This trip has been one of many treasures we have had in our lives. Leaving the daily routine, responsibilities, and chores of home allows life to be free and unencumbered. It is a time to
see new things and reflect on what it is that the future holds for a newly retired couple. We
marvel at the miracles of nature around every turn we take on the road. We have met so many
interesting people and heard many common stories about family, life, pets and travel. It reminds us that with so many televised stories of the evil that happens in the world, there are far more beautiful
and kind people in the world that never make the news. Our dogs have been a great way to sag
way into conversations with travelers along the trip. Grace and Stella had to travel through the airport in small kennels on wheels, Their heads were sticking out the top which could be unzipped. What a stir they made throughout the trip. Apparently, in the northwest, long haired dachshunds are very rare
and expensive to buy, so when we go to the beach, they are like little movie stars! Maybe they could
have their own reality show?! The dogs have been great travelers, love all the little kids that approach them and rarely bark at anyone or anything. They sleep for hours in the back of the car while we
do our sightseeing, so this part of our trip has been a pleasant surprise.
The weather here has been cloudy and cool every morning until about noon. After that, it either becomes completely blue cloudless sky or stays gloomy. The highs are in the 70's and some days it doesn't get to far into the 60's. Lots of humidity in the morning until the mist and drizzle blows out and this makes for lush greenery everywhere you look. We have a hedge of azaleas bordering our sidewalk and they are three times the size of our ones at home. Off our back deck, it looks like a forest with vines circling around all the trees. This area has obviously taken some hits with the slow economy, overbuilding in the early 2000's. So many homes and businesses are for sale that it has kind of become a running joke for us. The area is so attractive that it should be thriving, but as in most places, they have had a few large businesses come in closing out the small time shops. In this town it is "Fred Meyer" which is like a "Walmart" and has everything from groceries, to clothing and household needs.
It is the only place in town to shop for clothes which pretty much makes the place a monopoly. Even in the suburban area where we are living, there are homes on every block for sale. It is a gorgeous setting, so it just seems that many places are second homes that the owners can no longer afford. We can see
that we have dodged a bullet in the midwest in terms of economic downfalls.
We have been able to experience a different type of lifestyle here with so many people depending on fishing rather than farming. Last weekend there was a "Pirate Festival" which reminded me of our "Fall Festival" at home, only funnel cakes were sold by pirate and gypsy characters. It was fun seeing the costumes and seeing the cannons, flags etc. They do have the same emphasis on the arts and we enjoyed "Art in the Park" one weekend. We have bought art supplies and are working on our own "masterpieces" while we are here! (nothing for sale, however) They have lots of vegetable and fruit stands in this area and the corn we have eaten is just as good as home. Craig picked wild blackberries which he raved about, which I, at first, thought might poison him. They are everywhere and you see people out picking them on the roadsides. He loved eating them on ice cream and since he lived to tell about it, we were thankful!
There are gated communities here which have magnificent homes right on the ocean and then there are homeless people that live in the nearby "Azalea Park" area. It is such an extreme difference in lifestyle and opportunities. It helps you realize how lucky you are when you have a place to live, a great family and good friends. God has blessed us so much on this trip and we are grateful to have this experience.
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