Washington, Wine and a Wedding

We got home from Washington 2 days ago. My sister-in-law, Lisa, wedding was beautiful and it was nice to get away. We stayed 2 nights in Seattle, then 1 night in Bothell (where Lisa lives), and 2 nights at Willows Lodge in Woodinnville wine country.

 Even though it was only 5 nights the trip was long enough. I was afraid that with such a short stay that we wouldn’t get to see everything out there but we did.

Seattle / Washington in general is not the place for me. While there is no denying how beautiful it was or how friendly the people were, there is something about it is just not for me.

For one my idea of vacation involves a rum drink, palm trees and a steel drum band. Second, something about Seattle screamed early 90’s. Seeing music I used to listen to in a museum made me feel old. Also the love affair that Seattle has with Kurt Cobain makes me want to vomit in my mouth a little.

The tourist attractions were lame. The Underground Tour was like a trip through someones beat up basement. The space needle a glorified elevator ride.

Or maybe it was that it constantly felt like Seattle / Washington were trying to hard with all their coffee shops, their fresh produce, and all the fair trade organic locally grown bullshit.  As if Seattle was screaming “Pick me, choose me, love me”.  Which is surprising for me to say because most of the time I love that stuff, but seriously all things in moderation.

 Seattle lived up to every cliche from the gray skies to the ferry boats to the 90’s era grunge. The place even has a damn monorail. Which prompted John and I to say “Monorail” in a sing-song voice every time we mentioned it. I’m not in Epcot I don’t need a monorail to travel 6 blocks.

But enough about what I didn’t love about Washington.

Where Lisa got married was beautiful. I had never seen such pretty scenery that didn’t consist of palm trees. She was gorgeous and the ceremony and reception were just perfect.

 Also John and I did a day in Woodinville Wine Country which was phenomenal not a bad glass of wine was to be had. And really after visiting 3 wineries how can any glass be bad? Right?

 We also visited Red Hook Brewery never has a buck bought me so much beer.

Though really the best part of the trip was the time just the two of us. It hadn’t been just the two of us in a long time. We were responsibility free. No baby to feed, change and cloth, no laundry to do, no job to go to, no alarm clock. It was wonderful.

 I think we will have to take a trip just the 2 of us every year so that we can be reminded of a time when it was just us. Because eventually in 20 years or so if we are lucky it will be just the 2 of us again and I think this time together now will help in us being together and happy in the long run.

Though after a long weekend of wine, beer, weddings and late night karaoke (have I mentioned that I do a mean Fergie?) we could both agree that we wouldn’t trade our life with Jackson to be footloose and fancy-free again. The sleeping in was nice but I missed his smiles in the morning and I missed our routines. I missed Jackson. Which in the end, may have been what made Washington so lack luster in our eyes because it was lacking our favorite person.

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