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Saturday, July 5, 2008

I Literally Tasted Tacoma July 4th




After a breezy, easy July 4th morning, the family and I headed to the water for some crabbing, Tall Ships viewing, and air show fun. After carefully navigating our boat away from the crowded dock, we entered the busy and bustling Foss Waterway. Seeing the Tall Ships from this vantage was pretty cool. They are, well, up close, tall ships (duh). But what I enjoyed the most was the vibrancy of Grit City and her people, swirling about festively on land and sea.

We dropped our crab pot near the end of Foss Waterway and motored off to find a good spot to view the Freedom Fair air show. We just cut the engine and bobbed in the bay getting pitched in the breeze and the wakes of other water crafts. The spectacularly loud and dynamic airplanes dazzled us with their tricks, dips, and loops in the sky. But the best part was our screaming. We screamed and shouted with glee, as loud as we wanted, whenever the planes buzzed over the top of our tiny boat.

The squealing and screaming took on an even more frenetic pace as my husband kicked up the motor for a little joy ride around Northeast Tacoma post air show extravaganza. Because the wind had picked up even more, we were taking on sea spray that was threatening to soak us. That’s when my husband saw a big spray coming and ducked. I took a huge stream of water in the mouth and up the nose, drenching my hair and sunglasses during mid-joy ride scream. A literal taste of Tacoma! Ah, it’s good for me and it’ll make me stronger, I thought, (in the middle of laughing so hard I was crying).

We made our way back to the crab pot after retrieving my husband’s flying baseball cap from the bay. We got a beautiful crabby haul only after a short soak.

However, this proved to be the most expensive crab in the world.

When we got home, we were dealing with cooking the crab, when the stove caught on fire.

Fortunately, it was small, our stove was old and on it’s last legs. So hubby dealt with the mess and the dead stove, while I hightailed to Joe’s Sports in Lakewood to “invest” in a propane burner with a 30 gallon cook pot to do the crab outside.

(Fast forward to today—so with the outdoor cooking gear and purchasing a new range at Sears, it’s the most expensive holiday crab in the world).

Aw, but we didn’t let the dead stove and the lost Benjamins get us down.

With bellies full of crab, we hightailed to the North End of Tacoma for fireworks (we are blessed with friends in Old Town with a great deck for viewing). It was spectacular and I loved it when a very drunk guy kept screaming, “I LOVE AMERICA—WOO HOO!” after practically every blast. I suspect the poor soul has no voice left today.

Post fireworks, we made our way out of the zoo of the North End of town and the throngs of people by using random narrow side streets to get back to University Place, which was winding down it’s World War III BOOM-BOOM-BLAST-KAPOW atmosphere, where fireworks are legal.

Tacoma, you tasted pretty good this year!

16 comments:

Jaynie Jones said...

What a great report on a full day of family fun...despite the misadventures with the stove...it will certainly be a memorable 4th!

Kim Thompson said...

Thank you! Oh, yeah, it was a great day of fun and adventure on the high and low seas!

Kim Thompson said...

Oh, by the way, that's my Tall Ships "money shot."

That's my 9-year-old having pirate daydreams!

Lorraine Hart said...

Great shot! My hubby was down there, volunteering...yay Matt!!

We had a spectacular show out here on Joe's Bay...cats under the bed. Seems like I heard a lot of
M80's...later than I would've liked to.

I hope that crab is damn tasty girl!

Kim Thompson said...

Hooray for Matt! Er, rather, Aargh! (Best pirate imitation).

Yeah, the crab was good. Actually, it was great.

Let's hope the next batch isn't as expensive!!!!

Stephanie Frieze said...

Wonderful post, Kim. Sailing on one of the tall ships would be wonderful. I also would have liked a ride in the P51. The airshow was fun, too.

JosephMcG said...

The post held my interest just like the first Raiders of the Lost Ark film... and your experience was the real deal... salty and tasty and epic in scope... I could see Yul Brynner rubbing his stomach and letting out one wonderful belch... he would have loved to be in the boat with you and your family, I am sure...
Avast there, mates, yo ho ho...

Lorraine Hart said...

Better to have a little taste...than be made to walk the plank...ooh arrrr matey! I'm off to find my parrot!

Kim Thompson said...

Ahoy mateys, I think this post has turned the Blog Squadders into pirates!

JosephMcG said...

Don't forget our beloved ancestor, Robert Louis Stevenson...
yoo hoo hoo and a bottle of wine!

Kim Thompson said...

Okay, I'll take the bottle of wine. Red please.

JosephMcG said...

Aye, matey, aye

JosephMcG said...

And don't forget the bottle of rum!!!

Stephanie Frieze said...

My husband read in the TNT today that an hour and a half crash course on piracy was being taught at the tall ships today. That should have been interesting!

Mizu Sugimura said...

Kim -

After a day like this one you and your spouse deserve a case of your favorite beverages! Your 4th was certainly one for the books and most-entertainingly written.

A great cartoonist (have we any reading the blog?) could be the perfect icing for such a well-told tale, if asked to render what else qualifies an ordinary crab be able to participate in a story like this.

Kim Thompson said...

Oh, Mizu, such sweet comments!
Artists, artists, anywhere, South Sound, near or far, capture my life in a strip! What a treat!!!

I can't draw or do handwriting. At all. Someone told me my "art" is like a 9 year old boys.

So, I need professional help. Anyone?