The best things around Seattle are free

This weekend reminded me why I love to call Seattle home. With all the talk about affordability in the Pacific Northwest, on a sunny weekend, the world is your oyster.

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It’s free to put on your flip flops and dip your toes in the refreshing waters of Lake Washington, Lake Sammamish, or the Puget Sound. It’s free to hike up to the top of Rattlesnake Ridge and look out at that priceless view. It’s free to watch the sun set over the Olympics without a cloud in the sky.

I walked down to Lake Union and watch a happy black lab retrieve a tennis ball out of the water while seaplanes landed and took off. Children with floaties and SPF 1,000 splashed around and friends caught up with each other and had a picnic from the deli counter at Whole Foods.

I watched as seven teenage girls band together to get the perfect selfie for their friend. One was the photographer, one was a stylist, one took care of hats and hair, and the rest splashed water behind her to get the effect she was looking for. It was quite the team effort, and I bet it got lots of hearts on her social media.

Even though it’s not on my diet, I grabbed a scoop of Moose Tracks ice cream and raced to eat it before it dripped into a sticky mess on my arm.

Every couple of hours I’d open my Facebook and see how far the Major Taylor Crew had gone in the Seattle to Portland bicycle ride. They did a nice job out there and a shout out to Don for his first double century in quite a few years. That’s no small feat, and I doubt there were many 51 year olds that beat you to the Rose City.

This is not a drill. This is what we’ve been waiting for. Fire up the grill, call your friend with a boat and offer to fill the tank in exchange for a ride. Rent a paddleboard or find a new trailhead.

Weekends like this make those January’s sideways rainy days worth it.

Remember, it’s free to lay on the grass and smile.

You can hear “What are we talking about here?” everyday at 4:45 p.m. on 97.3 FM.

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