Nap Time

Last three days have been absolutely soul cleansing. Dow Creek Campground is empty and I have the whole place to myself! So I extended one more day. Been playing my guitar and realizing why I didn’t follow a career in music. I love to compose a song like a loose sketch. It amuses me to create ideas in sound. Don’t know how to refine it and it when it starts being too much like work I get confused. So many options!!! I like it when its fun. Maybe I need to go with first takes and let it stand instead of trying to polish. Just play how it comes out and leave it at that. 
So private here at campsite #49 during the week I’m walking around in my underwear!  I have seen but three people in three days. Mosquitos a different story. Not as bad as Dosewallips where my legs were covered with itchy bites, but the little vampires keep me from sitting out too long. Wish they came out only at night.
Hiking trails has been our big activity. Took them to Lake Cushman yesterday. Hiked trails for three miles. 
Thought of the old black and white picture given to me after my mom died in 1995. The picture of mom and her girl friend in a row boat laughing. She must have been 21 or 22. The picture says August ‘55, Lake Cushman in pen on the back. It is not my moms writing. She must have been pregnant at the time with me in her womb. The picture is one reason I wanted to visit Lake Cushman, 59 years later. I feel a bit emotional looking across this invitingly pristine scene. It must have looked a lot like this when my parents came here on a camping trip that summer of 1955. Memories of my mother flood my mind. She always carried lemon drop candies. She smoked many years and she died too early of breast cancer at age 64. She laughed a lot and was kind hearted. She believed in a higher being and she did astrological charts for her family and friends. She’d call when I lived in New York and let me know if the stars were agreeable or when Mercury was retrograde in my chart. She said she was republican. She really didn’t understand politics. It was because her father was republican that she called herself republican. She enjoyed playing golf. Mom would be very proud of me now. She always told me she was proud of me  though I “march to a different drum” is how she put it. 
She claimed to believe in unconditional love yet was quick with comments of approval or disapproval.
I think of the small family I had and most are passed on now. Started my new family with two dogs. They love me unconditionally. JP also loves the water. Can’t say he loves swimming because he’s in his own world. He doesn’t really swim. He paws at the water, digs mud or rocks (doesn’t matter whats on the bottom) splashes around in circles, and after about 5 minutes will belt out a yelp, like he’s treed a coon. Yelps continue every 10 seconds, at which point I pull him out. When in water JP doesn’t hear me no matter how loud I call. GG won’t go in the water on her own initiative so I’ve been tossing her in on hot days. Her reaction is not skiddish or of fear. I think she likes it. Shes a natural confident swimmer.
I’m getting more adept at the leash. Since I have two leashes tied to two units with independent noses. Leashes are always crossing and will be tangled if one doesn’t keep up with the weaving back and forth. Retractable leashes are great for one dog but when you have two there are management issues. Walking on trails with dogs is a very active experience. One must look ahead continuously and be ready for the right adjustment. Sometimes when there’s a sharp turn and a bush or tree if leash is extends further than 6 feet its going to rub or get caught. Rubbing is not good as it will wear down leash and thus need replacing. Tangling is not good because you have to stop walking flow. Should be an Olympic sport. Like every activity there seems to be an acquirable skill set necessary for enjoyment. I’d say you’ve advanced when you can hold both plastic handles in one hand and travel a dozen yards without an adjustment.
I’ve discover naps. An afternoon nap makes all the difference. Such a luxury and joy to wake up from a nap and feeling so refreshed. Seeing sharp detail in focus with new eyes. All I need now is a Lawrence Welk DVD to play during nap time.
Went to Lucky Dog casino last night, just a few miles south of Hoodsport. Lucky Dog doesn’t have Willy Wonka slot machines. Found a Wheel of Fortune clone game that was fun. When three magic symbols line up you get to spin a wheel 3 times for money. If you land on ADVANCE, you advance to next larger wheel with higher money amounts to win. There are 3 or 4 consecutive wheels until you arrive at the Mega wheel. That’s where jackpot goes to 125K. I got to spin for that JACKPOT five or six times. Exciting! I ended up winning a $430 jackpot. After checking wallet I came out +200. Not bad for 2 hours of fun. I can see how some people want faster results and play cards or other casino games. There is not a lot of interaction with other people when playing a machine. Is that why I like it? Lucky Dog food is good and beer is good. There aren’t many choices when one is hungry or looking for place to relax with a brew along Hoods Canal, west side. Guess everyone wants to be in nature.
These small towns along Hoods Canal are not what I expected. I thought there would be more modern facilities interspersed with a few relics. I’m surprised that most towns like Quilcene, Brinnon, Eldon, Potlatch, or Hoodsport are dilapidated and not so much in a charming way. These small towns typically have 2 restaurants serving burgers fish, shellfish or fries. Beer selection is sadly thin.
There is usually one small country store with an array of junk food to select.
Hoodsport has IGA which seems huge by comparison with other towns mentioned. IGA offers some fresh produce. I bought some salad makings and cherries, which brought yumminess relief.
Internet connection, wi-fi, and phone is somewhat unreliable depending on ones carrier.
I have Verizon and sometimes cannot connect. I use personal hotspot and works most of time at this location. Have had to increase data plan. Previous camp spots have had  signal issues. I’ve come to not take any of these connections for granite and plan my internet time and location as part of routine.
Below is a clip from my jackpot win at Lucky Dog Casino.