Labor Day

I've been away from my blog for a while so I'm going to play a little catch-up. Here are some pictures from Labor Day weekend when I went camping with my family. With La Conner as a home-base, we took day a day trip to Friday Harbor and went sight-seeing at Deception Pass. Here are a few photos:

Bellingham Bay 1/2 Marathon

Keith's at it again...running in another race. Today it was the Bellingham Bay Half Marathon. Conditions were pefect for running...a warm, fall day. Keith finished with one of his best times at this distance, approximately 1 hours 48 minutes and that was WITH a couple minute wait for the train (one of the challenges of running along the Bellingham waterfront).

Way to go, Keith!

While Keith was running I was feeling nostalgic for Bellingham. As I was walking around downtown I was thinking about the Bellingham of my childhood, back before the mall when we shopped at Nordstrom's Place Two, JC Penny, Bon Marche and Golden Rule. Back when my Grandma Garner used to take us to lunch at Woolworth's and we'd sit at the counter. Back when the YMCA had a terrible facade. Back before the bus depot when the buses would line up in front of Pay 'n Save and Nancy White's Ballet Studio.

At dinner in Fairhaven on Saturday night with Kristin, I had similar thought. So much has changed.

As I was clinging to the memories of yesteryear, I drove out to Cafe Caffe to get muffins. Like a stake through the heart I read the hand-written note on the door thanking everyone for years of devotion to the little bakery now closed for good. I think it will be a while before I come to grips with this loss.

Even with the changes, Bellingham will always be my hometown. Favorite hang-outs may change but I will always love the heart of soul of the town.

Grandpa's 98th Birthday

At the end of August my Grandpa turned 98 years old. Born in 1911, he has survived the flu pandemic and the Great Depression. He remembers a time in Seattle when the fire-fighters were in horse drawn trucks and neighbors would come outside to gawk at an airplane overhead. In his teens he worked as a typewriter repair apprentice and in his 90's he learned to use his laptop. He build a house from scratch and raised 4 children. He is a remarkable person with remarkable history.



Family gathered in August to celebrate with Grandpa. Although he's been battling cancer, we may do it all over again in a year. I am rarely shocked to see Grandpa beat the odds.



Happy Birthday, Grandpa. We love you!