As the time for me to leave my job comes closer I have such a mixture of feelings.  Between now and October 11, my departure date, I am only scheduled for four days of work.  That’s a good thing because it means the new workers are getting a chance to get familiar with the routine.  I don’t know who the new day shift nurses are for sure.  I think we are still missing someone to work on the weekends because I’ve been scheduled to do them and have had to remind my employer that I can’t work on Saturdays and prefer not to work Sundays.  It’s been hard telling her that and she has gotten angry with me.  We’ve spent some days with bad attitude so thick in the room it’s overwhelming and spills out in sarcasm and criticism.

I was off last Thursday and she had a difficult day with a new nurse.  I don’t know if that was the reason for the peace and sense of relief that we had on Friday.  I know she was feeling a little better after a week of respiratory illness and was probably just tired from the previous day of constant talking, directing the new worker.  I felt sorry that she didn’t have a driver to help her get to church Saturday night so I volunteered.  I think that helped her feel like I still liked her and was intending to keep a good relationship if possible.  This is complicated – this leaving.

I know I’m going to miss the income, but I’m so looking forward to having time for other things that I don’t want to get seriously employed somewhere else right away.  A bit selfish perhaps.  I can live with that.  I’ve done some sewing and actually sold a baby carrier that I made.  A possible business idea?  And the new book I bought on making money with a blog is ready to read in my Kindle. Odd that when I should be eager to pursue writing I seem suddenly to have total writer’s block – no ideas – no inspirations – no desire. 

Last week I took the Aztek to the service center.  Two days I found it with a drained battery in the morning when it was time to drive to work.  One day I took the husband’s truck.  The second day he dropped me off and I rode the bike and the bus home. My ignition problems were supposed to have been fixed with the new ignition cylinder that was installed for $250.  Last night when I drove to my employer’s house I turned the key and once again, it wouldn’t turn to the off position.  I couldn’t get the key out.  My choices were accessories on or leave the engine running.  I turned the key to acc, took the fob off the key chain so I could lock the car, and left the key in it.  Coming back, I thought I had lost the fob and wasn’t going to be able to get the car unlocked.  In my church dress, in the dark I crawled under the car looking for a (non-existent) magnetic spare key holder. I  vaguely remembered having one once and wouldn’t it have been great to find it?  Is it time for me to get a new car? Of course it is because I’m quitting my job and we always quit our jobs before buying a major costly item, don’t we?  Just sayin’… 

Seattle September
.. and other words beginning with the letter S. The word striking comes to mind, since I have been looking at views that would fit the description. Today the dog and I were up early so that I could ride in to the city with Esther. I was glad for the chance to see where she spent her working hours so she gave me a short tour of the building. Striking.
The Russell Investment Center is a multi-story office complex on Union and 2nd. Her company has several floors of office space there for her division. We started way underground with her space in the parking garage. The whole building is fairly new and has won awards for LEED and energy efficiency so it is immaculately clean and smartly furnished. It has several elevator bays (I counted 16 elevators in the two I saw). I’m not from a place with big buildings so elevators impress me.

lounge corner 17th floor

One floor I had access to was a lounge/restaurant area with an outdoor patio and garden. Trees and large stone features made it hard to believe I was 17 stories up in the air. Such an expansive area with no one there to appreciate it except me – an odd feeling. It was early.
I am now writing at Lowell’s Restaurant at Pikes Place. My Seattle family is not big on breakfast, not even small on breakfast actually, so I am enjoying sitting here having a classic meal and several cups of $2 coffee (free refills), which I’m finding satisfies almost as well as the $4 kind. I’m sure if I lived here I would become more of a coffee connoisseur, but thankfully that hasn’t happened yet. There are beautiful views of the harbor and ships coming and going here. I have sat by the windows on other visits but today I am tucked back in a corner with plenty of room to get the computer out. I can still see the water.

The market is brimming with fantastic bundles of flowers and produce of all kinds. I will go back to the shop where they are saving the lighthouse painting for me. I will meet Esther at noon for a while. I might ride the big Ferris wheel on the waterfront. I will take the water taxi back to West Seattle today because I haven’t done that before. Long rows of grey clouds line the sky. I see islands and mountains through the wet haze. People everywhere – the city is waking up. I saw a girl and her dog sitting on the sidewalk at the traffic light. She held a sign “my dog and I, just getting by. God bless.” I’m just sayin’, this is Seattle.

I’m not exactly sure why, but when you’re in Washington you go to the coffee house a lot, for many different reasons.  Sometimes it’s to get coffee, but often the coffee is just an excuse to go to a cool place where you can plug in your computer or ipad and write, or read, or watch people.  Coffee house owners don’t seem to mind what you do as long as you buy something, which you usually do.  It smells really good if you like the smell of fresh ground coffee beans and pastries.  We are at Fiore Caffe, doing what we like to do.

Meet Rae, my granddog, if she must have a title.  She is a member of my daughter’s family, rescued as a puppy from an accidental litter of racing dogs.  Even though I don’t see her very often, I think Rae remembers me – or at least quickly accomodates to my presence. 

By nature her breed tolerates limited activity and being housebound quite well. Strange when you consider they are also built for such extreme activity as racing.  Rae stays home while her family goes to work each day. She sleeps and waits (and who knows what else, since no one is there…) When I’m around she likes to be near me and “dogs” me everywhere I go.  She even prefers to sleep with her humans and in the few days I’ve been here she is already habitually following me to bed each night. 

A greyhound is a different looking dog, being alarmingly skinny and bony.  You have to get used to them looking more like a deer or some other long legged creature with a pointy nose.  They are not very hairy and they get cold easily.  Rae likes soft, cushy places and doesn’t mind having a blanket or two. 

She had a childhood accident which left her with a twisted front leg.  We think it probably hurts her a little, but in spite of it she loves to play fetch and run for short periods of time. I like to take pictures of her.  She is prone to “red eye” and a glowing countenance which I think makes her look spooky, like the hound of the Baskervilles.

She is a sweet, gentle dog.  She remembers me and I like her a lot.

I’m here in Seattle, and of course I’m sitting in a coffee shop looking out at Puget Sound. The ferry is crossing my view, people of all ages are running, biking, walking with their dogs on the street.  It’s supposed to be a record high temperature today, maybe in the 90’s, but it certainly is not like any 90 degree weather back in Florida.  This cool breeze off the water will make wearing long sleeves comfortable most of the day.  I’ve spent half an hour with my coffee while looking at bus schedules online.  I’m going to meet my daughter this afternoon in the downtown area and we’ll go to one of her appointments together.  I want to go early and pick up something at the famous Pike’s Place Market. 

I spent yesterday getting used to being here and resting from the trip.  I left the house only to take the granddog for a short walk.  Rae has been my little buddy since I got here, “dogging” me as I move from room to room.  She crept in and slept with me the first night and we’ve taken several naps together too, something we both seem to love to do.  Even though she does the alone thing pretty well, she seems glad to have my company. 

The mountains in the distance to the west look so inviting.  I have not been that far yet but hope to do it sometime soon.  Tomorrow I will be traveling an hour east for an adventure with a friend – maybe on a bike if my painful shoulder isn’t too affected by riding.  

Lots to think about here, and to look at, maybe to write about.  but for now my battery is getting low and I must close out this session.  Just sayin’ it – from Seattle.