Campampoline

Friday:

Got up on my own time. Ma and Pa only rushed me when it came to finishing breakfast. A day and two halfs does not require that much packing. Threw some clean stuff together plus one of shirts and underoos because accidents (by that I mean Dad rocking the boat) happen.

The new GPS was set to our destination and off we went! Well first we got gas. Mom gave me some cash and I bought a snickers and gobstoppers and a sobe. I didn't have quite enough cash as the change mom gave me had no quarters when she probably thought it had a few.

Port Hudson is more along the lines of an RV park than campground. Our location is right on the water and there are not many other RVs. Nice and quiet. No generators. Only the slush of water on rocks and the occasional gust and howl of wind. We hauled the bikes and kayak off the RV and sat down to enjoy some tuna fish sandwiches. Quite a lovely day. Cold though. I only had my hoodie.

After lunch we rode out on our bikes. Well mom had her old bike from when she was my age, dad had his, and we had the electric bike. The funny thing about electric bikes is that you need the motor to propel the bike because the motor and battery make it so heavy that it is no fun to do it without. It was also too big for me so my bum ached and my bike got a pain in it from being too stretched out.

We rode along the Port Townsend waterfront trail all the way to the papermill. Then we went to Safeway and picked up milk and margarine and ice cream and powdered gatorade and that kit to turn apples into caramel apples. Back we went. I curled up on the seat to relieve my back. Then mom and I took a two hour nap.

When we woke up it was time to eat! We went to Shanghai Restaurant; a Chinese place with a view of the water not 100 feet from our campsite. The owners are one big family and the little kids are already being put to work. The eldest girl, about 8, gave us our menus. A 10 month old named Livia toddled about. We ordered the family meal special which was a course of sizzling rice soup, wontons, and then a sweet and sour beef entree, a chicken thing, and a noodle thing. Very delicious and filling. Oh and there as rice. It was a cute little place with some dated artwork. The chicken meal had some sculptured vegetabled added to it. Looked like a bird! Awesome.

Back we staggered. We watched an episode of Derren Brown and then Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Dad went to sleep early and I don't know if mom liked the movie. She didn't say to turn it off though. Hmmm. I climbed into my bunk and read Pygmy and eventually fell asleep.

We used to have a tiny little camper that barely had any room for more than one person. It fit on our truck and we went all around in it. Mom, in the past few years, bought an RV. It has enough space for 6 people to sleep (if 2 of them are couples) and a lot of room to spread out in. It takes some of the dingy fun out of it.

No s'mores yet.

Saturday:

I thought I slept in but it was only 9 when I got up.

Mom has been trying to figure out these birds that have been hanging out with the seagulls.

Oatmeal and tea was my breakfast once mom and pop returned from kayaking. No shower for me yet. The shower is filled with sleeping bags. Oh well, I'm only being grubby with my family and they are all grubby as well.

Mom had some non-aspirin to give me for my back aches. We slowly toddled off to see the Port Townsend strip. First was the wooden boat shop so dad could get a saw and a teeshirt (well they are father's day gifts). It is a fancy bendy saw that is perfect for sawing things flush without damaging the surrounding wood. Mom eyed some 40 foot boats. I eyed the vanishing of my college tuition.

I rounded off my breakfast with a foot long hot dog. Dad ate an inch off. We almost went into a bookstore but it was only selling new books. You can get new books anywhere. A game store provided an expansion pack for a game mom has that I never heard of. A knick knack shop provided this banana packaged scrabble/crossword crossover game and lotion and this sweet treat. A used book store provided an awesome selection of not new books to look through. Mom said we could get one book each.
Mom: book about Gypsies.
Dad: book about using cement in architecture and interior design.
Trillian: The Collected Drawings of Aubrey Beardsley.

And all for cheaps!

Swain's says that if they don't have it, you don't need it. Well we needed some more tape for the label machine and they didn't have the correct type. They did have sandals and stuff.

I had a regular chocolate cone at Elevated Ice Cream. Mom had a caffeine drink! And later had some of that Rockstar Energy stuff she is so very addicted too (mom! it is not good for you to drink a can a day of that!).

I took a little nap when we got back. Dad and I were about to go kayaking when grandma and grandpa Spencer showed up. We still went anyway. Against the wind and tide we tried to go out to the bouy, on which two sea lions lay. Sadly with too much water going onto us and too much current against us, we had to turn back a little short of our destination. We did a little loop in the marina and went ashore. My back was hurting so mom helped lug the kayak the rest of the way ashore.

I spoiled my appetite just a little bit with a caramel apple (we all had one yesterday). The umbrella was a struggle to keep from blowing away. Eventually we just moved into the shade of the RV. I enjoyed a helping of salmon but when the jumbalaya was rolled out I was full. I dozed in the sun. Grandma and grandpa left. I had hot apple cider. We played the Banagrams game. Dad won both rounds but I think I came in second. We moved onto Blokus and my usual strategy that works so well against Nathan fell short against mom who ruled both games. I pouted and they went on a bike ride.

9pm and still light light light. Blimey.

Mom identified the mystery bird as the Heermann's Gull.

nuffin muffin

Another day like before where I sit and sit and sit and don't get a danged thing accomplished. Lazy Seabeck.

Well I started knitting a scarf. I want to make a loooong Doctor Who esque scarf. Not the same colors, but just long and wide. A continual project for when I don't feel like doing anything else, you know? Yeah. So I started that. Got about a length equal to my hand knitted.

Finished Dead Set. It was good. Surprised at the level of gore allowed on BBC TV.

Dad made steak and green beans and pasta. I ate 2 out of 3 of them.

Mom was gone for most of the day. Pop cleaned the RV. I'll be leaving for a camping trip tomorrow afternoon. Don't know if I will right. Going to Point Hudson (Hudlow? Harlow?) in Port Townsend. Should be fun. I'll see you all Monday, or maybe tomorrow night. Dad is bringing his computer and there might be wifi.

even crash test dummies can dance

Okay so I beat the main levels of Plants vs Zombies. Beat the boss! Whoo! Got all the minigames and stuff. After you beat the 50 levels (well, it is five different settings with 10 levels each) then you can go through them again with different challenges and stuff. I was having fun and playing the game and all that. Saved it but when I returned, only the half with the plants saved! None of the extras did. Boo! Oh well. Some glitch with Vista.

Mom made french toast and we set up the picnic table on the lawn to enjoy it. A lovely day outside. Not too scorching hot. Just right.

Spent way too much of the day playing Plants vs Zombies. Like seriously, way too much.

Also spent some time catching up with Stanley Bagshaw. Stanley Bagshaw is this English children's comic series. Little self contained volumes with great dynamic panels, full color, goofy characterizations, and a slight rhyme to the text. A little gem from my childhood. Bob Wilson, the creator, really knows his stuff.

Anyway, didn't do much today. There is a Port Townsend camping trip this weekend so I'll be away from the computer and forced to interact with my family and people that are almost family.

Mum bought these fancy, handcrafted frozen dinners for when she visited her folks. She had some left and we had the salmon and mango one for dinner last night and we had the cheese ham and chicken one for dinner tonight. I made the rice. I used chicken broth instead of water to make it extra tasty.

Watched Glee. A little comedy show with singing. It's about Glee Club.

Then mom and myself settled in for our favorite summer show: So You Think You Can Dance? The dances were, by majority, amazing. The worst were just good and even then it was still nice. There was a Bollywood number done to Jai Ho that blew me away. Literally! Dad had to pick me off the wall. Okay figuratively. But yeah, it was a good show. Have to find a way to keep up with it when I go back to Portland.

Oh lordy, I have not been art productive since I got up to Washington. Zine symposium is in a month and a half!!

on a boat

When I woke up no one was around. Mom eventually showed up and scrambled some eggs and reheated some potatoes. We all nibbled it and had a great breakfast while lounging on the lawn. Afterwards we played bocce. Dad was on my team. Mom won.

I am almost to level five on Plants vs Zombies! Exciting! I unlocked the puzzles. Wheee.

Mom left for work. Dad cleaned the boat. At around 3:30 we packed up snacks and headed out for Bremerton. The sailboat was looking good. Helped put it all together. I stood in the water and held the rope while lowering the boat into the water. We were at Lions Park. Mostly uninhabited.

The current took us pretty far away from our goal. When we got our sails up we were getting some good wind but it was just enough to keep us static. No more forward than backward. With aid from the motor we putted forward towards Evergreen Park.

In the boat were a couple of those squirt guns that are just like large needles where you stick it in water, pull the plunger back and fill it with water and then push it and out the water goes. I had fun filling and ejecting them out over the Puget Sound. Dad enjoying spraying one in a long arc that went across my face. He started it! I got him back real good. Hahahahh!

There was a picnic that occupied most of the park. I skirted around it and found the toilet. So dingy. So public toilet esque. Mom showed up and we hopped on the boat and went to the Boat Shed; a restaurant with a dock you can pull up to. We tied up and got a spot on the outside with a view of our boat. Dad had a burger, mom had the salad special, and I had the fish and chips (cod). Delicious! Mine was very light and filling. We scarfed it down. Dad finished moms. The waiter was very good at keeping us over hydrated.

After the meal we dropped mom at the park and we met her at Lions Park. She helped dad set the boat up while I relaxed. An ice cream truck came by but none of the parents coughed up any dough. Went home with dad, mom followed close behind. Got back at around 9:30. Long day on the water. Mmm.

excuuuuuse me for thinking the better of strangers

Karen has been posting pictures of her adventures in KC. The place she is in is a real sweet converted warehouse. http://toperceive.blogspot.com/

Lay in bed for a long time in the morning. Then I showered and moved to the hammock and cocooned in it. Had lasagna for breakfast (which was eaten at lunchtime so that's okay). Leveling up real well in Plants vs Zombies now. I hate the pool level. Such a challenge and with so few spaces it is a real pickle decided which plants to choose to fight the zombies with. Fun! I prefer the nighttime level.

Ma, pa, and myself went to see Star Trek. Third time for me. Still love it. Good old Poulsbo theatre. I got oil from the butter all over my pants. It just seeped through.

Afterwards we went to Lowe's hardware and picked up some hose and shovel.

Got right to washing clothes when we got home. Dinner was salmon with this mango sauce, potatoes, and broccoli. Then I went upstairs and watched television and played my game.

Forgot to mention that during the picnic this dad with three daughters pulled up in this old Volkswagen something that only he and Dan knew what the model was. We admired the awesome car greatly and we chatted with the dad about it. Really great looking car. Shiny and red.

I talked to ma and pa about couchsurfing.com and they made fun of me for being trustful of people.

port townsend picnic

Got up at 9:30 so I could figure out the picnic details. Mom had skittered off to a meditation thing at the Seabeck Conference Grounds for an hour so I had to wait for her return to tell people the plan. Played Plants vs Zombies. Still trying to figure out the save function.

The plan went down as such: at 12:30 we would set out for Fort Worden. Jeanette and Liam were about fifteen minutes behind us. Celia would arrive at 3ish after a meeting. Dorothy and Dan would show when we got there (they have the benefit of living in Port Townsend). Ma, Pa, and myself would visit the grandparents after the picnic.

It was cold so I brought my sweater and coat. Then it warmed up. It warmed and cooled through the day but overall wasn't that bad. We grabbed a table by the beach and put out a cloth and some of our food. Jeanette and Liam arrived and brought chilled soba noodle salad that was delicious! Mom bought a kite and Liam frolicked with it. We chowed down and soon enough Dorothy and Dan showed. We caught up on recent travels, finals, what everyone is up to. Ma made apple pie. Dorothy offered to share her slice but Dan took his own. Good thing because they finished both their piece. It was delicious. We played a little bocce. Liam won. Kid has a good arm. He is also freakishly tall for 6.

Celia didn't arrive till after Jeanette and Liam had headed out. We hugged and hugged some more. Her new hairdo is nice, would like to see it styled. Looks a bit like the second free haircut I got (I've gotten three now). Dad napped on the beach a little and later Celia and Mom napped while Dad, Dan, Dorothy, and Drill-I mean Trill- sat at the picnic table and nibbled on the remainders of the meal.

Eventually, around 5, we packed things up and parted ways. It was a wonderful day. A nice little meal, nice little company. Many hugs.

After we went to Mats Mats and visited grandma and grandpa Spencer. I was barely in the door before they gave me $2 for my comic. Hurray! Eight bucks later and I will make back the paper costs. We all we given another Klondike bar. Mmm! Pa was starting to drift to sleep pretty quick so we cut it short a little early.

I napped on the way back and have since woken myself up by watching The Tonys and catching up on the internet.

A lovely little visit. And people really noticed how long my hair has become.