July 25: back to Seattle
Our mission today was to get back to Seattle after a wonderful three days on the road exploring eastern Oregon. After getting up early and reading, I quickly packed, and eventually Alexandra got up as well. It was raining, but not heavily, and the rain surely is welcome in the Pacific Northwest at this time. We were both in the mood for croissants or scones for breakfast, so after a final sortie through the apartment we had stayed in, we set the GPS for a breakfast cafe Alexandra had heard of from one of her friends--Ovation, in downtown Portland. I had a wonderful Moroccan chai and a blueberry scone, and Alexandra had an apple croissant and a coffee. After that we were on our way to a 3-hour drive to Seattle, arriving at about 3:30 p.m., to find Bo not feeling his best (allergies); the dog Hattie at her most rambunctious, and Major Tom, the cat, haughtily placid, yet secretly pleased we had made it back.
Before getting back to the house, we had stopped at Alexandra's favorite bakery and had purchased three different pastries for a little birthday party I wanted to throw for Alexandra and Bo in the evening. One was an exotic pistachio cassis confection for Bo; mine, a key lime tart with blueberries and whipped cream, and Alexandra's, a white cream cake with about four filled layers--all proved to be scrumptious later on.
As no one had had lunch, we decided to go to a seafood restaurant on Puget Sound, called Ray's. A wedding reception was going on there, but we were able to sit on an outside deck facing the sound, watching boats, kayakers and tugs come in, and enjoying each other's company. Since it was happy hour, we ordered a smorgasbord of appetizers to try, including Caesar salads, clams, and calamari, plus some hot bread and butter--all of which were marvelous. Both Alexandra and Bo treated. Afterwards, they drove me to the Crittenden Locks, connecting Lake Union with Puget Sound, where we watched 7 crafts of various sorts, including motor boats and an elegant sailboat, be transferred from one level to another. We also walked the gardens next to the locks, and I took quite a few photos of the two lovebirds, hand-in-hand and obviously quite smitten with each other. Ah, young love!
We returned home, and I had both Alexandra and Bo unwrap their birthday presents from me. Bo's birthday had taken place a few weeks ago, so I was late there; Alexandra's birthday is on August 17, but I will not be able to celebrate with her, so I had to strike while the iron was hot, so to speak. I gave Alexandra a purple / gold scarf and a rug mousepad from the Turkish rug place I had visited near Ephesus, Turkey; an icon of a winged St. John I had purchased in Kalambaka, Greece; a CD of Greek Orthodox service music from the monastery of St. Stephens in the Meteora region of Greece; a stamp-and-ink set featuring the patterns of a pediment and olive branches which I had purchased in the Acropolis Museum in Athens; two bath bombs which I had gotten her on return to the US; and a check to cover a meal with Bo on her birthday. For Bo, a leather key chain from Beam & Anchor, a small boutique in Portland, as well as a wonderful card with an etched view of Mt. Hood, which Alexandra and I had visited. I think my gifts were well received. Afterwards we had pastries (also a hit), and then played Trivial Pursuit and Scrabble until about midnight. Last full day tomorrow before I am off to San Francisco. What a fine stay!
Before getting back to the house, we had stopped at Alexandra's favorite bakery and had purchased three different pastries for a little birthday party I wanted to throw for Alexandra and Bo in the evening. One was an exotic pistachio cassis confection for Bo; mine, a key lime tart with blueberries and whipped cream, and Alexandra's, a white cream cake with about four filled layers--all proved to be scrumptious later on.
As no one had had lunch, we decided to go to a seafood restaurant on Puget Sound, called Ray's. A wedding reception was going on there, but we were able to sit on an outside deck facing the sound, watching boats, kayakers and tugs come in, and enjoying each other's company. Since it was happy hour, we ordered a smorgasbord of appetizers to try, including Caesar salads, clams, and calamari, plus some hot bread and butter--all of which were marvelous. Both Alexandra and Bo treated. Afterwards, they drove me to the Crittenden Locks, connecting Lake Union with Puget Sound, where we watched 7 crafts of various sorts, including motor boats and an elegant sailboat, be transferred from one level to another. We also walked the gardens next to the locks, and I took quite a few photos of the two lovebirds, hand-in-hand and obviously quite smitten with each other. Ah, young love!
We returned home, and I had both Alexandra and Bo unwrap their birthday presents from me. Bo's birthday had taken place a few weeks ago, so I was late there; Alexandra's birthday is on August 17, but I will not be able to celebrate with her, so I had to strike while the iron was hot, so to speak. I gave Alexandra a purple / gold scarf and a rug mousepad from the Turkish rug place I had visited near Ephesus, Turkey; an icon of a winged St. John I had purchased in Kalambaka, Greece; a CD of Greek Orthodox service music from the monastery of St. Stephens in the Meteora region of Greece; a stamp-and-ink set featuring the patterns of a pediment and olive branches which I had purchased in the Acropolis Museum in Athens; two bath bombs which I had gotten her on return to the US; and a check to cover a meal with Bo on her birthday. For Bo, a leather key chain from Beam & Anchor, a small boutique in Portland, as well as a wonderful card with an etched view of Mt. Hood, which Alexandra and I had visited. I think my gifts were well received. Afterwards we had pastries (also a hit), and then played Trivial Pursuit and Scrabble until about midnight. Last full day tomorrow before I am off to San Francisco. What a fine stay!
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