"Long weekend"....big sigh. It has been great to have extra, uncommitted time. And I took Friday off as well to indulge even more. Actually, the "life in balance" scales were becoming precariously weighted on the "work" side and some adjustment was necessary. The extra days have helped.
Besides some regular errands on Saturday, I had time for some retail therapy on Friday and to follow through on some other things that I have been wanting to, well, you know....follow through on. John and I celebrated our 11th anniversary on Saturday (the Steel Anniversary). Last year it was spent unloading furniture that had just arrived. This year we went into the burg for dinner at Sogno di Vino and had a lovely time. And since it was the so-called "Steel" anniversary, we bought our riding lawn tractor/mower! There's sure to be some steel in that. Sunday we Skyped with some friends far away and talked about plans for traveling together in 2011. Today I will lunch with my friend from California who moved to Poulsbo also. All good stuff :-)
The weather has not moved into summer as we had anticipated. We can only compare it to last year when it was sunny and in the high 70s at this time. We are still under cloudy skies and off and on rain. So eating on the deck and BBQs haven't begun in earnest yet. The good side to this is that the ground is still workable which is helping John as he continues to prep the final garden bed.
So, I'm off to thoroughly enjoy this day. I wish the same for you....
Monday, May 31, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
The Body Count...
Mice. I really don't like them. Actually they are kind of cute, but I have a long and deep-seated fear of them. Makes no sense (but neither does my discomfort with bridges). But it's there nonetheless. There were two in my car this winter. Three more in the garage. All of them went by way of a trap and some tasty peanut butter. Then this morning, as I was going through the morning "chores" at 5am (starting coffee, feeding animals, opening eyes...) I noticed a small "lump" behind the loveseat, which, on closer inspection (from a distance of about 6 feet), turned out to be a mouse! Number 6. Immediate and involuntary screaming ensued. Mine. Normally, I would jump on a tall object (not as tall as in my earlier years perhaps, but still a safe place off the ground), do more screaming, and let the "man of the house" deal with this. It's a system that has worked for me over many decades. Unfortunately, said "man" is out of town this week. System aborted. I was stuck.
So, lots more screaming happened as I tried to determine if there was any chance the little bugger was just shining me on and pretending to be dead, only to mount a surprise attack if I got close enough to sweep it out of the house (my strategy). And, as if to validate my fear, it moved as I edged closer. Lots more screaming. Perhaps it would leave of its own accord just to be rid of the deafening noise? It didn't move much. Just wiggled a leg or something. Still, I've seen Terminator. And that scene where you think it's over and then it's not....almost made me scream right there in the theater. I tried to get Mr. Purrkins interested in carrying it out, but he wasn't interested. I tried to get Zoe to do my dirty work for me, but apparently she is highly distractible (how could I not see this before?) and wasn't focusing until I finally took action and began to sweep the intruder toward the front door. Then she snatched it!! More screaming. Mine. There was some blur of activity then with me yelling "outside!", her dropping the mouse, and me hastily sweeping it toward and out the door. What happened out there, I haven't a clue. However, when our guest cat, Roosevelt, came in from the garage (maybe he was late in coming in because of all the screaming), he immediately wandered over to the "spot" and inspected it. He had dealt with the mouse earlier! A mouser! He can stay as long as he wants...
So, lots more screaming happened as I tried to determine if there was any chance the little bugger was just shining me on and pretending to be dead, only to mount a surprise attack if I got close enough to sweep it out of the house (my strategy). And, as if to validate my fear, it moved as I edged closer. Lots more screaming. Perhaps it would leave of its own accord just to be rid of the deafening noise? It didn't move much. Just wiggled a leg or something. Still, I've seen Terminator. And that scene where you think it's over and then it's not....almost made me scream right there in the theater. I tried to get Mr. Purrkins interested in carrying it out, but he wasn't interested. I tried to get Zoe to do my dirty work for me, but apparently she is highly distractible (how could I not see this before?) and wasn't focusing until I finally took action and began to sweep the intruder toward the front door. Then she snatched it!! More screaming. Mine. There was some blur of activity then with me yelling "outside!", her dropping the mouse, and me hastily sweeping it toward and out the door. What happened out there, I haven't a clue. However, when our guest cat, Roosevelt, came in from the garage (maybe he was late in coming in because of all the screaming), he immediately wandered over to the "spot" and inspected it. He had dealt with the mouse earlier! A mouser! He can stay as long as he wants...
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Looking Backward and Forward...
We arrived in Poulsbo 1 year ago today. We made a good choice. It was, after all, a choice. We often likened it to the scene in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid where they are faced with jumping off a cliff to escape their otherwise certain fate and the Kid confesses he can't swim. Then Butch says "Well hell. The fall will probably kill you!" And they join hands and leap. We knew that if the fall didn't kill us, it would be a fantastic adventure. So we joined hands and leaped. The rewards have been numerous. Less stress, natural beauty everywhere you look, less noise, new things to see and do; everyday this is true. As my somewhat mundane chronicling over the past year has shared, we have made a home and a life here. A full and rich one at that.
Sometimes when John is in the Bay Area, he drives by the old house. It looks well cared for by the new owners. I'm glad the house has new people. I'm glad we are done there.That house got a second life after we remodeled it. But I don't regret for a single moment our decision to leave.
I expect this second year will bring its own discoveries. We'll settle in, put down roots (literally and figuratively), and grow our lives.
With that in mind, though John has often resisted the idea of a riding mower, we will be getting one. Soon. He can choose to use it or not, but I will most happily use it. After helping with the mowing last weekend (which I actually enjoy), it seemed clear to me that 4 times the horse power and 3 times the cutting width, while sitting down no less, would all be good things. Imagine completing the mowing in a single day! So, we may not get a riding mower for John, but we surely will get one for me! How else will he get the shed built and the vegetable gardens tended, and the berries picked, etc., etc.? Since we both work full-time, there is precious little time left for "stuff we want to do". A riding mower will help. "Nuff said.
Tonight we are going out to dance! We have finished the class and this is a sort of "graduation" event. Actually, when we remember the steps, we have improved in the past year. And if we can't recall the actual steps, we are comfortable making some up! It's all fun anyway.
On a final note, we said goodbye to one of our little "family". Atlanta (means "swift-footed huntress") was our 17 year old cat who, though small, was the clear alpha leader of the household. She embodied the notion that "it's not the size of the cat in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the cat". Katie picked her out from a litter at the local shelter. She was very wee. But she had personality and spirit to spare. She lived a good life and I'm glad she made the trip up here (we weren't sure she would survive it) because this last year she seemed to really enjoy this new place. But she had hit a rough patch these past two months and I think, when the time finally came, that she was relieved. She will be remembered fondly.
So, year two is upon us. We survived the leap of faith. Swimming onward...
Sometimes when John is in the Bay Area, he drives by the old house. It looks well cared for by the new owners. I'm glad the house has new people. I'm glad we are done there.That house got a second life after we remodeled it. But I don't regret for a single moment our decision to leave.
I expect this second year will bring its own discoveries. We'll settle in, put down roots (literally and figuratively), and grow our lives.
With that in mind, though John has often resisted the idea of a riding mower, we will be getting one. Soon. He can choose to use it or not, but I will most happily use it. After helping with the mowing last weekend (which I actually enjoy), it seemed clear to me that 4 times the horse power and 3 times the cutting width, while sitting down no less, would all be good things. Imagine completing the mowing in a single day! So, we may not get a riding mower for John, but we surely will get one for me! How else will he get the shed built and the vegetable gardens tended, and the berries picked, etc., etc.? Since we both work full-time, there is precious little time left for "stuff we want to do". A riding mower will help. "Nuff said.
Tonight we are going out to dance! We have finished the class and this is a sort of "graduation" event. Actually, when we remember the steps, we have improved in the past year. And if we can't recall the actual steps, we are comfortable making some up! It's all fun anyway.
On a final note, we said goodbye to one of our little "family". Atlanta (means "swift-footed huntress") was our 17 year old cat who, though small, was the clear alpha leader of the household. She embodied the notion that "it's not the size of the cat in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the cat". Katie picked her out from a litter at the local shelter. She was very wee. But she had personality and spirit to spare. She lived a good life and I'm glad she made the trip up here (we weren't sure she would survive it) because this last year she seemed to really enjoy this new place. But she had hit a rough patch these past two months and I think, when the time finally came, that she was relieved. She will be remembered fondly.
So, year two is upon us. We survived the leap of faith. Swimming onward...
Sunday, May 16, 2010
There be Vikings here!
So, we enjoyed front row seating for the parade! And the parade lasted for 2 hours! One of our favorite entries was the "shopping cart drill team" in the next photo. They had some choreography that really went above and beyond! And of course there were the requisite Miss This or That riding on convertibles, some horseback riders (near the end, of course), some floats, miltary configurations (it's also Armed Forces weekend up here), and several marching bands. And lots of folks dressed up in Viking apparel (furskins and helmets with horns seemed to be the order of the day) or traditional Norwegian dress. There were the local high schools and middle schools represented as well as high schools from as far away as Tacoma and Everett. And they were all quite good. And we heard a lone bagpipe player who was very good (and that's not a compliment I hand out easily!). We also enjoyed lunch at our favorite fish and chips place while we were there. Left the house at noon and back by 5pm.
Prior to leaving for the parade, we managed to put in some time in the garden. The grass in some parts has grown very long and has not been mow-able due to weather and wet ground. So this first pass is murder. I managed to trim around the house and help remove some of the rocks from the rockery (otherwise known as our vegetable garden beds). We did not manage to plant the dogwood tree or the rhody last weekend. We'll have a go at it today. Or maybe we won't. There is still more grass to mow and trim which is higher on the priority list.It seems as if, all at once, summer appears here. The daylight has extended itself from just before 5am until 9:30pm and will grow even longer the next few weeks. The weather has turned a corner with temperatures finally reaching the 70s. And people are taking full advantage of it. They're out and about in larger numbers, dressed in summer clothing (70 degrees means shorts and tank tops up here).Next week marks one year in this not-so-new-anymore place. Stay tuned...
Sunday, May 9, 2010
May on the Sound...
We have turned the corner on spring now. It's a little chilly (mid-30 degree range) in the mornings yet, but edging into the 60s reliably during the day. Everything is fresh and green. We visited a lovely nursery last weekend and brought home a pink dogwood tree, a rhododendron with yellow flowers striped with a dark orange, and a few small plants for the garden. There was so much to see that we didn't get through half of it and will return for another visit. We are hoping to get the tree and the rhody in the ground today. We picked up the horse manure last weekend and some of it has been tilled into one of the vegetable garden beds. The rest is waiting to go into the other two once they have been cleared of rocks and are tillable. But we have some peas planted. That's a start. John has been challenged to mow the yard/meadow/jungle clearing because it is still very wet in many places.
We did, in fact, go dancing last weekend and had a fun time meeting some new folks and just creating chaos on the dance floor. If only we could remember the steps that we practice so diligently in class once we are on our own! Oh well. The band was very good. Our dance class is having a "graduation party" after the last class in this cycle in 2 weeks time. We've signed up to go again.
Yesterday we went by ferry into Seattle and walked over to Qwest Stadium to watch the Seattle Sounders play the LA Galaxy (that's soccer, or football to my international friends). There were 36,000 in attendance, some fireworks, flyovers, confetti, a band, a "crazies section"; all the necessary things I guess. The club is well-supported up here and it seems to be what baseball once was for families and accessible sporting events. Oh yeah, they lost 4-0 to LA (who are the leading team in the west). We are going to watch the local club (the Kitsap Pumas) next and see what we think.
Today we are going into the burg to visit the Marine Science Center. There are many local things of interest that are on my list of "places to see and do" now. Another one is the Grover's Creek Salmon Hatchery that is run by the Suquamish tribe. It's literally just down the road. After we visit the Center, we'll try out the newly opened ice cream shop in town so I can report back :-)
Lastly, we have 4 hummingbirds frequenting the feeder on the front porch these days. They are very interesting to watch as they maneuver around and with each other. And they are very tiny compared to the ones we had in California. At the other end of the bird spectrum, John saw another bald eagle this week and lovely red-tailed hawk doing a lazy flyover. Looking forward to what the new week will bring...
We did, in fact, go dancing last weekend and had a fun time meeting some new folks and just creating chaos on the dance floor. If only we could remember the steps that we practice so diligently in class once we are on our own! Oh well. The band was very good. Our dance class is having a "graduation party" after the last class in this cycle in 2 weeks time. We've signed up to go again.
Today we are going into the burg to visit the Marine Science Center. There are many local things of interest that are on my list of "places to see and do" now. Another one is the Grover's Creek Salmon Hatchery that is run by the Suquamish tribe. It's literally just down the road. After we visit the Center, we'll try out the newly opened ice cream shop in town so I can report back :-)
Lastly, we have 4 hummingbirds frequenting the feeder on the front porch these days. They are very interesting to watch as they maneuver around and with each other. And they are very tiny compared to the ones we had in California. At the other end of the bird spectrum, John saw another bald eagle this week and lovely red-tailed hawk doing a lazy flyover. Looking forward to what the new week will bring...
Saturday, May 1, 2010
May Day Basket...
We're almost here a year! How quickly it has gone by. We still love this new place and think ourselves very fortunate to have been able to take the leap.
John is back from the Bay Area once again. While he was away, we had some rain and some sun (usually in the same day). It was good for the herbs I planted last weekend. And good for me since I didn't have to water them. Last weekend, John cleared all the rocks from one of the three garden patches. Today, we will pick up a load of horse manure from a co-worker who has 2 "rescue horses". Once that is tilled under, we should be able to start planting a few vegetables.
We're going dancing tonight. Real dancing. Not lessons. I give John kudos for doing this. He clearly does it just for me as dancing is not on his list of "things I really want to do". He knows I enjoy music and dancing and is willing to put himself out there just for that reason enough. Thank you my dear :-) We even have fun!
Other items of minimal interest to anyone else: we have a steady (and we think round-the-clock) stream of birds at the feeders these days. Especially the little thistle seed eaters (chickadees, finches, etc.). They are plowing through the seed at a speedy pace. The nut eaters have backed off for now. I suspect they are finding other food available in the woods now.What is left of the seeds and nuts, the lone, skittish squirrel is finishing. He's quite an acrobat. The house martins have reappeared and seem to be shopping for the right place to build a new house (on our house).
We're off the breakfast at the Farm House this morning. It's a once-a-month opportunity that we enjoy and anticipate. A good start to the weekend. So, Happy May Day to you all. Enjoy...
John is back from the Bay Area once again. While he was away, we had some rain and some sun (usually in the same day). It was good for the herbs I planted last weekend. And good for me since I didn't have to water them. Last weekend, John cleared all the rocks from one of the three garden patches. Today, we will pick up a load of horse manure from a co-worker who has 2 "rescue horses". Once that is tilled under, we should be able to start planting a few vegetables.
We're going dancing tonight. Real dancing. Not lessons. I give John kudos for doing this. He clearly does it just for me as dancing is not on his list of "things I really want to do". He knows I enjoy music and dancing and is willing to put himself out there just for that reason enough. Thank you my dear :-) We even have fun!
Other items of minimal interest to anyone else: we have a steady (and we think round-the-clock) stream of birds at the feeders these days. Especially the little thistle seed eaters (chickadees, finches, etc.). They are plowing through the seed at a speedy pace. The nut eaters have backed off for now. I suspect they are finding other food available in the woods now.What is left of the seeds and nuts, the lone, skittish squirrel is finishing. He's quite an acrobat. The house martins have reappeared and seem to be shopping for the right place to build a new house (on our house).
We're off the breakfast at the Farm House this morning. It's a once-a-month opportunity that we enjoy and anticipate. A good start to the weekend. So, Happy May Day to you all. Enjoy...
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