A Long and Rambling Post

Last week Hubby went to Eastern Washington and brought home three boxes of peaches.  I've been eating peaches for every meal and freezing tray after tray of peaches for winter.  They are delicious.  And they were ripening fast.  So, though Hubby had just been there and though I really needed to stay home and freeze peaches we took off for Eastern Washington on Thursday evening.  Hubby had found a source for appliances for the '57 Aloha on his last visit and the seller was ready.  We looked at the calendar and decided we should make a quick trip.

 We left after work Thursday evening and once we were on the road we realized that DOT is blasting on top of Snoqualmie Pass, at eight p.m.  We decided to try to beat the clock and get over the pass before eight.  This meant no stop for dinner, pray for no traffic and GO!

Once we were past the blasting area we started to think about dinner.  We drove through Cle Elum and didn't find anything that looked good.  We like to take the back roads to Ellensburg, it's a gorgeous drive.  When we got to the Red Horse Diner we were hungry.  But it was worth the wait.  It's a great little diner filled with memorabilia and it has yummy burgers.

 We tried their local IPA and it was a winner.

 Anytime I can watch beef cattle grazing, I'm pretty happy.  We finally got to George, visited a bit and went to bed.

 Friday morning we had coffee with Hubby's Mom and then went to do some picking and harvesting.  Okay, so the trailer doesn't look like much.  It's going to become a duck blind so that is why the appliances could be sold to us.

I didn't realize that we were getting a sink too.  I did a happy dance.  It's all cleaned up now and the pump works.

 The ice box still had its instruction manual inside.  Squeal!

We got everything in the Element, went back to the farm, showered, took Mom for lunch and then hit the road.  Since we still had a little room in the Element we stopped in Thorp and bought peaches for my folks and one more box for us.

We took I-90 all the way into Seattle, where we met Sam and Angela for dinner.  We went to Vons 1000 Spirits on First Ave.  I took one lousy pic.  It was fun to be downtown on the Friday night of Seafair with all of the Coast Guard and Navy guys walking around in their dress uniforms.  We had a nice visit with Sam and Angela and then drove home.

 The sunset on Friday evening was crazy gorgeous so it was a pretty drive.

 I was looking at Pinterest on the way home too.  Ooh, I can not wait to decorate the '57 Aloha.  Peaches!

 Millions of peaches, peaches for me.  Peel, slice, freeze on a tray, break up and bag them, repeat...

 We had a rustic peach tart on Saturday evening.

 And the figs are ripe so I need to make fig jam.

 If you want some figs, send me a message.  They are particularly nice this year.  It is a u-pick situation.

I'm off to clean my new stove and ice box and yes, freeze more peaches.  It's just peachy here!

Permission to Board Granted

**imagine music

Chris invited her junkin' friends on a final cruise.  The Renewal has been sold but before the new owners cruise off into the sunset, Chris wanted to leave the dock with her friends.  I'm perfectly content to stay secured to the dock but no, not Chris.  She's crazy like that...

I took my motion sickness meds, separated my mind from my body, reread boating etiquette 101, said my prayers, said my good byes, and we lifted anchor. 

After asking permission to board, we were waiting for all passengers to board and I grilled Captain Paul on his education and experiences as a captain.  He told me that he had a copy of  Captaining for Dummies on board.  I asked about his experience as a Coast Guard, he told me he tried that but flunked out.  Excuse me, Captain, that isn't funny!  He's actually a very capable captain, with a good sense of humor.

While I scoped out the emergency life raft and fire extinguishers and questioned our captain, Chris set up a lovely sunset dinner in the galley.

 It was calm, sunny and still for our sunset cruise.  I kept one eye on the horizon and was just fine.  We had dinner on the upper deck after enjoying a drink and appetizers in the main saloon.

 T'was gorgeous scenery and delicious food and drinks with my junkin' friends.

The sunset was beautiful.  It's hard to capture just how beautiful on a phone camera so you'll just have to trust me.

 The captain was called upon for collateral duty as photographer.  Paul was busy with captain duties on the bridge or cockpit up on the helm, and was a good sport on a boat full of crazy.  Crazy, laughing, loud ladies on board!  In between getting the money shot he took the helm and kept the sunset as the photo background.  We went aft to the stern deck for the pics.  Aft? Aft daft!  Possibly an accurate caption for our evening while onboard.

Trisha took the shot of Shelly, Chris and I on the stern.

 Thank you Captain Paul and First Mate Chris for a fun, safe beautiful sunset cruise.

 *All BOLD are yachting terms.  I may have used them incorrectly.  I don't care. 

I made it without falling overboard, getting sick or otherwise embarrassing myself.  And that is all that matters in matters of the SEA.

Ship Ahoy Matey!  

**Sound track includes Gulligans Island theme song, Nearer My God to Thee, Smoke on the Water, Peace Like  River, Will Your Anchor Hold, Wipeout, Bridge over Troubled Water and Looks Like We Made It.

***Edited to add for people that don't know everything about boating...
Hairdressers, beauticians, and couturiers have salons; sailors have a saloon. The Encyclopedia of Nautical Knowledge defines a saloon this way: “In a cargo and smaller passenger vessels, the main cabin, or that serving as a dining-room, assembly room, etc.” The Oxford Concise Dictionary describes a saloon as a “public room for first-class or for all passengers on ship.”The only dissonant note is sounded by Webster’s New World Dictionary, which allows the use of both salon and saloon but then confesses that saloon is “specifically, the main social cabin of a passenger ship.” Nevertheless, whereas most sailors use the word saloon, most powerboaters seem to prefer salon.It’s possible that some boaters use the word salon because they don’t want their boats to be associated with saloons where strong alcoholic drinks are served and rough men indulge in fisticuffs.  - From Yachting Forum

Around Here

My favorite dahlia farm stand opened last week.  I went before it opened and they graciously let me cut my own.  But now it's officially open.  Five blooms for a buck, that's more fun than anyone should have for a dollar.

 Friday evening Chris, Shelly and I went to the Vintage Market pre-show at the Lavender House.  We found some treasures and then toured the vintage trailers.  Chris is a tad tall for some vintage RVs.

 I am looking for ideas while going through the trailers and focusing more on the details than the over all trailer.  I love seeing all of the great ideas the owners have to decorate and to make their trailer more efficient.

 I think I'd like a bigger awning but I did love the polka dots on this awning and the idea of making your awning from a shower curtain.  Hello? Instawaterproof awning material.

 An outdoor kitchen is a great idea if your trailer is small and cooking outside will keep your trailer cooler in the summer.  A skirt and bunting makes a Cabella's kitchen vintage trailer cute.  I've always used picnic baskets as my kitchen cabinets when we tent camped.  It keeps everything clean and organized.  She had a cute stack in her kitchen.  Her oven is from Costco.

 A cozy bed with a pretty quilt makes for a good night's rest while camping.

 While I was out getting ideas and gathering a few treasures Hubby was over on the East side gettin'er done. He went to visit his family and while there he found a vintage ice box, a stove and hood and a light fixture.  Aqua! 

Our lumber package should arrive this week for the '57 Aloha and then it's forward instead of backwards.  That makes me happy!

Everyday Living

It's been a busy year for Hubby and I, with home tour, funerals, a wedding.  We are purposefully taking some time to relax.  Granted it's not an everyday accomplishment but we are trying to step back a bit.

Some days I'm an overachiever in the relaxing department, laying on my patio bed with ice cream after Hubby chases down the Sugar Shack, our local ice cream truck.  Works for me.

We are not entirely idle though...  Well, Hubby isn't idle.

 The metal got stripped off of the '57 Aloha.

 I am so anxious to decorate our little trailer that I sometimes add pizazz to photos of the Aloha in its current state.  Bunting helps!

 On Thursday afternoon Hubby sent me a text while I was at work, "don't be too shocked when you get home."  Okay then.  At that point I  couldn't decide if I was anxious to get home or if I should just stay away.  I guess we have gone as far backwards as possible.  The good news is that now we get to move forward.

 I asked Hubby if this meant that the Aloha wouldn't be ready for us to take to church camp this weekend. Hah!

Next year, we really hope to be ready to go.  Optimistically, we think it can happen.

Hubby got a text from friends that they needed to take their motor home for spin since it had just been in the shop.  Destination was Wander Brewery.  I had made crock pot of mac and cheese for dinner so we grabbed it and jumped in with them.  Felt like the Beverly Hillbillies heading out for an adventure.

 After a lovely evening we walked back to the Midas and noticed a belt hanging under the motor.  Well, that's not good.  The guys pulled it off, drove it home and will fix it next week.  It was a good thing that we had a trial trip before they head over the pass.

 I picked up Shelly and Karen on Friday morning to go to an estate sale in Skagit County.  On our travels we saw the sweetest little blueberry farm.  The chair cushions and bunting were oil cloth, so sweet.
Obviously, I thought it was sweet.  How many times can I use the word sweet...

 We ended up at Tweets in Edison for hibiscus infused iced tea and pastries after the sale.

 We had show and tell.  I'm not sharing what they bought because they may be doing the ol'  Oh hon, I've had that forEvah...

After I got home I cleaned up my treasures and then hit the couch for a long nap.  After all, we are trying to relax here at the Stone House.  Hubby and I had a wonderful evening on the patio last night.  It's cooler and it felt good.

 In between the fun and the naps I am going through the upstairs closets and dressers.  And starting to think about cleaning the attic.  The thought of cleaning the attic makes me want and need a nap.  

Maybe I wait until next year...  No overachiever here.