01-30APR24 - Sultan, WA

Monday (april fool’s) last full day at Tahuya Lodge.  Up early for breakfast and then off to local fish pond owned by local HOA.  One nice trout caught and then released, then back to camp for lunch.  Ladies takeoff for a shopping walk about.  Dan and grandboys don’t do much.

Ladies return, Corrie makes pasta dinner; Dan discovers hidden room in cabin (Verbo cabin listed as three bedroom, but only two upstairs?)  Dan realizes first floor “missing” square footage, turns out wall bookcase hides entrance to small bedroom.  Then off to fire pit for smores.  Start to prepare for tomorrow’s departure.

Tuesday everything packed and stowed.  Rebecca & grandboys head to their house in Silverdale.  We head to ours outside Sultan: partially unload RV.  After dinner Dan takes RV to Freddy’s to fill-up with diesel.

Wednesday starts with rain and clears to sun; not much done.  Thursday, 04APR, right before lunch Dan heads to cardio center in Everett for his biannual heart check-up.  First a cardio audiogram, followed by discussion with cardiologist.  Things have declined and more detailed tests needed.  Stop by food bank to say goodbye.  Due to Dan’s many aches and pains, and heart issue, probably won’t be returning as a volunteer☹

Friday after lunch Dan delivers two kids battery powered vehicles to Kristi at Food Bank for use by her youngest grandchild.

Tuesday, 09APR, not much done, Corrie gardens, Dan mows and packs car for Corrie.  Wednesday AM Dan heads to Stevens Pass ski area, great sunny day for spring skiing; meanwhile Corrie heads to Rebecca and grandboys.  After getting home Dan mows before rain returns.

Thursday, 11APR at noon, Dan takes Costco hearing test, minor hearing losses.  Dan heads home and sets up new computer printer.

Saturday more beautiful weather.  Dan tidies up house for Corrie’s return this afternoon, and does some mowing.  Sunday great weather; Corrie runs errands and gardens most of day.  Dan gets drip irrigation system working after fixing broken piping, then mows.

Monday AM, tax day.  Dan off to asthma/allergy specialist; will try scaling back allergy meds over next few months.  Tuesday AM Dan off to primary care for more muscle/body aches.  Then off to x-ray facility to get right upper arm between elbow and shoulder x-ray.  Sunny afternoon Corrie gardens, Dan works on gas powered yard tools.

Wednesday a full day of good weather; errands & medical for Corrie; Dan finishes prep’ing gas powered yard tools for sale.  Thursday, 18APR, great weather, Dan spends most of day getting 12 foot Jon boat ready for sale, then mows.

Friday AM Dan head over to Rebecca and boys in Silverdale to help out for two days.  First is to take boys to jui jitso that evening, and then home for dinner and not much else.

Saturday, 20APR, Dan at Rebecca do some yard work and installing tool holders and floor rack in new garden shed/greenhouse.  Rebecca and Dan top one tree that blocks some sun on back side of house.  While delimbing the remains, Rebecca cuts thru garden hose laying on the ground.  Sunday up early, pack car, catch ferry, and drive home.  Try to fix one more leak on drip irrigation (no luck); then mow some.  22APR get part for drip irrigation.

Wednesday, 24APR, cold, dreary day, after one week on FB marketplace Dan sells jon boat for full price.  Corrie packs for tomorrow trip to Rebecca and grandboys.

Thursday Corrie has medical in AM and then heads to Rebecca’s to help with grandboys, Dan heads to appreciation luncheon for Food Bank volunteers; then home.  Good time at food bank lunch; but a sad farewell.

Sunday around lunch time Corrie returns and not much done after that.  Monday AM, 29APR, Dan off to imaging facility in Monroe for MRI of upper arm in just below shoulder; Dan thinks this is wrong spot but that is the way DR wrote up referral?  Dinner at untried Pho Bar & Grill in Monroe (So/So).  Tuesday last day of April.

NOTE - April of 1974 Dan's sister Sharon and future brother-in-law (Tim Tompkins) were married.  For their 50th wedding anniversary, their three daughters Aimee, Marisa & Julia; flew to TX for surprise celebration)🙃 

01-31MAR24 - Sultan, WA (camping at tahuya river,wa)

Friday AM, 01MAR, Corrie packs up Fiesta and heads to Rebecca’s and grandboys to help out while Raymond is deployed with National Guard.  Dan stays home to dogsit.  We are splitting up because one grandson, Jaxson, has a soccer game on the east side of Puget Sound (pics below); and the other grandson, Mason on the west

Saturday at noon Dan joins Rebecca to watch Jaxson’s game; then home to continue dogsitting.  Sunday around lunch time Corrie returns.

Tuesday, 05MAR, beautiful weather; outdoor yard maintenance and mowing.  Wednesday AM Dan heads off to his first skiing day at Stevens Pass of the season.  Corrie continues PT for repaired rotator cuff.  Dan lasts about three hours of non-challenging trails before his legs are completely shot😊

Thursday great sunny day; outside chores and getting ready for tomorrows drive to Rebecca & grandboys.  Friday AM in the truck and off to Rebecca.  Not that we need any excuse to visit but this weekend revolves around grandsons’ sporting events.  Saturday, 09MAR, is all day wrestling tournament for Jaxson, and Saturday afternoon is soccer game for Mason.  After our arrival Corrie starts working on the back yard while we wait for everyone to get home from school and work.  Evening is jui jitsu for Mason, then take out dinner from Pop-Up.

Saturday early AM Corrie, Rebecca & Jaxson off to wrestling tournament.  Unfortunately Jaxson loses two of three matches (to the first & second place finishers).  Not bad for first year middle school wrestler.  Dan takes Mason to soccer game played in miserable weather alternating between, hail, driving rain, sunshine and gale force winds.  Right at half time winds in excess of 40 mph, dime size hail, driving rain and lighting forces everyone to run for their cars and head home.  Mason and Dan first part of drive was miserable; back at Silverdale house in time for home-made pizza from Oma and Rebecca.

Sunday AM, 10MAR, cinnamon rolls for breakfast, pack up the truck and drive home.  Decide to drove home thru Tacoma to avoid bad weather on ferry crossing.  Monday not much done; and Tuesday not much done other than trying to install Brit Box on TV.

Wednesday sun returns, outdoor chores.  Thursday great sunny day; Dan goes skiing after medical appointment; Corrie runs errands.  Dan mows after dinner.

Friday another great day.  Dan has follow-up medical on “sore leg issues”; picks up repaired ski and heads to Silverdale to help Rebecca.  Saturday work off and on with installing new dining room light.  Rebecca and Dan then head to Jaxson’s soccer game.

Sunday, 17MAR, excellent sunny day.  Rebecca, Dan, and boys head out after breakfast for a little fishing at Island Lake and then Kitsap Lake.  From Kitsap Lake Dan drives home to Corrie and dogs to unpack and do some mowing.  Seattle breaks record for high temp.

Monday another record breaking day in Seattle.  Corrie and Rocket head to Rebecca’s.  Dan heads Stevens Pass ski area.  Great spring skiing and almost no one there; after many years of self-taught skiing, Dan even pays for private lesson.  Tuesday another gorgeous day; Corrie gets Rocket trimmed late afternoon and heads home.

Friday AM, 22MAR, Dan heads to Rebecca’s to help over the weekend.  After leaving ferry he stops at Denny’s in Poulsbo to have coffee with CG Academy Classmate Dave MacKenzie; great time before getting to house.  Later Dan heads to Jiu Jitsu gym to pick up boys and back to their house for dinner.

Saturday late morning Dan takes Jaxson to his soccer game at Starfire soccer complex where Dan has been many times for both boy’s games.  After game meal at Mickie D’s; then back to Silverdale to relax.  Sunday AM after breakfast hits the road to drive back to Sultan via Tacoma; sun comes out after lunch so Dan mows.

Monday, 25MAR, not much done, but at night Dan posts our tractor implements for sale on Craigs List.  Tuesday AM Dan gets call from unknown cell phone number.  Dan would normally not answer but does and discovers someone two hours away wants the stuff at advertised price.  Early afternoon deal is done and the buyer may even be interested in tractor and wood chipper later!

Wednesday Dan starts preparing RV for next camping trip.  Thursday, 28MAR, Dan meets up with some CG Academy Classmates for mini reunion lunch at Pier 88 Boiling Seafood & Bar.  Then home for more work on RV; last luncheon was 25JAN.

Pier 88 Boiling Seafood & Bar | Home of the Famous Low Country Boil (pier88seafood.com)

Friday Corrie spends most of morning getting food supplies for the RV; Dan takes RV to fill the diesel tank; then we start final loading of RV.

Saturday AM off in the RV to Tahuya River Lodge outside of Belfair, WA, to meet up with Rebecca & boys after their jui jitsu tournament.  Facility is three brand new RV spots tied into a new BnB right on the Tahuya River.  In fact, two of the RV spots still not done.  Rebecca drops off grandboys and heads home.  Her BnB reservation starts tomorrow.  Boys explore immediate area, Corrie cooks burgers; fire circle used and smores.  Finally get boys to bed and Dan hides Easter eggs🙃

Everyone up at 7AM; breakfast, vids and egg hunt first activities.

Then off to Belfair State Park to check it out for fishing, and some beach combing.  Lunch and milk shakes at Big Bubba’s Burgers, Allyn, WA.  Back to RV to wait to Rebecca’s arrival.

Big Bubba's Burgers - Located in Allyn WA - Home of the 1lb. Super Burger (bigbubbasburgers.net)

Rebecca shows up around 1PM; and now that mom the lifeguard is here, the boys can now challenge the current and rocks of the Tahuya River in front of RV🙃  Meanwhile we wait to get into the verbo at 4PM.  After they are settled in their new accommodations, we head back to Allyn, WA, for easter dinner at The Boat House Restaurant (excellent).  Then the pitres headed back to their verbo to try out the hot tub, and we went to RV to veg out.

The Boat House Restaurant & Bar (Allyn, WA) (theboathouseonnorthbay.com)