A New Hobby

I think we have found a new hobby.  As the day began, I never would have predicted that it would have ended up as it did… kids tucked happily into bed with new stuffed animals as a reminder of ones we have seen on this trip (an orca and a river otter), chattering on about their stand-up paddle boarding experiences – remnants of ice cream lingering on their faces.  Yesterday, you see, was cleaning day at the camper.

Our second major cleaning/laundry day of the trip was complicated by the fact that there were no laundry facilities at the campground “resort” we were staying at – and the ones we had been told about in town were closed…for the second day in a row.  Now, rational-minded people would have perhaps reconsidered how and/or when to get the laundry and sheets washed; however, after four weeks of being enclosed in tight quarters together with little personal space, we are not always rational.  The sheets had already been stripped, and we were going to get it done.  We did end up finding an alternate laundry facility on the island down at the port – but it was small, crowded, and in high demand.  Somehow we made it through with our sanity intact (mostly) and returned to a clean camper with fresh sheets and towels and clean clothes by shortly after lunch.

We managed to pull it together after eating something to raise our blood sugar enough to think rationally again, and decided to explore the town.  We spent the rest of the afternoon wandering in and out of downtown shops, seeing the Whale Museum, and getting ice cream back down at the port.  As we strolled past each flower basket overflowing with blooms, our spirits began to rise and the anxieties of the day began to slowly melt away.  When the kids couldn’t decide whether they wanted to spend part of their allotted trip funds on a stuffed animal souvenir at the museum, Matt even took the guesswork out of things by springing for them as a treat – the kids were thrilled!  They carried them around in their jacket hoods for the rest of the day.

Back at camp, the kids and Matt decided to try their hand at stand-up paddle boarding while I got dinner started.  They rented a board and suited up in the balmy 63 degree weather to head for the lake.  One by one, they each took their turn on the board as I took pictures from the security of the shore.  Each one of them kneeled, stood up slowly, and… didn’t fall in!  They had a blast going again and again around the lake – never missing a beat and not even getting wet.  Isaac, of course, chose to swim in the frigid lake water anyway – but the others had a bit more sense.  Abby and Isaac were both naturals, and I think could have kept going for a couple more hours.  By the last run, Isaac was stepping directly onto the board from the dock.

So for a day that got off to a bit of a rocky start, it ended with smiles all around.  As we sat around the dinner table, the kids had a bit of a twinkle in their eye as they tossed around the idea of getting a SUP to use on Lake Blue Ridge at the cabin.  I wouldn’t be surprised if it made a Christmas list or two this year…