S.V. CAMBRIA: Holidays

Independence Day the Kingston Way

Friday, July 07, 2017TheCambrians

The last time I celebrated the Fourth of July was probably 20 years ago, but I’m only guessing. It was then that Sally the Dog came into my life (David followed suit a few years later). Like most dogs she was deathly afraid of fireworks. But unlike most dogs, she took her fear out on my side of the bed – by peeing on it. Needless to say, I did whatever I could to steer clear of pyrotechnics over the years . . . or anything else that might upset Miss Sally. So, apart from teasing David about England losing its greatest colony in a war, we’ve never celebrated the occasion (D’s British and claims his countrymen were too busy fighting Napoleon to handle the job themselves – but just because the facts support him on this doesn’t mean he’s right, lol).

This year was different. After spending four weeks stuck in a hardstand in Olympia, we desperately needed to clean Cambria and get back to work listing her with a local yacht broker. Thanks to a last-minute cancellation at the Port of Kingston, we were able to do just that Sunday afternoon.

We’re not ones for crowds, but our need to move forward in this (seemingly) never-ending process outweighed our disdain for being surrounded by the masses. And I’m glad that it did.

I have to admit, the 241^st anniversary of our country’s birth didn’t feel like a cause for celebration to me. I won’t get too political, but I harbour a strong dislike of the current administration based on their heartless policies and propensity to lie, to say the very least. So for me it felt more like a day of mourning, but Kingston changed that.

For a small community, they sure know how to throw a party. The festivities began on Monday with bouncy castles and blow-up ball rooms set up at the Village Green. There was a talent show, live music, races for the kids, and hot dogs throughout the day. In the evening, things moved to Mike Wallace Park (the marina’s backyard) where there was a beer garden and more bands. It was impressive.

Tuesday started off with a pancake breakfast at the local yacht club which was followed by a fun run. Meanwhile, the farmer’s market was in full swing at the marina. By noon, the main street was cleared of traffic and spectators where lining the road to watch the 4^th of July parade – the longest running one west of the Mississippi, or so they say.

This year’s theme was “Independence Day the Kingston Way” and it was a true community event with entries from the fire department, sheriff’s department, local schools, businesses, and bands. People cheered. Candy was thrown. And everyone had a great time. Our favourite float was one of the last ones featuring a Star Wars theme with dozens of marching Princess Leias (including a slave version pulling a paper mache Jabba the Hutt). They even had a cantina band – it was brilliant!

While events were taking place for the kids at the Village Green, we hid out on the boat until the evening. With a blanket in hand, we walked up to Mike Wallace Park to listen to some live music, eat a couple of hot dogs, and people watch. We never made it over to the beer garden, darn it!

Homebodies at heart, we packed things up after an hour or so and came back to Cambria where we sat on the aft deck and listened to the bands while we waited for the fireworks to start. For simplicity’s sake, I decided to use the iPhone to take pictures but wished I hadn’t. The show was fantastic and the photos don’t do it justice, so please don’t judge it by them.

So if you’re looking for a great place in Puget Sound to celebrate the 4^th of July next year, give Kingston a try. You won’t be disappointed. But call early for a reservation. The marina is completely booked by 10 o’clock on the morning of January 2^nd – it’s that good.

How about you? Did you do anything special to celebrate the 4^th of July or did you avoid the crowds and hide out somewhere?

#WotW Holidays Word of the Week

(Year in) Review | Word of the Week

Friday, December 30, 2016TheCambrians

#WotW Holidays Then and Now

Christmas | Word of the Week

Friday, December 23, 2016TheCambrians

My choice for this week’s #WotW isn’t very original, but with all the last-minute shopping for gifts, the wrapping of presents and trips to see Santa (and Mrs. Claus) there really was no option that made sense. So, I decided to steal an idea from my blogging-buddy, Liesbet, over on Roaming About to help spice it up a little. It’s called “Then and Now”.

First the then:

When David and I started cruising 15 years ago, we were based in New Zealand where we spent six years and five Christmases. On the surface, Christmas down-under looks the same as its northern counterpart: families sit around tables decked out in red, green and gold sharing a roasted turkey while Santa quietly places beautifully wrapped presents under the tree. But then the obvious hits you: There isn’t any snow for Santa’s sleigh. Everybody’s wearing shorts and t-shirts. And some of those holiday meals are actually picnics or barbecues on the beach. The date on the calendar may read December 25^th(which screams winter for northerners like us) but for Kiwis, it’s the official start of summer.

Most years found us at anchor, opening our presents in the cockpit on Christmas morning with a curious dog (who has since passed away) lurking about to see what Santa had brought her.

But she had to endure all sorts of humiliation before actually receiving her presents.

We always had a small Christmas tree and lights, never failing to get carried away with the amount of gifts we bought each other.

For dinner, David would make a traditional English roast beef dinner with Yorkshire puddings and we'd dine in the cockpit as the day came to a close. We never quite got used to celebrating Christmas in the summer, but it was wonderful time for us all.

And now the now:

Christmas is spent with my family in Kansas. Some years, it’s a mess of parties and family gatherings full of chaos and good cheer. Other years, like this one, it’s pretty quiet. But whether or not everyone's in town to spend the holidays together, it wouldn't be Christmas without a visit to Santa Claus. Every year, I go to work with my sister and help her take pictures of all the kids (both big and small) to send home from school.

On Christmas Eve, someone's in charge of making a large batch of chili . . . and there’s usually a shot or two of Hot Damn to go around, resulting in a garage party with my brother, sisters, nieces and nephews.

But most of us aren't going to be in town this year, so those of us who are went to my nephew's workplace, The Wichita Brewing Company, for an open house instead (i.e. free beer).

Even Santa got in on the action.

Christmas morning starts at my mom's house with breakfast and presents with our 98 year-old grandma.

And then we all go over to my sister's house for turkey dinner.

And awkward family photos in front of the tree.

Ending the day with more garage-time fun with the family (that's a thinly-veiled euphemism for more drinking).

And that's how we spend our Christmases, both then and now – full of laughter, love and alcohol.

http://www.thereadingresidence.com/word-week-231216/

Merry Christmas, everyone! And thank you

so much for sharing your time with us here aboard Cambria

#WotW Holidays Word of the Week

Miles | Word of the Week

Friday, December 16, 2016TheCambrians

This week, the only word that comes to mind is miles. And not the fun, nautical kind. But long, hard highway miles. Every winter, David and I pack up our truck and hit the road to spend the holidays with my family in Kansas. It’s a grueling trip (under the best of circumstances) with more than 1900 miles to cover.

The northern route through Washington, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming and Colorado is the quickest. But it’s also the one that’s most prone to winter weather. Last year, despite keeping a close eye on the conditions, we got caught in a snowstorm and had to sleep at a rest stop along Interstate 80 (I always carry blankets), both coming and going. David was adamant about avoiding a similar situation this year, and so was I.

We’d been trying to get out of Kingston for days, but the weather had been very active. Every time there was a clear forecast for the inland portion of the trip, snow and ice were predicted for the Cascades (the mountain range east of Seattle). And once the conditions for Snoqualmie Pass were clear, the weather had moved east and was affecting the I-80 corridor. So, we looked to the south but the Siskiyou Mountains were posing a similar problem. It was getting frustrating.

Finally, we saw a way through. On Saturday of last week, the weather along the northern route was going to be clear for several days, so all we had to do was find our way to it. Snoqualmie Pass was calling for more snow, but not until the afternoon. Did we want to risk it? I could tell by the tired look on David’s face that the answer was a resounding “no”. But, if we added a hundred miles to the trip by driving south to Portland and then taking I-84 east to I-80, we could avoid the highest elevations. And, as luck would have it, the forecast for the mountains along I-84 was good. The decision was made. We were going.

Our spirits were high: The roads were good, and we were finally moving, and none too soon either – more winter weather was due to hit the Pacific Northwest the next day. But, as we approached Portland, the sky turned grey and it got colder. Some of the trees were completely covered in ice. And then we saw the sign: “I-84 closed.” I have no idea how we missed it in the forecast, but there it was. For a 50-mile stretch along both sides of the Columbia River, the roads were icy and shut down due to several accidents.

We had a decision to make: Do we continue south, adding another 500 miles to an already long trip? Do we wait to see when the road might open? Or do we try to find an alternate route around the closed section of I-84? In the end, we went south. For 34 hours, spread over the course of three days and two road-side motels, we drove and drove and then drove some more through Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma. Twenty-four hundred miles in total. Maybe my word of the week should be grueling, because it was.

But we’re in Kansas now and are happy to have the miles behind us. It’s always difficult to transition back into life on land, but the excitement of the holidays and spending quality time with family helps soften the blow. Now our days are filled with last-minute shopping trips, Christmas gatherings and (my personal favourite) college basketball games. It’s a far cry from our life on Puget Sound but you know what they say . . .