One of the things we get to enjoy when in Mesa is being able to go out to eat at favorite restaurants, such as Cremes and Chocolates for crepes filled with raspberry and ice cream with raspberry edging!

Our annual check up season is upon us.  We were fortunate to be able to get Dave in to the Dermatologist on an expedited basis to have a look at a growth on his scalp.  Yes, another squamous cell carcinoma, which he had removed on the 25th of October, while I was in Mill Creek, WA.    We also had our annual checkups with our internist, and everything looks pretty good.  Dave is controlling is diabetes very well.  His kidney function has remained the same - which is what we want.  Had our eyes checked at the ophthalmologists, everything is ok.  Dave saw a new cardiologist who has ordered a stress test since one hasn’t been done since 2006, but everything is fine.   Only thing left is our annual head-to-toe dermatological checks next week and we are done.   Even dental checkup was a boring ‘keep doing what you are doing’ type - just what we like.

I flew up to Washington so that we could scatter Mom’s ashes, take care of some legal paperwork and have a family luncheon in honor of mom.   Margaret and I drove up to Sedro-Woolley where Mom wanted her ashes scattered from the bridge over the Skagit River.  Well, no way to do that, so we drove down by the city park on the river (were the Sedro-Woolley RV park is located) but missed the place to pull down to the river.   However,  I had already looked at another place just a short way from there - the “Wildcat” Steelhead Club.  They have a dock out on the river and graciously allowed us to scatter mom’s ashes from there into the river, followed by roses to accompany the ashes on their way down river.  It was really the best place for us.  My Father was a steelhead quide on the Skagit and used this site for years to pull out of the river after floating down, where we launched boats, where they would tie up log-tows when the tug boats were still operating on the river.   And, add to that, the book my mother wrote about the Tingley family was entitled “Wildcat” after the family and the River and the 3 generations that towed logs on the river.    Everything just fit and both Margaret and I figured that Mom gave us a nudge to go on down the road.

The next day we took the ferry to Whidbey Island where Mom and Dad had lived for many years after they retired, and Mom lived until 2005 (10 years after Dad passed away).   Her financial advisor was on the island and we signed the  needed forms and then went to Mom’s favorite place for lunch Toby’s Tavern where we had Penn Cove Muscles and Parrot Top Beer.

There is just nothing like Penn Cove Muscles - the perfect thing for lunch!    The next day our aunts and cousins came and we had a wonderful 4-hour lunch with lots of food and laughter - Mom would have enjoyed it.

My flight was into and out of the new Paine Field in Everett, WA on Alaska Airlines - - no more having to go through SEA-TAC!!!   The trip up was very bumpy as we had to go through the Santa Anna winds that were causing all of the wildfires in California.   Luckily they weren’t as bad on the way back.  After taking off, we literally flew over the top of Mount Rainer!  I also got a peak at Mount Baker and Mt. St Helens, just not enough to make good pictures.   But any day that you can see all three is a great day in the Pacific Northwest!

This is my new motto!

Have a couple of projects in mind for our place this fall.  Otherwise, we continue to enjoy the area.  Already have trips planned to the Olive Mill down in Queen Creek and a trip over to Scottsdale for a stop at the Sugar Bowl for ice cream.   Concerts on the horizon and new exhibits at the Musical Instrument Museum and the Heard Museum this winter, and of course Spring Training baseball starting the end of February.