More Scenes from the Beach

These photos were taken by Mom's partner Cindy of Terra Dolce Photography. You can find other, more abstract photos of our trip on her website.

Scenes from the Beach

For the second summer in a row, Mom & Cindy have rented a beach house in Manzanita and all us kids descended upon it last week for some fun, food and family time. Being 7.5 months pregnant did curtail my activity level to the point that I did very little unless I could sit down often and have handy access to a bathroom but otherwise it was delightful. We had 4 nights down there and among the general highlights were:

• Meeting Austin's new lady friend
• A very successful crabbing expedition by all the guys plus Cindy & Kisha
• Going shopping with my mother & cousin
• Eating pie
• Frisbee throwing with Jamie, Angela & Ken
• Watching everyone get silly on very strongly mixed margaritas
• Celebrated Mom & Ken's birthdays
• Kite flying by Austin, Cindy & Ken
• Mountain hiking by Cindy & Ken
• Playing a rousing game of Catch Phrase
• Seeing the Seaside aquarium, reliving our childhood beach trips there and absorbing all the "humanity" that flooded Seaside on Saturday
• Plus lots of chatting and conversation

Cindy has a lot more pictures to illustrate these adventures but she literally took thousands of pictures so she's got to sort them out first. In the meantime, here are a few of mine...

Band of 4 Harley Motorcyle Trip 2009

It's been more than a week since Ken returned from his epic motorcycle trip with his 2 older brothers and cousin. Several years of talking about it finally culminated into some serious commitment late last year. Ken and his oldest brother, Ed, did a good deal of planning and created a very ambitious itinerary. In 4 days, they covered 1200 miles from Ocean City, Maryland to Point Pleasant, West Virginia and back.

From an outsider's perspective, it served as a tribute to Ken's father & family as their west-most destination of Point Pleasant was where Ken Moore Sr. grew up. It also seemed like a midlife crisis-averting, male bonding event involving big motorcycles, bar food and winding roads that they would all remember for a long time. And that's very important considering what's coming up for Ken & me in the near future. Ken will need to hold tight and savor those memories because it might be a little while before he can do that again. But I am glad for them that they pulled it off, there were no injuries or arguments and they had fun. There are lots of pictures and stories but I'm not sure if Ken intends to do a formal summary or slide show. In the meantime, here are a few images that give an idea of what it was about.

Their planned route

(Click to enlarge)

The Moore Boys stopped by their childhood home in Bowie, MD and luckily the current owners of the house were very understanding. A very faithful recreation of a photo taken in Aug 1969 (almost 40 yrs ago).

(Click to enlarge)

Band of 4 on Skyline Drive in Virginia: cousin Allen, brother Mike, Ken & brother Ed. That is Allen's Chopper in front by the way. The rest of them had Harleys which tend to be more reliable and comfortable on longer roadtrips. The guys rotated through the Chopper so Allen wouldn't have to spend so much time on it--I guess it was fatiguing but it certainly does have a look all it's own.

Ken on his rented Hog

The guys all wearing the shirts Ken designed to commemorate the trip while stopped in Luray, Virginia.

A very colorful and tattooed mechanic they met during their journey.

The Moore Boys molesting the Mothman statue in Point Pleasant, WV.

People asked me if I was nervous about Ken doing the ride and being away from me for a full week in our 7th month of pregnancy. Because I had my cousin up visiting in Seattle during that time (see next post), I wasn't so concerned for the day-to-day stuff but clearly his safety was on my mind. All 4 guys are very experienced riders and I knew they would look out for one another. Also Ken had strict instructions to check in everyday and he enabled his phone to be GPS locatable via a Google app called Latitude so I was able to track their progress. Ah technology.

Hand-picked crabs and pondering big issues

This picture was taken at a seafood distributor during our recent vacation in Virginia. While most crab meat removal can be done by machines, this establishment retains the hands-on approach of times gone by. It was a sight I'd never seen before and, as I am prone to do, I snapped a picture to remember and share the scene.

At first glance, this picture doesn't seem all that extraordinary. It does not seem very controversial, provocative or a catalyst of serious introspection, but it was...

I like to think of myself as a citizen journalist sometimes. Through my life-long interest in photography to my college education in broadcast news & reporting to travel journals to my sporadically maintained blog, I've had vehicles of documenting the world around me and evaluating it's deeper meaning. Part of this comes from not wanting to forget events, people or places and part of it is the same compulsion to "collect inherently unique things" as you would stamps, baby teeth, Depeche Mode bootleg CDs or sea glass.

This scene at the seafood distributor is striking because if you flashed back 50 years, this would be the same scene you'd find: rows of people skillfully separating lump crab meat from the shells and nasty entrails all day long. What that means on one level is that the skill to hand pick crabs is still as relevant today as it was years ago. On another level (one that people don't like to dwell on) is looking at who was doing the work then and who is still doing the work now. It's a reminder that things change slowly in the South.

It's also apparent when we visit that part of the country that despite it being 2009, there is still a palpable separation between Blacks and Whites but with a thin veneer of tolerance from both sides. What results is the creation of 2 different worlds and on occasion they touch. So as Ken and I strolled into this room to purchase the crab meat, there was a definite feeling in the space that we were outsiders. But that is true on many levels: we're from the West Coast, our socio-economic situation is different and honestly, our exposure to minorities is quite limited. (Despite being partially a minority, I don't have that much exposure to very many non-Caucasians in my life.)

When I asked the male black foreman if I could take a picture, he was cheerful and turned to ask the room full of ladies if I could do it. There was muttering but no real disapproval. Ken is quick to note that there was no overt approval either. So I snapped the picture before anything else could happen. Part of my zeal for doing this was that in times past, I have hesitated or waited too long and a moment in time (that would never happen again) passed me by. I took a risk and determined this scene would be worth capturing.

As we got into the car, Ken expressed his concern that I had not been sensitive to the situation. To these women, I must have looked like a yuppie tourist who saw them as nothing more than a spectacle, he surmised. And--he continued--my actions would further reinforce their disdain for all we represented. I of course, did not see it this way or at least had not intended it this way. I thought (maybe naively) that they would be pleased that another person recognized their work as something worthy of capturing.

I was bothered by a lack of consensus between the two of us and pondered during the 15 minute car ride to the house and for awhile once we got there: what these women could have been thinking, what my actions said about me and what this situation said about our society. I played scenarios in my head to test if I would have acted the same way if I were black, if the ladies had been all Asian, if the ladies had been college students, if the ladies had been men... And oddly enough my perspective changed in the different scenarios in so much as being able to relate or not relate to the different groups and thus my comfort level and cavalier attitude about taking the picture changed.

But I didn't regret taking the picture. It was worthy of capturing and I wanted these ladies to know that somehow. Not figuring them to be evidentlyblog readers, I printed the picture and wrote a thank you note, letting them know how much I appreciated their skill for delivering an excellent product (which went into some delicious crab cakes Ken's mom made, by the way) and that seeing them at work was a highlight of our trip--unique and worthy of respect. Ultimately, I can't control what these women think of me but at least I let them know that I recognize their hard work and meant no harm.

East Coast Recap: Late June to Early July

Our last East Coast trip prior to the baby's arrival was packed with visiting and a good amount of driving. But we made the most of our time and enjoyed the our relative freedom as a couple. Hitting my 7th month of pregnancy while we were there, my stamina, tolerance for warmer, more humid temperatures and the ability to stay on my feet for long stretches notably decreased. Luckily we had no health issues or concerns during our trip.

Towson, MD
Our first stop on our whirlwind East Coast Trip was Towson, MD, a suburb of Baltimore and an hour & a half NE from the Capitol. The weather was pleasant and humidity bearable during our visit. It was the first time we'd seen our friends the Dan & Jill in their new home since they moved there last year. We also got a chance to spend time with their delightful 19-month old daughter Hannah. Unfortunately, we did not capture any pics of Jill but enjoyed spending time with her on Sunday and in the evenings after work. Dan is a stay-at-home dad who seemingly has endless energy to entertain Ms. Hannah. Ken and I struggled to keep up with the twosome who showed us their favorite playground and toured us through the quaint and windy roads of Towson. Dan also pointed out the swim center where Michael Phelps trains, the area where the Pimlico Race Course (home of the Preakness Stakes) is and took us to my favorite store, Whole Foods.



Naturally it's great for Ken and I to have exposure to children at different stages of development and to see the variety of temperaments in our friends' children. Hannah is a very compassionate and curious individual who fearlessly embraces the world. She also has 2 of the coolest parents who provide reassurance and foster an inclusive environment but don't fret or fuss about inconsequential things. It's really a joy to witness.

We also took a day trip to Philadelphia to visit two artist friends who recently moved there. I did not eat a Phily cheese steak because for me, one per lifetime is enough. It was great to see Krim & Maria who live in a transitional part of town in a 3-story walk up. It must have been built back at the beginning of the 1900's because there were painted over spigots sticking out of the walls for gas lamps. The character and Bohemian vibe seems perfect for a pair of artists. Naturally the economy isn't very forgiving right now to people who live for their art so it is a challenge to make a living. But we have confidence, that between the two of them, they will find opportunities to get them through this tough time so that they can get back to bringing beautiful creations into the world.

That night during the drive back to Towson, Ken and I endured the most severe torrential rainstorm plus lightning and thunder show that I have ever seen. The wiper blades on high could not handle all the water while semis on the highway still roared past us at 60 mph. The lightning display put the fireworks we'd see for 4th of July to shame and we managed to keep the car from hydroplaning despite all the water. My understanding is that this is not uncommon for the East Coast. It simply reinforces how tame the Western PNW weather really is--there is nothing extreme about it. And that is fine with me.

Eastern Shore, VA

After a few days in Towson, we made our way south to Ken's folks' place. This is always quite a change of pace and scenery compared to the DC area--leaving behind the tangle of highways, modern buildings and fast-paced life for the more rural and small town Americana surrounds. After a few stops to visit old friends of Ken's, we arrived at my in-laws house in Onancock, VA. Ken's brothers, step-brothers and families would all be converging there for the 4th of July weekend also.

It's been a long time since I've celebrated a 4th of July outside of Seattle. We usually watch professional fireworks at Lake Union but this year we went back in time. It was as if we stepped into the 1950's, starting on July 3rd with an ice cream social and the community band which played patriotic songs to a packed park full of townsfolk.

Later that night, we had some indoor fun as Ken had created a scavenger hunt for our 8 & 11-year-old step-nephews. This activity had been quite a hit last year when Ken had run a similar activity while the boys were down staying with Ken's mom & step-dad. This time he went to great lengths to make puzzles, riddles, word scrambles and other neato clues (such as writing in lemon juice and requiring the boys to hold it over the toaster to make the letters appear.) He really gets into it and the boys have a lot of fun trying to figure it out. Their final prize was $5 each. I'm so excited because my folks did that kind of stuff for us when we were growing up so I know we'll be carrying that on for our kids.

On the 4th, we took a cruise around the local waterway on Ken's step-brother's deluxe boat, creating wakes for Ken's step-nephews to innertube over. Ken and his 2 brothers were together again for the first time in 2 or 3 years and you could tell they were all excited about their upcoming motorcycle roadtrip. But what small town on 4th of July would be complete without a parade? Members of the family decorated a truck & flatbed and pulled together some instruments to make it more festive. I opted out of riding on it due to my incessant need to use the bathroom and my growing lack of coordination & balance that might be needed ride on the "float." Ken's friend Dave showed up right before the parade as did Dave's lady friend and her daughter so we all got to enjoy it together from the sidewalk. I think there were more people in the parade than watching it but it was delightful nonetheless.

The parade ended in a park by the water where many folks including our family had pre-placed BBQs and chairs. We dined on the quintessential 4th of July BBQ food as well as some pasta salads, shish kebabs and cold beverages. I was definitely a little paranoid about the bugs especially mosquitoes and ticks so I kept my insect repelling clothes on (which is why I look a little over dressed in the pictures) and applied a layer of DEET. The night ended with an amateur fireworks show which hearkened me back to when dad would buy fireworks and shoot them off in the front yard at our farmhouse back in Ridgefield when I was a kid.

Everyone returned to the house and many of the adults kept the party going by singing karaoke to songs of the 60's & 70's. Not really being my decades of choice, I focused on a piece of homemade cake that one of the gals had made and enjoyed that very much. Ken and I retired early to bed, missing an element of drama that occurred after midnight involving a missed step, a double sprained ankle and a trip to the emergency room by one of the extended family members. She ended up having to get a brace and be on crutches for awhile, but luckily she didn't break anything.

The following day, we enjoyed a smaller lunch/dinner gathering with Ken's folks, brothers & uncle/aunt where we had homemade crab cakes plus lots of other yummy sides. We then decided to drive to Mike's (Ken's middle brother) house in Salisbury to see their newly remodeled home and spend the evening up there. The 3 brothers were eager to watch Wild Hogs to get them in the spirit of the mid-life motorcycle trip that they were about to embark on. Needless to say, that movie is a little ridiculous but they all enjoyed figuring out which of the 4 characters they were most like--kind of what gals do with the Sex and the City cast. Each of the brothers and Ken's friend Dave took turns riding Mike's new Harley around the block.

During the hour-long car ride back to Onancock, Eddie the oldest of the brothers (and a stanch Republican) started a conversation/debate regarding alternative energy, deregulation and Obama policies. Ken and I did pretty well making our side of the case while remaining respectful and calm. Eddie is smart and a great debater so it's a fun challenge to see how well I can articulate and defend my point of view. But with such a range of views and political philosophies in this family, it is prudent to be mindful not to step too heavily when politics come up. I forget sometimes how in Seattle/Western PNW we are surrounded by many liberally like-minded people and that is not how the rest of the country necessarily thinks or operates.

Last Monday, I returned to Seattle and Ken stayed as his motorcycle trip would commence the next day. Though he just completed the trip, I've only spoken to him for a few minutes each day he was on the road. I expect a full story when he gets back tomorrow and will post some pics--if he'll let me. The only one I've seen thus far is this one:

The Wetus goes to Washington (DC)

Yesterday we had a lovely visit to Downtown Washington DC. We had lunch with Aunt Mary and then decided to go down by the White House to see if we could spot an Obama. Instead we came up against some awful traffic where we literally moved 4 blocks in 45 minutes. But right when we were going to give up, we found a parking spot within a block and a half of the White House. Very picturesque.




As an added bonus we found out what was stopping traffic: a protest against human rights violations aimed at the visiting Columbian President. We had seen some limos & blacked out SUVs go by us when we were trying to get around and then lo & behold just a block away from the White House there was this rally...




It was very exciting. And then as we went back toward the White House, I noticed men in black watching from the roof. It must be the snipers! It doesn't get much better than that. After we got our fill of presidential grandeur, we went on a quest for ice cream and found some frozen custard.




As always, it was a fabulous visit with Aunt Mary who has lived in DC for over 50 years. She and her family have worked in various parts of the government in DC and she narated which building was what as we drove through town. You can tell the city is getting ready for the 4th of July festivities. Though we will be down in Virginia by then, it looks to be one major party.

East Coast Bound and Thoughts about Michael Jackson

Clearly the Wetus is getting ready for our trip to the East Coast today and self-adjusting to the time difference because it woke up at 5 am with hiccups and has been active ever since. That's fine I guess because it's so bright outside anyway, so I may as well get up. We are off to the DC, Maryland, Virginia area to do, as I have been calling it, "The Farewell Tour." Farewell, to our transcontinental traveling twosome days. There is a lot of visiting packed in including a stay with the Vaslows who moved from Kirkland to Maryland last year, seeing many of Ken's childhood & school friends and a mini-reunion with Ken's family on the 4th of July.

I am looking forward to getting away and seeing all these fine people. I hope my energy level sustains so that it can be a truly enjoyable time. The weather is forecasted in the 80's with 40-50% humidity. We shall see how I do with that. I'm a little nervous about how many ticks they have over there. An alarming number of Ken's family have Lyme Disease from those little pests so I am coming prepared with some pretreated insect repelling clothing and DEET spray in a concentration safe for pregnancy. But being more of an indoor person myself, it might not be too hard to stay out of the ticks' way. At 27 weeks pregnant and still showing placenta previa, I have also been advised to travel with a copy of my medical records (check), know where all the Level III NICU Hospitals are (check) and not lift, strain or engage in any form of exercise (...) Poor Ken, he's going to be schlepping bags this whole vacation.

One very cool thing about this trip is that Ken, his brothers and cousin are going to rent Harleys and take a multi-day motorcycle road trip to revisit some of the significant places in their childhood. They have been talking about doing this for a few years and the timing is pretty good considering what's coming up. Ken has been helping plan the route and make accommodations.

As for this past week, we celebrated our 4th Anniversary which culminated with a lovely dinner at Waterfront Restaurant. Our booth table had a view of Elliott Bay where there were sailboat races going on. It was spectacular. Ken and I both agreed while we like the look of sailboats and they are a fun challenge, we are so glad we don't have to maintain one.

Ken also gave me a cute card in which he made a list which I will share...

Top 10 Reasons I Love my Prius-- I mean, Wife

1. Still Shiny
2. Environmentally Friendly
3. Unlocks as I Approach
4. Low Emissions
5. Sleek Lines/Aerodynamic
6. Roomy (good for carrying kids)
7. Great Safety Rating
8. Saves Me Money Everyday
9. Quiet "Ninja Mode" Feature
10. Makes Me Smug

Also on the day of our anniversary, Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson died so that kicked off a little introspection. Particularly in Michael Jackson's situation as more information comes out that he had been allegedly addicted to pain killers and surrounded by people who enabled access to substances furthering his destructive spiraling. It reminded me of the Anna Nicole Smith train wreck and the nearly identical Britney Spears situation. Britney at least had her family to save her from that fate but it strikes me that these quite famous and seemingly rich & powerful people attract to them the most sinister associates and "yes-people" who separate them from reality and reason. When you add drugs into the mix, the celebrity at the center of it is no longer in control and their miserable lives become a spectacle that the masses consume as entertainment.

Along the same lines, I guess I don't understand the appeal of reality television. It seems worse in a way because it's more an "I want to be famous" motivation and less an "I want to be a professional entertainer". Because once famous, a reality star has to deal with the pitfalls of keeping fame, continual pressure to be outrageous and a misplaced narcissism that comes without ever having to be talented. I don't watch reality TV but just the amount of news coverage that Jon & Kate plus 8 show got--I worry about our culture and what message is conveyed about "what reality is."

So regarding Michael who was so impactful to my 80's childhood, my love of dance and music--I salute you. He became weirder and weirder as time went on so I chose to remember him as he was in the 80's and marvel at that era which seemed so magical. But like many geniuses and mega-celebrities, his early success was at the expense of a normal life & childhood which could have manifested some of the reprehensible behavior he was later accused of. I don't know, but as my dad says, "you can do anything you want if you're willing to pay the price." It seems that Michael paid that price many times over but can now leave it all behind.

Wenatchee

Ken and I took a fantastical journey to the center of our fine state. It was a welcome car trip, especially as we passed the top of Snoqualmie Pass and the area en route to Wenatchee called Hidden Valley. So picturesque and wide open. I do miss that--how the land opens up before you with no obstacles and the sky & clouds seem bigger than normal. In the hustle bustle of the big city, views like that can seem so foreign.

Our weekend getaway was spent with my elementary school chum Heather, her musical husband Daric and their 2-year-old, Ethan. I visited them down in Phoenix last Mother's Day and they have since relocated to Wenatchee, WA. We are so excited to have them so near. The temps were in the upper 80's/low 90's so this delicate, pregnant flower was wilting a little. But it's almost prime time cherry season and I was hoping to snag some of my favorite fruit from the source. I did come back with some Bings but will have to wait a few more weeks for the Rainiers.



Ken had only met Heather & Daric at our wedding (4 years ago) and of course it was a whirlwind so not much quality time. But on this visit, Daric and Ken got to jam on their guitars, Ken gave a Theremin demonstration, we played and read to their son Ethan who danced, sang & says the most earnest "no" I've ever seen and we got to see Daric play songs from his new CD at a local eatery. Heather & Daric also told us stories about parenthood which we intently absorbed.

Ken and I stayed at a very cute B&B called Huckleberry Haven. It is the most darling place and the hosts provide excellent hospitality and meals. True to it's name, huckleberries are featured in many of the breakfast dishes and beverages served. The huckleberry bread was our favorite and she gave me the recipe. Of course, I have a thing about 99.99999999999999999999% of the beds in this world: they are not mine and therefore I cannot have very restful sleep because I am so spoiled and unadaptable in my old age. But the private 2-person jacuzzi tub, sitting room and beautifully decorated suite were fabulous and the second night was an improvement.

We look forward to seeing them in Wenatchee again--probably post-wetus delivery.

Another Week in Review

Nursery prep continued this past week with the Wall Doctor folks installing a drywall ceiling and patching the lath & plaster walls. I expected it to be a lot messier but was pleasantly surprised. A week from now, we'll have the walls, ceiling and trim painted and primed. Crown and chair rail moulding will also be painted and installed. Looking forward to seeing the full transformation. Until then, Ken has been using the empty, echoy room as a Theremin practice space.



Ken left mid-week to go down to the Bay Area to do a training for work. On Friday I joined him and it was sort of a Babymoon trial run. Wetus reacted when the pressure changed around takeoff and landing but other than that not too bad. I definitely need to get a small pillow for lumbar support. The way they design those seats, it's like they want you to shrivel up into a little ball. I had a little issue with not feeling like I could get lung-fulls of air when we were at cruising altitude but I rolled up my sweater and placed it behind my upper back which opened my chest/shoulders--much better.

We had a delightful visit with Josh & Clover who are also expecting and are about 6 weeks behind us. Unfortunately Clover has not had an easy go of it and has been consistently nauseated thus far. We are all hoping that this will turn the corner now that she's out of the 1st trimester--any day now. Luckily for us, she was feeling well enough to help show us around.

Our first stop in Palo Alto was the historic home/garden of Elizabeth Gamble. Quite picturesque and Ken made the most of it.





We picked up food at this cool gourmet salad place called Sprout Cafe where everything is organic and you can make highly customized salads. For me, that was akin to walking into a Whole Foods. Like I had gone to my happy place. So awesome.

We took our gourmet salads to the Stanford University campus where we ate at picnic tables and watched a lot of bridal parties having their pictures taken. But I can see why they do have pics there. Very striking campus and you can feel the palpable air of high expectations. Josh & Clover met while attending school there and illuminated the many connections to the university and the uprising of Silicon Valley.






We passed by the birthplace of HP which is considered the catalyst of putting the Silicon Valley on the map. There is a plaque in the yard of a private residence but it's actually the garage that was "ground zero" for the company. I know, it's nerdy.



No visit to California would be complete without a stop at In N Out Burger. It is my second favorite fast food place to Burgerville.

Sunday before we left, Josh took us to the local farmer's market that (especially being in California) had the most delicious and exquisite organic strawberries, cherries & peaches I've ever seen. We loaded up and hoped that most of it would make it back to Seattle with us on the plane. It did, though Ken kept wanting to eat the strawberries as we drove home from the airport but even though they were organic, I wanted him to wait until we could get home to wash them.

For most people, that might not have been the most exciting trip but it was just my speed, the food, weather & company were great. I do get tired more easily and in warmer weather, I seem to have less energy reserve which is going to be a challenge when we hit the East Coast in 4 weeks. Overall, I was grateful to have some time with my husband, away from our household responsibilities while it it still just the 2 of us. There is more traveling ahead of course but I'm glad we eased into it with this first trip.

San Juan Islands Trip: Video

This is a short video of our trip featuring a sea lion, alpacas, Mona the camel, Mt. Baker and a Ken Moore original song about eating carrots.

San Juan Islands Trip, Part 2: Orcas Island

Our favorite gas station.

The latter 3 nights of our vacation were spent on Orcas Island. The day we arrived the weather instantly improved from the fog & overcast.

We stayed at the Resort at Deer Harbor which is now run by a travel club my dad belongs to. It is only through him and some quick thinking by Ken that we secured this fantastic little bungalow, situated on the water. With a gas fireplace, king bed, Jacuzzi tub and private outdoor hot tub, cable tv & VCR/DVD player—we were set.

The night we arrived, we could not think of anything more enriching to do than watch the classic and much praised Citizen Kane. I’m still not quite sure why this movie is regarded as so revolutionary except that Orson Wells directed, produced, wrote and starred in it under a contract with exceptional creative control in a time that studios did not give that up. His negative parody of newspaper magnate W.R. Hearst caused an all out media blackout of anything regarding the film in the many national media outlets controlled by Hearst. Clearly Orson Wells and the studio took a huge risk with this film and probably didn’t make very much at the time of its release. But now it’s very highly regarded. Check out this song by The White Stripes called “The Union Forever”—recognize those lyrics?

First order of business on our first full day there was charging up Mt. Constitution. Normally you can drive all the way to the top but because of winter, they closed the road 1.5 miles from the top. We parked and trudged through melting slush and compact snow. The sun came out in late morning and there were odd warm breezes that came over us. They say the islands have a micro-climate all their own and I would agree. Ken and I were the only ones up there as we reached the lookout--the exclusive taking-in-nature party that no one else was invited to.







We called Dad and told him we made it to the top, he couldn’t believe that I had voluntarily agreed to go on a three mile round trip hike. Little did I know that we would be doing another hike the next day too but it was welcome physical activity. The next day’s hike had a steeper ascent, no magical viewpoint payoff and took us longer. But there were a few cool things along the way.



The restaurants on Orcas are plentiful and, unlike San Juan, tend to function year-round. We didn’t have a bad meal out the whole time. However, our complimentary continental breakfast at the resort left quite a bit to be desired due to the spoiled OJ and lack of options. But it was free and not heavy so we were fine with it. Shopping is better in Friday Harbor (San Juan Island) but that wasn’t really our focus. I think we only ended up buying a book of sudoku puzzles, a cat toy for Oliver and some postcards/stamps on Orcas.

Friday night was a banner evening because Ken got to have his favorite thing for dinner (crab) and I got to watch my most favorite show (Battlestar Galactica) which aired a new jaw-dropping episode.

We’ve decided this vacation was a total success. While it didn’t start out exactly like we thought it would, good fortune and the “spirit of vacation” took over. We were surprised too because neither of us had even looked a computer in a week and yet the world did not end...

But it came to our attention via concerned emails and voice mails that many of our friends and family didn’t know that we were away. Oops.

San Juan Islands Trip, Part 1: San Juan Island

(To all of you whom we neglected to tell where we were last week, apologies.)

Originally we’d planned to go to a tropical destination for this January vacation (the first extended vacation by ourselves since our honeymoon in 2005). But it just didn’t feel right given the economy and the fact that we wanted a truly laid back and restful vacation. Ken orchestrated all the research and booking for this San Juan adventure. We had wanted to get to Victoria but the ferry service to there from Anacortes shuts down in winter (and now we hear they may discontinue it permanently.) So began our trip to San Juan and Orcas Islands.

On a physical level, a “vacation” is basically the opportunity to sleep in a different bed. For better or for worse, I find that as I’ve gotten older my accommodations have become more and more important to me. Gone are the days when I could sleep on the floor, a couch or squeaky, motion-transferring, saggy bed and awake rested. But that is part of traveling and expanding one’s horizons, right? So that said, you can imagine that the beds we slept on were less than optimal but we managed.

The first day of “sight” seeing was more about us imagining what we would see if it wasn’t so foggy. All bundled up and virtually alone at every place we went, we wandered around the American Camp, Whale-watching point (no whales this time of year though), Lime Kiln Lighthouse and other various places along the water. We did see an elephant seal in the water and that actually was pretty exciting.





San Juan Island definitely has a rustic, down-to-earth charm that the entire island shares—except for Roche Harbor. Re-imagined to be a yacht stop for the rich and famous, it is attempting to build-up with million dollar condos and high end shops. It’s currently serviced by one restaurant with overpriced, badly cooked food with terrible service. Needless to say, we were not impressed. But Roche Harbor did have this chiming clock tower that would play “Bridge Over Troubled Water” at Noon and 6pm. That became the theme song for this trip. Roche Harbor is also home to an eclectic and prolific sculpture park and the gaudy, unfinished mausoleum of the town’s founder John McMillan.







Visiting in the off-season, we risked missing the most notable restaurants because they shut down for a few months. But the trade off of not having to deal with other tourists and always having a place to park made it worth the sacrifice. The only other time I had been to San Juan Island was with Austin, Angela & others about 6 years ago. Austin and I had stayed in a cabin while the others camped behind it. It was in a place called Snug Harbor. It took 2 days of driving by it several times to realize that this place was located just up the road from the B&B Ken and I were staying in.

The B&B was a replica of a native people’s long house. It had been remodeled by the current owners to accommodate guests downstairs and be their residence upstairs. It faces a tiny inlet and is owned by delightful and knowledgeable island dwellers, Patty and Jerry Rasmussen. She is a former caterer and made us unbelievable gourmet breakfasts. On top of that, the first moment we arrived at the long house, Patty took out a map and marked all the notable things on the island worth seeing—this was extremely helpful.



One of our most favorite things to do is to see/interact with animals. There are a few alpaca farms here on the island. Krystal Acres was nearby and had a store full of Alpaca products. I bought some gloves and socks but as we got to talking with one of the owners, I asked who their vet is. They indicated it was a woman named Jackie in Mt. Vernon who happens to be Shannon’s oldest sister, who also went to WSU and was my roommate (with Shannon) for a year. She is a renown Alpaca vet and they adore her. With this connection established, they offered for us to come have a look at the baby alpacas that they were weaning for subsequent halter training. One of the owners asked since I went to “school” with Jackie, if I too was a vet because they had some questions. Sorry to disappoint--but if you want to know how to download a game to your mobile phone, I’m your gal.



Patty also told us about a lone resident camel named Mona who lived on a farm by the winery. She said we could take a carrot to Mona and feed her through the fence—everyone did it. She warned us to be careful because sometimes she spits. So on the last day on the island we found her and Ken became instant friends because he had the nice juicy carrot. While she looked so friendly and sweet, I’ve never been that close to a camel and I was envisioning that she would spit on us at any moment. But she didn’t.



Up next, Orcas Island…

Dancing around the World

A little more video fun but no singing this time. This is Matt. He travels the world and speaks the international language of, well, dance. It's an amazing phenomenon. He's been written up by the NY Times and featured on many a morning show & cable news segment about his videos. I find the videos touching and wish more Americans could experience the joy and appreciation that international travel imparts. It might change some of the ignorance one encounters in people who have never left this country. I don't know Matt well but he did some contract work a few years ago for the team I work for and his girlfriend currently works for the company Ken does. Small world.

Check it out:


HERE is his website. Go Matt!

More about the Coast Trip

The trip to the coast was a blend of the old and new. Since our grandparents used to make an annual event of going to Seaside when we where young, being there with my cousin, brother & mom seemed quite familiar. But as I've gotten older, trips to the beach are now about getting away from things and relaxing as opposed to trips in my youth which were about thrill-seeking and keeping busy at all times.

Mom and Cindy rented a good sized house with an amazing view of the Manzanita Beach. It was situated on top of a cliff that afforded spectacular views but more difficult beach access. Also in Manzanita there is a homemade pie shop. Have you ever seen such a thing? It's right off 101 as you come into Manzanita. Unbelievable homemade pies with the fresh fruits of the area and season. We had 2 nights of it. So good.

There was no shortage of food and each person, or couple set, took turns cooking the major meals. In the evenings we played games or watched a DVD. The weather was incredible--especially for the Oregon Coast with 4 days of sustained sun and higher temps. But poor Austin did not have his own bedroom. He had to sleep in the living room area on his choice of a sofa or a hide-a-bed. Next time, and Mom's made it clear that the success of this trip signals a new annual tradition, they'll shoot for enough bedrooms for everyone.

I notice as I get older, my tolerance for "foreign" beds is getting smaller and smaller. This trip was no exception. As we read the notes left by other visitors, bed quality was the number one complaint. I remember when all I needed was a blanket & pillow and I could set up camp on a floor anywhere. Long gone are those days.

Good food, great company, awesome memories. Until next year...

Cindy took many good shots during our stay at the beach.
(In fact, she has a photo exhibition about Myanmar Burma starting on August 1st through 31st at Winestock, a Wine bar in Oregon City.)

But here is my most favorite of her pics from the Coast trip:



Does it make you laugh as it makes me laugh? Austin clearly has a new take on those picture-opp head cut-outs. Muy bueno.

Some others of Cindy's...

Family Vacations Rule

These are my favorites out of my pictures from a 4-day family trip at the Oregon Coast last week. The weather was warm and the company was great. I'll write more about the trip when I get Cindy's pics up, because she got some good ones. In the meantime, I need to go to bed.

Week in the East

Lest we forget that prior to the weddings, Ken and I were on the East Coast seeing family and friends. Ken was over initally for a conference in Baltimore, MD then I joined him at the end of the week. Below you will see parts of our whirlwind visit.



Ken's young nephews, Sam & Ryan were staying with Ken's folks since their parents were on a cruise. We had a great time with them and were delighted at how smart and good natured they were. We played board games, went tubing out on the boat, played video games, watched Sponge Bob Square Pants, caught fireflies and ate things we shouldn't have. Dave came and visited us in Onancock too.
The morning we left to go back to Baltimore, Ken created a game for the boys that involved written clues and hidden "treasure." It was very much like what my parents used to do for us on Easter. They would create a series of clues that lead to one another, with the ultimate clue leading to a basket of goodies. In this case, the boys went from clue to clue solving word or visual puzzles that Ken had made and the ultimate prize was something any kid can use: $4 each. But they seemed to really get into it and the clues were designed so that the brothers ages 8 & 10 had to work together to solve the problems. It was fun watching them figuring things out. We were told by Ken's mom that the morning after, the boys woke up and asked her if she had another treasure hunt for them planned. Sorry guys.


Dan-o and Baby Hannah

Also during our visit we saw our good friends the Vaslows, who recently moved from here to Maryland to be closer to their families now that they have Hannah. It was great to see them since the last time was in April.



We also had lunch and hung out in Baltimore's Fells Point with Krim, Ken's artist friend. Krim is such a character as you can probably tell from the photos. He had great stories and a unique perspective that is honest and refreshing.



As blogged earlier, we celebrated our 3rd anniversary over there. Ken picked out this very picturesque B&B for us to stay at in the Greenspring Valley of Maryland, near Baltimore. This house has a great deal of history in terms of the various owners and refurbishments that have been done to it. It was a lovely overnight and the swing was so picture perfect.

Our 3rd Anniversary @ Gramercy Mansion



Ken rocks the swing @ Gramercy Mansion















In addition to all this, we saw Ken's Uncle Jack & Aunt Chris, spent quality time with Ken's Mom & Step-dad, had lunch with Aunt Mary in Washington DC, saw his brother's new house and most importantly Ken managed to keep up on his running schedule despite the constant temptation of ice cream and dounuts. I am always delighted to see the people, eat pulled pork BBQ and marvel at fireflies. Despite the fact, I lament about the mosquitos & humidity. Ah, summer on the East Coast.

Jive Turkeez

Ken and I braved the highways on Sunday (lots of cops out checking speeds) for a quick getaway to a sleepy town called La Conner. It is best known for the annual Tulip Festival that happens in April. The overnight was a welcome break for us and the Skagit Valley is an amazing visage to behold. The miles of rolling farmland create such an idyllic landscape which stretch out as far as the eye can see. It really helps clear the mind and calm the soul--if I may be so cliche.

View Larger Map

Rainbow Bridge in La Conner

And what getaway would be complete without some wildlife interaction? Did you know that LARGE wild turkeys roam the town of La Conner and can be found trolling around residents' yards? I couldn't get over their intimidating size. Ken kept wanting to get near them and make friends but I advised a healthy distance. Did not want either of us on the business end of those beaks or talons.

Ken tries to befriend a jive turkey.

Arid-zona

Friday, I flew to Arizona where I had the privilege to spend this past weekend with my grade school friend Heather for her first Mother’s Day. It was so much fun to be with her and her family. And it was a weekend full of firsts...
Little Ethan likes to get up each morning at 5:30am but I had to stay up on Friday night to watch Battlestar Galactica since they have extended cable in their house. I don't usually sleep well in strange places and when you combine that with an early wake up, well extreme measures are necessary. So for the first time, we visited Starbucks twice in the same day for caffinated beverages. I don't usually drink coffee or caffinated beverages so you can see why this is just crazy insane.
Also on Saturday, we went to the Arizona Science Center--a first for everyone involved--to fill our brains with knowledge and even learned about the Grand Canyon during the 3D Imax movie. (That was so killer, btw.) Daric performed a number of his original songs and Ethan showed us how he is full of "wisdom"--which in their house is another word for poop. I saw many cactuses blooming which is the first time I've ever seen that as well.



But it was 95-flipping-degrees when I left Phoenix on Sunday. While most people devine that warm sunny weather (including my husband), I am content with 50 degrees & overcast. I think you have more options to get warmer then to stay cooler. Plus I become pretty much worthless when the outside temp gets to 75 degrees or so.

But it was a lovely getaway with lovely people and I am so delighted to become acquainted with Ethan. What sweet little guy.

Holiday Traveling -- as you might expect

Ken and I traveled across the country to Virginia this Thanksgiving to spend it with the fine people of the Moore-Richardson-Shannahan clans. But I dreaded traveling for Thanksgiving because air travel is already so much fun during the rest of the year. The terminal in which we landed at Dulles was exactly how I imagined traveling at this time of year: loud, hectic and lots of bodies but our flights were all on time. Typically we fly on Alaska Airlines but this time we took United, an airline that evidently doesn't settle for 2 hour delays. We even boarded early on our connection out of DC to Norfolk. (I guess this is how the grown-up airlines do it.)

But on our initial leg from Seattle to DC, we sat in steerage (economy) and wedged ourselves into spaces that even a petite person would find small and just our luck, we ended up next to a plump mother with a 2-year-old child sitting on her lap. You should also know, she didn't bring one toy or book to occupy him with so he did was came naturally and threw the safety card around, grabbed for Ken's laptop, slammed the tray table closed repeatedly and when unhappy screamed at the top of his lungs. Thankfully, he slept for an hour or so and good that he did because I was in the middle seat next to them and having a really hard time keeping my cool. Of course she was saving herself at least $600 by having him on her lap. Those airlines--they get you. Ken and I talked about it and decided that coming out for Christmas allows more leeway and not everyone is flying the very same days to and from. I think that is what we will do going forward. Not that this Thanksgiving wasn't awesome. But more on that later.

Another thing about our flight I had a hard time with was the in-flight entertainment they showed. The first movie was called "Hot Rod" with the SNL Dick in a Box guy. Without sound, it looked stupid so I can only imagine. But it was appropriate for a Thankgiving crowd which included lots of kids. But the next movie was called "Shooter" with Mark Walberg. As you can imagine from the title, it contained lots and lots of gun violence. It was about a sniper in the military who gets strong-armed by government agents to assassinate a high powered official. I derived this without sound as well. I don't understand how United would have made such choice during flights with lots of children on them. Why couldn't have played "Ratatouille" or "Princess Bride" or anything remotely family oriented? I know, I sound old and cranky. But really, as a captive and uncomfortably seated audience, couldn't you at least play something for us that was uplifting?

The Airlines are Definitely Sucking

The month of June has been unusually full of airline travel for the Moore-Sakai Household and likewise, it’s been unusually full of frustration. Everybody knows what a pain in the ass air travel is these days. If it’s not the abject humiliation of removing your shoes, displaying toiletries or being at the mercy of the TSA, you also have a good chance of being delayed due to mechanical issues or computer meltdowns or pilot problems.

Of course, no one wants to ride on a plane with mechanical issues--better to be safe than dead, right? But with life moving at the speed of the Internet and technology improving by leaps and bounds, how can this happen? Why are there so many “mechanical issues”? Is that a new code name for ineptitude and lack of preparation?

A sampling of our experiences:
(1) Our Return from Virginia: we were originally scheduled to fly from DC to Dallas to Seattle. But the American Airlines flight out of DC to Dallas was 2 hours delayed – “mechanical issues.” This would have caused us to miss our connection in Dallas so they scrapped our itinerary and re-routed us from DC to Chicago to Seattle. After a 2-hour wait in DC then a 5 hour layover in Chicago, a trip that was originally supposed to take 7 hours actually took 16.

(2) Ken’s Return from San Jose: Ken’s plane to bring him back to Seattle was enroute to San Jose but once airborne, the crew realized something was amiss and turned it back to Seattle. Again, “mechanical issues.” The mechanics worked on it and then the plane proceeded to San Jose but this delayed Ken by 4 hours, arriving home well after Midnight.

(3) Our Return from San Diego: We arrived at the airport only to find out our Alaska flight home was delayed 3 hours due to, you guessed it, “mechanical issues.”
When we did finally get on the plane, a flight attendant made the mistake of announcing to the cabin, “Please turn off your cell phones, we cannot push back from the gate until you do this. We’re already late…” A passenger four rows ahead of me piped up and yelled, “Because of you!”
(Once upon a time, every girl’s dream was to be a stewardess, wearing fabulous uniforms and jetting around the world. Now, being a flight attendant has all the glamour of a well-paid babysitter and requires the disposition of a cranky waitress.)

This is for the Baggage Handlers: You’re working just fast enough not to get fired but slow enough to piss everyone off, aren’t you? I don’t ever remember waiting so long for bags. I think it’s been averaging close to 40 minutes from the time we step off the plane. And they never come out on the carousel listed on the board. All that rushing down to baggage claim to get a prime spot at the conveyer belt--wasted.

Do you ever stop to think about your tray table? When do you think the last time yours was sanitized? We eat off of them, work off of them and sometimes put our faces down on them. But have you ever seen a cleaning crew take the time to wipe them off?

That’s just a little something to think about in the security line while you are keeping an eye on the bin with your laptop as you hurriedly kick off your shoes, hand your Preparation H or Vagisil cream to Johnny TSA as he makes you go through the metal detector again, high on the power afforded to him by paranoia, regulation and karma.

Happy travels!

San Diego Weekend

During our weekend in San Diego, not only did we get to spend some quality time with Ed, Ken’s oldest brother, we also got up close and personal with some residents of the San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park.

Ed and a new friend.

There were several different photo tours to pick from but the one I chose for us was adults only, not just because they served alcohol, but the theme of the evening was reproduction. The tour focused on the efforts of the park to assist captive animals to breed. Parks and zoos trade animals back and forth to get resident animals to reproduce. There is a lot of work that goes into managing the genetic lines of animals kept at zoos to make sure they are diverse. But just like in humans, sometimes the males and females don’t hit it off and they have to try other matches.
According to our guide, the San Diego Zoo & Wild Animal Park trade around more animals than all the other zoos in America combined. With natural habitats shrinking, these parks seem to be the only way to ensure animals and humans can coexist. I’m saddened that these animals can’t be left alone by poachers and protected in their natural habitats but this is better than nothing and many species flourish under the vigilant eye of zoo keepers. When you think about it, what a life: these animals will be taken care of for the rest of their lives without fear of predation or poaching—and they can have all the sex they can handle.

What beautiful eyelashes you have....

Whatchu talkin' 'bout?

Why the long face?

Concert on the War Machine

I've been down in gorgeous San Diego the last 3 days attending the BREW 2007 Conference. By far, this has been the most well-orchestrated technical convention I've EVER been to. Every detail is planned, every need is attended to, every attendee is made to feel special and the parties---oh the parties.

Don't get me wrong, I have also sat in a number of the business sessions/panels and gleaned some useful information about various aspects of our industry. But it's the informal meetings and spontaneous introductions that add a flair to the whole thing. Qualcomm, the host of the event, knows this and created some pretty awesome opportunities for socializing.

The spectacular BREWfest Event on Thursday did not disappoint. Besides reserving the entire USS Midway, a decommissioned aircraft carrier docked in San Diego Bay,







we ate, drank and admired the San Diego skyline at sunset,



while listening to the Goo Goo Dolls perform.




I'm not the biggest fan in the world but I like some of their songs.
This is a part of their opening song and no one in the audience seems to know the words to it.



Some lucky folks won the chance to arrive at the event via helicopter. One thing I didn't realize from the hundreds of times I've seen helicopters on TV is that when it hovers, it's so damn windy every bit of dust, debris--anything not nailed down becomes airborne and you better have eye protection or just squeeze them shut.





Cocktail, anyone?



Now on to the relaxing part of the trip. Ken joined me here late Friday and we'll spend the rest of the weekend hanging with Ken's brother who lives in San Diego. Right now the brothers are off mountain biking so this seems like a good time for me to---go shopping.

East Coast Trip: Animal Pictures

A few random animal pics from our recent trip to Virginia:

Pooky the cat finds refuge in Ken's suitcase.

A Black snake the neighbor called Ken and Duke over to dispose of.



The neighbor's dog upon seeing the Black snake.

Crab-tastic

Pictures from this weekend's crab feast...

Mmmm!

Help me!

Making ice cream the old-fashioned way: with 2 pairs of clamp pliers and a bucket of rocksalt & ice. After the motorized churner broke down we took turns hand-turning the ice cream drum.

Duke rearranges the furniture.

Family resemblance?

An insane amount of crabs.

Ken has a chip on his shoulder.

Onancock Virginia & Tangier Island

Vacationing in Onancock, Virginia (where Ken's parents live) is like crossing over into the Land the Time Forgot--there is no need to wear a watch here. It's one of those folksy picture postcard small towns with tall leafy trees, grand homes, large sidewalks and a significant history dating back to the 1600's. Most everyone here waves to one another and the outside world seems far away. This little town has managed to keep its charm amid growing development and the recent approval to build of a Walmart nearby. If you mire yourself in the news of the world as I sometimes do, you forget that places like this still exist. Surely it is not without it's problems but it certainly lessens the weight of the world. We have a great time when we visit here. But I only have 2 summertime lamentations: the humidity and the bugs. I guess it doesn't help that I have an aversion to both sweating & itching.

******

But Ken and I have had some fun little excursions. Friday we ventured by boat to a Tangier Island in the Chesapeake Bay. Neighbors Russ & Anne were kind enough to take us.

We crossed very choppy water in the Bay.

That's Ken and his mom, Joyce. I sat up in the front since I was getting a little nauseous from the ride.

As you approach Tangier Island, you can see the water tower from far in the distance. It looks like giant white balloon. The only way to get to this island is by one's own boat, tourist ferry or helicopter. I was told they banned gas-powered vehicles on the island but once there we noticed a few gas-powered trucks & earth moving equipment. Mostly though, they use golf carts and bicycles to get around.

The industry of this island is crabbing. As we floated into the harbor, rows and rows of crab shacks lined the waterway and alongside them, rows and rows of crab pots.

For lunch, we had the best crab cakes EVER at a trailer-home-turned-diner on the island. We walked around a little bit but headed back soon after. It's a unique and rustic destination, but a rather serious and stark place due to it's dependence on the sea. A sea that is slowly rising and shrinking their land.

Greetings from the East Coast

Ken and I have been here on the East Coast since last Thursday visiting his friends and family. We've been on the move between Washington DC, Baltimore MD, Silver Springs MD, Frederick MD, Fredricksburg VA, Salisbury MD and now Onancock VA where his parents live. I'm so sick of being in the car.

But if you are going to be traveling this summer and it involves driving, here's something that does make the driving more enjoyable: a new gadget I call the "Marriage Saver" also known as the Garmin Street Pilot. You just type in your destination and a nice lady tells you (14+ languages, optional) when to turn and how far you have left to go. It's all based on GPS information that it gathers live via satellite. Last year we tried to navigate DC with a map & our wits and almost came to blows. But this year I insisted we opt for an GPS navigator in the rental car. Ken did one better and decided that we should just buy one instead. I love the Garmin.

(Cool Tugboat in the Inner Harbor of Baltimore, MD)

The weather for the most part has been um, all over the place: 92 degrees with god-awful humidity to 85 with a nice cool breeze. I hear Seattle is perfect right now. I'm so glad we're missing it. Of all the cardinal rules of living in Seattle, the biggest one is "never leave during the 4 months of weather you tolerate the other 8 dreary ones for."

(Check this out: The boat across for this one is the USS Constellation in Baltimore's Inner Harbor. It just shot off a cannon and the gunpowder blast creates a smoke ring. How neato is that?)

******

On Monday, we drove through Trappe MD and visited Dave & Carla, high school friends of Ken. We spent a delightful (but sweltering) afternoon at their farm. Ken got to ride a "blind" horse and be a horse to Katelynn, their daughter.

(Ken and Dove, the masked equus)

( Katelynn and her horsey)

(As artful as a horse's ass can be on a hot day.)

Coming up....Tomorrow is Corey's (our nephew) high school graduation, Friday we see the Pirates of the Caribbean 3 and Saturday is a Richardson (Ken's Mom's side) family reunion including a blue crab feast. It's going to be a packed weekend.

I really hope the weather stays non-humid---and that I stop getting migranes. I've had 2 in 2 days now. It could be heat, hormones, having icecream a record 3 times in one trip or the alignment of Jupiter & Mars, but for whatever is causing them, I'm putting them on notice-- no more this trip, okay?

Into the Rain Forest

Last weekend we ventured to Lake Quinault (not pictured in any of the blog photos--it's shy) on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State in the temperate rain forest. This is aptly named Lake Quinault Lodge where we stayed.

Here are the Vaslows readying for a sojourn into the rain forest. Dan took lots of pictures and Jill made sure we had plenty of snacks. It was an unexpectedly nice day and we couldn't believe we got so lucky!

Beware of Cougars in the Rain forest.

Ken finds out the trees are alive!

A 3-petalled forest flower captured with my new 7.1 mega pixel camera. Very nice!

Afternoon entertainment & snacks.

World's Tallest Sitka Spruce Tree (or second tallest, depending on who you ask). Ken is 6' tall so imagine being there...

Hanging out by the Sitka.

*******

Originally designed to be a multi-couple event, we found ourselves traveling to the temperate rain forest of Quinault with just our dear friends Dan & Jill--who are no strangers to shepherding us in the great outdoors. From the get-go, they turned out to be much more prepared--I mean they even remembered to bring hiking boots to the forest. (I don't even know what we were thinking.) Thankfully it was sunny and our tennis shoes sufficed.

The lake lapped the shore in a way I've never heard before. Unchallenged by mechanical noises and the human hubbub of a city, the lake asserted a boldness that I'd never considered a land-locked water body to possess. It was a lake to be taken seriously: still, deep, sapphire blue.

After dinner each night we played games. Pass the Pigs, a sort of "dice" game, tested our skill at "rolling pigs" and point-management. Also, I'm pleased to report that Jill and I cleaned up in 80's Trivia versus our husbands. But Catch Phrase generated the greatest gut-busting hysterics when I tried to say "Low Flying Planes" but all that came out was every other permutation: Plane Fly Low, Low Plane Fly, Fly Plane Low, etc.

All in all, a wonderful time in the woods with none of that messy camping business. Now that's a getaway.

Top 5 Details of our trip to Palm Springs

1. The Clown Car


This is Le Clown Car that carried Ken, Dad and me all over the Palm Springs area. Notice it's attention-grabbing color and PT cruiser-like styling. But Le Clown Car is really the Chevrolet HHR. I have always felt American cars lack subtlety and here is a shiny example.

2. Exercise

Averaging 14,000 steps per day, we hiked, played ping-pong and tennis as well as worked out in the gym. Our first hike in the mountains around Palm Springs resulted in us having to come down into a private fenced yard which inspired Ken and me to jump the fence. We later found out that the gate wasn't finished so we could have walked around.

3. The Weather

Yes it was sunny and in the 70's. We heard Seattle had snow. That's too bad...
The first day there it was extremely windy (landing was scary) but this wind farm indicated that they get enough to power the grid for the ever expanding population there. Hooray for renewable resources! But the dusty and dry conditions, reeked havoc on Eczema sufferers like Dad and myself, who had to keep applying tons of lotion to our flaky skin. For an organism composed of 60% water, the desert does not seem like a good place to live.

4. Joshua Tree Madness

During a quick stop, Ken enlightened us with an interpretive dance of the Joshua Tree. Did you know that while it was 74 degrees in Palm Springs, it was only 52 degrees up in Joshua Tree National Park? Guess who forgot long pants and coats? All of us. We toured this jewel of the National Park System with our seatbelts on.

5. Family time

Most importantly, I spent some quality time hanging out with these cool dudes--and no golfing involved either. I'm not saying it's completely pointless, but it kinda is. We also visited with Bev's aunt and uncle one evening. They told us about the "sex life of a date" (the kind you eat), but we didn't actually get to eat any so we'll order some.

All in all a good time, and now back to the real world.

Scene at the Airport

As most vacations do, our trip to Palm Springs started at the airport and the craziest sh-- happens to us there.

On the way to our departing gate Wednesday morning, Ken and I made a pit stop at the restrooms. Within 100 feet, we could see and hear a wailing child being disciplined by his mother outside the women's restroom.
She said, "If you don't get in there, you will not get any DVD's on the plane. I'm going to count to five. 5-4-3-2-1...Okay no movies on the plane." At this, the child, who I judged to be about 3-years-old, cried even louder. Then she threatened to take away his books and he approached hyper-ventilation.

But something was odd about this public disciplining: It seemed like the mother wasn't trying to find out why he was so freaked out and the worst thing was the way she interacted with him. She gestured and projected her voice like she was performing on stage. Every woman coming or going in the restroom gave the "this-woman-is-crazy" look to one other. But no one said anything.

Ken, who was waiting for me, saw all of it. As we walked away, Ken grew more agitated by the scene. He wanted to say something to her. But I told him that interfering with parent-child situations is muy complicado.

"We are only seeing a snapshot of this situation," I said scurrying toward our gate. "We have no idea what else is going on."

But he made some good points: the way she was dealing with the child could be construed as a form of psychological abuse. She seemed to revel in his frustration and didn't do anything to defuse his anxiety about being in or going to the restroom. The disruptive way she "performed" for the crowd indicated a lack of judgement and the tone of the child's crying hinted at actual terror.

"Are we to mind our business so much that a child can get psychologically abused?" Ken asked. "When do we have the right to step in and say something?"

Now, I truly admire and love Ken's sensitivity to people. It is a trait I don't have enough of, but it's a slippery slope getting involved with strangers. We arrived at our gate and while I mulled over the safety of my isolationist policy, I couldn't help but feel less human and cowardly. Ken meanwhile decided that he wanted to go back and "see" what was going on and say something if warranted. So with reservations, I accompanied him.

A full 15-minutes had passed since we'd last been down the corridor and there was no sign of them. But soon we could hear the familiar howling from within the women's restroom. I walked in and exchanged "the look" with all the ladies. This time the mother was in a closed stall and I could see her kneeling down with the child facing her. She said in a volume that the entire ladies room could hear, "There are no bathrooms on the plane. You have to go now!"

Unbeknownst to me, Ken had alerted a TSA official. The official came into the bathroom and paused outside the closed stall and just as she was about to knock, the mother rushed out with the boy tucked under her arm like a Sunday paper. He was still crying, red-faced.

The TSA gal chased after them, "Is everything alright here?" she asked.
"Fine!" the mother replied.

By then the mother strode toward the exit with the TSA lady following. Ken stood outside and when the mother passed him, he shouted at her "You need help! You need help!"
I froze.

Another bystander inadvertently blocked me from getting to Ken's side but secretly I was glad. The confrontation, the child's crying and Ken's outburst brought tears to my eyes. Suddenly I felt sorry for that mom. Because no one wants to be "the bad mom" who loses it in public with a screaming kid. And certainly no mom wants to be called out by a stranger. Then my husband came face-to-face with the child's father and I feared the worst.

"Do you have children?" the father demanded, holding his squirming, crying son.

Ken had to answer 'no' and that effectively eliminated all his credibility.
The man said, "You should talk to some parents or become one before you make any judgements. Do you want to take care of this?" and held out his crying, squirming son to Ken.

Ken stepped back but later regretted that he hadn't tried. The mother sarcastically thanked Ken for his "helpful" advice and the family stormed off down the corridor. And these were older, (seemingly) educated parents in their late 30's.

The TSA gal said she'd have an officer check on them at the gate.

*****

Needless to say, the incident left us both a bit rattled.

Can a person without a child judge mistreatment? When is it acceptable to get involved?

70 degrees and no clouds

Dad, Ken & I are in Palm Springs for the next few days on vacation.
The internet access at the resort is spotty and the competition for the computers in the business center is fierce. So I may not get around to a full entry until Saturday.

But I'll make it worth your while because as always, something weird and traumatic happened at the airport yesterday. Something that made me question my morality.

And on a lighter note, Dad rented a clown car for us to drive around in Palm Springs.

You'll see...

Portland Comedy Train

Amy and I are huge fans of the comedienne Kathy Griffith from Bravo's "My Life on the D-List" and "Suddenly Susan" fame. So we traveled by train to Portland on Saturday and in less than 24 hours, we managed to eat like queens at Pazzo's, attend her comedy show, ride the hotel elevator with the coach of the Denver Nuggets and have Sunday brunch with Mother. Here is Kathy during her show. We were up in the balcony so the optical zoom is maxed out. Lots of dish on celebrity encounters and insights on current events.

I must tell you that traveling by train is not too bad. The Tacoma/Olympia bit is amazingly picturesque. I do recommend it. It does take four hours to get to Portland but you can avoid all traffic, stand in no security lines, drink alcohol (if that's your bag), walk around, use the bathroom all you want and keep young children entertained. What's not to like?


So this is Amy & I at dinner. Lots of girl talk and relaxation on our quick getaway down south. Great to see Mom too, albeit brief. Good times.

Flashback 2004: Italy

We liked holding up stuff up in Pisa & Burano.

Camping + Deep Thoughts

A few weekends ago, we camped on Camano Island with Dan & Jill. One of the nights we where there, I dreamt I was an aria-singing, 17th century duchess, riding my electric unicorn while diamonds rained from the sky. But the most bizarre thing about it all was that I had actually agreed to go camping...

Though we stayed in heated cabins, we did have to go outside to cook and use the centralized shower/bathroom. Without a doubt, Dan & Jill took very good care of us. There seems to be a camping equivalent to everything you can find in the kitchen: a free-standing propane stove with griddle, a rack to prop bread over the propane burner aka "a toaster," headlamps, coolers, pans and so forth.



Dan introduced us to a cookie with embedded dark chocolate so that when making smores we didn't have to precariously balance, squeeze and break them. Brilliant! Now, washing dishes in the wilderness is not that easy either--especially sanitization. How do you accomplish this when you're scrubbing pans, rinsing from a cold water spigot and setting them on the dirty, dirty ground? Jill came up with a excellent solution: once they were washed at the cold tap, she filled a plastic tub with boiled water then soaked them. It's like a Japanese-style bath for the dishes. That Dan & Jill--such resourceful people.

Another cool thing to do in nature is make music as Dan and Ken discovered when they assembled a driftwood marimba shown here:


It made an unexpectedly rich sound and the guys jammed for a long time on it, leaving Ken with two well-earned blisters. But the fact they made something out of stuff lying around made me think about people from a much earlier time...

How did the Native Americans survive back then without things like plastic tubs, baggies, tupperware and water bottles? Things I take for granted like food preparation, going to the bathroom, saying warm and finding shelter were all basic survival concerns for them. It caused me to reflect throughout the weekend and ask myself when feeling inept, "What would the Native Americans Do?"

My answer: I'm really not sure, but in the grand scope of things, it's got to amount to more than just tribal casinos & firework stands.