the church campout wherein we didn't really camp out

This has been a crazy month for me. 15 days in Ohio, then home for six days, four of which I filled in as substitute church secretary, then a weekend camping trip (details of which you will soon read), then a quick trip to Las Vegas for a math conference. Needless to say, I haven't had much time to think about updating my blog.

Yes, I went to a math conference in Vegas. Yes, it was a conference for teachers. No, I did not learn how to count cards. No, I did not learn the in and out secrets of 21. If I would've had a dollar for every person who said that to me, I'd be quitting my day job. Vegas was fun. I learned a lot about teaching math. And you'll hear more of that trip another day.

This post is all about not camping out at the church campout. Since I had to be at the airport by 3:00 Sunday afternoon, and since the camp director didn't reserve enough sites and people were going to have to double up, I looked at my dear sweet husband and said, "I think we need to give up our campsite and book a room in Astoria." So he did his thing and went online and reserved the Cape Virginia suite at the Astoria Inn Bed & Breakfast. As it turns out, it was a really good idea because we were abruptly awoken early Sunday morning by a huge Pacific Ocean thunderstorm. And folks, packing up a campsite in a thunderstorm is not really my idea of a good time. Not to mention that you then have to come home and set everything back up again so it all dries out.

Here's the Astoria Inn as it looked back in its hayday. A lovely white Victorian way up high on a hill in Astoria. It has a great view of the bay and the Columbia River as it's getting ready to empty itself into the Pacific. I forget the name of the dude who built it, but I'm sure he was important for something.

And here it is today, in all its purple bling glory!

I was adjusting my eyes to the brightness of the purple, and then this caught my eye. Hanging from the bush were all these beaded necklaces. I was like what in the world?

It all made sense to me later as I got to know Mickey, our hostess with nary a hair out of place, a little bit better. She's been running the B&B for 15 years, and she's originally from Reno. Just the fact of her mentioning she was from Reno made me totally understand the whole bling thing. She has an English bulldog named Blossom who's half blind from cataracts and subsequently snored throughout the entire breakfast meal. Her other pets include these little guys. . .

She feeds them leftover cookies and banana bread. I kept thinking to myself, "Aren't racoons rabid?" But she says she feeds one mama coon right from her kitchen window. Apparently no one's been injured in the process.

There were all sorts of eclectic things in and around this house. I really wanted to take a picture of the headless bride in the dining room, but I didn't think it was appropriate while the other guests were still eating. She has a vintage bridal gown on display, but the mannequin doesn't have a head. I told Phil it was a good thing that was in the dining room and not at the foot of our bed because I would've freaked out waking up in the middle of the night with that in front of me!

This little garden pot guy got my attention too.

She not only had lovely hydrangeas, but she also fixed delightful breakfasts for us. The first morning we had a German pancake that resembled a bread bowl with apples and cinnamon at the bottom. The second day she took croissants, sliced them, spread cream cheese and sliced strawberries in the middle, and then dipped it in egg and milk and cooked it like French toast. Oh. My. Word. Mickey can come cook breakfast for me any ol' morning.

The Cape Virginia suite was just what we needed after a peaceful day of sitting by the campfire, chatting with the church folk, roasting hot dogs over the open flames, whale watching on the beach (yes, more whales), singing crazy camp songs, making a picture out of a piece of Hubba Bubba and some toothpicks, and trying not to burn the marshmallows for that ever-so-perfect s'more.

With a palette of mauves and rich greens, this romantic second floor room reveals views of the peaceful forest. A lacey canopy crowns the bed. The deep claw foot tub makes it a popular choice. (I totally just copied that off the brochure.) The claw foot tub was nice, but I really almost needed a step stool to get in and out of the thing.

The first night I slept like a baby. The second night, not so much. Must've been the weather. So after that initial crash of lightning and booming thunder Sunday morning, Phil says to me, "So, do you think they've cancelled church?" And come to find out, they did. So it ended up being the church campout without church wherein we didn't really camp out anyway.