Today I took my kids to my old home town Issaquah. Growing up a military brat, we moved every three to four years if we were lucky. My grandparents lived in Issaquah. No matter where we were stationed, our grandparents house was always stable. When my dad would have to go, we went home to Issaquah. We spent a year there when he went to Iceland. We spent a year there when my Dad was in Desert Storm. I had my first kiss in the front yard, spent the whole summer I turn 12, and got my drivers license at this house.
It was reassuring and comforting to be able to come home anytime and see everything the same. In a life of constant change, this was the place of stability.
One of the things I loved the most about Issaquah as a kid was the salmon hatchery. I remember walking by the big bays of water and seeing the large trays of salmon eggs. I remember seeing the three to five inch baby fish jumping.
Everything seemed so big. And I remember at the beginning of the school year seeing the big salmon come back to swim up the ladder.
Back in those days, the hatchery was quite small. But Issaquah was also much smaller than it is now. They have built on to the hatchery since I was a little girl. There are educational areas for every age group.
Watching my kids walk through the hatchery was amazing. There will be only a few places I will be able to share with them from my childhood. Maybe that makes it a bit more special for me.
We had a great picnic lunch in the same area I did as a kid. It wasn't anything special.
But a blanket, some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and cheese puffs and it was as Elizabeth said "The Best Picnic Ever"
Hopefully our next Issaquah adventure will include a visit to the 12th Ave Cafe and a plate of Mickey Mouse Chocolate Chip Pancakes for each kid!
ღஐ jennifer ஐღ
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