Random Ramblers acquire new "friends", Party With Bullwinkle and Warm Up With Mike's Chili!

The Random Ramblers crew took a week off due to illness and some new friends we acquired from trying on hats and wigs on our last adventure. That’s right we had a small lice infestation that was quickly resolved. Just remember when you go to a store with hats and wigs think back to what you have always been told your whole dang life “Don’t share hats, combs, wigs etc….” That advice could have saved me from a week of hell. To top everything off I caught a bug and passed it on to baby Kalyx so in the least we were in pretty bad shape. The plan was to go to Vancouver Washington and Portland Oregon to visit friends and family. The night before our departure baby Kalyx was up all night not feeling well at all. I called off the trip until my oldest son Cadin threw a fit about not going. (that’s right twelve year olds can still throw fits) I mustered up all the energy I could and before you know it we were out the door.







When we arrived in Vancouver we went straight to my Aunt Peggy’s house to attend my cousin, Amy’s baby shower. She is due May 13th and is having a girl! Congratulations Ames!! Amy’s shower was pretty fun! I got to see a lot of people that I hadn’t seen in a long time. We hung out with Scott, Connie, Ray, Hannah and Cheryl for dinner at Vancouver Pizza Company. They serve the best Pizza in Vancouver! Not to mention the staff is awesome and will play a record for you for dinner at your request. We jammed to the Beatles. By the way check out the picture Cadin took of some random lady walking out of the pizza place. If you look real close in the window there are people curious about what we are up to.





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After dinner Scott, Connie and I went to Kennedy School a Mc Menamins establishment, complete with a movie pub, bars and a hotel. This place used to be a real school that Mc Menamins transformed in to a great night out. In one of the bars called the boiler room there is shuffle board. We went in hopes to play but the group of people who were already there playing decided not to share so we waited for a bit and decided to try another place with a shuffle board. I can’t remember the name of the next place due to delirium but, we ran in to the same situation there. We realized that shuffle board must be some kick ass fun because nobody wants to share. We decided to pick Coen up at Aunt Peggy’s and go back to Scott’s for a little Wii action. I was soon fast asleep. The Next Morning we got up early for my cousin Maleia’s breakfast/bon voyage brunch. We had a wonderful time there and quickly hit the road to head toward home. I didn’t take pictures due to being soooooo tired!




Not really much to write about and based on the situation we barely had an adventure this particular week. So on to this weekend. Although I have to mention a piece of art that I spied at Scott and Connie's pad. Scott met a girl at a street fair. She drew a picutre of a unicorn. They fanagled the price and she insisted on three dollars for her picture. He bought the picture and then suggested she sign it. She signed it Lily Tucker. When Scott read it he thought it was drawn buy...... You can figure it out. Lily Tucker if your out there you are a wonderful artist! What are the chances of that? Random and innocent!!























This weekend we planned to get the crew back together and figure out what to do on this adventure. My husband Jason had some friends that wanted to go see Jimi Hendrix’s grave. His friends showed up and we led the way to see Jimi once again. His friends Jason and his son Jaime and Justin and his son Dylan were all so excited to see Jimi’s site. By the way if you ever meet Jaime that little rascal can do one good impression of Arnold Schwarzenegger. I left them and went to pick up Cadin at Saturday school and my good friend Lisa at home. To my surprise and Lisa’s as well I almost hit her in route she was walking to meet me at Cadin’s school. We hop on the freeway to meet Jason and his friends at Bullwinkle’s, the Family Fun Center in Kent. When we arrive Jason and friends pull in right behind us. We get in to this place and think to ourselves so help me God if this is like Chuck E. Cheese then we are outta here. This place has Laser Tag, Virtual rides and movies, a huge tube area, lots and lots of video games, Mini Golf, Go-Karts and another area that was closed off until summer. I was suckered in to buying a $100.00 card that is worth 480 points.







We all kind of did our own thing at first and eventually came together to play us some Mini Golf. I am not great at Mini Golf but I have always loved to participate since I was a kid. Jason, Lisa and I were playing against each other trying to wrangle, baby Kalyx to keep her from falling in the water. Ya know I thought I sucked at miniature golf but Lisa takes the cake when it comes to being the worst at mini golf. One hole it took her 9 tries. On the last hole keep in mind a guaranteed hole in one, not for Lisa it took 3 tries. Remind me always to golf with Lisa for that is a for sure win. Now that we are soaked we head back in to return our clubs and spend a few more points. While looking around to find a game to play we stumble across a machine with stuffed animals that you can win. The random thing about this machine is it is filled with stuffed animals that were all the same? Random??




























My tummy starts to rumble and I am cold and wet when a thought springs to my mind. It’s Saturday hmmmmm….. “Anyone up for chili I ask?” If remember a few weeks ago we were supposed to visit Mike’s Chili Parlor in Ballard but we showed up on the one day they are closed. You guessed it Sunday. Beings it is Saturday it’s a go! Lisa’s mom let us know about this gem that has been apart of Seattle History for over eighty years. It just so happens that Lisa’s grandmother Cora used to live across the street from this fine establishment and used to work there. Amazing! What makes this place unique is that they have had the same secret recipe for that amount of time, kind of like Bushes beans and the dog that wants to tell the family recipe. Imagine trying to keep a secret for 80 years. Good thing they don’t have a dog. Or that recipe would be long gone. Not to mention the Food Network did a piece on them and they wouldn’t budge on the secret. One other interesting tidbit is that they cook the beans and the meat separate they don’t come together till they hit your plate.




We arrive at Mike’s and to our dismay it’s a tavern. Bummer! Not kid friendly!! Darn it anyways. I guess this was just a small speed bump in the road for the Ramblin Ramblers Crew. We left Cadin in the car to watch baby Kalyx and Coen something I am so not comfortable doing. We entered Mike’s and instantly love the atmosphere. It is like home it’s just too bad there isn’t a small family section. All the staff was very friendly and Mike himself helped us order due to our ignorance to the menu. Lisa ordered the Chili Burger with cheese and onions, Coen ordered a chili burger with cheese, Jason, Cadin and I ordered chili cheese dogs and chili cheese fries with the works. The works includes cheese, onions and jalapeños. Lisa ate hers after I dropped her at home and, Mike she loved her chili burger her exact words “I just ate a bomb chili burger.” The kid’s all loved their meals too. They were just disappointed that they weren’t able to eat there and their food was a bit cold by the time we made it home. Jason ate all of his with no complaints. I waited to eat. I wanted to get right on my blog to catch up for the past two weeks. Hours later I am ravishingly hungry. I decide to heat my food up in the oven. Once heated thoroughly I plunge right in. I waited too long to eat it for the breads sake but that aside I have to say that is the best chili dog I have ever had! A job well done! We will be back for more soon. Be well and keep making the secret chili it is definitely your calling!






















That wraps up our adventure for this week. Bear with me next week is sure to be much better and on time. Thanks for hanging in there and checkin in. Our next adventure has to do with crazy art spied in Seattle. Until next week stay well, stay lice free and by all means don’t catch the flu. By the way retain your mother’s advice no sharing hats, combs or wigs. This should be a cardinal rule! Over and out peeps I will catch ya next week.

The Random Ramblers Face a Road Block With One Big Fat Lip!

Our adventures this week faced many challenges. Lisa couldn’t join us Saturday so we decided Sunday would be best. We had plans to go to the infamous Mike’s Chili Parlor, Archie Mcphee’s and the Ballard Locks. When I was getting directions on how to get to Mike’s I noticed their hours and realized they are closed on Sunday…. Bummer. Now we are faced with the tough decision of what to do.

We called our special guests Jessica, Jaden, Jason and Cruise to let them know of our horrible discovery. Jason, Jessica’s husband suggested Hamburger Harry’s another well known establishment in Ballard. Jessica and her family get a head start and I head out to pick up Lisa, behind me following is our other special guest my husband Jason. Lisa tried to bale on us but I just had to see the size of her fat lip that she injured wrestling the night before. Don’t get too excited at the mention of wrestling she was fully clothed and there wasn’t any mud in the vicinity. When we arrive to Lisa’s we were first greeted by her big fat lip. When she finally made it in to the car we were all scrunched due the enormity of her bottom lip.





With that said off to Ballard or so we thought. Silly me, I thought I knew exactly where I was going you can assume that wasn’t the case. I got off on 45th and all was well until I followed the misleading sign that put me on Aurora. If you don’t know Aurora it is not the street you want to be on ever! A light bulb went off above Lisa’s and my head instantaneously! With one look at each other we knew what one and other was thinking. OUR GANG!!! We could certainly find people with experience with guns to join our gang on this criminal infested strip. On our Walkie Talkies Jason beeps in “I know where to go” he exclaims as he takes the lead. While following Jason we see a sign for Dexter St. and try to get over in time to make the exit. The people behind me must, of thought I was in need of yet another Detour on this fine day for they wouldn’t let me over. Sheesh.

Meanwhile Jessica and her family are already halfway through with their lunch anxiously awaiting our arrival. After many a phone call on Lisa’s phone (note Jess isn’t capable of reaching me via walkie talkie.) We get on the right track and head back to Ballard. So all in all we almost saw all of Seattle. During our drive throughout this fine city we saw Henry paintings galore. I have to know who the heck this guy is. This will have to be the theme to one of our adventures. I didn’t get pics this time of the art we barely noticed most of them before we were already past them and I can’t handle doing a U-turn in Seattle let alone driving straight forward.









Finally, a familiar sight the Ballard Bridge we made it!! We found Hamburger Harry’s really quickly and settled in right away. Jessica and her family were out wandering the streets of Ballard. With all of us starving we put our order in on the fly. My Jason ordered the onion burger and onion rings, Lisa, Cadin and I ordered the Jalepeno Popper burgers with fries, Coen ordered the slider and baby Kalyx ordered the mac and cheese with fries. I also ordered an order of Cheese Curds for everyone to share.







While we waited for our food I captured a picture of Lisa’s lip it almost broke my camera. Jessica showed up with her clan and we sat and chatted. Cruise wanted to go, go, go so they decided to adventure out more and wait for us to finish our lunch. I don’t know if it was because we were so hungry but it felt like our food took forever to arrive. It was probably only few minutes but felt like an hour. The Cheese Curds arrive and we dig in. Not to shabby but also not worth $ 8.95. Baby Kalyx’s mac and cheese with fries arrives next. I quickly cool it off for her and she digs in the fries first of course. I try both they are really good. Jalepeno burgers are up next and I instantly dig in. These burgers are huge poor Lisa’s lip was all I could think of. First bite, eh? Not too impressed. These burgers are deep fried so are the fries, cheese curds and so on and so forth. Too much deep fried! If you do dare to try to eat this burger make sure you have a lot of napkins the cheese oozes all over the place. Coen didn’t touch his food not a good sign! Cadin took one bite and pushed his plate away. Jason said his burger was good but not worth $10.00.







All in all, this place can be a good place to eat. The staff is really friendly and accommodating. It is too pricey and you probably just need to know what to order. Jalepeno Popper Burgers were a bust. Sorry Harry’s you just didn’t do it for us. I must stick to taquerias. Jessica and the clan liked their meal so maybe it is just what we ordered.









On our way out Jessica is sportin a bag “What is your find?” I ask. She let me peek in the bag my eyes direct me to some French pastries. I asked Jessica where she found such gems she proceeded to tell me about a random alley that they wandered down and surprise a tiny French bakery jumped out at them. It is amazing what you can find in an alley you certainly wouldn’t expect a French Bakery.






After loading up the leftovers we probably won’t eat we head across the street to Archie Mcphees. There isn’t a way to describe this store to do it justice. I guess the best way to put it is well it’s just plain nuts! They have everything from bacon air fresheners to a Chicken Chuckers. The amount of bells and whistles they carry is tremendous. They are moving their store during the summer because they lost their lease, so they bought a building in I believe Wallingford. All I have to say is Archie if you need help moving don’t call me. You have way too much stuff, kind of like a friend of mine that goes by name of June right Lisa? What a random sight I even took a picture of a random lady in funny looking pleated red skirt? Never got her face though just like the woman in the cloak. Random! I ended buying Jesus band-aids, Jesus dashboard bobble head, cupcake band-aids, bible eraser and a cross eraser. Note the theme of my purchases. My FFF Bekki isn’t too religious so whenever I get the chance I let her know, that Jesus Loves Her. I am sure she will appreciate all of the new presents I bought for her and feel loved. Addison will be stylin her new Jesus band-aids. Please take a special look at the picture of me sporting a devil mask and some funny chicken next to me about to my dinner. That would be Pacheco a fun buddy I like to hang out with from time to time. Jaden A.K.A. Jordan you must be a chicken for Halloween next year it suits you!
Lisa got away with a corndog air freshener and a bag of devil rubber ducky’s. I wonder if she will sing the rubber ducky song in the bathtub with her new found friends. By the way an honorable mention would be the craziest thing we found in the store. Totally normal Remington wader boots for sale how random is that?

























As we depart this fine store we are catapulted by a big gust of wind. Boy does Cruise enjoy a big gust of wind. She was trying to eat it? Weird but surely worth a mention as we were in stitches. We discuss our next adventure and decide to call it quits due to the weather and babies. It was getting close for the little ones to rest. We all said our goodbyes and parted ways still amigos.

You might wonder why random ramblings? I was once told by Jason’s grandparents Al and Georganna Leo that if you are going to explore then you must first start with your own back yard. They are so right! Over the past couple of weeks I have discovered so much to do in Seattle and the surrounding areas and it is so much fun. What are we doing next week you ask? Well it has something to do with Hammerhead at the Show, Make sure you have your ducks all in a row. Until next week good friends….. Be here or be square.