[a/s] Lacey and Seattle, Wa - August 11, 2000

[HHamp5246@xxxxxxx]

Hi Gang,

Yesterday I signed up and officially joined the Potlatch Rally, after 
spending the morning doing laundry and shipping the wrong skylight back.  I 
wandered in to check out the after dinner entertainment last night..... It 
was the variety show, the talent being the Washington Unit members.  I didn't 
stay long.  I did however admire their courage. (c:  I used to go to a 
Karaoke bar one night a week with friends.  <sigh>  One of them taped me 
singing my signature song, "Me and Bobby McGee."  That was the last time I 
ever sang in front of anyone.   

This morning was the pancake breakfast... they were quite good. Not as good 
as the Oak Table in Sequim, but good enough. After stuffing ourselves Don and 
I decided to go to Seattle for the day.  What was I thinking????

One thing I did, that I haven't done before, is leave the dogs in day care 
for the day.  I didn't want to drag them around the city...and I didn't want 
to make them stay in the truck for hours.... so doggy daycare it was.

The place is called.....Pet Spa. It's day care and do it yourself dog bathing 
in Olympia, just outside of Lacey.  They have a website if you want to check 
them out for future reference... http://www.k9spa.com

We got there with no reservation.  At first the guys were a bit reluctant to 
take them, but I was able to produce all their medical records and answered 
their third degree with the right answers.  It was easier to get my child 
into private school than these two dogs into camp for a day. (c:

After we established that they are healthy they had to pass personality 
tests.  They separated them and brought a large exhuberant dog into the room 
with Tucker.  Both dogs lifted a lip, but no fighting.  Just dogspeak.   Then 
Tuck went out and Brady came in.  He just hid behind me.  That dog was huge 
(c:

Phew, 45 minutes and $46.00 later they were accepted. The daily rate is 
$18.00 plus a $5.00 each personality assessment charge.  I loved the place.  
Loved that they were so careful.  There must have been 40 dogs there, most of 
them in one large playroom... with a "counselor" playing with them.  They 
were having a great time. I felt they were safer there than they would be at 
a vet's boarding kennel which might have a contagious dog.   We said goodbye 
to the boys and set out for the big city.

The traffic on I-5 was ....well, as bad as LA.   Just crawled along.... it 
seemed to take forever to get into town.  The most interesting sight was the 
Boeing plant. Lots of familiar planes, like 747s, and a few I couldn't 
identify.   

When we got into the city we headed for the waterfront.  Wanted to go to the 
Pike Street Market area.  There were lots of parking lots, but all were 
either full...or didn't have enough room to get a big truck like Bruiser in, 
much less turned around. 

After circling awhile I finally just drove right down to the market and 
miracle of miracles..... a space opened up at the entrance (c:  We went in 
and wandered around, had lunch in a little Chinese restaurant, bought some 
cherries and crossed the street.  Got some Border Collie stuff at a dog shop 
and wished we had eaten in the retaurants over there instead. We did have a 
seat on the waterside, and watched the Bainbridge ferry come in and go out.  
It occurred to me this is the way to go to the city.  35 minutes on a 
ferry... no car to park.  No hassle.

By now, 3:15, I was missing the dogs and worried so we headed back.  When we 
passed the Mariner's stadium Don told me that the funny looking shell on 
rails (tracks?) actually glides over the field when it rains so the game can 
continue.  I had never heard of that... it was really neat.  The wheels 
looked like the wheels on my set of Lionel trains.
The traffic was horrible... I-5 was 15-30 mph, when it was moving.  It took 2 
hours and 15 minutes to go approx 60 miles.  There was an accident, on the 
side of the road, but mostly it was unexplained delays.

We finally got back to the dog camp.  The parking lot was filled with 
"mothers" on their way home from work picking up the "kids".  $90.00 a week 
for doggy day care.
The dogs were as happy to see me as I was to see them.

I'm glad I went to Seattle, but doubt I will go into any other cities on the 
trip. I grew up in New York City..... I don't especially like cities.  Small 
ones maybe, but not big ones.

So, here we are, back home.  The dogs are in a coma.  They didn't sleep all 
day. I'm close behind.  Too tired to even walk over to send this.... will use 
the cellphone.

Hope I can sleep tonight.... it's the rally flea market tomorrow morning. The 
excitement...the anticipation.  I might be able to find some blinds for the 
trailer!!!
Tomorrow night is the salmon dinner...yum.

Hunter