Pigeon Love

Hey kids! How the hell are ya?

The last couple of days have been quite fun...the sun has been shining and it actually feels Spring-like. Not supposed to last, of course, but I am taking advantage of it for the moment.

On Monday I went out to visit my cousin Anne Marie in Burien. She is my dad's late sister's eldest daughter and is ALSO Dick Behrends half-sister. Anne Marie and her husband, Gene, are really nice folks. Their hobby is making yard displays - they go nuts at Christmas - but have something up year round. Anne Marie moved to Seattle with her mom (my Aunt Inga) in the late 1940's. Anne Marie and Gene are coming to Juneau on a cruise on Memorial Day. I will pick them up at the dock.

On Tuesday I took the bus up to the top of Phinney Ridge and then walked around Green Lake. There were HUNDREDS of people and dogs on the trail. Old people with young dogs, young people with old dogs, dogs with sweaters, dogs with other dogs, skateboarders, bicyclists, joggers - you name it. Everyone was smiling in the sun after the crappy weather of last week. After circumnavigating the lake I walked back to Ballard via Woodland Park. It was quite fun.

Yesterday morning I took some stuff to Marian at Virginia Mason and got my lesson from the physical therapy folks on how to assist Marian get in and out of the car. Friday is discharge day. She is delighted she will be able to go out the front door; but was fully prepared to go down the fire escape if necessary.

Yesterday afternoon I drove over to Discovery Park and spent about 2 1/2 hours roaming around. It's a great park -adjacent to the Magnolia neighborhood on the hill just south of Ballard. Most of the park is on a bluff which used to be the Army's Fort Lawton. A few of the old army houses still stand. You can also hike down to a very nice beach which has an old lighthouse at its western end. Again, lots of hikers with and without four-legged companions and everyone in a good mood.

After my hike I drove around Magnolia for a bit. Saw quite a few places I would be willing to call home - beautiful views of Puget Sound and/or the Cascades and downtown. Doubt if you could touch any of them for under a million bucks and many would go for a great deal more. The Seattle market is still relatively robust although it is softening. Time will tell...but barring a complete collapse I do not expect to be relocating to Magnolia anytime soon.

Last evening just before sunset I was sitting on Marian's deck and noticed a dozen or so pigeons on the roof next door. Love was in the air. I have never seen such a display of indiscriminate avian lust. For the record, I can state with certainty that pigeons are NOT monogamous. In fact, some of them appeared to be a little light in their wingtips.

This morning they were all sitting there prim-and-proper. But they're not fooling me. I know!

Well, just about finished with my latte so I will pack-up and hit the road. I am torn between walking out past the marina west of here (there are supposed to be some nice gardens in a park) or go play 9 holes at a little course just south of Fisherman's Terminal. Or maybe I can do both...

More later...