Prepping for a Trip

This is what this blog was to be all about – travel – almost wrote tripping but that’s taking me back to the sixties! And this is definitely all about now.

Although this little jaunt isn’t to warmer climes, it at least gets us out of here for a few days and supposedly, if the weatherman is correct, we should have fair weather and sun on the coast.

The plan is to head out tomorrow morning (work is covered and for once, I am glad we don’t have a lot going on as this assignment is way more than I originally anticipated) and head to the west coast. Our first night is at Lake Quinault Lodge, where we have not stayed before but visited. It’s a beautiful old lodge and is part of the National Parks. Classic, with big fireplaces etc. It’s right near the Hoh Rain Forest which we will go to see, also. Then the next day we’ll head south to the Ocean Shores area where we will be for three additional nights, staying at B&B’s. I have two sorted out and one more cancelled on us so have to find a place for Saturday night. We have places to go eat (review) and all kinds of things to see. I’ve been doing the research and now it’s all coming together and there is so much to see and do that I’m afraid I won’t be able to do the area justice in the short time I have.

This project should not be jammed into this short period, it should be at least a six month deal but they pay so little that she has hired people like me who are doing it more for the fun of it than anything else. And trying to fit it in, in between real work. So I guess they get what they pay for. But of course, I always do the best I can, and it usually works out well.

Susan and I went to visit some places last week out in Port Angeles, which for those unfamiliar with the area, is the gateway to Canada. It’s where you get the ferry to Victoria. PA as it is fondly called, is a really nice little town. All around town there are metal sculptures which I had noticed when we went to the Gulf Islands. I have to find out who did them as they are on most street corners and really dress the place up.

We visited two wineries, Camaraderie and Olympic Cellars and had lunch at a really nice restaurant called Michaels. Camaraderie has won numerous awards for their wine, and the owner, Don gave us a tour – it was early morning so decided against any wine tasting! We’ll go back in the summer when it must be so beautiful with the mountain backdrop and the gardens. Don is absolutely passionate about what he does and the main feeling I got from the people I talked to that day, is the passion they have for what they are all doing. At Olympic Cellars, the three women who own it also produce Working Girl Wines. From the proceeds they donate to a women’s health clinic. Part of their marketing is that everyone who distributes the wines, also contributes to a charity of their choice. And it’s working – the wines are spreading across the country rather rapidly! And the exciting part of all this for me, at least, is that they want to get involved with the Hillcrest Aids Centre – my pet project when in South Africa. The Working Girls are very focused on helping women around the world so now must do my part in hooking them up. Oh, we did a little tasting here – Working Girl White and Susan had Handyman Red, both were quite acceptable.

Michaels is a great little restaurant. It’s in this really old building and you enter through a natural food store which smell wonderful. They have all the herbs and spices and goodies in bins. The restaurant is downstairs in the cellar and it’s all booths and corners and cool artwork. Michael’s dad, Bill, who looks like he’s 90 if he’s a day, helps with keeping the water glasses filled and chatting with the customers. Michael is a good-looking man who started in the restaurant biz when he was 15 and has worked his way up to owning his own place. We had clam chowder that was really good – different with no potatoes – and split a small goat cheese and prosciutto pizza, also very good. It will be fun to go back for dinner some time. We were told there are several really good restaurants in town, surprising for an old mill town. But it is growing up and becoming gentrified! Perhaps a place to buy our next rental property.

Today is all about getting ready for the trip. Autumn is staying here to kitty sit but I need to clean things up a bit, and make sure all loose ends at work are taken care of.

Oh and by the way, my new site is up! Check it out!