Ocean Shores, Washington 2012 - Day 1

The Polynesian Resort at Ocean Shores.  We have driven passed this hotel countless times over the years on our many trips to the beach.  This is our first time staying here though, and it’s an extremely special visit.  We are here with over 20 members of Chad’s family, as we celebrate his mom and dad’s 30^th wedding anniversary.  It was here that Rick asked Geri to marry him in 1982.  And how did they want to mark their 30 years together?  Not by going to some far away tropical location alone - they wanted to come back here - surrounded by their kids and grandkids.  Not a bad way to spend an anniversary.

Because of Chad’s work schedule, we got a late start leaving Olympia, getting on the freeway at 5:00 PM.  It was a pleasant drive, requiring just one quick stop at Starbucks in Aberdeen for coffee and treats.  As we pulled in to Ocean Shores, I announced, “Here we are!” and Chad and I began singing the theme song from Silver Spoons:  “…face to face - A couple of silver spoons.  Hoping to find - we're two of a kind...”  As the song progressed, we became louder, throwing in a lot of unnecessary vibrato and jazz hands..  The kids even joined in, and if you think it strange that my children know the theme song from an 80’s sitcom, you obviously don't know them.  It's interesting how we tend to mark significant moments of our life with songs.  Much like Little Shop of Horrors or Grease.  We are our own hit musical.  And our own live audience. 

We checked into our room at the Polynesian and got ourselves situated.  The man checking us in boasted that this hotel is famous because Kurt Cobain was once employed here as a bed stripper.  That would’ve really impressed me 18 years ago.  But now, it just made me think to myself, “ohhhh, cute.”  I guess certain things really become less important as the years go by.

The hotel is older, but very well-kept and our room has a great view of the ocean.  We are sharing it with Chad’s cousin Tom Byrnes, his wife Pam and their 2 boys, so there are 9 of us in all.  It’s a 2 bedroom suite with 2 bathrooms, a living room, fireplace, full kitchen, totalling 1,100 square feet.  And it's pet friendly!  Jessie is so happy to be here, she's already made friends with a Morkie named Wilson. 

Tom and Pam arrived shortly after we did and once we were all settled in, we took the kids to the hotel pool.  After a short swim, I took Jessie out to go potty.  We ran into Chad’s parents and the rest of the family in the parking lot.  They were waiting for the shuttle to take them to the casino.  We decided to meet up with them tomorrow because we wanted to take the kids on a nighttime walk on the beach.

It was after 9:00 PM so we headed out into the dark.  Our hotel backs up to the dunes and is just a short walk to the beach through some trails.  Unfortunately, large puddles from earlier rains blocked every path to the beach and we found ourselves running around like mice in one of those mazes where a scientist puts cheese at one end, and the mouse at the other, and then lets the mouse go, but the idiot mouse cannot find the cheese, although he can smell it and he knows it’s close - he just can’t get there.  Yeah, that was us.  We never made it to the beach.  The kids kept complaining and wanted to turn around.  I suppose it didn’t help matters when I told them that the hotel was built on an ancient burial ground and that the ghosts of the dead liked to haunt hotel guests on Friday nights.
 

Me, Chad, Jackson and Shea getting a lot of use
 out of the ceiling mirrors

We ended up going to Rick and Geri’s penthouse to see the cousins.  They are in a 3 bedroom suite that is more like a large apartment and I fell INSTANTLY in love with it.  Imagine Ralph Furley’s apartment.  Now times that by 100, and you will get an idea of how marvelously 70’s this hotel room is.  I’m talking shiny silver wallpaper, mirrors on the ceiling, a bright red bathtub, padded leather trimming around the bar….  It’s incredible.  And I’m jealous we didn’t get that room.  I cannot wait to go back tomorrow and further explore what feels like a private room in Studio 54.

It wasn’t long before we all started to get tired and bored so we walked back to our room.  We stood around the kitchen eating Pirate's Booty and laughing and before we knew it, it was after midnight.  I could get use to this kind of vacation.  The kind where nothing happens, but we still go to bed with a giant sigh and a smile on our faces.  Let’s see what tomorrow brings.  Hopefully not a tsunami.


The Niemeyers