Happy Birthday Dad

A photo of Dad taking a photo

So, after spending one weekend in Washington, the DC variety, I went ahead and went to that other Washington, the state, to celebrate my father's birthday with my sister and brother. It was the first time we'd all been together since my Mother passed away; it's hard to co-ordinate California, the very PNW and South Carolina into one place at the same time, but we did it.

And it was nice to be all together again, laughing and joking and telling stories. We made a birthday dinner for Dad of my Mom's tacos and my sister baked my Dad's favorite birthday cake: Lemon cake with Lemon frosting.

Lovely day. 

We also celebrated Dad's big day with a sunset cruise on Bellingham and Chuckanut Bays. So, so beautiful, and spurs in me a deeper desire to live there. Mountains, water, what else do I need. Well, they make some good wines and cheeses so there's that, too. The bay ride was gorgeous, sunny, blue skies, sail boats. Peaceful. The only thing missing was Carlos, who couldn't make the trip since he just started his new job last June. But, we'd both visited the Bellingham area last year and put it on our list of places we could live, so, who knows, maybe......

And my Dad took us to the Marine Life Center in Bellingham where he—Dad is a retired science teacher--volunteers. Very cool place. One of its main goals is to raise awareness of marine life and our impact on it, and to promote stewardship of that marine life through interaction. They also "improve, restore and maintain marine habitat for fish and invertebrates living in Bellingham Bay."

All well and good, but, besides the fascinating exhibits and the touch pools and the octopi, what I loved most was watching my Dad--on his day off--talk to very young children about the MLC and what they do. I watched as he got as much joy out of showing crabs and sea stars--once known as star fish, I learned the they are not fish, but are invertebrates, so they are sea stars--to children as the children did seeing, and touching, the marine life.

It's very cool, at my age, to learn something new about your father by watching him do something he loves. And he does love the chemistry and the sciences and the biology and environmental issues.

I missed the bus on most of those, sadly, but there’s always time for your Dad to educate you, I guess.

Happy Birthday Dad. It was a wonderful trip.

The Whatcom Museum in Bellingham

Bayside silos. I dunno why.....

Picturesque views.

Bayside Victorian.

Bayside modern.

Bayside solitude.

Bayside Must Have!

What a way to spend a sunny afternoon, eh?

Mt Baker from Bellingham Bay

Amazing shoreline

A quiet little inlet.....

Usually my calamari is fired and served with marinara, but this is good, too.

A beautiful birthday!