“A pair of shoes can change your life. Just ask Cinderella.”

Yesterday we followed Lewis and Clark’s path to the Pacific and at Cape Disappointment we were slightly disappointed because the trail to the lighthouse was closed  due to downed trees from the last big storm. The drive along the Columbia was foggy but once we got to the shore the fog was gone and  blue sky followed us till late afternoon.

 

 

 

We stopped in Astoria (named after John Jacob Astor 1811)  for lunch and shared  food at a pier side place . Harbor seals were bobbling in the water and the waiter handed us binoculars while we waited. The coast line there is as amazing as all pacific coasts. Having grown up at the Atlantic one has to appreciate that this is a REAL ocean.. wild and wonderful. As we sat on a bench fending off the 45 mph gusts  we made out a little and I thanked Jim for a wonderful life and for bringing me back to the west. Several years ago there was one of those maybe McCullough shows or maybe peter coyote’s voice about the American west and it was far too painful for me to continue watching because the hole was so huge and I never thought I would be back. Certainly never to the west coast.. which I adore.   But here I am back in big sky and fir forests and wild water and multicultural heaven. We talk about Idaho and Montana and next fall at crater lake and of course exploring more of Oregon.  And the cowgirl in me relishes each idea. It has given me back the hopeful anything can happen sense that I had in my 30’s.

 

Tomorrow or maybe later today I will talk more about baths. Yowzers.