Fun in the Sun!

Wow, our summer actually came back yesterday! I was having doubts whether or not to expect anything this weekend, but I was pleasantly surprised. I guess I was so grateful of sun yesterday that I blindly ignored the use of my sunscreen. Normally, it wouldn't matter all that much, but yesterday was Nudestock!

Yes, I made it to Nudestock yet again this year. For three years in a row I have savored the freedom of being clothes-free while enjoying a day of music. This time it was different though.

This time Suzie went with me!

I really never expected it. While Suz is not a prude by any means, for me to just assume that she would like going to a nudist park would have been a stupid assumption to make. Just because myself and others love it, that doesn't mean it's for everybody. Based on common sense I was actually only considering two scenarios for yesterday:

1. I would forgo the whole thing and not worry about it. After all, I would be spending it with my favorite lady anyway, right? I'm sure we would have enjoyed ourselves somehow. We always do.
   
2. I would go for a little while and leave. I really wanted to continue the annual t-shirt series that I had started in 2006, and I wanted to buy the 2008 Nudestock t-shirt to add to my amazing wardrobe of white trash wear that fills my closet.

What changed yesterday? Well, in a nutshell it was a matter of her wanting to avoid the possibility of impending family conflict. Her daughter Rachyl and her husband Tony are going to be moving to the Ohio area (where he's originally from) soon and they are in the process of putting some of their things in "storage" in Sue's garage for the time being. She just didn't want to have to deal with frazzled nerves, frustration, and arguing, and basically just wanted to not have to be drawn into their little situation in any way. I was surprised when she suggested that maybe we could go to "your Nudestock thing" to escape.

One thing we wanted to do yesterday was drain her hot tub so we could work on it and possibly change its heater element, so we had to at least go to her house to get that started no matter what else we did the rest of the day. Before we left my house yesterday morning we discussed what to take in case we did actually go to Nudestock. (We still didn't know at this point that we would actually go or not.) I filled a cooler with beer and we grabbed our sunning blanket and a couple of outdoor (aka "ratty") towels. I put a little shaving kit together as well, including sunscreen. She decided to take her shortie overalls and when we went to her house she would add her bikini to it. That would give her some layering options. Well, we got the hose siphoning started on the hot tub water, and the more she thought about it the more she didn't even want to deal with moving stuff on such a nice day. Apparently, she had talked herself into going to Nudestock by that time. I was happy because I knew she would like it whether she dropped her clothes or not.

We got there after the first band had finished--Shortly after noon I think. Having been there before and therefore in their computer system, I had to pay $13 to get in. Because Suzie is new and it was her first visit, it was free for her. I don't know what she was feeling up to that point really, but I'm assuming she was nervous. Who wouldn't be? After all, at this point there were sporadic nudies walking around, and for the most part were just men (after all, we were in the parking/gate area still). It only takes me seconds to lose my clothes, so they never even left my car. We made our way to the grassy area and spread out our blanket among the other people. At that time she was able to relax, grab a beer, and take in the scene. The second band was setting up so it was relatively quiet. The place was not all that full so that was good. The first year I went it was packed, and last year when it was drizzly and bad weather it was the other extreme. This year was perfect.

She dumped the overalls as soon as we hit the blanket, and the bikini top soon after that. It really didn't take her long before she was comfortable enough to lose the bottoms too. Toward the end of the band's act I suggested a dip in the pool to which she agreed. One thing that new visitors probably worry about is how to disrobe and make it look casual. If you're a newbie it's something that probably weighs on your mind. I didn't ask her if that was the case, but instead suggested she could leave it off when she came out of the porta-potty. Emerging from the pee pot with a towel around her worked out perfectly. I ended up swimming but she opted out. She got wet with the "pre-pool" shower, but otherwise just sat on the edge of the pool and dangled her legs. The water was a little cooler than she could tolerate.

As the day wore on Suzie's comfort was more apparent. At one point she remarked, "I could do this once a year." She was having a good time! We wandered around a little here and there. I was a little miffed that I was not able to buy a 2008 Nudestock t-shirt though--My size sold out quickly they said. I did, however, buy a "Wired" t-shirt. That's the name of the band that closed the show at the end of our perfect day. I had seen them play the previous year and liked them a lot. I bought Sue a Nudestock t-shirt dress. You know--Those things that are like a long, long tank top? This year's design was a psychedelic butterfly design, and was on black cloth like the previous two were. She's not sure how family members will react when (or if) they find out she went, so she's not sure when and where she'll be able to wear it though. I bought a 2005 shirt off the clearance rack though for only $5. That was the year before the first one I attended. All their shirts and stuff are cheap. $10 for a t-shirt at any event these days is a bargain, and that's their regular price. Her t-dress was only $15. She also bought a candle from the soybean oil candle guy that's there every year. The scent she chose was Dragon's Blood. It reminds me of an oriental gift store. It's sort of like the smell of incense before you light it.

The first band we saw was so-so. Maurice the Fish was their name, and they played common, everyday songs that you hear most bar bands play. The music was good, but they just weren't tight, well-oiled performers. One exception was when they closed with two Pink Floyd songs back-to-back. They played those very well and we both liked those a lot. Both of those songs totally synced with the "feel" of the place. They were perfect. The second act we saw was a solo gal with an acoustic 12-string guitar. She was awesome! We both agreed that she sounded a lot like Melissa Etheridge. Her music was flawless from start to finish. The last act was the one I already mentioned, called Wired. Their rockabilly style was pulled off perfectly. They are very talented and were very good this year. The previous time they played there was a shorter act and they never really got to "shine" like they did this year. This time as the closing act proved them to be more than worthy. I hope they are there next year to close out the day as well. Great stuff!

So back to the first paragraph: My ignorance of sunscreen. I packed it and didn't use it. You'd think a 52-year-old guy would have more common sense than that wouldn't you? Apparently I don't. I ended up pink. Not everywhere mind you--Only the places that don't usually see sun (or at least that much sun). My ass and the sides of my waist and upper thighs got it the worst. Penis? Yep, it got it too. Face, back... You name it--It all got a little pink. There's not much doubt that I'm going to peel. I can sit around naked and comfortable now, but the question is how will I feel when I have to go to work tomorrow? Fortunately for Sue, she was already a lot more brown than I was so she escaped harm for the most part.

It was truly a great day though. Great weather, great music, great atmosphere--I enjoyed it immensely and Suzie did too. It looks like it may be a regular event for her like it is for me.

Isn't that cool?

Ahh... Friday...

It's been an odd week. I think it's mostly the weather that has made it odd though. Like a few of us at work have been saying, "Wow, it's sure nice to be able to have the shop doors all open in October. Yes, it has been just like October the last several days. As a matter of fact, when "October" rolled in during the wee hours of Sunday morning we even got a nice little light show from mother nature. It woke me at about 3:30, and I spent about a half hour taking pictures from my bedroom window. Out of about a hundred I took, only 7 had any lightning in them. That's the way it goes. This one was my best:


It's been barely rainy and nasty pretty much all week long, and believe me--We're tired of it. It's August! We need to have a certain amount of sweaty, nasty days just so we can appreciate fall and winter when they arrive.

Saturday was hot tub day up at Suzie's house. It was a hot, hot day and we spent it putting her hot tub together. It was a lot of work on such a hot day, but it was really something we wanted to get done. It would have been the perfect day to be bare out there, but there were other people around. Tony did the rewiring while we were physically putting the tub back together so that when we were completely finished and the tub was filled up we were ready to hit the button. Hmm... It's not getting hot... We were disappointed of course, but frankly, we were so tired from working on it all day that we were just happy to have it completed. We would troubleshoot it some other time. Well, I did troubleshoot it two days ago and it turns out that we have a wiring problem: It was only wired for 125 volts and it's a 220-volt hot tub. That meant the compressor (which only needed 125 volts) ran perfectly but the heater did nothing. We'll give it another shot this weekend. We're optimistic enough that Suz is shopping Ebay for a swivel umbrella to put over it so we can sit out and enjoy the hot tub even if it's pouring rain.

This week has been one for Suzie. She had a colonoscopy yesterday. While that in itself is one thing, it's the dietary stuff leading up to it that creates the hassle. There is a huge list of "don't-eat" items on the list--Especially important on the last day. Her daughter dropped her off at her appointment yesterday morning. I received the phone call to pick her up at about 10am so I sped up and helped her get herself together and took her home. The bottom line? She had two polyps that they deftly removed with their little camera/removal tool. I understand that colon cancers usually(?) start from polyps, so she was feeling very good about having it done. I made a lame joke about it "being behind her" but it went over her head at the time because she was still groggy. Now that I look at it, it was so lame I'm surprised I even took the time to type it...

Tomorrow is Nudestock. Will I go? I don't know. The weather is just barely coming back now and it looks like it will be nice enough for it so I may go up there for a little while. I would really like to see what this year's t-shirt design looks like. I love their t-shirts. They're cool designs, great quality, and only 10 bucks! We'll see.

I've had to drive the car for the last couple days but I'll be on two wheels again today. I have ridden the bike to work so much in the last couple weeks that it feels weird to drive the car. I think it was Monday that I had the most "uh-oh" thoughts about it when it rained all day at work. It was dry when it was time to go to work so I thought I'd gamble on it. Fortunately it stopped right at quitting time so I could ride home in freshly-washed air. Or was that Tuesday? I dunno... Rain for a week in August is just not right any way you slice it.

More Police Weirdness!

Yes, Auburn's Police Blotter strikes again. Here are a few of the choice excerpts from recent history:

Police blotter

Aug. 12

Cruising under the influence: 9:04 a.m., 1500 West Valley Highway N. Police arrested a male person for driving under the influence after he fell asleep at the wheel while waiting for congested traffic in a construction zone.

Assault: 10:55 a.m., 1300 block of 69th Street Southeast. A female called to report that a girl had assaulted her in some undisclosed way at Sunset Park.

Aug. 11

Unhand those shorts dude: 12:25 p.m., 900 block of M Street Southeast. On a hot summer day in an apartment on the south end of the city, two men came to blows over a pair of basketball shorts. One guy winged a metal chair at the other guy, hitting him in the forehead. Before being separated, each combatant landed hostile blows on the other, opening up a cut on one head that demanded subsequent care at a local hospital. The prosecutor’s office charged both men with fighting in public.

Shoplifting: 10:30 p.m., 2115 Auburn Way S. Police arrested a woman for shoplifting an undisclosed something or other from the Muckleshoot Smoke Shop.

Trash talk on a Dumpster: 11:32 p.m., 600 Oravetz Road S.E. Somebody spray-painted a Dumpster, thereby vandalizing said Dumpster.

Aug. 6

Shoplifting: 9:10 p.m., 1702 Auburn Way N. A young man stole two Tilt alcohol beverages from the Top Foods, earning himself an arrest for shoplifting and for being in possession of a fermented beverage before he had accumulated enough years in his life to make that legal.

Lewd dude: 5:30 a.m., 4200 block of A Street Southeast. Somebody drew lewd pictures on three different vehicle windshields in grease paint. Nothing permanent, however.

Aug. 5

Forgery: 5:37 p.m., 1500 block of Auburn Way North. Police arrested a man cashing a check with a stolen account number on it. Although the guy said he had received the check in the mail, he still couldn’t explain to the satisfaction of suspicious officers why somebody should have sent to him a check for that amount.

Aug. 4

Egg boy: 10:30 p.m., 1300 block of E Street Southeast. Police arrested a boy for malicious mischief in the third degree after a night spent egging.

Plant breaker: 10:38 p.m., 500 block of 21st Street Southeast. A woman told police that her adult daughter had broken several potted plants. She declined to press charges.

Explosive device: 11:58 p.m., 1100 block of 17th Street Southeast. Police arrested a man after a traffic stop for driving with a suspended license. Police took the passenger into custody after finding a home-made bong at his feet inside the vehicle. In a search of the vehicle incident to arrest, officers found a high-powered explosive device underneath the passenger seat. Both males knew about the explosive device but neither would cop to owning it.

Assault: 6:05 p.m., 31200 block of 124th Avenue Southeast. A woman reported she was in an argument with her husband, said she slapped him and he returned the compliment.

Isn't it great to live in the USA?

I Was Stunned

I came home from work yesterday and knew Suzie had been here. I parked the bike and went in through the garage, and the first thing I noticed was the fact that the vertical blinds at the dining room sliding door were closed.

Then I noticed the dishes were done. Then I noticed the floor had been vacuumed. As I went upstairs it continued. The whole house had been vacuumed! I sat down and turned on the computer, noting the bed looked freshly made as well. After I checked my email and stuff I went into the bathroom to pee. The toilet was clean! I looked around dumbfounded, noting the counter and sink also had been cleaned. I went downstairs to go back out to the garage to putter, and looked around as I went. There were signs of her everywhere. I stopped at the small bathroom on the way out. Yep, the cleaning fairy had been there too. She had even crushed the cans I had lined up in front of the recycle bin in the garage and tossed them in.

I was (and am still) amazed. She had already surprised me with a visit at work yesterday for lunch outside. She was babysitting her oldest grandson, Joe, and brought him along too. It was quite a surprise. Little did I know what awaited me when I got home later! As we sat and talked last night she noted that I had said that I "hadn't been able to get anything done" around the house that I had wanted to do this last week because I was spending my time with her doing stuff. Much of "that stuff" was repairing her new hot tub, but in all fairness, I could have squeezed all of that stuff in--It's just that one thing led to another and I just didn't.

As I sit here in semi-darkness, typing to the sound of her gentle snoring in bed nearby, I cant help but think: This is quite a woman.

It could be why, for whatever reason, I was into poetry mode while I was at work yesterday. We have always said that we have a strange sort of connection with each other. I guess we were on each others' minds pretty strongly yesterday. Here's what I wrote but it's not much yet:

A woman named Sue, it appeared
had a lifestyle she greatly revered.
Then everything changed;
her life rearranged;
when her heart was so suddenly speared.

Cupid's arrow flew swiftly and true,
where it came from she hadn't a clue.
Feelings largely unused
from being battered and bruised
resurfaced, all shiny and new.

I have these poetic times here and there, but I don't always have to ability to jot them down. Sometimes I never get a chance to concentrate long enough to come up with what I am feeling at the time.

We took a quick ride on the Harley before we settled down and reheated some of my homemade chicken enchiladas. We just took a little ride along the Green River to Kent and back to see if we could smell the aroma of ripening blackberries yet. I had smelled them on the way home from work, but at that time the sun was high overhead, cooking the berries and releasing their scent to waft and mingle with the smells of the river and underbrush. I love that smell! After we ate we were struck by the sunset and hurriedly tossed my camera into the car and sped up the hill to the Auburn Cemetery where there is a little park overlook. On the way up we noticed the full moon also coming up at the same time. The photo session was horrible due to the mosquitoes. In the few minutes we were there I was eaten alive. The sunset never proved to be very good as far as lighting up Mt. Rainier because it was somewhat hazy over that direction, but the moon looked pretty cool. Here's a sample of what we got:



Looks like another hot day today. We're going to be finalizing the hot tub today. All we have left to do on it is put the newly-reconstructed sides back on it and lay it back down. Her son-in-law Tony (every family wishes it had an electrician like Tony!) is wiring it all up for her. Although it's definitely not hot tub weather, it will be very cool to have it done and operational!

Craigslist - Gotta Love It!

I want to thank Suzie for the inspiration for this post. I blatantly stole it from her after she mentioned this very thing at her son's house this evening.

This was a Craigslist weekend. It was also a Craigslist week. Each of us made two deals this weekend.

• I ended up selling that pile of antique Osborne computers a couple days ago. That was a good thing. It netted me more space and $160.

• I bought a pair of almost new La Sportiva hiking boots for only $40. They retail for about $180. They are nice! Here's a link to them at Backcountry.com
  

• Suzie ended up finally finding the hot tub she wanted in Craigy's list this week. She has been looking for a long, long time. She wanted a fairly small one, fairly cheap, and in good shape. This one is a Jacuzzi brand and was close by. It's a 4-person model and was $500. We have been working on it all day and still have more work to do on it. The tub portion is in great shape but the wood surround is in need of a lot of repair. We're already on reassembly. We may be soaking by this time next weekend... Who knows. The good thing is she already has wiring in because she used to have a tub there already.

• She also has Craigslist to thank for getting rid of a boxspring and mattress yesterday. On a whim she put an ad on there for them, free to pick up. In just a few hours they were gone. Teresa could learn from her!

Yep, we have had a good weekend thanks to Craigslist. A little come, and a little go. A little cash here and there, and everyone goes away happy.

Yep, Craigslist: Gotta love it!

From One Nerd to Another

I used to be a nerd. No wait--Okay, you got me. I still have huge nerd moments. But back in the day I was one of the "new followers" of the computer generation. I was mesmerized and totally awestruck by the notion of computers. We were the "hot rodders" of the silicon era. In the 50's guys used to hang out in each others' garages swapping stories and trying new hop-ups and upgrades. The computer age was no different--Only cleaner. I never stopped loving playing with computers, but I did manage to tone down my ardor by a smidge over the years.

Back in the day I tried to experience as much of the new wave of technology as I could. I read magazines all the time, trying to stay abreast of the fast-moving introduction of all the new bits and pieces of the computing age. At one point I even had a job as outside salesman for a small computer store in Enumclaw, Washington whose specialty was Kaypro computers. That was back before IBM had even made an industry standard for the masses to follow. Unfortunately, I wasn't exactly "in the right place at the right time" to take full advantage of the new boom. I didn't make a lot of money, and money was essential if you wanted to be a computer geek. If people knew now what some of the computer equipment cost then they would probably think the nerds of the time were totally devoid of any brain cells. Yes, I was a poor man then, and poor men couldn't really own computers.

I did manage to connect with the computer age, but I had to start out cheaply--With an Atari computer. Even so, I never stopped reading and watching and learning about what was out there. Because the age of computers was changing so drastically from month to month, it wasn't long before "dinosaurs" of the era started popping up in places like the Goodwill, St. Vincent de Paul, or Salvation Army stores. Occasionally I would have the opportunity to buy something in one of those stores--Something that was so outdated and slow that nobody wanted it. Those "somethings" spoke to me. When I happened across a deal in a junk store, I had to buy it. I couldn't bear something as classic as that (whatever it happened to be) to fall into the hands of a total idiot. I had to buy. It was like a collector's item. It was a sign of the times. It was my last chance to grasp hold of something I couldn't afford when it was in its prime. Things like that were cool.

Tonight the last of my computer collectibles left my home. Tonight a man that might have been a giant back then had he been born a decade sooner left my home with a treasure trove of computing history. I sold, in one lot, three Osborne computers, a Zenith add-on monitor for Osbornes, a new-in-the-box modem for Osborne computers, and a bunch of books and software. The monitor had been carefully wrapped in a garbage bag for the 20-years or so I had owned it, and the software was all still in the genuine Osborne sleeves they came in. I'm $160 richer and they went to a good home. As a matter of fact, I'm totally convinced that this guy was related to Napoleon Dynamite. I'm serious--The resemblance was truly unbelievable.

Actually, the guy was a good negotiator. I respected him. I had the package on Craigslist for $250 obo, but after much haggling, we arrived at the price of $140. When we had carted it all out and he was loading it all into his truck with tender loving care, I told him I was going to run in and double check my bookshelf upstairs to see if there wasn't anything else I may had missed. I grabbed an issue of a magazine that I had been keeping since way back: The premiere issue of PC Computing magazine (geeks go nuts over something as anal as that). I gave it to him and told him something like, "Here, I'll bet you're a person that can appreciate something like this. It's yours if you want it." Apparently I struck a chord with him because he gave me an additional $20, saying that he "wanted us both to be happy with the deal" or something similar.

Yep, that was the last of my old stuff, but it will live a happy life I'm sure. I'm sure it's in good hands. After all, you know how it was handed over:

From one nerd to another.

The Story of a Lost Ham

Okay, some of you may be grossed out.

Let's rewind a few months--Back to another time. Back to a time that was December 21st, 2007. Some of you may recall that it was the last day of work before Christmas vacation. It was the day that me and my coworkers spent speculating as to what amazing thing that the Brothers LaCroix would bestow on their minions for sticking with them and doing their job. The thing they called the Christmas "bonus".

We got a ham, and it was a real big one. It was a Kirkland brand, from the shelves of Costco. It was a big, spiral-cut, bone-in ham. Because the various family functions of the holidays had feasts and meals going on, I opted to cook mine up at a later date. I figured to wait a while--At least long enough for me to "forget" what a ham feast tastes like. I thought maybe for Easter or something. I wasn't sure at that point.

So there it sat--In my refrigerator--Staring at me from the bottom shelf every time I opened the door. I know what you're thinking: "Whoa! You didn't freeze it?" No, I didn't. I don't like ham that has been frozen. Ham has a high moisture content and when it's frozen it destroys the firmness of the meat. At least that's my reasoning. So, like I said... There it sat. Through winter and into spring. Through spring and into summer.

Suddenly it's August.

I had been assured by my coworker Elaine (a very "meat-knowledgeable" lady) at one point that it was still good. I think that it was back in April or May she said that. She assured me that cured hams are able to last a long time. I still never got around to cooking it. Now it's months later and I still hadn't even unwrapped it.

See, at this point it has been covered. In addition to the vac-pack wrapper that it's packed in, it was also wrapped in a shiny, red foil-looking material, and that in turn was covered by the plastic netting that all large hams seem to have. Because of these things I was never able to actually look at the meat. For whatever reason, I had decided this last weekend that enough was enough. I had to know. I purposely chose the weekend because Monday was my garbage day. That way I had an "out" if it suddenly came alive and sprang for my throat when I opened it.

Saturday I took the ham out of the fridge. It was the first time it had moved since sometime during the Christmas vacation when I had removed it to weigh it (I wanted to see just how much "bonus" they had given us) before putting it back. It was a weird feeling picking that ham up, knowing that it hadn't been touched for (gasp!) over seven months. I had actually touched it from time to time just to make sure it still felt as it should (you know, the "bloat"), but had never moved it. I put it on the counter and cut the net off it. I was sort of afraid to take the shiny, red wrapper off it. Although it was still nice and firm to the touch, I was afraid to see what it actually looked like (I don't like incorrect colors on meat). I cut the wrapper off.

It was perfect! It looked like a new ham--I was amazed.

Yes, I cooked it. I put in in the oven and baked it for 2 hours (like I said, it was a big ham) to bring it up to the right internal temperature per the instructions on the label. Suzie came over and we feasted on an antique pig. I'll tell you--That was some kinda great-tasting ham. After I took it out of the oven and cut it off the bone I was surprised at how much meat I had in front of me. I had to scrounge the biggest container I had just to hold it all. The bone and some of the meat went into the freezer for winter soup. Now the ham is back home in the same place in the fridge that it occupied for months.

Let that be a lesson to you. Cured hams last a long time.

So where's the gross-out in the story? Some of you will undoubtedly think that I should have my head examined for eating something that old. Others may think it's no big deal.

I just figured I know how to make my Christmas bonus last.

A Weekend of Hiking

We planned on going up to Chinook Pass on Saturday and hiking to Sheep Lake. By the time Saturday morning came around, one thing led to another and we never made it.

For one thing, we wanted to go to the G.I. Joe's sidewalk sale that was in its final weekend. Then on Saturday morning I got a call from Sarah that she was back home from her week in Yellowstone with one of her friends and their family. It also turns out that Teresa was having her annual garage sale, so we took the opportunity to drop by their house for visit. That gave everybody the chance to meet each other. Sue got to meet Teresa and her friend Noelle, and vice-versa. Everybody seemed to be totally fine and got along well, but as I told Sue later that probably gave them lots of gossip fuel--Teresa and Noelle love to talk about people. Sarah had a ton of great pictures on her laptop from her vacation and we took a few minutes looking over them. From there we went up to the the sale at G.I. Joes. It sucked and we bought zilch. At that time we decided that we would postpone the hike at Sheep Lake until Sunday and would instead go to the Snoqualmie Days event in the little town of Snoqualmie. After all, it was supposed to be nicer on Sunday anyway.

I think the event was actually called Snoqualmie Railroad Days. They have a lot of antique trains in the town, and during this event they actually give rides. There were the usual vendors that are present at most all of those sorts of events. We wandered all around taking pictures of trains and things, and eventually made our way a couple of miles up the street to Snoqualmie Falls. As you might guess during an event like that, it was pretty busy. We took a bunch of pictures of the falls and decided to hike down to the river level at the bottom of the canyon. I have lived here all my life and had never been down that trail. It was quite the workout! It was one thing going down the trail--That woke up the calves. Coming back up though--That was quite another thing. We had to take numerous stops to rest up. After all, we are a couple of 50+ year-old softies, and the trail was pretty steep. We ended up getting some pretty good pictures though, from both the top and the bottom of the falls. I'm glad we went.

The day was absolutely flawless up there on top of Chinook Pass yesterday. The hike to Sheep Lake is a great one for novice hikers (about 2 miles each way), and in my opinion, was easier than the trail down to the bottom of Snoqualmie Falls. We had a great time and took lots of pictures. We saw some awesome scenery, and had a good time feeding a "campsite robber" jay bird of some kind at the lake end of the trail. He wouldn't quite eat out of our hands, but came pretty close and made for some good pictures. While we were there at the top I ended up getting practically eaten alive by mosquitoes. While we both "dosed up" with bug juice prior to that, they still managed to find the spots that we missed. Suzie had the misfortune of losing her prescription bifocals on the way though, and we didn't notice they were missing until we were well over halfway to the end. We spent the entire hike back with our heads down, scanning the trail. Luckily, someone had found them ahead of us, and they were waiting on top of the little pay box in the parking area near the info maps. What a relief! After we got back to the car, we drove back a mile or two and stopped on the west side of the pass, wandering off up a trail for more pictures. We sat in the sun up there for an hour or so before finally leaving there as the sun was beginning to dip. We ended up getting home last night at about bedtime.

For such a softie, I'm not sore at all this morning, but I do still have a pretty puffy right eye. A mosquito bite above my eye has transformed itself overnight into somewhat of a hive-like puffiness all around my eye. While it's not all that noticable because I wear glasses, when I take them off, hoo boy!

It was a great weekend and I really enjoyed getting out in nature. I'm sure we will end up doing that more and more often. Keep an eye on our picture site--While they're not up yet, pictures of our weekend will most certainly appear there soon!