First we were up at the rally gathering at Volunteer Park.

We were worried at first because it looked a little light, but more and more arrived...

It’s a lovely day. What are YOU doing to make the world a better place?

When it’s a toasty 69 degrees outside it’s time for a walk!

and may you not be as scared of Santa as I was...

Saro walking at Carkeek Park (he’s way ahead of me in green there).

This year we spent Thanksgiving at home here in Seattle.

Tags: thanksgiving

Let’s celebrate and continue to hope...

We really want to celebrate the election of Barack Obama as president.

Obama’s election to office is one of those moments where one remembers where they were when it happened.

How is this a threat?

Voting has begun! I just have to add my two cents to the blogosphere...
But it’s much more then two cents. It’s the future for myself, Saro, and others down the line.

Apollo and Nyago wonder where did Jonzu and Saro go?

Well, we’re back in town. Seattle is COLD!

This week we have been back in Saro’s hometown in Japan. We’ve come to participate in the “49th Day” following his father’s passing. This is a time where the family moves the ashes from the home to the grave.

After enjoying our hike at Mima Mounds we needed something to eat.

To enjoy the last days of summer and its good weather we went off for a simple hike last weekend. We headed down to Mima Mounds south of Olympia.

Tags: mounds, hiking

Monday nights. Saro’s turn to cook. Yeah!

Today was the first weekend that I felt that things have gotten back to normal a little bit for us. Starting with the mundane:

view of adjacent “room” to our balcony: actually a brewery!

Early to bed (for us)...early to rise. The next day I needed to get a jump-on to set things up for our next dining adventure.

My gift for Saro’s birthday was this surprise trip to Vancouver, and in keeping with the “Top Chef” theme to the birthday: a 10 course dinner. As per tradition one breaks bread to start the meal...

A birthday tradition for us has been to take a “mystery tour” which provides a nice break for both of us. Earlier this year for my own birthday we decided to keep it local because we wanted to stay nearby to take care of our cat Nyaji.

As Nyaji seems to be doing better, and I could time his injection with the travel schedule, we decided it would be okay to do an overnight somewhere. So that’s what we did...

Tags: Canada, train station

Have you noticed the use of “Grand Opening” has lost its’ meaning as it has fallen less and less from proper usage? The same goes for the opposite message “Going Out of Business”: both should be taken with a grain of salt.

I hate eating alone at home. When Saro has gone on his business trips like this weekend, I usually eat out.

Gosh-O-Mighty
Duck Tape

Yesterday evening I had to laugh. It was first the sounds, then my imagination. Let me explain.

Tags: kink, duck tape, Computing, Cooking, Ramen

Another birthday! We've made it a tradition to do "Mystery Tours" for our birthdays. One taking the other B-day boy out; without the destination known.

Tags: Seattle, birthday, Happy Hour

Our cat Nyaji is getting old. 18 years we think. Recently he has been constantly drinking from the drip from the faucet in the bathtub and has shown a growing lack to jump up to meet us when we arrive home (he kinda acts like a dog). and we hadn't been seeing him at the front window when we arrive home. Also, most alarmingly he was letting loose with urinating on the kitchen or bathroom floor while talking to us. It started us to worrying.

Tags: Nyaji, Cat Food

For new years we celebrated with an overnight storm-watching (technically a pre-celebration since we went two days before, as Saro had to be back to work on New Years Day). The trip started off early with a drive through rather dreary weather to the coast; but hey, it's December and who doesn't expect gray weather in Washington this time of year?

Tags: Holiday, vacation, Ocean, Snow, picnic, Storm, Sculpture, Cooking

Holiday decorations at Westlake Park and The Bon (Macy's)

Tags: Art, Hawaiian, beer, Christmas, Cooking, Games, Holiday

This is a bummer.  I've been in bed staring at the ceiling.  Nyaji, our cat walks across me like I'm a lump in the bed (true I am at the moment... a lump...in the bed).  

Tags: Homelife, Nyaji