Visits and Chicks!

On Thursday, Nana and Auntie Sharon stopped in Seattle as part of their northward cruise. We (Anni, Alex, and me) met up with them at the Seattle Center and journeyed on to Pike Place Market for crumpets & tea and a good browse around the market. We stopped in the Market Spice shop, the wind-up emporium (Anni's fav), the good cook kitchen shop (one of my favs), the trivia shop (Alex's fav). We brought back Asian sweet rice bundles for Ari who was in her college classes all day. Sharon and Nana both found great market bags and lots of gifts. (Thanks sis for the apron.) We had a lovely visit.
Here's a photo of the squid hanging near the wind-up emporium, where Anni got a wind-up chick. Photo by shutter-bug Alex.

While at the market, I shopped for dinner: locally made roasted garlic fettuccine, baby steamer clams, and french bread rolls. I wore my new apron while cooking, and the food was delish!
After dinner we finished building the brooder box for the chicks. The finished product (thanks largely to David and Alex) is terrific.

And today, we chose the three chicks. The are x-linked goldens, guaranteed to be females. We had some interested naming suggestions:

David: Larry, Mo, and Curly
Ari: Dad, they're girls

David: Laurie, Mona, and Curlie

Alex: McNugget, Finger-Lickin', and Pot Pie

Ari: You're gross!

Anni: Abigail, Abigail, Abigail

Mom: Anni, would you like to name your chick Abigail?

Anni: No!

Mom: How about Henny Penny, Cluck-Cluck, and Minerva?

All: No!

Mom: Okay, but we need chickeny names!

And the final verdict was: Anni's Henrietta (shy with dark markings on her head)

Ari's Claudette (the fiesty oldest with white feathering)

Alex's Matilda (the group clown!)

And they suit them to a tee!

So far these few day old chicks have figured out: that Running under the heat lamp = warm. Water is good to drink. It's better to eat the food than the bedding. The toy is really fun to ding. And the big giant people who keep sneaking peeks at them are scary but basically okay.