Hello everyone! I'm writing this from a cozy cabin on the Olympic Peninsula, the far northwestern corner of the U.S. (not including Alaska, of course). TJ and I decided to take our new car for a road trip, and I found an awesome place to stay called the Manitou Lodge that allowed us to bring Spike and Peanut.
Since it's wintertime, and the off-season, we're the only guests at the lodge. They even gave us an upgrade to a nicer room. I can't say enough good things about this place. It's back in the woods, and *quiet*. There are two friendly dogs who live here and are very interested in what Spike and Peanut (the city dogs) are doing. Our room (a suite, really) is half of a detached cabin, surrounded by trees, and furnished in a very cozy style. I was worried about being warm enough, but it's got electric heat and a ton of blankets so we were nice and toasty last night.
This morning we went to Rialto Beach, which is just 3 miles from the lodge. I haven't been to the beach in Washington, though Spike and I hit some of the Oregon beaches on our trip to California in 2006. Rialto beach was gorgeous, quiet and empty. Black sand and tons of huge driftwood piles, plus the total lack of people made it seem like something out of a movie. The dogs *loved* it. They ran around like crazy, chasing the waves, then came running back when the waves started chasing them. It was freezing cold (in the 30s) so we left after about 30 min, to forage for food in the nearby town-let of Forks.
TJ bought himself a carhartt hat at the Forks Outfitters. I'm pretty sure I'm not cut out for small-town life full-time. I just like big city choices way too much (which mall, coffee shop, or restaurant do I feel like today?). This weekend is definitely not about the food. I packed some snacks and oatmeal, and we got breakfast as part of our room, so the food is pretty simple, which is just fine with me as I contemplate how to gain better eating habits. (Again.)
TJ is surprised I like this kind of vacation - with no TV, and nothing to do but read the books we brought (and of course enjoy the free high-speed Internet!). I'm totally cool with it. I wanted some time to chill out and really *think* about how I'm going to achieve my goals for the year. I already feel like I'm in that stressed-out, running-all-the-time, picking-up-new-projects mode. (Hello new sewing machine!). I read somewhere the mark of a geek is unhealthy obsession with a given project. I guess that's me. On the bright side, I sold another set of my GeekMagnets on etsy today. And I've got a couple of other custom projects to work on so I look forward to doing that once we're back home.
But anyway, right now we're chilling out (no pun intended) in the cabin, surfing the Internet, reading, and napping. Which is just about a perfect way to spend a Saturday. What are *you* doing this weekend?
omg - sooooo jealous. the ocean in winter is the absolute BEST place to relax. enjoy
ReplyDeleteWe did a similar thing on our recent vacation...only we went to a place with good restaurants and even an outlet mall nearby!
ReplyDeleteBut no phones, and even no internet unless we hiked out of the woods with our laptops. But it was grand indeed! I read a book for fun for the first time in, well, I can't remember the last time I read a book just for the pure pleasure of reading.
So much fun to do alot of Nothing!
It's so very nice to meet you too Redmond neighbor, though I see from your blog you're enjoying some rest and relaxation in the wilderness. I'm jealous!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the sewing. I've been told the trick to that machine is to go buy metal bobbins to replace the plastic, but since I haven't been that motivated yet I can't even tell you where to get the right size. Keep us posted on how it goes!
That sounds like a wonderful vacation!
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I used to dream of moving to a small town where we could own some land, but once we thought about giving up amenities like handy shopping and a variety of movie choices and museums, etc, it didn't seem so appealing.
For a vacation, though, a quiet cabin would be ideal. Hope you got some peace of mind to plan your year. :-)