We chose Kingston as our destination, eagerly anticipating lunch at Axe Handle Cafe. We set off from Shilshole at high tide and admired the brightly-colored spinnakers from the boats participating in the Snowbird race series. A day that lovely screamed for a fleet of boats on the water. I called a friendly hello to a gull in the water, who screeched back at me. We raced another boat, Pendragon (two sailboats in the water is always a race), though they got further and further behind. We sipped Digest tea from the Harbor Herbalist from my battered steel grey thermos (more for the flavor than for any digestive properties). After about 2.5 hours of tacking, we made it to the marina at 3 p.m., where the dock had a thin layer of frost as we stepped down to moor Rock Lobster. The ferry Spokane from Edmonds had just arrived, so we were glad not to be dining at J'aime les Crepes (most of their seating is outdoors and a cold-fingered Kristin is not a happy one). Soup and sandwich combos were just what the doctor ordered. Just one round of Boggle this time, as it was getting close to sunset.
The dock was lit up by bright Seahawks-colored lights, as we hurried to leave. We noticed Pendragon at the dock - we really had been headed to the same destination, never a certainty in a pretend race. The return trip was downwind, just the way I like it, wind at our backs instead of our faces. A seal poked its head out of the Sound to bid us farewell, as we sailed off into the red sunset of night, truly a sailor's delight. The red and green lights of our bow reflected off the circus spinnaker, lending an eerie glow to the evening.The stars shone brightly as we gazed up to the windlass, monitoring the curl of the sail. The fickle wind picked up, then rested as the sail fought Trent for control. After about 1.5 hours, we were back at Shilshole, fingers numb, barely able to fasten the halyard shackle to the boom and tie the fenders to the deck, though somehow we ended up with our best docking experience in recent memory.
After such a momentous day, I initially suggested heating up a Costco frozen lasagna for dinner, but decided that something homemade would be more gemütlich, so Trent accompanied me to QFC to pick up dinner supplies. I had a list at home, but was certain I could remember everything for two meals - Chicken Biryani and Chorizo Mac and Cheese - without too much difficulty. Chorizo, skinless/boneless chicken thighs, Monterey Jack cheese, and two serrano peppers.
We arrived home, only to find that the serranos had been left behind. Sigh. I wonder how many times a store can sell the same jalapeno or ginger or garlic that is left in a basket or on the counter. We decided that for 4 cents we could wait until the next day to worry about getting more, since we were both tired out from the journey. So Chorizo Mac and Cheese it would be. Of course, as I looked more carefully at the recipe, I realized that I had just used up nearly all of the milk it called for and that it actually called for pepper jack cheese instead of the normal variety. Ah well, the cheese would have to do, as would the cream that I substituted for the milk, making for a thick and rich, but definitely not heart-healthy, sauce. It was a cozy, comfortable end to a chilly and exhilarating day.
How did you spend your weekend?
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