First let me just say that I'll probably be in the Florida area sometime next month to take care of some real estate stuff. So maybe I can get to see some of you all while I am there. I haven't set a date for my return, but it will most likely be for a week or so.
So Seattle's weather has not disappointed me. Its been as rainy and overcast as it gets. I suppose I am a bit bitter because last week Saturday the temperature was 80 degrees and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. I was celebrating the beginning of spring. People were out everywhere buying plants, hiking, and sight seeing. It really felt like a big party. So we decided to take my wife's two cousins hiking. We did a 3 mile hike called the Bluff Loop, which is just east of Issaquah. Issaquah is about 30 miles east of Seattle off I-90. During the hike we came across a tree estimated to be 400 years old. Exciting huh? In any case, it was great to get out and see nature. The area actually consisted of several trails, and we did a combination of 4 trails that day.
We swung back around that day to my favorite spot, Kelly or Kerry whatever the name is, Park. Probably the most spectacular view of the city with Rainier in the background. It was awesome, and there were many people like myself there to see it.
So you see I wasn't lying. It was an amazing day LOL. It may be everyday in Florida, but Florida doesn't look like this. So I mean that weekend I was absolutely fired up. I told Priscilla we're going to go hiking every weekend, and do a different trail etc. Should have kept my mouth shut, because that Sunday the weather changed. The cold and clouds came back. This time though I felt okay, because the sun had made a breakthrough and I was certain that the worst was over.But then the weather people started to talk about a storm heading this way. Okay, how bad? Maybe an inch of snow. The guys assured me that the weatherman always exaggerates, that we'd see a few flakes and it would be over. After all it is SPRING. Well that Friday before I left work, the snow began. I kept hearing people saying..."Is it sticking?" Sticking to what?....the road....What does that mean?......Your car doesn't get traction. OHHH
That was not fun. But I made it home safely thank God. But here's the deal, that one inch, turned into 6 inches overnight. Not only that, like my friend Daryl said once, I saw hail, sleet, snow and rain, all in one day, repeatedly. We went from summer to winter in one week. Trees were falling, cars were crashing and all the while at work, they just keep saying..."Its not always like this!" LOL. I remember when I started working on the tank and things got busy, they said the same thing, up to the point we were working 50 hours/wk for a year.So today is Monday and its still cold. But for a reprieve and a nearly involuntary one, we did an activity that brought the beauty of nature back into our lives. In Skagit County, pronounced Ska-jit....I keep messing it up, there is a Tulip festival all month. The weather was frightful but the tulips were delightful, and besides the cops giving out tickets it was a great experience. Sunday morning, our two friends from Florida, Cindy and Marcos called us up asking us if we wanted to go to the festival. It was about 45 minutes north of us, and something we'd never seen, so we decided to brave the weather and go. Well there are no GPS coordinates for this place because its a bunch of farms. So soon Pris and I were lost in the middle of farmtown Washington without technological help. Luckily the gas station we stopped at had a map of the area, since the festival was such a money maker for the town, and we were able to find our way. It was definitely worth it.
Hey and listen I suppose as a side note I'd like to say my job is going fine. I can't give details, because honestly I am absolutely ignorant about what details are proprietary and which ones aren't. Real engineering does exist even if you have to go to a 6 hour meeting to see it. On the other hand, KSC taught me some skills that are invaluable and can be used in the real world. Boeing can pump out 3 airplanes a month on one of its lines and their crane crew is as screwed up as KSC's was LOL, so they both still manage to do amazing stuff. Here's a picture of the Dreamlifter. Since Boeing is now a global company, they obtain many of their parts from overseas suppliers. This airplane (I think bigger than a Guppy) was designed to do just that. Also I posted a picture of the facility with a complete 777 outside, since we are not allowed to use cameras inside. Enjoy.
Well guys take care. Talk to you all soon. By the way, I did go to the Seattle Aquarium. I'll be posting photos and commentary on that soon!!!
Please checkout my photos at http://picasaweb.google.com/Jamel.Bland/Seattle
They can be downloaded and shared...
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