_We Set the Dark On Fire_ Tehlor Kay Mejia

I bought this late May 2020 — it was one of many books I bought written by women, written by authors of color, and within the broad swathe of speculative fiction. There is a lot of great stuff going on here — there is some enemies to lovers, which I am only occasionally a fan of. There is a graduation from a Special School that involves getting married in a triad. There is a revolutionary group and it is just not clear whether they are meaningfully better than the current crop of awful in charge (at first, anyway — it becomes more clear over time, because the awful in charge are remarkably awful).

It would be easy to poke at the tech level and to complain about how people keep having their supposedly secret conversations overheard, and their supposedly sneaking around being observed. I cannot actually tell how much of that is I Need People to Know for Plot Reasons, and how much of that has actually been carefully thought through. But if you put yourself in the headspace to enjoy a good adventure story with substantial political wallpaper and some absolutely amazing women characters (good guys, bad guys, and just not sure what to think guys), it has powerful narrative and really carries the reader along in this alternate world.

I read this because I bought it. I will probably eventually buy and read the sequel, but I am still trying to Read What I Own, so maybe not right away.

Sunday: insurance day! Or: women whose names start with a k sound

T. and I drove up to Mill Creek to have breakfast at Sawmill Cafe with KB, who works in health insurance. I love her, and miss her so much. Great to see her; I got to see two of my bridal attendants this trip (high school bestie is the other, and the third was my sister). We ditched T. and walked on a local trail for a bit. She’s doing well, very fit and as always quite beautiful. Still funny as hell, too.

After that, T. and I drove up to the American Legion Park in Everett.

https://www.everettwa.gov/facilities/facility/details/legion-memorial-park-47

If you get a chance, it’s worth a visit. The plants are very nice. The view is amazing. The sculpture is excellent. There are bathrooms, a playground and a big picnic shelter. Not busy at all while we were there. KK, who works in property insurance, met us there. She is currently living in a farmhouse in Skagit and has a dog with about a 4 hour time limit. I probably should have driven all the way up to meet her, but she didn’t invite me to do so and I always feel a little odd about inviting myself. She brought me a bunch of raspberries (three different kinds, and something that looks like a raspberry but is not), which is the Best Gift Ever when traveling, at least if you don’t have to pack it up right away and bring it with you (ETA: I wound up bringing the last of the berries home with me and packed them sub-optimally, but they still tasted great on a home-made waffle for dinner on return home day).

Finally, the four of us met CB (who is not in insurance), who _just_ moved back into the condo upstairs from mine (and kitty corner, but I digress) at Anthony’s Bell Street Diner for dinner. No cruise ship, so parking was easy. They were short staffed, but the view was phenomenal and it was so restful sitting there with her and my family and thinking how much this was like other times we had dinner there over 20 years ago. Pre-kids and husband, obviously.