I decided to try harder to locate a propane dealer on Monday, and I found one who was open and not too far away. Tango and I drove over with one of the empty tanks and they filled her up! Last night I cooked dinner on the stove and this morning I had Quiche, baked fresh in the oven. The place is toasty warm thanks to only 10 minutes with the gas furnace on. A silver lining: I found another trailhead to the Olympic Discovery Trail next to the propane dealer.
At the end of yesterday’s post, I said, “Change is possible but not always easy.” I forgot to attribute that quote. It is a paraphrase of one of my favorite people, Barak Obama. It is my mantra as I work through Al-Anon and ACA.
While I am on politics, I say “No” to Beto as a presidential candidate. I know he excites people, but he is not an Obama. When Obama arrived on the scene there was no doubt that he was great. He was brilliant, charming, articulate, down-to-earth, and yet dignified and presidential in character. You knew he was a great man, a great person. I followed Beto’s Senate race because he seemed interesting and is from El Paso, not far from where I wintered for two years in New Mexico. I watched clips and interviews and, while I am sorry he did not beat down Ted Cruz, I never felt that Beto was presidential material. That was confirmed for me when I watched his concession speech last week. All the networks had switched to his concession and, on the national stage, Beto rambled, he dropped an F-bomb, and he looked scruffy and unkempt. He seemed like an awkward teenager on stage who was not really sure what to say. Not presidential. Not like Obama, anyway.
The Democratic field is wide and I believe we can do much better. I am not wild about Elizabeth Warren and I don’t know anything about Kamala Harris, but my mind is open. My fave at this point is Klobuchar, from Minnesota.
One other thing about politics before I move on to kayaking. I can’t stop thinking about the women of color who were elected to Congress. What sweet justice that Native Americans and Muslims finally have a real say at the national level. These women (like all women) were marginalized and insulted during the campaign and now in the administration of our current president. Compare them, to the white male shooters who rained down terror in the week before the election. The comparison reminds me that in America we have two vastly different choices when we don’t like the way our society and government is headed: we can perform acts of violence like common thugs or we can get ourselves elected and fight for change. I am so proud of the women who chose to fight for good through the legislative process. It should also be a wake-up call to Trump and his supporters everywhere: as minorities continue to gain a voice and power, we can only hope they don’t treat white people the way he treated them. The day is coming. I may not be here but it is coming. White people will be a minority in 2045. That train left the station long ago. The people born in this atmosphere of hate and greed will be our future leaders and they will not be white.
Kayaking! While exploring yesterday I found a sweet, calm, protected bay not far from the RV park. I saw two people out there and decided that will be where I take my maiden voyage in this area. I have not written much about kayaking because I have been spending my time in places without suitable waterways. Yet, I have lugged around my small, 8-foot kayak all this time (in the van). Kayaking has been on my mind and I am pleased about access to water here. The most immediate danger is the water temps, which run from 48-55 degrees according to my research. That requires a wetsuit, although the two-people whom I saw kayaking in my new place were not wearing one. I do have a two-piece wetsuit with boots and I plan to wear that for sure. I have also been studying tide charts and current patterns.
The views from the small bay were fantastic. To the north, I saw Vancouver Island, to the east, Mt. Baker, to the southwest the Olympic Mountains. Life is good. I plan to head out before lunch and then picnic in the area afterward. Tango does not like riding on the kayak and, while he does have a life jacket, he does not have a wetsuit. He will stay at home. He loves walking on the beach and all the new, awful smells of decaying sea life, but not this time!
Dungeness Bay, inside the “wishbone” shape. The waters are calm on that side of the Dungeness Spit, but I learned to avoid that tiny entrance near the bottom during the late ebb tide when currents are strong.
Inside the wishbone shape, from the air. I will hug that coastline on my first outing to make sure that the kayak is in good order before I get too adventurous.
Someone else’s beautiful photo of Mt. Baker and the New Dungeness Lighthouse. The photographer was just outside the wishbone.
