Passport to Adventure

I needed a new passport to go to Mexico with my daughter, Felicity. It was a sign of the times that in order to pop over the border to Mexico or Canada, you now need a passport. I couldn't find mine. I always kept it in the same place, why wasn't it there?  I called the Court House in Friday Harbor, where luckily you can get a passport. This was much better than going to Seattle. Friday Harbor is just a short ferry ride away.

After tearing apart my desk and sorting through thousands of  photos  and very important papers, I remembered I had put it in the glove box of my car. Just in case. Like I popped into Canada or Mexico without a plan?  I doubt it!  The last time I was there was for a Horse Expo, it was exactly one year ago.

I woke to the sun reflecting off the golden russet of the madronas outside our window. Another beautiful day? How could this be, it is November!

I put together this week's ad for the paper and then went down to Orcas Landing to catch the ferry.  I watched the commuters, all dressed in sensible shoes and polar fleece. Oh, the Northwest culture is so comfortable.

Some folks were commuting via bike, that too will become more common as gas prices inflate again. I remembered my days of getting up at 6:00 am to catch a train from Princeton Junction to NYC to work at Bloomingdale's and Lord and Taylors. It took over two hours to get to work, and the trains were packed, with some people standing the whole trip. As a manager at both those stores, I did not get to wear comfortable shoes or comfortable clothing. It was still in the days of heels, pantyhose and dresses. I suffered, my feet hurt, I rarely saw the sun, and I returned on the train at 7:30 at night.

View of Turtleback Preserve and Deer Harbor.

Now, I get to travel by ferry, gliding quietly through the Islands, the air cool and fresh, an eagle overhead. I feel so fortunate not to be in a car racing down a freeway at breakneck speed, every nerve tense.

This type of travel is human scale. 

Children get to play and enjoy the trip.

 

Friday Harbor has lots of historic homes and buildings.

Once in Friday Harbor, I was off to Radio Shack, where a nice gentleman took a good photo of me in about 1 minute, and I was out of the store, on my way to the Courthouse. There I did not have to wait in line, but was helped immediately and given lots of free advice on how to be sure I'd get this new passport in time. In and out in about 20 minutes, I was off to look at the shops and grab a bite to eat.

In a Sporting Goods Shop, the woman who owned the shop, launched into a story of how her youngest was born on Orcas, 16 years ago. She was in labor going via ferry to Anacortes. Her labor was progressing so quickly that they put her off the ferry when they got to Orcas. There she was met by Melinda, our local midwife. They drove to the clinic, she gave birth and was back on the ferry home in an hour and a half. Her daughter is the 7th generation on Friday Harbor, except for the fact she was born on Orcas!

Can you make out the outline of Mt. Baker?

Two hours later, I was homeward bound. On the boat, I saw Melinda. This is one of the joys of Island life, you get to connect with people as well as see the connections. We chatted a bit and I mentioned the woman in the Sporting Goods Store. She nodded and said ' oh, yes, but what I remember most about that night was the Northern Lights. It was the first time I had ever seen them.'

I loved how I had seen both mother and midwife in this real life drama, and I felt a bit of nostalgia for my own midwifery days.