Summer Sun

It was pretty warm today, so we planned to maximize our Vitamin D consumption and head to the beach (see photo – the hill on the left was our destination). We left at nine this morning because there was a low tide and we wanted to show Tobias our favorite spot to play in the sand. We haven’t been there is nearly two years and we were shocked with the changes. Normally changes to our landscape involve “progress” with new buildings replacing forested lots and such things, but this time it was nature itself in control. The Skagit River changed course and totally wiped out our beach! We used to be able to walk for miles out on the sand when the tide was low, but the river now runs through it and it was so swift and deep, we dared not venture out to the other side to reach the sand. I was totally bummed, so we just turned around and hiked back to the car, then stopped for ice cream.



I brought the boys home and had them wash our Lexus, since I promised Tobias’ parents I’d make him work hard. They ended up having a water fight with the hoses, so I’m not sure that job could really be considered “work,” but the car did get clean. I took the boys to the Indian Reservation to buy some fireworks, then we had lunch at Subway. Tobias is still amazed by how cheap everything is, but he’s also commented on how much bigger things are in America (personally, I think things are just smaller in Norway.)

We stopped at a local strawberry stand to meet a neighbor boy the same age as Tobias and his mom invited the boys over to swim in their pool anytime, so that’s where they spent their afternoon. I offered to take them to another park, but appreciating the beauty of God’s creation just isn’t something teenage boys are into, I guess.


Tobias wanted to have “take out Chinese food” because he’s seen it in the movies a lot but never had it (they don’t have Chinese food restaurants near where he lives in Norway.) I ordered up the food and he went with me into town to pick it up. We got home at the same time as Kory (he was in Seattle all day fixing a toilet in one of our apartments), so we were able to eat dinner together. Tobias was mostly looking forward to those cool Chinese food boxes with the little metal handles, so he was quite disappointed the food came in Styrofoam flat packages with no handles or fortune cookies inside. I guess I ordered from the wrong place, but the food was good.

I think most Norwegians think of America as the images they get through TV and movies. Real life is pretty ordinary and boring around here sometimes so I hope he’s not too disappointed. I’ve spent a lot of time explaining American history, culture and different governmental systems to him, so maybe he’ll have a better grasp of the real America by the time he leaves here. The image of the immigrant work camp we passed today is one I’m sure he won’t soon forget, as in Norway, even the dogs don’t live in such deplorable conditions. America the beautiful, isn’t always so.