It’s never fun to be sick. In the last month, all four of us were down: Alki, my Cavalier boy, with a serious infection that required multiple rounds of antibiotics and herbal support and acpuncture; Grace the Cat, with an upset stomach; and me with repeated rounds of bronchitis and an unexpected trip to the ER (well, are those kinds of things ever expected?).
Nevertheless, we always find something to enjoy, even if it’s dessert. Especially when we live at the beach.
I grumble about it being cold on Alki. Really, Alki Beach has to be the coldest spot in Puget Sound, at least our end of it, which gets the wind from north and south, and it’s always cool, if not downright frigid. But I live here because I need to be by the ocean. I love the smell, the sounds, the sights. Sea lions are cool, bald eagles awesome, and whales, well, most of us agree we live here because sometimes we get to see whales. Or orcas.
We got lucky and saw them twice in a week. The first time, Alki and I stood watching dozens of orcas in the distance. I asked the orcas, “Can’t you come over to this side of the Sound, so I can see you better?”
One orca said, “The fish are running here.”
“How about tomorrow, same time, closer?” I bargained.
“Okay!” the orca yelled, and then shouted, “Yay!” just as it breached.
Okay, I was thrilled. The orcas also weren’t there the next day (too busy elsewhere, they said). But they were back shortly afterwards. Thanks to my neighbor, Gary Jones, I have pictures to share with you.
Enjoy!
© 2012 Robyn M Fritz
photos © 2012 Gary R Jones
