Our most recent "mini" vacation was a trip to the Oregon Coast. Rockaway, to be exact. Tom's Mother rented a beautiful place on the beach for family members and friends to drop in or stay a night or two. Some stopped in for breakfast and/or dinner, and some stayed the entire time. We opted to stay the weekend with her, as it was one year to the day that her husband Bobby had passed away. We all had a wonderful time visiting and reminiscing. Everyone helped and everyone brought food. We had enough food to feed an army and a great variety from great cooks. On Saturday night we all headed for the Barview Jetty, a place Bobby loved so much and had fished so often. We brought a tape player and a favorite song (which had played at the funeral) and listened to that while Julia, a family member, ran around with smoked Salmon and crackers for anyone interested. We all hugged and said a prayer for Bobby. Tom's mom brought her camera and had us taking all kinds of pictures, only to find out the next day that she had no film. We are all still chuckling over that one.
Tom and I left Sunday, at around noon, and headed for Seaside, where we had a wonderful lunch and then went to the Aquarium there. We had the best time for six dollars each that we have had in a long time. We enjoyed viewing all of the different sea creatures, but truly, the best had to be the seals. They performed for their food as all seals do, but they were so funny that we laughed till our stomachs hurt. I swear Tom was laughing from his toes. There was one seal whose only trick was sticking out his tongue at you, and he did so until you gave him some smelt! Another (the fattest one) lay on his back and slapped his fat belly and barked at you until you fed him just to shut him up. Another enjoyed splashing us till we were wet. One simply put his little arm up in the air like a student wishing to be called on--he was so cute. Finally, there was the little guy who just sat alone, kind of shaking and shy. I think he ended up with the most food, and as we talked later, we decided that was his "trick." He got most of the food, after all! I believe Tom would have spent every dollar in his pocket feeding the seals as he was having so much fun, but alas, all those darn kids came in and wanted their turn at the seals (move over Tom), so we left the feeding to them and headed for home.
