May 22, 2005

Wednesday we finally got an honest to God rainstorm. Not a threat, a mist, a drizzle, a drop; but real rain and wind.  The kind of storm that makes you want to stay inside and do inside things.  But, we didn't, we decided to go shopping instead.  Shopping is something that you can do in the rain.  The rain started in the early hours of the morning and came to end abruptly when we got about four miles from the house on a shopping trip.  The sun came out and everything started to dry out.  We were overdressed for the occasion but there was no turning back.

The weather stayed nice all afternoon.  But, the radio was reporting that Seattle was getting hammered: downpours, lightning, traffic jams, and power outages.  The storms in this area move almost north and it was only a matter of time ?til we got the storm.  We waited, and waited, then went for a walk and finally the storm caught up to us about 7:00 P.M.  It poured for an hour and then the sun came out and the rained stopped.  And then, the most glorious rainbow appeared!

The rainbow came at 8:00 and we still had still an hour?s worth of sunlight.  Haven?t gotten use to the extra daylight here.  Friday we got another rainstorm late in the day and another rainbow ? same time, same place.

The weather in the last week hasn't seemed all that bad with our, Camano Island, rain falling at night. But the locals are all moaning and groaning that this week has been worse than their winter.  Seattle and places south of us have reported heavy rains, lightning and thunder and heavy winds. Last night was the first heavy winds we've seen with our bay showing big waves, white caps and very brown water.  The forecast is for better weather.  Our beach is protected and perpendicular to the wind.  So, the waves just run on by.

This week we added several birds to the "watch list".  Saw an Osprey, a zebra finch, a chickadee, and a pair of robins.  The crows have taken over the role of major beach scavenger from the gulls on our beach.  They even learned to open shellfish by dropping them on the rock from the gulls.  Put out a hummingbird feeder on Wednesday night and had a hummer feeding by 9:00 the next morning.

May 15th was the start of shrimp season.  Traps similar to those used for crabs harvest shrimp. For sports fishermen the limit is 80 shrimp of any size (Local shrimp can grow to 10 inches).  Shrimp pots must be made of mesh with the opening that will pass a 7/8-inch square peg.  After June 1st the limit goes to 10 pounds of shrimp and the mesh goes to a ½ inch mesh.

I have never seen a Shrimp Pot, but this is picture of a crab pot.  The little door at the front is where the crab walks in to get at the bait in the mesh bag.  The door swings shut and can only be opened from the outside.  Flat Stanley is trying out the escape hole to let out undersize crabs.  Crab pot must be marked with a red and white buoy.  Shrimp pots are marked with yellow buoys.

Washington commercial shrimp boats aren't near as colorful as the net dragging boats used in the Gulf of Mexico.

Flat Stanley is part of a class project for Nancy's grandniece, Katie.  Her 3rd grade class sends Stanley to friends around the country with a diary.  The kids get to learn about the country based on Stanley?s adventures.

In order to dig clams, harvest oysters, trap Dungeness crab, collect seaweed,

catch octopus, or do or eat anything from the beach; you need a license.  Washington State issues three different fishing licenses: fresh water fish, salt water fish and shellfish/seaweed.  Friday I got an out-of-state shellfish/seaweed license.  Paid more to dig clams than I did to get married.

Nancy thinks that our life would be better if we had a car-top boat.  We have thought of picking up a small canoe, but the possibility of a kayak for two or a pair of single man kayaks has come up.  Nancy has had very little exposure to kayaks.  Saturday the local kayak club had a "demo" day at Silver Lake in Everett.  They had about thirty kayaks of various designs and builders.  Got a chance to try everything that looked even moderately interesting and came to the conclusion that we are no closer to a decision.  We did find out that the new ones are a little more expensive than we want to pay, so, we'll probably be opportunistic and see what we can find used.

We got the word that our house has been rented.  We wanted to have it rented for the full six months that we will be gone, but the market is tight and it looks like we'll have to settle for a three-month plus lease.  The couple renting the house is here while the husband is waiting for a heart transplant.  They may need more than three months, but have to wait and see what happens.

Cindy and Terry are coming over on the 25th, then Sheila and Jay (one of their kids) and their two little girls, Katie and Allison, will be here for the Memorial Day weekend.

On the Tuesday after Memorial Day weekend, Jerry will take Nancy to her friend Joy's home in Longview for Nancy's jaunt back to the Bay Area.  She's work on Friday, June 3rd, spin on Saturday, and have her "thank you" party for her CNCH 2005 team on Sunday, then head back home.

Bruce and Pam Thompson will pick Nancy up in Longview and head back to Camano Island for a visit for a couple of days.  Then, everyone will head over the mountains to Desert Aire and the Tri-Cities.

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