Stargazer

Home, sometimes sweet, home

I've been back from Scotland for nearly a week, and have been working to get back into a "normal" routine. If that means going to bed at 8 p.m.and making a long list of "Things I've Put Off," due to my trip... During my absence, there have been more personal, job and relationship crises in Ohio, as well as financial issues--what to do as a parent? (gentle advice, harsh truths, ignorance is bliss?) I rode the roller coaster on a high during my visit abroad, and now I've returned to a distinctly bumpy ride. I know, we're all on that same roller coaster, aren't we? John, although fighting a cold, has been steadfast, although not as available as usual. However, the key is that I know he wants to be together and that spending time with me is a priority...when he feels better that is. 

I haven't been to our local Puyallup Fair for a decade or so, but I found much to enjoy: the grange exhibits, the animals (including a dog obedience show), amazing quilts, art, photography, crafts, some vendors in the Showplex,  PEOPLE WATCHING(OMG!) and of course, I ran into several friends. John wasn't a bit surprised. ;) Because my parents' neighbor always has free tickets, I spent a whopping $3.50 for two scones. In an odd twist, one of the first things I spotted upon entering the Fairgrounds was this group warming up; I had seen them perform about a month ago at the Iowa State Fair. What a coincidence!

Here's the Grand Champion of the grange entries, done in a bee theme. Very clever!

This pumpkin is over 1,000 pounds. Wow, that's a lot of pie!!

I was a fan of this fancy pheasant.

Such a gorgeous tail!

It's hard to believe that there's a chicken in there...

We saw several sets of piglets. That one on top had such a blissful look on its face. :) The next couple weeks have a number of activities and appointments, and I need to start hitting my "To Do" list, like figuring out why my garbage disposal has quit working, dealing with plants, weeds and wildly growing grass, and pondering how to handle (or not handle) issues in other people's lives. Sigh.  

 

Home, sometimes sweet, home

I've been back from Scotland for nearly a week, and have been fighting to get back into a "normal" routine. If that means going to bed at 8 p.m.and making a long list of "Things I've Put Off," due to my trip... During my absence, there have been more personal, job and relationship crises in Ohio, as well as financial issues--what to do as a parent? (gentle advice, harsh truths, ignorance is bliss?) I rode the roller coaster on a high during my visit abroad, and now I've returned to a distinctly bumpy ride. I know, we're all on that same roller coaster, aren't we? John, although fighting a cold, has been steadfast. 

I haven't been to our local Puyallup Fair for a decade or so, but I found much to enjoy: the grange exhibits, the animals (including a dog obedience show), amazing quilts, art, photography, crafts, some vendors in the Showplex,  PEOPLE WATCHING(OMG!) and of course, I ran into several friends. John wasn't a bit surprised. ;) Because my parents' neighbor always has free tickets, I spent a whopping $3.50 for two scones. 

Here's the Grand Champion of the grange entries, done in a bee theme. Very clever!

This pumpkin is over 1,000 pounds. Wow, that's a lot of pie!!

I was a fan of this fancy pheasant.

Such a gorgeous tail!

It's hard to believe that there's a chicken in there...

We saw several sets of piglets. That one on top had such a blissful look on its face. :) The next couple weeks have a number of activities and appointments, and I need to start hitting my "To Do" list, like figuring out why my garbage disposal has quit working, dealing with plants, weeds and wildly growing grass, and pondering how to handle (or not handle) issues in other people's lives. Sigh.  

 

Reflections on a Grand Adventure

It's always extremely difficult to post after a long time away, especially when I have so many photos, and a lot to say! Yet the beginning is the hardest part, then the pictures seem to choose themselves and I find my voice. So, here goes...

I love flying business class because look how stretched out and comfortable I am! I actually rested/slept, was treated like a princess, and ate incredible meals. Too many meals. ;)

Then I arrived in Edinburgh, which was a magical place: full of history, amazing buildings, and culture. It was exciting that I got to meet and stay with my bloggy friend, Pam. She is as warm, kind and delightful as she is on her blog--and the rest of her family is just like her. Plus, her guest room included the world's most comfortable bed and pillow. (I'm a pillow snob, in case no one knows that) What a great introduction to Scotland!

We went to Langholm, the ancestral home of my dad's paternal family. (the Grieves) It's also where my grandfather's first cousin, a well-known Scottish poet, lived, so Pam and her husband took me on a Hugh MacDiarmid (Christopher Murray Grieve) pilgrimage. :)

It was a picturesque place, although not very lively. The bars were open, and not much else. ;)

I found his grave, and read the inscription; he really was a gifted poet. I've written poems myself, although I'll never be famous for them!

Thank you to Mr. L. for this delicious beer, and to both of them for their generous hospitality: the delicious meals, the introduction to their family, and for showing me their incredible country. 

Thanks also to Pam, who bought me an Irn Bru (Iron Brew) at my request, although it was obviously not to my liking. It's orange, but tastes nothing like citrus. Cough syrup perhaps?

After my visit with Pam, it was on to a posh Edinburgh hotel to start my tour. The room had a chandelier in the bedroom and a gorgeous view. I was nervous to meet the rest of my tour group...

I love this photo of Edinburgh Castle! And my tour group turned out to be fine: some quirky people, a few men on the autism spectrum, friendly Canadians, and several other singles. However, it is tough to be alone in a group of mostly couples. Sigh.

I often felt like I was walking around in a Harry Potter book!

This is a Viking chess set from the 1100s, which was preserved in a peat bog on the island of Lewis. I am a big fan of the Peter May mysteries, set on the island of Lewis, so I was intrigued.

I did hang out with some people, but it was kind of random. I didn't like to ask...

I don't watch Outlander,  thus I really don't understand why I wanted this photo. :) It was probably because we visited this place where they've filmed the series. 

We stayed in this historic hotel in the Highlands, where I definitely needed my three way Marmot jacket and boots. I felt silly bringing them, but it was such a great decision. The food here was excellent, and we visited the Crannog Centre, as well as had a famous piper come in to perform and share her story.

The Border collie sheep herding demonstration was mind boggling! There were 18 dogs, and different commands for each one! Their training and hearing are acute. Although I don't agree with this guy's politics (long story), he is gifted at what he does. But in the U.S. he would definitely be a Trump fan.

Aren't the puppies adorable?

These are scones! Scottish food is delicious. I liked nearly everything. I wasn't a huge fan of haggis, although I didn't hate it as much as Irn Bru. 

Don't you love the light on these buildings in Inverness? I enjoyed this city, as I did every place we visited. I didn't get lost, we had perfect weather, and there was a wedding reception in our hotel. That meant noise and not much sleep, but also lovely kilts!

This was where they filmed Hagrid's cottage in Harry Potter. It doesn't look much like it to me, but computers can really change everything. Is that good or bad?

No matter where you go, Scotland is gorgeous. For a small country, it has such varied terrain!

I loved the drawing! It made me giggle. :)

At Glencoe, I managed a chair lift, then a hike up to the top. I don't like heights at all, and it was only with some support from my group members that I made it. There really were many kind people in my tour group!

The islands of Mull and Iona are dramatic and sometimes bleak, but I was glad we visited. The roads are SO narrow, and there is no shoulder. Our coach driver gets my highest driving commendation. I would have been a wreck. Wait, I WAS a wreck. ;)

This is one of my favorite photos, although I'm not the best photographer. (no eye!)

Otters are one of my favorite animals, thus I was amused by this sign!

The reflections of the hills and the lone boat sitting there made me think of my own solitude on this trip, and yet how beautiful my memories are of all of it!

People constantly ask me what my favorite parts of the trip were, and I really can't answer. All of it. They wonder if the weather bothered me. (No, I'm from Washington State, and if I wanted tropical weather, I would go to Hawaii) They ask how I adjusted. (Fine, although I had some trouble figuring out bathrooms, like how to flush toilets, turn on lights, use the shower controls) They want to know if there was anything I disliked. (No, but my trip home through Edinburgh, Gatwick and Heathrow airports was stressful) Yet, I did it.

I shared precious and unique memories with these people that I will never see again. Weird, eh?

Part of my difficult travel home was that I didn't realize that I had to pull out my hairdryer and curling iron in Edinburgh Airport, then my boots (that I asked about!) set off the alarms at Heathrow, and finally I got randomly chosen for a thorough security screening before we boarded the flight to Seattle. I wasn't alone, and a couple of people had babies, so I felt particularly sorry for them. I eventually got on this roomy 747 (after a longish time), and was treated wonderfully by the British Airways flight attendants. Note to self: Always fly business class if possible!

My dad was delighted by his new mug from Langholm, home to the Grieves. It was precious to see his excited face, especially since I had lugged that mug all over Scotland. When you don't check any luggage, you end up feeling like a pack mule!

John welcomed me home with big hugs at the airport, fixed me a nice little meal at his place, then allowed me to crash at 8:00 p.m. which was really 8 hours later in my time zone. In my absence, he had cleaned my car, which was in his garage during my trip. What a fabulous guy he is! I'm very fortunate. Today was a glorious day of 80 degrees and clear views of Mt. Rainier, a lovely gift to this returning traveler. My visit to Scotland was the BEST, yet I'm also glad to be back where I belong. Now to deal with real life, which isn't always as pleasant. So it goes. 

 

 

 





 

Family Business

Scotland is only a few days away, and I still need to plan out (and actually DO) my packing. Yet, I've been dealing with a few other things along the way. Such is life, right? Yesterday was my mom's cousin's memorial at the North Bend Ranger Station, where he worked and then was in charge for decades, as a forest service ranger/supervisor. The trip involved me driving my elderly parents, and holding on tightly to my patience when my nearly deaf dad talked through the Google map directions, and when my dear mother chatted incessantly and exclaimed over everything she saw. I love them VERY much, but they can be trying at times...

I was fascinated by the old photos--like Stan and my uncle John, who loved to fish from a young age. Neither one of them had brothers, so they fulfilled that role for each other.

They grew up Catholic; can you tell? :)

Stan's widow, Barbara, was delighted to see us!

I captured this photo of my mom and dad with Uncle John, from whom we've been somewhat estranged. A long and sordid story, but it involves a family trust and his mismanagement of it. What is that saying, "The love of money is the root of all evil?" It holds true in my extended family, although my own parents and brother aren't like that at all. My sister-in-law on the other hand...

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I had FOUR events yesterday, and could only get to two. I had to pass on my friend Maureen's bridal shower, and a get together with John's friends. Besides Stan's memorial, my parents and I attended my nephew's 13rd birthday party, where I spotted this mug in their kitchen. Although it wasn't a surprise, it still made me heartsick. I adore my brother, but he's become very religious and conservative. (we don't discuss either politics or religions) My SIL homeschools, they associate mainly with church people, they listen exclusively to Christian music, and watch only wholesome films. To me, they appear fearful of any "negative" influences on their children, which seem to include exposure to bad words, other cultures, non-Christians, gay people, etc. They have no desire to travel except to Disneyland and Disney World. I could continue, but you get the idea. Their views are the antithesis of mine. I embrace the bigger world, and have many friends/colleagues/former students of different religions, colors, cultures, sexual orientation, etc. I suspect, as I did correctly with the dynamics of Patt's family, that when my parents are gone, I will also lose my relationship with my brother. My liberal parents are the glue that holds us together, in spite of our vastly different world views.

"Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure."

In a surprise to absolutely no one, Alison and her guy are fighting in Ohio, and I'm trying to parent from over 2,000 miles away. All I can really tell her is that she has a home and people who love her here. I  certainly can't control the situation or the relationship, although I've told her that she can't carry the baggage he has. It's too heavy. She has her own to deal with anyway. Families are hard, you know? I love mine, but the complexities are tough to deal with at times. Sigh.

 

Struggles

On my mind: 

• I strongly wish that the British Airways pilots weren't going on strike in September, thus throwing my September 11th flight(and their whole schedule) into chaos. My flights home from Scotland were cancelled yesterday, I tried to re-book as instructed(it finally worked, after hours!), and then BA texted today that the prior email had been a mistake! So, I tried to get my original itinerary back, the one with no airport switch between Gatwick and Heathrow, but guess what? BA won't answer their phone, and any attempt to revert to my prior flight, or any other one, gives me an error message. So...I may be staying in Scotland. Perhaps there is a place for another Grieve in my dad's family's ancestral home in Langholm. :)
•  John is such an amazing boyfriend; he tried to help me figure out the flights, researched a bus from one airport to another, and showered me with hugs when the tears were running down my face. His attitude makes me feel braver; he says that it will all work out, and that I'm going to have a fabulous time in Scotland (I am!)
•  Alison's first week at her new job has been difficult; it included a horrible ear infection, a non-starting car, and a lot of boredom. I hope it gets better for her; I worry that she's so far away, and in a sometimes volatile relationship. She's 29 though, and wants(needs?) to be independent. Sigh.
• 
• They are exploring Ohio, which is a positive, I guess. I will need to plan a visit soon.
• I also miss hanging out with Ashley, and sharing laughs and experiences. I got used to spending time together in Iowa! She's even more distant, but at least she's married to a guy I love and trust. Why do both my girls live thousands of miles away? I. HATE. IT.
• 
• John and I enjoyed "Blinded by the Light," then a walk along the marina, with the sun setting on Mt. Rainier. All the music themed films we've seen have been very different: from the realism of "Bohemian Rhapsody," to the fantasy of "Rocketman" and the quirkiness of "Yesterday." This movie was based on a real story and person, and was more about family relationships, racial and cultural bigotry, and the power of lyrics/words to illuminate our experiences.
• 
• There were even more spectacular views of the mountain on our drive to my place, although my Iphone (or any camera) couldn't capture the beauty.
•  I'm hoping that the uncertainty of my Scotland trip arrangements will help me be more flexible, literally by "flying by the seat of my pants." I'm headed to the United Kingdom with no assured way home. Am I comfortable doing so? H*ll, NO. But life is messy sometimes, and I will deal with it the best I can...with occasional well-deserved whining. :) If I don't post again before Thursday, see you on the flip side! xoxo 

Iowa impressions

I took my laptop, completely intending to post while on my trip, but never even turned the computer on.  I was too busy with activities, and family, which is a good thing, right? Iowa is a gorgeous state if you love the film "Field of Dreams" (I do!), laid back/non-existent traffic(wonderful!), friendly Iowans, and exploring landscapes and attitudes that are very different from your own. I admit that when I saw some elderly couples decked out in massive amounts of Trump gear at the Fair, I fumed silently. When the national anthem played over a loudspeaker, Ashley took a knee and no one shot her, so that's a positive! The Iowa humidity isn't for me nor my hair, which turned curly in unattractive ways. ;) Their winters sound harsh and the cuisine wasn't my style since it revolves around pork and corn. At the Fair I could have eaten a pork chop on a stick (the bone), pork belly on a stick, lamb on a kebob, etc. but instead I devoured several apple slushies and chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. What's bizarre is that I hate apple juice, yet those slushies were amazing!

My journey from Seattle to Iowa stopped in Denver, where my flight was delayed for several hours. This former student saw my whiny post on Facebook, and was coming through the airport from Colorado Springs. Thus, due to my late flight, we could meet up for an amber ale, as well as a lively conversation. I went from being a bit grouchy to thankful for serendipity.

And this was waiting for me in Des Moines: my very own welcome sign!

It was a gorgeous evening in Des Moines for our Violent Femmes/Ben Folds concert. Ben did play his new song "Moscow Mitch" for the Iowans, and no one booed. However, this was my favorite because of the harmonies and the catchy piano. 

I sat in the sun next to my kids, and Ryan's friend, Dr. Nick. Later in the week we had dinner out with Nick, his wife and another couple of Ryan's friends. They've all stayed or come back to Iowa. I can understand the pull of familiarity because I don't ever intend to leave Washington in spite of the terrible traffic and the sometimes too frequent rain and gray skies. It's home, and I love it here in spite of its faults. I'm sure they feel the same about Iowa.

Friday came around, and we headed out early for the Fair, where we didn't go on a single ride...

I'm more interested in hobby halls with crafts, like this creative doll house.

Remember how everything was on a stick? That included caprese and green salads!

I tried one sip of Ryan's Pickle Tickle Ale; that was enough. I like beer, and pickles, just not together...

We listened to a group Ron liked (he hated Violent Femmes/Ben Folds and escaped to the car); Vocal Trash uses recycled landfill materials for their instruments. 

Pella is a Dutch themed town in Iowa; it's famous for tulips which explains the decoration. I wish we'd had time to stop there.

Meet the Super Bull...

Why go to an agricultural fair and miss the animals? I adored this guy's fro!

There were some beautiful chickens (roosters?); their coloring looked painted on.

We admired Percherons like this guy; when he got frisky though, we skedaddled out of the area. None of us are comfortable around this size horse. 

A nice gentleman took our photo as we were leaving. It was a great time, similar and yet different from our own local Fair. It's way bigger, with interesting(better) food and more farming themed, rather than western style like ours. We even have a rodeo!

No visit to the Iowa State Fair could be complete without Goat Yoga. The kids were adorable: jumping, running, bouncing and skidding around. They did pee on several mats, but not mine. Whew.

My outfit got some curious looks. However, compared to some other so called NORMAL clothes at the Fair, I think the attention was undeserved. The people watching was spectacular. ;)

After the Fair, we did a bit of shopping/sightseeing in Des Moines. Isn't the Capitol stunning? It looked like a palace!

Then it was off to a family reunion in Ottumwa(home of Radar O'Reilly from MASH), and of Ryan's parents. I learned that when you grow up on a farm like Ryan's dad, you don't identify as from a town, you say that you're from north/south/east/west of whatever the closest place is. Ron also attended a one room school house, and later Interstate 35 High School, home of the Roadrunners. I found all of this fascinating; the students at the high school came from several towns located near the interstate. A whole different world from how I grew up. 

Ryan's parents' house is out in the country, surrounded by corn and soybean fields, where we saw fireflies dancing around at night, but he lived close enough to graduate from Ottumwa High School. There were some beautiful buildings in the town. 

I managed to meet up with two former students who have recently moved to Sioux City. They came in for the Fair(a three hour drive), and afterward I took them to dinner. What a joy it was to chat with them and find out about their new life! Sioux City is apparently a very diverse community, which wasn't my impression of the part of Iowa I visited. According to statistics, Iowa is 91% white, which is more what I observed. (actually closer to 99%)

After a wonderful breakfast with Ryan's parents yesterday, we were off to the airport, them to Chicago, then New York City, and me to Denver, and finally Seattle. It's always tough to say goodbye when you've had a magical time, lots of laughs and many special moments. I relate to what Dr. Archibald "Moonlight" Graham said in the film, "You know we just don't recognize the most significant moments of our lives while they're happening. Back then I thought, well, there'll be other days. I didn't realize that that was the only day."  

 

 

 

On my way

Yesterday was my 63rd (ouch!) birthday, and it was absolutely spectacular. My mother serenaded me on the phone, Ashley texted me from Heathrow on their way back from Madagascar, and I had a lovely chat with Alison from Ohio. Numerous Facebook friends wrote essentially meaningless posts on my wall, although several of them (and messages I got) were extremely heartfelt and moving. I can't say enough about John, who treated me to a couple of gifts, but also made a reservation at my favorite restaurant and gave me the birthday attention that I never got from Henry. It's been a year, during which life has gone sideways, and upside down, but then righted itself...somehow. In 2018 I was back in New York with my kids and their then boyfriends (Kramer is gone, unfortunately), struggling over what to do about Henry. It was exactly on this date last year that I decided to send Henry a "Dear John" email because I just couldn't deal with the situation any longer. It was one of the most difficult things I've ever done, yet I knew that I needed to take control over my life, instead of watching myself spiral further into neurosis and insecurity. 

My iPhone decided to send me this picture yesterday, which really didn't help my frame of mind or my nostalgia...

But my birthday dinner at Duke's definitely reminded me that John, whom I met too soon after Henry, is a wonderful gift. He's such a thoughtful guy!

After the Marionberry pie, compliments of the restaurant, a walk along the waterfront was the perfect activity. We watched people fish, and enjoyed the views of the tip of Mount Rainier and the moon. 

We went by his younger daughter's new house in north Tacoma, looked around, and met the neighbors--a friendly couple(Tony and Mike) with three kids and a beautiful German shepherd(Max).

John has been worried about the disquieting sounds of my old milk frother, so he bought me a new, shiny one. He knows how much I love my mochas. :) I also mentioned to him how much I like the very unhealthy candy corn, thus he managed to find a bag of it. Pure sugar and corn syrup, but it's so good!

My financial advisor sent me these beautiful flowers; I can't quite figure out why he's so nice to me, unless my account is really that big? Unfortunately, I'm leaving for Iowa on Thursday so I won't get to enjoy them for long. I'm even packed for the trip, including my goat yoga outfit! ;)

Cards are important to me, and the one John chose was very sweet. There is no talk of love between us, nor did he sign the card Love, John. We're having great times though, and he's so dependable and caring that I try not to worry about it. Well, maybe a little...But the main thing is that we are HAPPY. He is kind, and wants to be together. He's not hung up on his late wife or immersed in guilt and bitterness. He loved/loves her, yet is able to move forward in a new relationship. Henry never quite could, not with me anyway.

I never expected the calla lily to come back, since the stray cat used this planter as a litter box. (few of the many tulips in here bloomed this past spring) But a botanical miracle happened, the plan for just Martha Washington geraniums in this box got disrupted, and I had to adapt to something unforeseen, this plant that decided to thrive where it wasn't supposed to. It's been a metaphor for my life in the past year. The sadness of letting go of my expectations, while embracing the unanticipated. :) Now, I'm on to Iowa this week with its State Fair, a reunion with Ashley and Ryan, and hopefully, many interesting adventures! Let the good times roll, eh?

 

Life and times

I'm overwhelmed that I'm leaving this Thursday for Iowa. I still have no idea what I'm taking, besides my goat yoga outfit of course! When I feel this way, I go into a state of semi-paralysis. I focus on spending time with John (always a support!), communicating with my far away kids when possible, and hanging out with friends, as well as many time wasting activities like Facebook, Wordscapes, and Instagram. The lawn doesn't get mowed, I don't write my packing list(or even think about) it, the vacuum cleaner sits for a week in the upstairs hallway, etc. It's a sophisticated form of avoidance/procrastination!

Early in the week, John brought over lots of tools, and helped me pull apart and saw up the wood from my fallen fence panels and posts. Well, he actually did it with me handing him stuff. :) That's really all I'm good for besides literary analysis. That, and $5, will buy me a cup of coffee. 

This is the good wood whereas the other pile will end up on a dump run unless anyone wants to burn it. Although I'm not sure what to do with the cedar, at least it's organized.  I wish I'd taken a before picture so you could get an idea of all the work we he did! Have I mentioned how helpful and kind John is?

Wednesday my Ram Ladies celebrated a couple of August birthdays, one of them mine. We enjoyed great weather and beautiful views at Saltys at Redondo Beach. These former colleagues, all of us gone our separate ways, decided long ago that we'll stay forever friends. 

Mari loved my gifts, especially the black cat themed ones. Not too long after this photo, she did this:

Naughty girl!

Now that Ashley and Ryan have internet, they've uploaded MANY pictures of Madagascar in its glory--from rock formations, to incredible beaches, to lemurs, to tortoises, to photos of themselves in exotic surroundings; I can't decide on my favorites!

This is definitely one I love. She wrote on a picture caption that she's spent 90% of her time sick/coughing. I hope she's continuing to dance and enjoy what she can!

Flambe something? 

I'm attracted to the water, and the multitude of colors and textures in this one. 

And I adore the composition of this shot with the blue ocean, the boats and the trees.

 

This is a postcard worthy picture. I would be eager to visit Madagascar except that I remember that gigantic spider...

Here's a black lemur, endemic to Madagascar.

And now it's on Ryan's head. I don't think I would appreciate a sharp toothed animal on my head. Just saying.

John and I are calling this species the Bernie Sanders lemur. (not sure what it's actually called, but it fits) ;) Correction: Ashley informed me that lemurs that look like this are always female. (the males are black) So...Bernadette Sanders? 

Those eyes are intense!

In spite of the rough camping part of the trip, and Ashley's health, I hope they're having a special time and making wonderful memories. It is their belated honeymoon trip after all!

I wonder what this elaborate but mysterious dish is. Any guesses?

I was entranced by this photo, and immediately saw myself sitting here with a book and a cold drink. It looks so peaceful and idyllic!

Today I drove down to Harstine Island to meet up with a couple retiree friends, Tonya and Carol; Tonya(and her husband John) have a magnificent home on the water, as well as a beautiful deck; she fed us a delicious three course meal. She hates it when I say this...but she really is the BEST cook!

Being like minded people, we had a lovely chat, which included ranting about politics and toxic people other topics. :)

John built the house and did incredible work on it. It's also decorated perfectly!

It's impossible to capture everything; you'll have to trust me that it's amazing!

I'm so impressed with John's craftmanship! 

In more mundane news, I bought some new Keen sandals, and am wearing them around the house to make sure they're comfortable. I like the style and color, but I'm not sure about my right foot yet, unless they stretch out a bit. Also Alison got a job! She'll be working for a firm that handles large class action lawsuits, doing the boring work of logging information for claimants, preparing paperwork, and checking for defects in said paperwork...for only $19 an hour, but with insurance coming in November.  Although I'm relieved about the job and the insurance, part of me was wishing that she would come home. However, it appears that for now Ohio is her new home. And so it goes.  


 

 

 

 

 

Yesterday and today

Yesterday was a beautiful day for a road trip to Port Angeles (2/1/2 hours away) with a great friend; we were headed for a colleague's wedding, and eager to chat and spend time together. Unfortunately, that meant getting up at 3:40 a.m. which isn't on my list of favorite activities!

Here we are with the bride and groom after the quirky ceremony. It was unique and very personal, full of stories, jokes and some silliness. 

The bride's grandparents were friends of my family since we attended the same church; my dad was Phil's mentor teacher and they had a lot of respect for one another. Then Phil and I ended up working together at Rogers for many years. I remember going to dinner at their house several times, and Phil introducing me to tuna sushi. (not a fan since I don't like squishy textures!) It was lovely to visit with both of them!

I loved seeing my RHS peeps, and having brunch after the ceremony. Although my doctor wouldn't have approved, I had eggs, cheese, bacon and country hash browns. Apologies to my cholesterol...

These kids finished their four days of camping in the national park, which Ashley called "adventurous" and tough, but extremely gorgeous and fascinating. 

She wrote that it was one of the most incredible places she's ever visited. But the conditions were rough on both of them, especially Ryan who hates to camp in the first place.

The animal life could be...unsettling. In many cultures, spiders are considered good luck, thus it brings bad luck to kill them. This big fella lived in the bathroom. Ryan also had several (many?) unpleasant encounters with leeches, and Ashley claimed to have 5,000 mosquito bites. 😲

These are sifaka lemurs, which I think are only found in Madagascar.

A blue coua, which is in the cuckoo family, and is endemic to the island. 

I have so many photos that I'd love to post, but I thought a look at their camping living quarters might be interesting. Now they've moved into the first of their pretty and more luxurious hotels, which must be a relief to both of them. 😀 I'm sure they'll have amazing anecdotes to share about the camping part of their trip though. Maybe some horror stories as well? 

Since you’ve seen the wildlife and the tents, it’s only fair to also show you this side of Madagascar.

As for my Ohio girl, they've been up to Lake Erie, played disc golf(not sure what that is), and spent Friday night at a bar in Dayton, two minutes (.5 miles) away from Saturday night's mass shooting. Too close for comfort! I still feel shaky about it. 😢 I'm heartsick about all the gun violence, and would like to hope for some solutions...but the rhetoric and anger about prior shootings have resulted in NO consequences or action, just "thoughts" and "prayers." And let's face it, if nothing changed after Sandy Hook, what kind of optimism can we have? I have none. The mass killing cycle will repeat over, and over again, and then yet again. I do have to mention that John is not quite in the same place as I am with this, and it could end up being a deal breaker. One of his sons-in-law is Special Forces and is crazy about weapons. John himself owns at least one firearm. He doesn't think that guns are the major issue whereas I'm absolutely convinced that any weapon that can kill that many people that fast is A LOT of the problem, mainly because they belong in war, not in every American's hands. In my humble opinion. I guess I'll need to tell him that we'll have to agree to disagree on this topic. And then shut up about it. 

Seattle, etc.

Meeting John has opened me up to the world in Seattle; because of the horrendous traffic and parking issues, I tended to look south to Olympia or even to Portland. I would eye interesting Seattle activities regretfully since there was NO way I was going to drive up there, and then struggle to find an overpriced parking spot. But John is adventurous, and so we've traveled north on the Link light rail(convenient and easy), and yesterday took a bus from a park and ride near his house into downtown Seattle (fairly quick and pleasant). We had no worries about driving, or parking, plus it was CHEAP.  It's hard to stay in a funk about my health numbers or my daughters far away when I'm having a blast with John. I'll probably always worry though, right? I'm a mom, and tend to get anxious anyway, which isn't good for my already sketchy blood pressure...

En route to the waterfront for Fleet Week and ship tours, we stopped at this quirky store completely full of purple things. My favorite color is blue, but I like purple too. How does a niche place like this stay in business? 

We strolled through Pike Place Market, which is always bustling and energetic. Since Starbucks(the original one) is usually overrun with tourists, we enjoyed a coffee and almond croissant at Le Panier. I took the time to admire all the pastries because they are works of art!

I dislike doughnuts, but don't let me loose on these goodies...

I learned so much from touring the three different ships: The USS Spruance is a huge Navy destroyer with lots of guns and missiles. John worked with missiles at Boeing for nearly forty years, thus he was asking all sorts of intelligent questions, while I was inquiring where the sailors were from originally, and did they like being in the military. :) The USCG cutter "Active"  tour was also fascinating since the CG is the 5th military service, is under the Department of Homeland Security versus Defense, and because of that it's the only branch that can do law enforcement. I loved seeing the beautiful CG drug sniffer dogs with their handlers!

Our guides looked like they were about twelve, and were endearingly excited to show us their ship.

See? Well, maybe they appear fourteen, but certainly not much older than that. 😀

The stairs on all the ships were steep, and rather terrifying. I even asked whether any of the sailors ever fell down them. The answer: YES!

The last ship we toured was a Canadian one, and again, we had a lovely guide who shared a lot of interesting information. Margaret's dumb question here was: What does the CS stand for? Her Majesty's Canadian Ship, that's what! Notice that there's French and English on this placard? Also, the Canadians have a bar and a gym on their little ship. The Americans have way more guns and other armaments. Hmmm. Our guide told us that the Canadian ships just have to be commissioned by the Queen; they don't even have to carry any guns! Could I be Canadian? 😉

John sometimes takes photos of me unawares, thus I took this shot of him taking a picture of the iconic phrase: "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead." Once again, in my utter ignorance of weaponry, I had no idea what the difference was between a missile and a torpedo. John is so nice that he didn't even roll his eyes when I asked him. However, he did overexplain the various ways that missiles can be launched, and that went right over my head!

Our Navy guide was super tall and skinny; I wonder how many times he's hit his head inside the ship! He was happy to pose for this shot in front of the flag, as he was explaining how the helos(helicopters) roll out of their two bays, sort of on a track looking thing. 

Post tours, our walk in Myrtle Edwards park included artwork, including these rock sculptures that people had made. 

Here is one of the more imposing sculptures in the park. The weather was glorious, and the scenery stunning. Plus, I got lots of steps on my Fitbit!

I was sad to see the now defunct Seattle Post-Intelligencer building; it makes me wonder about the future of newspapers and journalism. Everything is so polarized these days. Everyone is so angry. 😢

Look, I got some very pretty money in the mail!

August has arrived, the month of birthdays and trips. Decisions and packing. Stress and joy. I love my Mountain Men of Alaska calendar not only for the photos, but for the quotes...and because it tries to be inclusive. So far, no one on Facebook has lambasted me for posting this photo of gay guys. They had best not go there.

I've been away from home too much for this kitty, and she seems delighted to have me back. She hasn't been far from my side all day! Ashley and Ryan are off the electronic grid, up north in the Marojejy National Park, camping and hiking with a guide, porter and cook, then headed for stays here, here, here, here, and here. If you're curious about what Madagascar looks like, check out the websites' pictures; several of them are in French, but at least there are beautiful photos! Did you know that Madagascar is the 4th largest island in the world, and was so isolated from everyplace else that 90% of its animals and plants are unique to this island? I can't wait to hear Ashley's stories, and get to spend time together in Iowa. I miss her. I miss Alison. In spite of the many wonderful people and things in my life, I miss my family.