What a Ride

It took seven hours to go no where and do nothing.

All through February at our Wednesday breakfast Claire, Mary and I talked of a drive north to see the eagles. All through March we talked of going somewhere, anywhere. It was always too rainy, too cold, too busy, too blah. Yesterday was the day. We headed south down the Alaskan Viaduct toward the airport to see where the road goes to. It so happens it goes nowhere in particular.

We drove through a mostly industrial Pacific Northwest and it was surprisingly beautiful.

We wove on and off HWY 99, we wove on and off HWY 509, we sailed past the big Ferris wheel, we peered at the big container ships in port, we saw ports both small and large, we scooted down Schuster Parkway. In and out of traffic, in and out of industrial areas, in and out of ports, down waterways, past waterfront parks. Seattle, Burien, Normandy Park, Des Moines -- great breakfast there -- Redondo Beach, Federal Way all the way to Tacoma. We drove the five mile trek around Point Defiance Park, saw a lot of glimpses of the sound through the trees. It was spring break so we also saw lots of families and children. All along the waterways we saw runners, joggers, walkers, restaurants, buildings. Union Station in Tacoma was spectacular.

We speculated about this and that, stuff we had no idea what it was. The side streets of Tacoma were loaded with parked cars that we wondered about until Mary figured out they were parking lots for the Sounder Train to Seattle, as there is no official parking lot. Interesting. We saw bridges; under, over and around. Ferries busy plying the waters or perched in port. Took the long way round Dash Point.

The Tacoma Narrows was visible in every aspect. I always thought of the Tacoma Narrows as a bridge and not a landmass formation. Yep, we drove it. We stopped a little along the way, but mostly we drove. We did a big u-turn to go back and check out The Place of Circling Waters, a wildlife habitat, right at the Port of Tacoma. I wove past trucks, containers, traffic, red lights, and cops.

It was closed.

Lastly we started looking for a Starbucks to wend down our trek, we drove miles and miles and miles and no Starbucks in sight. We wound up at a little neighborhood joint in Ballard before I dropped Claire off where we sipped our lattes and relived the day. All in glorious Seattle spring weather with cool breezes and warm sunshine.

What a great day going no where and doing nothing.

I am rich in friends.

I  am rich in family. I am rich in sons, son's ladies, grandson. The blessings of the world are staggering. The craft of the world is staggering. How do you build a ship from a bolt up, or a bridge or a Ferris wheel. I read about the High Steel Bridge outside of Sheldon, I think I might have to go see that.

Easter was great.
Did you know the movie Kinky Boots is being turned into a Broadway play?
Julia, did you know there is an owl forest at The Tracy Aviary in Utah?
Are you and Tal still planning a road trip?
Did you know a cough travels 40 MPH and a sneeze 100 MPH.
Bo made Christian lunch and had watermelon shaped like hearts.
I love Bo.
All the trees here are glazed with a little green, pink, white or yellow haze glimmering.
Unless they have already sprung into full bloom.
I am rich in spring.

I think I will get a passport drivers license, it's time.
I think I will travel somewhere this summer; Montana maybe.
I think I will send some thank you cards to everyone, for something, every one I know has done something nice for me at some point or other.
I think I will plant some tomatoes this year. It is supposed to be very difficult to grow tomatoes in the Pacific Northwest, but I have a lot of western sun.
I am rich in sunlight.
I just finished the last of my Easter pickled beets. Wonderful.
I still have a few colored eggs left to eat.

Claire won't come to a son's dinner, it's private she says. So Christian suggested we have a Claire's dinner instead, and we are. April 28th is Claire's dinner and you are invited. I'm making lasagna.

I scored with Connor when I bought him some Legos, he liked them better than Christian. However Ian was in trouble because he ate his candy. "Why did you eat the candy?" Connor asked to which Ian replied, "Mom, why did you tell him?' I was just being mean.

Jeff says he is only bringing a suitcase, chairs, the goodie box, hot dog skewers, Vienna Sausages and booze to the family reunion next year.

We are all rich in Jeff.