Tillamook, Oregon

Surprise, I’m in the mood to write a blog! I woke up from a nap feeling the type of inspired that caused me to leap out of bed and grab my computer. I didn’t want to waste a second of this motivation and have spent the last several hours getting organized. I can.not believe it. I keep looking at my fingers as if they are wands granting me every wish. For years I have been feeling what can only be described as well-fed writers block. 

And now? I’m choosing to write about Tillamook, Oregon, as the title implies. June 2021. A huge thank you to Victoria for booking the accommodation! ❤

 

 

This story begins one year ago with some very familiar characters.

 

Oh, hello best friendship called Patrick, Helen and Victoria.

 

In one of the 14 best beach houses in America.

 

 

 

The house was named Stormwatcher and we saw why. We spent days watching clouds disappear and reappear as they turned bruised, dark, and bright blue again; riots of color. There were hues of blue so radiant that it seemed, if we didn’t know any better, someone had slipped us mushrooms. Helen and I spent time feeling grateful we had both a middle school science teacher with us to explain what was going on and an artist who could put this masterpiece into painting.

 

 

On the drive, we listened to the best podcast about beavers.

 

 

Upon arrival into the gorgeous town of Tillamook we went on a tour of their cheese factory and pontificated how much cheese we could actually eat. Victoria went to go shop for an entire charcuterie board in order to test the subject, while Patrick and I were put in charge of dessert. ‘No judgement’, I said, ‘if we don’t eat all the ice cream tonight. We can always try for tomorrow.’

 

 

The gift shop sold Lactaid pills because…they get it. No one would want to miss out. Tillamook ice cream is delicious. It’s extra creamy because there is less air than other ice creams (at least that’s what the signs said). What we knew for sure was that it was particularly good. We can attest, once you go Tillamook ice cream you never go back. It is not very often that you taste a true wonder of nature and surely Tillamook ice cream is one of them.

To burn off those calories, the team played games and reorganized the furniture. We had ping pong and The Game where I got to use language such as ‘a friend of a friend’ and ‘the perfect one’. The bedrooms weren’t *quite* right and after a bunk bed saga (they weren’t long enough) I convinced Patrick to help me move our beds to the same room which, I’d like to reiterate, was a good idea.

 

 

 

The afternoons were spent on the beach.

 

 

 

Bella and I made up songs about sand. We played in a mountain of sand. We were one with the sand. We loved it. When it was time to go for dinner I told Helen and Patrick to just come get me when they walked by. Helen said “You can not go into the restaurant like that.” I countered, “What if I put pants on?” She said no. That it looked like they had just rescued me from Operation Desert Storm. I was indignant. ‘Do you think you’re not covered in sand?!’ I asked her, incredulously. “Everyone here is covered in sand. I see sand in your hair. On your face. In your teeth.” When she finally convinced me to come inside to shower I saw what she meant.

 

 

We Tilla took some sand before we left.

 

 

 

Our days lasted forever and dinner that night was seafood fettuccine plus a lifetime of memories.  For dessert, you guessed it, Tillamook ice cream. 

 

 

 

 

It was a glamorous house. It was a wonderful trip. As far as the best beach houses in America go, we wanna visit them all. One down, 13 to go.
Back to being adventurous 🙂 
‘mi