Business Travel

.... is not quite as fun as I had hoped. However, I am perfectly willing to repeat the experience if it will get me back to Seattle more frequently.

First of all, Kent is to Seattle as Cedar Rapids is to Iowa City. If you weren't born in IA, compare any manufacturing city to a college town. Secondly, hotels built in the middle of office parks tend to have food so bad that even Aramark would be ashamed. Thirdly, working 'til nearly 11pm then getting 6:45am phone calls (business) is just unpleasant. But on the bright side, being paid for a day of travel & not feeling guilty about paying for overpriced food at the airport is nice. As is having a whole glorious weekend to see all the people I love in Seattle.

Things I learned in Seattle in approximate order of discovery:

1. "When possible, make a legal U-turn!" should not be repeated ad nauseum by any piece of electronic equipment, no matter how accurate the GPS sensor. Reroute, please reroute!

2. I have a sixth sense when it comes to locating farmer's markets :)

3. The next person who says "my friend" if I do not actually know them risks having all my frustration/anger toward McCain directed at them.

4. Blind dates (or in this, their equivalent) are just plain awkward. Scandalizing prim & proper blind dates by passing the time telling anecdotes about McNeill (go boys from Farmington, MO) helps. Good amusement, anyhow.

5. Hanging out w/amazing people on a boat, enjoying the sunshine & breeze is one of the best ways possible to spend an afternoon. OK, I already knew that.

6. Chocolate factories are wonderful places. Note to all who are trying to impress a chick: a chocolate factory may not impress her but eating the chocolate will surely put her in a very, very good mood.

7. Vashon Island and the Sound are spectacularly beautiful.

Side Note: Getting up in time to watch the sun rise was totally worth it.

8. Parents: do not rent the house next door to your teenage daughter's boyfriend. This will facilitate the breakup/getbacktogether cycle continuiing until the end of time.

9. I <3 talking shop with my aunts & uncles.

10. Octopi turn bright red when poked & prodded, can get huge, and make spectacular stuffed animals. As in, the plush kind for little kids. Not the look what I shot "trophy" type.

11. Riding a motorcycle IS as fun as I thought it'd be :D

12. Watching short & round dogs run, attempt a dead stop, then slide across the room truly is hilarious. Even for periods >> 1 hr while sober.

13. I do NOT like contemporary worship music. I'm a music snob & that's all there is to it.

14. Bonfires on the beach are as good as they sound.

15. I'm awful at engagement ring shopping & describing the favored ring to the other party!
And no, it's not for me or my nonexistent significant other (not that I had specify that). The pic above is of the happy couple ;)

tasty tasty

Garden parties make me happy. Of course the desserts were my crowning achievement, but no pictures of them.







And sometimes before I cook all the fruits of my garden, I play with them :D






I decided to copy chicken & rice because I do not wish to forget the wonders of fall tomatoes, peppers, beans, carrots, raspberries, apples, pumpkins, and winter squash. I love 'em all & will miss 'em until next summer.

FYI, the Franklin County Institute (my sister's farm) is named after the Hardin County Institute. The Hardin County Institute consists of the older generation of farmers, horsemen, etc, who gather together to drink coffee every morning. They meet at an ungodly hour in the morning at the Casey's (gas station) in Alden, IA and discuss things I can only imagine.

The farm is already a place of great wonderment: how so many decrepit outbuildings can exist on one property, how far the house will lean North before it finally falls, how any shitter can possibly be a "good shitter" (God rest Virgene), and it is also the place I discovered the joys of a sledgehammer & a samurai weed sword.

The farm is also a potential breeding ground for giant pumpkins, an ideal launching ground for pumpkins, has plenty of wild black raspberries & mulberries, and it even has an island in the river for exploring. So come spring, the Davis family will be out in force to build some people pigeon coops. Don't ask, I'll post pics when they finally get built.