Week 13 begins on Big Mama’s Farm, a name affectionately chosen when Kris and Kerry purchased a home with a 2 acre lot with loads of potential. This place is heaven for children where they have some responsibility caring for the rabbits, chickens, cat and other animals. Their playground and play yards include plenty of room for a 4-wheeler, a small indoor swimming pool, baseball, soccer, football, finding snakes or whatever.

For the adults, primarily Kerry and Kris, Big Mama’s is a lot of work and well deserved pride in the outcome. The grounds have come a long way from the time they bought the place eight years ago. Despite two years spent in San Francisco and another two years in Bermuda as part of the Oracle America Cup team they now have a landscaped front yard and back yard. The side yards have blueberry trees, a kids playground, covered party house, small art studio structure, Kris’s tool shed, two covered greenhouses, a new greenhouse in the works, bark walk-ways, and lawns always cut and trimmed. Then, of course, there are the tilled gardens where once they were tarp covered weed barriers. The kids planted their vegetable garden this week thanks to the hard work of Kerry, Sandy and some old guy they persuaded to help out.

The shot below is of the Anacortes Harbor which is a favorite spot to take short walks when killing time waiting for kids to get out of school or timing our next Ferry boat to Guemes Island.

Wednesday we had another fun drive. This is something most people would call crazy. We left Burlington at 10am. By 11am we were crossing the Canadian border to check out the BC Ferry drop off point near Vancouver. We then drove into Vancouver for lunch before heading back to the USA. We were safely back to the Guemes Ferry by 4pm. Fun day for those of who don’t mind 4 hours in a car exploring roads never traveled by us previously.

Thursday begins with the Ferry ride. I take Rumi and Teo to school, then I’m off to Mary Anne’s Kitchen for breakfast. The next stop is Pelican Bay Books and coffee house. I purchase two books. It’s a rainy morning good for reading, writing and contemplating. Sandy and Kelly spent the morning shopping. Thursday evening was Little League, Ravens, game six. We were outplayed soundly. We only scored one run and looked bad doing it.

Friday night was a hoot. Sandy signed up for a dinner and Rosary on a boat. That’s about all she knew about the evening. Her new found friends from St. Mary’s had invited her out. She said yes. When Sandy arrived at the pier, to her total surprise, she found 150 people loading on to a whale watching vehicle. She was departing at 5pm and would’nt return until 9:30pm. One Mass, one dinner, and four Rosaries later she returned, disembarked the boat for a mad dash for the Guemes Island Ferry. I can safely say she will never do that again. My evening was sane. Dinner with Brian and Amaya (Emily had to work) and then desert at the Mad Hatter.