The weather here in Seattle is really shaping up. I love the mild summers here, for all that I kvetch about not having air conditioning. But heat is really the exception to the rule here, not the norm. And "hot" is defined as anything over 80, which makes the summers here extremely pleasant.
On Saturday, we had some errand-running to do, which also allowed us to have lunch at a little pizza & pasta cafe on a body of water called Dyes Inlet. We took advantage of the cafe's deck and ate as we looked out over the water to the mountains in the distance. There is just something about eating outside that makes the food taste so much more intense. I highly recommend it, which is why we finally bought ourselves a patio set that includes a table large enough to serve dinner on. Yum yum!
After lunch, we decided to let Gracie run some energy out, so we headed to the park downtown. There were about four birthday parties going on simultaneously, which would have been fine if Gracie had been just a little older. As it was, she would have been trampled by all of the 8 and 10 year olds running amok around the playground. So instead we walked along the beach, and then headed to a grassy area where I let Gracie run around in her bare feet. At first, she didn't know what to make of the feeling of the grass under her feet, but then she really got to love it. Just like her momma!
As Kurt ran after Gracie, he found an abandoned Frisbee on the ground, which he then appropriated as ours. He threw it to me a few times, attracting the attention of a little boy who was there to fly kites with his parents. The little boy watched enthralled as the Frisbee arced through the air... and I watched in horror as Kurt flung the Frisbee, and it caught a stray air current and began to descend right towards the boy. Before the poor child could react, the Frisbee nailed him squarely on the bridge of his nose!! We were so apologetic. I thought perhaps the mother was a little snippy that we had injured her child (maternal instincts are quite strong, you know), but then the father reassured us that it was an accident and accidents happen. The mother warmed to us and forgave us as well, so it ended well. But I don't think we'll be throwing Frisbees around little children anymore!
Then yesterday the weather was just as beautiful, if not more so. Kurt made me breakfast in bed (eggs, bacon, a bagel, juice, and coffee), although I declined the option to actually eat it in bed, opting instead to eat in front of the tv. Once I got my act together, we headed out to Port Townsend, a cute little town about an hour north of here. It's an old town, dating at least to the mid 1800s, so there are a lot of old buildings with interesting architecture. Also the main road is right on the water, so there are several piers you can go out onto to enjoy the sights of the water and the mountains in the distance. It was just gorgeous up there.
They also had a craft fair going on that we found out about as we pulled into town. It wasn't a huge deal; probably about thirty to forty vendors, but it was still fun to see what all people had for sale. There was a really cool sunhat that I wanted, but I felt the price tag of $50 was a little steep. As a crafter myself, I know that once you get the hang of doing something (like making hats), it doesn't take you terribly long to do, especially when you have an embroidery machine to do the elaborate stitching. The hats were cute, but definitely not worth the $50 she was selling them for. I would happily have paid $20 or even $30 for one, however. We did end up buying some handmade soaps (one in lavender-mint and one in lavender & green clay... yes, I am a lavender freak), as well as a fleece blanket edged in satin for Gracie. It's purple with an adorable print of yellow duckies all over it.
By the time we got home, all of us were a bit pink, even though we'd been good and put sunblock on. Kurt made me a Mother's Day dinner of scallops and asparagus in a tarragon-lemon sauce, and after watching a bit of tv, I relaxed in a hot bath.
It was a much-needed restful weekend for the whole family. Kurt also brought good news home with him Friday, in that his trip to San Francisco has been cancelled. They were set to go for the week of the Fourth of July simply for a recreational port of call, but no one wanted to go due to all the long working hours and underway time to San Diego. They all want to spend their time with their families instead... imagine that!