Catching Up...

It's been awhile since I've been able to get back to this cyber keyboard world. On a daily basis, I've thought of writing many times but life, visitors, school, work, and more visitors have delayed me. What fun it is to blame others!!

Chapter 1: One of my younger sisters, Andie, came for a visit to celebrate her 50th birthday. I was totally honored for her to come and share this big marker with Kim and me. We spent much time just talking and visiting. She's the perfect visitor in that she is totally fine with entertaining herself and she enjoyed getting out and creating her own adventures. This is one outing we did take together--hooking up at the Pike Market when I finished work. What you don't see in the picture are the many shopping bags we accumulated at a local kitchen store....

The Pike Market is a bustling fun place. The amazing thing is that I am there every day as I make my rounds to the various buildings but I don't stop and visit it--not even for fresh fish or vegetables, or whatever. I remain on its fringes and it rarely enters my mind when I am in worker bee mode.

I haven't been a Seattle tourist in quite some time--certainly since having returned from Italy. I never tire of this view from the Pike Street Market.
Our busy port.

Chapter 2: Dove tailing on Andie's heels was friend Ellen. She was visiting from Honduras where she now resides and fills her days with amazing deeds. She is her one person Peace Corp and has built schools, brought health services and other humanitarian programs to the impoverished area where she lives. At some near future date I hope to do a blog just on her. Until then, you can go to her web site, Project School Supplies and get a feel for her work:
http://projectschoolsupplies.org

Chapter 3: Next in line for a good visit was older sister, Gloria and brother in law, Bill. They took a long driving tour up to Seattle from Los Alamos. It's been good to keep in touch with my sisters. When parents die, one never really knows if there will be enough glue to keep us all together....Gloria has made it her job to remind us of this and is very good about keeping in touch.

Here we are in West Seattle, near Alki.

Poor Gloria and Bill hit it just in time for constant rain. On their third day, it finally cleared a bit and we quickly got out to take a driving tour around the city. I was tour guide and drove their SUV! ME in a SUV, HA HA HA. I could barely reach the pedals.

One of our destinations was the Locks.

The locks allow the boats to move from the fresh water of Lake Union

to the salt waters of Puget Sound.

Churning waters of intensity.

Watching the boats flow by is meditative.

Later we had a nice dinner at Fisherman's Terminal.
This is where the boats and ships that fish out at sea and in Alaska dock.

Local residents.

Here is a memorial to all the individuals who have been lost and killed at sea.
Give them a thought the next time you enjoy a seafood dinner....

Chapter 4: The real reason Gloria and Bill came to Seattle:

Prior to selling my parent's home in NM, I took a walk around the perimeter and collected rocks that my father had collected over the years. When he would be out in the woods hunting or hiking, he would bring home rocks that called to him.

I have developed this habit as well. I loaded up the rocks from their house and took them to Gloria and Bill's for safe keeping.
They are not the kind of things that travel via UPS or in airline luggage.

Gloria and Bill transported these gems to me in Seattle.

They are now safely tucked in our Seattle garden.

Each day these visual reminders bring my parents back

into my mind

and heart.

They will be here long after I am gone.
They have become my prized possessions.

Chapter 5:
And I thank them.