Lake Washington, Seattle, WA

One who does nothing
but wait for his ship
to come in
has already missed the boat.

I am under the I-90 bridge right now, on the shores of Lake Washington. Just did a little beachcombing. I love beachcombing.

Looking for the spot where Dan Tracy(above) and I will launch to go kitesailing with our kayaks. See his video. Overcast today and enough wind, but not going out today... but looking for the spot and exploring the area.

The name of my son’s new home Ridiculust, a 5,000 sq. foot place, hard to imagine when you live in a box (but shared with another couple with baby due)..

For three years my son has set up a bee hive and the bees all left home, so this year he didn’t set it up again, and now bees are coming to the hive.  I thought, well maybe if they choose to live in this hive, they will stay!!!   Either that, or they are robbing the honey still in the hive.  Will be interesting to watch what happens.

Also met a nice duck family and had a change to get some wonderful photos, until other people showed up and drove the mom away.  Too bad too, as she had an injured leg, even once she got into the water, she used it very little to swim.  But all in all a beautiful experience for me.

I just saw a sign asking for volunteer kayakers to help with a SWIM club swim in the lake on the 8/18... and I signed up. Should be fun.  That will loosen me up for my Alaska paddle on 8/20.

Now, I’m having breakfast on the waterfront… cereal with the beautiful blackberries I picked yesterday.

Have found the Western Shore of Lake Washington where Dan Tracy will be taking me kitesailing by kayak in a few days.   Nice area… sun has come out, there is wind and sailboats are on the lake, and speed boats, and kayaks.  I’m spending the time catching up with things.

Later I will be having dinner with my son Richard, who I haven’t seen in three years.  I swear, the boy’s life is just one big party.

The first party… great big round bed/swing/chair thing in the back yard that could hold half a dozen people.  Two on there in this photo.  My son, Rich, and his very nice friends… taken at the first party.

The next night was a sit-down dinner party, and I baked a red velvet pecan cake in my Sun Oven, while parked along the lakeshore, for the occasion (heard hikers going by… exclaiming “Look, a Sun Oven!”).

Rich’s friend, introducing him to chocolate-covered potato chips.  OK, I got to get some of these things.

Our hostess… wrapping a big hoola-hoop… the whole group of friends have dozens of hoola-hoops, sometimes jumping out of airplanes and then flying through the hoops… or just playing with when on terra-firma.

This friend arrived and I just had to take a photo of her awesome hair… brighter red than in this photo.  The table is set, very nice to sit down to dinner and actually converse and be able to tell stories on my son… and have people thoroughly enjoy them… they all love him so much – and he can laugh at himself.  Conversation drifted off into places I never dreamed I’d be going with folks a generation younger then me (i.e. The Harrad Experiment by Robert Rimmer which I read in the late 1960 and which was the catalyst for breaking up my marriage).  Well, that’s probably too much information for my followers!

Anyway, it was an awesome evening.

A vandweller/kayaker is arriving in Seattle today and we are trying for a connection.  She is also on her way to Alaska, but today is the only time our paths will cross.

This weekend, my son is taking me to the Renaissance Festival and I will camp there overnight in my van.  My son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter and many of their friends are performers, and have been for years. King Richard and his Queen.  I told you this boy’s life was just one continuous party.

I commented to my son that he seems to like me better now… and he said, well, this was the happiest he has ever seen me.  He does like me more… and that’s an awesome “answered prayer” for me.  Life is good.