Out & About

Aside from watching three movies and reading, my big activity in Centralia this trip was taking a long walk on Saturday morning.  I walked Main Street until it turned into Harrison Street and took me to Fort Borst Park.  Here’s what I saw:

Given my upbringing, it was inevitable that the next work that came to mind after reading that sign was “Footloose“.

I was interested that this business was wholly outside. The garage to the right was rented to another business.

I also loved their muffler man.

Too many flutes at the pawn shop.

Typical setup.  Planned Parenthood on one side of the street, anti-abortion organization on the other.

Someone had placed a scrap wood bench in front of their house.

Crossing the Skookumchuck River.

Hoo-boy did I love this sign.  Clearly, at one time the Panda Inn was a different kind of establishment.

A “lady” tending her crop outside the Country  Cousin restaurant.

The Historic Fort Borst Blockhouse, which was originally built for protection, but actually used to store grain.  Later Mr. Borst bought it and it was used as a house while the Borst house was being built.  That’s when the windows were cut in.

Fort Borst Park has a lot going on.  I took the one mile trail around the park.

No one was fishing when I walked by.

Here is the historic Borst House.  It was not open for tours when I wandered by.

The Borsts had a lot of dead children.

This Oregonian grumblingly questions if the trail in Washington is really the Oregon Trail.

Another picture of the Borst house.

Master Gardeners! It’s always good to come across a demonstration garden.

There was also a one-room replica schoolhouse.  

So many things to do at Fort Borst Park.  The “Pioneer Soccer Fields” name cracked me up.  Those pioneers were big soccer players.  Or maybe they are fields honoring early soccer players?

I loved this brochure rack of information available to all.

Some of the brochures were a little worse for wear, but still imparting important information.

There was a swim center in the park.  And attached to the swim center was a…miniature golf course?

Look what’s coming soon at the miniature golf theater.

On my way back I stopped at the Goodwill.

I was blown away by their Halloween display, including Look Book.

You could also have a costume match up.  My match up?  Ghostly Lumberjack.  I like the May 23 choice:  Evil Hero.

I found a mini keyboard to bring along to the ukulele sing alongs I occasionally attend.  I loved the design, including the tape player that looks like a CD player.  Sadly, this keyboard is not in tune. The C is actually an A#, so back to the Goodwill (in Portland) it went, to delight another.  It cost me $4.00, so I wasn’t terribly broken up.

I spent some time reading in the Centralia Library and really liked this reading recommendation flow chart.

I had a weekend retreat in Centralia, Washington, at the same site of a previous vacation.  Like that vacation, I traveled by train.  It was a good train riding experience.  When I checked in, the ticket agent said, “Your train is two hours late.” I knew this already, having looked online.  Then she said.  “Do you want me to see if I can get you on the train that’s coming in about 15 minutes?” The answer to that question was yes, I did.  She could, so off I went on the earlier train, that was arriving later than my departure time.  (I would love it if the US really put money into rail travel.)

I arrived in Centralia, walked the two blocks to the Olympic Club Hotel, checked in, dropped off my things and headed downstairs for a free movie (which is one of the perks.  No soaking pool, though.)

Here is my room.  At this hotel several of the rooms have only skylights, not windows.  It was cozy.

A view of the skylight.  If I had a project to finish and needed to get away to do so, I would come here and stay in one of these rooms.  They are very focusing.