this were a video, you’d hear a bunch of adults acting like they just discovered echos for the first time, right there in the I-90 tunnel under Lake Washington.

on top of Queen Anne today

I spent the rest of the day working on a work project, which means no time for other pictures. Around 8:30, I realized I needed to head home from work because I had forgotten to carboload for the Seattle Rock and Roll Half Marathon. I remedied with a box of Kraft Mac & Cheese Dinner.

Book club talked of revisiting the Ramona series. I began investigations into the stories I’d read as a child and realized they might make for good audiobooks. I was right & rewarded to a delightful Ramona Forever adaptation, narrated by Stockard Channing. I finished it today. Up next, Ramona the Pest.

Yielded 0 pictures. But I had to mark it down here.

Yesterday was Vancouver (more on that later) and today was my last long run before the Seattle Half on Saturday.

I had to stop to snap a picture of the gray vista as I descended downhill to the Burke Gilman Trail along Lake Washington.

This was 4:30 in the afternoon, approximately 55 degrees. ON JUNE TWENTIETH. Hilarious.

I’m a loyal attendee of Brown Derby, though my interest waned after Mary Poppins and the Goonies last year — the last one I loved was Silence of the Lambs, where Nick Garrison played Clarice. Once I heard Garrison would appear to portray Apollonia in a Purple Rain spoof, I knew I’d return.

I haven’t laughed that hard for that long in months. I’ll be back to see Saturday Night Fever later this Summer.

I was returning something in a shop tonight and noticed a book of name fortunes. I flipped to mine. I’ll take it.

Also, someone got a new bike today, to replace one that vanished.

This is one of those months when even the natives are restless over the cool temps. Mr. T planted over the weekend anyway. Above image: the Thai Basil start. They are notoriously finicky below 65 degrees F. I hope they make it the month.

Over in my herbal garden row, my French Thyme is going on its 4th year. That is one of my hardy old faithfuls. The terra cotta’s crumbling around it, but here it grows.

I paid a visit to Mary Gates Hall on the UW campus tonight. When I got there, I realized/remembered a close friend of mine worked in this building for years.

And then it was time for dinner with the in-laws! Of course, Mr. T got us all to the Latona Pub.

This year’s canners met again tonight to discuss our Summertime plans for Canning Across America. Several exciting events on the agenda! I hadn’t seen a few of them since last year.

I drove through SLU on my way home and caught these scarecrows…

Tonight was book club — we read The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin. Before, I ran tons of errands, which found me back at a very dangerous kitchen shop I’d only visited days before. I shy away from the carby breakfasts, but I was soooo tempted I needed this to make ebelskivers. I mean, come on. I don’t think I’ve ever even had one. I resisted & prevailed.

But I did score an awesome backyard patio umbrella to replace one killed by a windstorm last year. Let the summertime backyard entertaining resume!

Our sunniest day in weeks found me completing a training rain along my old path to the Burke Gilman, past Matthews Beach, and further. I stopped for ice cream at the beach on my way back, and to break a $20 so I could buy lemonade from a stand on the B-G. Except the young ladies running the stand packed up before I made it back.

Oh! And before I left for my run, the Roosevelt High Marching Band came waltzing up our street. The Baron was thrilled by the approaching cavalry.

A day before our friend G was set to return from a work stint in Dublin, his beloved cat of nearly 2 decades died of kidney failure. Vice Admiral the Stieglitz, USN Retired, had a great run.

Tonight, in his honor, Mr. T, G, G & assorted friends floated paper boats with The Admiral’s likeness into the sunset.

There was also a reading…in case you haven’t read it in awhile (like say, junior year of high school), O Captain My Captain is a really sad poem!

File under: sign that appeared at the right place & time.

Do you ever buy furniture from Ikea at a decent sum, forget you buy it, move 4 times, then realize right before you go to donate the mystery box years later that it would fit your needs far better than this one out-of-stock cabinet you had your eye on?

Yeah, me either.

Today, Gnomey moved. This is her neighbor’s high tech doorbell contraption.

Tonight, we watched motomotoyama & her DLF teammates at the Key Arena.
They broke a world record in attendance:

Earlier in the day, it was also the sunniest day in weeks. The phone cam could barely handle it.

At the last minute, I joined some friends at Kozue. My friend S recently had a baby, and we’re in full support of helping her make up for lost sushi time.

We ordered udon, the Red Dragon Roll, the Crunchy Tiger Hidden Shrimp roll, a spicy Yellowtail roll, and a few other assorted items. I will probably return for both the udon & the sushi, but that Crunchy Tiger was my favorite. It was perfectly spicy and the right size for a roll.

But, maybe not under time pressure. If I hadn’t enjoyed my meal so much, I’d have not forgiven the sluggish & delayed service. The price was right and the atmosphere was comfortable & casual. I’ll have to give it another chance — the food was good, the $1 menu I saw was extensive & notable, & I hear the happy hour is great.

We found ourselves in southern Snohomish County today, hunting down a gift for Mr. T’s mom. When all was said and done, we stopped for pho at the H Mart – Alderwood food court. This place was delicious.