Rain, rain, go away...

I really don't mind the rain, especially in Denver when the sun comes right back out and dries up all but the deepest puddles, or when I am close to home for puddle-jumping on the sidewalk. Mostly here the drizzly, misty rain started Sunday in Seattle, but truly, we did not let it put a damper on our weekend. My "cousin" Dave picked me up from the train station in Tacoma on Friday. What a reunion! I hadn't seen him in eleven years! Much changes, but we stay the same. I refused the Triple Crown pizza (sausage, beef, and pepperoni), but enjoyed pizza and beer out with Dave and his friends. We made it home for a burn barrel - metal bin and fire - the urban campfire. It was great, since I was a bit chilled. I was glad I packed a scarf from friends Sam and Marcie LaPorte. The entertainment could only get better - Red Sovine, anyone? Dave put in trucker-tunes. Look him up on Goodsearch.com (be sure to enter Metro CareRing as your charity), and you, too, can listen to the sweet story of Teddy Bear and the 18-wheelers. Saturday Dave took me to Erin and Lotson's amazing abode in Renton. We had so much fun catching up and taking in some football. Boy, how I miss them! I was thoroughly impressed and awed by their very grown-up residence: matching furnishings, beautiful kitchen, BIG yard, garden...gorgeous home! Their cat Delilah took to me, and we played many a game of fetch. While in town we went to a brewery for good food and beer, went down to the water to see the locks and spawning ladder for the salmon (saw some jumping), went to the produce market (dreamy, local vegetables and fruit in abundance), watched a movie and a bunch of football (Packers won), baked apple pies with Erin, and ta-dum - helped Lotson take out the dishwasher and get the new one close to installed. That was a highlight, being quasi-handy. And today - Mom took off Monday and picked me up in the rain. We had lunch and saw Hairspray at the movie theater. We had a vacation day together! (The ratio of work to play for my mom is pretty high, so this was a lot of fun.) Nothing much else going on today. Just trying to get things in order in my head. ta-ta-tori