And we're back! So much to report. But here is a shorthand version of our vacation, in handy-dandy outline form. Except not all THAT handy-dandy, because I realized after I typed the whole thing that I can't tab, so it's hard to read. I apologize. When formatting is easier, I'll be more accommodating, I promise. :)

I. San Fransisco.
 A. Really good.
 B. Really fun.
 C. Yeah.

II. Driving up California coast into Oregon.
 A. Beautiful.
 B. Actually had amazingly fun time on back-to-back 11-hour car rides with H.
  1. To recreate conversation, point out nearest window and say: "Woh. Look at that." "Oh my God." "That is so beautiful."
  2. Repeat for 11 hours.
 C. Babe: Our sporty little red car who unfortunately retired due to check engine light come-on-age on way to ferry.

III. Portland.
 A. Powell's, a Portland bookstore that covers a full city block: So unbelievably amazing it sent me and H. into howling fits of happiness and forced us to spend about seven hours there over the course of a single day.
 B. Rest of Portland. Just kidding. :) Even without Powell's, Portland actually voted Most Desireable City for Potential Future Residence by me.
 C. Columbia River Gorge.
  1. Fish ladder.
  2. Waterfalls.
  3. Also very cool.

IV. Seattle.
 A. Microsoft: Everything you've heard about Microsoft is true.
 B. The Experience Music Project, a giant music-y museum in Seattle. Oh so fun.
  1. Let me tell you, I would give my left arm to hire myself out to take people around and have fun there.
  2. H. and I have psychotic break after having a ridiculously good time in the jam studio or whatever it was called.
 C. Dinner in Space Needle.
  1. Revolving restaurant.
  2. Pretty view.
  3. Really awesome.
 D. Pike's Place Market.
  1. Fish being thrown. Sierra!
  2. Jelly Sellers Galore. Ask Scott if he likes garlic. :)

V. Orcas Island.
 A. Ferry ride.
 B. Kayaking in Puget Sound.
  1. Seals
   a. Lots of seals!
   b. Seals are cute.
  2. TWO bald eagles.
  3. Porpoises.
  4. Great Blue Herons.
 C. Dome stay. Fun.

VI. More general topics of discussion.
 A. Friends' lives in all three cities: Variable. In general, San Fransisco people seemed the happiest, but that's probably due to the fact that they've been there for a few years longer than the Portland and Seattle people and are correspondingly way, way, way more settled.
 B. Several alternative personalities invented/released/discovered along the way.
 C. How wonderful it all was, really.