We loafed for a while, then tended cats.
We took Susan to lunch at Hi-Life, which is soon to change format to Italian. Might not go there again. That's where we had our most expensive lunch - some $5,600 due to signing up for an Irish tour at lunch.
We stopped at a market to pick up a few light things for dinner.
We left Susan to continue her work to go to Europe 9/6.
Then we decided to delay our return to JAX to avoid hurricane Dorian. Things that had to be changed included:
Cancel airline reservation (get reward miles back later).
Get new airline reservation for 9/6.
New hotel reservation.
Change airport hotel reservation.
Extend credit card travel dates (three).
Change return date for rental car.
We did 1700 happy hour on the lanai with cats, feeding them their treats. Fed them their real food at 1800. We ate later as we loafed in the condo (felt very good). At right is view from condo's lanai, Puget Sound in foreground, West Seattle across the water, and the Olympic Mountains in the hazy background.
Up, feed cats, coffee.
Dorian the hurricane has shifted again. Now it may go up the coast of Florida but slightly off-shore so that it gets everybody. Guesstimated to batter Jacksonville 9/4.
While typing this, an update came in that moves the Dorian track farther off-shore. I like that, if true.
I went out for wine & other things. When I returned we went to Susan's house. She and Bryant took us on a ride way out south of the airport. Lots of nice areas, parks, etc.
The longer we went, the worse I felt. Coughing and nose-running and general aches. That's what most of the Norms had on the cruise.
So I asked S&B to return us to our car at their place so I don't infect them and so I get some more rest.
They did, and we came home. Nice ride.
"Mr Rogers" the cat came to console me or let me pet him or maybe he's lonely for his people.
The 2300 EDT update for Dorian didn't show much change - still forecast to go up the east coast offshore.
But it should be gone by the time we get there. Hopefully, no real damage will have been done at the condo.
Photo Link
Dorian the hurricane is still approaching Florida, so we're still here in Seattle. It's beginning to appear that Dorian may stay offshore and go north up the coast.
The forecast here is for low 60's to high 70's for the next several days with little precipitation.
This afternoon Fran & Duane come back to their condo and we move to the Mediterranean Inn in the Queen Anne district of Seattle. We stayed here this past February on our Aurora trip. It's friendly and has plenty of shops around it.
Ate hamburgers at Dick's, across the corner from the hotel.
Once we get settled we'll go up to the roof deck and view the city.
The 1700 EDT update to Dorian is at right. A little closer to Jacksonville. If Cantore shows up, we're doomed.
The Cantore-substitute in JAX today said it was raining like mad, but the picture behind him showed jet-ski people racing around.
Feeling a little better. Since loafing appears to help, I'll continue loafing until later this afternoon.
As predicted, hurricane Dorian has slowed down and is essentially stationary. Later today it should start north.
I took the track predictions and deduced that the center of the eye (using current track) will pass 3* East of Beach-and-Third. Three degrees at 30*N is about 150 miles.
Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 45 miles (75 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles (220 km).
So, Beach-and-Third should see winds at about the low end of tropical storm force (<39 knots).
We hope it stays that way, since our descendants there have not yet moved away, despite the evacuation order.
A later NHC posting (1700 EDT, 1400 PDT) showed no movement and no change in outlook.
We had a lovely dinner with Fran & Duane & George Satterfield at the condo. Happy hour with dilled small cauliflowers, castelvetrano olives and bruschetta. Duane grilled the chicken, very good.
Another nice day in Seattle. Dorian has begun moving (at 5 knots), hopefully up the coast and away.
In the meantime, we're staying occupied electronically.
We did lunch today with Susan at Blue Star Cafe & Pub, an unusual joint that serves breakfast all day with wines and twenty rotating beers. All sorts of scrambles and griddle items. Also steaks, seafood, etc.
I had norwegian crepes, hot link sausages and eggs. Very nice, won't need dinner.
Then Susan dashed off to do more preparation.
Photo Link
At the room, I picked up the "stuff" we over-acquired. I hiked it to the local UPS place and sent it home. Person asked if I wanted to send it by air; I told him that a mule would do, and that there was a hurricane in our direction. Oh.
It now arrives a week today.
We had Happy Hour in the 67 Lounge at the Edgewater Hotel with Fran & Duane. Nice little dishes, great Slider. We discussed cruise potentials and other things. Then we said our good-byes and separated.
Dorian, the cause of our discomfort, is nearly due east of Jacksonville. The eye will track very close to 100 miles east of our condo. Reports from family indicate moderate winds and rain. Radar shows the outer bands close to shore, but not on shore.
We have a way to tell if we've lost power at the condo. So far, no power loss.
The surf is high (high tide now) at 6-10'. But the waves appear to be only barely reaching our protective sand dunes.
We're quite pleased and now only waiting for things to calm down so we can go home.
This one can't have done any large-scale damage.
But if we're going to cause a Florida hurricane every time we come here in the last half of the year, we'll have to reconsider our travel plans.
It's a very nice day here, and if you have enough imagination you can see Mt Rainier off to the left in the photo at right.
But going home is in sight!! The airport is open. We can get there!!
We loafed part of the morning then checked out of the hotel. We took the rental to Goldfinch at the Four Seasons. Bryant came down from his office across the street and Susan came in from Ballard.
We had a nice lunch with fine view of the Sound. Then Bryant went back to work. We took Susan home. Then we went south on I-5 (kinda touchy) to the Hilton at the airport. We checked in, then i took the rental back to its owner and shuttled back.
I had a libation at the lobby bar (right) and returned until dinner.
We did a fairly early dinner in the hotel dining room - Spencer's. Quite good, had what we wanted.
Then to bed early.