Smilin' Jack: Walkin' in Seattle and Renton

Retirement…what can I say? I'm loving it!!

It is such a liberating feeling to be able to go and do what I want. Before, while I was working, I used my weekends to store up enough energy to get me through the upcoming week. I usually did my shopping and then spent the weekend on the couch.

Now, it seems like every day I am doing something. Nothing large, doing a lot of walking and shooting with my little point n' shoot.

Still, it's been fun. Having the time…

On Friday, we went to Seattle so I could apply for Social Security. Yeah, seriously, I am old enough to apply for SS. Sobering thought!! We took a lunch and enjoyed the Seattle Sunshine.

I got this picture from the Wells Fargo Square across from the SS offices. Tulips, they're everywhere in Seattle.

From the same square I looked up and...

I've shot this building before and the windows, they always look like watercolors.

Then, on Saturday, we went off for lunch. I had a hankering for a pastrami sandwich and so I found a sub shop in Renton that served 'em up.

We got our sandwiches and had lunch by the Cedar River and then went for a walk.

Flowers, yeah, big surprise, eh?

Just a small house along the way. They do a good job keeping it up. It was friendly looking and inviting.

What the…!?!

A flower!?!

Never see that on stuff I do. Strange!!

And still...

We stopped in A Terrible Beauty, an Irish Pub, to wet our whistles.

It was $9.50 for a beer and a coke.

ONE beer and ONE coke!!!

Won't make that mistake again.

But I do enjoy a taste of Smithwick's. I 'discovered' it on my trip to Ireland.

Then we stumbled onto the Comic Hut in downtown Renton.

We were met by the Official Store Greeter of the Comic Hut…

I was sorely tempted to get one of these. Sorely tempted.

It was a lot of fun poking around the store and the owner was very friendly and didn't mind my taking pictures. It was, sort of, like being on the set for The Big Bang Theory.

Spiderman, Spiderman…doing all the things that a spider can. This was part of a window display.

Then I found the Archie section and this cover picture. It's a good take-off of an American Classic, Nighthawks, 1942 by Edward Hopper. This one, with Archie, is a bit closer than the original by Hopper. I've included the original so you can compare. Pretty good.

Love Archie…seriously, I do. I have a lot of fond memories of Archie and his adventures from my youth.

Tempted, man, sorely tempted to buy this. I mean, the best stories of the past 70 years!!! Too bad I'm so cheap.

OK, yeah, I bought several of these. I can remember going into stores and 'buying' these for Tommy…who never really liked them that much. I would, ah, er, read them more than he did.

They had a bunch of these action figures from the TV Series, Walking Dead.

They even have a Zombie face you can add.

I mean, weird, right!?!

Sponge Bob Lunch Box.

Oh, yeah, and The Joker was represented. Seriously, just like The Big Bang Theory.

LOOK!!

Everyone roots for the Seahawks!!

Haha, even Freddy is on board!!

OK, big surprise, more flowers. But these flowers in a planter outside a store, were pretty nice.

3rd Ave in downtown Renton.

Detail, building.

Tulips. They. Are. Everywhere. Really!!

Detail, former bank building.

Someday I'm gonna eat there. I wonder if their pizza is as good as their name?

Flowering tree.

Walking through the old neighborhoods.

Yeah, more...

What can I say?

The river has been high for weeks. Walking along the Cedar River.

Driving back home I decided to see where I could go to, how close I could get to the airstrip, at the Renton Municipal Airport.

Not that close. But we found a small park at the lake edge of the Airport. There was a monument there to Will Rogers and Wiley Post. They flew out of this airport on their final flight.