A few days in Seattle
On Sunday 19th November we rose at 4:15 in order to take the Exodus bus to the airport. We arrived over 3 hours before the flight was due.
The flight presented no problem and we landed in Los Angeles on time. Proceeding through customs and immigration again presented no issues. We headed to the terminal for our flight on to Seattle and had a bite to eat. We discovered the departure gate and sat and waited the 2 ½ hours for the takeoff time.
The notice board announced a 30 minute delay. Soon after a further 30 minute delay came up on the screen. After that they changed the gate, then they changed the gate again. Finally we took off after a 5 hour lay off in Los Angeles. Fortunately Alex and Sadie greeted us at the airport and we drove home. Maggi and I both shattered we climbed into bed very soon after arriving.
Monday 20th
Monday represented a recovery day. Maggi has a hacking cough which disturbs both me and her at night.
I took Bennet for a long walk up to the top of Dravus and then down across the railway lines and round back by the ship canal.
Tuesday 21st
Another walk while Maggi took Greg to REI to buy a belated birthday present. Maggi and I then drove to University Village to buy Alex her birthday present. We wandered all over the shopping area until we stumbled into Bloomies. A very helpful assistant showed us a lovely makeup bag which we bought and added another item to it.
Dropped into QFC and bought wine.
In the evening Maggi and Alex had arranged for the group of yogi people to meet in Queen Anne. Greg and I took an Uber to Ballard where we met up with Tim and Matt. I’d met Tom before but Matt was new to me. We had a nice meal and then moved on to a bar where we had a whisky tasting event. All over priced but a different treat. I particularly liked the Writers Tears. I later found out that a bottle of this only costs £37 in Berry Bros. So in retrospect it seems that it was all smoke and mirrors and a means to suck money out of your pocket for very little in return.
Wednesday 22nd
Mooched around the house until David and Devon and their two kids came over to the house. They are the owners of the property we will stay in on Bainbridge Island for the next two nights.
David is the all American Kid, into hunting fishing and buying stuff. He described how he cooks the Thanksgiving Turkey and it involves half a dozen contraptions and not an oven. The turkey is lowered into boiling fat via a pulley system. The turkey has been salt dried beforehand using some obscure method involving the purchase of several bits and pieces that only get used once a year.
After they left we set off going the long way round via Tacoma rather than via the ferry. Using modern technology, satnav and an app that tells you the ferry wait times, we predicted that the longer route would be the shortest.
We arrived after sunset into a bungalow built beside a creek with neighbours more than 30 yards away on each side of the house. The place has all mod cons, a hot tub, a basketball hoop, paddle boards the usual huge tvs and fridges etc. All of it is very comfortable except the very noisy hot air heating system. It blasts away continually and it sounds like you are flying at 30000 ft.
23rd November Thanksgiving
A lovely cold bright November morning on Bainbridge Island. Maggi, Alex and Greg soon got started in preparing food for the meal this afternoon.
We left the house just after 2 pm to head to Brandy and Mark’s house. What a fabulous view from their kitchen and main room. On a day like today you can see Seattle and the Magnolia Peninsular across Puget Sound.
As usual the predicted time for dinner past and instead of eating at 3 pm we sat down at 5:30. If there had been fewer elements to the meal and they had been served hot then it would have been great. However as usual you have lots of individual bits that have gone cold in the serving and standing around waiting for another ingredient to be ready. Tons of wastage and much too much eaten concludes the show.
We left halfway through the losing match between Seattle and San Fransisco. Alex drove us back to look after Bennett. I don’t know why.
Friday 24th November
We mooched around the house and met up with Brandy, Mark and family for a walk and ended up in a Bainbridge village called Pleasant Beach, with a choice of poor places to eat.
Maggi and I picked The Market Place. Like most US cafe/restaurants they promise much more than they deliver. A sandwich comes with a bag of crisps on a paper plate. You have to queue to order, pick up and they want you to clear the table and then you get the chance to give them an extra 20% as a tip for the service.
Saturday 25th November
Alex decided we should stay an extra day on Bainbridge because she had a friend from the Gates Foundation driving over on Friday evening. She was very pleasant and super chatty.
In the morning we cleared up the property and made sure that it all looked smart for the cleaner and then headed off to the ferry to take us back to Seattle.
Mount Ranier sitting majestically in the distance topped off the crossing.
By the time we arrived back at the family home we only had time for a short walk before our time to leave.