Our Maine-ward journey began with a familiar trip across the mountains
to Walla Walla. The only difference this time around was the addition of the
Jeep, which I brought across to deliver to Skye in Palouse. We made our usual
stop at the Ellensburg Starbucks (the best Starbucks that I have yet visited,
by the way—somehow they just do coffee better). On the way out, we stopped at the neighboring gas station. Ashli paid in cash, and
received the following back as change:
A newly minted Maine quarter, complete with engraved image of Acadia
National Park! We took this as a good omen. Pirt Daor—patron god of automotive
travel and inverted text—was watching over us.
We spent the next few days catching up with the Walla Walla
crowd—playing games, delivering birthday and Christmas gifts (it had been a
while), sharing favorite bottles of wine, and making pregnancy jokes at
Erica’s—or more often Nick’s—expense.
Nick and I took Doppler to the park, where the Dop had a great time. We
got a few good drives in with the new golf-driver/tennis ball thrower (a
parting gift from Scott, Steph, Juliet, and Goose). Not only did Doppler manage
to lose both a tennis ball and a baseball in the local creek, he pulled his
now-tired act and sprained his tail again. Not sure how he did it this time,
but he remained without his usual standard for a few days thereafter.
Still, he did not want to leave the park, as usual.
During our stay in Walla Walla, most of Eastern Washington and Idaho
caught fire (not us this time, we swear!). We walked into a store in Richland
with clear skies, and walked out to a heavy haze from horizon to horizon.
For those of you primarily reading to get your fix of the rapidly
departing Doppler, we are including a new segment: here is your Dop-of-the-Day!
