Greetings from the Cascade Mountains!

Greetings from the Cascades Mountains in Eastern Washington, about two hours north of Spokane.

 Paul and I are visiting his brother in law, Scott, who lives in a beautiful spot.  We arrived yesterday mid-afternoon, and I'm going to back-track a bit so that I can tell you what's happenin' in this neck of the woods. 

Our cruise stopped in Victoria, BC, for a really beautiful evening tour on Saturday.  The ship docked at 6 PM, and at 6:30 we were off on a two hour bus tour.  Victoria is a beautiful hilly Canadian city - full of hanging baskets, colorful flowers and lots of beautiful homes.  We saw such beautiful places - up and down the mountainsides.

 Unfortunately, our bus broke down 20 minutes into our tour, and we stopped at a marina to wait for a healthy bus.  It took a half hour to get there and then we were off again.  Another, unfortunately, the sun was going down - but what a gorgeous sunset overlooking the water.  We stopped at a park overlooking the city.  We took some more pics but I could have done better if the sun was not going down.  We got to the city, itself, in the dark, but still got some pics.  I'd rate this city number one right now.  Truly beautiful.  I'd love to come back and spend some time. 

The next day was Sunday, our day to leave the ship. 

So we packed up Saturday night, sending our luggage out to the hall.  We had a tour scheduled at 8:30 AM of Seattle. So our luggage was marked and placed in a special spot near the tour bus.  It made it very easy for us to get off the ship.  

Sunday:

The tour  was very informative.  Our guide left us at the beautiful Pike's Farmers' Market, for an hour.  They had such huge beautiful bouquets of fresh flowers for $5, or $10.  And the food stalls were just a pretty.   If I lived there, I'd certainly have fresh flowers every day!  There were street performers: guitarists, along the way, even a piano player.  The guide says that there's a four-year waiting list for street performers, and to get a produce Stall takes even longer.  The market was huge.  It went on for at least a mile.

 Nearby -   There are Starbucks coffee shops every other block.  (Starbucks began in Seattle.)  Our guide said there are 575 Starbucks in Seattle.  The lines were huge at each one near the market! But we managed to get some decaf to take on the bus. 

After the market, we went to the Space Needle and got up to the top for the view.  Bad news:  I really damaged my knees with all this walking on the tour.  My cane was good, but now it helps only somewhat.  I'm very good when I'm sitting.  Haha.   Like now.  My knees feel fine.  LOL.  The Space Needle had a ramp and I was on my feet for at least 30 minutes going up to the elevator.  On a slanted floor.  Not good. 

After that we were dropped at the airport, we got our car, a Subaru Outback, and we went on our way to get to Leavenworth, WA.  If you've never heard of it, it's a little town in the mountains - three hours out of Seattle.  They decided they'd market themselves as a German town, and was truly beautiful.  Paul had been here with Donna in 1996 when they'd gone to Alaska.  He said it had grown a lot - more hotels.  But still - Lots of flowers, very green, little windy cobblestone streets with shops, restaurants.  I got a lot of pictures. 

 We found a hotel - really big - five or six stories - and so beautiful.  We found it  on the main street through town.  It had been built in 2005.  Looked very Germanic.  White walls outside,, Window boxes with flowers, at each window, and flowers out front.   Our room was very large and decorated in a European way. 

We  had sauerbraten for dinner in a little shop across the street . . .  that's something I've been wanting for a long time!   The whole town was filled with flowers. Lots of petunias in purple, pink, white. Lots of dogs on leashes.  When we finished our dinner, we came outside and there were two patient Bernaise Mountain Dogs being hugged by a little toddler. Those dogs were as good and patient as could be.   Made us think of Lue's Greta, of course.

Monday

 The next morning we and other tourists staying at the hotel, had our free breakfast on linen tablecloths and cloth napkins.  Wonderful, anything to eat.  Marvelous coffee. 

I wish my knees were better and that I could have toured the town more.  We did get to see most of it from our car.   I guess my prayers were answered, and the cruise was delightful - due to my cane and my cortisone shots.

 Now we have to think about the next step with my knees.  I still have an appointment on Sept 4th with the orthopedic surgeon.  I'm glad I didn't cancel that after the injections given by his physician's assistant.

Our trip across the state was beautiful - Paul took us through the Cascade mountains, and then the middle of the state, that's really arid. Then back into the mountains.  Gorgeous lakes and rivers. 

 Every view from Scott's house is beautiful.  Paul said Scott cut down trees to enhance the view of the mountains.  Each side of his house has a deck to sit on and take in the view.  He has a reflecting pond with a marble bench, and a couple of totem poles.  One is about six feet tall  and is close to the pond and the other one is about twelve feet tall off in the distance.   Scott has 20 acres of land.   There is a deer lick off in the forest that you can see from the house.  Paul took a walk this morning and got some huge turkey feathers for the little grandkids.

Scott has a very nice dog he's adopted, called Lucille.  She's about 40 pounds of gentleness.  She really is very even tempered and easy to love.    And he does . . . you can tell.  She stays right nearby him.  You can tell the feeling is mutual.  What a sweet dog. 

Tuesday

We took Scott out for dinner last night for his birthday. (which is Wednesday, the same as Sharon's Happy birthday, Sharon.  We'll be thinking of you on our trip back to Seattle. )  Scott has many many friends here, and all the waitresses give him hugs.  Tonight we're going out again, and I'm sure this place will have waitresses as demonstrative as the last night.

I got an e-mail from Carol, our pet sitter, saying Gracie is doing wonderfully. We'd been wondering how she was doing, of course.   Carol said became good friends with one of the larger dogs and liked to walk near it when they were taken for walks.  That's what I like about Carol - she keep us informed. 

My camera has been taking beautiful shots, but I had trouble getting ones in the car because when I'd open the lens and didn't take a pic for a while, it closes.  Then when I saw a pic, I'd have to open it up, snap the pic and by the time I did that, the view was gone!  Slow reflexes, I guess, on my part. 

Tomorrow we leave in the morning for the complete trip to Seattle.  No stopping this time.  Approximately a six hour trip. We drop the car off at the airport, then onto the hotel, get up Thursday morning at 3 AM for the shuttle to the airport and on to our flight back to NY.  What a wonderful trip it has been. 

Glacier Bay and Ketchikan

Doesn't seem possible that we're almost finished with this week.  At the beginning we seemed to have all the time in the world, but now. . . it's almost gone!  Isn't that the way that vacations always go - in the beginning all the time, in the end - it's over. 

We had a nice day in Ketchikan (sp?).  It's a quaint larger fishing village - much bigger than Skagway, which was about two streets long and three streets up and down.  (make sense?).  Got a lot of good pictures.  The buildings are colorfully painted.  The fishing boats and the seagulls and the docks just make it all add up to being memorable. 

Two other cruise ships were here with us today - Holland American, and The Regency, a ritzy cruise ship was here also.  Paul said to check that out, he said he may be wrong.  Anyway - we were way, way back from the main street in town behind the other two ships, and I walked the whole distance back and forth and felt fine.

 My cane has been a godsend.  I asked Paul how far we walked.  Five miles?  (I was joking.) Paul said about a mile.  I'd say a little more.  Paul has been so good to me.  I really appreciate his patience and patience and patience.    We got a couple of tchatkas to take home with us at the souvenir shops.  Lots of the same things, but it's fun to look. 

Did I mention we went to Glacier Bay?  I realized when I wrote last, it was before that time.  What an awe-inspiring place that was.  Got some great pics, of course.  Wow.  They had a naturalist come on board and give a lecture as we traveled up and down the forty miles of the bay.  We didn't see any calving.  Wish we had.  You could see where the glaciers formed way up in the mountains and follow them way down to the water's edge.   It's so quiet there and the mountains, water are breathtaking.  The naturalist said they only allow two cruise ships a day through the bay. There was one behind us, but it disappeared up another part of the bay.  Smaller ships are limited also.   Private boats need passes.  Kayaks can come at any time.  No thanks.  I cannot imagine being in that cold water. 

It's been cold.  Good to have a lot of layers to put on and take off.  Which we did. Funny, but  lots of kids (and grownups) have been in the hottubs, the outdoor pools the whole trip.  No thanks.  We both forgot to bring our bathing suits, didn't even think about it, but I don't think I would have enjoyed that.  That's for the Caribbean.   The weather has been cloudy also for most of the time. BUT -  we got some good pics.  That's been fun.  There'll be a lot to delete when we get home.  Been trying to delete, but some (many) have slipped through. 

The food has been delicious.  As is expected, we've eaten too much.  Isn't that always the case?  They have ice cream available all day long. 

Tomorrow we land in Victoria, British Columbia, late afternoon tomorrow.  We have an evening tour scheduled.  The next day is Sunday, we land back in Seattle early.  We have a 3 1/2  hour tour of Seattle scheduled in the morning after we disembark at 8:30.  After that we pick up our car at the airport, and then head on our way to Scott's, near Spokane, stopping on the way at Leavenworth, WA.  Supposed to be a really beautiful little German town.  Can't wait to see it. 

I had to add minutes on to my plan because I enjoy writing so much.  Unfortunately you can't write ahead of time and then transfer it to the computer.  It isn't possible.  At home I can edit all I want.  Here, I write.  I publish. 

So - that's all for tonight.  I hope to be able to write tomorrow, but if not, we'll be back on shore soon enough.  Incidentally, I can't load anything onto my Kindle on board or in Alaska.  But I did read a book I had downloaded before I came.  The Unit.  A great sci-fi recommended by Nancy.  Enjoyed it. 

Been to Juneau, and Skagway.

Wednesday evening - Having a wonderful trip, everyone.  Yesterday the whale watch was fantastic.  I've never been on one, but to me - that was on my Bucket List.  I taught a summer school elementary program for students several years ago (many years ago) about whale watching and have wanted to go on one ever since!  I got some good shots of flukes, and a whale breaching (sp?). 

We were gone five hours, and also went to see the Mendenhall Glacier.  OMG - so BIG - much bigger than pictures show.  And the blue color doesn't show up on pics at all.  We got there just before dark, and the view was magnificent.  The visitors' center was closing shortly after we got there, but we could still see the Glacier from the viewing station.  There's also a very long waterfall nearby.  We were really really tired when that day was over.  Didn't see much of Juneau - due to getting there at 2:00, having the Whale Watch at 3, and getting back to the ship at 9:00

So - Today we went to Skagway, a very small (?) old town near the Yukon.  Gold Rush Country.  Saw a half hour presentation.  We walked around town, and didn't really go on any tours.  I didn't miss it.  We've found the tours are very expensive! That didn't deter us.  Just enjoyed going around.  The sidewalks are all wooden slats. 

We're headed for Glacier Bay tomorrow.  We get there at 6 AM.  Sunrise is at 5;45.  No thanks.  We'll still have our eyes closed.  Looking forward to getting some beautiful shots at the Bay tomorrow.  We haven't had any sun since leaving Seattle, but the photos are still fantastic.  I love my new Elph camera.  It's doing very well.  It's hard to decide which pics to save and which to delete. 

Gotta go now.  The minutes certainly add up on this computer when "I'm having fun typing about such great things!"  BTW food is delicious. 

Time is 10:40  and it's 2:40 AM in NYS. 

Also - did I say I was on the Norwegian Star???  It's the Norwegian Pearl.  Someone corrected that for me.   We DID go on that in the Caribbean.

Greetings from the High Seas

I finally have gotten in to my BlogSpot account!  We're out of the country, sailing aboard the Norwegian Star heading for Juneau, Alaska.  And I had to convince "them" that I wasn't a hacker who'd gotten into my system, but really me. We left yesterday afternoon from Seattle.  But, let me back track a bit:

Three weeks ago, I started having trouble with my right knee and knowing we had a lot of walking to do on our trip, I set out to have an X Ray done and perhaps a cortisone shot to both knees. 

The following Tuesday morning I had an X Ray.  It was read that Friday.  My GP's nurse was back and she hunted it up for me.    Usually it's done on the same day. (vacation times for doctors/radiologists added times on .) Sure enough, I had bone on bone on one knee and the other one almost the same disability level. I would need a knee replacement eventually - sooner rather than later.

Oh, great.  Just what I always wanted.  I have a lot of company, though - people who will be holding my hand at a later date.  Thank you all, in advance.  You know who you are!

 So - a substitute GP (not my usual doctor who was on vacation, but another one standing in,) said that I wouldn't be able to get in to see an orthopedics man because it wasn't an "emergency."  Ha.  Oh great. I was devastated.  How could I walk on shipboard the long distances?

 FINALLY Paul was able to get through to the doctor's office in Guthrie, our system, and I was able to see the physician's Physician's Assistant, who gave me the shots on Friday morning.  We flew to Seattle the next day, I had a wheelchair waiting for me at each airport, and they were a Godsend.  The shots were to take complete effect within a day or two.  So - each day was better than the one before.  I have my cane with me - and the trip has been a little bit unlevel - can't think of the right word, but it has helped me a lot.  I'm more stable than those who don't have a cane!  I'm like a new person.  It feels great! No pain at all now On Monday. 

We flew into Seattle, as I said, on Saturday.  What a gorgeous city - we flew in  around 5 PM - and the soft shadows on the mountains and the many- shades of green  landscapes, gorgeous lakes were picture-perfect.    Our hotel was beautiful - Holiday Inn Express -  we had a suite - and a nice breakfast the next day.  Our limo left for the ship at noon.  We were relaxed and refreshed after a good night's sleep.  Was I glad I had those shots!  We walked and walked back and forth between those security lines, like they have at the airport and I made out fine.  It seemed like miles!  You know what I mean. I'm sure.

 We really were tired by the time we got to our room.  (But nothing out of the ordinary!) We had a glass of wine, and had our supper, went to the first show of the cruise.  Which high-lighted all the shows.  Tonight they have a Frankie Valli (sp?) pretender with his \group.   Two shows 7:00 and 9:15.  Should get to see one.

We signed up to see the Mendenall Glacier and a Whale Quest tomorrow at Juneau.  We get to Juneau at 2:00 PM.  The tour is at 3:00.  I forget that, in Alaska, it's light longer.  The tour's 5.25 hours long.  And it'll be light even when we get back!

Well, that's all for now.  So, how're things goin' in your neck o' the woods?