Just winding things up and coasting until our Tuesday departure. I've booked a couple of hotels for the early part of our return journey. Now we're just hitting the places we want to stop at "one last time". Tuesday was the prime rib special at the casino lounge. This morning was the breakfast special at the casino lounge. Actually, I know a lot of the staff by name in the casino lounge.
Making sure we hit the string of coffee shops we frequented during the summer. In one the owner gave us a "free cookie for later" when we left. In another I've become so predictable the owner just hands me a small drip coffee when I walk in. In a third they say, "Two large teas?" when we walk in. There's a reason I get coffee in one and tea in the other. This should be a surprise to no one, but it centers on me being cheap.
I've noticed that in what have become my three favorite bars (Elk's Head Tap Room, Pirate's Cove, and Porthole Pub) I see the same four or five guys distributed among them all summer. They probably say the same about me, though. The old guy with the long white hair and gravelly voice surveys the room when he comes in and selects a bar stool next to someone he can talk to as if they've been best friends his whole life even though he's likely never seen them before. Then there's the large guy who sits in the same spot usually wearing the same T-shirt that says "This working out thing isn't working out." The only change in his appearance is typically how much butt-crack he is sharing with the world on that given day.
We'll make one more trip to Olympia on Saturday to visit Terry's brother and his family. It's supposed to be 89 degrees which any more seems ridiculously hot, but I'll survive.
A couple of fun facts on Ocean Shores. Very few people are from here. It tends be be a retirement community. Many of the shops are run by retirees who, as long as they cover the shop's rent, are perfectly happy. Many are raising grandchildren because of difficulties either with the children or grandchildren. The thought is this will be a better environment for them. As a result many people have complained about the problems they bring to the schools. From what I've seen and heard though they don't have a true appreciation of what real problems in a school are.
People here also have a different body chemistry than I do. When they use words like "warm" or even "hot" to describe a sunny day in the mid-60's I can't relate. If the temperature is at least in the mid-50's windows and doors are wide open in homes and businesses alike. Couple that with a nearly constant 15+mph afternoon breeze and I never have to worry about my beer getting warm as the cross breeze whips through the bar.
That pretty much wraps things up here. I'll probably put up a few pictures from the road on the way home. Now I have to check what Austin weather is like. I sure hope it's not over 75.
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