Our favorite boutique + hail storm.

Yesterday afternoon Gareth and I almost got stuck in an epic torrential hail storm which unleashed on Seattle in late afternoon. We had gone down to Fremont, and as I was pondering heading up the hill to go back home, I looked up at the dark sky, saw a bright flash followed by a loud crack of thunder.

The hail came fierce and fast.

So, I quickly headed into a favorite boutique. While at the boutique, I looked at lockets, since Kara and I have been talking about and looking for lockets that would allow us to remember Mom while carrying a bit of her hair with us. This is the same boutique where Bill and I purchased my wedding band at almost four years ago; the same boutique that Mom purchased Yuri's first winter hat (that Gareth still wears); the same boutique that Mom purchased Gareth's blankie and stuffed animal tiger. In some ways I think I might like to purchase one from this boutique since Mom seemed to enjoy finding quality items here (usually only if it was a great deal, of course). But, it is filled with sadness for me, too, when I think that instead of her looking at earrings here with me for Mother's Day, that I am now looking at a locket to house a small piece of what remains of her physical self.

As most people scurried to find cover during the hail storm, Yuri insisted on standing out in it, scantily  clad. This is how I found him when I returned home, sweeping the snow/ice of the deck.