Off to the Races! (Tugboat races that is!)

Newport, Oregon
Light Rain 55, low 52

When we were offered the chance to ride aboard our friends tug for the Seattle Propeller Club's annual tug boat races we jumped at the opportunity!  We are always up for time on the water and tug races sound fun!

We headed North to Kingston and stayed next to our friends lot.  Seems their neighbors have an RV and installed hook ups for friends to use.  Their place is right on the Sound and has 7 acres of wooded area for the pups to play in.  Everyday they would go out and enjoy all the new smells.  As much fun as the pups had, we had to have had more!

Speaking of the pups, we engaged the services of Wanda's pet sitter Connie.  Connie didn't know what she was getting into with Mowgli but it all worked out.  Mowgli is not very social and when we got back on Saturday evening, Mowgli was watching Basketball with her husband.  He was happy to see his dad!

Puppy day care

Saturday was the races and we hopped on Reliable and headed over to Seattle.  The Reliable is a 1945, 45 foot decommissioned Navy Steel tug.  It is very cool!  At first, not a lot of folks were there, but soon tugs were pulling in from all over the area.  Very fun.

Wanda and I watch the scenery

Cliff loves to drive the boat

The big tugs did a ballet of sorts on the water demonstrating their maneuverability and then a fire demonstration.  The coast guard did a rescue demonstration and did an abandon boat drill.  We pulled up next to one of the big tugs and Eric boarded for a tour.  The engine was stainless steel and clean as a whistle and all the crew rooms were teak wood.  After that, we pulled up next to another tug and passed over more life jackets for them.  These boats can turn better than a car.  I loved it!

As soon as everyone lined up at the starting line the race was on!  We were in the lead then were beat by a nose, 20 seconds between first and second.  8 minutes and 23 seconds later it was over.  You would think we had traveled a long way, but not so much.  Small tugs don't go very fast.

The sun stayed mostly out and we wandered around Pike's Market.  Trying to decide on dinner, we celebrated the second place victory at Metropolitan Grill.  The Seahawks celebrated winning their division title there.  If it is good enough for them, it must be good enough for us.  Everyone was very well dressed and we were in jeans.  No problem, it's the Pacific Northwest!

On Sunday, Mother's Day, we travelled back across Puget Sound to Lake Union.  We went through the locks to Lake Union.  The shipyards and docks were full of boats of all sizes.  We went by the crab boats of the Deadliest Catch, The Wizard,  Northwestern and Kodiak.  They were smaller than I expected and the Wizard was a little rusty looking.  The Northwestern looked clean and tidy.

Going into the locks

The water starts to rise

Soon you are at lake level

The crab boat Wizard

The crab boat Northwestern

We saw houseboats small and mansion sized and cruised past little boats and huge multimillion dollar yachts.  The weather cooperated and it was an unusual sunny warm day.

We docked the Reliable and toured an old lighthouse ship called the Swiftsure.  These ships would anchor off shore and act as floating lighthouses.  This one is being restored piece by piece.  It is quite an undertaking that will probably take years.  There is an organization that builds wooden boats of all sizes, keeping the craft alive.  There is a new museum at the park dedicated to the maritime history of Seattle.  We didn't go in instead enjoying the music and people watching.  There was so much going on it was hard to decide what to watch next.  People kayaking, float planes landing and taking off, sailboats coming and going.  Whew, definitely a city on a warm sunny day!

The Wooden boat Center

A bicycle paddle board

Under the bridge

Eric ties the tug to the lock

After two days on the boat we were tired in a good way.  Monday was Wanda's quilt group day and I was ready to sew.  I picked up some fun nautical fabric at Quilted Straight in Port Gamble and couldn't wait to make a new quilt for our bed.  Once I got started I couldn't stop (except to eat LOL!) and two days later I had completed a Queen Size patchwork quilt.  Over the weekend I finished the matching shams.  Wanda will quilt it for me and send it down to me.  I can't wait to see it done.

This is not where a papillon should be

Gidget gets comfy

The completed (almost!) project

We bought tickets to the Mariner's game when they were released.  We got seats behind home plate about 22 rows up.  We rode the ferry over and walked to the ball park.  Safeco Field is a newer ball park.  The roof closes in case of the rain, but no problem for us.  We brought along all our cold weather gear like hats and gloves along with our warm coats.  We sat the whole ballgame in our shirts, no coats needed.  It was a beautiful night and King Felix was pitching.  There were several errors on Tampa Bays part and two replay challenges in a row.  The score ended up being 12 to 4 so it was a great night for Seattle Baseball.

Not a clear shot, but the needle from the ferry

Cliff was touring a commercial shipyard on Wednesday and asked Eric if he would like to go along.  Our plan was to leave Tuesday morning and head to Mt. St. Helen's on the way back.  Change of plans was in order!  It is not often you have the opportunity to do something like this.  While the guys were gone all day, Wanda and I took a walk in the woods with the pups, took the dogs to the beach, enjoyed a delicious crepe lunch and of course, sewed away.

The pups love the beach

The Kingston Hotel

Yummy Crepes

A submarine goes by Cliff and Wanda's house

Mt. Rainier

All in all it was a busy week and whew are we tired.  The ride home was uneventful and we had spectacular views of Rainier and St. Helens on the way down.  We had so much fun and it was so good to be traveling and experiencing different places again.  Back to Newport for a few days, then on Eugene.  More to come about that little trip.


  

Eugene, Oregon...

Newport Oregon
cloudy, rainy, windy  high 51, low 42

We are back at the Coast again after a short little jaunt to Eugene, OR for pleasure and a little business.  Eugene is situated right along I-5 and just over the Coast Range from Newport.  The drive is a simple (for me!) trek of 2 hours through the Range and down through fields of grass seeds, daffodils, and sheep ranches.  I enjoy the ride as it runs along tree lined roads and next to little farms. Along the way we saw a doe and a fawn then later a coyote.  Of course there are lots of ducks and geese in the rivers.  We used to get excited and point them out, not so much anymore.  

We stayed at Premier RV Resort in Coburg just North of Eugene.  It is right off the Interstate so there is the road noise, but if you have a little imagination you can pretend it is the ocean noise we are used to.  It was a nice park with some full timers, and some travelers passing through.  The full timers are separated from the travelers which makes sense.  The sites were big and the park was well kept.  At check in they provide a mint for your pillow and dog treats for your pups.  There were two dog play parks and a little pond.  We saw lots of frogs and salamanders.  Kids were fishing in the pond, but I didn't see them get any fish.

We stopped in Junction City to place our order for the new furniture and decide what other goodies we wanted to update the coach.  We decided on a jack knife sofa in the leather to match the captains chairs and a reclining loveseat in a chocolate leather.  Countryside Interiors spent lots of time with us and even brought the floor sample out to the Beast so we could see what the loveseat would look like.    I'm considering wood valances to update the windows, new light fixtures, and a new one bowl kitchen sink and faucet.  If I get the new sink I'm hoping the install will also fix my broken countertop.  I did an oops and left a metal recipe box on the little bar in the kitchen.  A stop sent it down behind the slide out.  It was one of those "What was that?" sounds.  Seeing nothing out of place, it was forgotten until we tried to bring the slide out out.  Snap! went the counter top.  We were able to retrieve the box and bring the slide out out, but not without a gap in the counter.  So now we have a little crack in the sink area.  Stuff happens and I have forgiven myself for my error, but I hate seeing it every time I do dishes.  

We spent the afternoon with Skylar, a Junior at University of Oregon.  Sky is the son of one of Eric's oldest friends and has also been the best kid.  We had a great lunch at an Indian Buffet by the campus and enjoyed some brews at First National Taphouse, an old bank converted to a bar.   We stopped at Voodoo Donut, a crazy doughnut place with crazy combinations.  You can get M&M's and Butterfingers on your doughnuts.  I opted for a Voodoo guy, a very large Voodoo doll shaped doughnut with chocolate frosting and a maple bar with bacon.  Sky got a dirty old bast**d, a doughnut with oreo's and peanut butter drizzle.  Eric opted for a peach fritter and an apple fritter.  It didn't stand up to Moose is Loose fritters but they were good.  Skylar gave us a quick driving tour of the area before heading back to his studies.  He is a great guy and will be successful.  His parents should be very proud of him.

Voodoo Donut in Eugene

So I forgot to photograph my voodoo doll, and almost forgot to take a pic of this one!

Bumper stickers are very popular here

Eric signed up for the Dive Team at the Oregon Coast Aquarium.  As part of the training, he had to do a few additional dive courses.  Eugene Skin Diver's Supply put the courses into a weekend of training just for the volunteers.  It was intense and lots of physical tests.  He was very busy and tired at the end of the course.  We spent an additional day to recoup before heading back to the Coast.  This weekend is his check out dives at the Aquarium.  Too bad it is cold and wet and windy, I feel really bad for him.  He came home very cold last night as the water temperature is low fifties, high forties!  After this weekend, he can then go as a diver and help clean the acrylic, vacuum the sea floor and feed the fish.  I am glad he found something he likes to do and can keep up with his diving.  

The weather has been a lot of sun and a  lot of rain.  One day it is wonderful warm sweatshirt weather and the next it is cold and wet with wind.  The wind has not been so bad as to bring in the slides, but still enough to shake us.  Today will be windy again and we have all ready had a big downpour of rain with hail.  It makes getting the pups out for their walks a challenge as you must time it between rain.  Not complaining though since it makes everything green.  The only bad thing is my tulips are trying so hard to stay intact.  After one wind gust I looked out and there were tulip petals scattered all over the grass.  It was kind of sad, but they will be back next spring.

On Friday we got together with other owners in the clubhouse for wine and pizza.  We tried a new pizza place in town and it was really good with fun combinations.  For the first time we didn't need the fireplace on.  It was chilly walking back to the Beast but so much better than winter.  It is nice to have seasons and I look forward to a summer with reasonable temperatures.  

Gidget enjoys the sunshine

Another beautiful sunset

I think there is a silver lining in there!

This next week is supposed to hit 70 degrees!  I am very excited and can't wait for the sunshine.  Right this second I am watching another squall coming in from the ocean.  Time to batten down the hatches!

Where did the time go?

Pacific Shores Motorcoach Resort
Newport, OR
54 high, 43 low, Sunny!


After realizing it has been over a month since I last updated the blog, I thought "Holy Cow!, Where did March go?"

We set off for Salt Lake City after watching the weather for a few days.  Wind was going to be a factor, something I hate.  We spent a few days with my folks in Central Oregon and headed off early to avoid a storm coming in.  We stopped for a quick overnighter in Idaho and took our time going into Salt Lake City.  We decided to try the KOA in Salt Lake instead of Pony Express.  The first night the trains blew their whistles I thought oh boy, we made a big mistake.  After the first couple of nights, we didn't even notice them.

We needed to go through our storage unit and transfer some of our stuff to our new unit closer to Newport.  A few trips in our car and a quick sweeping and mission accomplished.  I continue to be amazed at what little of our old lives we have left as we sold just about everything.

Our daughter is a teacher and her class decided to select the country of Palau for their Cultural night.  Eric and I spent three weeks there a few years ago with our friends on a sailboat.  It was the most amazing place to dive we have been.  The students were interested in Pilau's ban on commercial fishing and why it is so important to their economy and future.  I created a slide show of the amazing sharks and sea life we saw and one of the island of Peleliu so Eric could talk about the country's role in WWII.  Her students are very bright and had lots of really good questions.  Their section of Cultural Night was very colorful and they did a great job!

St. Patrick's day calls for Guinness and Irish song!  We got tickets to the Young Dubliner's, an Irish band that is not so young anymore.  Eric and Ashley had a good time, Nick and I thought it went a little long.  The concert ended at around 1am and we didn't get home until almost 2.  I haven't been out that late for a while.  It is fun to get out and enjoy life!

Our Seattle friends popped in for a visit on their way home from Arizona.  It was really fun seeing them and we always have a good laugh with them.  We tried a Himalayan restaurant and wow was it good.  Definitely going again when we go back in May.  We went to the Temple and strolled the outdoor mall across the street.  I had been having trouble with my i-phone camera so I stopped in to see if they could fix it.  The camera could not be fixed so a new phone was required.  Lucky for me, it was the day before my warranty expired so all was covered.  Usually for me it is the other way around!

After a too short visit we started watching the weather to go back to Newport.  We caught a good window on a Tuesday, stopped in Burns, OR for an overnighter and then off to Bend.  We love my folks place and I am glad I am closer to them than I have been in years.  The weather for our visit was not so great as we had snow and freezing temps.  If it wasn't snowing it was raining and the sun was shining.  Spring had not yet sprung in Central Oregon yet. We enjoyed our visit and spent time enjoying eating out and we went to the movies and saw Noah.  I can't remember the last time I was so bored.  It just wasn't my thing I guess.

We have been back in Newport for a week or so.  We have been busy getting things organized and just enjoying the beach again.  We have had some rain, but mostly sunshine with the temperatures going up.   We took a ride to Portland to look at the Allegro Bus we were seriously thinking about buying.  After looking again and looking at the price tag that comes with it, we decided to put a purchase on hold.  The prices are just way too high for me to feel comfortable with.  Instead we decided to replace our chairs with a sleeper and a reclining loveseat.  Certainly will save serious cash!

Gidget enjoying the sunshine

Trees are popping out with buds

My Rhododendrons are blooming

On the way back to Newport from Portland, we stopped at Duck Pond Winery.  We have driven past several times but this time we thought a stop was in order.  Eric took care of the pups while I did the wine tasting.  Lucky Me!  I ended up with a case and a half since they all taste so good.  I also signed up for their wine club which means I have to go visit them 4 times a year.  I think I am OK with that!

We also stopped at this little tulip stand in McMinneville and picked up more tulips and some berry popovers for breakfast.  I can't wait for all the fruit stands to open!

All around the resort projects are getting completed.  The biggest one for us was the road in front of us.  It needed some repair so they tore the whole section up and repaved.  It only took a couple of days and it really looks good.

Spring is here!  Our tulips are popping out, the hydrangeas are blooming and the rhododendrons are blooming!  Love being able to plant flowers and have them last.

So that was March in a nutshell.  April is here and we'll be off to Eugene as Eric has some dive certifications to take.  I think I'll do some quilt work while he is in class.  We are starting to do some preliminary planning for next winters travels.  Any places we just can't miss on the East coast?  Let us know by leaving your comments!  Happy April!