Life In The Pacific Northwest
Here are some shots from Easter weekend, where we drove up to Bellingham. Now, I love Bellingham, but the traffic through Everett, Arlington and Mt. Vernon was ludicrous. It took over two hours to get up there and neatly three to get home. Normal conditions would make it about 70 minutes. Our region’s growth is making for California-esque traffic, of which I’m not a fan. It is a part of life around here anymore, I’m afraid.
I just found these two events that are happening tomorrow in Marysville and Everett respectively.
The Port of Everett is hosting the Holiday By The Bay. Check out the flyer below for details.
The City of Marysville will be hosting their annual Christmas Parade tomorrow evening starting at 5:00 pm. It’s along State ave, which will be blocked off starting at 4th street. So, find a place to park as close to Comeford Park as you can.
Now that Thanksgiving has come and gone, we can consider the holidays fully upon us. Warm 106.9 is fully on Christmas Music mode (24/7 through Christmas Day). Edmonds lead the way last weekend with their Tree Lighting. However, we’re far from done with the holiday fun. Here’s what’s coming up in the next few days.
December 1:
December 2:
December 7:
We managed to squeeze a walk in my favorite seaside town yesterday: Edmonds. Though our day was full with prep for Easter, an evening get-togethere with dear friends, and getting the weekend’s errands done as we sacrifice Sunday’s productivity for fun and family. Sure, we squeezed some productivity into the walk, stopping for a few necessities along the way.
I love walking, both as a means of exercise and as transportation. I’ll be writing more about this.
After church, playing some brass church music, I’ll be heading to Bellingham to spend time with family.
What ate you doing this Easter Sunday?
Ah, a lovely Saturday in Lynnwood! Nary a cloud, and rather warm.
Besides the basic logistical efforts of weekend life (laundry, decluttering, groceries…), today was the day to costume shop. Well, for the kid, who’s losing his kid-like qualities quickly.
We made our way to Lynnwood’s Spirit Halloween. Even as I’m walking in, I can here the gang from Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas singing “This Is Halloween”. For me, at least, this was delightful.
https://youtu.be/xpvdAJYvofI
Looking around this store, that looks like the wardrobe department for a B horror flick. Rather impressive, really, especially considering the glorified trash bags I wore as “costumes” when I was a kid. Things looked like these:
And I had this one several times (I heart Spiderman):
The world has changed. And kid’s expectations have grown. Makes sense, I guess. And, though I’d love things to become dirt-cheap again, I’ll take the greater fun.
Spirit’s over in Lynnwood Square, I believe in the same spot as the old (ancient?) CompUSA. It’s next to where Sport’s Authority used to be. In the lot is a rather large sign admonishing non-patrons about this being a private lot. I found it amusing. Mainly since there’s a lot of vacant space in this strip-mall. I’m sure it’s from better times, when parking was more of a premium. Anyway, if you’re looking for a large retail space, they’ve got plenty for you. In case you didn’t know, within a 5-mile radius, we have a population in excess of 300,000 with an average household income of nearly $88,000. Not a bad neighborhood, huh?
In the parking lot is the old Chevy’s. I’ve been watching the building for some time.
I think the building’s been vacant more than it’s been occupied. I’m not sure how long the space has been vacant, but I’m sure you can lease it for a reasonable price. I know it’s been closed for at least 10 years I can speak of. I wonder why it’s still vacant? I don’t imagine there’s a good business case to made for a rotting, vacant building. I’m used to these situations have some kind of legal issue, whether insurance, probate, taxes, criminal…there’s some kind of issue.
I’ve been meaning to dive deeper within, but I’ve been busy. Soon, though.
Stay well, do great things!
Several recent marketing emails I’ve received lately were titled “Happy Memorial Day”. My response? Cringing. “Happy”? I don’t want to disparage the senders, but language is important to me. Word choice and imagery, critical.
This day where we remember our war dead, “happy”, to me, misses the point. “Thoughtful”, perhaps. “Reflective” works well, too. Thinking about the history and imagery around “Memorial Day”, and I don’t see joy, happiness; just somberness.
I think of WWI, the masses of humanity ground up in the machinery of war. Also, as its armistice was drawn up yet the fighting, and dying, continued so that leaders could enjoy symbolism; war’s madness, too. Elements which have not faded from the modern battle field.
The loss of so much potential; of sons, fathers, friends. I find such deeply sobering.
I don’t feel anger or offense, though, which is so often our favorite response. Just contemplative consideration.
Years ago I gave time to a veterans organization focused on helping vets struggling to adapt to civilian life. You see the military holds a social place in my heart. I was born in the Navy. I grew up surrounded by the unique pomp and ceremony of the military. Thus, it might surprise you that I never attended a Memorial Day ceremony until I joined the Navy myself. I, however, fully understand why. For my father, the “Fallen” are no academic construct, no series of historical events, not even somber photos of tombstones. They are faces, names, tendrils of conversation and relationships. And, as I know now, they burn.
Seatte’s Folklife held the favorite piece of my attention for this weekend. Music speaks to me deeply, echoing within my fogotten recesses. Songs, dancing, with a rich and inclusive mix of humanity. The diversity that is Seattle was on full display in it’s glorious beauty. This gives me great hope that humanity will move past brutality, at least on a mass scale.
Song might be the best way for me to express my feelings about Memorial Day. One, “And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda” captures my sentiment well. Though, clearly, about Australians, really, war is war. It penetrates the myths of war’s glory, staring into the deepest costs of this human proclivity. Maybe, if we remember the deep and horrible costs of war, maybe, just maybe, war can become something studied by historians, puzzling children. And nothing more. These dreams of mine…
After darkness fun
Costumed ghouls, goblins and such,
Roam seeking candy.
I always thought that Memorial Day started to honor the veterans of WWI. Turns out, at least per Wikipedia, that it actually started as Decoration Day after the Civil War. Though it often is considered the harbinger of summer (around here, it really tends to be a false-start for summer, but I digress), it’s function is to remind us of those who died in military service. We aren’t so fond of anything hinting at moroseness, but there really is value in considering the costs born for our way of life. Many have paid the ultimate price for us. That should give us pause. Let’s not take it for granted. Let’s not forget. And let’s remember those who willing serve and not put them in harms way mindlessly.