Washington, revisiting, talking, and eating

The US is a regular part of my life, so I visit every couple of years. 2016 was my longest ever trip, lasting all of November. It started in Puget Sound, Washington, where Ed and I spent 25 great years raising the kids. I stayed with Leon, in his beautifully restored home in Tacoma. He has turned this old treasure into a place where students or visiting doctors can stay, and he has filled it totally! In order to have space for me, he converted the TV area in the basement into a bedroom. It was amazing!

The trip had to start with the first weekend in November, since that was the weekend of the big sports card collector convention. Ed's last stuff from the safe went to Mark Macrae, one of the nicest guys in collectibles. Anyone want a safe? It's for sale now.

It was cool to be in country for the World Series! I spent every game night at a local watering hole, cheering on the Cubs. It worked! First series title since 1908.

Leon and KJ

Leon and KJ took me to the Lobster Shop, hiking on Tiger Mountain, and twice to "Olywaves: 5 Rhythms Dance" sessions in Olympia.

I dallied with Cindi and Ron at the Wild Wheat Bakery in Kent, talking about this, that, and the other.

Cindi and Ron

The tall honey pour onto my biscuits

Tom and Snoqualmie Falls

I headed for Snoqualmie Falls for a big country breakfast and a little hike to the bottom of the falls with Tom Cushing. It was sunny and wonderful, and a great visit.

Wencil and Michael tasting beer and dreaming of retirement

Eric shows cousin Carla and me the SoDo Makerspace

Dan, Julie, Dana, and Doug

Got together with the coin guys up where Doug and Dana live now, Port Ludlow on Olympic Peninsula. We all walked around the golf course admiring sand traps and mushrooms, and talking and talking.

Lenny and Zoom, Puyallup neighbors, took me out on the Orting Highway toward Wilkerson. We stopped for eggnog lattes - hooray for Washington's coffee drive-throughs! Being Lenny, we had a photo session on a scary one-lane road. Then we ate at a Cajun restaurant in Puyallup. Hooray for Cajun food! Are you noticing a trend? Food!

Lenny takes a shot

Jim and Judy, coin collector friends, met with me in Olympia for lunch after one of the dance sessions. We ranted about Trump for a few hours. See the other trend? Talk! This was before the election. I flew to Arizona on election day.

Farewell, Mt. Rainier!