Hanging Up The Hormones

September was a busy month.  Kate came to visit for some much needed mothering and fell in love with Daisy (once her allergy meds kicked in.)

What's not to love?  Even with a mini Mohawk.

She and Dan flew back to NY together.  Luckily they got to see one day of the three day Wooden Boat Festival, the biggest of its kind in the country and it takes place right in the marina we overlook.

There were incredible boats of all sizes and descriptions, from sleek sailing yachts to luxurious motor launches from the 1920s, old tug boats, schooners and even the replica of the Discovery which George Vancouver sailed into these waters a while ago.  Skippers sat around on their decks and invited people on board to tour, there was live music, dancing and a beer tent, boat building demonstrations, pirate treasure hunts and dozens of other events that even a land lubber like me could enjoy.

When Dan returned it was time for the Port Townsend Film Festival.  Susan volunteered me to pour cocktails with her in the new bar called, in keeping with this year's Alien/Space Age theme, Area 51 (hence the lab coat.)

We had a blast (ahem) and I think the Flash Gordon Destroying Ray became the signature cocktail of the event.  I mixed so many I can even recite the "formula" - 1 oz. gin, 1 oz. vodka, 1/2 oz. Campari, 1/2 oz. lime juice, 1/4 oz. simple syrup (that bit was my addition and I think the reason the drink took off - ahem) topped up with tonic water, and for the big finish I gave customers the Sonic Clap - a sprig of rosemary clapped between my palms to "bruise" it.  And this being Port Townsend we served organic spirits from a local distiller on Bainbridge Island.  Instead of the traditional juniper berries the gin was flavored with our own Douglas Fir - interesting!

Then it was time for Dan's Mystery Birthday Trip.  His birthday was back in July but he had to wait  for his present. All he knew about it was that we'd be away for two nights.  Thanks to neighbors Alan and Becky I learned about a one night cruise from Seattle to Vancouver on Holland America and booked a swanky stateroom with a verandah and all.  For six months I've been seeing the very ship we'd be sailing on go past our house every Saturday night and for six months I had to bite my tongue.

Dan had no idea.  It was perfect.  But even more perfect was the moment shortly after we settled into the swanky stateroom and there was a knock on the door.  He opened it to find Bruce and Diane who had traveled from New Jersey to be part of the surprise - the best part.

Dan declared it the Best Birthday Present Ever and he's already worried about what to do for my 60th which is just silly as it's decades away.














 We even got in a little dancing on deck in between bottles of champagne.

For an old guy he can still shake it.

We stayed a night in Vancouver and visited Granville Island, home of the most incredible food market we've ever seen.  It has everything, from the sublime

to the ridiculous.

I mean, you'd get shot in New York if you tried to sell fruit filled bagels.

Then there was my favorite store - Dayton Boots - whose ads were just brilliant.  I wonder if you could get away with these in the U.S.  Sadly, I think not.

We were all starving (because of course we hadn't eaten AT ALL on the ship) and had a great dinner in Richmond, said to have the best Chinese food outside China.

  Of course, if Bruce had seen what he was about to tuck into before it landed on his plate he might not have been so enthusuastic.

Kidding!  We were definitely not adventurous enough to try local geoducks (pronounced, oddly enough, gooey ducks which really doesn't capture the "ick" factor at all.)  They are a kind of clam, about 15 - 24  inches long, and never mind lobsters, I'd like to meet the person who first thought that these might make a tasty meal.

This weekend it's the Kinetic Skulpture Race which means we've been here a full year (see first MM blog entry.)  We will try to get to the Koronation Kostume Ball this year.  Here's the blurb from today's paper:

Like everything else, the rules are loose.  Entrants must be human or a reasonable facsimile - a DNA sample may be required.  Each kontestant must tell a joke, share a recipe and demonstrate a talent or skill.  The select panel of judges is open to bribes.

So we've now come to the end of a year's worth of parades, festivals, dances and events.  We've done more of the following in this one year than in the last ten years:  gone to the movies, been dancing, listened to live music, entertained, bought polar fleece jackets and eaten salmon.  We've made new friends and nagged old ones to come visit (some of whom actually did.)  We've become experts in identifying cruise ships (me) and naval ships (Dan), and spent countless hours watching spectacular cloud formations over the water and mountains.  We've amassed quite a collection of sea glass and even found tiny pieces of red, the Holy Grail of beach glass.

And we've even, it seems, managed to find a building to buy for the Tea Room.

That's the corner store where the tea room will be.

The building as it looked in the 1940s.  It was the first supposedly fire proof hotel in PT, except most of the back extension burned down - only the tea room sticks out the back now and the empty parts are now a courtyard garden.  Stay tuned for more!

The deal looks like it's going to go through after all - just one more hurdle to clear and that's the Phase One Inspection.  Unless the building is sitting on a toxic waste dump this won't be a problem and we will close the sale sometime around the end of October.  The Zaftig Mama is warming up her pipes.

We will start construction of Pippa's Real Tea as soon as possible and hope for an early Spring opening. For the gluttons for punishment among you I'm going to start a new blog chronicling the building of the store, the starting of the business, and my downward spiral into madness.  But for now, this Menopausal Mama is signing off and saying a big thank you to everyone who read and commented and encouraged me along the way.  The invitation is still open to all of you who have not yet visited but be warned, you may be asked to bring work gloves and an apron.  Tra-la!

Travels With My Aunt (with apologies to Graham Greene)

I'm not exactly sure what happened to August.  It was there, stretching out before me one moment, with nothing much planned except my epic voyage to Alaska towards the end of the month and yet it ended up whirling by in a flash.

Much of the time was spent on the building - inspection, contractor quotes, meetings with the Building Department, bankers, lawyers, brokers, measuring, designing, planning.  No nasty surprises uncovered during the inspection so that's good news.  All we have to do now is wait for the commercial appraisal to come in and hope there will be no nasty surprises there either.  Depending on the amount the bank says the building is worth we may or may not have a deal (more on that after the fact as I'm afraid again of jinxing it.)

We celebrated Susan's birthday and she capped off the evening with the following Still Life By Susan:

Cake Syrah Syrah

In another fit of inspiration she discovered a new red wine from South Africa which she just had to buy for the label.  The wine makers from the Cotes du Rhone were not impressed (and indeed, even tried to sue!)  No sense of humor, the French.

Dan made a trip to New York in the middle of the month so I was able to reassure everyone that our Bagel Mule would soon be making a delivery .  He's gone from bringing home six or eight to stuffing two dozen plus a dozen bialys into his suitcase to handle the growing number of people who need their real NY bagel fix.

Then it was on to Alaska for me, and a "stay-cation" for Dan.  No need to feel sorry for him though - he was well taken care of by numerous friends who all felt sorry for him being left on his own while I was off living the high life on the (thankfully not so) high seas with Aunty Daria.  I was lucky enough to be invited along as travel companion on a one week cruise up the Inside Passage from Vancouver to Glacier Bay, with stops at various small ports on the way.

Leaving Vancouver

All glammed up for first formal night.

And for the second.

Well, I have this to say about Alaska.  It's spectacular and quirky, pristine and quirky, awe inspiring and really, really quirky.  I think I love it, but I'm not exactly sure.  I definitely love it from the safety and comfort of a luxurious cruise ship but I have my doubts about being able to survive there for more than a few hours - and that's just in town.

Our first port of call was Juneau and here's a prime example of Alaskan Quirky.  It's the state capital and there are no roads in or out.  You can only get there by boat or sea plane.  And it's a tiny town.  I'm surprised any governor lasts a full term.  Try as I might I just couldn't picture Sarah in the streets of Juneau.  I met a charming bookseller who took great pains to disabuse me of the commonly held Lower 48 belief that all Alaskans love Palin.  They're just quirky, is all.

Downtown Juneau

Our ship - bigger than most buildings in the State Capital

Even though we see three or four cruise ships at a time sail  past our house on their way north to Alaska, I never saw another ship unless we were in port.  I had visions of half a dozen behemoths jostling for position in Glacier Bay but were were entirely alone and made it utterly magical.  We didn't see any calving glaciers but we did hear a very loud cracking sound which made everyone jump, and probably gave the kayakers a nasty fright.  If you zoom in you might just see them (click on the photo to enlarge.)  The next photo gives you an idea of the size of this glacier.

Alaskan billboards

Downtown Skagway - most famous for its one-time brothel, the Red Onion Saloon.

What is wrong with this picture?

Big Friday night at the local tavern - dress up like someone from The Big Lebowski.

Sorry, Skagway has another claim to fame.

Souvenir shopping

Couldn't decide - this one?

Or this?

So I went for the nose warmer instead. 

Actually quite delicious.

Ketchikan also famous for its brothels and the delicate sensibilities of their married clientele who had their own discreet (no longer) entrance through the woods.

Driftwood art

It was a wonderful week but kind of scary how quickly I became used to having two stewards looking after my every need and whim (ah, Dadang and Andre, how I miss you!)  It's also unnerving at first to be greeted by so many smiling, helpful people when traveling.  You just become used to snarling security personnel and surly airline staff and having travel be an unpleasant means of getting to your destination.  Not so on a cruise ship where getting there is often more pleasant than arriving.  Thank you Aunty Daria  for sharing that luxurious new experience with me.  I'm pleased to report that Dan is remembering to put the chocolate on my pillow and I'm hopeful he'll master the towel monkey very soon.