In Search of Ice Cream

 Few things will sum up the past two years of our lives better than this story.

Last weekend was one of those lingering summer weekends.  We didn't have plans, for once, other than a visit to the father-in-law.

After our visit, we both commented that it felt odd not to have something looming above us needing to be done.  I mentioned that it felt like too nice of a day to just head home.  This started the never-ceasing-in-a-marriage "Where do you want to go?" conversation.

Something in my head said "Ice Cream"  I phrase it like that because I'm not a big fan of ice cream.  I mean, it's not terrible.  It's just not my favorite.  It IS Kevin's favorite though.  So he readily agreed.

There is a big farm stand/ice cream shop/tourist place out on an island that is known for good ice cream.  This island has bridges to cross and is accessible two ways, both rurally.  The closest route is about fifteen...maybe twenty minutes away heading south.

That was the plan, until we go down the big hill from the hospital and spot two things: the freeway is at a near standstill and there is a freight train going through town.  (you have to love small towns)  We discussed it and decided to go through town, once the train was through, and take the backroads.

Then we sat in traffic.  Because train and freeway, that section of town was a mess.  It was safe to say that when we arrived to the even smaller town where the bridge to the island was, it would probably also be a mess. Because that is where the train is heading and  that is the direction of the slow traffic.

Instead of just going home or finding ice cream elsewhere, we decided to take the other route.  This includes going through miles of farmland and way out of the way.   But: ice cream.

Finally we arrive and the parking lot is full.  FULL.  Because it's a nice Saturday afternoon at the end of summer.  Not to be daunted, we parked then walked to the ice cream portion of the farmers market. 

The line ran outside and circled along the building.  It would be every bit of a twenty minute wait and then no where to sit.  Sidenote: eating in the car is one of my least favorite activities.  Also, we're both feral when it comes to crowds now AND we're again trying to lessen our exposure so we don't put anyone at risk visiting Dad.

After petting a dog and taking a family photo for strangers, we reluctantly and frustratedly returned to the car.  The option for ice cream is now a Dairy Queen or an ice cream shop way back where we began when we decided ice cream was a good idea.  Except, there was one other option.  In a whole other town, an additional 15-20 minutes away, west. Further away from home.

We discussed that maybe ice cream wasn't an option for us and we headed back home.

We decided to cut across farm land to go home versus backtrack into town and get on the freeway.  At the intersection of the highway and the farmland, Kevin actually said "Eff it. I want ice cream. I'm getting ice cream." and turned on his turn signal.

I just laughed because this is ridiculous and right on par for how everything was going this year.

We traveled on the highway, going over a big bridge because this town is also technically an island, and went through town along the water.  The ice cream shop is way at the end of this town, near a marina and the street dead-ends a block away.

And it was closed.  Of course it was.  The interwebs said it was open but the locked door, closed sign, and no lights would indicate otherwise. 

Now we're in a whole other town.  There is not even a Dairy Queen.  I searched "ice cream near me" and it said that there was an ice cream shop at the opposite end of town.  This is where I say that I'm terrible at reading maps. My brain really struggles with that processing and in my jumbled brain, I didn't think to click "Directions" instead of "Navigation".  The nav app stated it was 13 minutes away, which didn't make sense to me.  This is a five minute town, end to end. But Kevin started driving back out of town so that maybe the map would reroute and give us a better idea.

Yeah, so about that.  This other ice cream shop was on Another Highway further West, and nearly onto Another Island & County.  At this point, we came to our senses and said "Maybe ice cream is not in the cards for us but like, for real" paired with "HOW HARD IS IT TO FIND ICE CREAM"

Finally Kevin asks where the nearest McDonald's is, he would just get ice cream there.  The likelihood of that was low but he was IN IT now.  As we were waiting at a stoplight, I'm trying to think of any alternative to fast food.  There was a grocery store next to us and I said we could go into there and buy ice cream.  "That is not the point. That is not the ice cream we're looking for." he says.

I said only in my head: "These are not the droids you are looking for" because while that's funny to me - a nerd - it would be lost on Kevin who has never watched Star Wars.

Years ago there used to be an A&W drive-in, like in the 1900's but it was completely closed now.  Looking right, I noticed we were next to a coffee stand. Because: of course, we're in the Pacific NW. I said "There's a coffee stand right there and they almost always have shakes..."  After a tiny muttering of wanting ICE CREAM, NOT SHAKES, he turned at the light.

We pulled into the driveway and of course there was a wait.  The person ahead of us only bought two drinks but it took forever.  This was not boding well for us. We persevered and finally it was our turn.  Kevin announces that he wanted ice cream but the ice cream shop was closed and does she have ice cream. All in one breath.  The barista laughed and was puzzled that the shop was closed. "It's a Saturday!  The Farmer's Market was this morning!"  "I KNOW RIGHT!?!?!" Kevin replied at medium-to-high volume with an accompanying throwing of hands.

Finally, Kevin gets a strawberry shake and I get a blended mocha.  A win for me and a half-hearted victory for Kevin.  We could have just gone home and stopped at our friend's coffee stand for this. And it wasn't until days later that I realized that we should have checked to see if the ice cream place was just temporarily closed.  Like they just ran to the store or whatever.  

But then we wouldn't have had an adventure and a break from reality.

Ice Cream Shop...closed
This was from a different trip...I was actually working on this day