Seattle:Come Rain or Come Shine–Road Trip Day 3

We started Day 3 in the lovely town of Missoula, Montana. Home of beauty, nice shops, and my ex Jerod.

After a rocky night of sleep for me…I was wired going to bed from the night before…we got up to start our day. I texted Jerod about grabbing some coffee together as I suggested the night before. After waiting over an hour I finally gave up on his responding and Linda and I headed to breakfast. Imagine my surprise when I got a text that said “Are you having trouble finding the place?” Uh….what place? Apparently he had texted me back but I hadn’t received it and now he was waiting for me in a coffee shop a couple blocks away and had been for about 35 minutes. Because Linda is a WONDERFUL friend she let me ditch her on the spot and run to the coffee shop to meet him. 🙂

After a really great catch up talk we parted ways…again.

Linda and I then drugged up the kits and hit the road for Day 3 of our driving adventure. Again it was a day of discussing deep things of our hearts that needed to be spoken. It was philosophy at its finest as each of us tried to verbalize where we are in our walk with God and our desire to just live out the love of Christ to others instead of being bringers of doctrine and judgement. Of course we also talked more about men and sex. Did I mention we didn’t leave Missoula without doing some more shopping (I came away with 2 new scarves and a handbag…neither of which was necessary but all of which were strongly desired). I then answered email while Linda wandered a thrift store. We both wished the darling Mrs. Koski was with us on this trip at various intervals during the day. Perhaps the most beautiful part of the day was our stop at the scenic vista to look at the Columbia River Gorge and all the beauty and power therein.

Several people have commented that we could have done this trip in less time and I know that full well. But why?? Why push ourselves or the cats any harder than 7 hours a day? The hotels are paid for. I can’t get into Corporate housing until 3PM Thursday. And there was no point in making each day exhausting when we could just do this leisurely and treat it like a holiday. 

We finished the night in Ellensberg, Washington which is only slightly over 100 miles from Seattle. Again I realize we could have easily finished the swing and stayed in Seattle last night but I can’t get into Corporate Housing until 3PM. I also relished the idea of a slow morning before the excitement starts and love the thought of a final short drive taking me into my new hometown.

The cats have become quite content to be on this trip. They sleep in their palatial doggy crate during the day, talking to us occasionally, looking out the window any time we stop and give them fresh air. And each evening the prowl the hotel room, smelling everything, and ultimately find a window seat and sit in it. Each night they pick a bed…usually Linda’s in protest of sleeping with me since this trip is MY FAULT…and we all crash for the night. Last night they wrestled for the first time all week so I know they are OKAY!

Oh..I almost forgot to mention that we dined at The Yellow Church Cafe which is an old Lutheran Church renovated into a restaurant in Ellsenberg. The pasta was delicious, the wine was delightful, but the atmosphere was priceless!!

Yesterday was the first time that the true reality of what I am doing set in. I mean..I’ve known all along I was moving myself to Seattle. But yesterday it just hit me like a ton of bricks that I don’t know anything about Seattle and that this is a true adventure in the grandest style. And all I could do was smile.

And yet on the adventure I feel surrounded by love and lovelies. Zach and Sara, Tim and Cheryl are less than 3 hours away in Portland. Cara and Stephen are a ferry ride away on their BC Blueberry Farm (and such…). Jerod is a days drive to the east in the friendly mountain town that I’ve somehow fallen for. Vancouver, a city I have always adored, is to the north.

How could this be anything but right?