Pioneering

HAMMER TIME: Today we continued framing on the addition to our house. We're adding a living room and bedroom to the south of our existing structure. In fact, see that window to the left of Bee on the ladder? That's what I gaze out intermittently while I'm blogging. That window will be going away, as that space will be the open area connecting the old and new structures. 


In the photo, Annabelle is driving a nail to help secure one of the ceiling joist hangers. 


We're not breaking any land speed records on the construct, but it is plugging along and we're not paying anyone else to do it, so that's a good thing. 


BLOCK PARTY: Yesterday evening we came home and found a special delivery - the MINECRAFT inspired LEGO building kits we ordered months and months ago.

The kids tore into them right away. I could tell their experience in LEGO building class this year helped. They each plugged away at the kits with no questions and no problems.

RHYME TIME: I picked up a tiny book of Jack Preulutsky poetry at the Shoreline library last week, thinking we could use it to inspire our creative writing.


In it, JP wrote a poem where every line started with "I Don't Want to ...". So, I asked the kids to write a similar but opposite poem, using "I want to" at the start of each sentence. Also, I told them they had to adhere to the ABCB rhyme pattern, so, of course, we spent some time talking about what that was.  Afterward, here's what CJ came up with ... 

I Want To Go to the Mariners game I Want To get rally fries I Want To see them win I Don't Want To see them cry I Want To Play my new game I Want To have fun I Want To have it hard I Want To get it done I Want To get my candy I Want To get more I Want To be satisfied I Want To get them at every door

Annabelle wrote this ...
I want to play computer
I want to do my math
I want to play a game
I want to take a bath
I want to eat some cheese
I want to run
I want to draw
I want to eat a bun!
I want to look around
I want to play with a ball
I want to walk
I want to go to the mall



They were both surprised at how quickly and easily they were able to complete the poems. 


P SQUARED: This evening we had an unexpected visit with a couple of longtime friends from out of town. They were checking out the sites to see in Pioneer Square so we met them down there. Here are CeeJ and Bee in the heart of the Square, in front of the Pioneer Building. It's at the northeast corner of First Avenue and James Street, just north of Yesler Way. Designed by architect Elmer Fisher in the Richardsonian Romanesque style, its construction was completed in 1892. It was considered a new building following the Great Seattle Fire of 1889.

We met our friends for happy hour at The Central, Seattle's oldest saloon, dating back to 1892. I think that counts as a history lesson, right? It is located next door to J & M Cafe, which, forever, had claimed to be Seattle's oldest bar, but it closed a couple years back. It has since re-opened in the same space, with the same name, but I'm guessing The Central must be the oldest continuously operating saloon now. 

Here's a neat ivy-covered building we passed on the way back to our car. ... 

On the way home, the Space Needle's "Galaxy Gold" top was nicely framed by blue skies, puffy white clouds and some vintage brick.