Mukilteo Musings

Only In Seattle

Several items have caught my attention and deserve to be in a list.

1. Only in Seattle does the Honey Bucket man have blue hair....to match his Honey Buckets. Around here, the portable toilets used at construction sites or county fairs seem to be monopolized by the "Honey Bucket" company. This may be a brand name but it is as common as the word "Kleenex" is for tissue. Honey Buckets are bright blue. On my street, two new houses with fabulous views are being built on previously blackberry covered steep lots. Right on the sidewalk are Honey Buckets. Unfortunately, during my daily walks, Apolo enjoys sniffing around them and I am always paranoid some worker guy will step out zipping his fly to be greeted by my grinning panting puppy with the crotch level nose. Anyway, the other day, the Honey Bucket suck it truck was doing its hose thing when I noticed the Honey Bucket guy had bright blue hair. At first, I thought the usually absent sun had been in my eyes but nope. His hair matched the Honey Bucket he was cleaning out. And then I decided if I had that particular job, I'd dye my hair blue, too.

2. Only in Seattle will you get a ticket for honking your car horn. Seattle culture dictates that it is rude and impolite to honk your car horn. We were having dinner the other night with a couple here on sabbatical from New York and they could not get over how quiet our traffic is. However, sometimes when you are behind some idiot on a cell phone and the light turns green and they continue to blab away, it feels good to lay on the horn. But in Seattle, you could get a $124 ticket for doing just that. So says my newspaper today. Not only do we not honk our horns, but it is illegal to do so. And get this: New York has the exact same law. This poor guy in downtown Seattle did what I just described and a motorcycle cop pulled him over. He did not get a ticket but he did get a warning. I am a stickler for laws and rules and I do not jay walk but even I have honked my horn from time to time when someone does not notice the light is green. http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/329092_honk27.html

3. Only in Seattle does the unpopular president arrive in town and make himself even more unpopular. What is he thinking? Oh, I forgot. He doesn't think. During rush hour, like right this minute, they are completely shutting down one of our two freeways for his motorcade. His approval rating in the Seattle area is maybe 10% but later this evening it will be zero, I guarantee. For the life of me, I do not understand why Congressman Reichert is allowing Bush here to campaign for him. It is giving a big boost to his Democratic challenger---especially if the pres ties up our already ridiculous traffic.
http://www.king5.com/topstories/stories/NW_082707WAB_bush_visit_SW.75715af0.html

4. And finally, only in Seattle, can we use our heated car seats in August. Our Honda Pilot has heated leather seats. To me, this is the ultimate in luxury. I hate being cold. We had summer for one day this year and I believe it was the day or two after the 4th of July. Occasionally, the sun shines but it has been breezy, cool and misty a good share of the time. So in August in Seattle, I drive around with my leather seat set on high and I love it.


Downtown Seattle taken by me last Tuesday night from the front door of the Purple Wine Bar and Cafe.