When my sister, brother and I were going through the folk's house, dividing up things, we took turns over and over as we went through each room. One thing that I decided to take, purely for sentimental reasons, was my mother's doll. I figured I'd just put in in a box and keep it because it had one major flaw. Only one of the two eyes that opened and closed would "open." The second eye had the white part and blue iris was either stuck facing backwards or the paint had come off. They look was rather creepy and I really had no idea what to do with it since I would NOT want to look at it all the time. But it was mom's and so I didn't want to have it thrown away.
About six months ago I was driving to visit a client in Bellevue when I drove by a sign that said "Doll Museum." In an instant I realized I should give them a call and see if they thought it could be repaired. A few days later I remembered and called. They referred me to a woman in Shoreline who repairs all kinds of dolls and she had time to see me right away. She thought it would be simple to repair and so I left the doll with her and waited to see how it would all turn out. Awhile later I was informed that she was all better! It turns out this this is a composition doll, probably made sometime after 1916. Mom was born in '23 so that seems to fit fairly well. The doll has the original factory clothing -- pink and orange. In this last photo, I have her sitting in my highchair. It's hard to believe how many years it has been since I sat in this chair! The woman who repaired the doll thinks that my photo of mom and her doll may not be the same one, but since I know mom did not have much -- they were pretty poor -- I shall just assume she was holding someone else's doll or it is the same one and it is just the glare of the lighting that makes it difficult to tell.
I am so pleased with how the doll turned out and enjoy looking at her now. I wish I had had this "brilliant" idea a decade ago and could have had it repaired for mom years ago. A million regrets, but millions more more moments of gratitude for my wonderful parents.
The snow is gone from the tree in the backyard, but the biggest indication that the weather has turned for the moment (besides the rain which just started after I began typing) is the fact that the birds thought it was time for a major bath event. We heat the birdbath when it is freezing (you can maybe sort of make out the heating element in the photos below) but while the water never froze and they often stopped by to drink, none of the birds took a bath during the snowy week past. Today,however, things have changed.
Today they have all jumped in and they keep shoving each other out of the way over and over again. Take a look at what they are doing to my office window. 
The robin simply shoved his way in and all the pine siskins & finches bolted!
Another wonderful day in the Northwest Winter Wonderland. Well, I work from home anyway, so not too much different. BUT it was definitely another great snow day. We woke this morning to news reporters describing the "inches to foot" of snow down south -- more toward Tacoma and West toward Ocean Shores. For a little while we thought maybe the front had come through south of us and we would be spared. But that was not too be. That was good too because since my husband isn't working and therefore isn't making money, he likes to feel that his decision was justified. An hour or so later here came the snow. 
We try to keep our little feathered friends well fed during days like this. We had to bring the humming bird food in mid-day for a refresher melt. The little guy flew to the first feeder holder which is an "umbrella" with a hook for the feeder to hang upon. No food. He then flew to the other side of the tree for the second feeder - no food. Last, he flew to my office window feeder - no food. Well, not to be completely stymied, he flew back to the first feeder and perched on the hook, apparently waiting for the food to return (which it shortly did :-) ). We have had House Finches, Junco's, Nuthatches, Varied Thrush, Towhee, Pine Siskins, Gold Finches and Hummingbirds around all day. Here are a few of today's residents. We had to put the millet under the ground feeder rather than in it because the food kept getting covered up by snow. They figured it out really quickly however!
This evening the snow turned to freezing rain which makes for a very crunchy, slick surface. Looks like another good morning at home tomorrow. I tried to cancell a doctor appointment scheduled for tomorrow, but the clinic was closed today. I left a message - but they didn't get it as I got home this afternoon (we walked to Blockbuster to return our movies) to a message reminding me of the appointment. I guess those people work from home as well because the clinic was closed! The battery on the camera was dying, hence the darkness of the photo -- but I think the ice on top comes through just fine!
What a beautiful day. Unfortunately, my husband's work has all been cancelled, so it is a pricy view. But since it doesn't happen too often it's not too much of a problem. We would not want to have mid-west winters out here. On the other hand, if we did he would probably be adding "snow removal" to his "pruning and garden maintenance" job description.
This is looking above the toilet with the towel rack. We got the original purple jellyfish at Pacific Beach resort. When we wanted more and Pacific Beach no longer stocked them, we were able to find them at the Seattle Acquarium.
What a magnificent job he did. We will try to post a few more broader view photos soon!
My husband and I flew to Salt Lake City to visit relatives and planned to visit the "ghost towns" where my great uncle and great aunt and family lived between 1913 and 1924 or so. These have such charming names as Tucker, Gilluly, Soldier Summit, Castle Gate, Helper, Rains and Winter Quarters. I have a drawing of part of Tucker done by my great-grandmother and she waited for the birth of her first grand-daughter Margaret. The drawing shows the house, cellar, nearby church, hills, railroad and creek and I had had such hopes of being able to find a foundation or two and perhaps match up the drawing with the terrain. Alas, what is left of Tucker is now buried under a vastly improved road. We didn't have time to find the little cemetery that is supposed to be on the hill on the other side of the highway, but sometime hope to see if there is a little headstone for a cousin Ruby who was either stillborn or only lived a short while. So, Tucker was buried, Gilluly was only a sign along the highway with not so much as a hole in the ground to give perspective. Soldier Summit still survives with a gas station and a few houses, no longer the bustling train center it once was. We chatted with a local man who remembered Tucker and who said that the drawing looked very much like what he remembered. He told us about the museum at Helper and there we learned about the fact that all the houses at Castle Gate had been moved to land on the outskirts of Helper. So perhaps the homes of my relatives are now there, but there is no way to know which house might have been which. Castle Gate is now the coal source it was then, but fires an electric plant to keep us all warm, fed and on line with all our gadgets. I don't imagine Dora and George would recognize it now. Our last attempt, late in the day, was to find our way to Winter Quarters. Rains is now on private property and for all intents and purposes is not easily found. But we had hopes for Winter Quarters. We drove to Scofield, but then couldn't seem to find the road that was supposed to lead to Winter Quarters. As we were leaving later we saw a gas station, but by then it was too late. While there we didn't see anyone outside, driving around or otherwise available to ask for directions. So we gave up and headed back to Salt Lake. Over all it was a fun day, somewhat disappointing, but the autumn colors were spectacular and well worth the trip in and of themselves. 
Later, at my second cousins house, we discovered a few photos of Winter Quarters. So while we didn't make it there this time, we have these old photos to share. This photo says that it is George Sherwood, Homer Lidell and Neil Carswell, Trackman. This was taken in December of 1920. The middle man looks like George, I'm guessing that Homer is on the left and Neil on the right. But am open to being corrected about that. The photo of the saloon at the top of this entry has instructions on the back. We are NOT to hyphenate Frank's last name because if you do it "sounds like something naughty." 
Richard William Sherwood, my grandmother's grandfather, Enlisted in Co. E, 1st Wisconsin Heavy Artillery on August 19, 1864. He mustered out on June 5, 1865. 
Philip Weber, my grandfather's father, enlisted in Co. B, 17th Wiconsin Infantry. He was in from November of 1864 to July 29,1865.
