Writing it down because I want to remember, and because Mom wants to know what I’m up to.

It is so much fun to be having Birthday Week with Esther again. I can hardly believe it’s half over already. It’s been full of good conversation, good food experiences, and good outings to new-to-me places and a few familiar ones.

It has been cloudy, cool and wet, but isn’t that pretty much what we should expect in Seattle this time of year? I’m pretty sure the noise I hear in my bedroom, like dripping water, is dripping water. When it rains at night, something is happening in the nearby downspout, but I have already gotten used to it.

The flowering trees are blooming and gardens are showing off as we hike around West Seattle. This is such a visually beautiful area – Puget Sound, the Olympic Mountains, old forests, Alki Beach. There is an unforgettable view in every direction and I wish I could let you see what I see. But pictures will have to do. Esther and I walked over 4 miles on Wednesday, half along the West Seattle shore, half down the main business street.

Today, Friday, Esther and I joined with some others to do forest clean-up in a local park. It’s one of Esther’s favorite community service opportunities and a great way to meet people and be active. We pulled up a large area of English Ivy, which is an invasive plant here. The challenge was to not fall down the steep inclines when the vines gave way. This volunteer project was started during the Covid lockdowns and has resulted in many hours of work donated all over West Seattle. I’m a little sore now, but it was fun.

These are some of the fun outings I’ve had so far. But there are four days left and we’ve got a really different, kind of crazy activity coming up tomorrow. Can’t wait.