Seattle, first impressions.

Well, we made it to Seattle! My first impression? It's beautiful, it's green, it's amazing! The weather in the last month has been heaven. After living with the year-round unforgiving heat in Key West for a year, Seattle area weather has been a relief. It has not rained at all since we've been here, but I hear there's plenty of rain in the fall, winter and spring. We live an hour ferry ride to the west of Seattle in Bremerton. We love our house. I have enjoyed hanging my pictures, putting out my family photos and decorations that I didn't even bother to unpack in my miserable pregnant state in Key West.

Most everyone has heard things about Seattle, whether they've lived here or not. It rains a lot, there's a Starbucks on every corner, there's a space needle, and it rains A LOT! But the best thing about this area that I can tell so far are the people who live here. I was fully prepared for a city mind set, don't look anyone in the eye, only speak when your spoken to and try to look like your not a tourist. I was taken back our first week here, while staying in a hotel. People said "Hi", as they got on the elevator and "see ya later, have a good day" as we exited on our floor. Strangers tell me I have cute kids and the cashiers smile and make conversation, and the Starbucks barista even asked me how my day was so far. Excuse me if I sound shocked, and I know this is how it should be, that strangers smile at each other and even strike up a conversation, but that's just not the world I've been living in for the past few years. And quite frankly when I got to Seattle I expected everyone to be dressed in black with a venti nonfat double-shot espresso on their way to their Pilate's fusion class and the least of their cares would be if I'd had a good day or not. But I love the people of western Washington. There is such a diverse cross section of people, but they pretty much all have one thing in common, they look you in the eye and smile. It's nice!