Day 5: The Day After

I like what one of my friends said on her Facebook status this morning--- (she) hopes the people who expect everyone to be happy this morning remember how the left has behaved for the past 8 years before they get indignant.

I have to agree. But I have to add that I hope those on the right will rise above the behavior of the past 8 years and while they may not embrace the man or his positions, they will respect that Obama has the best intentions at heart. (Yeah, I thought the same of Bush. I still think he was surrounded by a bunch of idiotic yes-men who went along with his extremely idiotic schemes. Maybe I am too much of a Pollyanna.) I'm so thankful the election has ended and I hope that the country will look forward and that we can be done with with the sniping, the anger, the nonsense.

Paul and I both voted for a 3rd party candidate--a little protest of two on the way this election season has gone. I know that some will say we essentially voted for Obama with that vote but I don't see it that way. I see it as having a chance to say that I didn't like either candidate and I don't like what is going on with the two major parties. And the great thing about this country is that I can do just that. So much time and money has, in my opinion, been wasted. Was anything accomplished in the past 21 months that couldn't have been accomplished in six months? Was all the money spent really necessary in this day of viral video and instant communication? Did it change anything? What good could it have been used to accomplish? If anything, the past two years have served to make this particular voter become disillusioned, cynical, and slightly apathetic with the entire process. I'm tired of how major partisanship has become. I'm tired of being considered part of the Evil Empire because I have more conservative leanings with some liberal ideas thrown in just to tweak my family (I've heard too many times how the "good guys" won). I'm tired of having my intelligence questioned because I didn't identify with either of the major parties (apparently, Independents are ignorant. I'd argue differently.). I like who McCain used to be--back when he was considered too liberal for the Republicans to nominate in 2000. I'm worried about all the rah-rah surrounding Obama--I don't believe many of his campaign promises will work out for the best for me and my small-business owner husband but I'm willing to give him a chance. I understand the historical implications of this race and I'm proud that I was able to be a part of it. Someday I'll be able to tell our children that yes, I remember this day and how interesting and amazing the time was. And then I'll explain the idea of the third party to the poor sap who has Paul and me for parents.

As for the president-elect, all I can do is what I would do no matter what last night's outcome had been. That is pray. I fervently believe in the power of prayer. I don't agree with the email I received that said we needed to pray for the "right man" to be elected (i.e. McCain). I think at that at that point, we would be asking for God's will to be changed. Instead, I will pray for this country and its return to greatness. I will pray that President Obama will surround himself with wise counsel and make decisions that strengthen the country. I pray that party lines will give way to a UNITED America. I pray that as a country, we continue to work toward the more perfect union outlined by our forefathers. And I hope that others will join me in that prayer (and I respect that not everyone is the praying type and if you don't pray, send out positive energy and good kharma and white light and whatever else works for you).

Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."

Day 4: Nothing

I'm at a loss for anything clever to write about today. Because of the election, we don't have school today. This day off occurs every two years for presidential and gubernatorial races. Since we voted a week ago, today is a day off for me. I cleaned the carpets and the house. I've irritated the cat because I'm at the house. I have a JLA meeting tonight. That's pretty much it.

Day 3: Seattle

Paul and I had a lovely weekend in Seattle, enjoying each other's company along with mostly nice weather. We didn't have many plans aside from watching the Tech game on Saturday evening. Because I'm more than a little nerdy, I always bring along all the clippings and print-outs of things to do in the city we're visiting, just to give us ideas of things to do and places to visit. This go-around, I brought with me an article about Seattle on the cheap with an assortment of ideas of things to do that didn't cost much money which was right up our alley.

Flying into Seattle, I was on the wrong side of the plane to see Mt. Rainier. The plane was pretty empty--50 passengers or so--and for some reason, a gentleman sat down in the row with me in Albuquerque and didn't change seats. I should have during the layover in Salt Lake City but didn't think to do so until too late.
Friday evening was pretty low-key. Dinner and a trip to a game store Paul had found earlier in the week. He bought two more card games although we didn't have chance to play either over the weekend.

Saturday, we played tourist, heading out to Pike Place Market to wander a bit and see the sights there and then down to the waterfront for a bite to eat.
The iconic sign at Pike Place Market.
We did stop at the original Starbucks. Neither of us drink coffee but I could subsist on chai tea lattes when it is cold. We also ran into a Texas fan and engaged in some good-natured ribbing on our part; he was a bit aggressive about how bad Tech was going to lose. Ha!
The sign was very excited to announce the availability of pluots.
With the waterfront behind us. It was overcast almost the entire time so we never did see Mt. Rainier aside from one little glimpse on Saturday afternoon.
The back of the market as seen from the waterfront street.
Lots of stairs going from the waterfront back up to Pike Place.

After leaving Pike Place, we headed to Ballard to see the locks between Lake Washington and Puget Sound. There is botanical gardens and a visitor center on the grounds as well. Because it was raining and we only had one umbrella (mine was nice and dry back in my car in ABQ), we didn't spend too much time wandering around the gardens.

Some of the many lovely hydrangeas on the grounds.
Information about the locks and the fish ladder.
I have no idea what direction I'm looking or what that drawbridge down the way is but I thought it made for a nice picture.

Looking over the small lock to the spillway and the fish ladder.

Sailboats waiting in the small lock.

Going down from one body of water to the other.
Paul on the walkway between the small lock and the spillway. We walked over to the fish ladder but it is the wrong season to see any salmon.

After leaving the locks, we stopped in at Archie McPhee because who doesn't need a yodeling pickle in their Christmas stocking? (Don't worry, family. No one is getting one.) There was also a lovely quilt shop that we stopped in to pick up a few things for my mother-in-law's stocking. By this time, it was getting close to time to head back to the hotel so we could watch the football game. And what a game indeed. I'm guessing there isn't a Texas Tech fan around who isn't still smiling.

Sunday morning, we lazed around the room after breakfast, enjoying a brief break in the clouds to enjoy a walk along a river trail next to the hotel. I think this was the only 30 minutes of sun all day. Paul was so excited for me to see the leaves changing when I arrived on Friday (it was after dark but he kept pointing out trees and telling me the color it would be in daylight).




After the walk, we had too much time before we needed to leave for the airport but not enough time to really do anything. So, using the Garmin, we headed to points of interest. Little did we know that Jimi Hendrix's burial site was a mere 5.6 miles or so from the hotel.

But there it is. The rest of the cemetery is very low-key and it was definitely easy to spot this monument.

It started pouring rain shortly after we left this spot but we drove to two more places including the National Hydroplane and Raceboat Muesum. Never knew there was such a thing (it was closed so we didn't actually stop). After this little tour, it was off to the airport and back to the not-even-close-to-green green grass of home.

Day 2: 90 seconds

In any other year, we'd be happy with a win over Texas because it was a win over Texas. Those don't happen often. But a win over #1 Texas? It doesn't even compare.

Tech nearly, nearly gave the game away again. But thankfully, the boys held it together and didn't give it up. And 90 seconds was all that was needed in what we have termed the BEST GAME EVER!

Our team won.

Day 1: Round 2

So, we're in Seattle and so far, it's been cold and damp. Similar to what it was last time we were here but colder and damper. We're off to Pike Place Market and some other tourist trap places in just a bit. Last night, we went to a place called Dick's Drive-in for hamburgers. There was a wide variety of characters out last night for Halloween. It was funny and a little frightening at the same time (not that any of the people were scary but some of the costumes ran a risk of showing us more than we desired to see).

Texas Tech plays Texas tonight. We don't care that we are going to be in Seattle--Paul already said we would get food and sit in the hotel room watching the game and we've already plotted where to get our take-out. We could just watch all the ESPN College Gameday there as well since they are broadcasting from the Engineering Key on Tech campus. I wish we could be in Lubbock this weekend! I'm sure the air is absolutely electric. Even if we weren't at the game, it would be crazy to watch it in town with all the other Tech fans having fun alongside you (hopefully having fun; this does have the potential to be disastrous). I love that my school is doing so well this year, even if it is a fluke thing. The story about the kicker just adds to the excitement. I also love this commentary from the Pitt newspaper--our coach is crazy enough to do a "guess the number" game with extra credit given for pirate gear.

And if the above reading doesn't suit your fancy, here is a funny article Paul send to me.