Occupying Space and Time in the GPNW

This is a 1957 Chevy Bel Air.  We saw it out in front of the ear surgeon's office the other day.  It's almost completely stock.  Some of the chrome looks like it's been redone, and possibly the exhaust system.  Other than that, it's as it came from the factory.  Jim is old enough to know this....
Is it not lovely?

We did get some riding in this past week.  This was taken from the Tolt Bridge in Carnation Valley.  It is just lovely out there.  It's also quiet because it's a low traffic route.  We've frequently been riding the route around Lake Sammamish, which is very urban.  It's not a relaxing ride because it is so noisy and there is so much traffic.  There are bike lanes, but the noise is just overwhelming.  I think it's worth driving out to the valley just to get some peace.

This is a hydrangea in someone's yard - it is just lovely.

I got my surgery date, which is August 31.  Dr. Duong wants me in town for two months since this is a revision of a very unsuccessful surgery.  I'm not sure what my presence here will accomplish if the graft doesn't take, but we'll stay because he asked us to.  The lady who runs the office was kind enough to rearrange several reservations in September and October so we can stay on the same site.  I am very happy about this, because we like the site.  We get some buffer from the freeway noise, and we have an enormous laurel on one side of us. We got her an orchid as a thank you.  Double click on the photo, it looks like a cat's face in the center.

Statistically the last weekend in July is the driest in Seattle. It's rained only about 9-12 times in the past 122 years on those dates -- or about once every 10 years.  The Bellevue Arts and Crafts Festival, Renton River Days and hundreds of outdoor weddings are scheduled for this weekend.  We awoke to rain.  Not mist, but actual rain.  The laurel was dripping.

We decided to drive down to Renton and walk by the river.  On the way, we drove by our our old house.  This is what lawns look like in the Seattle area in the summer.  Brown!  Awful!  Except, look at the green patch, that's where the septic drain field is.

The weather reverted to being threatening so we went over to Ikea.  When Jim was in a wheel chair after his bike accident, and I was in a chair after the second foot surgery, Ikea was a favorite outing.  It's flat, there is much handicapped parking and it was very soothing.  Today's key learning is NEVER go to Ikea on a weekend.  It was a seething mass of humanity.  This is the line for Swedish food.

People in the check out lines.  We walked through and fled.

Would someone like to explain to me why men feel it necessary to chase the TdF riders wearing nothing but a Speedo?  What is up with that?  There are just some things I should not have to see.