We're taking off for Colorado this afternoon. We've somehow managed to fit our stuff into two suitcases although one of them is only a couple pounds under the limit. We should be okay though. We found this handy packing guide on-line. Once we get through the getting-there part, things should be fun. Tomorrow anyway.
This week is the Bailey family reunion in Estes Park, Colorado. I know I've learned all the connections in the past, but I'm a little fuzzy now. Basically the Baileys were a couple about four or five generations back, and this is a gathering of all their various descendants, or the ones that can make it anyway. We do it every three years and it's been happening for 20-25 years. I think there were 70 or so people at the first one, but subsequent ones have been smaller. The official estimate for this one stands at 53, last I heard. We move the gathering around each time so far-flung relatives can make at least some of them, but this year it's back to the Colorado roots. The biggest chunk of people still live there and it's centrally located. Plus it's very Midwestern, so everyone's nice. We almost never see most of these relatives, so as busy as it'll be, I am really looking forward to it.
I'm a little worried about the outdoor activities though.
[Addendum 7/1/07: Having just returned from the reunion, I can clarify some of the fuzzy stuff above. It is the Brooks reunion, not Bailey. The first one was called the Brooks/Bailey reunion after the couple in question and included other great uncles and aunts and such, which is why it was larger. The name also stuck with me and apparently confused me after 20-odd years. The particular Brooks/Bailey couple whose descendants reunited were my great grandparents. I remember meeting William Brooks, but it was a long time ago and I'm sure he would have seemed very old to me even if he wasn't. Anyway, 4 generations of family were represented, the last being the Mizz and his level of cousins. So there.]
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Happy Solstice
What did your hippies do to celebrate the Summer Solstice? I'm guessing ours were dancing naked around Stonehenge.
No, not that busted old thing...
...This newer and more improved Northwest Stonehenge. See? Our Stonehenge has all the appropriate rocks and everything. Although from what I hear, it doesn't line up right with the celestial events due to the difference in latitude, but unless you're a druid trying to locate the moon or whatever, big deal.
From Maryhill Museum, who now cares for it:
Just for fun, here's a Google Maps view of it. This has now cemented for me that Google Maps are currently better than Yahoo! Maps, at least for looking at satellite pictures anyway. The best Yahoo! could do was half the size and blurry. Google is much quicker too. I haven't compared directions yet, but Google does say "Do no evil," so how bad could they be?
For more fun, see this somewhat related spectacle.
With the longer days, I got to looking at Portland's location and what that means relative to sunlight. The sun was officially up here at 5:22 am, which of course means so was the son. Not so thrilled about that. However, the fact that the sun didn't set until 9:03 pm is pretty cool. That means it was light until almost 9:30. (I got these times from the Old Farmer's Almanac. It still amuses me that this publication has been in continuous production since 1792, 215 years ago. George Washington was president. How many other institutions can say that?)
The long days got me thinking about our latitude. We are north of most of the major cities in the county, Seattle being the noted exception. We are completely north of 39 states, and north of at least part of 8 others, including Oregon. We're even north of four of the Great Lakes and part of Canada. Which makes it all the more fun watching all of you freezing your butts off all Winter while we notice that it's a little chilly when our drizzle dips down to 40 degrees. Suckaz!
No, not that busted old thing...
...This newer and more improved Northwest Stonehenge. See? Our Stonehenge has all the appropriate rocks and everything. Although from what I hear, it doesn't line up right with the celestial events due to the difference in latitude, but unless you're a druid trying to locate the moon or whatever, big deal.
From Maryhill Museum, who now cares for it:
Built by Sam Hill as a tribute to the soldiers of Klickitat County who lost their lives, Maryhill's Stonehenge is the first monument in our nation to honor the dead of World War I. The structure is a full-scale replica of England's famous neolithic Stonehenge. A Quaker pacifist, Hill was mistakenly informed that the original Stonehenge had been used as a sacrificial site, and thus constructed the replica to remind us that ''humanity is still being sacrificed to the god of war.'' The location now also includes monuments to the soldiers of Klickitat County who died in World War II, Korea, and Viet Nam.
Just for fun, here's a Google Maps view of it. This has now cemented for me that Google Maps are currently better than Yahoo! Maps, at least for looking at satellite pictures anyway. The best Yahoo! could do was half the size and blurry. Google is much quicker too. I haven't compared directions yet, but Google does say "Do no evil," so how bad could they be?
For more fun, see this somewhat related spectacle.
With the longer days, I got to looking at Portland's location and what that means relative to sunlight. The sun was officially up here at 5:22 am, which of course means so was the son. Not so thrilled about that. However, the fact that the sun didn't set until 9:03 pm is pretty cool. That means it was light until almost 9:30. (I got these times from the Old Farmer's Almanac. It still amuses me that this publication has been in continuous production since 1792, 215 years ago. George Washington was president. How many other institutions can say that?)
The long days got me thinking about our latitude. We are north of most of the major cities in the county, Seattle being the noted exception. We are completely north of 39 states, and north of at least part of 8 others, including Oregon. We're even north of four of the Great Lakes and part of Canada. Which makes it all the more fun watching all of you freezing your butts off all Winter while we notice that it's a little chilly when our drizzle dips down to 40 degrees. Suckaz!
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Bye Bye Blackberry
Dad finally did it for real. As of approximately noon today, EDT, he is officially retired. He hung up his Blackberry Monday and did his last signing out today. I assumed that as a crackberry addict, he would be missing his favorite toy, but to paraphrase him, it's like the lines holding your boat to the dock. They are important while you're there, but handing the berry over was like dropping the lines as you float away.
This afternoon, my folks signed the last of their papers and tomorrow they leave their house of almost 19 years for good. They are driving into the sunset (not a metaphor, just going west) with one very packed minivan. They have a reunion date next Tuesday, but until then, they really have no plans at all. Wow.
Their plan is to take it a little easy at the beginning and have some fun on the way. Among other things, they're going to stop and see the St. Louis Arch. In spite of all the travelling back and forth across the country, they've never been up in it, and there's no telling when they'll be back that way again. Pretty much all their relatives are now from Colorado west. Then they're going to give that minivan all it's got for the trip across Kansas, gas prices be damned. No offense to anyone in Kansas, but there's nothing to see but flat and Stuckey's and both get old pretty fast. Nobody wants to see that stretch of I-70 any more than necessary.
They'll be staying with my sister for a couple months and then moving on to their new place on Whidby Island, WA. It's at the north end of Puget Sound and the east end of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Plenty of ships and maybe even whales to watch. It's also in the "rain shadow" of the Olympic Mountains, so despite being only an hour or two from Seattle, it stays fairly dry. Plus you get to ride a ferry to get there. Fun all around.
I'm very happy for Dad and Mom today. I know it must be weird to be both unemployed and homeless, but it must also look like a whole new world of possibilities. Dad's had a long and distinguished career, from grocery store stock boy to director of construction for the U.S. Army's recreational facilities all around the world. He was in the Marines, the National Guard, and the Army. He even had a stint as a poor grad student. Probably some other stuff too, but most of it was before me, or before I was paying attention anyway. He's worked hard for this freedom and has made his family very proud all along the way. I know he'll enjoy this next phase and continue to get the most out of life.
Congratulations again Dad.
(I think he may be onto something. I think I'd like to give this retirement thing a shot. It looks like you just quit your job and drive away, although I could be missing something. Oh, and something about not having to give a damn anymore. I'll have to look into that.)
This afternoon, my folks signed the last of their papers and tomorrow they leave their house of almost 19 years for good. They are driving into the sunset (not a metaphor, just going west) with one very packed minivan. They have a reunion date next Tuesday, but until then, they really have no plans at all. Wow.
Their plan is to take it a little easy at the beginning and have some fun on the way. Among other things, they're going to stop and see the St. Louis Arch. In spite of all the travelling back and forth across the country, they've never been up in it, and there's no telling when they'll be back that way again. Pretty much all their relatives are now from Colorado west. Then they're going to give that minivan all it's got for the trip across Kansas, gas prices be damned. No offense to anyone in Kansas, but there's nothing to see but flat and Stuckey's and both get old pretty fast. Nobody wants to see that stretch of I-70 any more than necessary.
They'll be staying with my sister for a couple months and then moving on to their new place on Whidby Island, WA. It's at the north end of Puget Sound and the east end of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Plenty of ships and maybe even whales to watch. It's also in the "rain shadow" of the Olympic Mountains, so despite being only an hour or two from Seattle, it stays fairly dry. Plus you get to ride a ferry to get there. Fun all around.
I'm very happy for Dad and Mom today. I know it must be weird to be both unemployed and homeless, but it must also look like a whole new world of possibilities. Dad's had a long and distinguished career, from grocery store stock boy to director of construction for the U.S. Army's recreational facilities all around the world. He was in the Marines, the National Guard, and the Army. He even had a stint as a poor grad student. Probably some other stuff too, but most of it was before me, or before I was paying attention anyway. He's worked hard for this freedom and has made his family very proud all along the way. I know he'll enjoy this next phase and continue to get the most out of life.
Congratulations again Dad.
(I think he may be onto something. I think I'd like to give this retirement thing a shot. It looks like you just quit your job and drive away, although I could be missing something. Oh, and something about not having to give a damn anymore. I'll have to look into that.)
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Happy Fathers Day!
Happy Fathers Day to my Dad, his Dad, and to the Mizz, who added me to the list. This picture is almost a year old, but it's the only appropriate one I've got that has all four generations of first-born Thompson guys.
And Happy Fathers Day to all the other dads out there as well. Lots of dads deserve recognition, but only one of them is mine, so he's the one at the top of the list here.
My day is pretty low-key, which is fine by me. The Mizz let us sleep in almost an extra hour this morning, and that's about the best gift he could have given me. He of course has no idea what's up, but I look at him and I know.
[Added 6/19/07: I ran across these Fathers Day funnies. Enjoy.]
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Separated at Birth?
This is one of the Mizz's toys. Nothing too special. You push the animal and it makes that animal's sound. Or it would anyway, if we ever put a new battery in it. He doesn't seem to mind the silence and we're not about to argue. Anyway, the Mizz and I were pointing and naming and making the sounds and having a good time until...
...we got to this guy. You might recognize him as a farmer. Me too. However, when I asked the Mizz who it was, he said...
...Uh-uh Smau. I think all guys with short full beards are henceforth going to be Uncle Sam. Incidentally, the Mizz just saw these pictures and had the same response. Both pictures are still Uh-uh Smau.
...we got to this guy. You might recognize him as a farmer. Me too. However, when I asked the Mizz who it was, he said...
...Uh-uh Smau. I think all guys with short full beards are henceforth going to be Uncle Sam. Incidentally, the Mizz just saw these pictures and had the same response. Both pictures are still Uh-uh Smau.
Green Bus Blues
Following a Yahoo! Picks link, I found the best of craigslist. One of the items was a Portland listing on how to ride the bus to OHSU. The normal person might not be interested in something from such a limited community, but it reminded me of something I saw back at UVA. For those who might not know, Franny and I met driving buses for the University Transit Service. One of UTS's major duties was transporting healthcare workers from the large university parking lots to work at the hospital. One of the riders, Erla Hagen, wrote a piece for some hospital newsletter regarding her experiences. I got hold of it and reprinted it in our "Transit Lines", the bus driver newsletter/party notice/rambling space. (This was done completely without Erla's knowledge or permission. I've never met Erla, except maybe as her driver.) I wrote it at home, and since my hard drive looks a lot like my garage, I still have it ten or so years later. Once again without Erla's input, I reprint it for any bus drivers that might be amused. (I know of only two that read this, but you never know.) Erla, if you see this and care one way or the other, let me know.
(On a similar note, I also liked the open letter from an elevator. Note that both craigslist links are rated PG-13 for the f-bomb. Sorry, Tutu.)
(On a similar note, I also liked the open letter from an elevator. Note that both craigslist links are rated PG-13 for the f-bomb. Sorry, Tutu.)
on the "green" bus blues...
Erla Hagan
Erla Hagan
Another one takes the bus... If you are one of the employees who ride the "GREEN" bus from U Hall to the hospital in the morning AND back to the parking lot in the evening, this long winded, country-western tale of the "Green Bus Blues" is for you, your immediate supervisor, the incredibly nice folks who drive the "GREEN" route, AND anyone with a guitar who wishes to put it to music.
On the front of the bus shelters (where the rain comes in over the seat only AND where it says to post-no-bills) are many sheets of instructions on the art and luck of riding the appropriate bus to work or class. I'm sure you "BLUE" bus (Scott Stadium to the Hospital and back) folks have your own romantic lore but this ballad-to-be is for "GREEN" bus people.
A case in point... If it is Wednesday AND it is before noon but after eleven, AND the temperature is above 50° AND it rained the night before AND the "GREEN" bus is facing up hill at the main shelter, AND the driver has a diaper pin piercing his left ear...That "GREEN" bus will go through Copeley Hill (the 8 minute scenic route) before going to the Hospital.
However, if it is Thursday, AND it is between 3:00 pm and 5:00 pm, AND the rain didn't start until after the sun was fully up AND it will not get above 35° that day AND there is a person in a purple shirt in the back of the bus, AND the driver is a female AND the bus is facing downhill at the main shelter...That "GREEN" bus will also go through Copeley before going to the Hospital.
Should the temperature be hovering around a sticky 92° AND the air conditioned "GREEN" bus is filled to capacity with Georgio perfume, Old Spice deodorant, Crest toothpaste, Dial soap, Desenex foot powder, Juicy Fruit gum, AND garlic bagels as well as a too ripe banana, AND the air conditioning is either not working, or the driver doesn't like it, AND the "GREEN" bus has been sitting at the main shelter for more than 8 minutes but not a full 10...That "GREEN" bus will go through Copeley before going to the Hospital.
On the other hand, if it is very cold, very wet, very late, AND a tad foggy, AND the bus was stuck behind a fender bender for 13 minutes before it was facing down the hill at the main shelter AND there is a basketball game the same night AND you can see the pale green glow of the digital "GREEN" route bus sign over the driver's seat AND the driver is eating sunflower seeds, AND the wet umbrella of the lady in the seat next to you is dripping on your new suede shoes...You are going to go directly to the Hospital, ASAP. However, due to the basketball game AND other circumstances too numerous to mention AND beyond anyone's control, there is always a possibility that you may not be permitted to return to your car within the same 24 hour period.
If it is beginning to bluster AND the approaching bus has obvious available seating, AND the driver is a person of either sex wearing a smile, AND the driver's neighbor on the left gives a 6 (on a scale of 1-to-10) to new age music, AND you can see the unmistakable "Green" glow of the sign in the distance, beckoning you to RUN to catch the bus AND it is your first "good hair" day AND you are carrying a book bag or purse, a briefcase, a sheet cake for the office party, AND you have not had that first cup of coffee to jump start your brain... you, breathless, with drooping hair, squashed sheet cake, and possibly heartburn, will just make it to the stop in time to see that the digital, "Green:" glow says "BLUE ROUTE" and neither it nor you will be going to Copeley Hill or the Hospital.
Are you keeping up? The bus is coming! What to do? Think, think, think.
A CAVEAT...On special holidays...(Like the Ides of March AND Hug your Turtle Day), all buses will be labeled "GROUNDS LOOP"--no matter which direction they are facing or which direction you wish to go...GET ON...the loop will put you out of circulation (no pun intended) for a full 30 minutes, but you will be sitting down AND out of the weather.
Oh yes, the last of the pale yellow signs on the shelter remind you to "PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT ALL OF THE BUS SCHEDULES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE" AND "HAVE A GOOD DAY!"
_________________________________________________
Erla Hagan is editor of chicken~soup, director of bodytalk, and a "Green" Bus rider.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Happy Retirement Dad, almost
In case anyone is interested and is anywhere near Northern Virginia, I'm sure you can still catch this party in action. I'm guessing it might still be going on right now at a little before 10 pm their time. Dad opted for a happy hour at a pub rather than the standard required attendance luncheon where everyone eats cake, makes small talk, and really just wishes this old guy would go away. I can't say that I blame him. This event was originally going to be called a "Marine Corps Beverage Call" in honor of his early service thirty-odd years ago, but I guess that didn't fit the silly graphics. He's officially got a few more days, but I can't imagine any work will get done, so Happy Retirement, Dad.
Happy Birthday Phil!
Today is my father-in-law's birthday, one day after his daughter. They've always enjoyed sharing the fun. I guess I don't have much of a leg to stand on worrying about losing my thunder to the Mizz's birthday one week before mine.
I won't say just how old Phil is today, but according to Janet, he now gets half-price movies at AMC. I guess that's something.
Anyway, happy birthday Phil. It's been nice being able to share it with you.
I won't say just how old Phil is today, but according to Janet, he now gets half-price movies at AMC. I guess that's something.
Anyway, happy birthday Phil. It's been nice being able to share it with you.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Happy Birthday Franny!
I just realized, I'm up late enough for it to be Franny's birthday. She is now officially 29 again. Anyway, I think that's the annual birthday she's decided to have.
Happy Birthday, Babe. Love you.
(That's an old picture, but I still like it.)
Happy Birthday, Babe. Love you.
(That's an old picture, but I still like it.)
Insomniac
I'm not sure why I'm awake in the middle of the night, but I'll take the opportunity to write, I suppose.
It's been another busy week, but not super interesting until Friday. Franny's folks came to town, partly to see the Mizz and partly to celebrate birthdays for Franny and her dad, one day apart. What her dad didn't know is that her brother Sam also came out for the festivities. Excellent surprise.
Friday, we went out to eat at Mother's Bistro. They claim to love kids -- how could they not with that name? That said, the Mizz seemed to be really testing that theory. We were wondering if he would be the first kids blacklisted from Mother's. I ended up taking him outside for a walk where we found a bench he could climb in and out of. He wouldn't stop until a couple of girls, maybe three or four years old with face paint from the Rose Festival, saw him through the window and were enthralled by him. He, in turn, did not want to stop watching them. He's got a great story for daycare about the older twin chicks that were checking him out.
Speaking of Rose Festival, I managed to forget about the Starlight Run that I was going to do until it was much too late. I got all sick and travelling and forgot all about it and now it happened Friday evening and I didn't even notice. That's motivation for you. Maybe next year.
This weekend we stayed at a great house at Bella Beach with the inlaws for a couple days. Bella Beach is a neighborhood a little south of Lincoln City on the Oregon Coast. True to Oregon, the weather sucked until we left this morning. Just lots of rain, but we still had fun. The front coming through made for some awesome wave to watch, something Oregon usually only sees much in the winter. The house we rented was fairly baby-proof, so chasing Mizz was still a necessity, but not as difficult as some of the knick-knack laden places we've stayed before.
Franny and I managed to escape for a little while for a pseudo birthday dinner Sunday night while the inlaws watched the baby monitor. From what I heard, it didn't require much, but we were grateful for the time out with just the two of us, something that doesn't happen near enough these days. We ate at Kyllo's in Lincoln City. A decent spot with an excellent view. It's built up on stilts right at the beach and we arrived about an hour before high tide, so the water was about as close as it got. It was situated right at the mouth of the "D" River, which is about 100 yards from the beginning of the "D" River, which, according to the sign, makes it the world's shortest river. We debated what constituted a river versus a creek or stream or whatever, but we just have to assume there's an international governing body that regulates these things.
This evening we had an early birthday dinner for Franny and Phil, since Sam has to leave early on Tuesday. We ate at Higgin's in downtown Portland. The Mizz was not invited on this trip. Most of us had the steak special, which was excellent. Very tender with a wonderful sauce. Highly recommended. One of the fun things about Franny's parents visiting is that we get to eat well. They like to eat at new nice restaurants, so we get to eat at new nice restaurants. Franny and I have actually been to Higgin's before, but not often. Last time, we had the duck. ("Say we grant you a reservation. What would you order?" "Oh, I don't know. How about the duck?" "He cannot have zee duck." "You can't have zee duck." "He can have zee chicken." "You can have zee chicken." "Well, what about my date? I can't tell her what to order." "You can strongly suggest zee chicken." [Probably misquoted, but still one of my favorite movie scenes.])
I really need to get back to sleep. I don't know what my problem is, but I'm wide awake. Maybe some chamomile tea or something...
It's been another busy week, but not super interesting until Friday. Franny's folks came to town, partly to see the Mizz and partly to celebrate birthdays for Franny and her dad, one day apart. What her dad didn't know is that her brother Sam also came out for the festivities. Excellent surprise.
Friday, we went out to eat at Mother's Bistro. They claim to love kids -- how could they not with that name? That said, the Mizz seemed to be really testing that theory. We were wondering if he would be the first kids blacklisted from Mother's. I ended up taking him outside for a walk where we found a bench he could climb in and out of. He wouldn't stop until a couple of girls, maybe three or four years old with face paint from the Rose Festival, saw him through the window and were enthralled by him. He, in turn, did not want to stop watching them. He's got a great story for daycare about the older twin chicks that were checking him out.
Speaking of Rose Festival, I managed to forget about the Starlight Run that I was going to do until it was much too late. I got all sick and travelling and forgot all about it and now it happened Friday evening and I didn't even notice. That's motivation for you. Maybe next year.
This weekend we stayed at a great house at Bella Beach with the inlaws for a couple days. Bella Beach is a neighborhood a little south of Lincoln City on the Oregon Coast. True to Oregon, the weather sucked until we left this morning. Just lots of rain, but we still had fun. The front coming through made for some awesome wave to watch, something Oregon usually only sees much in the winter. The house we rented was fairly baby-proof, so chasing Mizz was still a necessity, but not as difficult as some of the knick-knack laden places we've stayed before.
Franny and I managed to escape for a little while for a pseudo birthday dinner Sunday night while the inlaws watched the baby monitor. From what I heard, it didn't require much, but we were grateful for the time out with just the two of us, something that doesn't happen near enough these days. We ate at Kyllo's in Lincoln City. A decent spot with an excellent view. It's built up on stilts right at the beach and we arrived about an hour before high tide, so the water was about as close as it got. It was situated right at the mouth of the "D" River, which is about 100 yards from the beginning of the "D" River, which, according to the sign, makes it the world's shortest river. We debated what constituted a river versus a creek or stream or whatever, but we just have to assume there's an international governing body that regulates these things.
This evening we had an early birthday dinner for Franny and Phil, since Sam has to leave early on Tuesday. We ate at Higgin's in downtown Portland. The Mizz was not invited on this trip. Most of us had the steak special, which was excellent. Very tender with a wonderful sauce. Highly recommended. One of the fun things about Franny's parents visiting is that we get to eat well. They like to eat at new nice restaurants, so we get to eat at new nice restaurants. Franny and I have actually been to Higgin's before, but not often. Last time, we had the duck. ("Say we grant you a reservation. What would you order?" "Oh, I don't know. How about the duck?" "He cannot have zee duck." "You can't have zee duck." "He can have zee chicken." "You can have zee chicken." "Well, what about my date? I can't tell her what to order." "You can strongly suggest zee chicken." [Probably misquoted, but still one of my favorite movie scenes.])
I really need to get back to sleep. I don't know what my problem is, but I'm wide awake. Maybe some chamomile tea or something...
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Aaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggghhhh!
So this pirate walks into a bar with a steering wheel sticking out of his pants. The bartender asks, "Hey pirate, what's with the steering wheel?" The pirate answers, "Argh! It's drivin' me nuts."
(Mad props to Sam, who told this joke so well at dinner that Franny lost a mouthful of corn on the cob. Also, apologies to Tutu, 'cuz you're not supposed to tell this kind of joke to your mother.)
(Mad props to Sam, who told this joke so well at dinner that Franny lost a mouthful of corn on the cob. Also, apologies to Tutu, 'cuz you're not supposed to tell this kind of joke to your mother.)
Sunday, June 3, 2007
Treasures from Tutu
The Mizz got a package from Tutu yesterday. (For those who might not know, tutu means grandmother in Hawaiian and is what my mother likes to go by. She isn't Hawaiian, but she fell in love with the name when we lived there 25 years ago and had to wait a long time before she got to use it.) This is what was in the box. As always, click a picture for a bigger version.
This is a something that my mother made for the Mizz. She has made a wonderful habit of making a special personalized stitchery for each of her grandkids. Mizz was the sixth of seven so far, and I'm guessing (and she's hoping) she'll have more to do in the future. (I fuzzed out his name. Anyone who needs to know it already does, or at least knows someone who does.)
These are pictures of me at about the Mizz's age. She thought it might be fun to have them around for comparison. The second one has a bunch of bubble wrap stuffed in the top to hold the glass in place since it's too short. I guess they couldn't cut glass very well in the 70's. Maybe they had poor vision, which would also explain my little baby leisure suit.
There was also a two foot tall coloring book. It was noted as being "from Grandpa's basement", but the note was in Tutu's handwriting. I don't have any idea how far back this book goes. It's yellowed, so it's been around a while, but it has a Toys-R-Us sticker on it, so I assume it wasn't mine.
Thanks for the treasures Tutu. The stitchery is already hanging in his room. Not sure where my pics will go, but I'm sure they'll find a home. I was exceptionally cute.
This is a something that my mother made for the Mizz. She has made a wonderful habit of making a special personalized stitchery for each of her grandkids. Mizz was the sixth of seven so far, and I'm guessing (and she's hoping) she'll have more to do in the future. (I fuzzed out his name. Anyone who needs to know it already does, or at least knows someone who does.)
These are pictures of me at about the Mizz's age. She thought it might be fun to have them around for comparison. The second one has a bunch of bubble wrap stuffed in the top to hold the glass in place since it's too short. I guess they couldn't cut glass very well in the 70's. Maybe they had poor vision, which would also explain my little baby leisure suit.
There was also a two foot tall coloring book. It was noted as being "from Grandpa's basement", but the note was in Tutu's handwriting. I don't have any idea how far back this book goes. It's yellowed, so it's been around a while, but it has a Toys-R-Us sticker on it, so I assume it wasn't mine.
Thanks for the treasures Tutu. The stitchery is already hanging in his room. Not sure where my pics will go, but I'm sure they'll find a home. I was exceptionally cute.
Saturday, June 2, 2007
Wind Power is Big II: The Proof
Not very good proof, but proof nonetheless. As I've mentioned before, wind turbine parts are HUGE. While I was travelling up and down the Columbia Gorge this week, I saw several of them heading east and several empty trailers heading west. According to the people I was working with, they've seen hundreds of these things. So those folks are jaded, but I still think big machines are cool. Although I saw lots of these things, I was taking pictures while I was driving, so I necessarily didn't put much effort into aiming. It was pure point and shoot. I mainly got photos of parts of my van including the dead bugs on the windshield, a few pics of blurry trees and an off ramp that was maybe 100 feet in front of the truck I was trying to get. Oh, well. I did however manage to capture a couple pics that give an idea of the size involved. Unfortunately, due to angles and such, the perspective distorts things a bit.
This is a truck I passed that was carrying two of the turbine blades. These things are about 150 feet long. I can't imagine what kind of planning has to go into transporting these things, since I'm pretty sure that wouldn't make it through most intersections.
To put the blades into perspective, this is a normal truck from about the same perspective and you can see how much closer the cab is. A typical trailer is a maximum of 53 feet long, so imagine three of these things strung together, and not those stubby ones that are actually strung together. It would take four or five of those.
This is a picture of the blades from the side. It's the best I could do passing the truck at a combined 120 mph or so.
I'm guessing the wind turbine business will only be picking up. Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski is waiting to sign Senate Bill 838, which will require 25% of Oregon's power to be generated from green sources like wind and geothermal by 2025, and apparently our existing hydropower doesn't count. It has passed our State Senate and is likely to pass the house soon. This probably means rate hikes in the short term, but the way things are going, we'll probably break even or better eventually.
This waterfall is not related to wind power at all, but I caught it by accident and I like it. It's from what is called a hanging valley. It is a remnant of the Missoula floods that shaped the Gorge during the last ice age. It was a normal valley at some point until half of Montana drained through it all at once (a bunch of times) and ripped out the end of it.
This is just a nice picture of the Gorge. I stopped at a rest stop/view point close to Portland just for fun since I had never done so and I liked the view. It was a beautiful day.
Stupid Crow
I'm not sure I like wildlife anymore. The Mizz and I went out for a walk this morning. Nothing special really. But on the way home, we inadvertently walked through a section of sidewalk that a crow had already claimed. He didn't put up a sign or anything, but he flew down and attacked my head. Seriously, a screeching crow flew down and whacked my head with his wing. I'm not sure what he thought he was doing. It didn't hurt or anything, and despite my short stature, I think I still have enough of a size advantage to handle even a particularly vicious and nasty crow. Maybe there was a prime trash can or roadkill or maybe even a nest full of crowlings that he didn't feel like sharing. Who knows? The Mizz was no help whatsoever defending his daddy. He slept through the whole thing.
Incidentally, he's still asleep in the stroller and I'm blogging from the front porch. Wireless is fun.
Incidentally, he's still asleep in the stroller and I'm blogging from the front porch. Wireless is fun.
Friday, June 1, 2007
Forgot a couple things
In my rambling on that last post, I forgot a couple things.
Last Friday, I got new contacts. Way better for sleeping in. Apparently the ones I had are no longer recommended for sleeping, but I've been doing just that for ages. Nice to know. Anyway, the new ones are great.
And Wednesday, I went to the dentist. Not as much fun. According to the hygienist, I'm doing a good job of brushing and flossing. And then came the dentist. Although I have managed to avoid doing further harm to my teeth, some of my older dental work is in bad shape and needs to be repaired. This will have to come in the form of several crowns. I have a couple already, so I know what's in store, but that doesn't make it much better. The other bonus is that my dental insurance will run out after about two, so they will probably be spread out a bit. That's okay by me. This is a new dentist, and he had an excellent little camera to show me exactly what he was talking about. The camera was great, but I don't think anyone wants to see his or her teeth in that much detail, much less someone with teeth like mine. What it mainly showed me is that my previous dentist either ignored some problems with my old filling or just didn't care about them. Good riddance. The only good thing about all this is that he was giving free whitening to new patients, and I'm sorry to say that although many of you have been polite enough to ignore it, I need that very much. That at least makes a tiny dent in the thousands of dollars of crowns I can look forward to.
Last Friday, I got new contacts. Way better for sleeping in. Apparently the ones I had are no longer recommended for sleeping, but I've been doing just that for ages. Nice to know. Anyway, the new ones are great.
And Wednesday, I went to the dentist. Not as much fun. According to the hygienist, I'm doing a good job of brushing and flossing. And then came the dentist. Although I have managed to avoid doing further harm to my teeth, some of my older dental work is in bad shape and needs to be repaired. This will have to come in the form of several crowns. I have a couple already, so I know what's in store, but that doesn't make it much better. The other bonus is that my dental insurance will run out after about two, so they will probably be spread out a bit. That's okay by me. This is a new dentist, and he had an excellent little camera to show me exactly what he was talking about. The camera was great, but I don't think anyone wants to see his or her teeth in that much detail, much less someone with teeth like mine. What it mainly showed me is that my previous dentist either ignored some problems with my old filling or just didn't care about them. Good riddance. The only good thing about all this is that he was giving free whitening to new patients, and I'm sorry to say that although many of you have been polite enough to ignore it, I need that very much. That at least makes a tiny dent in the thousands of dollars of crowns I can look forward to.
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