Our friends, Gerry and Sue, arrived in Seattle Friday afternoon. We had planned to stay in Seattle two nights. When Sandy found the hotel room rates were $200-$300 per room per night she decided to search for a 2 bedroom, 2 bath condo via AirBnb. We found an awesome place in Kent, Washington,15 minutes from the airport at less than half the hotel rate. We saved more than $300 per couple on our weekend in Seattle. Thanks to thrifty Sandy.

All day Saturday we were Seattle tourist, first, visiting a new Starbucks Museum on Capital Hill. This massive open space was unlike an coffee house we have ever seen. They offered coffee tastings, coffee brewed from huge batches of beans, and pastries. They were delightful. We took the monorail to see the Space Needle but the wait to get in was too long. So, we wandered over to the Music Museum. It was an expensive dud. Don’t do it!

We visited Pikes Market. Then, we took an Uber ride to Pioneer Square– drove by SafeCo Field where the Mariners play, and CenturyLink Field, home of the SeaHawks and Saunders. We finished the morning with a nice lunch in some Irish Bar. Then, we started singing Army marching songs to motivate us as we hiked uphill for more than a mile to the car.  All in all, with Sandy’s encouragement, we hiked  4.6 miles up and down the Seattle streets until Gerry, Sue and I cried uncle. We were ready for a nap before dinner in Kent.

Sunday, after Mass we headed north. We dropped by to see Kerry, Sienna and Sebastian and to pick up a dozen fresh eggs that the hens laid that day. Then, we drove on to Anacortes to do some food shopping before loading on to another Ferry to get to Guemes Island. Brian and Amaya came over for a short visit Sunday night.

• Monday, we spent all day exploring Guemes and just chilling until dinner at Anthony’s. That meal was another fun travel story. Kelly and Rumi came to join our table for six. We ordered our food and were having an enjoyable conversation over drinks and appetizers. We waited more than an hour for the main course before Sue asked Gerry to order a glass of wine. He misunderstood her request and got up to ask the waitress to check on our food order. A few minutes later the manager came by to inquire about our complaint. Dinner was served, followed by desert. Then a BIG surprise came next. All six dinners were on the house, FREE! So we had a great memorable evening and the debate was on as to who was most responsible for getting the meals comped…..was it Sue orwas it Gerry? Or, was it Kelly and Rumi? FREE dinner at Anthony’s WOW!

The next morning we drove up through Blaine to Surrey, Canada to catch a huge car Ferry out of Tswassen. An hour and half later we were in Victoria, CA. After a 30 minute cab ride we were in our new AirBnb on Princess Street, 1.7 miles from downtown Victoria. Tuesday night the four of us walked for a while to find a restaurant with a bay view. Gerry enjoyed watching sea planes lift off and land and he kept an eye on the bay throughout our meal. The evening ended with a game of cards, one of many.

Wednesday, we spent the morning and lunch a Butchart Gardens. These spectacular botanical gardens were started by Jeanie Butchart in 1904. The most magnificent thing you will see is how the gardeners have transformed a rock quarry into natures paradise. It can’t be captured by pictures, but I tried.

This morning Sandy decided to go purple. And, with Rumi and Sienna’s help she streaked her hair. She is now known on the Island as the “wild one.”

I completed the week with a once in a lifetime opportunity to become a member of the Guemes Island Country Club participating in the Annual Tide Goes Out Tournament.  What a hoot!