Sunday (What's next)

I'll be honest, I miss Amber already. Her and I have such a great familial relationship now that it's like saying goodbye to an older sister when I get off the boat. But it is what it is and I'll be seeing her again in a short two months for the summer salmon season. I'm looking forward to going back up for it, but it's good to get some time off the boat too ye know? Fun as well to go through Seattle on the way home!

       Flashback!

Not too long ago, right before herring season in fact, I went through Seattle on my way to Alaska. I spent a few days there in Seattle and, while sitting at a Starbucks in Edmonds, I met a woman named Deanna. Casually you know? How you normally meet someone in a coffee shop. I was sitting in a plush chair, she was sitting in a plush chair, then we started chatting. Now I couldn't tell you word for word how the conversation went, I could probably fudge it to make it passable, but there's no need because I still know how the conversation went even if it isn't word for word.

I was sitting there with the bags and bags of gear I needed to take with me all the way up to Alaska. Sweatshirts packed on top of sweatshirts on top of an orange rubber jacket and orange rubber bibs. I had kind of barricaded myself into the chair I was sitting with my all my packs and my duffle locking me in, so there was no way I could get up without upsetting some article of luggage. I'm sure it looked a mess, but Deanna sat next to me anyways and kindly put the questions of where I was going and, then, what I did up in Alaska. I'm sure I gave her a bit of my traveling spiel and some stories as well because soon the conversation turned to traveling. We talked about Rick Steves for a little bit, and she told me all about her kids then, the traveling and things they've done. About her sons and her daughter, especially the traveling her daughter has done and is looking to do in the near future. The way she talked about them though, I was sucked in. I mean, people tell me about their kids all the time. About how Johnny is going to school for accounting or how Susie is waitressing at Ihop (it's not all so dull as that, ye know I'm exaggerating). And don't get me wrong on this either, everyone's kids are important to them. It's not like some parents care about their kids and some don't. But some people tell me about them and then some people tell me about them, and Deanna told me about them. It doesn't happen very often, but, sometimes, when someone is describing someone they love, the way Deanna was talking about her kids, you can feel how much they care about them. You can feel it really really hard. I could feel how much Deanna cares about her kids, and those sorts of people are the most beautiful kind in my opinion. I didn't walk away feeling like I knew her kids, but I did walk away wanting to know them.

It was exciting meeting Deanna in that random little Starbucks. Meeting a stranger in a place I'm not expecting to is always a shot of espresso in my everyday life. She was so nice and friendly. It was the perfect start to the day I ended up having. I left her with a hug and my name on a piece of paper so she could add me on Facebook, which she promptly did.

End Flashback!

Deanna had been so genuine and kind in our short meeting that I kept up with her a little bit during my time in Alaska. When it was time to purchase my flight back south I planned a couple days in Seattle so I could hang out with her and meet her family. I still can't believe the generosity Deanna showed me upon my return to Seattle. Her and her daughter, Meredith, came and picked me up from the airport, took me home to her lovely lovely home (seriously the cutest house in the world), fed me, we swapped stories, and then I went back to Meredith's where I attempted to woo Charlie, the giant St. Bernard. 

For some reason Charlie was having none of me. I could tell she was the sweetest giant dog ever, but for some reason she didn't want to be my friend. I have a few theories on this. 1. The smell of Gordon on me 2. My beard 3. My dreads 4. I'm a dude. That was the extent of me and Meredith's speculation on the situation. I love dogs though and I couldn't handle Charlie hating me. So I did all I could to get her to love me. I started out getting low ye know? Like you normally do with a dog, letting her sniff my hand, yada yada yada. I was met with low growls the whole time. Okay, so I get on my belly, see? Complete surrender, and inch my way closer and closer to her with my hand stretched all the way out. Now maybe I shouldn't be doing this with a HUGE dog whom I don't know anything about and whom does not seem to be very pleased with my presence in her home. But, like I said, I couldn't bare having her hate me, and I could tell she really was just a sweetheart and something about me was putting her off. But still nothing, no love. So I pet her a bit, kind of forcing it. She doesn't like it. I sweet talk her. Nada. Meredith is nice enough to get me a treat to give to Charlie and she won't even take the treat from me. I let her sniff a dreadlock, because sometimes dogs like to chew on them, and it seems, for an instant, she is interested in it, giving it a good couple sniffs, but I quickly get the cold shoulder again. Then I find that secret spot on every dogs belly where you scratch 'em and their leg just starts air scratchin' right? And I'm sure she enjoyed it, of course she fucking enjoyed it, but she still wasn't happy about me after it. So I ran through all of this again and again and eventually I got some doggy kisses on my face the next morning, but they were very tentative at best. Regardless, I thought they were well earned and I was very proud of those doggy kisses. Charlie, I'm sorry you didn't love me, let me make it up to you some day though, I'll bring you a present next time I'm through.

Meredith, Deanna's daughter, was kind enough to let me stay at hers for the night. Let me tell you, Meredith is awesome. She has traveled all over the place doing all sorts of things. Her personality is super bubbly and I didn't seem to offend her too much with my crude humor and foul language (I should really work on that). Her spirit was infectious, that was for sure, and I'd put money on it being impossible to be sad or down in any way when you're around her. That's just the energy she gave off. She was even nice enough to let me tag along on her morning workout when we woke up. As excited as I was, it wrecked my poor out of shape body. Thanks for that Meredith, I really did enjoy the hill sprints, and I really loved meeting you. Keep up your exciting life style and let me know when you're around Ireland area, Galway is the place to be!

Deanna

Meredith

Charlie

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Passing through Seattle on my way south was amazing, and I'm sure going through Seattle on my way back to the summer salmon season will be amazing too. But now I'm home. Back in San Antonio for my sisters 21st and my moms 50th. I didn't know what to get my sister for her birthday since she doesn't really drink, but then I got her a bottle of honey Jack anyways, in hopes that, one day, we'll drink together. I don't mind writing it on here either (her birthday is yet to come) because I know she doesn't read the blog. I'm excited for the short visit home though. It's nice to dip my toes in Texas for a week before me and Stumbles are off. Oops, I let it slip didn't I? Yeah, me and Stumbles are off on our next grand adventure together! And what is that you may ask? We're gonna ride our bikes across America, no biggie. Go ahead, ask me details because I've no answers. I'm pretty sure we're gonna be winging it and you know what? I can't wait!!!

Be happy, 

Beacon