all hail Couch Surfing!

Many thanks to Alan and others who recommended CouchSurfing.com. I now find myself in Arlington, Washington with the Wood family. Woody and Kyoko head up the family, and I had a chance to meet the brood: 25-year-old Whitney (sp?) is home for the moment but searching for a life-option that clicks with him; Lacey (sp?) is a talented stylist; Miles is a high school senior on his way to college, where he'll start off as a sophomore.

Woody has a Presbyterian background, but left the church long ago and practices Buddhism with his wife, who is a cheerful bundle of energy. I've been invited to participate in the family's morning chant (Sokka Gakkai-style; according to Woody, their particular practice includes no priests, no statues, nothing you'd normally associate with the structural aspects of religion).

I'm happy to find myself with such wonderful people on my very first night of "couch surfing." They fed me a large, rib-sticking dinner of grilled chicken, rice, and salad; dessert was a huge slice of blueberry cake (shortcake?) with whipped cream on top. The whole thing was enough to let me forget my achy I am.

Soon, I'll be drifting off to bed, but first I'll be uploading some pics I've snapped, so expect another pic dump shortly.


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