Red Is the New Black?

On Monday June 18, 2018 I traded in my Black VW Tiguan and purchased a new 2018 Cardinal Red VW Tiguan from Hannah Motors VW Dealership in Vancouver, WA.  After several hours of intense negotiations I got the luggage security cover and the price that I was willing to pay for the car.  I paid the car off earlier this month.  I started noticing how many red cars there are!  Red must be the new black!

Staying Cool on Hot Summer Days

It is so weird but nice to have air conditioning in the house.  I have lived in this 2000-sq-ft house since December 1973 with no air conditioning and an inadequate forced air heater.  I finally had an American Standard Platinum 18 Heat Pump and Air Handler installed at the end of June.  A Heating and Air Conditioning Company in town did the installation.  It was a challenge but they did a fantastic job. 

Trip to Seattle via Amtrak

On Friday, July 6, I went to Seattle via Amtrak.  I drove to the Vancouver (WA) Train Depot where I parked my car for free.  I boarded Coach at 8:40am.  I brought along a bottle of apple juice and purchased a slice of banana nut bread and a banana at the club car.  It was a lovely 3+ hour ride to the King Street Station.

I have a Business Class seat on my return so I went to the ticket window at the King Street Station to get seat assignment and club car $3.00 coupon.  I took the elevator to the 2nd floor and walked across the street to the bus stop.  I got on the first bus that was going north on 3rd to the stop between University and Union.  I walked downhill to the Geocaching Event at Starbucks.  Almost all of the attendees were Lackeys from Groundspeak.

Afterwards I caught a bus on 3rd Street to 34th Street in the Fremont District.  I walked a block to Groundspeak HQ.   I met two Lackeys: OnCloudDevine and B14ckH4wkGER.  I was sorry to miss Annie who was vacationing in Scotland. I have been to all of the Groundspeak Headquarters many times except I never went to the first one which I was told was a garage. I met all three founders in July 2008 when HQ was under the monorail.

I caught the bus back to downtown Seattle where I went to the Seattle Art Museum (SAM).  It was free day for Seniors.  Special Exhibitions were half price so I purchased a ticket for "Double Exposure".   It was several rooms of photos mostly taken by Edward S. Curtis around 1900.

I went back to Starbucks to purchase a snack box of cheese, crackers and fruit.  Starbucks was closing so I ate my snack at a bench in the lobby, watching people pass by.  

I caught the bus to the King Street Amtrak Station.  The train was about 15 - 20 minutes late leaving the station.  Soon the train engine ran into trouble.  We had to backtrack to the station.  The train conductor came by to turn all of our seats around.  We finally got underway.  We were about 45 minutes late getting into Vancouver.  

Great Seattle trip!

At the Oregon Beach

Yesterday I went to Seaside, Oregon with the Marshall Center Senior Group.  The vans parked near the new Seaside Convention Center.  I walked five blocks to the Seaside Visitor Center to find the Geocache. 

I walked across the street to have lunch at Seaside Brewing. I had a green salad, cup of clam chowder with oyster crackers and three samplers of their beer: Vanilla Cream (my favorite), Marionberry Hefe and IPA.  Great ambiance.  Mighty tasty food.  I wandered west down Broadway.

I bought a book at Rust & Dust Vintage called "Duel in the Sun" by Niven Busch c. 1944 for $3.00.  It was made into a 1946 Western film starring Gregory Peck, Jennifer Jones, and Joseph Cotten. 

I bought a cup of Marionberry icecream.  A single scoop but very large.  I sat on the black and white cow bench at the front of the store and people watched.   I saw a woman walk by carrying a young hysterical girl.

I continued walking west on Broadway.  I briefly watched the bumper cars.  Great fun.  I walked to the turnaround to watch the ocean.  It would have been lovely except for the family drama taking place at the end of the bench.  About 20 minutes after I sat down the woman with the young hysterical girl showed up.  What are the odds.  Hundreds and hundreds of people were at Seaside and I get the one bench with the young hysterical girl.  Family made a fuss over her.  I wandered off shortly to look at the colorful front yard flower gardens and return to the vans.

Marshall Center Senior Group left at 3:00pm, returning to Vancouver via Astoria and the Longview Bridge.  Great trip!

The evil that men do...

I watched the AG quote the bible as justification for ripping children from their parents.  How dare he use the bible as justification for the evil that this administration is doing! The last straw came yesterday when I heard about a 15 day old baby taken from a mother's arms after she crossed the border. I woke up this morning at 4:00 am really really upset!  And I am still upset!!

May 2008 Weekend

Day before yesterday, May 5, I went to Albertina Kerr in Portland for a Kentucky Derby Luncheon. I had a lovely table in the corner where I could see the garden with vibrant red rhodys and the ladies in the room with their lovely hats.  I wore a wide brimmed black hat that I had purchased at Butchart Gardens in Victoria BC. I plan to attend Albertina Kerr Garden Party in mid July.

Yesterday, May 6, I drove an hour and half north to Centralia to see a play at the Evergreen Playhouse - "And Then There Were None" by Agatha Christie.  Great fun.  Afterwards I got three passport stamps at McMenamins in Centralia, Washington and all five passport stamps at the new McMenamins in Kalama, Washington on the way home.  I won a thermos decorated with their signature artwork.