O and I are now living in Washington State where we can watch our new granddaughter grow. By the end of March we are immunized against CoVid and ready to test the travel waters again as the country begins to open up.

Our first “test trip” is a brief weekend family outing to Deception Pass State Park at the end of April. Somehow I managed to pick the only really rainy weekend of the month for our trip. Not only that, but I also chose the muddiest campsite in the entire park. We have to use Vincent’s four wheel drive to get up the short driveway to our site, which, though it is on a slight rise, has a depression at the top right under the picnic table for collecting rainwater. Luckily, our tents keep us dry, and O and S manage a good tarp hang. A has a blast toddling through the mud and wet grass, making us all dizzy as round and round the tarp pole she goes. The dogs aren’t very happy at all. It’s too muddy to lie down under the tarp and too wet out on the grass. Finally, on our second rainy morning, K comes up with the brilliant idea of letting the dogs stay in the van. 

On Sunday afternoon the sun finally puts in an appearance and we have a lovely hike down to the beach. On our return to camp S manages to dig a drainage trench leading from the side of our fire ring down the hill. He drains most of the water from the fire pit (which had looked like a tiny swimming pool) and we even manage a small fire in the evening. Sunday afternoon and Monday morning make up for Saturday’s mud. Before our departure we enjoy a final visit to the beach and a sunny picnic lunch. 

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