Getting Ready to Fly

Monday, weather permitting, I get to go flying! And not just in any old plane, or airliner, but a float plane! I am really excited about it.

The last time I flew in a seaplane was back in 1970 in the Virgin Islands. I was on a Visitor's visa which kept expiring, so I would take the old Grumman Goose from St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands to St. John in the British Virgins, check in and check back out and fly back to St. Thomas. That went on for a while... but that's a whole other story!

So the seaplane is a Kenmore Air plane and I won't know which one it is until - get this - it picks me up at the local marina! I don't even have to drive to the base. Then we will fly either over the Olympic Mountains or south of the range, out to the West Coast. The whole purpose, besides a story or two, is to test the waters in Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor. The trip is part of an ongoing Department of Ecology program that monitors the waters of Washington State. And because the magazine I work with is the inflight magazine for the airline, I am able to go with them, take photos and shoot videos and write an article.

Now that is a BIG adventure. And I am really hoping the weather holds and doesn't screw us up.

Talking about the weather - wow! Spectacular today. Sun, mild, calm. So I went for a walk in town to blow away the cobwebs and cabin fever. And while there I found the exact boots I need for my flying trip, as I was cautioned, "Dress warmly." The boots are waterproof and Thinsulate lined. Perfect! And I have some lined jeans that a friend gave me, so I should be fine. I hate being cold!

A Little Windfall

Saturday night and time to get out of the house for a little adventure.

A windfall in the mail allowed me to change the "let's go our for coffee" to "let's get a cocktail!" And as it was late in the day, completely appropriate.

Alchemy Bistro and Wine Bar is a delightful bar that serves a mean tequila gimlet, so was the venue of choice. It has a very relaxed ambiance and excellent service. So both Susans chose gimlets and proceeded to enjoy the fruits of my windfall, with toasts to our benefactor who can ill afford to be so generous!

And today I woke to bright sun and frost... and no hangover at all!

And the sight of bright daffodils made my day.

A Little Adventure

My friend Susan said I have to take the Granny part off my name because of a little incident, we experienced today coming home from a coffee break in town. This is what she wrote on Facebook:

"Driving us home today from an outing Poulsbo, Susan had a very close call at Termination Point. Susan exhibited such amazing driving skills. Some guy pulled out right in front of us and with no time to pick a different course, Susan punched it just enough that he went behind us. I fully expected an impact. There was a semi coming toward us on 104 and we would have been shoved into its path had the other driver hit us. Still shaking but really glad it was she who was driving. I am not sure if I could have pulled that off. Thanks, Susan! I think you need to pull the name "Granny" off of anything you are involved with. You are far from what most folks think of when they hear "Granny". Thanks from me and my husband, kiddos and grand-kids!"

It happened very fast and I really didn't think - just reacted! I know Susan was more shook up than I was. I'm just glad her little Honda Fit had the get up and go I needed to blast us out of the way!

But it's also good to know my reactions are still good - despite being a granny!

Our little adventure into Poulsbo was otherwise very pleasant, with a stroll along the main street and coffee at Hot Shots cafe. Poulsbo is a great little town to visit. It has a population of about 10,000 and has a very Scandinavian flavor. The streets are lined with Danish and Norwegian-style buildings and you can get the best pastries at the bakeries.

There are also a lot of art galleries and Gallery Walk is the second Saturday of each month, so I have "calendared" it for the next one in 10 days. Should be a fun outing. I've been to the Port Townsend Gallery Walk (on the first Saturday of each month) but never gone to Poulsbo's.

The town is right on Liberty Bay and the marina is large and a popular place for boaters in the summer. In the winter, the docks are fairly empty but it is one of the few places that still has boat houses.

Poulsbo is also easily accessible from Seattle. You can come across on the ferry from Seattle to Bainbridge Island, then just a short 20 minute drive, over Agate Pass to town. Or the ferry to Bremerton and then up Hwy 3 about 20 minutes. Or... you can drive around through Tacoma, over the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, through Gig Harbor. About an hour and half depending on traffic.

Today, I talked to my sister in New Zealand on Skype. It was really hard not to say anything! And she doesn't have a clue, so we are doing a good job keeping the secret!.

Progress

Today I made progress on the New Zealand planning. My biggest issue is someone to take care of the kitties while I am gone. I know, it's silly. But these little guys have been my anchor through a lot of s**t over the past few years, so I can't just leave and have someone come in to feed them occasionally. They would pine away, they are such people kitties.

So...I put an ad on Housecarers.com Jenni told me about it and I had heard about them, in fact was registered as a house sitter but had forgotten!

This is a great service - it doesn't cost anything for people offering a house sit situation. If you want to house sit, then...

Next Day

I started this post last night...and this morning I was completely blown away! Four responses to my ad already! And they all sound qualified! I've been reading their references and will respond later today but I think I already know who I will engage.

But back to what housecarers.com is - and does.

On their website, they say, "Housecarers.com is online search and screen database for house sitters and homeowners to share information." There are two sections; one for available houses to care for and the other for potential house sitters, who can peruse the listings and apply. It doesn't cost anything for home offerers and just $50 for a membership for house sitters, a fee that would repay itself in no time.

For travelers, this is a great way to experience the world, not as a tourist but as a local, which is the way I love to travel. A sitter's responsibilities are defined by the home owners whose house they will care for. Some need pet care, like mine. Others are strictly just to have someone there while the owners are gone; a good security measure. Still others require more gardening and maintenance. It all varies and house sitters and owners work out what is best between them.

In my situation, which seems to be the norm, it's pet sitting more than house sitting. So when whoever I select moves in, they will just be living here with normal chores - keeping the house clean, etc. The house sitter, in a long term house sit, also pays utilities. A good thing because, especially here in the cold country, the heating can get out of hand if you aren't conservative and conservation-minded.

What a great deal - for both parties concerned.

Can you tell I am stoked?

A Port Townsend Afternoon

Port Townsend is a charming Victorian seaport, northwest of Seattle on the Olympic Peninsula. It's a great place to visit, with lots of photo ops, intriguing shops and some of the best coffee around.