Celebration Saturday

Jill's in-laws are in town. John and Andrea are visiting from Ft. Lupton, Colorado, to celebrate Andrea's 70th birthday. As usual, Jill has a full slate of activities planned, and on Saturday we joined in on the party.

As you know, we have a cabin on Whidbey Island, and for the last 50 years we have been driving past the big Boeing Plant in Everett, WA, on our way to Whidbey, but we have never stopped to take the tour. On Saturday we made a special trip just to do that. 

This photo is "borrowed" from the Internet. It was not sunny, and we did not have this eye-in-the sky view, but we were inside this largest building in the world, by volume, where they make the biggest airplanes. Originally built to produce 747s, it is a third of a mile from front to back, and has been extended in width as it has become the production site of more 700 series, currently making the 787 Dreamliner, while still producing the 747s as well. 

A separate building, adjacent to Paine Field, is the starting point of the tour, Future of Flight. 

Boeing produces planes for the world. 

Here we met up with our guide, stowed our gear in a locker, and were taken by bus to the huge production facility. No phones, cameras, purses, backpacks or electronic devises were allowed. Those things all got stowed in a locker. These next two photos are borrowed, but show a bit of what we saw from the galleries. 

The tour lasts 90 minutes, and then we had time to get a snack at the cafe, shop in the gift shop, and tour the gallery back in the tour headquarters. 

Jet engine blades as art. 

Big engines. 

Tall tails!

The "old people" were on phones while the youngsters explored. I'm told they were checking the route back to the city and the restaurant that was our next stop. 

Here we are. Tour members can get complimentary photos, and then we pick our own background. 

The drive back into the city on rainy freeway and city streets wasn't much fun, but we eventually arrived at the restaurant for our 5:00 reservation at The Melting Pot. 

This is a fondue restaurant, and here you see us gathered around the steaming pots of broth, ready to cook our meat course. We had already indulged in the yummy cheese dipping orgy. 

There were lots of choices. I had filet mignon, shrimp, and duck. 

And for the grand finale, chocolate fondue. This pot was flaming. 

The birthday girl dug in. 

"My pot", I hardly wanted to share, but did, was dark chocolate with Grand Marnier. Oh, so good. 

A dipping delight. 

That was yesterday. Of course this morning my weight was up again. I have done my stretching exercises and Tom and I went for our 3.35 mile walk.  I have recovered enough from my fall that I can walk again as long as I am careful not to twist my hip. 

The rain stopped! I had a very long lunch hour, reading the Sunday paper.  Tom has gone outside to do a little work now that there are actual sun breaks. Now that I have all of my photos collected from i Phones, Facebook, and the Internet, I will hit "Publish" and then go downstairs and turn on the Super Bowl. 

I'll sort of watch, keep track of the score, hope it isn't a blow out, and try to remember to look up to watch the commercials, since I usually pay no attention to them.