Labor Day Fun

I've discovered that Facebook is easier to post pictures on as I can do several at once instead of one at a time on my blog.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3612831879063.2134425.1221762068&type=3

I think I'll sign off for a minute and see if this cut and paste link I tried worked. Yep! That did the trick.  I guess I'll just rattle on with whatever comes to mind today.....

Here's a post card I bought when Mary, Andy, and I ran into Ocean Shores on Saturday.  It was full of tourists everywhere streaming in and out of the local shops.  I went into a pharmacy and bought a couple of birthday cards, some salt water taffy for Hunter, and two writing tablets for Maddie & Catie.

The most interesting thing I saw was this teenage boy with a skateboard who walked by on the sidewalk as I sat in the car people-watching.  His ear lobes were like big hoop earrings. Actually large enough holes so that you could put a folded napkin through them.  I'm getting used to seeing people with tattoos all over their body (well, almost used to it) but it's going to take a while to get used to seeing boys with ears hanging down with big gapping holes in them.

Who the hell talked him into that and why aren't his parents parenting I wonder?  Andy says it's getting to be the latest fad as he's seen it before.  Oh my! Those poor misguided young boys. If they live to be old, they'll regret their days of glory I bet.  Especially if they live to be really old. I've seen a lot of "old man ears" and they kind of take on a life of their own and enlarge over time.  Kind of like my boobs have done this past decade.  ha ha

Jenni, Wayne, and I went down to the Quinault Casino for an hour on Sunday.  I was disappointed that like 7 Cedars, they didn't have Keno games. I also didn't find any non-smoking areas so I was ready to leave before our hour was up.  I did manage to leave with about $5 more than I started with.
Jenni & Wayne also left with more. About $20.  It was kind of fun. I'd been there back in 2000 I think it was.  I took this picture before going inside...

Besides the relaxation and time with the kids and grandkids, I enjoyed just sitting on the deck to watch the waves, flying kites on the beach, getting in the hot tub, and having my meals fixed for me.
Jenni prepared white turkey chili on Sat. night and Mary fixed lasagna and garlic bread on Sunday.
Catie made a great salad and I made cherry cheesecake tarts.

The large rental would probably sleep 14. Mary and Andy had the master bedroom with bath downstairs and I had another room downstairs that adjoined the main bathroom.  The loft had two rooms on each side and one large middle room. There were two twin beds, two double beds, two couches and a dinette set up there.

I did get in the hot tub on Saturday.  Hadn't been in one for twenty years. Hunter kept directing me to a little built-in seat so I could get in up to my neck and let my legs float upward.  Well, I couldn't get the hang of that and then I couldn't get my footing to rearrange myself on a little higher ledge. The squawking and flailing I did to try and "right myself" was just too much entertainment for onlookers up above. Mary and Jenni almost wet their pants trying to take pictures and video.  Course that made us all laugh more.  One of those "had to be there moments."

Pets weren't allowed at the place but we took Sammy anyhow. His kennel was on the deck and he stayed outside except at bedtime when he slept with Wayne and Jenni.  The upper deck had see-thru
plexiglass all around the edges and I don't think Sammy was comfortable with the height or something?  After he was brought back up the stairs and unhooked from his leash, he would stand in one point and shake afraid to walk towards the door.  Once he was picked up and placed by his bed near the door, he would stay in that area. Never did look over the side.

Jenni did unleash him once they got down to the beach and he was in heaven!  Ran and chased birds and visited other dogs. There were dogs everywhere.  One very LARGE dog came up to him and Sammy had to stand on two legs to smell his butt!  Wish I'd been there. What a picture that would have been.

I hadn't flown kites since I was a kid. Can't even hardly remember if I did then but I must have. Andy brought a couple of neat kites. One was 3-D and one was a large bird. I brought a black teeth one.

Mary brought me a new Smart phone.  I'm relying on the kids to help me learn how to use it. I'm at the stage now where I'm kind of intimidated by it but I suppose I'll get over that.  I went through these same emotions when we got a VCR for the first time, then a DVD player, then a computer, then my digital camera, then a scanner....the list goes on.  I'm determined to become a  whiz on my phone as it does SO MUCH!  Maddie uploaded an app that lets you use it as a flashlight.  All the kids play a ton of games on it and I'm able to check my email, Facebook, and other websites I like.  You can also upload a GPS so you can figure out where you're going.

It's sitting here beside me, and every now and then, it makes a burping zippy noise like I've got a message or something?  I never can find out why.  Yesterday I picked it up and I heard a voice asking me "What city are you looking for?"  I said "HUH?  Who is that?"  Apparently I had hit 411. I told her sorry and hung up quickly.

To set it up, Mary needed my passwords on Facebook and Gmail and Hotmail.  I had changed them a while back and couldn't really remember any of them.  That was aggravating.  We had to change all my passwords and that was only possible because I think I hit on one of them.  Anyhow, this morning I had to go in and make new passwords.  Catie says I have to make new Passwords on my phone as well because it won't recognize the passwords I made this morning on the computer.  TOO MUCH FOR MY BRAIN SOMETIMES!

We had a fun time Sunday night sitting by the bonfire that Hunter built.  He had earnestly hunted down driftwood on the beach and in the tall grass and accumulated it for the fire.  Mary says he jumped up and down with joy as it got bigger. (just like a boy)  There was shore patrol riding up and down the beach with their red lights flashing and Jenni & Wayne started teasing Hunter that they were coming for him.

He was pretty sure they were kidding but he wasn't entirely sure.  There were other fires going besides ours and fireworks.  When everyone finished and came back to the house, the fire was still burning.  That's when the fire patrol guys move in with their equipment and put it out. They don't want the wind changing and sending embers into the grass.  I was in bed by this time but Jenni told me they watched from the windows as the fire patrol moved in towards our fire and Hunter watched them from the bathroom which was back and away from exposure from the large window.  I suspect they were teasing him again that the patrol would probably come up to the house next.

When we left Friday evening, I drove from here to Forks. Didn't want to navigate those winding roads in the dark so Wayne took over.  I did drive all the way back,though. We pretty much had the highway to ourself the whole time. Took about 3-1/2 hours but we stopped twice to get snacks and stretch our legs and let the dog out to pee.  Moclips is about 20 miles north of Ocean Shores.

The first thing I did when I got home was open the windows to air the place out a bit, turn on my computer, water flowers, and feed the fish.  I guess they don't need to be fed daily as they were both still going strong.  I was on empty so I went downtown to get gas. Safeway was backed up with tourists filling up so I drove a few miles uptown to use Rhino gas station. I think it was probably a little cheaper anyhow. 

I may move the car onto the lawn to give it a good washing today. I naturally picked up a ton of bugs. Need to vacuum out the inside too.  I woke up this morning full of energy and got a lot done before sitting down to surf the net and do a little blogging.  I had a heck of a time all weekend with terrible foot and leg cramps at night so it curtailed my beach walking and other activities I might have put more energy into.  I didn't take my prescription with me because I wasn't entirely sure it was doing any good anyhow. 

Last night I took 4 of the pills and I woke up symptom free. No cramps.  I was IN HEAVEN!  Which means I'm going to take those dang pills faithfully now.  I know I'm probably not immune from more cramps but I've got my fingers crossed. Am also back on drinking vinegar twice a day and taking Vit E.

Since my household chores are done, I think I'll see about downsizing clothes and shoes in my closet.
Not looking forward to it but I need to at least make the effort.

Andy gave me about 10 cassette tapes he'd like made into CDs so I've got to hook up my tape player and get back to that project too. I've got a couple hundred tapes to convert but I'd put it on the back burner as it was a slow process and I wasn't entirely satisfied with the sound quality. I may have more settings to figure out how to adjust.  I'll practice on mine before I do his.

Well, that's it for today.  Time for lunch.