Double Eagle

Michael and Spencer Flindt both received their Eagle Scout awards on Saturday, October 24, 2009.

It was a joyous reunion, as both sets of grandparents gathered in Seattle to honor Michael and Spencer.

The boys put together videos with favorite photos of their lives to show at the Eagle ceremony. They also assembled displays of their awards, talents, and special things. Michael showed his teddy bear, his "Student of the Month" award, and his drawings. Spencer showed his Pine Wood derby car, his running numbers and awards, and his Cub Scout shirts.

The ceremony was very inspiring, as Kyle and Lisa tied on the boys' Eagle scarves. Kyle talked about Spencer's strengths and Michael's seminary teacher talked about Michael's strengths. Then, both boys responded.

Of course, with such a turn out of family, we took pictures.

We took the pictures at the Issaquah train station. Gretta's ancestor, an Albensleben, was one of the mining pioneers in Issaquah, and the train station was used to carry ore into Seattle. It was a beautiful fall day, and Alyssa and Bryce enjoyed the nearby playground.

We visited the fence Spencer built for his Eagle project...

and we walked through the nearby, outdoor spook alley. It was reputedly very scary after dark.

We visited Snoqualmie Falls on a day so misty that the falls were a study of gray on gray.

Another day, we stopped for a hot dog lunch at Costco.

We then toured the Olympic Sculpture Park with its intriguing art work. There was time to pose with the sculptures, and to relax as we looked at the art and at the sea in the distance.

On Monday, Lisa and Kyle went to work and the kids went back to school. David and Gretta's plane didn't leave till afternoon, so they wandered around ever-photogenic Pike Market. Gretta found a clerk peeking out from beneath the scarves she was selling, flower sellers making arrangments of late fall's flowering cabbages, an octopus hiding under cracked ice, and a view towards a row of cranes, waiting to load ships.

One of our favorite places at Pike Market is Piroshky, Piroshky, with its glass cases full of cheese rolls and pastries sutffed with potato, cabbage, or chocolate...and its friendly clerks.

A new favorite place is Pike Market Chowder. Gretta ordered a sampler of classic clam chowder, smoked salmon chowder, scallop chowder, and mixed seafood chowder.

We finished our Seattle experience with a visit to the gorgeous park near the Asian Art Museum, with its view of the Space Needle and just a few visitors on Monday morning, including this young man and his dog.
We then stopped at Mohai, a museum with fascinating exhibits about Seattle history, an antique clock, and a beautiful view of one of Seattle's many lakes and inlets.

We love the Flindts and we love Seattle!