August 8th: The sun showed strong today 🌞, so we escaped the 4 walls that echoed with oppressive news all week long.
We knew we'd end up at the Ilwaco Marina eventually - and we did; but we made a slight detour along the way 😉
As we were driving along listening to tunes and glancing around … I spotted a van with a "Swamp Thing" banner sprawled across it's upper front end, so I asked Holland if we could backtrack and get a closer look at it:
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The tchotchke (pronounced: choch-key) business even has a Facebook Page, featuring it's strangely weird offerings 😂🤣
Leaving that roadside oddity, we continued forward. Coming into Ilwaco, the parking lot in front of the large wall-sized mural was pretty vacant and afforded a good photo op, so I collected a picture 😊👌
Then we crossed the street to the Marina … even behind windows, the sunshine felt wonderful: outside Betsy's cab it was very breezy despite the warm sunrays, so we kept the windows closed to keep hair from blowing under my sunglasses or into my mouth while we talked back and forth; and looked closer at things and people around us.
On our way back to Ocean Park, we were passing by Sid Snyder Drive, when our curiosity led us to the distillery alongside the Adrift Hotel. We were curious ✅ - neither of us had ever seen a distillery before; we decided to go inside for a closer look.
While there, we sampled a couple tastes; and weren't overly impressed with any of the tastings 😕
But, we want to experience (within reason) everything the peninsula offers that piques our interests. We did come home with a few purchases; for years I have been unable to find bitters anywhere, so when I saw these - I bought them. Long Beach-WA is known for it's cranberry bogs, & one branch of the Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice business operates in Long Beach-WA … so, I bought some of the Cranberry Liqueur (it's strong, but Holland says it will make a good mixer & I'll find some way to cook with it, too). The Coffee Liqueur appealed to both of us, and it will be a comforting additive to coffee or cocoa - to ease aching bones on cold winter days.
This was an experience; an experience we won't be repeating, but at least it's been checked off the Bucket List 🎯
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Then, we nipped in at the Klipsan Beach road, and instantly caught sight of two water skiers skipping across the ocean waves before they frog-hopped out of sight - then with a closer look, we watched a high-flying kite for a while.
While we talked back and forth, Holland mused that we might not be coming back this way once we leave. I was surprised: the ocean is his thing - but having a wife now puts a while new spin on things; he says living so close to the water is "just too risky, Baby". He's feeling the pinch of responsibility that he hasn't had to think about those 35 years before the happenings of 2022 👩❤️💋👨 changed "me" to "we". Now, we both, have to think in terms of 2 instead of 1.
A localized earthquake could possibly cause a local tsunami … and wipe Hines, Oysterville, Nachotta, Ocean Park & Long Beach totally out, in a quick 30 minutes time: advisories to "go 2 miles inland & 100 feet in elevation" is worthless here. These low-laying peninsula elevations are below sea level, at sea level, or slightly above sea level; very flat terrain, and surrounded by water on all sides - the 28 mile Long Beach Peninsula is approximately 1.5 miles wide - short of the 2 mile safety estimations.
Coming back into Ocean Park, we noticed that Tu-Tu's was open for business … so we backtracked around the block and placed a supper order:
Supper was tasty.
Evening cocoa was comforting.
Life is good: enjoying the now, this Shabbat Eve 💕🕊️
