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Sunday, April 9, 2000
Two years ago: Salt
I'm thinking of getting a mattress and boxspring at the used furniture store up here, and bringing them to Jack's parents place -- that guest room mattress has had it! Jack says they wouldn't be offended.
Jack and I were awake early. Jack's back was bothering him enough that he went upstairs to his dad's reclining chair, where he went back to sleep. I went back to bed and read the Gore Vidal mystery that I'd picked out the bag his mother had. Death in the Fifth Postion is very entertaining! And I didn't figure out the murderer before the end.
We breakfasted on waffles, with delicious raspberry syrup. (Melba sauce, really -- sweet and intense.) I was eager to get this rafting show on the road --err, water, because I knew how long Jack would be driving today. This time both Jack and I used the purple sunscreen from yesterday -- he was red about the back of the neck and the forehead.
We drove up the road and put the raft in. Jack gave his version of the spiel Tracey gave us yesterday -- one advantage of rafting with Tracey was the chance for Jack to pick this stuff up -- about how to paddle, how to follow commands, what to do if one of us fell out. Jack, H----, and I drifted down the river, with just a few boilers and riffles, maybe one class 2 rapid. There were swallows flying out from the overhanging cliffs on one side. They are nesting there, and dining on the insects found over the water.
We hauled the raft out just beyond the bridge at his parents' place. H--- got her feet wet by mistakenly trying to grab her paddle instead of pulling the raft up on the shore, but all ended well. Jack and I sat on the side of the raft and waited for his dad and the truck.
Storing the raft was the next task -- there was yelling and shouting between Jack and his dad, but the job got done acceptably. We did need the help of some friends who were staying in their trailer on the property, though. The raft is big enough that two or three people can't move it effectively. I remained eager to get on the road, but the kids' clothing was still in the dryer, and we needed to eat lunch.
We finally set off around two. This was only a problem because it's around a seven-hour drive for Jack. We talked about people we could recruit to go rafting -- my co-workers, Vanguard folks, my family? We'll need to work out a strategy for maneuvering the raft between trailer and river -- it's heavy! and not a job for just a few people. There are wheeled carts made especially for the purpose, like dolleys or wheelbarrows. There are a ton of gadgets to make your rafting life easier or cooler, of course!
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After dropping off nephew A--- and daughter H---- in Olympia, Jack and I stopped for dinner at Johnny's in Fife. Jack was surprised to learn that the Johnny's Seasoning Salt he's so fond of and has been using for years, was born at this restaurant! They've got a ton of other products, too (warning! Midi music alert!) I was pleased with my Reuben sandwich, and Jack's roast pork special was especially fine. (We think they gave him an extra large portion because it was a slow Sunday evening.) We split bread pudding for dessert. This is definitely the place for us to stop in Fife -- much better than the Poodle Dog, though the latter place wins on name-coolness.
Once home, I soaked myself in epsom salts (Kate says it works better than plain hot water -- it's the magnesium!) though I wasn't really sore from paddling. I mostly wanted to remove the sun lotion from this morning!
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