One Year Ago

 There are certain events that happen when you realize how the time goes by so fast. Last August my brother and his family came out for a visit. They were here to see my mother and I plus their son Ian had started work at Microsoft in June after graduating from Harvard. Ian’s girl friend at the time Helen followed him here and is working at Nordstrom. Now she is his fiancée and they are getting married in nineteen days. So I may not do any writing for a few days around then unless I can find the time to do so. When returning I will have some pictures and tell about the wedding along with everything else we did.

The weather is different as night and day from a year ago. Last year we had record high temperatures being in the 90s and this morning it raining. While my brother’s family was here we took a trip to Cushman Dam on the Hood Canal. It is about an hour and a half drive from Gig Harbor. We went north to Bremerton and then west through Belfair another small town. Belfair is about half way to Cushman Dam. The dam was built in the 1920s and our grandfather Richard Nightingale was chief engineer on the project. We made a stop on the way a little past Belfair for lunch. On the way back we stopped in Hoodsport which is only a few minutes from the Dam for ice cream. Of course a good trip has to include ice cream.

We spent a day relaxing in Gig Harbor however my brother, my niece Leslie, her husband Daniel, nephews Robby and Danny along with myself rented each a kayak. We spent two hours of time going around Gig Harbor. It is a really nice way to spend time viewing the Harbor. I recommend when coming to Gig Harbor during the summer to rent a kayak or take a boat ride.

On another day we drove again to Bremerton and took the ferry to Seattle. We spent time on the waterfront. Everyone except me took a ride on the Ferris wheel. I wasn’t feeling 100 percent and wanted to be sure that I did not get worse riding the Ferris wheel. We walked to the Pike Place Market and spent several hours there. We met Ian and Helen in the early evening for dinner after they got off work. It was the first time for mother and me in meeting Helen. We celebrated mother’s ninety-fifth birthday which is actually in September. Leslie gave mother a calendar for a full year from September 2015 through August 2016. She put on everyone’s birthdays along with their pictures. Mother feels so blessed by the calendar. At the end of the evening Mother and I took the ferry back to Bremerton. My brother and his family drove back not taking the ferry because Robby had a flight to Peru that late evening so they dropped him at the airport and said good bye before heading back to Gig Harbor.

The trip was not as many days as we would have liked seeing them however how long  a trip would be to be satisfied though we enjoyed every minute they spent time here.  I can say the same for the trip to the wedding we will be gone for five days including the flying. It will not be long but again it will be memorable.

Today I will be meeting a gal I grew up with and went to school. We saw each other three weeks ago for the first in so many years since high school. This maybe the last time we see each other before she returns to England where she lives most of the year. The time spent she has been at the house she grew up in. Her parents are both gone now however she owns the house. In twelve days I will be going to a high school reunion that will include the classes before and after as well as mine. So I most likely see students that I went to school with that I have not seen since I graduated. I believe reunions and other times when you see former students and classmates are very special to me. Though I enjoy the friends I have today there is nothing as special as those you grew up with. They are the ones that have made me the person I am today either positive or negative if you know what I mean. Of course I will write about it as well.

I am sure in another year I will think again how fast the time as gone by. So much happens during a year but the memories does make the time go by fast. Have a wonderful and joyous week. Until next time!