Dodging snowflakes

We're on the road, Bermtopian ex-pats if you will, enjoying the sights and sounds of Seattle with family and friends this Thanksgiving week.

As noted in previous posts, it's a relatively easy trip. Straight shot down Interstate 90. Except this time of year with there's the small matter of the Cascade Range and snow.

With the intensity of a NASA metereologist plotting out a space shuttle launch, the Wonderfully Patient Spouse has been analyzing weather patterns for the last two weeks. Basically inconclusive weather patterns I should add. It could snow -- or maybe not. So when Saturday rolled around under pale, cold sun-lit skies, we did what any self-respecting Thanksgiving pilgrims would do: We said Screw It, hopped in the car and headed west.

Ben didn't know what to do when he found out he was not part of trip. (Personally, I think he was a little relieved. Especially when we gave him carte blanche to the living room sofa.)

It was clear and dry till we reached the Columbia River. (I'm sorry. I couldn't resist the rattlesnake sign. It just kind of cracks me up. It's an Eastern Washington thing.)

An indecisive mix of snow and rain then followed us to Ellensburg and along the "road less traveled" -- the beautiful-pretty-much-any-time-of-year Yakima River canyon -- to Cle Elum where we re-connected with I-90. (The WPS gets a serious assist on these photos.)

That's when the white stuff finally left us, and we began our ascent up into the dreaded Snoqualamie Pass. Where we found blue sky and this:

It was all down hill (so to speak) from there.

So here I sit in the parlor of the Shafer Baillie Mansion B & B, cuppa Italian roast at my side, fire going in the fireplace -- already happily satiated with Indian food, Picasso, New York-style pizza and pulpos (that would be octopus) tapas.

And it's snowing. So much for dodging snowflakes.

Moving

We're off to the west side of the state tomorrow to help Number 2 Son move. He's decided to forego his career in as a successful apartment manager and pursue web and graphic design at Seattle Central Community College instead of the community college in Bellingham.

U-turns in life are good for the soul.

So, off we go to move couches and coffee tables, toasters and mattresses, art and golf clubs -- basically all the "stuff" N2S has accumulated living in Bellingham the last 5 years. (Fortunately, he did a bit of purging in anticipation of the move over Memorial Day so this should all be fairly manageable. Famous last words.)

Saying good-bye to Bellingham is bittersweet. We've had great times there. Soccer. Weddings. Graduations. Marathons. But there have been dark days as well, courtesy of the National Weather Service and the fact the N2S is a thinking, feeling human being -- as are his parents.

One way or the other, though, there does come a time to gather up the memories of place (both good and bad), stuff them in that shoebox we call a brain, and tuck them away on an upper shelf in life's closet to re-visit at a later time. We'll come back to them sooner or later.

In the mean time, it's time to make room for some new memories. See you Monday.