Thanksgiving In Astoria, OR

I went down to Astoria, OR, to spend the holiday with my friend Miss M and her parents. They are lovely people, who live next door to the Goonies house (a cult-classic movie from the 80's). They have a drafty, rambling Victorian house, which my mother would absolutely adore. Upon our arrival, I heard a chorus of dogs barking in the distance--very, very loudly, I might add. I asked Miss M about it. She smiled and said it was the final holdout sea lions lounging on the docks. Marine life. Yes please! A city girl like me would be overjoyed just to see a crab, oyster, or fish! A sea lion is the real deal, my friend, the real deal. We walked down to the docks where I snapped this little dosey. No, this is not a self-portrait, though the truth be told, I have been feeling a little round near the middle . . .Rather, this little blobber and about 15 of his closest friends have resisted getting into the sea lion trap, which will ferry them down to California to lounge on the beach with the rest of his social group. Fat rascal barely opened an eye when I took his portrait. I tried to get a little closer, but then I thought, "Um, this is a fat, wild animal, who is carnivorously inclined. And though fat, he is smart enough to avoid the trap that a countless number of his friends were snared in. He does have a wicked glint in his eyes" . . .I stepped back.

We did some fun things and enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner. Thanks Mrs. M! Astoria is a great little nugget of a town. Kindergarten Cop, Goonies, Free Willy were all filled in this movie-filming paradise. Astoria is teeming with so, so many antique stores (a vintage afficiando's dream--though

I would never presume to call myself one, though I know my friends say I have quite the eye! :) Great little bookstore, comic bookstore, etc). We also visited the beach, which was blustery and beautiful.

We visited the shipwreck, where most of the ship, over the years, has been buried by the beach. I loved the mystery of it. Though no one was hurt (which should be a good thing) I was a little disappointed. Shoot, there wasn't even pirates involved! What's a shipwreck without pirates. "I think it carried cargo," Miss M said. Wind out of sails.

For a trip, it was wonderful; as a holiday, I felt a little cheated. I mean, Miss M and her parents were wonderful, but after several years of spending this blessed day away from family, I just feel like it is fake holiday without your family nearby. It's like celebrating Valentine's Day without a husband or boyfriend. F.A.K.E. Oh you can trump it up as a "day to celebrate the people you love," or "a day to give thanks" but in the end, it will always be a sloppy second for the real thing. You'll still be that kid with his nosed pressed up against the glass hoping against hope that this will be the Christmas you finally get the Rid Rider 200 shot range model air rifle. Or in my case, saying "no place like home" "no place like home." Well, there's always Christmas. MORAL: Celebrate holidays with family and spend vacations with friends, and don't underestimate sea lions--they're fat, true, but some are sneaky and fat and those are the ones you have to keep your eye out for. :)