On Thursday Sept 5th Bill and I hiked up MacIntyre Bluff. What a remarkable landscape! Sage brush, pine forests, Rattlesnake Lake… high desert wonder! I was not sure how easy it would be for me, but thankfully my brother pushed me a bit and encouraged me to do it! I loved the 7 mile hike… some gentle rise paths and a few relatively steep inclines! So rewarding to do the hike with incredible beauty and a grand vista at the summit.

Had a wonderful dinner at the Liquidity winery. The view and sunset from the alfresco dining was incredible!

Drove back to Seattle on Friday, through the beautiful orchards and Okinogan and Columbia River valleys.

Saturday was a really fun day. I played as Bill’s patenque partner at a tournament in Edmonds. And Bill and I were runners up in the consolante round — finished 12th out out of 24 teams and then runner up in the 8 teams in the consolation bracket. Not bad for my first time ever playing! And it was really fun!

Our competitors in the consolante bracket. Michelle is from France and the president of the Edmonds Pétanque Club.

On a Saturday night Bill and Mary Lou had a marvelous cocktail party so we could meet their friends. What fun! And nephew Jed did an amazing job catering the party, which included a thunder and lightning storm that many said they never seen the likes of before.

Great niece Lyla and nephew Chef Jed

Willy, Jessi, Lyla and Jed

On Sunday we visited our friends Lindsey and Tim on Bainbridge Island. Their twin boys just turned 6… we had lots of laughs and fun, and an amazing dinner!

Eli and Neil on the rock climbing wall. Quite an interesting experience!

This is how 6 year olds respond to “smile”!

Traveled home on Monday… a great reunion with Shadow and Tigger. Thanks for coming along on our journey… ciao!