Thanks a Million Ladies!

While I was lollygagging on the beach last week my friends were busy.

Holly was busy working in her garden growing me some beautiful raspberries. I went to Holly's house yesterday and we picked raspberries for a pie or two or six. And cabbage and carrots... Thanks Holly!

Chris was busy thrifting for me last week. She found the goblets to go with my dessert dishes and the dessert dishes to go with my goblets! She had called while I was gone and since I was at the beach and wasn't returning phone calls, she went and got the green glass for me.

The moral to this story...

Obviously! I need to go back to the beach and just let wonderful friends just take care of me.

And I have really, really cool friends.

I am so blessed.

Crabbing at the Bay

My brother Ken and BIL Bill went crabbing while we were staying at Birch Bay. They were hunting and gathering while we were lolly gagging on the deck.

Hubby was grilling some burgers... just in case they got skunked.

Max was relaxing with Eddie.

I served an appetizer and made a quick centerpiece with rocks.

Then we saw them coming in, Max rowed out to bring the guys up to the beach.

They didn't get skunked, Hubby got the pot boiling and before we knew it we were cracking and eating the fresh crab.

So fresh, cooked on the beach and eaten right there is the best way to enjoy crab. I prefer my crab with a cold, crisp chardonnay. Hubby doesn't care for crab but he likes to crack it.

Works for me!

And with my crab and chardonnay, a gorgeous view and my family.

It just doesn't get any better.

Sunny Sunday

Sunday was our last day at the Bay. BIL Bill and my brother, Ken had gone fishing on Saturday and brought home the bacon, or actually the salmon. It was sunny and gorgeous! BIL Bill's folks came out, Eileen came with my folks and Uncle Darryl and Aunt Judy came too.

Sunday was a nice ending to a great week. I'll share more of our week later. Fun times.

A Week at the Bay

When blogger is fixed I will share more pictures of our week at Birch Bay. This morning it just doesn't want to cooperate.

In the meantime... I am taking care of a mountain of laundry, running errands, grocery shopping and getting ready for more summertime fun.

Happy Monday!

Shipwreck Day

Hubby and I love the little town of Anacortes. One Saturday in July they have Shipwreck Day, a BiG garage sale in the street. Since we woke up as empty nesters on Saturday we took off for the day. Jaleen had told me about Shipwreck Day, I didn't realize she had a booth there until I was in it. It was fun to see her and her junk. Really cute junk!

I love their flowers downtown. Swiss chard!

The day was a bit Fall like, windy, rainy and leaves blowing off the trees.

On our way out of town we stopped at an antique store, shopped a bit and then asked where we should go for lunch. Without any hesitation the shopkeeper told us to go to the bowling alley. Okay. We had the fish and chips and they were yummy. They have won the award for the best breakfast in town for over ten years. We are going back for breakfast.

Sometimes I get one thing crossed off the bucket list and then have to add another.

I love this little church. I think it just goes with the Stone House and if I could I'd put it in my back yard. Obviously, that isn't going to work.

I'm Racing!

I recently attended an event where the subject of triathlons came up. After a bit, I could feel myself getting sucked into the idea. I was hearing, "you could do it!" and "we should totally do this!" and "let's set a goal and train!"

Wowza! I'm going to compete in a triathlon! I will be training and be amazing!

So I did some research on Wiki.

A triathlon is a multi-sport event involving the completion of three continuous and sequential endurance events.^[1] While many variations of the sport exist, triathlon, in its most popular form, involves swimming, cycling, and running in immediate succession over various distances. Triathletes compete for fastest overall course completion time, including timed "transitions" between the individual swim, bike, and run components.

I can do this!

I thought about the conversation that took place. I thought about running, biking and swimming. I realized that talking about a triathlon is a tad different than the actual race. The wine wore off...

It's NoT going to happen. And here is why:

1. I really am not a runner. I plod. I'm slow. I really hate to run. My feet hurt, my legs hurt and I can't breath. That said, I do run.

2. I can swim to save my life, but not to race.

3. I'm slow.

4. I don't have a wet suit in my closet AND I really don't want one.

5. Wet suits remind me of Spanx. Enough said.

6.I'm slow.

7. I am too old and flabby to be changing out of the wet suit and into the race gear in public while holding a towel up around myself. No one needs to see me changing in a parking lot.

8. I'm slow.

9.I'm not athletic. At. All.

10. My bike is from a garage sale, I love it. And somehow I think I'd feel pressure to buy a new bike if I was all official like and in a race.

11. I'm slow.

12. And here was the real deal breaker... I was told I might want to take my basket off my bike.

Not happening.

Sunday Dinner

Last night we had Sunday dinner at my folks. Grandma made a roast beef dinner, it's Sam's favorite and she made mint Oreo ice cream dessert, it's Danny's favorite. It is fun to think back to when we had at least three high chairs around the table, someone needed a nap, and lots of spilled milk. The kids are all grown up. Up being the key word here, there is some height involved.

I had some tanks in the car and got those out. The kids always had tank races to start off the Fourth of July fireworks shoot. They write their names on their tanks so there is no arguing about whose went the farthest.

The tanks were duds last night and went 2 inches forward and then one back.

There was some modifying, wheel alignments and launching, but no go.

Oh, the injustice of it all...

I am so thankful for a fun family time and dinner at Grandpa and Grandma's house.

Biker Chick

Self portrait while biking... does that make me a biker chick or really coordinated or not very smart?

What's that smell? Money? It looked like the farmer was texting while driving, made me laugh.

Acres and acres of blueberries and raspberries growing and ripening.

The bees are gone and that makes me happy.

The frontage roads run parallel. I waved at a fellow biker in another country.

This field was fresh cut and had so many shades of green, add in the cloud shadows and wow!

This dairy looks familiar and very beautifully maintained.

The next dairy has some interesting yard art, a vintage manure spreader tucked in a flower bed.

And back home... 10+ miles, some great sights and good thinking time.

Memos

Sometimes when pictures are being taken, not everyone gets the memo.

Memo:

1. This is the silly shot.

2. This is not a silly shot.

3. This is a show'em your guns shot.

4. This is a don't show'em your guns shot.

We are having a good time with our guys, Danny and Sam are busy visiting with everyone, eating home cooked meals and driving my car.

Everyone loves Snowflake!

Today the guys leave for a weekend on Camano Island at the cabin.

Lots of guys and diet sprite, at least thats what they are telling Mom.

I kinda want to warn the neighbors.

I kinda don't want to know.

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And today... well, when I woke up it was sunny so I planned my day.

A bike ride after the guys left, some sanding and painting, grilling with Hubby tonight, and then it got dark, foggy and poured.

So maybe, I'll just pout.

4th Of July in George, Washington

On Sunday Hubby and I picked up Danny and Sam from Sea Tac and then drove over the pass to spend the Fourth of July in George, WA.

They have a great celebration and it was their 50th.

Why yes, that is a cherry pie. World's largest cherry pie.

Pupusas and horchata for lunch.

A parade, a new fire hall dedication, lots of family and vendors in the park during the day.

On Tuesday morning we got ready to leave, Max, our farm guy was leaving for a day of work in his farm truck. I felt bad leaving him.

We stopped to take a look at the Columbia River and then over the pass and home.

Danny and Sam are here but not really here. Danny and Levi went to Seattle for the day and Sam is with Blake and Jesse.

So good to see all my guys!