My cousin has a house sitting on amazing waterfront near Bremerton, and that’s where we found ourselves the past few nights. Pretty much the best camping spot in Washington, in his front yard with water, electricity, and a path right down to the beach. Kayaks included, as well as the excellent babysitting services and full toy room of the resident seven and nine year old girls.
Just before this picture was taken I said to Ouest, “It’s okay if your dress gets wet.” I said it because all the other girls were taller and Ouest was hanging back in order to stay dry. I figured the bottom might get a little wet—and then this happened. She took my words and twisted them to mean, “Why don’t you go for a swim?”
We all went out to dinner one night and somehow on the way home the two moms ended up in one car alone while my cousin, me, and all four kids ended up in another. Driving along Lowe couldn’t take his eyes off of Mama’s car. If we fell behind a little bit he’d say, “Faster. Faster.” He sat forward in his car seat, eyes glued to that car the whole way home. Sweet boy.
During the drive we were a few cars back when we suddenly saw a poof of smoke from up in front of us, like a car had just blown a tire or gone into the wall on turn four. I looked back at the kids, then over to my cousin David, and said, “If that car up there crashes we are all screwed.”
He looked in the rear view mirror at those four adorable faces and agreed, “We’ll all starve. We’ll be living in filth. We may as well just pull over right here, set the kids free in the woods, and hope the wolves take them in.”
First baseball game for the kids. And now I have a feeling for what my own father went through most of his life. David dropped us off at the game (ten blocks away in the rain in heavy traffic) with the four kids and drove off to find a place to park. Ali and I got the kids into the game, found seats in centerfield and promptly dropped a hundred dollars on two beers before we began the process of feeding the kids hot dogs and popcorn.
That process basically ate up the entire game. I watched the game from the food lines in the concourse while Ali kept four kids somewhat corralled in the bleachers. Lowe and I were walking around in search of ice cream when I realized it was the seventh inning and David hadn’t materialized. I flagged down a Park Info employee and stumped him with my question of, “Where are the pay phones?”
He handed me his phone instead and I called David who had given up after driving around in vain for five innings. He pulled into a Starbucks far away from the field and waited for the inevitable phone call. We left the game after the top of the eighth and by the bottom of the same inning heard the crowd roaring as Seattle’s offense finally came to life.
Crazy day, but a lot of fun.
We finally left, hopefully before becoming unwanted guests, and drove up the road to Port Gamble before calling it an early day at a nearby State Park. Plans are to meet more friends in another day, so the busy schedule continues.
9 Comments on “The Sound”
Great weather as well – enjoy your time here in the pacific northwest. If you head back through Gig Harbor let us know and we will buy you a couple beers and juice boxes.
Looks like the greatest place in the world!
Loved having you guys! The girls already miss the cousins. Hope to see you in the spring…safe travels!
Love the Northwest, lived in Woodenville/Bothell area in the seventies and learned to sail on lake Washinton in a 10 ft. cat rigged round bottomed boat…looked like Laurel and Hardy…..the book I had read about sailing did not adequately caution my friend and I about wind…..we headed out in about 15 knots….you know the rest of the story…..
Sorry we missed you. We are in Bremerton, working in Silverdale right now. Next contract will likely be in Yakima if you get that way next month. Happy trails.
Are you heading west? Out to Olympic National Park? Than maybe north to Victoria on the Ferry? Or maybe further west for some surf? Anyways, I’ll be in Port Angeles on Friday (staying for two weeks). Would love to buy you a beer.
You guys are such a sweet crazy family like my own!~ 😀
Hey guys,
We are in Vancouver BC and if you make it this far north we would love to meet up with you. We sailed down in the Gulf of California 2010/11 and are heading off to Maine in a few weeks in our 1989 Winnebago Warrior with two kids under 2.
Safe Travels,
Dan
I recognize those views from my life time home town, I’ll leave the name out for your cousins privacy. It is always this beautiful. I’m glad you had a wonderful time here and that the weather was nice and warm. Enjoy the rest of the Pacific Northwest. The Olympic mountains are spectacular this time of the year! Happy Travels.