SEATTLE

Part of the reason that our time here in Pacific Beach is so enjoyable and not cumbersome is knowing that on weekends we are leaving our population 141 town for the Big City...more than not, we are going to Salem, Oregon, home of Willamette University and the Bearcat football team where my son is a Senior outside linebacker and captain of the defense. One of the reasons to be here at this time is that we would be able to see all of the games his senior year. Salem is not what I would really term as a 'big city' of course, but remember, we are comparing it to a population 141 small coastal village...

This last weekend, however, he had an away game at The University of Puget Sound, UPS, in Tacoma, Washington. Taking advantage of the proximity of Tacoma to Downtown Seattle, we opted to make a long weekend out of our excursion and stay in Seattle a few nights. I chose a downtown hotel, The Westin Seattle, as it appeared to be walking distance to the waterfront, Pikes Market, Space Needle, downtown shopping, dining and nightlife. And though I have been to Seattle before, I have never stayed more than one night. I was expecting a stay similar to a few night stay in San Francisco, as I had always felt the two cities to be quite similar. After all, they both lie on bodies of water on the West Coast...

Let me start by saying that it did not rain a drop the three days we were in Seattle, so my perception is perhaps skewed by the abnormal weather pattern this weekend...but the moment that we parked the car and started walking around, I immediately felt the difference between Seattle and SF...Seattle has much more of a tight knit and compact feel to it, and my guess is that it is, in fact, quite a bit smaller than SF. The city has beautiful restaurants and bars, coffee houses and breweries, all lining the streets that lead up and down to the waterfront. The waterfront has restaurants, museums, bars, all that capture views of Elliott Bay and the various ferries that transport resident locals and tourists alike to the many different islands that populate the different waterways and channels in the area. This city has charm that is altogether different than any other city I have been to...between the city's love of coffee houses to their love of craft beers, to the beauty of the waters, to the excitement of downtown baseball and football fields, to the fresh seafood, to the birthplace of the grunge movement...all can be felt here in walking its streets. I could see myself living in a city like this...not for a long time, as I do not like the cold and I can feel the proximity to the Arctic Circle here :) But for a few months, long enough to explore the different offerings that the city has, and long enough to say that I once lived in Seattle...

The Diva with a Red Mercedes

When my daughter was informed of our life plans earlier this year, she laughingly expressed that she did not believe that it was possible for me to live a simpler life, as she thought I was a 'diva with a red Mercedes.' And she felt that a person like me couldn't find the way to simplify and tone down her so-called wants and needs enough to be able to live the kind of authentic life we were talking about....

So the first step in ridding myself of this title was getting rid of the red Mercedes, which I did several months ago. So now I guess I am just a diva...but in Pacific Beach, WA, I don't think divas are much appreciated...so I am trying my hardest to blend and fit in, wearing baggy jeans and not putting on the red lipstick that matched my car...just trying not to draw attention to myself. Not sure if that is working, but what I do see already in myself is a shift in my perspective and what is bringing a smile to my face and making me happy.

After my morning workout last Wednesday, I drove a few miles down a road that I hadn't been on before and I found a family-owned produce stand...Voss Acres Produce Market. You would have thought that I had found the Fountain of Youth, but I was so happy to have found a place to buy fresh and locally grown produce that I did not have to drive an hour to get to. A quaint little produce stand, and I had the opportunity to meet the owner, Sharon Voss, who shared with me her life story. She had grown up a mile down the street, but had gone out on a 'life adventure,' living and working in Portland and Seattle. She several times referred to her 'life adventure' but then recounted how she finally reconnected with a man she had known since she was much younger and found her way back home. Lovely woman and a lovely story...

And then there are Chloe and Sue, both of whom work at the Ocean Crest workout room that I go to every morning, both telling stories of their week and offering their pleasantries to me each morning. It is amazing to me that complete strangers here are more than happy to tell you about their life if you are willing to listen...

We took a road trip to a football game this weekend and discovered the best XM radio station that started off by playing 'Hotel California' and proceeded to play more Eagles, Bob Seger, James Taylor, Cat Stevens, Van Morrison, Beatles, Crosby Stills and Nash...and an entire era of music that has not since been equalled. And this made me happy.

I had forgotten the power and emotion of music, and reveled in listening and singing to some of the greatest songs ever written.

A simple conversation and connection with a stranger, a favorite song on the radio, the sun shining on the ocean, a phone call from a friend...these are all things that have made me happy this week.

I may still be a diva, but I think that is part of who I am. But this diva is adaptable and willing to make some changes in order to achieve an authenticity that I have been lacking. But because I don't want to lose my authentic self either, I think that when I get to Kauai, I will wear that red lipstick that matched my red Mercedes, with a flower in my hair to match...

Pacific Beach, Washington

So with all our possessions in a 5x5 storage unit in Danville, and our Honda Element packed with all the rest, we have officially headed out on our adventure. After a short weekend stop in Salem, Oregon for a college football game, we our now at our home for the next two months in Pacific Beach, Washington. We have rented a charming one-bedroom cottage a half a block from the ocean, with lovely views and sunsets...

So a little information about Pacific Beach...this is a small beach town on the Pacific Coast of Washington state, unincorporated, and located in Gray's Harbor County. The biggest draw of the area is the two miles of flat, wide-open Pacific Coast beach.

Population: 141, number of households: 62. Yes, that is not a typo, this is a small town.

Our cottage is located right smack in the middle of the one block town, just a few yards from Surf House Espresso, a quaint coffee house, and 59 Main, the only gift shop in town. Around the corner are the two convenience stores in town that carry 7-11 type items, and around the other corner is the Naval Base, with the only restaurant in town...I had to drive 45 minutes today to the nearest grocery store...

Earlier today there was a siren that sounded with an announcement over speakers to the entire town...it was only a test, similar to the emergency broadcast tests that I grew up with on television, but this was broadcast over-air to the town. Tsunami alerts, storm alerts, or whatever other emergency might occur here is broadcast in this manner.

I had a vision that I would be jogging on the beach in the mornings for my workout, but when I awoke to pouring rain, I had to rethink my plan. I found a small 'club,' actually a small workout room for the Ocean Crest Resort in the next town over in Moclips. For $35 per month, I joined the club, no liability waivers signed, no EFT info required, and I even got to choose my own membership number...a far cry from SportsClub/LA- San Francisco, where just two months ago I was selling $270/month memberships with $600 initiation fees to CEO's of startups...

A simpler life, isn't that what I was looking for?