Not exactly Peyton Place, but darn close.

Yesterday I took Senor Onion to Port Townsend to see my family and other nice people. The drive was rather nice but it is still hard to take in a way. In recent years they have done more clear-cutting so what was once a beautiful drive through thick evergreens is now a drive through brown dead stumps.
I am okay with some change but when it comes to where one grows up it is always bewildering. "But wait...wasn't that there..."
Though some things don't change.
I ran into a family friend, J. J's younger sister and I were in the same class, were incredibly close friends and all three of us were in ballet together. J had told me that her sister had gotten engaged recently. (I will have to email/call/write A. all about that) And then of course the part that doesn't change, J. shared some good local gossip. A girl who was a year a head of A. and I (and in ballet with us) married her high school sweetheart when they were both about 22. (about the time they graduated from college)
Well. Her husband left her for another woman/divorced not too long ago. And now they are talking about getting back together. Oy vey.
A hilarious element to all of us is that it turns out he is one of my sister's instructors at college.
Small. Town. Yo.
J. said, "I bet you aren't interested in this gossip." I said, "come on. Tell me more. I love this kind of thing."
Whenever I talk to my Mom I ask, "so who is divorced, having an affair or engaged in some sort of sordid behavior."
I had a look the local paper. Someone was caught pretending to be a cop. Nice. And as usual people are bickering over minute details of order so that nothing ever gets accomplished in a timely manner.
Once social affairs were covered, the family and I went to lunch. There was also fawning over one Senor Onion by the waitresses. Our waitress is the Grandma of a girl I went to school with and the girl's Mother worked with my Mother for a few years. See. Very tied up town.
The pineapple milkshake was delicious. Seriously. Hands down best shake ever. Real milk. Real ice cream and the pineapple isn't too chunky but just chunky enough so that the flavor cuts through the sweetness of the dairy. I am spoiled by having grown up in a town with a pharmacy that had a soda fountain in the back.
My Mother had us show off her world's most perfect Grandson to the girls she works with -one girl in particular has serious baby fever so any baby time is a good time. We also visited Uncle Chris at work who was one of the few people who could get a laugh out of the kid.
Senor Onion was feeling serious. what gives kid?
We stopped at the toy store that has been there since the beginning of time. There is a toy in the shop that is there for children to play with. It has been there since I can remember (I can remember all the way back to the age of two) and there is something fun and strange about having my kid now play with the toy. I ended up buying him a little monkey that squirts water. A nice bath toy.
Further visits to shops to see people who have known me since I was a toddler. When did people get old? D. who runs the bookstore has white hair. I don't recall that ever happening.
Then there was tea with a family friend. Plenty of snark and cats to play with. Senor Onion was in his element when he was able to pull books off the shelf and pet all the kitties.
Then there was the drive back. He had a meltdown when I wouldn't let him out of his car seat. I know. Mean mean Mummy. How cruel I am.
The ferry was late, there was rain on the freeway and I think we were both good and exhausted by the time we got home.
Pizza was ordered.
Senor Onion refused to go to sleep.
Fine. Fine. Fine.
We will all go to sleep.
Everyone sleep.

Lovely day over all. The weather wasn't vicious and a good time was had by all.

Today there are social visits to be had.