So about a month ago my sis-in-law asks us if we'd like to join them on 3-day weekend trip to her father's cabin on Hood Canal..... we jump at the chance- we've never been- and how fun to spend some extra time with them. (some folks would roll their eyes- but we all really like each other- and enjoy spending time together. The four girls are espcially close.) 
****(this amazing shell was found by my sis-in-law and her girls right before we got there)****So we all took Friday off from work, pulled the kids at lunch from school so that we could beat the Friday ferry traffic- you Seattle-ites know exactly what I'm talking about on this one.....
We hopped the ferryboat "Spokane" at the Edmonds Ferry Terminal and away we went. The kids thought it was super cool- it was their first time.
*****(Ron with the girls on the way back on the Walla Walla Ferry)******
We then began the journey that seemed like forever- it felt like we were driving to the edge of the universe- one "tiny little one horse" town after another, dotted the roadside with names I couldn't even begin to pronounce. You know how it goes- you are driving to the unknown and it seems like forever- on the way home- it's like half the time and you wonder- why the hell did it take so long to get there the first time?????? 
We arrive in Eldon (and I say "in" loosely as there was a gas station/convienence store and about 8 homes.....and lots of truly scenic but uninhabited real estate.....) ... but as I was saying- we arrive at the cabin in Eldon. We unpack the cars, put the food away, and build the lasagna quickly and get it in the oven- as I know that after we take the kids down the side of the cliff to play on the beach- they will be chilled and starving by the time we get back.
And when I say cliff- I do mean that- it's a pretty sheer drop-off that has a multi-tier stair case that will have you sucking wind on the way back up from the beach even if you are in shape- for the rest of us who've seen far better states of physical fitness- it was a butt kicker!!!!
So anyhoo- we've been at our destination of "Camp Run-A-Muck".... (really- there's a sign that says that above the fireplace......) for about 30 minutes when we land down at the beach...
my sis-in-law has a bucket and we all begin picking up oysters- (which are insanely large and plentiful here) so that we can BBQ them later. After advising the kids to be careful- and what we were looking for in terms of the oysters.... Oni picks up one that was already open- and chucks it back into the water- with a blood curdling scream.... and she's bleeding profusely- I mean running down her arm and dripping into the other hand she's holding it with!!!!!
Oh- Dear GOD!!!!! We have just driven for what feels like days t oget here- and I have know freaking clue where the hell I am- or how close to civilization I am- or not in this case...... my first born is starting to panic and inside- so am I.... it's jagged- and deep- my mind is racing- I've been well trained in first aid and triage- but I've never had to use it on someone I love...... I pinch below the wound and raise her arm as I start to run her up the stairs- my S-I-L strips down to her bra to pull off her tank top so I can wrap it and compress it and we three girls were running- (and you have to know me be know- I don't run- anywhere- I hate running....) straight up the hill.
H runs to the gas station for information and B has arrived (at this point- can't remember if he ran ahead or behind us- but he's helping me search for any first aid supplies while I get a pan full of ice cubes & water to stick her hand in. We have her sit on the kitchen floor with her hand up in the ice water on my knee. The blood continues to surge from her poor little hand and my heart is racing....
H returns- there is a small little walk in clinic about 20 minutes away- we hop in the running vehichle and speed away. She calls 411 and has them connect us to said clinic as I'm trying to console my poor baby and keep her from fainting- she was ghostly pale and flushed cheeks from the run. They tell H that they close in 15 minutes and that we'd be better off going to Shelton- another 40 minutes away....(any of these local firestations are volunteer and unmanned- at this point I would have taken a Ranger Station with a decent first aid kit....) H hangs up the phone disgusted as we are pulling into their parking lot- we look at each other and say "screw-it- we're going in!"
They weren't sure they wanted to take us- but we weren't taking no for an answer......the nurse practicianer was trying to convince me we could steri-strip it- I disagreed- I believed she needed sutures...(she later said she was glad I had in sisted- it was deeper than she first thought...)
My poor baby- she was so scared- but we talked through the whole proceedure- and I explained what they were doing and why (the nurse asked what I did for a living- because I seemed to have really good handle on what was going on- I laughed and told her I worked as an accuontant!)
In the end- my girl got four big old nast looking stitches and one steri stip at the bend of the tip of her middle finger. They gave her a big old lolli-pop for being so brave. We drove back to the cabin- it had only been an hour- it seemed like a lifetime- but it was only an hour!!!!
We went back to the cabin and had the lasagna I had put in the oven and nice bottle of wine- and celebrated being to gether- and being ok! :)
I woke up groggy from not sleeping well on Saturday morning. H hands me coffe and says- you are missing great photos- get out there! :) (love her- she's good at flipping me crap and getting me to laugh)
So I brave the wicked staircase.....only it doesn't look quite so threatening this morning- bathed in golden sunrise.
And as I quietly sneek my way down to the beach in hopes of catching some wonderful Heron Crane or Bald Eagle....
The giggle crew has pulled on jackets and mud boots- over their pj's and has followed me down- and the giggles and outside voices and the crunch of shells underfoot give any birds of prey one heck of a heads up on my where abouts!!! So I bag any hopes of catching the "big one"... and just sit back and play- watching my four favorite girls in the whole wide world play togther!
This shot- couldn't have been arranged if I had tried- the three big girls- all in a row- in height order mind you..... and little K looking on- always kind of on the fringes - wishing she was big too so she could keep up.
After we got moving on Saturday- we went exploring. H had heard of these really cool falls not far from the cabin. We went up the Dosiwallup River- parked and took a foot path- maybe 300 yards back- and find this totally majestic and realllllllly loud set of falls!
We drove around and did some sight seeing- the kids played and baby K & I snuggled up and napped. :) And we ended a gorgeous day- with a gorgeous sunset and a rockin dinner. We grilled up some steaks and those oysters that we had gathered!
H shucking them and dipping in a butter garlic hot sauce concoction.......
This was looking back at the Olympic Mountain chain as we went across the Hood Canal Bridge.
And the views were amazing on the way home from the canal and across on the ferry.
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