The Countdown Begins!

The Vampire Diaries season premiere is October 11th! Let the countdown begin!!


Vampire-Diaries

How Do I Love Duvall...Let Me Count Thy Ways

So I live in this cute little town called Duvall (that is pronounced Doo-Vall). It is such a great town! Kind of off the beaten path but closer enough to larger cities so you are only 30 minutes from larger chain stores, movie theaters and such. Up until a few years ago there was a ban on any businesses that had drive-thru's (ie McDonalds, coffee stands) but we are now lucky enough to have a drive-thru Starbuck's!

I do have to mention that I grew up in Woodinville which is just the next town over. Back in those days had someone said I would be living in Duvall I would have laughed at them and probably made some comment about never living in some pow-dunk, redneck little town like Duvall! But back in those days it was kind of scruffy with just one grocer store (The Family Grocer) maybe one street light and a ton of antique stores. It was simply the town we passed through to get to Carnation or Monroe!

I guess my grandpa always wanted to buy a house out in Duvall but my grandma always turned up her nose at Duvall as well. Maybe that is where I got it from! So it is kind of cool now to live in the town my grandpa would  have loved to live in!

Seven years ago we bought our second home. We moved to Duvall. By then there were two or three street lights and a Safeway! And the Safeway, by the way DID have a Starbuck's. Shortly after that the drive-thru Starbucks was built and well...That has to be reason #1 that we love Duvall!

But...there are other reasons.

Everybody Knows Your NameOkay so not really but sometimes it feels like it! It seems that whenever I go to the grocery store I run into someone I know. When I actually leave the store without running into a friend, or the parent of one of Shelby's classmate I am shocked and will usually take one last glance around the store to make sure I didn't overlook anyone!

We Have Great Local Businesses
Okay so they aren't the big retail stores (like a Target but hey I have two of those only about 30 minutes away!) but boy do we have some wonderful restaurants (Pickle Time, Red Pepper Pizzeria, The Duvall Grill) and neat speciality stores (CC's Espresso, Teemer & Schmidt Candy Store, Match Coffee & Wine). Toss in a clothing stores, art gallery, art center, photography studio, a few salons and of course those antique stores which, yes, still exist and you have a great town!

Country Living Without TO much Country
We live 6 miles outside of town. When people first come out to our house they are always going "Man, do you live out here!" but you know what? You get used to it and really...it's not that far. I am about 10 minutes from town and about 30 minutes from Woodinville or Redmond where I have all the major retailers that I need. We are on 2 beautiful acres where on a clear night we can see a sky full of stars. And if I really wanted to I could probably walk naked through my yard but...I don't really want to do that AND we do have neighbors that could see me through the trees that are planted along our property line. So I can enjoy that country feel but still be able to get my "city" on!

We Care About Each Other.....Really!
No...really...we do! Granted part of that may have some help from the technology of today (Facebook, websites, etc). But we watch out for each other. We keep an eye on our neighbors kids, making sure they make it home from the bus. Someone loses a puppy and the whole town starts looking. If you don't know of a good place to take your car, or to take your pet just ask a friend (who will ask a friend who asks a friend) and before you know it you will have a LONG list of wonderful places to go.

It's a good thing we won't be moving anytime soon because I love living here. It is the perfect place to raise our daughter - though she isn't as thrilled at running into friends every time we head to town. Some day she will appreciate it though!

I Wanna be in Movies

So you ever watch a movie or a TV show and afterwards just let out a huge sigh and go "Man, I wish my life was like that". Well sorry chickie, this is life and there are no happy endings, commercials or music informing us of what could happen at any moment.

So here are a few things that you will not see happen in your daily life.

• Traveling down a busy street or going to the mall and finding a parking spot right in front of the store or place you need to go
• Anyone's problems getting solved with in a one hour time span
• Having a comment that someone makes during a random conversation be the answer to the problem you have been working (all hour) on trying to figure out
• Having the man or woman of your dreams make some grand, romantic gesture in front of THOUSANDS of people
• More often than not, if you are someone else dies, you are pretty likely dead (ie you/they won't suddenly take a gasp of breath and reach out for you/them)
• People will not take a swipe at stuff on a desk/table knocking everything on the floor just because they are angry or want to engage in hot sex with you/someone
• If you are a friend/family member are dieing your final breathes will be taken while bundled up under blankets while sitting out on a deck or in a park with a beautiful sunset or ocean view in front of you
• When you are driving along the freeway and suddenly an overpass ends you will miraculously be able to fly over and onto road on the other side
• Vampires will exist AND your friends will be okay if you date and/or are a vampire
• In a town of thousands that your friends boyfriend/girlfriend will come in to the store/restaurant where you are at with his girlfriend/wife
• You will be able to access your or someones medical file and see right away what their blood type is and that they are not your biological child/parent

Cue the slow, instrumental music and get ready to walk off into the sunset, this is the end.