Ahh, Seattle

Thank you Lord and Subaru for the hill-holder clutch.  You ease my mind and lower my stress level.  I was overjoyed to remember, while sitting at a red light on one of the steepest hills in the world, that my wonderful little yuppie car has a hill-holder clutch.... whew!  No really. I shouted "Thank you Lord!".  I was so relieved.  Every time I sit on a hill in Seattle I picture my manual transmission just letting my car roll backwards into other cars and the chaos that would ensue.  If I knew blood pressure language, I would even tell you how many points mine went down when I realized that, but I don't. 
Tonight I am writing from a fancy hotel room in Seattle.  I really love Seattle... to visit anyway.  Even though my day was frantic, and I left a whole four hours later than I wanted to today... I had a great drive.  Lots of time to think and sing.  No traffic, no ferry wait.  My delay in leaving work on time today screwed up my chance to get a hold of friends that live here to make impromptu dinner plans... but oh well.  Here's what I did instead.

We'll start with the ferry... I think the people in the cars around mine might have thought I was on some sort of upper because I didn't stop moving the entire trip.  Instead of sitting and playing Word Search or Angry Birds on my phone the whole ferry ride, I cleaned out my car.  I climbed in back and re-organized my frantically packed bags so that I wouldn't look like a messy bag lady getting out of the car at the hotel.  I picked up all the wrappers and papers and random things.  I cleaned out part of my purse and wiped down the dash.  My car looks great.  I think I looked a little, um... high.
After I followed the directions the little lady in my phone gave me, I parked my car at the valet (yeehaw!  this country girl got valet money on her travel!) and grabbed all four of my bags/purses (I am a really bad packer).  This hotel really is super fancy, and I tried to act as unawkward as possible around all the well-dress people with shiny wheely suitcases. 

After I checked in, I changed into my running clothes.  I promised my mom that I would not run the streets of Seattle after dark.  Even though I teased her first that I was going to.  Instead I found the fitness center.  The workout room is two stories.  I'm not kidding.  The exact opposite of the gym in D.C.  I could hardly believe it.  And it was almost totally empty the whole time I ran.  I got to run for 42ish minutes and cool down for 8.  Great run.  I ran a 10:45 mile for most of it on a random incline.  I listened to my Dire Straits and Latin Workout radio stations on Pandora. I got to spy in office windows and see who was still at work at 9:00 at night (poor, unfortunate souls).  I also learned that an 8.5 minute mile is the exact pace at which I "almost" pee my pants.  Thankfully that was right at the end... my last portion of my last lap... or my run would have ended a lot faster.  And thankfully I was wearing black pants.  Ahem. So embarrassing and probably so TMI for all you folks.

After I refilled my water bottle and got some ice, I had a wonderful, long shower.  I pore-stripped my nose and contemplated purchasing $4 banana slices from room service.  Just contemplated.  My calves don't hurt that bad.  Then I just relaxed... and typed.  Tonight, I get to sleep peacefully.  Alone.  All night long.  Ahhh.

Tomorrow is a LOOOOOOOONG day of meetings, and then I get to chug back home, across the ferry, over the bridge, and through the woods.  Back where I run on a treadmill in a three car garage that is packed with everything but cars.  Back where I sleep interruptedly and with at least two other people in the bed.  Back where bananas are $.39/lb and I have to slice them myself.  Back where I will forget about my hill holder clutch because I never have to use it...  but tomorrow.  Tomorrow I will soak in some more Seattle and a lot of really good coffee.