We now have a GPS unit for the car. Our wonderful Bible study group had a going-away party for us last night and they gave us a Garmin GPS so we won't get lost between Seattle and Bellevue WA....oops, I mean Seattle and Las Vegas. This group has been together for 12 years (ever since the first choir tour to Europe) although a couple of the couples have dropped out and we've taken in new ones! We've had a great time and studied a lot, but mostly have enjoyed getting to know each other and share travels, ideas, and good food!! We love the GPS already even though we've not used it....well, I did..got me from home to the grocery store. And when I decided to take my own "normal" route home, "she" was not happy. Kept saying, in what I perceive to be a condescending/scolding tone of voice "recalculating". So I took lots of turns so she could get really upset!! :) Anyway, it'll come in handy as we head southwest or southeast or wherever. Hopefully it'll take us to Las Vegas NM and not NV and will not lead us to the UFO's or whatever in Roswell!!
Nope, it's not Christmas yet. Aacckkkk. It's only a sunny day in Seattle so Gene was out mowing the lawn and trimming the maple tree. And of course Levi the Magnificent had to offer his advice..Bark Bark Bark!! No pun intended (bark - tree - never mind).... And the Azaleamatis is my new creation. We had a trellis on the front of the house for the clematis to climb on but the trellis has gone away and we cut the clematis down to the ground. The azaleas is gorgeous for about 3 weeks in the spring and then it is just...well, green. Lo and behold, the clematis decided it wanted to live and just grew up thru the azalea so I let it ramble over the bush and now when it blooms, it'll be purple flowers on the azalea...so I named it Azaleamatis. That thing just will not die. 
The "tree-in-a-box" is one of our beloved Japanese Maples that is going to Las Vegas with us. Gene made a frame and support for it and hopefully it'll survive the 3-day trip in the truck and will have a new home. It's in a gorgeous pot that will be right at home in the Southwest - and it's turquoise colored. 
