People talk about their vacations not lasting long enough, but I have experienced the strangest thing in the last few trips I've taken (ok, it happened with China, too). Normal a week go by in a flash. But with a vacation, 1 week feels like 1 month. A good month. Everything is refreshed, re-charged, my spirit is ready to go, though normally I am a little tired, physically. By the time I get done with my vacation, and get back to State College, I feel like I haven't been there for ages, like I'm switching between worlds again. Anyway, it was a good vacation.
Order of operations (& photos)
1st day: Visited the Ogdens, in Seattle. Mom talked with her life-long friend/missionary in Africa Carol, while I explored West Seattle & Alki beach. Ate at Yasuko's, a teriyaki restaurant. Ah Teriyaki, how I have missed thee, thy sumptuous flavors, thy piles of white rice, thy shredded, slightly wilting heap of vegtables normally shoved into the corner of your pearlescent Styrofoam exterior... saw Grandpa, looked really healthy and cheerful, went to Costcos, bought an enormous amount of food to be consumed over the next 4 days.
2nd day: Took the ferry into Seattle, busted around town, visited SPU, talked with my old prof, got a few suggested readings, headed back on the passenger ferry w/dad, ate some really good chili.
3rd day: Went to the beach, chased crabs, snakes, wandered around, grabbed some film from Walmart, ate a really good pot-roast. Munched on black berries. Listened to some cool stories from Grandpa. He's such a good driver that, during the depression, the forest service had him driving around mountains stringing wire, even though he was only 15. When he told them he was 15, they crossed out his age, and filled in 18. His life is a very interesting one.
4th day: Cleaned up, said goodbye to Grandpa, headed to Seattle, went to Ivars, ate some fat encrusted but really good fried oysters, met up with Sally, drove back to E. side, ate Mexican food w/Marian and Jacob, got dropped off at the Boothmans, helped load a horse trailer with various produce items. Watch the most fascinating phenomena that is the Boothmans making bread. Loaded the
extremely delicious looking bread onto the truck. Try to go to sleep. End up talking with Peter till 1:00. Finally fall asleep at 3.
5th day: Awake to Roger telling me not to jump out of bed too fast at 5:30. Drive to Farmers Market w/Peter. Set up camp. Participate in the most fascinating phenomena that is the Boothmans selling produce and [very delicious] bread. Finish up at 1:30. Catch the last 15 minutes of the Logos alumni reunion. I really like that school. Get dropped off at John Lang's place. Conk out on the couch. Watch a Star Treck episode. Matt P comes. We eat some REALLY good spare ribs (thanks John). Play some monopoly spin-off space game. It's fun. I lose first. (Whyyyy?) Watch a 2 hour episode of star treck about going back in time. It's funny. Go home go to sleep.
6th day: Sunday. Go to Pullman E. Free. Really great church... Doug talks about consequences of the resurrection, and the security we have in risk taking. Meet Pastor Cesar & his wife. Wow. People full of character. See all sorts of people I haven't seen in a while. Ian Skavdahl leads worship. He is really good. A hymn he arranged gets stuck in my head for the next 3 days. Have lunch with the family. Ride on Jacob's motorcycle. I want a motorcycle now. Play Croquet. Marian wins 2 rounds in a row. I get last place 2 rounds in a row. (Whyyyy???). Play sock golf with Jacob. I launch the sock onto the roof of his house. Then, over a barbed wire, into a muddy creek. I lose both times. (WHYYY??). We all have dinner at home. We eat Barbecued ribs again. They are REALLY good. We play rook. I lose. Mom wins. She didn't even want to play....
7th day: Inner tubing! Jacob needs to burn vacation days before the start of his masters degree. We bust over to the Selway. The ride takes 3 hours but seems like 2. Selway falls is great. The weather = good. Water = cold. Lots of big fish in the water. Jacob mysteriously floats down the river much faster than me, despite my best efforts. We both learn to steer away from the rocks. Rapids = fun, until you get really cold. 5 hours later, we get to our bikes, and bike back to the car.
Ride back = 3 hours but seems like 5. We eat, uh some roast. It's really good.
8th day: I visit Marc Weber, who I used to work for at WSU. He shows me the new positron accelerator, and possibly offers me some work. Visit John Lang's lab. He smashes diamonds for a living. His lab has a LOT of money. And several very large guns. Eat lunch at a Japanese restaurant with Mom and Marian. Oishkatta! Go to Tristate. "Idaho's most interesting store!" I don't like shopping. Pick up photos. Go home & pack. Get delivered to the Airport. Smell Pullman for the last time in a while. Fly home.
Day 1:
D
[Hilary making a small splash. Foto: Amelie Von Bibra]
