Spokane!

Not only will I, my car, and my cats embark on an epic journey, but so will my coffee cup. Thanks to Linda Swift, Dan's absolutely wonderful mother, I have been reunited with my mug, an item which brings me much happiness, and selflessly transports my drug of choice.

I left my mug in Chicago while visiting on Dan's spring break. After remembering and telling Dan how unfortunate it was that my travel mug would be absent on this, my big road adventure, a box arrived at my dad's house with it and homemade tasty treats inside. Thanks Linda!



Besides coffee, the other love my father gave me was a love of Samoa Girl Scout cookies. My dad doesn't mess around when cookie time comes. He doesn't buy them by the box. He buys them by the case!

This is my dad, Glen, looking at my maps of British Colombia, making sure all of the sage advice he gave me was indeed what he should have said. Dad has traveled to Alaska and back three times, and flown another handful. He is excited that I'll be sharing that with him, even if he doesn't get to come along.

Kodak and Baxter have made themselves at home at dad's. Dad and I spent the day together, going through some shops, and trying to track down the last needs before I leave on Saturday. We visited a great antique shop in Downtown Spokane called Finders Keepers. I had never been in the basement, as I am usually overwhelmed by the jewelry and clothing upstairs, but I was happy to finally find it today. There was great stuff!

Wednesday was the first day of Passover, and it so happens that mom took the day off work to prepare for it. She, my step dad Martin, and I went to breakfast, got the needed groceries, then came back to the house. Below is me with my mom, Renee.

Mom and Martin!

Mom and Martin, happy (yet exhausted) to have the preparations done.

My mom used to make pottery. The candle stick holder in the front, shaped like a pomegranate, was one of her creations. Beside it is the cup they used for Elijah.

Mom and I made an army's worth of haroset, an apple and nut dish that represents mortar. It is very simple, but tasty. Apples, walnuts, cinnamon, lemon juice, all spice, and wine.

Like I said, we made a lot of it!

My mom likes cats too. Her glasses case is presented here as evidence.

And this is Delilah. My sister, Ciara, gave her to me on December 18th, 1998 after my childhood cat, Licorice (better known as Pudder) was never to return to the farm. I went to college and kept moving about, and it was better for her to stay with mom, and mom to stay with her. They are a good fit for each other.

Frank's Diner is iconic in Spokane. Its being a train car automatically gives it flare, but it doesn't disappoint once you get inside. It has quirky wait staff, fast grill cooks, and soul food. Their coffee isn't half bad either. Still diner coffee, but good diner coffee.

I've also seen the Dormaiers and my friend Rena, but when ever I get around them, we talk and talk and talk, and I never seem to remember to take out my camera. I don't see them very often (I think we decided it had been 4 years for the Dormaiers!) so there was even more to share.

One more day in town! I have a drug test tomorrow, which should expedite the process once I get to Juneau, and another thing or two to track down.