Yearning...

Reasons I want the rental house I saw a week ago...

Photo Credit: http://sebiart.blogspot.com/

Beautiful site. I highly suggest a visit.

The house and yard are yearning for me to make Rock Towers. The rooms are aching to be blessed. The garage wants cars parked in it. The yard is waiting for me to rake it. The windows want me to wash them. And the bus stop is only a block away.

Am I wrong? Bus ride hell...

These people that ride the bus with me each day are absolute idiots. Half-wits, dumb-bunnies, goof-balls, nuts. This would be so entertaining if it didn't drive me so crazy. I rode two different buses this week. Two days on the one route, and two days on the other. Both routes are commuter routes. These buses are filled with people carrying briefcases disguised as backpacks. These people are wearing slacks, not "pants". They wear hard soled shoes that do not come with steel-toes, nor broken in "tennies". These people have earbuds and Kindles(tm) and read newspapers (that one has to pay for) when they are riding the bus. Moreover they ride the bus pretty much every work day. They know the "rules" to getting on and off the bus in a crowd. They understand not to hum along out loud to the music coming from the earbuds. They know how to pay their bus fare efficiently, whether with coins or bills or sliding cards or tap cards, they got it down and they keep the line moving.

My issue is at the end; at the end of the day, at the end of the ride, at the end of the route. I live in the north county. I am "up there". The bus ride from the time we leave downtown Seattle to the time we come to my stop, the last stop on the route, takes between half an hour and an hour depending on traffic. Both routes that serve me best have their respective last stop at the two different "Park & Ride"s in the north where I can leave my truck. What hit me this week is that this same event is happening regardless of which bus I take. It must be happening on buses all around the world. Just think of the implications, this same phenomena is more than likely occurring in Budapest, Hungary, somewhere in Bogota, Columbia and probably even on the Isle of Man. You can't deny this. I will have to get over it. There is nothing for it.

This amazing moment of stupidity happens each night as the bus driver makes the announcement detailing the last stop on the route over the PA system to all of us 10 to 25 riders still on the bus. Yes, folks, 10 to 25 people are still riding the bus after everyone else has already gotten off at their respective stops, and are probably home by now by the way. Each driver says, "Last stop for Route [insert bus number here]." It is not until that announcement and it is always after that announcement that some poor panic'd fool feels the burning need to pull the cord to notify the driver to stop for that next and final stop. Well, duh. Did they think the driver is going to take us home with her? Dipsoid.

"Sanity and happiness are an impossible combination" Mark Twain

Seattle Tourist - Ferry Rides

The sun was shining, actually shining this morning. I understand this is a strange and rare occassion this time of year here in the great north wet. I took my coffee and croissant down to Edmonds Beach. I love Edmonds Beach, and Richmond Beach and Gateway Beach...okay I love the beaches. While I watched the single gull on the beach lurking for a piece of my croissant the ferry came in. Oh, this ferry is one I've wanted to ride from the first time I watched them going in and out this last summer.
I am feeling this morning a bit defeated (read disposal issues) and just unsettled which I won't share here. I drove the three minutes back home, bundled up, grabbed a notebook for writing (okay, so that part didn't work) and headed back to Edmonds. Three hour parking is all I needed.

The view from inside the walkway. All I'm thinking is that it is about time I took this trip.

From the deck the view of the Puget Sound is spectacular, but the pilings are in focus.

206 cars fit on the ferry. At Edmonds/Kingston ferry there are two boats that crisscross the sound - the Spokane and the Puyallup

Coming into Kingston. Is this a sunny, wonderful, perfect day or what?!

Both Edmonds and Kingston have a lovely marina. I love dark hulled sailboats.

In the shadows - long tall sally.

The Puyallup is a nicer boat. Maybe it's newer. The breeze had picked up by the time I was on the return trip. The wind was whipping by so strong around the bow I could feel my glasses move on my face. I walked the decks on the sunny side both coming and going. Soaking it in.

Kingston is a lovely, small, sedate town. Just what I needed today. The view of the houses on the slopes nearby was provincial and inviting. There is a quilt shop on the Kingston side that garnered most of my time, though none of my money. Maybe next time. But, next time I want to bring my bike over to the island and bike through the neighborhoods and wooded areas I could see from the ferry. Best thing, pay one way, the way home is free. A bike is only a $1 premium. An excellent three hours for all of $7. Tourism on a shoestring.