Smart Cooks and Cookies

SOMEONE'S IN THE KITCHEN: The kids' culinary adventures continue. On a recent night, they put a new-to-us chef's torch to use. It worked like a charm for indoor S'mores!

We've wanted a torch forever, it feels like. We watch a lot of "Chopped" and similar competition in the kitchen shows, and they're forever using these little things. I suppose we need to make creme brulee or something soon. I'm not even sure what that is. ... 

TOUGH COOKIE: This week, Monday through Friday, we're helping with a series of many special events at a local learning center as part of a Reading Week celebration.

Yesterday's main attraction was Detective "Cookie" from the Seattle Police Department.

Annabelle was waiting for the officer out in the parking lot, to make sure she got a parking spot, and to escort her into the school.

I've actually known of Detective Cookie for years. I've seen her name associated with a weekly chess club in Seattle. It meets every Saturday at the Rainier Beach Community Center, from noon to 2 p.m. It's super popular and positive, as told in a Seattle Times article last June.

We thought Detective Cookie was going to read a book but the detective (her real name is Denise Bouldin) had other ideas.

She did share a quick poem (as the day's theme was "Poem in my Pocket"), but she opted not to read a book. Instead, she shared her life story, and an interesting one it is. (She should probably WRITE a book!)

Bouldin grew up in the projects in Chicago, and had many harrowing stories to share about living there with her six siblings and single parent mother. She navigated through countless scary scenarios and worked hard to her possibilities open. As a high schooler, she met a police officer who worked at her high school, and admired him and his work. That set her on a trajectory where she could picture herself in a similar role. 

Fast forward more than 35 years ... that's how long she's been with the Seattle Police Department!

Some of the highlights from Detective Cookie's life story include her work as a model, days spent as a "Soul Train" dancer, and she was honored to be invited to work security for President Barack Obama's first inauguration. She said that was the coldest she's ever been in her life, but she was also clearly very proud of that distinction.

Bouldin is being honored in Seattle with a city park named after her. The Detective Cookie Chess Park is in Rainier Beach, a neighborhood where the detective has worked for years. The park features a public art sculpture titled "The King and Queen of Rainier Beach." The sculpture, two large metal chess pieces that glow with a soft purple light at night. It was designed by local artist Peter Reiquam.

Photo: Seattle Office of Arts & Culture

Oh, in case you're wondering, Detective "Cookie" earned her nickname as a kid, due to her penchant for snatching cookies at every opportunity.

Fun and Games

WHAT'S THAT RACQUET?:  We're still getting to know our new-ish neighborhood, and one thing we did this weekend was visit the Tukwila Community Center. 

It's a really beautiful facility, with a nice weight room, a big gym, classrooms, and a racquetball court!

Last Thursday, the kids and I scored four new racquetball racquets for less than $5 apiece, and Sunday morning we booked the court online for a one hour midday spot. It only cost $5 for the hour for the four of us. What a deal!

It's the first time Christian or I have played racquetball since the 1980s, and the first time ever for CJ and Annabelle. It was a little rough at first, but we got lots better as the hour wore on.

I do have to report that I won the award for being nailed by the ball the most times. By FAR. Over and over and over, seemingly every body part. Oh well, comes with the territory. We're looking to going back and getting better.

CLASS FLASHBACK: A week ago Sunday, Annabelle participated in yet another great Amelia's Club event at The Museum of Flight. 

I'll let her tell you about it. ... 

On Sunday at the Museum of Flight, I took a class on what it would be like to take a flight from Boeing Field to Paine Field. We started by looking at the weather conditions today and seeing if the heat would create updrafts or the fog would make sight impossible. My group’s calculations determined that due to the low-pressure air that usually results in wind and rain, that day wouldn’t have been a good day to fly.

After that, we moved on to a mock plane in a small hangar where we did some safety checks to make sure it was ready to fly. This included testing for loose screws, checking for oil leaks, and making sure controls in the cabin were all operational. A few tests the plane didn’t pass were having drips of oil behind 2 of the 3 wheels, a bird’s nest blocking the air intake, and a fuel sample that wasn’t the correct color.

Finally, we went to the simulators to attempt to fly our calculated route to Paine Field and back. Each simulator held 2 people and we traded spots as the “pilot” when we turned around to head back to Boeing. The simulator was a little difficult to control, and by the time I got the hang of it time was almost up, which made it position the plane for landing. Other than that, we hit all of our landmarks and didn’t crash the simulated plane, so it was pretty successful. The class was interesting, and I learned a lot about how much planning goes into a flight. You really can’t just get in the plane and fly!

TOY STORY: Sunday afternoon, we took a field trip to Everett (and Mukilteo - hi G&G!). One of our stops was at the greatest toy store in the Pacific Northwest, Bobakhan. 

I would like to own 80 percent of what's in the store. Or live there. Or both.

We browsed and found a couple things to add to our collection. And we appreciated the store's collection, and clever ways of displaying it.

That said, we weren't big fans of *everything* they have on site. 

Yes, Jar Jar, We're talking about you.