In German Gift Means Poison.

The elder Thing is now 16.

This Thing is a good thing. 


He wanted to do a fancy dinner so we made reservation for a sunset dinner at the Seattle Space Needle. He had what he claims in the best salmon ever. I had halibut. Mr. Logo  and Thing Two opted for chicken, though Thing Two was eating off the kid's menu.


We were there on an evening when the observation deck was closed for a private event so we got free tickets to use another day.
The picture above was taken on the day we returned, a glorious day in the Pacific Northwest, meaning of course, that it was raining miserably. It rains all the time. You would hate it here.


But back to Thing One. He is enjoying his German class at high school. He decided to take German because everybody takes Spanish. He's a bit of a contrarian, wonder where he gets that... must be his father.


He is also getting great grades in his algebra II class, his Honors English class, his weight training class, and his technical design class.

Rotary motion converted to vertical motion via the cunning and attractive design of Thing One.

Model amusement park ride as designed and executed by Thing One.
It is a dragon swing ride. 

 His AP bio grade fluctuates between an A and B, but overall, he is doing well there too. He tells me he expects to finish with a 4.0 this semester. I am quite pleased.  Especially since he missed 10 days of school this term. 


He went to build benches and paint a school in Haiti, among other things.

 He had a good time in Haiti. He worked hard, got a little sick, learned a lot, and even did a little sightseeing.

Thing One at the Citadel.

He is keeping in touch with his new Haitian friends on Facebook and is hoping to return next year.




Earlier this year, in October, he got pretty sick and missed about 7 days of school which puts him at 17 absent days this year.
Despite that, he was invited to join the Honor Society. Making up the PE class was the hardest. He had to get up extra early to go to a 0 period before school.


He did it though, and I really do believe that child can do anything he sets his mind to do.


Today I am taking him to the DOL for his road test. I am excited for him and a little worried, but mostly I am really, really proud.