I'm a big boy now!

Megan and I made one last visit to our favorite Anacortes haunts, and found this little guy looking lonely out in front of the courthouse.

The town has painted these people-murals on many of the local buildings. Most are cute or charming, but some are kind of creepy. Don't know what to think about the little guy above.

The next day after a hundred good-byes, Megan headed back to the world of high-flying executive super-stardom. After a shopping stop in Portland, she was back on the 5 southbound to Sausalito to get ready for her new gig. Early reports are that it is an awesome situation. We'll have more in a few days.

Sugar convinced me to soldier on, at least for a while. So we headed for Deception Pass to shoot the rapids. The pass is 200 feet wide, and can rage at 8 knots if you get there at the wrong time.
We made it no problem at slack tide, then set sail down the inside of Skagit Bay to Holmes Bay, where Chris and Susan Olberding are living the good life on the waterfront in Freeland on Whitbey Island.

After tying up to their mooring with a front-row seat, the only obstacle was the low-tide mudflat. It looked like sand but is more than a foot deep! That first step is a doozy, and I was up to my knee in mud. I had a nice audience to look cool for.

Sugar was in dirty-dog heaven, doing spins and runs back and forth through the stinky mud. Little crabs scurried out of our way, with much bigger dungeness crab waiting for us out in the bay. Chris took 41 crab over the weekend, so you can imagine we ate really well. Sugar found new people to play ball with, and only took a few breaks to flatten the flower beds. Sorry!?!?

Boats slowly filled in during the day Friday, getting ready for the big show. The weather really couldn't have been any better.

Coming back from the boat that afternoon, I had a heck of a surprise when who should appear, but my mom, Claire, and Bryan. I couldn't really believe my eyes at first, and Sugar went nutty, jumping four feet in the air. Someone was shooting video, which I'll post shortly.

We had a great time hanging out and catching up. Claire is 5 months pregnant with their first and positively glowing. Those two are pretty darn cute! Mom slept out on the boat, and Claire and Bryan slept down on the dock, sharing the sunrises with the herons and other little birdies.

Freeland shoots the fireworks off on the 3rd for some reason, and the view was incredible from the Olberding's back yard. The fireworks barge was almost front and center.

Thanks to G-Dubb for the photo.

Claire, Bryan, mom and I took off for an awesome sail up the bay on July 4th. Everyone had a nice nap enjoying Either Way's mellow ride. So fun sharing just a little piece of my/our life up here cruising around.

The weather closed in after everyone headed back on Sunday, but I'm warm and dry in Chris and Susan's living room. Will take off in the next day or so for points unknown. Stay tuned!