Trip to Seattle...

Ever think about packing your shit up and taking off? I think about that a lot...and if I was going to take off it would be to the Pacific northwest. It's wonderful! I found myself in the pouring rain, freezing, and absolutely content.

Our trip started out horribly...

Our flight was supposed to leave Phoenix at 10:40. We left at 2:30...needless to say we missed our connecting flight in Salt Lake City. We were put on stand by after stand by list and told that the first guaranteed flight was not until Christmas day. Our car rental was cancelled and the airline lost our luggage...not a good start.

It was all just a shitty memory once I stepped foot on the rain and oil streaked sidewalk of downtown. We spent just a few hours in the market place. I saw the fish mongers and there were people everywhere. I spied a tea market close by...and $50 later I was completely content. That could have been it for my entire vacation and I would have been happy.

For those of you who don't know me well...I love hot tea for breakfast. I must admit though...I found one helluva latte in Seattle. I drank more coffee in 5 days then I do in a month.

After the tea shop, Michael and I grabbed a bite at the Market Grille. We waited for quite some time for seats as it is just a booth in the market. While we were waiting Michael was cool enough to offer to let me look around. I strolled about a half a block down and found a homemade pasta booth. Three kinds of orzo! I am in culinary heaven.

After a bowl of chowder we realized we were running short on time to catch the ferry over to the peninsula. But before my farewell...I bought the juiciest, most luscious, ruby red cherries I have ever seen in my life. As I was eating one in the car Michael remarked that he wished his balls evoked that kind of reaction...

After a rocky ferry ride and an hour driving up the peninsula in the ran, we arrived at the Holly Hill House. It's a local B&B in Port Townsend. The owners are superb and the beds legendary.

We spent the first night getting to know the other guests since they all come every year for Christmas. Michael and I were the newbies. Later that night Greg read to us Santa's Twin. It was wonderful. I can't remember last time someone read to me....not even when I was a child.

The next day we awoke to a tree surrounded by presents. Of course I woke up at about 3:00 a.m. I do not know what the hell is wrong with me. We spent the day lounging around. It was followed by a huge prime rib dinner...ugh...I was stuffed. And then Greg read the second book in the series.

The rest of the trip was lovely, but not much worth writing about, as my minutia is probably killing you already. I will say that one of my favorite activities was going to the Game Farm. I got to feed llamas with silly lips, a black bear and a ginormous buffalo... to start.

We arrived home safely on Thursday night. To Karen (who shall be the subject of my next post).

It was a wonderful holiday and vacation.