Catch Up

So at last writing we were gorging on happy hour treats at The Tides.  Well those took a while to digest.  Saturday we were up at 4:30 AM to head to the Swap Meet at The Fisheries.  This event happens a couple of times per year.  People just show up before dawn and cast their wares out on the pavement.  Then shoppers show up pulling wagons and bearing flashlights.  It's probably quite a spectacle if you weren't one of the obsessed.  But of course, we are.  We were there for about three hours and sold an anchor and 200 feet of rode to a very personable guy.  And many books to many folks who also were a pleasure to visit with.  Simon played the part of the WalMart greeter.  Gotta say, sailors are very accepting and loving of dogs.

After we called it quits we toured UrbanSurf, a store that sells surfboards, including stand up paddleboards.  So of course Dave had to go pick brains.  Simon and I were just eyeing the grass and walking paths of Gas Works Park.  We got a good walk, sniff and pee (latter two for Simon) at the park.  Then we headed over to Ballard.  We parked by the Ballard Locks and had lunch at The Lockspot Cafe.  The clam strips were disappointing.  But who can really compare with The Island Cafe?  But Dave had excellent Salmon & Chips.  And I always enjoy the atmosphere.  Then off to the Ballard Locks.  We went through the museum/info place and learned enough that we felt certain we could take over if the all the lock operators passed en masse.  It was really cool to watch boats going through the process.  I'm not entirely sure that there is anything in Lake Union worth enduring that process, well other than Pasta Fresca.  But that's a whole other post.

The gardens along the locks are lovely.  We would have taken much more time to enjoy them, but we had to return to Simon.  Actually, our paid parking was about up.  I'm pretty sure Simon could have enjoyed another two or three hours of napping without our company and been VERY happy.  But we woke him up and made him sit in the middle of the seat again.  Then off to Shilshole Marina where we made Simon walk around and look at boats.  He's very patient.