I got home safe and sound and happy from that late June 2023 camping trip to Bay View State Park. Towhee the Trailer was put away snug as a bug in her storage spot. I drove to my home and did laundry, picked up the mail, paid the bills, checked in with friends and neighbors, bought groceries, weeded my flower beds, etc, etc. And I was planning my next camping trip for 2023, yay!
But on the morning of Sunday, July 1, 2023, I hopped out of bed at home to find the floor inside my home was covered in water. The water main that feeds water to my house, that is in the dirt under my house, below the concrete slab, had burst and had forced water up into my house, flooding the floor. Slop, slop, slop, slop!
I moved me and everything I owned out of the house. I got the water pipe (UNDER the concrete slab) fixed, and the flooring in the house and everything else fixed. I moved back in (eventually). But I couldn’t plan any camping trips because I never knew when any of the contractors or insurance adjusters would need access to the house. So that camping trip to Bay View State Park was the last camping trip I took in 2023, not happy about that! I may share more of the leak-and-repair story with you in another blog post (it took almost seven months for the repairs and insurance issues to be completed such that I could move back in, along with some communication from my attorney). But in the end, it did all get fixed. So I can share some of that with you here one of these days but I have happier things to share for now. That story can wait!
I went camping in 2023 twice … to Eightmile Campground in late May, 2023, and then to Bay View State Park in late June, 2023. Then the leak happened in July. But then in late August, 2023, friends of mine took a trip and asked me to house/cat sit for a few days. As of July 2, I’d been living in my trailer, which was parked in front of my house, so I sure said YES to being able to live in a “real” house for a few days. Here are just a few photos from my stay at my friends’ home. The cat’s name is Shadow, and you’ll see why that’s his name. 🙂
The photo below is the view from their back yard over the pond (golf course water hazard) and then the 15th fairway and 15th green beyond the pond. The view is to the southwest, with the western late afternoon sun to the right.
The reeds in the pond are so pretty. Ducks come every morning. Other birds hang around too. And my friends have seen mammals (coyotes!) come by in the middle of the night for a drink of water.
The photo below was taken while I was out at the pond. I turned and looked back up at the house where I was cat-sitting with Shadow. Notice the red/orange folded umbrella on the left … and the glass patio doors right behind the umbrella. Immediately outside the patio doors is a large storage container that holds cushions for the outdoor patio chairs, keeping the cushions dry and clean when not in use.
After taking the photo above, I walked back up to the house and to that patio area, opened the storage box to take out a cushion so I could sit outside and enjoy the late afternoon sun (and watch the late afternoon golfers).
As soon as I lifted the lid to that storage box, here’s what I saw inside the frame/wall of the storage box. I think it’s a Brown Tree Frog … it was big. It took me a few moments before I noticed the spider to the right. I don’t know what the spider’s name is. How that frog got in there, and why, is sure a mystery.
But then … over in the far left corner of the storage box was a smaller frog (photo below). It was quite a bit smaller than the brown frog. I believe this green one is a Green Tree Frog. The two frogs aren’t related to each other, but they both sure liked this place to hide.
And then I looked back at the larger Brown Tree Frog (below) … looks to me like that spider is about to become a bite of supper for that frog.
I didn’t hang around to watch the frog shenanigans. It was time to feed Shadow the cat.
I went indoors, prepped his supper. Then took a tour of the house to find him. Here he is on “his” bed in the master bedroom. It’s awfully nice that he allows them to sleep there too when they’re home.
Isn’t he gorgeous? (click on photos to enlarge them)
So, even though I didn’t take any more camping trips in 2023, I still found fun and adventures and joy in my life. I’ll share more interesting things from 2023 here too. And in a few weeks, I’ll start posting my 2024 camping trips. Stay tuned! Cuddle up with your pets, and other folks whom you love, ok maybe not the frogs. 🙂
Sorry about the water leak, sounds horrid. But I love the views from that home, and the frogs (well, maybe not so much the frogs). Shadow’s a beauty.
Yep, maybe not so much the frogs. 🙂 But Shadow is a beauty indeed.
Gorgeous pond/reed photos. Frogs are kinda weird aren’t they? But your photos of them are super. Shadow is handsome!
I’ve never loved frogs, Lori, but some how I kinda like them now. 🙂
I love the frogs! Don’t you be disparaging frogs! 🙂 These two are gorgeous. And yes the two are likely Brown Tree and Green Tree frogs. Frogs can squish themselves into tiny slits of things in order to get in out of heat and sun, and into a cooler place. I bet that’s what they did here. Golf, blah! I love frogs. 🙂
Ha! Ok Judy, I won’t disparage frogs. Actually, I liked that they were there and that they let me take their photos. They are truly beautiful, no joking. Interesting about their being able to tiny themselves up in order to get into spaces where they would be cooler, out of the sun and heat. I suspect that’s exactly what they did here. Poop on golf, I love frogs too. 🙂
Fun stuff. Not so much your home’s water leak. But the frogs were cool and the cat is great. Hope that brown frog had a nice bite of lunch. 🙂
Wish I’d watched long enough to find out if that brown frog snagged that spider for a bit of lunch. I bet so. 🙂
So much of your blog is about water, being on the water, around water, even water inside your home — maybe not that you wanted water in your home! But I’d bet you are a water sign by birth. Such people are often more attuned, than most of the rest of us, to beings other than themselves. Hence you often find eagles, and notice when you don’t. Most people are stunned when they DO see an eagle, you are surprised when you don’t. You are compassionate and kind and loyal, it shows in how you write, how you see the world. I rather like that the water was in your home. And that the damage was repaired yes. But I like that. And of course you see frogs up close, and cats love you. If you come to Makah, please let me know.
Thank you Mary! Nice words. Indeed, I am a Cancer sun sign, water sign.
In fact, I had already looked at the weather in October, thinking about a camping trip up to Neah Bay and Makah land. But the weather doesn’t seem cooperative, rain and cold. I’d love to stay out at Hobuck Beach, right on the ocean, but they don’t take reservations and it’s a LONG drive for me. I don’t mind the rain and cold … in fact an ocean storm would be very welcome! But it would be troubling to arrive there and not find a spot. But I’ll keep on checking, and calling the Hobuck people.
Your words are encouraging. Even your thought about the water being in my home. I rethink that now. Thank you!
Spectacular photos. Love it all. 🙂
Thanks Ruby. 🙂
Great frog photos. Handsome cat. Your friends’ home has a super “back yard”. 🙂
Ha, yes, their “back yard” indeed. 🙂
Oh, water ingress! I had a similar thing happen at the home I owned a few years ago. The water main burst underground in the property uphill from me. The water was forced into MY home, not theirs, flooded my home. Drywall, door frames, flooring, baseboard … all had to be replaced. And then there were the insurance companies to deal with and, in the end, attorneys and the threat of a lawsuit before my contractors got paid by the neighbor’s insurance company. What should have taken a few weeks took five months. Sounds like your deal is done, fixed, and you are back in your home. I hope so!! And I sure can relate.
Life is way better when you get back to taking photos of frogs and cats. 🙂
Yikes, yes, sounds similar to mine, not exactly but similar for sure. Including attorneys and such. I just don’t understand why people don’t do the right thing, without threat of a lawsuit. Sigh. I’m glad your place got taken care of. Mine too, though there is still one niggling issue of the insurance deductible in my case. I can still file a lawsuit, but I’d sure rather not. But at least my house is all fixed up snazzy. 🙂 And I’m back in the house cozy and safe.
Yes, life is better when all one needs to do is take photos of frogs and cats. 🙂
I really like that water hazard, the reeds, the water. Never seen such so pretty on a golf course. Still play a bit of golf, used to play a lot of golf.
That water hazard really is as pretty as the photos show it. My friends, the home owners, actually help maintain it … not that they should have to, but they like the view, so they help. I really like that they do that. Shouldn’t we all help wherever we can with whatever we can? 🙂
Here’s to another amazing drive, chip, and putt … up and in. Thanks Joe.
New reader here. Found you through friends who read LC. What a fun looking blog. I’m reading from the beginning. Frogs and cats and horses and eagles and camping and other great stuff. And great photos! Thank you.
Hello Eileen! Welcome. 🙂 Indeed, lots of readers here are LC readers, or friends of LC readers. Join the crowd. As well, lots of readers here are friends of mine from my decades of boating days, mostly old wood boats. Others here are from a church I used to attend. Others are relatives. Others are neighbors and very good friends in the community where I now live. Others are just really old friends … ok maybe long-time friends would be a better description. 🙂 And there are a whole bunch of folks who read along here who found my blog whatever way they did, and like it, blessing me/us with their comments and presence.
So just read along if that’s your preference, Eileen. And yet comments are always welcome and appreciated. I love comments. Thanks for riding along. 🙂
I love this blog post so much I could just croak, ribbit! 🙂
LOL!!! Thanks Bill. Made my day. 🙂