dreams DO come true!

At least as far as checking things off your bucket list goes...

Here's a recap of my most magical Memorial day weekend.

Saturday afternoon Jackie, Jen, Karen Candice & I all crowded into my car and drove over to Alki beach for our SEA KAYAKING adventure! After a quick run down on the proverbial ropes, we slipped on our Personal Flotation Devices & our spray skirts and set out to try out hand at sea kayaking. It was a beautiful day, and we had an excellent view of down town Seattle and a seal even swam with us for a little while, and a bald eagle was circling overhead...
I learned from our enthusiastic tour guide, Adam, that Seattle was almost going to be called New York West, but that chief Seattle nixed that idea and suggested calling it Alki, which means in Duwamish "by and by" as in eventually it might be the New York of the west. Also, Adam makes hot wings and has 5 kinds of sauces on Mondays at the Alki Tavern... in case you were interested! And now I get to check Kayaking off my bucket list - but I hope that won't be the last time!

Then we cleaned ourselves up and headed over to Agua Verde for some amazing Mexican food and bebidas on lake Union.

Sunday morning I caught up with my friend Leslie for church, and then we had breakfast at Vera's in Ballard, and wandered through the farmers market for a litle while. I split with them and picked up my brother Will for the Mariner's game at 1:00. Griffey hit a homer in the first inning and I guess the Giants saw the writing on the wall, because it was pretty much in the bag from there on out. We sat in the sun and watched other people with their kids, and commented on the coolness of Ichiro and enjoyed our complimentary $40 seats... ah the life!

later that evening, Jackie, Jen & I put on our dancin' shoes and headed over to the Little Red Hen for some PBRs and two-steppin' - when who do we run into, but Tom (my Seattle Paul Gomez)! By the end of the night we also had the cutest guys in the room sitting at our table and we were flirting and dancing the night away! We pulled Jackie out of the arms of Jeff who was hopelessly smitten with her and we all returned home no worse for the wear.

Monday morning, I went to south Seattle to have coffee with my class-mate Emily. I always have the best time ever chatting with her, and it was just great to see her again and to talk shop a bit. Then I drove back up to Tangletown and Jackie & I got another dose of Mighty-O's donuts and then we wandered around Freemont for a little while before going out onto Tom's boat on Lake Union. A few hours later sun-kissed and sweaty, we pulled ourselves away...

Jackie suggested that we just drive by Dave Matthew's house... you know... since we were in the area... not stalking at all!!! "its on the left" she said. As I turned my head, DAVE was standing outside chatting it up with his neighbors and he turned around right as I was looking over... so we turned the car around & drove by again! Thank God for the out of state plates! (Insert "Crash" humming here)

So from there we loaded up and finished off our weekend at the Folk Life Festival with a viewing of my brother's hot little bluegrass band Nettlehoney. Some stiff competition for them was the burnt-out hippie in his yellow & orange striped speedo with the loincloth on top and his multi-colored scarves. I guess he was really moved by the music though... it takes all kinds!