The Stereotypes About Seattle and Why They Are Dumb.

There seems to be this toxic attitude permeating the minds of Seattle Drivers. I hear people say, with a little smile like they are talking about how cute their toddler is who cut their own hair, that Seattle has some of the worst rubber-neckers in the nation. Really? Really Seattle? THIS is what we want to be known for?

The rain thing, I get. Although seriously, implanted Seattlites, ya knew it was like this when you moved here. Also you exaggerate. Alabama gets more rain. Also Miami. And you never say to people you meet from Miami, "gosh, how can you stand living there! I would be so depressed!" And YET, Miami is in the top 10 and Seattle is not in the top 24. Olympia is the first city in the Northwest to even make the list. So, seriously, ask me about something else. Ask me about the coffee shops, which really are everywhere. Ask me about the fact that we have the Sound and rivers and lakes and mountains and hills and really close to us at all times here. Whine to me about the weather, and, I'm just warning you right now, you may find that umbrella you're holding jammed up your nose. I would use my own umbrella but I"m not sure where it is right now.

Any other stereotypes I can express my rage at/debunk?

I'm melting! Melting! Melting!

According to my favorite weather website, it is 87 degrees out. Some of you may mock, but remember that we have humidity here. Also, I'm a wuss when it comes to hot weather. It's nice when I can sit in the shade and enjoy it, but today I was crazy, and K and I went down to a local street fair and walked around.

And now I am dying. It was WAY to hot down there. And apparently hot weather is when you are not supposed to put on the black shirt. Who knew.

I Stopped and Smelled the Flowers. And the Cows.

Every year in Skagit Valley they have a month-long festival called the Tulip Festival. There are flower fields galore in the valley that bloom all throughout the month of April. Of course they can't control the weather so you never know when the best weekend to go is until it is there. This weekend was not the best weekend, although there was still plenty to do and see. Only SOME of the fields were in bloom, thanks to the magic of green houses and people with green thumbs, as opposed to my black thumb. But really I only needed one field of tulips to keep my happy. Here's a sample of the beauty of Washington:

Yes, this is the magic that is my photography skills.

Totally intentional and a sample of my usual skill. Because of what I've been told has been an unusually cold spring, the daffodils were still in full bloom. I'm told this is unusual for this late spring.
There were tourist traps---er, quaint shops galore, with witty people managing them.
There was a field of white we passed.

Turns out, it was a whole field of geese. And they flew away, like a scene out of The Birds. I feared for my life.

Also there were cute children. These ones happened to belong to us. Okay, to W. But I am claiming them anyways.

Baby Girl, Jumping Bean, and their aunt supplied me with plenty of cute pictures.


Not only did we go see lots and lots and lots of flowers, but we went to a barn with actual animals to pet them. We saw a cow, some miniature ponies, chickens and their chicks that were underfoot but managed not to get trampled, at least while we were there, bunnies, baby horsies, and goats. Baby Girl was not having any of this petting stuff. She thought we were all just a little crazy for thinking this was a good plan. But she did point them out and even match some animal sounds with the animals. Jumping Bean and his auntie were dubious at first but soon relaxed and got friendly with the bunnies and the goats. I personally got to touch my first cow head. It was quite exhillerating, let me tell you.

This whole grand adventure happened today in perfect 70ish degree weather. It was a beautiful glorious day and we all were ready for a nap on the car ride back. W wouldn't let me take mine, though. Something about the driver being conscious. So I settled for allowing her to mock my cd collection instead.

Oopsies!

My dear roommate K has shared a lovely habit. The other day at work I said "oopsies" approximately 5 times in a half hour period. I thought to myself, where did I pick up that perky little exclamation? That is so unlike me. Today it came to me. It's K's fault. She actually says "oopsy." Apparently I added the "s" all on my own. To punish her I shall have to come up with an equally torturesome exclamation to say all the time to get stuck in her head.

Perhaps I should try "oh, my heck!" Because according to the writers on Law and Order: SVU, this is what little Mormon girls say. ** Or maybe it's only Mormon nannies who grew up in Utah (In reality this may not be far from the truth based on my Provo experiences-- there, that should draw out some comments from old roomies if they ever actually come look at this blog ;) Or cement their eternal hatred towards me and my Seattle snobbery).

Or I could just try singing "The Love Boat" around her. Because once you've heard that song, it's stuck in your head for days. There was an entire semester in Junior High where we lived in a Soundtrack of The Love Boat.

What's the last thing you got stuck in your head?

**note: the best part about the way they wrote that scene was the fact that "oh, my heck!" was the reaction of the little Mormon girl upon hearing that her friend had been MURDERED. Totally would have been my first reaction too.**