Working, and Playing in Washington

The Dark Knight (for any of you have been living under a rock) is the latest Batman movie that came out in July, staring Heath Ledger as Joker. You can imagine how highly anticipated it was amongt my cronies, being Heath's last completed role. (We're now eagerly awaiting the release of The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus -- which he was shooting at the time of his passing.)

Anyways, I'd mentioned to my Boeing contact that it sure would be great to have to be in Seattle that week so I could catch the opening with my girlfriend Ruth. Really, I mentioned it only tongue in cheek, but Cathy scheduled for Laura, my brokie friend whose been working with me for the past few months, and me to come up that week! :-D not only that, but she planned a day to take us sight seeing around the Hood Canal, over on the Olympic Pennisula, in celebration of our recent milestones. Dave even flew up to join us, so we had a grand visit.

Early in the week Laura and I grabbed dinner down at the Mukilteo Ferry Landing, and walked the beach by the public boat ramp a bit before the sun set. There's a large beach there with a bunch of drift wood logs pulled up around fire pits. It's quite the popular hangout spot.







Dave got in Thursday evening, to news that Laura and I had gotten tickets to TDK that nght at midnight. We already had tickets to see it with Ruth on Saturday, at the IMAX, but couldn't resist whan we found midnight tix available at the nearby theater. So we had dinner, went back to the hotel and napped (because we are late-night wussies), then out to the movie.

It was fantastic! After all the build up, not to mention the fact I'd been waiting for this movie for over a year, I was afraid my expectations would be too high. Not to mention afraid of my emotions at seeing Heath again. But all fears were unfounded - Heath so owns that movie. He completely transforms into that character -- something that is no small feat, as brokie after brokie attested that they really can't see Heath underlying that role. It is ALL Joker. And all FABULOUS.

Friday morning Cathy picked us up and we had a wonderful day touring the Hood Canal, one of Cathy's life long favorite haunts. We started out with Cathy apologetically saying that Cliff, her husband, thought it necessary to take us over the Tacoma Narrows bridge. Absolutely I said! Shoot, I saw the video in high school physics class, and think about it frequently when I'm at Sea-Tac airport, so that was a necessary trip as far as I was concerned too.



The narows aren't nearly as narrow as I'd thought! LOL. Didn't get good pics, as we were temporarily camera-less, having given our camera to the horse camp program and our new one still on order. So I took some w/my phone, which I have just never been impressed with. Thankfuly Laura had hers that day. All the good pictures, below, came from her.

We stopped at a number of beaches, Cathy showing us how to dig for clams. They hadn't brought their clam pot, so no steaming clams on the beach for us, but we had fun watching Cathy go after them.



Many beaches were covered with oyster shells were certainly impressive and unique to us. And covered with shore life as well of course.





We stopped in the really cute town of Hoodsport and went wine tasting, had lunch and did some shopping. I got a call, here, from my buds who had gathered in Chicago to see the movie... I was so torn when they'd invited us but we were already locked into the Seattle plans. :-( At the winery we bought some rhubarb wine and raspbery wine - both really yummie, perfect for drinking on the beach later.







Heading back we took the Kingston - Edwards ferry, then met up for a late diner with Ruth at one of our favorite seafood restaurants near Boeing. (LOL - interestingly enough back down at Mukilteo Ferry landing!)





What a day!

We really enjoyed seeing the movie again on Saturday, that time in an IMAX theater -- though by now having seen it 4 times I'm not really of the opinion that IMAX is better. Though I do admit the flying scenes really are spectacular. Never the less, it was great to see it with Ruth, and we managed to stop for a beer and burger after the show before we skeddadled back to the airport.