If I'm posting then it must be a new month....

Well, we returned (reluctantly) from Seattle after driving up with Marin and JR. They live in an area north of Seattle called Kirkland which is famous for being the first one to have a Costco, thus the store name of Kirkland on many of Costco's products. It's beautiful and where they live overlooks Lake Washington which is famous for where Bill Gates grew up,(very rich) and still lives today(even richer). We toured the underground tunnels which still exist after the city of Seattle built up over them. We visited Pike's Place Market which is huge and has hundreds of stores in an open market style and over the Memorial Day week-end had even more open markets. I got wonderful scented candles, creams and lotions, a sweatshirt and t-shirt that say,what else, Seattle on them. We ate at Ivars, a great fish and chips place on the water front. Garn and JR had clam chowder and I had fish and chips and Marin played it safe with chicken. Her order took the longest to cook cuz I think they had to go out and find a chicken! (I mean, who goes to a fish place on the water front and orders CHICKEN??) Ah, I can't believe my kids don't eat fish.The Aquarium was great and we were under the aquarium and saw the fish being fed. They had all kinds from sturgeon to stingrays to all of the other varieties. We saw sea lions perform and I even petted some starfish and sea anemonies. We also ate at the Cheesecake Factory which was a first for Garn and me. The food there is terrific! ........ I also am so amazed with how well JR got around the city and even how well he got TO the city! The freeway systems are so numerous and confusing and he breezed right through. What amazes me more is how brave Marin was to navigate the freeways too. It was her first time driving there and she took the wheel often. We also went to beautiful waterfalls which are 100 ft. higher than Niagra Falls and stood on the deck overlooking Snoqualmie Falls. I felt like I was in that commercial for wood treatment that shows people on the deck looking at Niagra. These Falls are 25 mi. east of Seattle and are one of Wash. most popular scenic attractions. Because of the constant moisture in Seattle it is dubbed the Emerald City and it lives up to its name. Everything is green and lush and the pine trees even at sea level make you think you are high in the mountains. I sort of harbored (there are lots of harbors, too!) the idea that Marin and JR would consider coming back to Utah some day but after experiencing Seattle and its surrounding countryside I cannot envision them leaving such an idealic setting. I realize there is a tradeoff for the scenery and that is lots of rain. However, spending winter in the rain as opposed to snow is a no-brainer for me. The Washingtonians merely go about their activities rain or shine. All in all it was a wonderful visit and it was very hard to leave them when it was time for us to go home. Between Texas and Wash. we'll be saving our dollars for travelling!! Love to all, the Referee