01/05/2007: "More On Gordy Columns From Distant Reader"

Dear Editor,

Your recent articles made me laugh out loud, and we love the new slogan ("We Have A Winner" column) . My husband and I are two of those possibly-to-be-transplanted Californians your pieces skewer so perfectly. We made two house-hunting trips to the islands in 2006. (During the first, when the ferry began wending its way through the islands, I almost burst into tears, it was so beautiful.) We were halfway to the airport on our way to making our third trip in November when we listened to satellite radio weather for Seattle and heard the warning not to drive "unless absolutely necessary." We turned back. For the next few weeks we kept a close eye on the weather, which as you say did not quite fall in line with the realtors' descriptions (Referenced column: "We Want A Refund!") we'd initially read online ("Banana Belt my ass!")

My husband is a web guy; I am a jazz singer and also write lyrics for animation and theatre. We both work at home much of the time but I go out of town fairly often; I suddenly pictured trying to get from Anacortes to Seattle on glass-like freeways, or white-knuckling on a puddle-jumper through gale force winds. Somehow, though, as we saw the Eastsound temperatures on Yahoo inch back up into the 40s, the forecast merely predicting constant rain, we started hearing that siren song again and planning our next trip.

We currently live in the Half Moon Bay area below San Francisco. Most people who've visited think of it as Eden, but growth here is virtually unchecked despite the untiring efforts of local preservationists, and is slated to double in our lifetimes. The islands are expensive, but not as bad as here, and the beaches, are far as we could see, are not covered with litter. You all seem to have done a damn fine job of preserving what you have.

So, please forgive us if we decide to join you anyway. We promise not to build a McMansion, and always to pick up after our dogs.

Lorraine Feather
Half Moon Bay