Thursday, July 13, 2017

All for the Want of a Lime! -- Wednesday, July 12, 2017

"Ooops!  I just used all my olive oil, so tomorrow we need to get more," Herb says as he prepares to grill salmon for dinner.  Uh, Shilshole Bay Marina does not have a market, and I will need a lime after tomorrow.  Hmmm…how do we handle this?

It is 1.2 miles from Willie’s Tug in the marina to the nearest store for provisions, so I make a list. We also need a manual can opener, small enough to fit in with the other items in the scary drawer of the galley.  And our favorite brand of paper towels.  Better stock up on some cleaning supplies, too.

As he has some captain chores to do, Herb elects me to walk the two and a half mile round trip, and since I do love to walk, I volunteer to accept his election. Now, I remember how to go from where we lived at Stimson Marina in Ballard – just go up 24th Street until you are there.  But from here, there should be a short cut, not needing to go all the way to Stimson, unless sheer cliffs and such interrupt it. 

Yes, Goggle maps sets a path for me and off I go pulling my little West Marine cart.  Although sunny, I wear my jacket for the early breezes of the day.

I do think this street sign on the left has been turned a quarter turn, because if I go the way the arrow points to get to NW 57th Street, I think I will end up in someone’s front yard.  I trust my instincts and turn left.















The sidewalk of NW 57th Street takes me through a lovely neighborhood, where each yard has more beautiful flowers than the next. Someone has planted a rose bush hugging a stop sign on the street corner. 













What a surprise to find a table with live tomato plants for sale by the Abundant Greens Urban Farm.  The sign directs one to get the plants from the driveway of the home.  On the opposite side of the table is a drop box where one could put payment – on the Honor System.  How nice. People trusting people.



















Thirty minutes and several serious hills up and down later I can see QFC store.














Once inside I begin my search for the can opener.  I take photos of what I find, text them to Herb, but the messages do not go through. Phone says "No Service." So I go outside the store to call him and describe what I see.  I prefer to get the perfect one now, rather than walk back tomorrow.  

This one?




Or this one?


















We choose this one.



















With that taken care of, I now walk up and down the aisles, collecting the items on my list.  I see more things I would like, but need to get only what will fit in my cart.  

All done, and I head back to the marina.  The Burke Gilman Trail is also as lovely with its foliage as 57th Street.











I had remarked to Herb a couple of days ago that in my walks, I had never encountered a trains at the crosswalks, but we see and hear several a day while sitting in the marina.

Today I get lucky.  I hear the whistle and am walking up the bridge that overlooks the track, so I hurry the best I can while pulling my heavy cart, and do get to the top in time to see some tank cars going by.









Along the way I see a really cute dog that starts pulling away from his owner, and I know he is afraid of the noisy clickety clack of the cart wheels on the sidewalk. I stop to quiet the sound.  As I wait, he finally comes up to me; I pet him, and he then is drawn to the smells of groceries in my cart.  Because the sun had warmed the temp to the high 70’s I had taken off my jacket and laid it over my purchases. So when the dog slobbers, it gets all over my jacket – and not on the food!!!

Photo below shows the glistening wetness!  


















Next on my to do list:  clean my jacket!

And have a Wodka with lime!

Willie of Willie's Tug,
   and of Walldog, Willie and Jake
   Wednesday, July 12, 2017

2 comments:

  1. That is a lot of limes - how much vodka were you planning to drink?? ;-) Thanks for taking us along on your walk.

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    Replies
    1. Hey, I like a 'tiny taste' of vodka and lotsa lime! :)

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