Goodbye post from Granny

After 7 weeks I am leaving Seattle tomorrow. Just one more night left.

I am so pleased that I was able to stay for Wren’s 2nd birthday. It was a delightful day, if exhausting for Shannon, beginning as it does so very early. Wren so enjoyed getting presents and being the center of attention.

Shannon made a yellow “digger” cake to share amongst a few visitors from the neighborhood. The cake was slathered in yellow frosting and had chocolate dirt spilling out the front.


Wren has learnt to say “one more” while raising his finger with significance. One more candy from the cake was requested many times. And by the end of the day he broke down crying when told that “one more present” was not possible.

Wren’s speaking has developed so much in the time that I have been here. He loves to play long, quite complicated, games with his animals – he knows a world of animals: meerkats I brought him, okapi that Tamsyn sent him, moose that he got for his birthday, panda bears that Tara and family brought him today. We have been to the zoo a couple of times and while I don’t like zoos in theory, the Seattle Woodland Park Zoo is of the better kind. Wren knows where all the animals are located and declares what he would like to see. Elephant remains a favourite – maybe because they seem to do quite a lot in their way…

The best word that Wren learnt today was “wonderful”. In true fashion, once he learnt it he tried in many times in his cute American / English accent. We were using it at the end of the day when we went to see “Candy Cane Lane” a short road where all the houses are brilliantly lit up with Christmas lights. Wren loves Christmas lights - calling them "Christmas".

And the day ended with some wonder as it started snowing and now the garden is covered in a thin coating. Maybe my plane won't be able to take off tomorrow?