Seattle Gay Pride Parade 2015

June 28, 2015....Mt. Rainier as seen from the ferry from Bainbridge Island.  I think I overdid the photoshop....

Coming into Seattle for the 2015 Gay Pride Parade.

Kendra's Mom, Kendra, myself and Onions

Kendra invited Onions and I to march in the parade with the Gates Foundation.

Carlos! We met him in the gathering area.  The parade started around 11, it was SO long this year that the Gates Foundation didn't cross into the parade until 12:15 and we were about half way into the parade.

It seemed as though EVERY group had an entry.  This is the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance.

And the men's and women's gay rugby teams.  I thought gays would do better than streamers.  Former students will know my issue with streamers!

Onions read this and said "they used a lot of adjectives to be the first."  I had to laugh as he was right.  But turns out they were a great group to march behind because they played great music to sing and dance to!

It appeared that EVERY corporation had an entry.  Here we have Amazon.

Wells-Fargo.  It appears that at this point companies MUST have a presence, not only to show support, but it's a way for free publicity.

The man with the reigns looks like Willie Nelson.

Collected LOTS of stickers and business cards.

So, Gay Pride is now VERY VERY family friendly.  Long gone are the days of leather bikers and a very sexual feel to the celebration.  Gay life is no longer a marginal feel.

Bikers for getting rid of Body Shame was about as racy as it got.

Even the police man who controlled the pace of entry into the parade was pro gay rights.

....and we're off.  This is looking down 4th Avenue.  Parade as far as the eye could see.

"Where are Bill and Melinda Gates?  Next year, they are HERE!"

I thought that there would be more people in the parade than watching.  I was wrong.  Wall to wall people the entire route.  Westlake was particularly crowded.  The celebration this year had an extra buzz because of the Supreme Court ruling on marriage equality a few days earlier.

June 2015 -- Seattle Life

Back in Seattle for the summer.  Here's what life has been like in Seattle.  An afternoon at the Woodland Park Zoo, which I haven't been too since I was a kid.

Onions and I had SUCH a great time at the Tokyo Zoo, we decided to check out Seattle's zoo.

Loved the Northwest specific animals, like the Brown Bear.

The weather in Seattle has been amazing all month!  So we've been spending lots of time outside enjoying the weather.

A regular nightly sunset here in the Pacific Northwest here in June 2015.

Oh, and the BIG news.  Pre-June 16th.....

June 16, 2015.  Welcome to the family Oliver.  This was the name I was hoping for and I only came in at the VERY end to work my magic to influence the name choice.

Taking advantage of the long nights, Onions and I have been doing regular walks around Green Lake.  No pictures of our regular appearances at the Northgate Nordstrom Rack!

Onions has found a drop-in volleyball league.

Baby duty to help Marlene has fallen primarily to my mother, but Onions and I do day duty about every other day.  We've been running errands, and he's been quite helpful in assembly baby items.

This is more my style!

Dinner with Vickie!

Heidi P.

We attended Ian's (right) 9th birthday party!

Sword Fighting at the party!  Onions was quite accomplished and that was noted by the birthday boy!

Driving lesson.  He got up to 15MPH.  We also attended the Fremont Solstice Festival.....no pictures.  I found it to be just a mess....

Father's Day BBQ

A busy month also included Mom's Birthday brunch at Blue Fin Buffet.  Of course, Oliver took the spotlight.

We also were invited out to Bainbridge for day at the beach with John and his son Evan.

Beach time, kayaking and bonfires.

Smores.

And more Smores.