One of the things I love about my job is how portable it is. Mr Fix-it occasionally has to work overseas, and very occasionally I get the opportunity to travel with him. This is one of those times and we've spent the last six weeks a little north of Seattle, Washington, USA. This is our third stay up here over many years and it now feels so familiar it really has become our "home away from home."
This is a beautiful part of the world and we've been lucky to be able to trip about between Mr Fix-it's responsibilities here. I think one of my favourite parts of WA state is the Kitsap Peninsula, where the old buildings and homes are so well preserved and so lovely. Here's one (right) that really caught my eye while we were in Port Townsend.And, of course, throughout the state, the scenery is breathtaking. Here's a shot of the Carbon River (below), near Mt Rainier. The air was very chilly and people were already camping in tents by the river. Little kids, dressed very warmly up top with beanies and ski jackets etc, had pulled up their pant legs and were paddling in the freezing cold water. They must breed 'em tough up here!
Of course, while we've been here, it hasn't all been sight seeing, I've been working on a new proposal for Harlequin Desire as well as a new project that I'm excited about and can hopefully share more info about with you all soon.At the end of the week Mr Fix-it and I will be heading home. While we're very pleased to be homeward bound again, I will feel a little sad leaving my "home away from home" again. Is there a place in the world that feels that way for you?
Yvonne, love your photos. You're so lucky to have been able to return to Washington state. I spent six months in Vancouver once and have been wanting to return for a visit ever since. But there are so many other places yet to see so it will have to wait.
ReplyDeleteI am lucky, aren't I? Vancouver is another beautiful city I'd love to have the opportunity to spend more time in. We've been there once and I thought it was stunning. Friends of ours have been recently and said it was like Auckland and Queenstown had a baby and called it Vancouver! LOL!
DeleteOhh, I'm so jealous, Yvonne. I've never been anywhere in the states apart from RWA conferences in Anaheim and Atlanta and there is SO much more I'd love to explore! Being an ex-pat living in NZ I really do have a home away from home and, after 5 years, I'm popping over in September and I can't wait.
ReplyDeleteHave a safe trip home…we've missed you!
Conferences don't usually give us a lot of time for sight seeing, do they, Louisa. I hope you have a ball when you get to return to your home away from home, but I also hope you come back again!!!
DeleteSuch pretty pictures. I live in the USA. Was born on the West Coast In California, but I live in the East Coast in North Carolina now. Both places feel like home to me,
ReplyDeleteI imagine that North Carolina is quite different to California, Tammy. Glad to hear that both feel like home to you :-D
DeleteGreat pics, Yvonne. That building is something else! So fancy and pretty! Fab that Seattle is becoming familiar enough to feel like home away from home. If you had a standard job. 9- at a desk somewhere, you wouldn't have had the opportunity to build up that lovely relationship with the city. Isn't a portable job great!
ReplyDeleteIt is a pretty building, isn't it, Sharon? Honestly, Port Townsend is full of them. I could have spent ages wandering around but we only had time for a drive through before heading back to the Kingston Ferry. And, yes, I agree, a standard job would never allow me the freedoms that writing gives me. This portable job is wonderful.
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ReplyDeleteGosh that six weeks has flown...or it seems to have from where I'm sitting, but I'm sure you've packed a lot into these weeks, both work and pleasure. Love the pics. This is a part of the world that I haven't visited but would love to. So many places, so little time!
DeleteI've been thinking about your question and the place that comes to mind is Batehaven on the south coast of NSW where we spent so many summer holidays, both with my parents and later as parents with out boys. Haven't been there for ages and now I have a pang to visit.
Yes, we've packed a lot into this time away. I've been working while Mr Fix-it has been working and in his down time we try to see as much of the area as time and distance permit. Batehaven sounds lovely, Bron. Can we look forward to blog about the area when you next visit?
DeleteYvonne
ReplyDeleteThe pictures are lovely I have not done much travelling and I guess I don't really have a home away from home maybe I will get this feeling when I retire and travel more :)
Have Fun
Helen
Helen, I've never really thought of myself as much of a traveller but as I get older I have a growing yen to see other places. I think retirement would be a wonderful time to indulge in travelling and seeing the places you've always wanted to visit.
DeleteHow lovely that you're able to travel with your husband this way instead of sitting at home feeling envious. It looks like a beautiful place. I love the photos.
ReplyDeleteWashington State is beautiful, Claire. We've been able to see quite a bit of it in between his work commitments, too, so we've been doubly lucky this trip.
DeleteLovely pictures, Yvonne. I wish my husband travelled for work and I could tag along.
ReplyDeleteI love to travel. Love, love, love it. Probably the overseas location I feel most 'at home' is London. I lived there for nearly seven years and really miss the excitement and opportunities of living in a big city. I don't miss the traffic, pollution and stress though!
I haven't been to London since I was 14, Jen. I'd love to go back but, yes, I agree with you that the traffic, pollution and stress are real drawbacks to big cities.
DeleteWhat a wonderful way to travel, Yvonne -- and your pics are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteFor me, London feels like a home away from home. All up I've spent several months there (though not as long as Jen!) and I just love the place. It probably sounds silly, but I know my way around London better than I do around Sydney. :-)
Ah, another London-lover! And yes, funny that you know London better than Sydney. Mind you, I often find in our home cities that we tend to only go to where we *need* to go, rather than discover the entire city as we do when we're away. A friend of mine who lives here near Seattle reckons we have travelled the state more than her now! I think that when you know you only have a set amount of time to enjoy a place, you do your best to see as much as possible.
DeleteLooks like you've had a fabulous time, Yvonne! So great to be able to write and travel. That place in the world for me is Greece. I've lived there and travelled back a couple of years ago with my whole family. Sometimes I feel as though I was Greek in another life :)
ReplyDeleteI would love to visit Greece one day. In a couple of years time, hubby and I will be planning a world tour. You can bet your bottom drachma that Greece will be on the list of places to visit!
DeleteYvonne, I'm practically green with envy! How utterly gorgeous your home away from home is.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a place that's home away from home, so now I'm thinking I need to rectify that!
Could be that your home is somewhere you really don't want to leave, Rachel, and there's nothing wrong with that, either. :-D
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