01-31MAY26 - Sultan, WA (🚑👩‍⚕️major medical emergencies🧑‍⚕️🚑)

May starts with Mason's select soccer team declared winners of their division in the league⚽🥅🏆🎇

Saturday AM, 02MAY off to The Muse Whiskey & Coffee in Everett to meet Dan’s sister, Sharon, for coffee, followed by lunch.  As you may remember we have often visited Sharon and husband Tim.  Over almost last twenty years we have often visited them while passing thru Texas in our RV.  You may also remember that their two oldest daughters live near Everett WA.  Sharon is up here for over a week to visit daughters and grandkids.

So to fit a visit with us into her jam-packed scheduled, this is our time slot.  Plan was to meet at coffee shop, and to move on to local place for lunch.  First stop for coffee was The Muse Whiskey & Coffee, housed in the original Weyerhaeuser lumber office on Everett’s waterfront.  This building was the start of the Weyerhaeuser Company and has 160 ton safe built into the building to handle all the cash transactions that started the company.  It’s present location is its fourth location in its 103yr history.

Luckily we got there early and snagged one of the few indoor tables for four.  Which was great luck because Sharon showed up with daughter Aimee and her husband Ben (now we were a party of five).  Great coffee, pastries and ambiance.  Maybe next time we try some of the Whiskeys that are in the safe, and supposedly third best whiskey collection in USA🙃?

As The Muse’s website says - The Port of Everett, together with its partner NGMA Group, have restored and reopened Everett’s historic Weyerhaeuser Building as a community gathering space and showpiece of the iconic structure’s rich history.

The space that once served as the Everett-based mill headquarters for the Weyerhaeuser Company reopened to the public in 2023 – the building’s centennial year – as The Muse Whiskey & Coffee. It now welcomes visitors as a coffee house by day and a speakeasy style whiskey bar by night. It also serves as a unique waterfront events venue.

Home - The Muse Whiskey & Coffee

Next stop was Jetty Bar & Grill (in the Hotel Indigo) for early lunch.  While there we were joined at end of our lunch by Ben’s brother-in-law, Dallas.  Another great couple of hours reconnecting and reminiscing.  Then it was back to the house and Rocket.

Everett Waterfront Restaurants, Everett Dining, Everett Marina Restaurant

Back home and we start working outdoors in the great weather.  Corrie in her garden; and Dan water sealing the deck benches on the big deck he pressure washed yesterday.

Sunday sunshine and record high temp (81 degree) day for Seattle.  Corrie in the garden.  Dan finishes water sealing benches on big deck.  Pressure washes concrete patio; and finishes day by mowing big yard.

May the Fourth be With You (aka May 4th), another sunny and hot day.  Work on outdoor “things”.  But take many breaks to hydrate.  Tuesday, Cinco de Mayo, cloudy and cool all day.  Corrie has girls’ day out with Jan Formisano.  Meanwhile Gabe shows up to fix water leak in house garage ceiling.  Took awhile to find true source of leak on shingled roof.  Meanwhile Dan continued spreading 5/8th rock into Corrie’s fenced garden area.

Wednesday cool, gray and drizzle; around noon Dan heads to Edmonds ferry to the Pitre’s.  First thing is to deliver "small" cake Oma made.

  

Soon after his arrival; son-in-law Raymond, grandson Mason and Dan head to Mason’s cross country meet in Gig Harbor.  Meanwhile, Rebecca covers Jaxson’s football game in Poulsbo which was at same time.  Back to their house late dinner and bed.  AND!!! Mason was student of the month🎆🎇

Thursday AM Dan heads to Kingston and ferry home to Corrie & Rocket.  Dan has early lunch puts on his work cloths and starts pressure washing concrete patio, followed by an hour of mowing of the grass he mowed just four days ago.  Friday spreading 5/8th gravel in veggie garden.

Saturday AM we catch ferry to Kingston for drive to Pitres’.  Plan is to have Mother’s Day dinner today rather than fight the crowds tomorrow.  All six of us have pizza at Damn Fine Pizza, in Port Orchard.  Good pizzas and funky/relaxed atmosphere; as their site says:

Damn Fine Pizza was born from a dream: to serve killer pizza, build community, and create a spot where everyone feels welcome. We sling crispy pies, handcrafted cocktails, local beer, and keep the vibes high with pinball and waterfront views of Sinclair Inlet in Port Orchard.

Home | My Site

Sunday (Mother’s Day) up very early to catch ferry; before car lines start from people going to moms’, or returning from moms'. 

Next couple of days spent on outdoor “stuff” - pressure washing another portion of big front deck, mowing, applying “water seal” treatment to portion of deck pressure washed, working on yard and flower gardens (flowers are definitely blooming in the great weather); plus medical appointments.

Wednesday AM, 13MAY, heavy rain; Corrie heads to Pitre’s; Dan and Rocket stay home.  Corrie will try to be present for Mason’s cross country meet after school.  Then make it to Jaxson’s middle school football game.  Because of the off and on rain in Sultan, Dan can’t work outside, so just indoor stuff.  Thursday AM Corrie returns home.  

Friday afternoon Dan heads to ferry spend the night at pitre’s.  Then on Saturday Dan will go to Bremerton’s Military Day parade with the Pitre’s; because grandson Jaxson’s Middle School band will be marching and Jaxson will be playing in it.  After Dan gets off ferry in Kingston, stops for pizza takeout from Sourdough Willie’s.  Which has now become famous as part of Seattle’s pizza triangle.  Lousy service to get cold pizza after 50 minute wait☹️   Also Jaxson honored as athlete of the month at Middle School (second time this year, first was wrestling, this is football).

Saturday AM, Armed Forces Day, off to parade route; nice parade honoring all Military members; rain arrives right at end of parade🙃

    

Dan packs car and heads to ferry to go home to Corrie and rocket.  Although backyard grass is wet, Dan mows it because it is already too tall!

Next couple of days more deck work, more mowing and more gardening.

19MAY - granddaughter Coraline graduates from Kindergarten in Houma, LA🎆🎓🎇

Wednesday, 20MAY, at lunch Dan catches ferry to Kingston to catch Jaxson & Mason’s school team sport events.  First is Mason Cross country two mile run; then Dan drives off to Jaxson’s football games.  But football games started earlier than normal, Dan only sees last five minutes.  Also turns out a offensive line man could not play, so Jaxson was shifted from defensive linebacker to offensive line?  Finally back to their house for late dinner prepared by Rebecca.

Thursday AM Dan catches ferry back to home.  Followed by three hours of mowing and more deck work.

Saturday AM, we catch ferry to Pitre’s for Memorial Day weekend.  Arrive and unload car, then head to a “friendly” soccer game involving both grandboys (Jaxson and Mason).  Four teams involved, two each from two separate select divisions (two under 12 teams, and two under 14 teams).  This allowed coaches to try various line-ups without worrying about win/lose record.  In the last scrimmage Jaxson and Mason were on opposing teams and on field at same time.

Unfortunately after games Fiesta car battery dead; luckily someone had portable jump system (very small e-device).  Get home and Dan tries to remove battery to go and purchase new one; but negative terminal snaps off.  So with son-in-law Raymond doing most of the work; its off to O’Reilly auto for new battery and new cable.  Turns out this is common issue on Ford Fiesta’s (even happened to sales clerk).

Sunday AM catch WA ferry from Bremerton to Seattle. long ferry run with jigsaw puzzles onboard, and great views of Sinclair Inlet and Rich Passage.

No more free parking anywhere near core of Seattle which was always free on Sundays decades ago.  Pike Place Market already packed because long weekend with great weather and three cruise ships in port☹

Main purpose of our trip is so Mason can visit the Truffle Queen shop, and then view Seattle’s “gum wall”.  Mason is a foodie; already cooks meals and has his own pasta press.

Truffle Queen

After that the next stop was to go to the new waterfront boardwalk created after the elevate portion of Hwy 99 was torn down.  Now a beautiful esplanade.  We check out many establishments on the waterfront.  But as always, visit Sylvester at Ye Olde Curiosity Shop.

Then retrieve car and head to new Raising Canes Chicken in the U District for lunch.  Canes was created by two college students (different university’s); they couldn’t get financing for their business plan.  So they worked manual jobs, saved money, got SBA loan and as they say the rest is history.  And Canes is the Pitre’s favorite fast food chicken, and this first one in Seattle area.  The place is mobbed!!!

Head to Coleman Ferry Dock and WA ferry back to Bremerton and house in Silverdale.  Once again great scenic view as we transmitted Puget Sound, Rich Pass to Sinclair Inlet.  Plus thanks to clear and sunny afternoon fantastic waterside views of Seattle.

Then great BBQ hamburgers, coleslaw, corn on the cob and tater tots for dinner; and try out some truffle salt from the market.  Smores around the firepit.  And then early bed!

Monday, Memorial Day, up early and off to Kingston Ferry terminal to beat traffic and get on the road to our house.  After unloading car and relaxing a little it was outdoor chores before rain arrives in afternoon (luckily Dan got all the mowing done just as rain drop started falling).

Wednesday great weather; Dan has appointment with new neuro doctor; because old doctor Dan has seen since 2021 stroke is retired and Dan needs a new provider.  After Dan gets home starts finishing applying water seal to last portion of our large front deck.

Bot then he gets call from daughter Rebecca that hubby Raymond has had some sort of coronary issue and is now in emergency room.  Dan drops everything and heads to ferry terminal.  Dan makes it to Rebecca’s, eventually she and grandboys arrive and it is off to hospital to visit Raymond, then home, food and bed.  Turns out Raymond has had coronary aneurysm necessitating emergency medical procedure to remove blockage.  He will now be kept in hospital for couple of days. 

Thursday, 28MAY, after boys are off to school and Rebecca is already at hospital; Dan heads to hospital for short visit with Raymond and Rebecca.  Dan goes back to Pitre house to be picked up by Coast Guard Academy Classmates/friends (Steve Brantner & Mark Mercier) for bi-monthly Class Luncheon.  This time at BJs Brewhouse.  Carpooling allows us to use carpool lanes and avoid traffic thru Tacoma to Southcenter Mall.  Great luncheon as always!

After returning to Silverdale Dan runs some errands and the heads to grandson Masons’s district wide end of season Cross Country meet.  Mason does his best ever and finishes in top 10, earning a ribbon and a place on the awards stage.  Then back to Silverdale with Mason.  Where Dan realizes it is five to eight and if we go straight to hospital now, we will barely make visiting hours🙃   So we have quick visit with Raymond; and then go to their home to relax and decompress.

Friday AM Dan takes Jaxson to his dental appointment, then takes him to hospital for quick visit with Raymond.  Next takes Jaxson back to school and finally hits road back to Corrie and Rocket.  Dan gets home; and Corrie jumps in car and heads to Rebecca’s to lend a continued hand with Raymond.

Saturday about 3AM Dan gets call from niece Marisa – her mother Sharon (Dan’s sister) has had massive stroke and is in Dallas/Fort Worth hospital on life support. Dan makes arrangements for direct flight.  Corrie comes home from Pitres on early morning ferry; and Dan jumps in car and heads to SeaTac airport.  Flys to Love Field airport (outside Dallas) around 7PM.

Picked up there by Ben (niece Aimee’s husband) and Casey (niece Julia’s husband).  Goes straight to hospital where husband Tim is, and daughters Aimee, Marisa & Julia also there.  Sharon is on full life support (including breathing).  Then to Casey & Julia’s house for food and sleep.  (Meanwhile back in Sultan Corrie finishes applying water seal to last five boards of big front deck.)

Sunday last day of May, most of time spent at hospital waiting.  Also arriving here are Ben & Aimee’s daughters Savannah and Fallon.  Eventually late afternoon medical decision to remove breathing tube and monitor Sharon’s reaction.  No adverse reaction noted; all life support and monitors removed.  Nurses bath her; daughters dress here in her own comfortable cloths and do her nails.  Sharon is moved to palliative care.  Husband Tim decides to spend the night in Sharon’s hospital room.  Everyone else returns to Casey & Julia’s house to eat and sleep.