Leslie's Blog

NBC Sports has just announced that Ken Griffey Jr. is staying for one more year with the Mariners.  This really makes me happy.  I is what got me started following the Mariners.  Can't you still see his smiling face on the front page of the local papers as many of the team members piled on top of him!

What a good role model for young baseball fans!

And I want to say a very big thank you to his family for sharing him with us.

For your real estate needs in Seattle/Eastside and Kent www.LuvSeattle.com

I love to travel and get emails weekly notifying me what discounted airfares, hotels, cruises and entertainment are available. TravelZoo just sent me their this week's "top 20" travel deals. Here are some:

$45-$105 -- Virgin Cuts Fares on All Routes; Fly into March http://www.travelzoo.com/top20/78637188-687463/ Source: Virgin America

$697 -- Hong Kong from Seattle (Roundtrip), incl. Taxes http://www.travelzoo.com/top20/78637188-688978/ Source: Fly.com

$1299 -- Israel 8-Night Escorted Package w/Air http://www.travelzoo.com/top20/78637188-687784/ Source: Gate 1 Travel

For thos of us that love to go to Whistler:

+ Top Ski Destination in Peak Winter Season -

Beyond the Slopes: 2010 Olympics, Bungee Jumps & Apres-Ski

+ Four Seasons Whistler; 3rd Night FREE ... $255

+ Snowmobile and Dinner Package (Reg. $210) ... $169

+ Fly to Vancouver ... $100 & up and more...

Visit http://www.travelzoo.com/destinations/whistler

I do have an interesting story. There once was a company called "Moment's Notice" that would book charter flights for all inclusive trips all over the world at very low cost. Through them my Mother and Dad took a trip to Egypt and cruised up the Nile and another time cruised to Alaska (their all-time favorite cruise).

The most adventuresome trip was when they went to Germany. The plane was supposed to land in Frankfort but because the company had not paid their landing fees the plane landed in Berlin, East Germany. This was in 1972 when being in Berlin could be a scary time. The passenger’s passports were collected and there was a count of the people. And then there was another count and another. It turned out that Mom and Dad and a dual passport and both of their pictures was on one passport. After it got straightened out the passengers were bused to Frankfort. The wheels were actually taken off the plane so there was no getting back through Moment’s Notice.

Mom and Dad did have a great time visiting relatives they had never seen and site-seeing a beautiful country. But they did spend a fare amount of time figuring out how to get back. They ended up telegramming my Dad’s work to get money sent to them from their credit union account. Pan America did fly many people back for free but my folk’s didn’t know about that.

The lady that owned the Moment's Notice company actually went to jail.

I do not want to dissuade you from traveling--it is one of my very favorite things to do!

For your real estate needs in Seattle/Eastside and Kent www.LuvSeattle.com

I was over to help babysit one of my grandsons yesterday while the other was being taken to the doctor by his Dad.

I noticed his voter's ballot on the window sill and asked if it was ready to go. He said "no he hadn't really studied the issues or the people." I have been busy telephoning for both the King County Executive and Mayoral campaigns, and found this disapointing. I will talk to him today--not to persuade but to encourage him to become part of the process.

We in this State have had first hand experience of how important each vote can be. I often think of countries that are dealing with voter fraud and the people that they cannot get elected because of it. Maybe another thing that drives me harder in this is that it took so long for women to get the vote.

On the Washington Women’s History Consortium’s website it says In 1867 the Washington Territorial Legislature passed a law giving the right to vote 'to all white citizens above the age of 21." This law became the rallying point for early women's suffrage advocates who cited the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in conjunction with the law which defined "citizen" as being "all persons born or naturalized in the United States."

This election will be determined by you. You must return your ballot before 8pm to any King County Elections Drop Box across King County or, with postage, mail by the last drop at the Post Office.

You can get a copy of your voter's guide.

Please ask your family members, friends and neighbors to return their ballot. And forward this message to remind others to vote!

P.S.  My son-in-law took his ballot to work with him.

For help with your Seattle/Everett/Bellevue/Kent real estate needs: LuvSeattle.com