Arriving in Seattle…

Sweater weather at last!

Of course my debut in Seattle began with a little homeless living in a Ford Econoline van. Ever hopeful for a future!

$600 and big dreams & hopes.

I remember the first night of driving into Seattle, across huge Lake Washington, lit by lights on the floating bridges, it really seemed unreal… having never seen such things before.

Driving down freeways in the deep woods of Seattle, where the giant trees make it look like you’re always in the woods.

The first few nights were spent in parking lots of the Seattle Arboretum. A classy place with good facilites. Only a short drive to the nearby UW Cafe, where I’ve been destined to abide to this day, witnessing the downfall of America on my iPad.

Down the street there are always homeless vans… easy to spot by all the tired out tarpaulins plastered over them… with buckets and piles of rope. They’re looking for a better life… just like I did, when I was homeless in Seattle.

Cooking in the Ford was always a challenge. I remember the time when my actor roommate and I cooked up a giant bubbling pan of chili and hamburger on a bench by the Greenhouse in Volunteer Park. Classy place to cook.

But life was a moveable feast…. So we moved on.

We had leftovers in the lighthouse parking lot in Port Townsend. It was another great place for improvised casserole, where every ocean view was wild & scenic, with whitecaps galore. Yep… the outrageousness of it all… living in picturesque parking lots by the lighthouse and Pacific.

We were looking for a new start in life, and we sure found it. My companion became an accomplished actor for Seattle Theatres… and I ran away to NYC to become a children’s book artist in NYC.

Temporarily lost, but going places, for sure. I’ll always remember those days before, when it was living by one’s wits end.