A Beachy Day

It was 72 degrees at 8:30 this morning so I knew we were in for another scorcher. Fortunately for me, we were invited out to some friend’s house on Lopez Island. I couldn’t image a better place to spend such a day. The boys couldn’t have disagreed more. In their perfect world, they would sleep in, then just play video games all day. It was like pulling teeth to get them to come along with me out to the islands. Tobias didn’t understand the attraction, even after I told him people come from all over the United States just to ride the ferry out to the San Juan Islands to hang out at the beaches there. The scenery is beautiful by American standards, but compared to Norway, it’s pretty dull. I could see it from the expression on his face. The beach is not a priority in his or Kaleb’s life, so this is the day they just put up with me and my desires, while all the while they were thinking of their electronic games waiting for them back home.




Our friends, the Wylies, that have a second home on Lopez Island, picked us up from the ferry and took us back to their house for a sourdough pancake breakfast. Tobias is still confused about the whole sourdough “starter” that was used to make them, and I’m not even sure I could explain it properly, but according to Dallas Wylie, the starter he used has been in constant use since 1867. Apparently, it gets better with time, because those were the best darn pancakes I’ve eaten in my life. Tobias was a little uneasy about eating pancakes that were made with 140 year old ingredients, but he agreed they sure did taste good. Dallas gave me some starter to take home so hopefully I can make them now, too. He got the starter from a friend up in Alaska, who must have gotten it from an original “sourdough” (as the old locals used to be called up there.) What a treat. I just have to make pancakes at least once a month now to keep the starter alive, so hopefully I’m a worthy caretaker of such a prize.



Sunshine and rocky beaches were calling my name, so the Wylies took us to their two favorite beaches on the island where Kaleb and I totally entertained ourselves collecting cool colored rocks of all shapes and sizes. Tobias just watched, shaking his head, not able to figure out our obsession. At the first beach the other kids swam out to a huge rock and played in the water, but Kaleb and Tobias thought the water was too cold for such a thing. We did find some totally cool rocks though, so now we just have to figure out what to do with them. The second beach looked a lot like Norway, with steep cliffs abutting the water’s edge. Kaleb found the best rock EVER there (see photo). I love to collect heart shaped rocks, but he found a rock that looked like a “total eclipse of the heart.” It’s now my new prized possession.



Our beach time was limited because we had to catch the 2:45 ferry back to Anacortes in order to make it to a 50th birthday party we were invited to tonight. Dallas got us to the ferry about one minute too late, as it left at 2:35, not 2:45 as we thought. The boy’s hearts sank, as they were so looking forward to getting just a little bit closer to their precious electronic games back home. We then had three hours to kill until the next ferry so the boys were happy to plop themselves in front of the TV with the other kids, while I went for a walk on the beach with Dallas’ daughter. I found three agates and saw 16 vultures and 3 bald eagles eating some dead thing scattered along the beach. Oh, how I love the joys of nature, and the kids missed it all. At least I got my day at the beach, so it was a good day for me. Woo hoo.



Kory spent his day putting a sealer on our deck, and he made it to the 50th birthday party without us. We got there when it was nearly over, but at least we made it.



I tried to make up for all the boredom Tobias experienced today so after we got home, I let him drive the car all the way down our street and back (a total of three miles.) He said driving is a lot easier than he thought it would be. I feel rather accomplished that I have found something he likes to do more than video games. Now if I can just keep us both from getting arrested, we’ll be fine.