A Different Kind of Day

Bob and I ended up going downtown by ourselves. The girls just did not want to go. I rewarded them by giving them a list of chores to do. The more I thought about it and in retrospect, it was good they didn't go.
We had to be at the State of WA Convention/Trade Center by 11:00. We made it but ended up being a few minutes late because of parking. The whole bottom floor of the convention center is retail and restaurants. I wish that the convention center's that I had to go to for hair shows were as nice as this one. The coin dealer is really more than that his place is called the Numismatic Gallery. The "principal" of the gallery was very interesting to listen to. We knew when we walked in and met with him that he knew his stuff. Well, Bob knew more than I did that this guy was way up there in the expert category. He had many interesting stories and lots to look at in his store. I have never been a big coin person or stamps but to see the art on these stamps and coins and the history was cool. To listen to Bob talk with him made me so proud. I was so impressed with my husband's knowledge and this had been a childhood hobby. He hasn't looked at these coins for years and years. He wanted to sell them because he has been lugging around this 150 pound case of coins for 30 years. It isn't something that he would ever pick up again and he has new interests as far as collecting goes. For those of you that know him, his collection now is quite respectable for being just a regular guy. It has also made him money through the years and been a better investment than coins ever would be. One interesting thing that we both learned about coins is this. The value goes in cycles, like monthly even. Then, there are coins that were worth $200.00 back in the 60's and that same coin is worth maybe $20.00 now, weird. Some of these American coins are beautiful to look at and some collectors just collect for their art. I happened to look at my phone to see what time it was and was shocked that we had been there for two and a half hours. I was not bored at all. I have a new appreciation for the art of collecting.
We finished off our day by going to lunch in a little hole in the wall pub that we like in Bellevue. We found it when we came up here last year to look for a rental. A couple of beers and burgers to make a good day into a great day.
The girls ended up getting about one third of the their chores done but not to worry they will pay dearly tomorrow. Bob has his Costco job until 2:00. I am going to be a hairdresser tomorrow. Sid bought purple hair color and wants some streaks underneath in the back, Bob wants a haircut and beard trim and I need color so so so bad. I have been coloring it pretty dark and that makes the lovely white stuff show up like a searchlight. Disgusting.
So, didn't really have an opportunity to shoot and photos today, unless you really wanted some of a coin dealer or a pub. So I threw in a pic off of the internet to show you where we were today. Downtown was busy too, the sun was out and so were the tourists. Cruise ships are all of the rage now and they either start or start here in Seattle, you could tell who the cruise ship tourists were from a mile away. My parents are taking an Alaskan Cruise but theirs begins in British Columbia.
We would like to take the girls up to B.C. but we all have to get passports first. Riley has a friend that has invited her to go up there this summer so maybe she will be the first in our family to obtain a passport.