Yesterday, Tyler picked me up in the middle of a blinding snow flurry at about 9:30 am. We were headed up to Anacortes for an Orienteering event at beautiful Washington Park. Piled into the back of the Explorer were Angie, Angie's sister Julie, and Julie's boyfriend Max. After orienteering, we were heading up to lovely Bellingham, the Mecca of Western Washington, to check out WWU and the town in general for the benefit of Julie.

Of course, it was snowing like a sonofabitch here in pleasant Wallingford. It wasn't sticking, but I was convinced the following simple formula would apply, as it so often does in these conditions around here: further north = more snow. By the time we left my house, I was wondering how smart this was.

By the time we hit Everett, there was no snow at all. In fact, it wasn't even precipitating at all. We hit a nasty squall-line just outside Burlington, but at Washington Park it was overcast, windy, cold... but not raining or snowing.

Of course, I'm nordic, so I thrive on those conditions. I'll take windchill of 25-30 and dry over 50 and pouring any day, twice on Sundays. I did... okay. Tyler did poorly, Angie did even poorer, and Julie and Max hid out in the Explorer huddled under a blanket.

Bellingham was sunny and beautiful blue skies. It was cold, and windy, as Bellingham is so apt to be, but it FELT nice with the late-winter sun beating down on us. After a quick, impromptu campus tour, we retired to Boundary Bar Brewery for a late lunch and the sweet, sweet nectar they pour out of their taps. After a Scotch Ale, Oatmeal Stout, bowl of chicken chilli, and massive Philly Cheesesteak sandwich, I was feeling pretty good about things.

We drove semi-aimlessly around town for a while, ostensibly so Julie could check it out and look into places to live, but she didn't see to interested. We ended up at Bob's in Fairhaven so Julie and Angie could get a drink (they shockingly don't like beer) and put up with the slow service there until we busted for home.

I was dropped off at about 7:30, and proceeded to sit around and down a couple Breakfast Stouts, and starting at 10:30 watched the Grand Prix of Malaysia. I spent some time "designing" some shirts which I am now shamelessly hawking at cafepress.com (see below -- the store is up link).