SOMEWHAT FAR AWAY

It was the most amazing thing. This afternoon Julie and I walked into an airport, checked in for a flight, didn't check any luggage, then boarded a plane. Once onboard, we got out books and read them until we landed.

With that, we re-entered the world of adult travel. Julie and I hadn't flown without children in almost two years, and it was heaven. I don't know how we'll ever go back to the old way.

We're in Seattle because Julie has a business conference, and I decided to tag along. I have never been here before, and it seems like a lovely place. We've only been here a few hours, but we've already had time to take the obligatory self portrait by the city skyline.It's not framed up all that well, but the sun was really at the wrong angle for what we wanted to do. Perhaps we'll have to try again later.

Everyone I know who has visited Seattle has told me I'll like it, but I'm still getting a sense of the place. Tonight while Julie had business dinners, I took the bus up to Broadway and walked around the Capitol Hill neighborhood. It seemed like a nice place. But I'm not in love like I was with Portland. Perhaps that feeling will evolve over the next few days.

I saw "My Kid Can Paint That" tonight. An excellent film that raises thorny questions about art, parenting, journalism, and storytelling. You should all see it.

And what of our kids? They are not here. They have been left with our nanny. This has been the source of no small amount of guilt for Julie. I'm not guilty, but I do miss the little guys. We called them tonight.

That's all, more later.