After checking in and relaxing for a bit, we went to the other side of the island for dinner at the Inn at Ship Bay. We were slightly underdressed, but oh well! We had an incredible dinner there and tried some local wine (I have come to find that I really enjoy wine, and am trying different kinds to see if I can taste the differences). Our waiter was a very nice young guy, probably right around Chuck's age or a couple years older. We asked what there was to do on the island and he said the only place open after about 8pm on the entire place was The Tavern, and it just so happened that that evening the Inn's cook's band was playing there. So after dinner and some truffles-to-go (which the waiter through in an extra one :) ), we headed over to The Tavern. Definitely the local place to go! We actually ran into one of Chuck's coworkers, of all people! Now for the local shout-out, the band was sponsered by ( I don't mean if that means money-wise or in a different way...) Sierra Nevada! Apparently the Island drinks more Sierra Nevada per capita than any other place. So we stayed there for about an hour and a half, just long enough to watch the...ahem...interesting...dancers (there was a pregnant lady on the dance floor holding he belly so she could bounce around...she looked about my age...) and for our ears to start ringing (it was incredibly loud), we headed back to the B&B and went to sleep.
The next morning the Inn's chef made us an incredible breakfast while we sat and looked over the bay. I highly recommend this place for any future Orcas Island excursions. :) So we checked out of our room and headed off for a sunny day ont he island. We wanted to rent mopeds, but they were being winterized and so the mopeds were unavailable. Next time! We drove all over the place, and found a cove where we got some coffee and sat on the rocks over the water. We watched a sea otter play in the water, and after he saw he had an audience he started showing off! Then we watched him forage around for his breakfast, and my was he a loud eater! Finally it was time to head back to the ferry terminal and get our car in line. After we parked, we walked down and got some fish and chips then sat out in the sun. Finally, we headed home.
The view from our room overlooking the bay.
They had one of those fainting couches in our entry hallway.
We had incredible weather!!
Me on the rocks Sunday morning, right before the sea otter
Otter is just about to make his appearance on the bigger of the three rocks in the middle of the bay (just above my head and to the right)
There he is! Chomping away on something, we think he was going after muscles.
If click on this photo to make it bigger, you can see the one in a million shot Chuck got - Mr Otter is in mid chew with his food and tongue out of his mouth. What terrible manners! :)
This past weekend we had some incredible weather here. It was beautiful and sunny finally! I ran out to get some soil for my African Violet, transplanted our roommate's poor little plant, and got spring fever. Our patio was looking awfully drab, so Chuck told me I could spend $50 on flowers to spruce things up a bit. Before he even finished the sentence I was already out the door. :) I got lots of different flowers and some ground cover for our mud pit off the patio. So here are some before and after photos. Dad, you would be proud!
Before. The only thing that survived the winter was my mint from Angela, Chuck's mom. It's the one in the terra cotta, and as you can see it was sad looking. Lonely too! Notice the mud pit off the patio. We'll change that!
All my supplies.
After. Got another fern, then a big lavender plant and some fire star.
Mums, fuschia on the top tier, and some other pretty little flowers.
Mud pit now has some seedum and a ground cover bush with little blue flowers.
Mint is no longer so lonely! More mums.
So now the patio is spruced up, and just in time for our BBQ on Sunday afternoon. Dad, you taught me well! My steak came out awesome. No one even bothered with steak sauce. :)
Well that's it for now!
