Kari's Project

With the summer being so dry and beautiful and with Kari's injury (strained wrist), we have put off completing Kari's  backyard.  Now, as the rain approaches, we are determined to get the grass in by mid October.  We had another 12 yards of soil delivered (now 24 in all) and I brought in another load of crushed rock.  Kari ordered the landscape bricks and she set aside Saturday for a "family project."   It was a warm and muggy day and with Eric, Nathan, Cailyn, Gkids, Barb and Kari, we made considerable progress.  For 10  hours we slogged  it out in the dirt and the sun.   Since there is only a 53 inch clearance to get material to her back yard, everything had to be carted in.  The G kids were great, the "kids", Nathan, Cailyn, Kari, Eric,  even better.  It was a fun and fulfilling day and thankfully the good memories will last much longer than the very sore muscles.

dirt and brick to be carted to the backyard

A back retaining wall goes in first

Goin to take this to my buddy, Eric

Grayson,  now 13 weeks

The first brick

The kids worked hard.  Cailyn appears very strong just 13 weeks after giving birth.

The Skagit

Or would an alternative title be, I want to learn to fish, Barb wants to experience new ways of cooking, so I fish and Barb cooks????

We camped three nights on the banks of the Skagit River in Rockport, WA.  Terry and Nelda had made the arrangements through their daughter Shelly and her husband Scott.  The pinks are running into western Washington rivers, a unique phenomenon of Creation that prescribes the pinks to run every other year.  In the Puyallup there are millions of fish and millions of fisherpeople.  Here on the Skagit, there are some fisherpeople but still millions of fish.  They hit the Skagit this week and we are camped a few steps from the shore.

Scott and Terry at their site

Peaceful and lots of room to fish

It has been a glorious three days of wakening at day break, walking 30 yards to the shore of the river, catching fish which in most cases we release, walking back mid morning for breakfast, fish a bit more, take a long break for lunch, and hit the river again around four and fish till dinner.  Then there is the campfire, hors de oeuvres, gourmet dinner, good wine and stories.

Fun.  The RV made it possible.  Good friends are the link. Terry, Nelda, Scott and Shelly have been a joy.   It has been only four days for us but what a grand experience.  Thank you Terry, Nelda, Scott and Shelly.

Strange Reunion

Nate is really slammed at work and I am pleased that he asked me to help out by picking up some video equipment that he was renting  from a business in Seattle.  As I drove out Denny Way to 15th, I entered a part of Seattle that I had seldom ventured.  I stopped at the given address and the building was vaguely but hauntingly familiar.  Over the next few days I mulled over the vision of that building and came to a conclusion.  As I delivered the equipment back to that address two days later, I inquired to the tech that checked in the equipment as to the history of the building.  The 30ish male sized me up and smiled.  "This was the induction center during the Viet Nam War.  Many of the men your age that come into this building ask that question."  Yes, this is the building that I spent a day in 1969.  I gathered with hundreds to take the intelligence test, followed by several hours of walking from one station to another with only a towel for cover, as they checked every joint and crevice of my body.  Then, fully clothed, there were the presentations of what the process would be for induction.  Finally, the Sargent in charge stated that we could go except for those who may "have an exception".  He stated that if we were not Army eligible we need to go to room such and such.  But he also warned us that a lie goes two ways.  To say that you are not Army ready and you are is a lie.  To say that you are Army eligible and you are not is also a lie.  Both would have repercussions.

I went to the room.  After some waiting I met one on one with an Army doc.  When I presented him with the report from my hematology doctor in Spokane, the doc stamped my paperwork 4F and dismissed me.  A few months later I received an updated status in the mail "1Y - can only be drafted in case of a national emergency."  Thus ended my military "career".   I have often thought of that day and how my life, or loss of it, would have changed if I had not had a bleeding disorder.

Kathy's visit

Cousin Kathy Kerdus, from Sacramento, visited us this week .  We caught up with her nieces Vickie and Jennifer, who live in the area.   We also spent some time on Mt. Rainier and in Seattle.

I think we hit the peak.  I had never seen the area (Paradise) so lush with flowers.

and still snow

At Ivars with Jennifer and Vickie, Kathy's nieces.

The Cape

In November of 2007, Barb and I drove the one road all the way down to the end of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.  One of the surprises to us were the number of huge homes that had been recently constructed.   We assumed that this narrow cape, as it juts out into the Atlantic, would be vulnerable to some vicious storms.   We were left with the question,  "What happens to all this recent construction if a huge storm hits?"  I guess we will find out this weekend.   God Speed NC.

Much of the Cape is a few feet above sea level.  The paved roads need to be graded to remove the sand.

The number of new "homes" this large were too numerous to count.

Ocean Shores

Nathan and Cailyn acquired a condo in Ocean Shores for Aug 11 - 14 in celebration of Alton's (Cailyn's dad)  birthday (14th) and Barb's (15th).  Kari joined us for one day.  It was a wonderful setting and the weather cooperated.  For the kids, it was their first real beach experience.  Fun!

one kite into the air

two kites into the air

Alton Jane and Barb with one of Cailyn's scrumptious cakes.

cracking crab

grilling tandoori without the tandoor

always working for the best shot

he is standing up

42

Since the kids have "grown" we've tried to get away for our anniversary.  Usually it has been a day trip, a hike on Mt. Rainier or a walk through some regional park or beach.  Since I no longer hike, the days' events have usually been on a bicycle or a boat.  This year, since we got a late start, we drove to Seattle and boarded our bikes for a cruise on the Bert Gillman Trail.  We fortunately chose to park at the Gasworks Park on Lake Union.  The weather was in the cool low 70's as we wound through the commercial district to the U of W and beyond.  The picture above is taken on the bridge over "the cut", the human made channel that runs from Lake Washington to Lake Union.

After a 90 minute ride which was fairly level throughout, we made our way back to Gasworks Park and sat lakeside for some hors d'oeuvres which Barb has packed.

As we sat and watched around 100 sailboats lining up across the lake, something magical happened.  A horn blew in the distance and suddenly all the boats turned, heading north toward us.  What followed (we learned it is called "Duck Dodge",  duckdodge.org,  and it happens every Tues eve during the summer, wind determined) was that the flotilla passed by us in all directions, around the lake, sometimes coming within inches of each other as each took on its own tack and direction.  The event occurred in complete silence, with only an occasion flapping of the sail. Each was on their own merry way enjoying the setting, aided by the light breeze, and the thrill of maneuvering through the myriad of boats.  Very entertaining and another event that Barb and I unwittingly walked into.  Fun.

We finished the eve with a dinner at Ray's Boathouse which, compared to 30 years ago when we first ate there, has lost a lot of its charm.