Sunday, May 30, 2004

Memorial Day

ADR-1 Wilton W. Brett USN



Joined the US NAvy August 15, 1941--Retired April 1964

Saturday, May 29, 2004

Saturday in a small town...

Today was the 19th annual Coupeville Memorial Parade. Bob and I went down to watch it...And once again it was stellar. I took 50 pictures, a few will be posted here. I started off with the Color guard from the base...Mind you the base has a lot of requests at this time of year, so we got the left overs...



Then came Joe Biller the chief of Central Whidbey Fire and Rescue District five. He bought and restored this fire engine, and drives it in all the parades.



then he was followed by the rest of the town the garden club, the lions Club, the Basset Hound Club, the Boy Scouts, The High School Band and the Farmers with their tractors







and then the one and only police car. The fire trucks, and the Bus, and the CO of the Base and The Car Clubs all entered also.

our town is so small that they just don't think about blocking traffic during the parade, so the whole time all of these entries are driving DOWN the street, the Tourists are driving UP the street wondering what in the heck is going on. I almost peed my pants laughing. Finally they pull over and just wait for the next break in the parade to continue their drive up the street. We waved at them all, and the looks on their faces were priceless.

there is something comforting about living in a town that is so small that you know everybody and everybody knows you. You laugh and joke and yell at the people in the parade and they holler back. FUN. Of course since we are so close to the Base, the majority of our older men are retired Military, and they were all there in their legion hats and their mason hats and their blazers and ribbons. There are getting to be fewer and fewer of them every year.

From the parade, we went over to the campground where Phyllis was camping with her group and sat there for almost three hours telling stories, laughing and watching the squirrels run around the campfire picking up peanuts and scurrying them away. We tossed them big marshmallows too and what a hoot that was. 5 squirrels on a sugar high all screeching and begging for more, running up our pant legs and on to the picnic table. Those Lola's were a lot more aggressive than my Lola's are.

Bed time now, good book calling and Son asleep on the couch...

Friday, May 28, 2004

A rose is a Rose

With our extremely dry spring and all of our sunshine, the roses are prettier than they have ever been. They are blooming like crazy! and no mildew or black spot yet.

This is an unnamed rose, only because it looks like a Chicago Peace rose, and I did not plant one there. My renters may have, but they removed the tag. IDIOTS.



I have a Princess Diana, and a Tropicana, and a Black Beauty, then a David Austin Gertrude Breuner which is AWESOME! So many roses that it is now laying on the ground because the blossoms got wet. It has a strong old rose scent and perfumes the whole yard. But the one above has me stumped. I guess I could pretend it is a Chicago Peace because it looks like it so much, and I love them. They have a neon quality to their color that far surpasses the regular Peace rose in it's coloration.

Roses just do not do awfully well here without a lot of chemical help, because it is so wet. They are very prone to black spot and mildew. Aphids are not too much of a problem because we have a ton of Lady bugs who keep them down.

The Nootka, or Wild rose grows very well, as do any of the Rugosa shrub roses, but they bloom and then go away. Hybrid teas and Floribundas flower all summer with lots of Fungicides and fertilizer. Lots of Steer manure too.

whats in a Name/

stolen from Leslie GRRL IN A BOX

MMisunderstood
AAwesome
RRespectable
YYum
LLegendary
OOrderly
UUnusual

Name / Username:


Name Acronym Generator
From Go-Quiz.com

oldies

Some of the artists from the 60's are re-releasing their hits with new
lyrics to accommodate us Baby Boomers... good news, for those feeling a
little older and missing those great old tunes...

Herman's Hermits - "Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Walker"
Bobby Darin - "Splish, Splash, I Was Havin' A Flash"
The Temptations - "Papa's Got A Kidney Stone"
Marvin Gaye - "I Heard It through the Grape Nuts"
Procol Harem - "A Whiter Shade of Hair"
Johnny Nash - "I Can't See Clearly Now"
Paul Simon - "Fifty Ways to Lose Your Liver"
Leo Sayer - "You Make Me Feel like Napping"
ABBA - "Denture Queen"
Roberta Flack - "The First Time Ever I Forgot Your Face"
Commodores - "Once, Twice, Three Times to the Bathroom"
The Bee Gees - "How Can You Mend a Broken Hip"
Ringo Starr - "I Get By With A Little Help from Depends"

(Gosh, this makes me feel old!!)

Thursday, May 27, 2004

And More rain...

And even more rain...in fact it rained so very hard this afternoon that the playhouse manager and I thought that the water was going to run off the parking lot, and come right over the door jamb and flow down the stairs into the old church basement where the lobby to the theater is located. I smartly asked...Where do we keep the sandbags, and She laughed. Only ever needed them once before, but by then it was too late. We watched it and it finally abated.

The storm generated two tornadoes in Western Washington, which is extremely RARE. Even 1 tornado is rare, in a year, but two in one day and three in this month are unheard of!! Our tornadoes, usually just rip up trees and lift roofs off of barns, that's all. ANd that is all they did do today. No one hurt, no one killed, no animals injured, just a loose metal barn roof gone. It was on the ground no more than 1 minute and then it was gone.

Our weather is getting stranger and stranger...Heat, no snow, no rain, lots of flowers; This isn't a typical Spring here at all. THe jet stream is hanging way down out of British Columbia, and cutting down into Oregon and Idaho before it starts to head back North. Look out all you Albertans! Heading your way.

I watched a clip on a talk show today about the new movie THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW which is supposed to be the best action packed disaster movie ever made. Graphics never before seen etc. All about the weird weather patterns and the cause and effect of them on the human race. OHHHHH I cant wait to see it. I love those kind of movies. I HATE horror flicks and the supernatural but I LOVe the disaster movies. DEEP IMPACT was soooo cool!!!

Thunderstorms are predicted through the rest of the week and then it should clear up just after the weekend.

Tim is doing ok. So far no fights between siblings. Chemystery is going home to her husband for the weekend, so TIm can have her room and some privacy for awhile. He is sleeping on the sofa right now, and appears to be comfortable. I just want so much for him to be safe and warm and secure and fed. I guess as a mother you never outgrow wanting to mother your children. I have learned during this past year with Chemystery though that it aint the same. I do expect them to give me the courtesy of telling me how long they are going to be gone, and so forth, because I worry. But I can't control what they do away from here. I raised them right, and the choices they now make are their own choices, and there is nothing I can do about that, but sometimes when you see them reaching for the hot stove, you want to slap their hand and tell them NO! HOT! Hurt the BABY! He is 6'5 weighs 235, is 32 years old, I somehow think I would be the one losing that battle...but Oh how hard it is to let them.

Wednesday, May 26, 2004

Errant Son...

I "get" to pick TIm up from the ferry landing today, and get him to the surgeon in Anacortes. The results of his MRI came back...he has a giant hematoma on his hip and flank, and he needs to get it drained off, so he can heal easier.

He is sore, and cant work yet. so Needless to say he is broke, hungry and homeless. AND the lawyer he had lined up told him that he was too busy to take his case, now so he has to find another personal injury lawyer to persue this case. He has medical bills, and lost wages, and court costs to pay, and he is in hurt city!

Poor Kid. He SAID he was gonna come home for a few days. I certainly hope he does. I will feel better knowing he is safe and comfortable, and fed. I would love for him to get a second start on life and do it right this time. He is a good young man with a heart of gold, just has had some really bad breaks in the past 12 years. He needs a fresh start.

I hope this new lawyer will be able to help him out. I wish I knew a good lawyer.

RAIN!

I woke up this morning late, and ran to get dressed. I was to meet Phyllis in town by 11:30 and it was 1030 now. I did not have time to blogwalk at all. GRRR that always sets my morning off wrong. I do not like sleeping late either, although I must have needed it.

As I was driving in to Oak Harbor, I saw split-splot drops on the windsheild. THe sky was a hazy filtered sunshine, so I did not think anything of it. I met Phyllis and off we went to Mt Vernon to the Mall and Costco. (SHE wouldnt let me get my SEE"S bon-bons!!) Left the Mall empty handed because Phyllis was crashing and we both needed to eat something. Appleby's was the closest, so we stopped there for Lunch. We both had a cowboy burger and asked for it not to be well done. It was without a doubt, THE BEST hamburger I have had in years! it was juicy, flavorful, filling, and just plain old GOOD!! AHHHHHHH nothing like a good rare piece of cow!

Costco was next where I blew my budget on books. I should KNOW not to go down that aisle. I got the next three books in the #1 LADIES DETECTIVE AGENCY Series. Fairy ABS got me started on it, and it is well worth the read.

Leaving Costco, I noticed that in Mt Vernon it was getting muggier and cloudier. By the time we were back on the Island, it was spitting again, and by the time I got home, it was raining. I LOVE A GOOD RAIN!

THere is nothing more relaxing to me than a good hard rain. The Fresh smell of GREEN coming in the windows, and the splash of wet popping through the screens onto my face. I do Love it! It rained, and rained, and is raining still! We need it so badly. We are 2/3rds down from where we should be by this time of the year. I laid down across the bed looking out the window at the feeder and Sadie was laying on my back looking too.

Lola and the doves were sitting in the feeder munching away in the pouring rain, and Sadie is just a quivering on my back. SHe wanted those critters bad!! whining and quivering. I was hushing her and she was good, but dern she wanted to dive right through the screen after them.

As I sat in the bedroom watching TV while Donna had control of the keyboard, I heard the fog horns way off down the sound. The sun had gone down and the birds had stopped chirpping and you could hear the ships on the water. their fog horns BOOOP BOOOOOOOPing
in answer to the one at Admiralty Head, and Ft Flagler. Beep! BOOOP BOOOP!

Beep! Boop Boop! It was so peaceful hearing the horns. When I was a child I lived where I could hear 4 distinct sets of horns all on their cycles, and when it was foggy and still, I would lay there in my bed listening to the horns beep their warnings to the ships on the Straight. It was so calming then...it is still...

Beep! Boop Boop! Beep! BOOP BOOP!

Tuesday, May 25, 2004

Here I am!

For those of you who have had a problem getting to my site...I'm sorry! It wasn't me. It was something in the air I think. Another blogger told kimmotion that if you leave the www off the URL that it worked. I left it on this afternoon and it worked fine on all of you. I did a quick blogwalk, and tried to hit all of you just to see if you would come up and with the exception of the really slow loaders you all did fine. The problems I had today was with haloscan. It let me open the comments but then it wouldn't close. All seems to be fine now. Yesterday and Sunday I had a devil of a time getting through to any of you. I thought it was my computer, And thought I had someone besides Phyllis piggybacking on me.

How can you tell if some one is stealing your bandwidth? Where does it show up? I go through an off-site server who has hundreds of accounts. I know that I am given 10 MB of space to post photos on, and I delete photos when My archives are over two months old, and I seem to be ok with GALAXYNET.COM Hmmmmmm

I will post a lengthier post later this evening after Chemystery has had a chance to get on and do her thing. I'm on her time now and feel the eyes burning through the back of my head.

Ah to be rich and have an extra phone line and another computer! Alas It is just poor ol' broke me with one phone line, a 56k dial-up account, and a Sony viao PCV-RX580 'puter. SIGH!!!

Sunday, May 23, 2004

Voices from the past...

While going through an old box of pictures, I found this book. It is a book of sayings, poems, and quotes that my Mother liked. She was always writing things down. I thought it was kind of prophetic considering the state of the world right now.

WHEN

When the roar of the bursting bombs has ceased,
When the world from fear has been released,
When the imposing might of allied arms
Delivers the world from brutal harms---
Will there then be peace?

When the hum of the airplane is no more feared,
When the pledge of the Statesman can be revered,
When the ships and men are once more free
to ply the waters of ocean and sea---
Will there then be peace?

When the blacked-out cities turn on their lights,
When nations recognize human rights,
When men make plowshares of their swords,
to free humanity and the starving hoards---
Will there then be peace?

When silence the whiz of shot and shell,
When ended the horror of battle hell,
When Lads and Lassies come back home
And never more the old world roam---
Will there then be peace?

When Banished hate and ruled by love,
When all men serve their God above,
When men serve the common brotherhood
Forgetting self for their neighbors good---
THEN there will be Peace?

Chaplain Charles E. Lunn
U.S.Navy
Honolulu, T.H.
March 4, 1945


As you can tell by the date, this was written during WWII, I have no idea how my mother found it, but it was written in the Territory of Hawaii, and at the time my mother was a young Navy Wife in San Diego. She wrote quotes and poems in all kinds of tablets and books, She was such a literary fan. I am glad I found this poem. I wish I knew more about the man that wrote it, and where he is now, and how it became a part of my Mother's writings.

Some things you will just never know.

HMMMMM

Found this over at Wanda's place...thought Id give it a go. It really fits!!!


You are Psalms
You are Psalms.


Which book of the Bible are you?
brought to you by Quizilla


I am very Spiritual...I just dont know which direction it takes. I beleive in GOD just not really sure which Prophet I should follow...if Any! I have a good relationship with my God, and we talk daily. He does talk back too. How fitting that it is a book from the Old Testement that I am.

Friday, May 21, 2004

My TURN!!!

Yay, I get my computer back for a few minutes! I stuck my head in the door and asked if I could have it for a few minutes. I interrupted a video chat with a really cute guy. I told her I would keep talking to him and he'd never know. She laughed and disconnected. Now how fair is that? She HAS a husband, so I think she should let me talk to the cute ones too. Don't you?

It rained today!! Not much just a drizzle, but enough to keep the bugs at bay. I did not see any but dead ones this afternoon. One could only hope!! George and Gracie were talking loudly to each other this morning, George was wanting Gracie to get back here, and Gracie wasn't having any of it.



I can hardly wait until the babies hatch! They run after their mom and dad so fast, My Father used to call them little bumble bees. A clutch of about 15-20 all fluttering in a line while Dad leads the way and Mom putts behind. I love watching them and listening to their calls in the woods. I hope they are eating caterpillars!

Lola, Rita and Sal were out today, and chattering at each other loudly, which woke Sadie up. When she wakes up she has to go out NOW, so I had to let her, and she ran right over and almost caught Lola!! So now there are three lolls sitting on different parts of the fence chattering loudly at Sadie, and Sadie barking like all get out at them.

the rain felt really good though. Even though it was not much, it was enough to give the lawn hope that it will survive. You can almost hear the alders globing in the moisture.

I am so disgusted with JAG!!! Tonight they left a cliff hanger...And I hope it is just until next week, instead of next season. I really like that show!! And West Wing!

Thunderstorms predicted tomorrow. WHoo-hoo I would LOVE a drenching downpour with lots of wind from the west and a nice cold chill to it. Make it really feel like Spring in the Pacific Northwest. It's been like summer and that is soooooo unusual.
If this keeps up, more and more Californians will find their way up here with their pockets full of money from selling their tiny 2 bedroom cottages for 350k and finding out they can buy a 4500 SF house with a view for what they have in their pockets! We call our real estate market CALIFORNICATED!! (no offense Heather)
---------------------------------------------------------------
THIS JUST IN!


Some sad news to report, with all the sadness and trauma going on in
the world at the moment, it is worth reflecting on the death of a very
important person which almost went unnoticed last week. Larry La Prise,
the man who wrote "The Hokey Pokey" died peacefully at age 93. The
most traumatic part for his family was getting him into the coffin. They
put his left leg in......and then the trouble began.



CHOCOLATE!!!!!

I was gonna sit down here and wright a nice lengthy blog, but Chemystery just got home, and she hovers if I dont get off and let her comput for a few hours. I have all day she has the evening.

I went to see TROY tonite. UMMMMMM UMMMMMM!!!! All that Brad Pitt skin in a short leather skirt and vest. and there was this older young man rugged and BUILT! but I have no clue what his name was. He was aggememnon's Soldier, and go between between achilles and aggememnon. OH YUM!!!!! GOOD FLICK!!! You men would like all the blood and fighting, and all you women would like the skin!

I gotta go...

I NEED SOME CHOCOLATE REALLY BAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thursday, May 20, 2004

This is what they built across the street


Wonderful View Home
1116 Dewey Drive, Cpvl
. 2Bedrooms + Den, 3 Full Baths . All Tile Kitchen w/Pantry
. Family Room Downstairs
. Large 2 Car Garage w/Work Shop Area
. Beautiful Cabinets Built-In Micro. Community Pool & Beach Club
. Skylights, Vaulted Ceilings
. Awesome Salmon Fishing & Beach

$194,000 NWMLS #24048278

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Becky Jones 360-675-5915 Cell 360-929-0101 32895 SR 20 Oak Harbor, WA 98277


Now mind you I live on the last street back, and had a super view of the olympics and the straight of Juan de Fuca. I paid 97500 for my 1400 SF house 11 years ago. It was assessed as 135000 now before they built. SO they get my view, and they charge a honking big price for that view, which in turn makes MY property taxes go up, and MY VIEW GO AWAY!!!! Dont you love how they advertised it?

I wonder if caterpillars eat new siding? Hmmmmmmmmmmm

Their best "green" advice is to let Mother Nature take her course. Those caterpillars will be all gone in three weeks.

Please tell me it isn't so!!! I sprayed out back, and it killed all the ones I sprayed. Then yesterday I sprayed out front, and it killed all the ones I sprayed. Now they are migrating in from the woods, and are all over the backyard again! It is really getting to me. All the articles I have read said that they will continue to migrate in from the woods until their cocoons are all spun. THEN the moths will hatch! I remember the moths from last year being really thick! You could not go out the door without almost swallowing one. I had no idea these were the result of the damned caterpillars, or rather the caterpillars were the result of the damned moths.

My grass is wriggling with the things, I so want to get out and plant, but I ain't sitting on that grass!! I can just see on of them or a few hundred of them crawling up my pant legs!! I would be jumping up and stripping right there in the yard. That would really set the neighbors off! I can see the headlines in the weekly newspaper now. Wild raging woman strips in full view of neighbors while screaming DIE BASTARDS! DIE!! Since it is always a slow news day around here, I would probably even make the nightly news on KING5!

They are getting to me! I dream about the BASTARDS! I fear going to the mailbox! I dread opening either door for fear one of them will fall on me. I run hop skip jumping into the car, slam the door, and then frantically look to make sure none followed me in. I would hate to be driving down Highway 20 at 60 MPH, and find a few of them crawling up my legs and then trying to stomp them off while hitting the gas pedal and then the brake. The gas pedal and the brake, the gas pedal the brake the.......... CRUNCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Headlines now read...Woman hits telephone pole while fighting killer caterpillars!!

Wednesday, May 19, 2004

It's Michelles fault!

If I did not get around to your site today it is because first I got waylaid by THE G-SPOT, I should learn to go to her site LAST, cause I always Get stopped there. I do not know where she finds all this stuff but I must have played with the farting Nun Organ for an hour. WHat a hoot!!

THen I put some short ribs on to braise. I can not believe I have never cooked those before! I did some last week and they were sooo good. SO tonite I made some more and they were even better! I was gonna grill them at the end, but they were already falling off the bone, so I just served them with the sauce over rice. YUMMY! I paid a whopping 1.47 american dollars for a package of them, so I bought 4 packs. Now I have enough for DOnnas lunch and tomorrows dinner.

Has anyone seen TROY yet? Just wondering if it is any good or not. Im gonna go see it next Friday afternoon.

Next I sat down here to finish blogwalking and I went to Windspirit site and she was oooh ing and ahhhhh ing over her site counter and how great it was. Since mine does not show but 10 people, I went over to look at hers. Of course it is way cool and I had to install it. So we shall see how it goes. I can always delete it.

I just noticed that blogger has photoblogging too, has anyone tried that yet? That may be the way to go. Phyllis piggy-backs off my FTP so when she needs to post a picture, It uses up some of my 10mb of space. I may switch her over to that.

Killed the EVIL BASTARDS our front today, and now they are marching over the top of the fence out back. Tomorrow I buy a 100 foot hose and more Malithion and kill again. AS if that wasn't enough, the spider eggs are hatching too, tons of itty bitty tiny spiders are crawling all over the side of the house. DAMN!! I need a good exterminator!!! I hate bugs crawling, and Sadie has brought fleas into the house!!! AARRGGGHHHH!! i have not had fleas in years. TIme to spray the yard, under the house, the dog, the cats, the carpet, and then take off for a week so the house can air out. Gotta blame this on the weather...never happened like this before. I think Bea is the only one not infested. Lucky Bunny!!

I can not believe they left West Wing go through the summer with DOnna in the emergency surgery and Josh looking in wondering if she will survive!!! Arrrgh! 4 long months to wait.

Well I have 15 more minutes to blogwalk today, so I may make it to your place yet. See ya...

Tuesday, May 18, 2004

Tuesday Trashings...

I have been busy all day today, got a little blogwalking done, but not as much as I usually do.

I met with Rusty the President of the Board of DIrectors at the Playhouse. I am also going to be producing with her this year. Then I had to go copy some scripts, so we could write all over them for blocking and tech purposes. Did a few errands around town, and got back home around 500. The Caterpillars are almost gone in the back, there are still some in the very back, towards the woods, where the sprayer would not reach, and I have not yet hit the front yard with the Poisin. I have Never in all the years of living here seen them this bad. I have heard they get bad, but never seen them. SO to answer all of your questions, No Brian, and Blogeois, I wont send them your way, I would not wish that on any friends. Anacortes is safe, so this weekend should be fun for you.

From what I gather, they are so bad becasue the weather has been so dry, for two springs now, we have had hot, dry weather, where it is usually wet and cool. The alder trees out back take the brunt of the infestation, but this year they decided that the fruit trees were the thing to eat, and that is when they just migrated over to the house. (SHUDDER) Some dude on TV was saying that it should be cycling out, and they should be gone in a few years. SWELL! Now I do not mind an occaisional caterpillar, and the woolies are cute. But these turd buckets just gotta GO! Not everywhere has been bothered with them, they go in areas. SO next year it belongs to someone else. They dont like Evergreens either. Heather, I think you are safe down there.

We have been teased with rain for the past two evenings. THunderstorms form and then dissapate over the Cascades, and do not drop anything on us. I would LOVE a big heavy drenching rain, with lots and lots of wind, and cold weather. THen it can clear up and be pretty again. We usually have the winds just as the fruit trees are blossoming, and they will all get blown away, so there is not much fruit forming. Well this year I sear every single bloom has formed fruit! Lots of peaches and pears and apples this year. Yahoo!!

Well the jets have finally just quit flying and it is midnite, so I can go to bed again, and try to get some sleep. Must be another Squadron getting ready to leave. Wish they all would...

Monday, May 17, 2004

DIE YOU EVIL BASTARDS!!!! >:(

The dastardly deed is done! Out back anyway. I got some Bug B Gone and diluted it heavy strength and sprayed the holy freakin HELL out of those EVIL Bastardos! they were on the side of my house and all over the deck. THe house looked like it was covered in Velour, and the deck squished when you walked on it. EEEEEOOOOOOWWWWWWW!!!!!!!! I sprayed them all and cheered with delight when they fell from the house and onto the ground. I washed them all off the deck with POISIN and laughed like a fiend doing it. MWAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA!!!! I thought of Leslie and her Caterpillar dance as they fell out of the sky and on to my neck!!!! and down my bra, and into my hair. GETEMOFFFGETEMOFFGETEMOFF!!!!!!!! I screamed die you Bastards die! as loud as I could. then laughed like a maniac, until I noticed that the neighbor next door was quietly moving her little boy into the house and away from my yard.....oops!

AH WELL< TOMORROW I GET THE EVIL ASSHOLES OUT FRONT!!!! hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahhahah

pot pourri

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/pacificnw/2004/0418/cover.html

Well I think I screwed that up, but you all need to go read this article...I thought I had it bad...(and I do)


Leslie, here are my pictures of the wisteria on my fence.







THe flowers grow in clumps that hang down through pergolas, or the vines, in my case. I love mine. They do lose theri leaves in the fall though.

May 17, Norwegian Day

17th of May

The Celebration
The 17th of May is Norway's Constitution Day. It is celebrated with great enthusiasm by young and old. The celebrations marks the day in 1814 when Norway got its independence from Denmark. It is a day of flags, parades. speeches and bands playing the national anthem, "Ja, vi elsker dette landet"- which you can hear in the background. Families gather. Norwegians everywhere wear their highly embroidered national costumes, called "bunader". Many countries celebrate their Constitution or Independence, but opposed to these, the Norwegian celebration has no reference to military power.

The Seventeenth of May usually starts with a flag-hoisting ceremony at a nearby school, church or other governmental building. Then, pupils join in the Children's Parade, while adults watch and cheer from the sidewalks. All the schoolchildren in the whole country march with the Norwegian flag in their hands and colorful banners, which represent their school or their class, in front. After the Children's Parade, each local community organizes its own celebration consisting of speeches, games and contests for the children, bands playing and hot dogs and ice cream. It is common for the celebrations to take place in the school-yards. Almost every school has its own brass-band which contributes to the celebrations. After the activities in the school-yards, the festivities continue in the center of town, where people from all over the city meet. Here there is a new parade with different organizations marching. All kinds of organizations are represented; the girls scouts, soccer teams, folk dance groups, religious organizations, bands etc.

At night, it is common to join friends and neighbors for a party at someone's house, at a nearby playground, or in the streets.


Ya Sure..yew bettcha!!! My Father's Mother was Norwegian through and through, even though she was born in North Dakota, her family immigrated from Lillehamer, Norway before she was born. Dad was 1/2 norwegian and 1/2 Irish, but considered himself full blooded Norwegian.

Phyllis and I both feel our Norwegian heiritage and wish we could go see the "old country".

Ballard will be rocking tomorrow!!! Too bad I have a dentist appointment, I would go kick up my heels.

Sunday, May 16, 2004

Caterpillars!

We are being overrun with Tent caterpillars!!! I hafe mentioned this in the recent past, and they are getting worse! I was sitting out in the garden trying to finish planting my petunias, and dahlia bulbs, and the damn caterpillars are falling out of the sky right on my head!!! They are no longer on the alders, now they have migrated to the ornamentals, which they have never done before. THey have denuded the climbing rose in the back fence area. And they are crawling all over the house and deck! ARGGHH!! Now I am not a fanatic, when it comes to bugs, I live in the woods, and bugs are part of it, but THESE DAMN THINGS are taking over!!! they are in the feeders, on all of the roses, on the pussy willow, climbing up the house, getting into the house, I even had one in my BED!!! THere are MILLIONS of them EVERYWHERE. I HATE 'EM!!!



I wanted to get my yard done today so I could quit stewing over it, but the caterpillars chased me inside. crawling in my hair, down my blouse, on my boobs, up my legs, ARRGH! NO!! GET AWAY!!! LEAVE ME ALONE!!!! Donna is gone for the weekend so I could hit them with Chemicals, but SHE HID it I guess!! No killer stuff anywhere. Well when she gets home she can go out and pick them all off of everything and drown the bastards! GREEN...PHFFFTTTTT Better living through CHEMICALS!!!! :=P

Friday, May 14, 2004

Busy day!

I woke up today and watched the birds, Donna was sleeping in, and then was going to go over the top for a conjugal visit with the Husband. I did my Blogwalking and then Bob came over. All day long today it has felt like Saturday, and up until just now I thought it was.

I turned on TV and JAG was on, on Saturday? OH WAIT....so I watched once again Harm and the Col. deny the fact that they are in love with each other. ARRGGHHHH!!! Why is it that the whole world can see it but they can't? Television!! Bah!! I suppose we will have to wait through a whole 'nother season to see what happens!

Bob and I went to Deception Pass this evening. It is one of our best State Parks, and is right here. It is so beautiful, and has been loved to death. The Lake is all dirty and full of weeds now. Did not used to be. Phyllis and I used to swim in it when we were young.



We used to fish elbow to elbow off of the dock, and there were times when the canoes were all over the lake. We have to pay a 5.00 user fee now, and that has cut the traffic WAAAAY down.



The CCC carved most of our State Parks and our National Parks out of the wilderness, and this was one of them. I will post more about the CCC later on, but this is one of the shelters that are all over these parks for picnics. Some people have even had their weddings there. I have always wanted a house just like this in a setting just like this without all of the people around. A Lake out Front, A park at your back, and birds and wildlife everywhere. AHHHHHHH



Can't you just imagine a Roaring fire, a Nasty wind and rain storm, with rain or sleet beating on the window, and a good book and a comfy chair by the fireplace and a warm afghan over your feet. A wonderful candle burning on the mantle and some cookies and hot Earl Grey tea on a tray beside you. Ok, A cat on your lap and a dog at your feet too...Did I forget anything?

Thursday, May 13, 2004

Stupid Blogger!

I have tried all morning to get into blogger so that I could post and get back on track, but I keep getting "Page cannot be found, unable to find server" Now I can go to anyother site, even ones I hadnt been to before, so obviously the server that couldnt be found was not at this end! I thought I wouldnt be able to pull up any blogs on blogspot, but that did not seem to be the case, nor was it haloscan, as I could still read and post comments. It was just getting into MY blog to POST! Arrgghhhh!

Now that I am here, I forgot what I wanted to say, so I guess I'll lighten things up a bit....

The Nun

A NUN WAS SITTING AT THE AIRPORT, WAITING ON HER FLIGHT TO CHICAGO.
SHE LOOKED OVER IN THE CORNER AND SAW ONE OF THOSE WEIGHT MACHINES THAT TELLS YOUR FORTUNE, AND THOUGHT TO HERSELF, "I'LL GIVE IT A TRY AND SEE WHAT IT TELLS ME."
SHE WENT OVER TO THE MACHINE, STEPPED UP ON THE SCALE AND PUT HER NICKEL IN, AND OUT CAME A CARD THAT READ, "YOU ARE A NUN, YOU WEIGH 128 LBS AND YOU ARE GOING TO CHICAGO."

THE NUN SAT BACK DOWN. SHE TOLD HERSELF THAT THE MACHINE PROBABLY GIVES THE SAME CARD TO EVERYONE. THE MORE SHE THOUGHT ABOUT IT, THE MORE CURIOUS SHE GOT, SO SHE DECIDED TO TRY IT AGAIN.

SHE WENT BACK TO THE MACHINE AND AGAIN PUT HER NICKEL IN,AND OUT CAME A CARD THAT READ, "YOU ARE A NUN, YOU WEIGH 128 LBS, YOU ARE GOING TO CHICAGO AND YOU ARE GOING TO PLAY A FIDDLE."

THE NUN SAYS TO HERSELF, "I KNOW THAT IS WRONG, I HAVE NEVER PLAYED A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT A DAY IN MY LIFE." SHE SAT BACK DOWN.

FROM OUT OF NOWHERE A COWBOY CAME OVER AND SAT DOWN, PUTTING HIS FIDDLE CASE IN THE SEAT BETWEEN THEM. WITHOUT THINKING, SHE OPENED THE COWBOY'S CASE, TOOK OUT THE FIDDLE, AND STARTED PLAYING BEAUTIFUL MUSIC.

SURPRISED AT WHAT SHE HAD DONE, SHE LOOKED OVER AT THE MACHINE THINKING,

"THIS IS INCREDIBLE, I'VE GOT TO TRY THIS AGAIN."

BACK TO THE MACHINE SHE WENT, PUT IN ANOTHER NICKEL, AND ANOTHER CARD CAME OUT. IT READ, "YOU ARE A NUN, YOU WEIGH 128 LBS, YOU ARE GOING TO CHICAGO AND YOU ARE GOING TO BREAK WIND."

NOW SHE KNOWS THE MACHINE IS WRONG, AS SHE THOUGHT TO HERSELF, "I'VE NEVER BROKE WIND IN PUBLIC A SINGLE TIME IN MY LIFE", BUT GETTING DOWN OFF THE MACHINE SHE SLIPPED, AND AS SHE WAS STRAINING TO KEEP HERSELF FROM FALLING IN THE FLOOR, SHE BROKE WIND. ABSOLUTELY STUNNED, SHE SAT BACK DOWNAND LOOKED AT THE MACHINE. SHE SAID TO HERSELF, "THIS IS TRULY REMARKABLE!
I HAVE GOT TO TRY THIS AGAIN."

SHE WENT BACK TO THE MACHINE, PUT IN ANOTHER NICKEL, AND ANOTHER CARD CAME OUT. IT READ,

"YOU ARE A NUN, YOU WEIGH 128 LBS, YOU HAVE FIDDLED AND FARTED AROUND AND MISSED YOUR FLIGHT TO CHICAGO."

Have a nice Evening!!!!



Wednesday, May 12, 2004

Mee too!

I can't let Leslie outdo me. This picture was taken in my backyard in Fallon, Nevada in 1999. THese wild peacocks lived along the Carson River, in the trees. They were escapees from the mansions in Virginia City and Carson City in the 1800's. The Gold Barons built these mansions, and created a park like atmosphere around them, with peacocks and other exotic animals and birds. The Peacocks have survived, in fact thrived, all these years.



I first drove into My house at night, after driving from the Oregon Motel that I had stayed in. I was just relocating, pulling a u=haul with all the critters in it, and was dead tired. My landlady knew I was coming, and left the house open. I went in to the empty house, at 1030 at night, unloaded the animals, and crashed on the floor in the bedroom dead tired. About 330 in the morning I woke up with a start. There was a woman screaming "HELP me" HELP me" in the field next to me. I was terrified, and Mariah was going ballistic.

I went out the backdoor, and sat on the porch listening. "HELP me" came again and again. By this time it was just starting to get light and the chickens were starting to crow at the on coming light. My house was one of about 30 Gentleman Farms along the river. meaning we had 5 acres apiece if not more, and they were shoulder to shoulder. There were a lot of Farm animals around, so I thought that someone had been thrown from a horse or something. I started to get my cell phone from the car and call 911 when I heard wings flap and saw one of the resident wild peacocks jump over the fence. "HELP me HELP me" then became quite clear. oh!

I got used to them sreaming in the middle of the night. And it was a real hoot when one of the many giant thunderstorms roared through. BOOM CRACK!!! "HELP me" came from all over the river! They hated the storms! You think I have critters here? Whoo! I'll tell you about it some day!!!

Tuesday, May 11, 2004

The CRACK of Dawn!

I had to get up and go pottie at 430 this morning, and as I crawled back under the nice warm electric blanket, and scooted Lint back away from MY side of the bed, I heard a squeaky commotion under my window. It was JUUUUUST starting to get light. The trees were showing a little shadow. I took the flashlight and shone it out the window to see what was going on, and saw rodents scatter like crazy from under the bird feeders. I lay there with my chin on the window sill trying to count all the little bastards that were there. At least 10 of them in all sizes. Including 4 white rats!!! Loki and I stayed there and watched them until the birds started singing.

There was one Robin right by the window that was singing his little heart out at full volume! Followed by George and Gracie putt-putt-putting into the yard, and then it was Lola, chattering at the rats to get away from her feeders!

Minute by minute the yard was waking up, and it was noisy out there. I have heard the morning wake up before, but there was something different about this one. EVERYONE was awake and making noise at the top of their lungs. Gracie lost George in the woods, so she flew over to the wisteria and called for him. Get BACK here getBACKhere! And far off you could hear George, chiCAgo chi CA go! And she would answer back until he found her again. The wisteria is right by my window, so naturally, it was a rather LOUD exchange between the two of them

At one point about 615, there were the Doves cooing, the pine siskins buzzing, the Hummingbirds humming, the Grosbeaks PEEKing, the Robins Chirping the quail putting the Finches singing, and the juncos making their noise. ALL AT FULL VOLUME!! I wonder what it was about this morning, that made them all want to be as noisy as possible? They usually take their turns at it, but not this morning. NOPE!! Full force, WAKE UP WORLD it's RAINING!!!!!

Monday, May 10, 2004

Monday Blahs

I woke up today around 615 with a splitting headache. The weather is changing from a high pressure to a low pressure, Clouds are moving in, and rain is coming. All across my face right under the eyes it hurts hurts hurts! My nose is sorta stuffy, but not really. It feels like my nasal passages have slammed shut. I turned on the Today show, and watched some of it, from the bed. I had my head resting on the window sill, and dozed there in the spotty sunshine, until Noon!

When I doze like that with the TV on My mind forms some really weird dreams. Today I was driving down a forest road going to a TV station to be on the ELlen show. I came across a dead elk in the road and a dead grizzly right beside it. No body else around. Ellen interviewed me and wanted to know why I was dressed in an evening gown if I was hunting. ???????? Now since I woke up AFTER the ellen Show was over, I have no idea what the content of her show was. Or, COme to think of it, Martha's Either. Weird.

I also was going to drive in theater with my "love" have no idea who it was, but I felt totally loved and safe. no making out either, just LOVE! What a wonderful feeling that was. To be Loved by a man again. I did not want to wake up...

(I see the UGLIEST women with the best looking men, and I wonder why I am alone. Is it because I am too independent? Too fat? too Opinionated? Too choosy, who knows. I have been alone for soooo long that I have just given up.)

My blood sugars have been running all over the spectrum this week. High one minute, low the next. I know that is why I am feeling so lethargic. I have really been trying to eat better too. And Donna is really trying to get me to eat better. but DAMN I HATE sawdust bread! I will call the Doctor and make my appointment . In fact I will do that right now...see ya!

Sunday, May 09, 2004

Happy Mothers' Day

Mary Elizabeth Jo Murray Brett

Because of her I am a Mother.

Meerkerk Gardens

I have been planning to go through the Meerkerk Gardens for years, and have never made it down there. It is only about 17 miles from the house, but I just never think to go. Today I remedied that.

It is a display garden set on private property on 8 acres, of well-tended woodland park-like setting. All surrounded by 40 acres of old forest, set aside as a preserve, so that development can not infringe.

These gardens are all RHODODENDRONS. Of all species, and varieties. They hybridize the new plants there, and display them to see how they will fair in the wild and tended until they feel that they are ready to name, and copyright, and sell.



April and May are the peak months for these gardens although they are open 365 days a year. There is a 5.00 fee to enter, and you are given a map of the trails that wander through these gorgeous gardens.



There are not paved paths but rather woodland trails, just like you would be walking through the woods if it was not a garden. What is amazing about all of these plants, is the differing types of them. There are some from Asia, Some from North America, Azaleas from all over, and trees from all over. I have never seen a big leave rhodie until today and the leaves on these plants are as long as your arm. The blossoms are HUGE, and so beautiful!



The trees that grow there have been there for at least 75 years, and the trunks are well established. There are even Nurse logs that are of trees that have fallen or been cut down, and other trees have taken root and grown on the nourishment that the decaying log has provided. Nature at it's best.



I wandered in and out along the paths for over an hour, and sat on the many benches that were interspersed among the growth. It was so relaxing and peaceful. I took over 57 gorgeous pictures, so it was really hard to decide which ones to show on here.

I thought how wonderful it would be to sit there among the tall trees and the bushes while the snow was falling. I asked if they stayed open during snowtimes, and they said "yes, Photographers love to come here in the snow." Guess where I will be next winter?



Right as we were leaving Thunderclouds boomed overhead and the skies opened up and it POURED! Big huge warm wet raindrops, soaking into the ground, and setting off aromas that you just could not believe. The scent was so wonderful you did not want to leave. Earthy, and green and full of renewing life. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Friday, May 07, 2004

Sleepless in Seattle

Woke up, Cant sleep, so I will blogwalk a little or surf around for stuff to put in my shopping carts. Opend email and there was this funny...

Apples and Grapes


Women are like apples on trees. The best ones are at the top of the tree. Many men don't want to reach for the good ones because they are afraid of falling and getting hurt. Instead, they just get the rotten apples from the ground. They are not as good...but they were easy to get without putting out much effort.


So the apples at the top think something is wrong with them--when in reality, they are amazing. They just have to wait for the right man to come along--the one who is brave enough to climb all the way to the top of the tree.


Men, on the other hand, are like fine wine. They start out as grapes. It is up to women to stomp the crap out of them until they turn into something acceptable to have dinner with.


dont forget to go to the post two posts down and see the purty pictures. I know SOME of you stop on the first post only!!! (See I'm On to ya now!!!)

Thursday, May 06, 2004

Found: all over....


You are a descriptive writer. An avid reader of
Robert Frost, perhaps, you LOVE to use flowery
words and use the paper and pen as your canvas
and paintbrush. You prefer to paint a mental
image rather than simply toy around with
people's minds. A very inspired person, you
love to be in nature and usually are a very
outdoorsy type of person. A writer with a
natural green thumb, perhaps?


What's YOUR Writing Style?
brought to you by Quizilla

Well this is no surprise is it?

Rhododendron...Washington State Flower

One of the really nice things about living here, is the color in the woods during the month of May. April is the month of blossoms for the fruit trees and the Fall bulbs, and the ornamental shrubs, but May is the month for the wild.

The days are warmer, and if you plan it right, you can walk through the woods on a really still day and actually smell the rosin in the trees, and hear the bees buzzing around you. Our woods are everywhere, for awhile, (progress is encroaching) and a walk through the woods is safe as a walk through the park.

Along Hiway 20, which is the main highway from the Olympic peninsula over the Bridge at Deception Pass and on through the North Cascades Wilderness Area, It is really easy to park you car on a turn out, and wander. The woods are alike with the birds, and the bees, and the flowers that Mother Nature has provided. There is the Scotch Broom which is alive on every tip with bright yellow pea flowers. They stink, and they send out tons of pollen, but they are really colorful and pretty. Along with them are the Purple lupine. Just growing wild along the road, and sending up their purple stalks of flowers to accent the Gold of the Broom.

But by far the queen of wild blooms is the wild Rhododendron. She grows really tall and sends out blooms of bright pink which set off the bright spring green of the new growth on the tips of the firs, and spruce trees. These tall Rhodies, are really spindly, but that helps them fight their way up through the dark of the Evergreen trees and find that one little bit of sun that will set off these pink flowers.



These magnificent plants are seen everywhere that there is old growth (never been cut) or 2nd growth (cut more than 60 years ago) forests. They can not compete with the fast growing Alder trees which are the first thing to take over after a plat has been logged. After the Alders have attained their full growth, the evergreens start their way up to the canopy, and shut out the light that the alders need to grow. These Alders die back, having served their purpose, and when they do, and the firs, Hemlock and Spruce have grown tall enough to allow it, the Salal and the Rhodies take off.



It is very important to save these 2nd growth forests and the flora that they support. We have domesticated the rhododendron and they are Beautiful. They come in many varieties of color and size because of it, but the true wild Rhodies are the prettiest. It is so fulfilling walking through the woods and seeing these beauties just growing wild, making my walk a special one.



Wednesday, May 05, 2004

Thoughts

I sat down this morning and realized that I have not posted in quite awhile! I have put stuff up but no thoughts. I THOUGHT I had. I FELT I had. I FEEL I had. But I hadn't. Good grief what shall I talk about. There are the birds, NAH! The Lola's? NAH. The quail? Maybe, Sadie? NO! The Weather? The kids? Politics? The news? The garden? Food? What.....I have all kinds of things running through my head right now, but nothing that I can pull out and write about. Kat and Brenda and Ellen I think all wrote about things that happened a year ago. So I went back into my archives and guess what was there? The Birds, The weather, the news, politics, the WAR, Food, the Quail, the Kids. B O R I N G !!!!!

I have so many things that I need to do, and one of my biggest failings is, I NEVER GET THEM DONE!!! I am sitting in an office that is only 1/2 painted from Last year. The paint bucket sitting right there....Untouched since last May!! I am looking out at the Great Room floor that We put in TWO years ago, and still have not finished. (I am waiting to put the baseboards and the transition strips in until I paint the walls. The hold up here is I DON'T KNOW WHAT COLOR TO PAINT) I could go out and look at the house that we painted two years ago, and still have not finished the trim!! (..eh)
I have a garden that is 1/2 in...Early yet for here. I have a quilt that I have spread out all over the Dining room table, that I almost have done, I just need to get to it. I have an afghan still to finish, a Scrapbook to finish, and places to go, people to see.

MY big problem with all of these things is that I need a PUSH! Most people do, I am a very driven person, but when I stop it is FULL STOP>>>Dead in the water. I like living alone, Not having someone in my face all the time, but I DO need someone in my face to help me get it done. Strange? I don't think so. I think I am pretty normal. I LIKE doing things with people. It helps me have a goal to aim for. I ENJOY pleasing people. I enjoy interfacing with people. I enjoy sharing things with people. So why do I push them away? Don't know.

I think I should hire someone to come over and help me get things done. Work WITH me to paint the Office, work WITH me to help me paint the trim and the Living room,. Work WITH me to finish the garden. Work WITH me to help me finish my quilt. How should they help me with some of these things? By just being there, talking with me, encouraging me leading me astray. Make me FEEL like I am pushing them, even though they would be pushing me. Am I so different? DO any of you have the same failings? Are you easily led astray also? Is there anything in your house that you have been putting off for ever, but you REALLY want finished?

Why do we DO this? I thought it would be rather nice to just walk away from EVERYTHING, and start brand spanking new with brand spanking NEW finished stuff. Walk out the door and shut it, and walk into another house and just start fresh. No more "stuff" to agonize over whether or not you should keep it, or what color to paint it. Or how to rearrange the room....BIG SIGH here....Guess I should prioritize, list, break things down to a workable chore, and then tackle them one at a time...Get them all done, Finish what has been started........NAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

phhhfttttttt!!!!!!!!!!

Monday, May 03, 2004

A Groaner for Heather

Monday Pun


All the monks in a certain monastery sing the simple word "Morning!"
from their windows each sunrise. Early one day after several "Morning!"
greetings have been sung melodiously into the dawn air, a single
greeting of "Evening!" rings out of one window. In the courtyard below,
Brother Timothy looks around startled, and says "Did you hear that,
Brother Edward?" "Hear what, Brother Timothy?" replied Brother Edward.

You're not gonna like what comes next.
V
V
V
V
V
Someone Chanted "evening"!

THis was stolen shamelessly from Denny !

Another boring Monday!

Today is chilly! I got up expecting to get out and work in the yard again, but my shoulder and knees and back were still hurting from the other day, so I did not. I am not going to push it. Instead I got up got dressed, and went over to Phyllis' and fed her cat, checked her yard, and then went up to the cemetery and walked Sadie on her lead for awhile. It was s'posed to rain today, but all it did was spit at us, and then the sun played peek-a-boo through the fluffy white and grey clouds. Right now it is sunny, but as I mentioned it is chilly! The weather is looking more like April than May. S'posed to have 20 degrees cooler and rain every day for a week. Well we need it. We are in the midst of a water crisis. The Hydrologists at the UDUB are saying that the snow pack is way down from where it should be in the Cascades, and that if we dont get the spring rain that we count on, we could be in a dangerous fire condition, not to mention the lack of water for hydroelectric generation, and drinking.

Last year was a terrible year for fires. The Eastern half of the state is all high desert, and hills, and when those catch fire, they go like mad. Our national Forests are drying out, and that will cause the closing of those forests for recreation. Things really do not look good. The Eastern part of the US is getting all of our rain I understand. We do like to share, but it is highly unusual for us to be this dry.

Our roses are all blooming now, and they dont usually start until June, and July. The wisteria is out full, and the Rhodedendrons are popping out. They all like the warm dry spring. What also likes it are the tent caterpillars. The Alders out back are full of tents, and my peach trees were covered until I sprayed them with BT. I just noticed that the little buggers are attacking the wisteria now. They were so bad last year in Kitsap county that they denuded all of the alder trees before summer! You'd think that the bug eating birds would like them and be present, but I understand that they taste really bad, and the birds wont touch them. Talk about a perfect predator!

Sadie is becoming very aggressive! I am starting to worry about her. She went after my brothers dog on Saturday, and they only way I could get her to stop was to pen her up. Yesterday a young husky Pup from two doors down got lose, and chased Lint back into the yard and up the fence, and Sadie went nuts!! This dog was three times her size but that wasnt going to stop her. yappy little Bitch! She starts kindergarten tomorrow. I want her to come when called and I want her to stop barking on command. ( yeah right, like I can get her trained, I never could train the kids!)

Sunday, May 02, 2004

Nudity: The final chapter

Ok this one is for TX he likes looking at women's Butts!!



Starting tomorrow back to the same boring nice lady's blog that you were used to!!

(TEE HEE...I need to put her back in the box)

Saturday, May 01, 2004