Today I ventured out to Port Towsend, WA to meet my mother for her birthday. Actually, it was the day before her birthday, but she planned to play golf on her birthday, so this was a pre-celebration.On the way to our meeting spot, I was struck by the beauty of Washington State. I've been out of the country and haven't ventured far from my house since my return.
As soon as I got on the ferry, the smell of salt water reminded me of why I love this place. Seagulls hovered above the ferry boat and I didn't mind at all to stand directly in the wind for the entire ride. I wanted to feel everything.
I drove passed the quaint town of Port Gamble and saw people setting up for a wedding at the little chapel over looking the water. The leaves had a tinge of color to them indicating that fall is on the way.
I met my mom in the parking lot at McDonald's because there are bathrooms. That's important in my family. There should always be bathrooms before you set off on an adventure anywhere.
Since my mother knows her way around better than I do, she drove and I left my car behind. We found a perfect parking spot and landed. Mom already knew what restaurant she wanted to go to for lunch. She wasn't thrilled with her order of smoked salmon on a bed of lettuce, but my lunch was appealing to her. I had the steamed clams and mussels with a side salad. Very Pacific Northwest!
We wandered in and out of shops. Mom bought sunglasses with bright blue rims and she decided to buy me shoes—completely unexpected. After all, it was her birthday.
I did give her a few gifts: a Peruvian hat handmade by my host mother on Amantani Island, a wool table runner from Peru and a book about going Gluten Free that she's interested in at the moment.
We were only together for a few hours, but I enjoyed the time. I think it's important to spend time with my mom. I thought about her a lot while traveling in Peru. When I was in my 20s, I did not do a good job of informing her of my whereabouts while I trotted the globe. This would make any mom worry. This time I made a point of keeping her updated through my blog posts and photos, etc.
We parted ways at around 2pm and I had a quiet journey home. I counted up my change and bought a Seattle's Best Coffee from the vending machine, plopped down on a chair and stared out at the sailboats on Puget Sound. Our boat made a magnificent, glowing path of light. I think the future is going to be bright!
Do you spend much time with your mother? When do you usually get together?
My mother died years ago, but some of my favorite memories are the last conversations I had with her -- very open and honest.
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