We Saw, We Ate: an Instagram Post

Like promised, here is a recap of my weekend in Seattle.  A friend and I just needed to get away.  Desperately.  We were tired of the "this side of the water" bullshit and were in need of some culture.  Don't get me wrong, I love living where I live.  But, I really love living where I live because it is a short ferry ride to the city. 

This post is sub-titled, I love Loulay.

Loulay was her idea, and I tried to pay her back with Tom Douglas the next day. 

Gorgeous, happening, generous--we dined on clams and sunchoke cakes and I decided right then and there that the only way to drink water with your dinner is after it has been poured from a glass bottle.

And then it happened, we met the chef in the hat.  He kissed our cheeks and I wondered why a bingo card of Seattle chefs has never been invented.  I'd have two squares already. 

They do the greatest thing at Loulay--leave a little notebook behind with the check so you and your guests can leave a little love behind.

The rest of the weekend, I will show in photos.  They speak for themselves. 

 

Ok, except this one.  Cauliflower soup from Seatown.  AMAZING. 

 

We went back to Loulay Saturday night.  Sat at the bar with the cutest bartenders with swirly mustaches.  How very Seattle. 

When I got home, I recited everything we ate and drank that weekend.  A success.  I swiped a few coasters from the bar--reminders on the coffee table that culture is something you take with you. 

It Rains

Welcome to March, the shittiest, grayest of months.  The days promising to become longer, filled with daylight, yet the clouds cover the blue.  March is a horrible month to move to Washington.  March is too cold to plant anything decent, but not cold enough to layer properly.  It's long and it's a bothersome. 

But, it is the start of Spring.  Blue skies do eventually appear and I do a little dance every time a flower pokes it's head through the damp soil.  March sucks, but it has a purpose.  It's here to make you want to open the windows and let the Spring air in, but its cold air forces you to remember how great that will feel.  Everything should be appreciated in its own time.  Yesterday I put up Easter decorations, despite my husband's concerned look.  It is very much too early.  I should slow down and enjoy shamrocks before they become passé.  No doubt I will get tired of Easter egg window clings in a few weeks, or not even notice them at all.  Just like the pat-pat-pat on the roof top--it will soon be few and far between. 

Next week I will have surgery on a knee who has aged far faster than the rest of my body.  A simple dislocation on Valentine's Day 1999, when my brother and I goofed around and produced the loudest, horrendous grinding pop known to man, has been quite painful the last few weeks.  You are 28? the ortho doc asks.  I pretend I can't read black and white pictures on the screen.  Where did the last 15 years go? I wonder.  Maybe I shouldn't have played tennis or became a nurse.  Did I treat my body like I should have or did it become something I acknowledged then forgot about?  The surgery should be simple, like the original injury.  I look forward to the downtime and binging on television shows and sleep. 

However, I know I need to be present in the next 15.  Take the next couple of months to rehab, as shitty and miserable as it will be, and to be patient with each step.  March is the worst month in Washington, but transition isn't always a bad thing. 




On a side note, how cute are these two deer, munching on the flowers which I have reserved a dance with?   

 

They don't even notice the rain.  You could even argue the fluffy one is enjoying it. 

Allyn

There is a new struggle brewing to expand into the community and, at the same time, be very picky with who comes in. I think it has to do with a desire to help others but the wisdom knowing mean people are just not worth my time. Is it a growing up kind of thing, maybe past hurts have taught us to be careful with our hearts, but continue to love as much as possible? It is a great thing to meet new people, but also special to keep it small and personal. I want to get in deep with my town but have only a couple plates at the dinner table. Give myself to others but show everything to a select few. 

This side of the water is very different. Especially this side of this side of the water. Neighbors can be acres apart. We live on an island that is inhabited by Seattleites who visit every other weekend starting in June. I know the dogs name next door but can't remember the women's who is always calling for him. 

And god can people be weird here. There is an underlying weirdness to every Washingtonian (my favorite traveling game is "from Seattle"--identifying that traveller who definitely lives here). But weird is a whole new level in this county. Like "get off my land!" and don't try to learn my name kind of weird. There are pockets of civilization and hope for community, but no strong push. 

We want to live here, in this house if we can, for a real long time. Long enough to build fences and grow perennials. Maybe even plant trees. So we think a lot about how we can get involved and improve our community. How can I help? Who will be important to me? 

But we also know that we value our little life. Our select few who have stuck around. Maybe it's not just growing up, it's adapting to our environment too. 

Say Thank You

I spent the weekend in Seattle which is enough for a whole other post. It was my first weekend away with just a friend, and I promise I will share the details of our culinary adventure soon (lots of TD!). But the best part was the exploring. New food, new streets, new gadgets, new smells, it was all part of the experience. 

There was this one restaurant we kept going back to. Bubbly drinks, fantastic courses, silver chandeliers and mirrors above our heads, chefs working hard in front of us. At the end of the meal, they leave a book with the check. You are meant to draw a picture or sign your gratitude.  Almost like a prayer of thanks after you finish your food. What a concept. 

How often do we thank? How many opportunities go by to express how great something was? To a friend, family member, teacher, barista, chef--who do we compliment and in turn share a bit of ourselves to? 

A good restaurant has to do with the food and its people.  Something will taste good, yes, but if it's served with enthusiasm or by a cute bartender with a wicked mustache, god is it better. 

I spent the weekend eating but I was thankful along the way. I ate and talked and shared. To my friend, the waiter, my city, myself. 

Busy Busy

Life is so busy now and naturally important things get neglected.  Like taking photos, walking dogs, skipping stones over the inlet, and that whole stopping and smelling the roses thing. 

The nice thing is that time is passing by extremely fast.  Before I fully realize that it is February, it will nearly be March.  And soon, it will be August and I will have time for all of the above. 


More work produces more efficient time, so every minute left is filled with something else that has to get done.  Today, I have hours of work in front of the computer to do, and I will reward myself by ordering seeds from a catalog after.  Enjoyable yes, but not exactly playing hookie and seeing a movie or taking a luxurious nap. 


However, gardens need to be planned because Life will resume someday.  Yes, it's busy now, but I'm not one to believe that everything will be waiting for me when I'm done.  Instead, plant a few seeds now, watch it grow, don't worry too much about critters munching on leaves, and realize next year's fruit will be more abundant.  Balance with today's priorities taking up most of the room.  It's not perfect, but its enough for now. 


Last weekend we were in Ocean Shores and I had this grand, empowering feeling that I would share the town's quirkiness and saltiness on this blog. I would write about how grateful I am to see the ocean, the inlets, the rivers, every body of water.  How much I loved life, my husband, our friends, our dogs, and every opportunity.   I walked the beach, taking my shoes off and treating my toes to January ocean water.  A pirate's convention was in town and they were out in full force.  The really touristy stores were closed, but fake shells could still be purchased along with a hoodie in some corners of town. 

But then we got into a huge fight and didn't talk to each other from Saturday night until Sunday afternoon.  That's how life is.  A series of checks and balances meant to inspire and humble all at once.  January in Ocean Shores is remarkable and we haven't been away since Florida. We are so busy right now that we're too busy to fight.  So, that's what this trip was meant for.  That's okay. I'm sure we'll go back next year and the ocean will be a little bit clearer. 


This place is a priority for me. As the year loosens up, it will be one of the biggest priorities.  In the meantime, I'm going to punch out a little bit here and there every time I'm walking on a beach or hear a song that makes me want to dance.   It won't be a extravagant garden this year, but it will nourish me, no matter how good it tastes. 

Staring at the Pacific

I haven't seen this view in seven years. Back then things were different, not better but different. The ocean didn't engulf me as it does now. I took it for granted. Id only seen one. 

Now I'm in awe. The waves so different than the East. The beach much sandier than I remember. The layers of the water so complex. Mysterious, dangerous, waiting to be explored or cautioning to stay away. I think winter is the best season to experience it. The sun shines today and my sneakers sink into the wet sand. The beach filled with gulls, visitors, and cars. No coolers or volleyballs in sight, just cameras, dogs, and sweaters. True Washington. 

I take pictures of scattered shells, none intact, and tell myself to stop and breathe it in. Remember this. So in a few more years you can remember where you were today and where you're going tomorrow. 

New

It seems like the right time to buy in to the season and implement some good change.  Usually I celebrate the new year but ignore the hype and keep trucking along with whatever I was doing before.  This year though, I'm excited to get started. 

 
I quit my terrible job and went somewhere that made me happy.
This was the biggest change.  I was simply miserable and nothing else seemed important at the end of the day.  Life is too short to waste on people who don't want you around.  Find something else and go for it. 

Finished a quarter.  One down, three to go.  I got this. 

Aired old grievances and started fresh. Friendships need nurturing and patience.  It's important to remember that events will cause change and everyone is doing the best that they can.  In the end, say your peace and move on. 

Recognized the need to focus.  I need to take a few pictures, then put my phone down and be in the moment more. 

Celebrated health. A kidney stone and a week on Percocet really puts things into perspective.  I felt like I slept for a week and nearly missed the Christmas season.  Things are all right now and let's be grateful for that.

Missed my state.  How about less feely posts and more adventurous writing?  I have to get out there and explore.  Grab my park passes and go.  Make reservations.  Hop on the ferry soon.  Put gas in the tank and point on a map.  Write it all down as I go. 




Happy New Years.   


Let's not wait until the 31st, get going now.