The Incredible Shrinking Man

Since November 17th, I have embarqed on an exacting diet to get rid of excess weight that has accumulated over an extended period of time. My target is to get to the weight that I had when I graduated from college. I enrolled in the torture program associated with 'Slim4Life' (tm).

Here are pictures to show the progress

Pic 1 is April 2007

Pic 2 is May 2007

Pic 3 is Aug 2007

Pic 4 is Christmas 2007

Pic 5 is Jan 22, 2008

Pic 6 is March 22, 2008

Tell me what you think (no, I did not get contacts)

Seattle Trip - 5 Tea Party/Tickle Monster

Our last day in Seattle was very pleasant. Tara created a grand breakfast. Benny and I watched his train videos. Alexandria put together a very proper tea party for Grandma Debbie.







Alexandria even served her brother, Benny and made him feel welcome to her special tea party.


Later they invited Grandpa to become the 'dreaded' Tickle Monster.






Being a Tickle Monster is a limited term engagement. Eventually everyone is 'tickled out' and the kids run away. Finally even the dog turns on you.


What a wonderful visit. Thank you Ben and Tara. And thank you Alex and Benny. We love you all.

Seattle Trip - 4 The Zoo

Going to the Zoo is a perfect grandparent event.

Notice how good the kids look in their cages!





Sometimes the kids are kept in caves instead of cages. Here they've taken up residence in a wolf's lair.


Eventually they get out and follow you home (to their parents' home).




Here are pictures of some of the real animals we left behind.

Seattle Trip - 3

The trip from Spokane took us through actual climate changes. Spokane sits on the west of the Rocky Mountains, at the edge of the long rolling high plains of central Washington. We cross the Columbia river flowing north and south and into the mountains again that overlook Seattle. This is looking into those mountains approaching Seattle.

Snow at the top of the pass

deserved some documentation.

This is the Snoqualmie pass, about an hour from Seattle. It's amazing.

Seattle Trip - 2

As part of the trip, Deb and I went on business to Portland, Oregon then to Eugene, Oregon, then to Spokane, Washington and back to Seattle. On the way, we were able to drop off and visit my niece, Anne Scott.

She was the sweetest hostess. We didn't stay long, but we came away hoping to be some of the first people to read her books.

Oregon also made an impression on Debbie as we went out of our way to drive by the Portland Temple. It was a thrill.

The setting in the forest sets this temple apart.

Later down the highway, while we were motoring past the Columbia river, we stopped at Multnomah falls. Another thrill of nature. The water falls 620 feet.

From here we went through southeastern Washington up to Spokane, the home of the Spokane falls. This is both sides of the falls.

Reports from Seattle - 1

Well we finally made it. Benny, Alexandria, Tara and Ben greeted us on Saturday last. We also got to meet the dog, Sire.

We went to run the first day on my first 5K run.

It was also Alexandria's first 5 K run. She came in with an astounding 25 minute time at the side of her father. I came in with a much more liesurely time, but at least I finished.

Here's a picture of the finish line. Over 22,000 people participated in the run.

Trip to Seattle, etc.

>We're at the airport waiting to get on the plane. So I thought I would take time to add to the blog. Debbie and I are taking a vacation / business trip to the Northwest. We'll keep you informed. We'll see Ben and the family and then off to Oregon for a couple of days. We expect to see Anne Scott and 3 credit unions and then return to Ben's family for a couple of more days before we launch back to the midwest.