We got up early. Well, La Serpiente woke me up at five, wanting me to unlock the Kindle so she could read. The whole family was up at 6:45 and we were in the car and on the way to the ferry terminal at 7:30, just missing the 8am sailing and well in time for the 8:50. We drove out to Port Gamble, where most shops were shut in observance of Martin Luther King Day. I think that’s better for a holiday than just people not going to the office, and the girls got to play on the swings so we were all happy, even if we couldn’t visit the yarn shop to see the whippets.
We headed on to Chimacum, went for a walk on a boggy trail through the woods there, and La Serpiente asked me lots of questionsabout biology and medicine, which culminated in me trying to explain to her about cholera, epidemiology, night soil and modern sewer systems, which I’m glad piqued the interest of a seven year old. A change from unicorns, even if it was a bit much for my wife.
Oh, and trying to explain to my daughters not to inadvertently draw SS symbols when trying to draw lightning. What a day.
After that, Port Townsend could only be an anti climax. We walked around, had some lunch and then the girls played with gravel on the beach, before we drove back, to find a huge queue at the ferry and an hour long wait. At least we were travelling in daylight so I wasn’t too drowsy.
We got home to a freezing house, the kids watched some cartoon garbage, and I put them to bed. Onwards, ever onwards!