Quick Week In Review

Things have been extra hectic at our house.

And I am still having trouble believing that June even started, not to mention it is now almost over!

School ends on the 22nd, and the end of the year activities are crammed in, especially with three kids.   With summer just around the corner, and the added week of school daze because of "snow" during the winter, the kids have already checked out.  And the teachers are pretty much there also!  I went along with our youngest and most of the Larabee Elementary school Friday on a field trip to Fairhaven Park.   Three hours of running around the park shows the teachers have also checked out for the summer!  The worse part of the trip, was when they decided to attempt to sit all of the kids down, after hours of running around, and have them participate in a group sing a long.  Wasn't happening--is the cliff notes!

He also was in his first play at school!  As the lazy dog.  Very kool!

Above I put snow in quotes because compared to measuring snow by feet in Wyoming, were I grew up, the few inches of snow they saw here last winter was nothing.  I have talked about this before, but in comparison-just last month the Rockie Mountains saw 5 feet of snow in one day.  In that last big storm the west always gets, before the two months of summer.  After that joy, they go directly back to snow.

Among other things---summer time offers some great sunset pictures over the bay!

This week the sprinklers start up at Fairhaven Park.  And the movies on the Village Green in Fairhaven.

Village Green

Just to the right of the white screen for the movies. 

 And summer officially starts!  The 20th marks the summer solstice --the longest day of the year.

 Also the only day of the year that you can balance eggs on there ends.   Try it!  I don't fully understand why it works, but it does.  Something about the gravitational angle and positions of the Earth --sun--and moon.

Call your daddy!

Tell him to buy eggs and try the above on the 20th AND in case you forgot to call him yesterday.

It was Fathers day---you are excused if you were hatched from an egg!

    My dad is overly great!   If for no other reason , because he still puts up with me!   He has also been married to my mother for 40 years!   A feat in this day and age.  And I love them both to no end! 

   Now on to some other things---I have not had time to blog about lately!   

Recently our terrific daughter turned 11

  Our oldest son--who is also about read to have a birthday.  Why do they want presents every year??   He received his second GRR award at school.  For going above and beyond the expected.  
He also just had a reading for some poetry he just wrote at school, but my schedule did not allow me to make that.  

My long time buddy "Professor Getty" blew through town for a few daze and we hung out in the woods.   More on that in an upcoming exploring blog.  

      And than on Friday we made the long trek across the state for a family reunion and camping trip.  

Usually I make a high speed U-Turn in the road if I see this sign ahead *although you can't beat the towns slogan. BUT it was an  awesome weekend in Greys Harbor!!

Again--much more on this and beautiful Lake Sylvia soon!

I take pride in what I write.  

I also enjoy how easy it is to contact me.  Both through my blogs or my page on Facebook.

Sadly few of my readers ever seem to have comments or feedback.

Many times I test this by adding topics or thoughts that might start a conversation 

or anger others.   Kind of like a "mini-mini rant"  My next one will be about the coal trains proposed to run through Bellingham.  Here are a few local hot topics and my thoughts on them:

  I can't wait to head to the reservations and buy some good fireworks! While they are still legal. How un-patriotic are all of those fools trying to ban personal fireworks? Read up about July 4th---and than tell me I can't shoot off fireworks! If I am un-safe--that is MY problem, and you can than refer to me as Stubby!

      One last "mini vent" for now----- With all of the recent violence in Seattle---guns are going to be harder to get. Don't protect us from guns---protect us from idiots! Everyone in Wyoming has 12 guns---mostly to protect themselves from the government and to hunt & protect there livestock. They do not go around randomly shooting people because they have learned gun control and The right to bear arms.

In closing---I have posted this picture many times before-- but had always thought it was photo shopped.   While we were traveling through Washington over the weekend on the Air Force base, I saw this actual sign.   I am sure you are not as impressed

I am very from Wyoming and very easily amused.  

Many new blogs and ideas to come in both blogs!   Thank you all for your readership and support!!!

**Mini Rant #15--First Hint Of Tagging, Sell Your Sharpie! **

    With today once again being Friday it is time for yet another "mini rant!"  Today's rant makes number 15, which conveniently and numerically is the logic choice after number 14.  But first much rambling.  Something that has made this blog mine for sure, and hopefully kept it entertaining.  I know that lots of times, even I am surprised at the direction the blog goes on its own.  I am also surprised at how many, comas I use daily.  I think I am need of an intervention for this!  Forgetting many of the rules from school, or possibly just being out sick the day we talked about commas.  I will say that this weeks rant came from a friends grumbling.   I hope that any reader will share there grumbling.  Of the world in general, or you general dislike to something or everything I have posted.  I get very few comments on my blog, and this makes me grumble.  My stats show you readers are out there--you just are staying very quiet.   If you do not hold your anger until you can meet and or punch me in public, this is all fine.  My stats also show that I am VERY close to hitting 7500 blog views!   And for this I thank each of you!!

This is my picture, in case you feel the urge to talk to me in public about my "writing"

    And now some rambling.     On this very date 35 years ago, the Star Wars Movies were introduced.  And geeks all over the world never really stopped rejoicing!  I will now claim a little bit of geekdom both for knowing this fact and for now saying "Let the fourth be with you!"  Feel free to groan now.   Yesterday marks the first cell phone brought to us in the early 70's.  I do not have a picture of one, but you all can recall those huge bricks, with a large attenea, that probably weighed more than the laptop you are using today.   I believe they came in white or white!  And could easily double as a hand weight for exercising.  BUT these phones were the thing than, and you were not kool and or really part of the working force, if you did not lug one around with you.  They as I might have mentioned were huge, and could only be used for, get this, making phone calls!  And maybe the occasional substiotion if you lost your work desk paperweight.   Other "news" today--- Today is national OJ day.  Not in the white Bronco driving, police evading,possible  killer, but the drink.  So Cheers! while you sip on your OJ, I am enjoying a great cup of not OJ.   Also known as coffee!!  
   

                                                                      Cheers!

   Today is also National become a follower of a new blog day---wow that's a mouth full!  Since you are on this page--what better place to start the trend, and than tell your friends?  OK, I made this one up, don't try to Google it, but do think about following my blog ;)
     Today does start frapiciono happy hours at Starbucks.  I hope they bring back the green tea frap.  It looks much like slime, but tastes soooo good!   May is also bbq month, so get out there and bbq some food for mothers day instead of taking her out to eat.  
      I am very excited to relate that I will soon be a legal driver again!   This has not been true for about eight years now.  This process took a lot of cash, but is about to come to a crash, errr come to a head.   Next week I shell out some more cash, and venture to the DMV to take the written and the dreaded driving test.  I have to say I am more than a little worried.  I have not takin the driving test since I was 16 years old.   And I flunked the first time around.  Something about almost getting hit in a six way intersection.  I am such a good driver, that the Oregon state patrol decided to take and keep my licence on file, so they would have it handy the next 30 times they pulled me over.   I believe it will all go fine, as long as I do not have to drive through what I call a "circle jerk!"   Those "trendy" round-abouts that are popping up all over every big, trendy city out there.   I do not believe anyone in America actually understands these.  And my last dealing with the police in Washington involved a two lane "circle jerk" were the other driver and I got confused and just decided to drive into each other.  It was great fun for me because I did not have a licence when this happened.  Have you not been reading the same blog?   It was fun for my friend, just along for the ride, because I left him with the car, as I went to find the vehicles paperwork.  This is about when the other driver decided I was not coming back, and called the police.  It became fun for my now, wife, who was at work nearby.   She followed me back to the accident, and we both kissed butt to the growing crowd, and found paper work.  In the end I got a stack of tickets, and my buddy drove the car away.  The main problem being, with practicing driving before the DMV test--is that I do not have a licence, and can not legally practice.  I could ride my bike around and around the "circle jerk."  The odds of driving through one during the test are high.  They have multiplied in amount found around town in even the year I have been gone.  
    This is were my "mini rant" could start.   And may next week!   The DMV is possibly the worse place to visit around.  Especially in Oregon and Washington were you can not do things like register your vehicle or buy new licence plates.  That is a separate building completely.  But today the state paid workers were actually amazingly helpful!  I did not have to raise my voice once, and the waiting time was amazingly quick.  Although I did not leave today with an actual drivers licence.   I hope you all keep me in your thoughts, as I hope to be a driver again by next week!  Both for those of you that want rides from me.  And those of you that will soon have to be sharing the roads and or sidewalks with me!  

                                                        And now the Actual mini rant!

   As I said, this one came from talking to a friend of mine.  And I never really asked if I could vent on this topic, but why would that stop me?   I do know he reads my almost daily rambling, so I will soon know if this bugs him or if I vented about the topic properly.   It kind of sorta goes with the recent riots in Seattle---needless property destruction.   Breaking windows of big business does not hurt the CEO's paycheck in the least.  It hurts the little guys that run the now damaged stores, that now have to replace all the windows.  
    Today I am talking about taggers.  Not people that tag themselves in pictures on Facebook.  Although that too can be annoying.  Mostly when they tag themselves in a picture of yours that has no people in it, what-so-ever.   But taggers armed with spray paint.  You see the "art" every were.   And most of it is far from pleasing to the eye.  I say most, because some really is amazing art.  I watched a documentary on Netflix a few months ago about  street artists.  Most of these spend nights putting up there own art--posters, etc.  And much of it really is art.  In fact people with way to much money lining there pockets, will line up to pay huge bucks for the art in framed form.  Something they could venture into an alley, take a picture of, and have for free.   It is amazing what many people would rather have than money!   Much of this is amusing and pleasing to the eye.  Although it is illegal, they are not trying to vandalize.   Spray paint is just vandalism in almost any case.   
   I recently had a small town tagger try to explain how worthy what he was doing really was.  Try is the key word here.   He mainly focused on how kool it was to have YOUR phat tag on a building or object.  With your tag on top of the pile of paint, you "owned" that spot!    But come on---everyone knows this man does not own Costco!!   
     I guess what bugs me most is because of spray paint taggers and those that choose to huff the paint, I now have to be carded at places like Wally World if I wish to buy spray paint.   It is actually amazing how many items these type of stores now have to verify your age before you can buy.  Wally World now has to card everyone buying booze--no matter how old they are.  All in an effort to never get in trouble or blamed for anything.    
     Possibly more annoying is the trend I have recently noticed, mostly because my friend brought it up.   Taggers that use Sharpie markers to write on things.   If you can't afford spray paint, or are not old enough to buy it, find a new hobby to make you look bad-ass now!   Because using a marker to  write on things is something our kids out grew on there 4th birthday.   You are the farthest thing from kool I can think of.  And I want to "grade" your artwork with a red marker.   This puts you a step above the restroom art---filled with rhymes involving farts and body parts.  And your ex's phone number.   Although these do amuse me when I am forced to sit in a public restroom.   Reading them and than trying to figure out how to get out of the stall, without touching anything.   And than rushing to buy disinfectant and bleach!   If the last paragraph describes you, please stop!   Before I find a need to buy a 24 pack of red markers to grade your drawings and some spray paint, so that if I catch you with a sharpie, I will spray paint a target on the back of your t-shirt or wife-beater.  

    With today once again being Friday it is time for yet another "mini rant!"  Today's rant makes number 15, which conveniently and numerically is the logic choice after number 14.  But first much rambling.  Something that has made this blog mine for sure, and hopefully kept it entertaining.  I know that lots of times, even I am surprised at the direction the blog goes on its own.  I am also surprised at how many, comas I use daily.  I think I am need of an intervention for this!  Forgetting many of the rules from school, or possibly just being out sick the day we talked about commas.  I will say that this weeks rant came from a friends grumbling.   I hope that any reader will share there grumbling.  Of the world in general, or you general dislike to something or everything I have posted.  I get very few comments on my blog, and this makes me grumble.  My stats show you readers are out there--you just are staying very quiet.   If you do not hold your anger until you can meet and or punch me in public, this is all fine.  My stats also show that I am VERY close to hitting 7500 blog views!   And for this I thank each of you!!

This is my picture, in case you feel the urge to talk to me in public about my "writing"

    And now some rambling.     On this very date 35 years ago, the Star Wars Movies were introduced.  And geeks all over the world never really stopped rejoicing!  I will now claim a little bit of geekdom both for knowing this fact and for now saying "Let the fourth be with you!"  Feel free to groan now.   Yesterday marks the first cell phone brought to us in the early 70's.  I do not have a picture of one, but you all can recall those huge bricks, with a large attenea, that probably weighed more than the laptop you are using today.   I believe they came in white or white!  And could easily double as a hand weight for exercising.  BUT these phones were the thing than, and you were not kool and or really part of the working force, if you did not lug one around with you.  They as I might have mentioned were huge, and could only be used for, get this, making phone calls!  And maybe the occasional substiotion if you lost your work desk paperweight.   Other "news" today--- Today is national OJ day.  Not in the white Bronco driving, police evading,possible  killer, but the drink.  So Cheers! while you sip on your OJ, I am enjoying a great cup of not OJ.   Also known as coffee!!  
   

                                                                      Cheers!

   Today is also National become a follower of a new blog day---wow that's a mouth full!  Since you are on this page--what better place to start the trend, and than tell your friends?  OK, I made this one up, don't try to Google it, but do think about following my blog ;)
     Today does start frapiciono happy hours at Starbucks.  I hope they bring back the green tea frap.  It looks much like slime, but tastes soooo good!   May is also bbq month, so get out there and bbq some food for mothers day instead of taking her out to eat.  
      I am very excited to relate that I will soon be a legal driver again!   This has not been true for about eight years now.  This process took a lot of cash, but is about to come to a crash, errr come to a head.   Next week I shell out some more cash, and venture to the DMV to take the written and the dreaded driving test.  I have to say I am more than a little worried.  I have not takin the driving test since I was 16 years old.   And I flunked the first time around.  Something about almost getting hit in a six way intersection.  I am such a good driver, that the Oregon state patrol decided to take and keep my licence on file, so they would have it handy the next 30 times they pulled me over.   I believe it will all go fine, as long as I do not have to drive through what I call a "circle jerk!"   Those "trendy" round-abouts that are popping up all over every big, trendy city out there.   I do not believe anyone in America actually understands these.  And my last dealing with the police in Washington involved a two lane "circle jerk" were the other driver and I got confused and just decided to drive into each other.  It was great fun for me because I did not have a licence when this happened.  Have you not been reading the same blog?   It was fun for my friend, just along for the ride, because I left him with the car, as I went to find the vehicles paperwork.  This is about when the other driver decided I was not coming back, and called the police.  It became fun for my now, wife, who was at work nearby.   She followed me back to the accident, and we both kissed butt to the growing crowd, and found paper work.  In the end I got a stack of tickets, and my buddy drove the car away.  The main problem being, with practicing driving before the DMV test--is that I do not have a licence, and can not legally practice.  I could ride my bike around and around the "circle jerk."  The odds of driving through one during the test are high.  They have multiplied in amount found around town in even the year I have been gone.  
    This is were my "mini rant" could start.   And may next week!   The DMV is possibly the worse place to visit around.  Especially in Oregon and Washington were you can not do things like register your vehicle or buy new licence plates.  That is a separate building completely.  But today the state paid workers were actually amazingly helpful!  I did not have to raise my voice once, and the waiting time was amazingly quick.  Although I did not leave today with an actual drivers licence.   I hope you all keep me in your thoughts, as I hope to be a driver again by next week!  Both for those of you that want rides from me.  And those of you that will soon have to be sharing the roads and or sidewalks with me!  

                                                        And now the Actual mini rant!

   As I said, this one came from talking to a friend of mine.  And I never really asked if I could vent on this topic, but why would that stop me?   I do know he reads my almost daily rambling, so I will soon know if this bugs him or if I vented about the topic properly.   It kind of sorta goes with the recent riots in Seattle---needless property destruction.   Breaking windows of big business does not hurt the CEO's paycheck in the least.  It hurts the little guys that run the now damaged stores, that now have to replace all the windows.  
    Today I am talking about taggers.  Not people that tag themselves in pictures on Facebook.  Although that too can be annoying.  Mostly when they tag themselves in a picture of yours that has no people in it, what-so-ever.   But taggers armed with spray paint.  You see the "art" every were.   And most of it is far from pleasing to the eye.  I say most, because some really is amazing art.  I watched a documentary on Netflix a few months ago about  street artists.  Most of these spend nights putting up there own art--posters, etc.  And much of it really is art.  In fact people with way to much money lining there pockets, will line up to pay huge bucks for the art in framed form.  Something they could venture into an alley, take a picture of, and have for free.   It is amazing what many people would rather have than money!   Much of this is amusing and pleasing to the eye.  Although it is illegal, they are not trying to vandalize.   Spray paint is just vandalism in almost any case.   
   I recently had a small town tagger try to explain how worthy what he was doing really was.  Try is the key word here.   He mainly focused on how kool it was to have YOUR phat tag on a building or object.  With your tag on top of the pile of paint, you "owned" that spot!    But come on---everyone knows this man does not own Costco!!   
     I guess what bugs me most is because of spray paint taggers and those that choose to huff the paint, I now have to be carded at places like Wally World if I wish to buy spray paint.   It is actually amazing how many items these type of stores now have to verify your age before you can buy.  Wally World now has to card everyone buying booze--no matter how old they are.  All in an effort to never get in trouble or blamed for anything.    
     Possibly more annoying is the trend I have recently noticed, mostly because my friend brought it up.   Taggers that use Sharpie markers to write on things.   If you can't afford spray paint, or are not old enough to buy it, find a new hobby to make you look bad-ass now!   Because using a marker to  write on things is something our kids out grew on there 4th birthday.   You are the farthest thing from kool I can think of.  And I want to "grade" your artwork with a red marker.   This puts you a step above the restroom art---filled with rhymes involving farts and body parts.  And your ex's phone number.   Although these do amuse me when I am forced to sit in a public restroom.   Reading them and than trying to figure out how to get out of the stall, without touching anything.   And than rushing to buy disinfectant and bleach!   If the last paragraph describes you, please stop!   Before I find a need to buy a 24 pack of red markers to grade your drawings and some spray paint, so that if I catch you with a sharpie, I will spray paint a target on the back of your t-shirt or wife-beater. 

Wandering and Swimming Down the Road

Ferndale, WA 1/19/11

**Writers note:

After a doctors appointment today, I found myself roaming around Ferndale.
This reminded me of a past post from my other blog sight
www.wyomingjack.blogspot.com
This was first published  on 1-19-2011
When the area was flooding.
I had missed the city bus, and took off exploring.
New pictures from Ferndale coming very soon!

 

Lets BBQ!?

                                      

                                            **"Paddle faster--I hear banjos!"**



    G' day all!   I am sitting here this fine Friday morning, sipping coffee, still overly sick, and watching it dump down rain once again.   The over paid weather man says it is supposed to clear up, and turn to sunshine starting tomorrow.   I won't believe that one till I see it.   I say over paid ---because I can do his job.   With  no real ed-u-mication.   Winter time = 60-90 % chance of rain.  Summer time = All out sun, yo!  *point at the map- to show which areas are flooding this week.   If any TV stations are hiring, I am in need of a job AND have that perfect radio face!  Plus I want a styling yellow rain coat.  Later today I will add my "mini rant."  Yeah for you!
    Today is my fiance's youngests birthday.   He is turning 7 which still trips me out, because when I first met them he was 2 an a half.   I can say that if I had even half the energy he has, I could hold down three full time jobs.  Tomorrow is his birthday bash at our house.  It could be interesting because about 40 kids have been invited.   And several were invited by him, to spend the night, were not sure how many.   Luckily plenty of adults will be present.   Bring on the coffee, yo!

    Two days ago, I was roaming around the big  city of Ferndale and missed the hourly bus, by like five minutes.   I could see the bus coming, but was not any were near a bus stop.   Drivers are picky about stopping in the middle of Main Street.   I swear I saw the driver step on the gas, as I ran toward the actual bus stop, arms flapping in the air.   I did not make that bus.   And had an hour to kill.  You can walk the length of Ferndale in half an hour.  
    I ended up going under the highway and ending up at the park their.   I am not sure of the name.  It was a nice, well needed walk.   And if nothing else, I learned that my new leather coat is water proofed!   I also re-learned that when it rains every day, and you walk on the grass.  You sink about three feet.  Eventually the rain moved on, for awhile.  And it was just me and nature.  
   I was quite a ways from the actual river, but the results of the constant rain were very noticeable.  

    I have been to the park before in the summer time.  First off it was much dryer.   It was also much more active.  We played a mean game of horseshoes.   And wandered to the top of some of the towers to see the view.  *You can see the wetlands and birds -thats about it.   Save yourself walking up 88 stairs.   The pictured huge barn is also open.   Behind it is many animals to view from huge rabbits to turkeys that survived Turkey day.  
   Several people live on sight to help explain country life to city kids.  Things like --you don't pull on the cows tail to milk it.  And why you can't gather eggs from that angry lookin' buffalo.  Just down from all this fun, is the river.  Right now it is running very fast, and is very muddy.   It is also not staying in it's banks well.   Bad river!   
    Both times I have been out here--I really enjoyed the experience.  Please enjoy the pictures.