So, I guess I'm not donating blood anymore. That picture was taken 2 weeks after my blood was taken. While it is getting better, I just can't take risks like that with my arms/hands. When I talked to the CBS nurse, her concern was for nerve damage ... and that's just not on!

Went to Seattle this weekend to catch up with the Seattle Kru and also to see my old friend Staci who was in town on a company retreat. Staci and I worked at an advertising agency together in Seattle in 2000. Since 2002, she's been back in her home state of Kansas and, after graduation from a journalism program at KU, she's now in NYC working for MSN Money (ooh la la!). Poor Staci seems to have picked up the stereotypical NYC habit of "well, in New York it's ..." as a response to any casual statement.

Will decides to set a visual reminder of who is calling him when it's Kirby. Umm... shouldn't you already know what your husband looks like??

After brunch with the gang, it was off with Hank, Jeff, and Carrie to do some urban exploration at an old bowling alley.

It was absolutely phenominal ... so creepy yet cool, and the sound of the rain hitting the roof and trickling down within the building provided a great soundtrack to complete the ambiance. It was definitely "an elite, super ninja thing to be doing"!! So much fun!! (thanks again, Hank!)

Jeff is a climbophiliac - he'll climb anything!

Carrie is a climbophiliac too, but she's also and expert duck chaser...

...and dog owner whisperer.

Jeff demonstrates how to defeat my arch-nemesis: gravity!

Fittingly, my last excursion in Seattle was with Staci. Can't wait to see you again, sweetie; you really haven't changed a bit!

Fog dogged me all the way back to Canada. I wish I'd had my camera in the passenger compartment of the car (rather than the trunk) when I was going through some absolutely gorgeous scenery just south of Bellingham ... at 150mph!

More photos of the trip are available too.