From the 15^th floor of our home on Skinker Blvd. in Saint Louis we overlook JFK Forest of Forest Park. We can see a golf course to the north, the Chase Park Plaza, the Cathedral ,the Wheel, and the St. Louis Arch due east. The park is full of walkers, runners, bikers, skaters, golfers, Zoo attendees, History Museum buffs, Boat House guests and more. The noise of the city is evident by police and ambulance sirens, rap music blasting from passing traffic, loud motorcycles nightly and occasional screeching of brakes just prior to another car accident at the intersection.

From our Guemes Island cabin we hear nothing. Occasionally, we can hear a motor boat sound in the distance. We hear birds singing often but that pleasant sound goes on without much notice. We see sail boats, tug boats, huge oil tanker rigs, fisher men in boats of all sizes but most are two-man vessels.  We see a few people as they walk the beach. We see their dogs. We see the deer, porpoise and seals. But we hear quiet. Quiet has no sound. Silence is silence.

So, tell me again, why do I want to go home?

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Our life is pretty much dictated by when we get off this island and when we get back on it.

This week Brian and I drove down south of Seattle to Tacoma where we picked up our grandson, Fisher, who lives in Portland, Oregon. His mother brings Fisher northbound on Highway 5 as we head southbound. The mid-point is Tacoma. It will be cool to hang out with Fisher, Amaya, Rumi, Teo, Sienna and Sebastian this week.

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BTW. Fisher is sixteen. As you can see, he has grown quite a bit!

I got a surprise call from my friend and former colleague at Nine Network, Emily Height. She and her husband, Scott and their two boys are vacationing on Orca Island. They came  over on the Anacortes Ferry at 2:30 Wednesday afternoon. So, Sandy and I provided ice cream for six  which we all shared at the Anacortes Marina. Then, we sent Colson and Teddy home with a bag full of Jelly Beans. Emily is pregnant with a baby. girl due this fall. Congrats Scott and Emily!

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For the fourth day this week we spend a few hours at the local skateboard park. It is not up to Portland, Oregon standards but it works in a pinch. Fisher is really good. It took him 40 plus tries to land a complicated landing but with tremendous persistence, effort and angst he finally landed it! Pretty awesome.  

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Amaya has no interest in skateboarding but she loves her animals, plants, creative drawings and her friends especially Nut Brown and Bella Beautiful. And, she is quite the creative artist. Below we are designing oiur very own drinking cup.

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For my friends Terry and Jo, living in Las Vegas and all of our friends and family living in St. Louis while you are enjoying temperatures exceeding 100 degrees we are turning on the heat for morning coffee and we need a sweatshirt and a fire for the evening on the beach.