Editor's Note: Happy Vacation, Greg!

After many months of hard work, your tireless Kirkland Patch editor, Greg Johnston, is enjoying some lakeside R&R with his family this week, including his son, who's home on leave from military service in Afghanistan.

While he's away, I'll be trying to fill Greg's shoes in here in Kirkland, one of my favorite Eastside cities.

Long before I moved to the area, I came to the area frequently to visit family and always liked it best when I could squeeze in a visit to Kirkland, enjoying lunch with family at Carillon Point, hopping aboard a lovely Argosy Lake Washington cruise to celebrate my grandfather's 75th birthday, or enjoying the relative warmth and lack of ice compared to my native Spokane while (sort of) running in Kirkland's 12ks of Christmas fun run.

So thanks to Greg and to Patch for allowing me this great opportunity to spend some time really focused on Kirkland this week. If you need to reach me, please feel free to email me at Greg's email address, or call me at 425-747-4705.

Greg will be back in his own shoes on Monday, July 25 - until then, I hope you'll join me in wishing him a restful break to recharge.

Cheers,

Jeanne Gustafson