Today was a big deadline day. Fortunately it went well and we were done early enough that I could attend Jonas’s birthday dinner. J turned 9 today so the whole gang went to Luisa’s in Ballard to celebrate.
Motomotoyama taught Jonas (her nephew) her characteristic fish-face photo pose. I’d say he’s mastering his own rendition quite well.
What I learned today: the post office will deliver holiday stamps direct to your home. I learned this after visiting the post office (batch 1 prepped!) but I’m hoping this knowledge’ll be handy for others in this hectic season. 
This is on my way back home from the Wedgwood USPS.
One house in our neighborhood regularly decorates — this is a scene in their yard. Also, not pictured here: bowling balls in planters, snowpeople families, and an angelic chorus.
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This afternoon, we discussed Shopgirl, by Steve Martin. Loved the book, hated the movie.
Tonight, I went with Carey to a private shopping evening at downtown Nordstrom. I stopped her on the way back to her place near Pike Place Market, to get my snap of the day. Great night, excellent conversation with Carey, her brother from Dallas and his wife (newly married!).
Tonight, I met up with motomotoyama, C&I, and Jonas to see a community band play a tree-lighting in northeast Seattle. (A friend of ours plays the flute.) Afterward, Mr. T joined us at Luisa’s in Ballard for impromptu carnita night. We then proceeded to C&I’s to wind down and catch up.
Check out that GIANT lightswitch.
I’m readjusting to Seattle again.
I craved sushi all morning, but time crunch meant I should head over to Blue C for takeout. Not ideal, but felt like it’d be the same cost as picking up a pacifier at the PCC deli. On my way out, I noticed this, then noticed Ian’s truck (with his “Toucan Do It!” sticker — the name of his boat, too) stopped behind a 31 metro bus. I rapped on his side window and we lunched in front of the PCC. My attempt at time-saving didn’t pan out, but that’s not more important than dining with friends!
A quick note to say: more coming soon. During my first trip greater than a week since I started this, the photo diary took an unplanned break. Without strategy, I did nothing. I am back with exciting news to report and drafted entries to publish within the next 24 hours.
Hold, please. 
This morning was focused on packing up, heading out to our mid-afternoon flight. BOO. In this scene, we’re waiting for the doors to close.
When we got to the airport, we discovered Hawaiian Airlines had reassigned our seats and we had to run directly to the gate to get new seats. We spent the entire time until the final boarding call standing in line as the person running the show was a can short of a six-pack. She also kept calling different people up for reassignment, in front of us, ignoring those patiently in line while I worried we were going to be bumped. LAME. I couldn’t recharge any electronics (wow, Apple products seemed especially bad at holding a charge in the humidity) nor did I have time to buy water at a gift shop past Security Theatre. LAME.
I was thankful when a couple in front of us grew impatient and took off. We were given their re-coordinated assignments and could sit together even if I did end up in the middle seat. Still missed my water. On flights, it’s essential — I really hate bothering anyone to bring more. The electronics, not so necessary, as I could go analog and read The Man Who Ate Everything by Jeffery Steingarten for most of the 5 hour flight back.
Yay for non-stop to the tropics, though.
For our final full day, we stayed at our resort. We passed plans for the Road to Hana to enjoy more relaxation. Hana: next time?
We spent most of the day lounging — at breakfast, we had company.
Tonight, we went to Lahaina for fabulous dinner at the Lahaina Grill. I tried their Maui Onion and Sesame Crusted Seared Ahi with vanilla bean jasmine rice and apple cider-soy vinaigrette. I will be thinking about it for months to come. Their Cake Walk — Kona lobster crab cake, sweet Louisiana rock shrimp cake and seared ahi cake — was amazing, too.
This morning, we went to Kapalua Beach to brunch at Gazebo on the beach. Afterward, we headed north for a Sunday drive.
We saw Olivine Pools after stopping out the Nakalele Blowhole, in Northwest Maui.
For dinner, we went back towards Kapalua for Sansei Sushi.
Today we actually ventured out twice. Once for grocery-store provisions and lunch at Aloha Mixed Grill, and then later for dinner in downtown Lahaina at Cilantro. Our mixed-plate lunch was meh (brown gravy saved the day), but dinner was fantastic and crazy inexpensive for Lahaina. For days after, we talked about heading back for more Mother Clucker Flautas takeout with roasted jalapeno and honey sauce.
This is before dinner, from our balcony. Sunset conditions were perfect.
Our plan for our week was to do as little as possible. Today perfectly met its purpose — we left our resort once to walk to a bookstore for laziness provisions. We even had all meals on-site, and lunch was brought directly to our lounging area. We were closest to Black Rock during our stay, so we had a front row seat to watch the nightly diver after he lit all the torches in his ceremony.
I spent most of the day staring at the sky.
For Thanksgiving, we traveled to Maui. We arrived mid-day and went for dinner in Lahaina. After the sun set, we returned to Ka’anapali Beach for a walk.
While we watched the waves roll in, Mr. T asked, “Will you marry me?”
Yes!
For the Baron, my running shoes = the slightest chance for a walk.
Sometimes I put them on while doing chores around the house, just to see his Noble Highness get all worked up at the possibilities. Here, he’s pretending he wasn’t stretching and yawning and looking coy in anticipation 30 seconds ago. He also fronts like he wasn’t jumping into the air whenever I made the slightest move towards the front door. No sirree.
Only his lightly furrowed brow gives it away.
