Where Does The Summer Go?

Days 1 – 3 October 2026 – Seattle, WA, USA 

As always, the summer flew by much too fast.  We saw all of our medical people, and somehow there are more and more of them as we age.  Went through all the periodic testing to ensure we’re doing pretty well considering we’re both in our 70s.  

 

We enjoyed a nice little apartment in Ferndale, complete with an apple tree so that we could watch the deer all summer as they came to munch on the fallen apples.  Starting with deer families, and moving on the tween-aged deer still with their mothers, until the young stags would come by in pairs, eating apples and staring at us with their half-sized antlers.  Well, and the occasional visit from Grandfather Stag, who was huge but gentle despite his intense stare-down.

 

We had a couple of brunches with friends or family coming by, visits to our usual haunts such as the Bagelry.  Jalapeno bagels all summer – so delicious.

 

I also drove to Seattle and LaConner a few times for college friend meet ups, and our annual visit to the Pacific Northwest Quilt and Fiber Arts Museum.  Always interesting to see what is new in the world of fiber arts.  I somehow missed the talk by our weaving instructor at the art school in Italy – she lives in Portland, OR, and was one of the judges for the show!  I tried to get to LaConner the day of her talk, but my medical follow-up appointment that day ran long, and it was one of those steady rain days that just made the 30 mile trip unappealing.

 

As always, Bellingham and Ferndale were full of glorious flowers all summer.  Long days and long sunsets, lush greenery, and plenty of sunshine.  With the super El Niño this year, though, September suddenly turned into a chilly and rainy autumn much too soon.  Overnight, leaves were yellow, orange, red.  The rain arrived in earnest, and days were way too cold for us!  Nights weren’t freezing, but sweaters were needed.

 

Now, however, we just spent four days in Seattle so that we could take care of what I think of as the business of travel – unexciting things like printing papers needed for the upcoming travel adventure, turning our car over to the auto transport company so they could ship little Tiki and we’d save him a 3000+ mile trek across country.

 

How and why are we travelling 3000 or so miles without our car?  Why would we do that?  HOW is that possible?  Where can we be heading so that our car is travelling there without us?

 

We’re once again on a cruise ship!  We boarded the Eurodam in Seattle, and are comfy in a room with a lovely verandah.  Today’s photos are of various islands in Puget Sound (and the Salish Sea).  The mountains in the distance are the Olympic Range, on the Olympic Peninsula.  Gorgeous views, and yes, we’re once again The Rolling Luggagers!  Our destination is known to some, but we’ll keep everyone else guessing!