I'm Home!

Can you believe these were taken within three minutes of each other in the same back yard?

I took the first one then walked over to the edge of my yard looking towards the mountains and took the other one. Too bad I have those nets from the field in them!

This is for skywatch Friday.

It was a hot one today and going to be even hotter tomorrow and Saturday! GOOD!! Maybe my tomatoes will ripen now!

I need to unpack and get ready for bed!

G'nite.

Off to Tacoma!

That is Mount Rainier in the distance. Tacoma is just north of it.

I'm off to Tacoma for a few days on a class for work.

Be back late on Thursday.

Y'all have fun!

Meet Cinderella!!

Well dang! My boss went to Olympia and picked up her new Ragdoll kitten. The woman raising the kittens showed Martha her two other "rescue" cats. a 9 year old and a One 1/2 year old Ragdoll female. Her name is Cinderella. She was born Feb 7, 2007. I called the lady and she said she is mine. I pick her up on the 19th. I am going to a meeting down there and will pick up Cinerella then. Ooooo I can't wait!! Elliott gets a new girlfriend. UH-OH!! Punkin will be royally pissed!!

Isn't she a real sweetie? How long will it be before MaryLou gets her kitten?

I felt it!

I felt an earthquake at 10:03 tonight and called my sister but she didn't feel it.
I called my neighbor but she didn't feel it, but another neighbor did! It was very mild, but I was sitting here and felt a rumble, then a bang. My stomach did a little flip, my knees went weak and my tongue went numb. (probably from fear).
Stay tuned....................................................

P.S. I just hung up on my sister. She was laughing at me about my tongue being numb. I couldn't say a word she was laughing so hard!! click.....bitch.

They just put a news announcement that there was a quake 3 miles north of Port Townsend. (that's right here).
Stay tuned...................................................

Okay, it was 3.0 on the richter scale 5 miles from Coupeville near Port Townsend.
I'm going to bed now. I better bungee cord myself in the bed.

G'nite!

Whew....pant...pant

My gosh, time is flying by!! It is July 29th!! What happened to June?
My computer at home is getting ready to bite the dust, so I am dropping a quick line from work before I head home!
Thanks for the award Brenda!! In a few days I will catch up with my blogging.
Everyone have a great week!!
We are having October weather right now. The wind is blustery, sprinkling rain and 58 degrees!!

Race week

Living on the Island in the Summer is a busy place. Beginning July 3rd in Freeland they have an old fashioned waterfront fireworks display along with old time music and carnival atmosphere. Then July 4th in Oak Harbor about 25 miles North is another old fashioned affair starting out with a big parade, a day of fun and finishing with the fireworks display. This weekend begins Race week. People come from around the world to participate in the race. We usually have good winds for it and mostly sun. Sometimes we have bad weather but that is rare. There have been a time or two that we have had no wind and that makes it bad for sailing. This week is great!
In August we have the Coupeville Arts & Crafts Festival. That is two days of people from around the world selling their art. It started out as handmade things from local residents. I used to have a booth in it with my stained glass items. I quit making them as I have no room in my house for all the equipment. We used to have a local tribe of Indians with a salmon barbecue. I haven't seen that in awhile.
The third week of August is the Island County Fair in Langley. It is a four day event. So there is alot of things to do here on the Island.
Enjoy your weekend!!

Benefit for my brother

My brother used to play music in various bands in the area here. His heart is in music. When his old band heard about Mike having cancer, they got together and had a benefit dance for Mike last Saturday. Luckily Mike felt much better and was able to attend his son's wedding on Friday then the benefit on Saturday. He went on stage and played with the band for awhile. Sherry said when he sang "Knocking on Heaven's Door", it got to her and she cried. I had gone home before all that went on. It was too loud for me.
Sherry and my friend Debbie enjoying the music.

The band.

My next door neighbor Florence enjoying watching the long haired "rock star" jumping around on stage. She has alot of fun with me. We go out and act crazy wherever we go.

Y'all have a great weekend!! I sure will!!

Meet Galen & Sumre Brett

Today we went to Monroe to attend the wedding of my brother's son Galen to Sumre.
Galen is the one dressed in his best t-shirt and cammy shorts....Mike my brother is the one sitting in the chair giving wise words to Galen.
This is Sumre, dressed in her black dress sipping (well ok, guzzling) her beer before the wedding.

Mike and his lovely wife Sherry (she is the only sane one in our family).

Meet Brent, the minister that performed the wedding. He dressed in his tuxedo t-shirt that he found under some snow boarding gear in his garage and smells like gas.

Galen is getting ready to put the ring on Sumre's finger.

Sumre is placing her ring on Galen's ankle. (ball & chain).

Hehehehehe..............the key broke when they were trying to get this off his ankle. They were actually trying to cut the thing off with bolt cutters when we left.

Mary Lou and Bob, and her son Tim and her daughter Donna.

Sumre's mom (who cried throughout) Galen, Mike, Sherry and Sumre.
The wedding was great! Have you ever seen Rocky Horror Picture Show? Well they threw water balloons at the couple after they said their vows. I wish I would have known they were doing that, I would have brought a loaf of toast to throw at the bride!!

They had marvelous vegan food at the ceremony as they are vegans. When we left the wedding we couldn't get to the Farmhouse Restaurant fast enough!!

I had a great time!! I think everyone did.

YEEOWZA!!

Yeeowza, we just had a HUMONGOUS thunder and lightening storm blow through!!
I got home about 8:00pm and heard distant thunder then saw the dark sky. I then unloaded my car and ran in the house and pulled up all my blinds so I can have a great view of the storm, and boy, did I!!
I was bouncing from the living room to the bedroom watching the strikes hit all around me! It was right over my head and LOUD!! I heard one crack and boom and lightening at the same time then I heard an echo like sound. Whew! That was a good one! I can hear it in the distance now, so I can finish this and take my bath.

Remember, we NEVER ever get storms like this here!! It seems to pass around the Island alot, but this time it was right overhead!!
I don't think I need to go watch the fireworks Friday, I had my own private display here!!
You all have a SAFE fourth!!

I'm going to Monroe for my nephew's wedding on Friday. Galen is my brother's only child. He is 30. Mike really wants to see his grandkids. Maybe the chemo will work and prolong his life. We sure pray for that.
Pictures later. (of the wedding)

Another day on the Island

On the way to work I stopped for this buck. I love the fuzzy antlers!

On the way home from work I drove down West Beach Road and it was windy so I stopped to watch the waves hit the beach

Ya gotta stop and smell the roses at least once each day. Take time to enjoy your surroundings. I sure do.

Life is Good

Life is good.

I have lived on this Island most of my life and I still have awe inspiring moments while driving by the beaches.

Brenda asked me for close ups of the windows, so here 'tis. The windows slide sideways to open. They are about 45"wide X 51"long.

Y'all have a GREAT weekend!!

TA-DA!

Thursday I got the windows put in. I came home from work at 11:00. They said they would be here around 11:00, and they showed up at 11:10! Egads, I opened the door and told them go to work, I trust you, then gave them my phone number at work to call me if they needed me for something. I expected them to be done around 6:00pm. I got a call at 2:30 telling me they were done!!! YIKES, 8 windows in three hours! Only two guys were here.
I inspected them (the windows, not the guys) and they looked great!! I didn't get everything put back until Saturday night, but now my house is CLEAN!! New clean windows, and I polished the floors before I put the furniture back. What a great feeling to get all that done!!

I went to Seattle for a Paratransit meeting Wednesday.

I had to get a picture of the Space Needle!

It is always good to get home from the City!
I'm so glad I'm a country bumpkin!!
The window guys were amazed when they called me at work and I was home in 5 minutes! I told them I hate rush minutes!! Get it? Rush hour....rush minute?
Oh, never mind!!

Have a great week!!

Windows

I came home from work last night about 4:30. I had a message on my machine from Home Depot telling me my windows are ready and they can install them tomorrow morning!!

(I am having 8 windows replaced because they are all in need of it).

WHAT?? I thought it was going to be about a month!

I called work and they told me to go ahead and take tomorrow off so I can be here. WHEW!! I changed cars and went to my friends house for an AA meeting and got home about 7:30. It was windy so I got Florence (my 92 year old next door neighbor) and we drove out to the beach to watch the waves and the boats rolling on the swells. We drove over to the ferry to see if it was running. They have a borrowed small ferry because the other one broke. Well that was very intertaining watching it try to make it across the Sound to the other side. We were getting sick watching it roll. Egads, no way would I be on that!!

I got home around 9 and started getting my house ready for the big change. I had to get all my curtains down so I washed them. I then had to get my blinds down. It was 2am so I decided to wait until the morning for that. I pulled all the furniture away from the wall and cleaned up all the dust bunnies. My goodness there were alot of them!!

I got up early this morning all achy from the work last night and started pulling down the blinds in all 8 windows.

I sat down all tired and sore and my phone rang.

It was Home Depot.

"Hello?"



"Hello, this is Home Depot, I have no idea how the mix up happened but the bottom line is, your windows were not on the shipment today. They won't be in until Thursday".

"What?................You are kidding, right"?


"No ma'am, I feel horrible about this".



"Excuse me you have NO IDEA what I went through to get ready for this".


"I'm really sorry, I feel horrible".


"NOt as horrible as I feel! I am 59 years old, disabled with a horrid back. I pulled all my furniture from the windows and took down all the blinds and curtains, took the day off of work to be here at the last minute because you guys gave me no warning of them coming, and now you tell me never mind"?

"We can put them in on Thursday or Saturday".

"No, I cannot take another day off of work for this and I will not give up a day off for it"!

"I'm really sorry ma'am, my hands are tied".

"I know, it isn't your fault, but my goodness this is bad, really bad! sniff, snort, sob, whaaaaaaaa"!

I started crying then sobbing............So did she.

I told her that They need to do it Thursday. I work two miles away so they can do it on their own and I can sign later. I hung up then proceeded to have a good cry. Well I tried anyway, but I pictured all this in my head then started laughing, then started laughing harder while I was crying. Hmmmm, is that called hysteria? Anyway, I got it all out and now I feel better.

She called me back and told me They will be here Thursday at noon and finish Friday morning.

Swell.

Oh well, so be it.

I talked with my sis and was laughing saying thank the Lord it wasn't her!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA

Here are some "before pictures. Elliott peeking out the bedroom window at me peeking out the spare room window at him.


My living room exposed to the neighborhood for two days. I am NOT putting everything back just to do it all over again. I will sit in the dark.

Bunch of nothing

My brother has had a great week and he doesn't have chemo for another week, so that is good!!

Not much to blog about, I keep tremendously busy, but that is what life is for, isn't it?
Monday & Thursday nights I take an AA meeting to a friend who is waiting for a liver transplant, Wednesday night is Bible study, Friday night is my AA meeting, then Saturdays are full of chores and Sunday is Church. Not much time leeft to get in trouble with.

The sun finally came out yesterday and today, and possibly tomorrow too! Yikes,!!
No summer here, floods in the midwest. The world is changing right beofre our eyes.

Have a plan, folks, alway have a plan!!
What would you do if a disaster happened? (have kits in your cars & home).
Who would you call? (Have their phone numbers handy).
Plan on where you would go if you lose your house. (Do you have a bank account you can access by computer)? Do you know your credit card numbers if you lose your purse or wallet?
I have a copy of all my cards (with numbers to call to report stolen) in my office desk in case I lose my purse.
I guess we shouldn't worry too much, but keep a plan in your mind on what to do in case.......!
Big earthquakes are popping up world wide, and we are overdue on the West Coast, so I am as prepared as I can be.

I'm also prepared for GOOD WEATHER if we ever get it!!
My backyard is prepared for barbecues and the freezer is full!!

I pray everyone is safe from the floods and weather! Have a good week!!

Whatcha thinkin?

Me, staring at the wall.
Mike: "Whatcha thinkin?"
Me: "I was thinking I'm wondering if Elliott is sleeping on my pillow right now."
Mike: (giggle)
Me: "What are YOU thinking?"
Mike: pause..."I was wondering what it is going to feel like.........................when I die"
Me: swallowing a huge lump in my throat..."Well I think you will probably be so doped up you won't even know."
Mike: "Oh yeah."
Me: (speaking in a soft whisper) "From what I have read from near death experiences, people have felt themselves being swooped in a tunnell with a brilliant light at the end and when they pass through the light they will see Jesus, and their family that passed before them. They will immediately forget the pain and stress and feel this awesome peace."
Mike: "Yeah?"
Me: "Oh yeah, I truly, truly believe this."
Silence................(tears falling from both of our eyes, me squeezing his hand.)

This was said on Monday night about 2:00am as Mike was laying on the gurney in the ER waiting for the doctor to release him.
He had an immense chemo treatment on Monday morning and went home and puked every hour on the hour until about 9:00pm when Sherry took him in to the ER. They gave him some IV treatment, some antinausea drugs and pain medicine. He was released at 3:00am and I took him home. The next day at 3:00pm Sherry took him back to the ER, and we took turns sitting by his side. I came back from my AA meeting at 9:30 and let Sherry go home, and I asked the nurse if they are going to release him or keep him. They decided to keep him until the next day so we all could get some rest. That was about 12:30am. He was released from the hospital at 3:00 the next afternoon.
This is only the beginning.
Bless his heart, I hate to see him suffer like this. The tumors are beginning to invade his colon and pressing on his stomach. I told Sherry we need to ask the doctor for instructions on what to do at the house in case this happens again.

I drove up to Bellingham yesterday and it was 45 degrees and pouring rain. It is June 6th fergoodnesssakes!! I can hear my tomato plants shivering out in the garden!! But my roses are enjoying the cool and wet weather. The slugs and snails are having parties at night!!
There are tornadoes in the East, heat waves in Texas. Yikes, what is going on?

Whose idea was it to put an 'S' in the word 'Lisp'?

Farewell Barbecue...Day 4 of my 16 day vacation.

My sister Mary Lou and Merrily waving at the camera. Linda sitting on the steps, my brother Mike and his wife Sherry to the right.
Mike, Sherry and Merrily.
Mike, Linda, Merrily, Carol and Sherry.

We had a great time today grilling alot of meat and eating salads and fruit!
Merrily is a dear friend of all of us and their family is moving to Roswell Georgia next week!! Of all places, GEORGIA!! Merrily is a guardian angel for my family. She is a dear friend of mine and was my sister's nurse when she was in the hospital, then was my brother's nurse when he was in the hospital twice!! She prayed every time she came in Mikes room and made his stay much easier and took the fear from him. They will be missed.
Dang I hate saying goodbyes to friends.

Elliott chases cats away

This is a horrible picture, but it shows a few of my bird houses on my fence, and Elliott in the corner chasing away a stray cat. He doesn't want to share the houses with anyone!!

Elliott guarding the new Bird condo

I have a new hobby. I love colorful birdhouses. I have 9 in the back yard and two in the front. I paid my neighbor to plant my whiskey barrel to make it look pretty, and he put trailing lavender colored geraniums in it along with other things that will bush and trail. I painted a two story birdhouse to match the plants. I looked out today and there was Elliott, guarding the birdhouse making sure no bird will go near it! I'm surprised he isn't sitting there really still with his mouth wide open!

As you've noticed, I have been lazy in posting. I have lost my enthusiasm. I want to write about my day, but I cannot write about work, and the rest of my energy is put on my brother. I have two weeks off coming up next week so I will catch you up then.

Meanwhile, I hope everyone has a great Memorial day weekend!! We had warm weather a few days back! It is back to being cool and rainy here.

Goodbye Ron

We say goodbye to Ron Edwards, a graduate of Coupeville High School (1965?). I knew him from school (an upper classman). He also played drums in the band the Sceptre's in 1968. Later, he was a Deputy Sheriff then a Detective, then moved to California. He got cancer last year and was told in June that he had 6 months to live. In December he wrote a note to my brother on the Caring Bridge Site:

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2007 09:50 AM, CST
Dear Mike, I heard about your site from Pam Young. I am so sorry to hear of your illness. One thing you must do is stay positive and believe that you will get well. It is a real struggle , to say the least. I know somewhat of what hell has been placed in your path but from experience I can tell you, "Don't give up!" not for a moment. The chemo is an awful stuff but it can and does help. Keep eating and keep up your strength. Obviously many people love you and care and that is such a solace to anyone. Always remember that you will beat this, it does not have you.

I remember you as a young man and you don't seem the type to let this thing get the best of you. I have had numerous speed bumps placed in my path over the years but like you my life has been placed in others hands. Six months ago I went to the hospital with what I thought was phnemonia. turned out to be a large tumor in my left lung and cancer of the bones, liver and all. I was much more fortunate than you when it came to them getting me on chemo. When the Doctor told me I had six months I asked that we get started right away and he started that day. That was on June 13th of this year. I am past my six months and I am still here writing this note to you. Anything is possible Mike, this is the voice of experience. Hold your head up, be positve and believe in yourself. You can do it. Once you get over the initial illness of the chemo it will get better. I have found my peace in the fact that so many of the people I knew in my past are back in my life, supporting me and now you are finding the same. God bless you my friend and continue on, and no matter what, NEVER QUIT.

Ron Edwards


He fought to the end and that came today at 12:18 Pacific time.
Goodbye Ron. I'll see you on the other side!!

The sun is back!!

Elliott enjoying a sunbeam on the couch.
Tomorrow I head to Leavenworth. (The town, not the prison).
It is in the Cascade Mountains just East of Stevens Pass. The State Transit systems get together once a year to have a conference on issues dealing with person's with disabilities.
Leavenworth is a Bavarian looking village and is sort of centrally located so all the systems have a chance to get there. Last weekend it would have been hard to get to with all the snow we were having. Today it is 70 degrees and sunny! I will be glad to get off the Island and do something different from the every day stuff here.

My brother is doing better on his new chemo. I don't know if it is shrinking the tumors any, but he is tolerating it much better! Before, he was acting weird and not in focus. Now he is back to being my brother. Sherry and I were talking a few weeks ago and she mentioned that she missed Mike. I asked what she meant, and she said he just isn't the same. He acts doped up (which he is) on the medications. We prayed together and I asked the Lord for healing, but if he won't heal, we'd like to have my brother back, we'd like to have Sherry remember his last days with warmth. Well since he started the new chemo he is actually acting like his old self. Sherry and I hugged each other and said "Thank you Lord". He listens.

Today I am grateful for my brother.

I am leaving after Church tomorrow and will return on Tuesday night. You won't miss me, because I seem to only post once a week or two. But y'all have a good week!!