Today I had access to my mom’s van (while Ralph braved our local transit to get to work) and I made sure to get us out on another beach roadtrip. This time: Westport and Grayland. Only a few minutes post-breakfast (dining in the car) we first stopped at a taffy shop (with no less than three variations of those douchey “unnattended children will be placed on hooks and tortured” signs, and not that there’s any excuse for that crap, but I want to note we’re talking a candy shop in a tourist town, SMH). That, plus a few patriotic clownhorn bumper stickers, put me off any confectionary I was eyeing, but my kids didn’t seem to mind the sign asshattery; the very kind lady behind the counter made a half-apologetic reference, and anyway it’s the kiddos’ dime and I decided not to give into despair.
Fortunately the rest of Westport, which has a working class/touristy/carny/beachy/tumbleweed-&-shuttered-winders thing going, was quite hospitable. Particularly the outdoors, which the kids evidence an unabashed joy for no matter where we find ourselves. Today we ran around the floats (boat workers and fishermen in general welcome kid presence, probably because they have their own who are highly participatory in their family tradition), bought some smoked tuna for my mother off Float 8, climbed rocks and beachcombed and explored, then eventually the children chose their restaurant of choice, and raved about the food.
Phoenix provided me with a small heartache, reminding me of my late maternal grandmother today, mostly in physical appearance. Her long, increasingly blonding hair (a yearly event with the advent of seasonal sunshine), the masculine-styling wool car coat, a simple pair of good corduroys. And she’s about as tall as my grandma was too, and I have many beach memories of that woman.
But today we built more memories of our own. Nothing fancy, just a lovely trip, and some sunshine, and the sea crashing in my ears. I wonder if I’ll ever be brave enough to live away from it?
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It looks so lovely. I’ve never seen that ocean. And it’s on my list one of these days.
Kelly, you break my heart.
Oh yeah, what the fuck is up with that one grassy rock. That picture could collect a lot of funny gag lines.
ma
lovely photo’s, lovely kids, good trip i can see. Nels looks so different with short hair, Phoenix is growing (good luck with the bike)!
@k8
It is so lovely. My cheap camera doesn’t do it justice!
@mom
It was a scary muppet-rock! It would move a little closer while I wasn’t looking.
@Josh
Both kids are getting very tall, it’s kind of a shock. Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
That wooden heart pic is just precious.
The “alien invasion” message gave me a good laugh. It reminds me of that story a while back about the “hackers” that reprogrammed the construction traffic signs to read “zombies ahead”. 🙂
@kidsync
Here’s my favorite sign hack.
I don’t even have kids, but I too find those signs super obnoxious. They’re right up there with the ones that say…I’m trying to think of the exact wording…something like “you’re mistaken if you think I care at all about your problems”. I always think that people who have these signs up in their *businesses* might want to reacquaint themselves with the definition of “customer service”, but I’m sure they’d just say “it’s a joke”…
Looks like a wonderful day – I always loved spending the day by the water as a kid, doing pretty much what your 2 are doing in these pics. My water wasn’t as awesome as this, though – just Lake Michigan. Still.
Nels is looking so much older with his haircut! I like it.
How cold is it out there now? Or should I say, how warm is it? Our move is coming up in, like, 3 weeks and we only just got a house. I’m curious about what to expect in terms of weather, since right now it’s in the mid-70’s here. It’s probably warmer in-land though, right?
@Amy
I think you’ve nailed it exactly. If as a customer you say you find the signs offensive or unwelcoming, the type of owner who sanctioned them is likely to pull the “just a joke” defense. Meh.
@Jen
It’s so hard for me to describe the weather objectively since I’m so accustomed to it. I think it’s going to feel a bit cold and damp for you. Where “in-land” are you moving to, again?
Such lovely pics! I love the <3 driftwood. I don't like those signs either. As a bookstore, I want kids messing around & getting excited about reading! The added bonus is they will tell you the craziest shit if you just listen. Your kids are above average and always welcome, Kelly.
There was one time I snickered at the sign "Unattended Children will be given a puppy and an espresso". Knowing you, you'd be cool with that 🙂
@Tammy
“Knowing you, you’d be cool with that”
Not only me but so would the kids! Hee.
Your shop, Jokay’s, and Tully’s are a Hoquiam trifecta of kid-friendly business. Actually Golden Dragon is pretty rad too as is Trinkets and Treasures. Lucky us!
@Kelly – we finally found a house in Lacey. Not really my first choice (kind of a new development with few trees, which I hate) but it was available when we needed it and it was affordable, and they are cool with us having the dog.