Before retiring, I traveled a fair amount for my job. I’ve always wished I had kept a photojournal of the interesting people who sat next to me on airplanes and made the time literally fly by. There was a man who allowed my toddler to gnaw on his diamond watch as we were delayed landing in Newark airport. An animal trainer with scarred arms who was traveling with a lion cub in the belly of the plane on his way to Austin to shoot a movie. Once a man slipped into the seat next to me at the last minute, in shorts and carrying a large camera. He captained sailboats for the rich and famous and in his spare time shot pictures for National Geographic. I wish I’d thought to keep their names and pictures (this was a time before selfies).
The marvelous Chihuly Glass Museum in Seattle.
This week I took a break from caring for our twin granddaughters to visit friends in Seattle for a few days. It was lovely weather and I had a wonderful time. On my flight back to Santa Rosa I met a very special woman. But let me set the stage…
No trip to Seattle is complete without a visit to the Space Needle
I am an avid Instagram follower of a dog photographer who calls himself The Dogist. His expressive photos make me smile and lift my day. Recently he’d been posting pictures and promoting the organization Canine Companions in Santa Rosa, Ca., about twenty minutes from where we are staying. I even told Lisa that it would be fun to visit them. They provide highly trained assistance dogs for veterans and anyone who needs them. A worthy cause indeed.
Much to my delight I sat on the return flight from Seattle next to Ester Molina, the Director of Breeding and Puppy Program for Canine Companions. We had a wonderful conversation about so many things. We truly are kindred souls. We even discovered that she was born on my birthday! It’s so lovely to make a connection with a seeming stranger. It reminds me that there really are no strangers, only friends we haven’t met yet. So my recommendation to you is go out there and connect with someone new. It’s so much fun. Please comment, share and follow.
the adventures of dos tortas 
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