What a summer it was when it finally arrived.  We had such fun going to the ocean, the mountain, the lake and the forests.  We are so blessed in our beautiful corner of the U.S.  We have not had the horrid snows, heavy rains, fierce winds, and summer heat of the rest of the country.  We may have a few gray days, some fog in the morning and perhaps a shower or two but in the long run, we seem to have it the best.

A trip to Long Beach, Wash, had us sharing a “tsunami burger.”  Just imagine a 16-inch bun, 5 pounds of ground beef, 16 slices of cheese, 3 tomatoes, a head of lettuce, a cup of mayo and a group of people to share it with.  I admit to a mess but we did have fun with it.  And a beautiful day to be at the ocean on top of it all.

August took us to Leavenworth for their fabulous summer theater.  We spent two nights there so that we could take in all 3 of their plays (“Sound of Music”, “Annie Get Your Gun” and “Thoroughly Modern Millie”).  It is so amazing to see such talented actors perform in such beautiful settings such as the ski hill and the salmon hatchery.  This trip had been talked about for years and finally came about.

If there is enough interest we will have another overnight adventure in September to Crystal Mountain.  There is a cable car that goes up the mountain to a restaurant.  The views should be spectacular and we generally have great weather at that time of the year.

Our big adventure in the near future is with Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd on board “Allure.”  I have talked about it many times and there is still an opportunity for others to join our group.  We will fly out on Oct. 20 for the cruise which starts on the 21.  This is one week with stops in Labadee, Jamaica and Cozumel.

In January there is another Caribbean adventure, this time with “Princess” to St Maarten, St. Thomas and Grand Turk.  Departure is on Jan. 19 with the 7 day cruise starting on Jan. 20.  By then you may really be looking for sunshine again.

Planning for 2013 has already started.  We are looking for fun things to do and encourage ideas.  If you have something you would like to do, toss it out and we just might catch it.

For reservations and information call Linda Finch at 253 927 8207 or get on the email list at linda.finch@gmail.com.