Pacific NW

So, it took using a different computer to realize there's nothing wrong with my blog. It's my computer that's all jacked up--imagine that. I'm hoping that I will be able to read your comments finally!
Tom and I had a great week in the Pacific NW. Our first day was spent checking out downtown Seattle, which looks totally Star Wars-ish when approaching it from the south. I got a parking ticket my first day ($40) because I couldn't figure out the parking machine. I thought I had paid for two hours and five minutes but it turned out to be two minutes and five seconds. Dang!
Day two we drove up to the Olympic Peninsula. Talk about breath-taking vistas! I've never seen such American beauty. Crescent Lake is unreal--so beautiful! We arrived in Forks, home of Bella and the vampires and spent two nights there. We took the Twilight tour and saw where all the characters live. Early one morning I went to the high school and walked the track. We saw an elk! We went to the sporting goods store where Bella works and the restaurant she frequents with her dad. We also went to La Push where Jacob lives. LOVED IT. The beaches are stunning. We saw pelicans!
We took the ferry from Port Townsend to Whidbey Island and visited the Naval Air Station there. Tom loved that. We also visited the naval base at Bremerton and visited the picturesque town of Port Orchard, home of the prolific author Debbie Macomber. I could live in that town. Tom thought it would be the perfect place for someone in the Witness Protection Program to live.
We returned to the Seattle area and spent another day sightseeing and went up in the Space Needle. Saw where Christian Grey calls home--Fifty Shades, baby! We spent a day checking out the town where Twin Peaks was set, even having cherry pie and a damned fine cup of coffee in the Twin Peaks Diner (and I don't even like cherry pie!). We then headed to the town where Northern Exposure was set--so awesome. It was perfect until I got another ticket: for speeding this time at the exorbitant cost of $411.
Our last day we drove up Mount Rainier. It took forever to get there but it was worth the drive. Tom got out and made snowballs which was so weird considering it was in the 70s, temp-wise. The drive coming down the mountain was FRIGHTENING and I had a mini melt-down which Tom had to calm. But we survived and all in all, had a fantastic time!
So, I shall close here...watch this space for the unveiling of my book cover for The Gypsy Thief!