Bleak

My very oldest friend - we grew up across the street from each other - died suddenly last Thursday and her funeral was today, in Houston, TX. The last-minute flights were unbelievably expensive and so I wasn't able to join her family there. On the advice of my parents, who are very intelligent and thoughtful people, I spent the afternoon on a beach. It was a grey chilly day and there were only a few hikers out, but the sun started to break through eventually.

Deception Pass State Park, Whidbey Island, WA

Great life?!

Our new town has just launched a marketing campaign to promote living here, the tagline is Mount Vernon - get a great life. I don't know if we have a *great* life, but it's not too bad, all things considered. One of the main attractions for us is that all of the following places are within reasonable walking distance: co-op grocery/deli, 2 coffee shops, 2 used bookstores, 3 pubs, one brewpub, 2 Italian restaurants, 2 Thai restaurants, one Mexican restaurant, the YMCA, the library, the post office, and the hospital. I can't imagine many other places where we could be this close to so many useful locations.

What do you like about where you live?