PRODUCTIVE WEEKEND

The run up to Anacortes isn’t nearly as exciting as it used to be.  Will I make the ferry or not?  That was the burning question as you trudged up I5.  The reservation system has taken all the suspense out of the trip.  Which is a very good thing.

Friday night arrival just in time to hit the sack.

Bright sails, grey day

Saturday morning arrived all to early with gray clouds clinging to the islands.

The first order of business was to open the cabins.  Devin and went through the annual drill.  Turn off the drains, connect the  hot water tank, connect the refrigerator, station one person at the cabin, the other slowly turns on the water.  And then listen and watch for water where it shouldn’t be.  Last winter a pipe had burst during a cold snap and it required some plumbing work.  With the mild winter little chance of that this year and our luck held.  No surprises.

Installed a mirror so Mom could see where the car was positioned as she backed in the garage

Various tasks followed with the obligatory run to the hardware store and then an unexpected call.  Andy, Jill, Porter and now Magnus were anchored over at Garrison bay.  An invite was offered to come over to the house for appetizers and they agreed  Mom called old friends just down the road and a small party was born on the spot.  

Jill, Porter and Magnus

We ended having a great meal with the Crosses, traded stories and Porter was, well, Porter.  A little older, a few more words, but he stayed true to his Porterness.  What a wonderful thing.  At three months, Magnus is in the ‘too new to rate’ category.  Certainly cute, he has some big shoes to fill with his older brother.  I get the sense he’ll chart his own path.  Time will tell.

Sunday morning’s sunrise was great.  Friends of Kylie’s had arrived late the previous evening and were enjoying the sunrise from the cabin as we enjoyed it from the house.

After a great breakfast Devin scrubbed the deck, the girls set into weeding and I attempted to resurrect my strip planked kayak.  I find a really enjoy a good project with either a view or listening to some good radio.  With CBC radio and the Vinyl Cafe on, I had both working on the kayak.  Nice way to spend a few hours.

The kayak needed some love

Sanding, sanding and sanding

Better

Needs a few more hours of work, then a summer on the water

Andy and Jill sailed by in Yachtzee

They were finding wind where there wasn't any

Found a perch on the Gazebo

A few more fixes and it was time to head back to the ferry for a sunset trip back to the mainland.  

Sunset from the ferry

Sun setting behind Humphrey Head.  Julie, had she lived, had the property in about the center of the picture

Restorative weekend.  Family, friends, water and projects.