Ski Bum

How could a Christmas vacation get any better. Snow, friends and skiing at White Pass.

A Cup of Christmas Tea

Maybe you have and maybe you haven't read the poem, A Cup of Christmas Tea. If not, here is a version read by the author on youtube.com. I defy anyone to listen to it all and not shed a tear.

Rudy

Merry Christmas !!! Here is a sweet Christmas story.

Twas the Night Before Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone.

Pin

Just got this Christmas present pin in the mail from my sis who is living in Ireland for the next year. She of course made it. Her name isn't really Ann Lucy, but it does have a nice ring to it.

She went over in September, bought a car, found a nice place to rent, bought a dog and is now enjoying climate change :o) Snow and more snow in a country that rarely get snow. Her son just arrived from Tacoma for his Christmas vacation . He is a school principal and is glad to be away from the little darlings for a bit.

I know the two of them will for sure have a great time, even though his luggage never arrived and they had to make a trip to the local "men's furnishings" to get him a warm jacket. Me thinks the country will never be the same .

Winter Solstice

Yippee...we are over the hump !!!!!!

Jonathon

You're probably asking why in the world would I put a picture of Jonathon in my blog. Well, it all started with our orchestra playing Beethoven's 5th Symphony, 4th movement, at our concert this season....in fact, last night. While searching youtube for the piece, I came across a video of this adorable boy that his mother took when he was 3 years old, directing that piece from the podium in the living room of his home, while his mother filmed.

Well, don't ya know, he also plays the violin and just had his first gig with the Chandler Symphony Orchestra in Arizona. He is now 4 years old and you must read the article about him. Who knows, maybe one day Gustavo Dudamel will hand his baton to Jonathon as it sounds like his passion is definately directing.

iPad Band

Oh for cryin out loud...now they're makin group music on the iPad...give this a listen. A friend of mine who plays in our band has an iPad and loves her apps. I sure hope she doesn't think she can put down her flute and play her iPad instead. The only electric instrument we have so far is a guitar and I think that is where we need to draw the line :o)

Winter Concert

Only a week until our winter concert and this is the poster you'll see in the windows of our local businesses. An added attraction will be Spike O'Neill. I am sorry to say I had never heard of him, but after meeting him at rehearsal last week, he's a real sport !!

New Horizons Band

The fourth annual National Community Concert Band Sousa Festival will be June 24-26, 2011 in Washington, DC and Alexandria, Virginia. Why am I mentioning it here? Well, because some of the gals in the picture are from Santa Barbara. I met them when they came up to Lacey for the New Horizons Band Summer Camp and some members of our New Horizons Band have joined them when they hosted the Cambria Band Camp in California. What is really exciting is that the Santa Barbara "Prime Time Band" applied and was chosen as one of six bands to play at the Souza festival next summer. The Prime Time Band is also an affiliate of over 170 bands that belong to the New Horizons International Music Association located throughout the USA, Canada and Australia, for people 50 years and older. We have three musicians who are 90, are still love making music and on two of the more difficult instruments if you want my opinion: the oboe and the trumpet.

Jacob's Favorite

Jacob has a favorite stuffed animal as you can see :o)

Goodwill Hunting

I just read an interesting article in the Seattle Times about the Goodwill.

My long time friend Jeanne and I met a few days ago for lunch and for desert we stepped around the corner to the local Value Village. She found a gorgeous grey wool jacket that was edged in the softest brown fur. She looked like a milliion bucks in it and with the senior discount, I think it cost all of $21.00. I found three items as you can see, and after washing them to make sure there were no bedbugs, I tried them on and was most pleased :o)

Mazatlan

I always check to see where the cruise ships are and this morning I caught the Crystal Symphony making the turn-on-a-dime turn in the harbor at Mazatlan. We did the Mexican Riviera cruise on the Saphire Princess, the ship already docked and Mazatlan was one of our stops, along with Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas. I'd go again in a minute if I could :o)

Wooden Warships

On June 10, 1926, thirteen World War I era wooden warships lay at anchor in one of the shallow inlets of Henderson Bay. The vessels had been built by the Foundation Co. in Tacoma for the French and intended for service during World War I, but when the war ended, the work was stopped and none of the remaining ships were completed. They previously were moored in Lake Union, Seattle. They were purchased for salvage by Washington Tug and Barge Co. and towed to the mouth of Minter Creek and then out into the inlet at high tide. The cabins and super structure were broken up, doused in kerosene and at 11:45p.m. would be set on fire.

Buddies

Jacob is now 1 1/2 and such a dear.

He climbed up behind me in my chair at dinner on Thanksgiving and cuddled up to my back. Luckily son had his cell phone in hand and snapped this shot.

Oh, and I got this in my email this morning.....another Hallelujah Chorus ,and this time it's in Ontario, Canada at the food court. How fun it would be to be a part of one of the groups and watch the looks on people's faces.

Coin Flatware

Yesterday, while setting the table for our Thanksgiving dinner, I needed a small spoon for the bowl of sour cream. I finally decided on an old, silver spoon that was my mothers and probably her mothers. I polished it as shiny as I could, then, as I was about to set it on the table, I noticed the initial. Tipping the spoon this way and that, I still couldn't decide whether it was a C, a G, or a J. Then I began wondering if it was silver, how much and maybe it would say on the back. Course, me, with my pathetic eyes, I had to haul out my reading glasses and then the magnifying glass. What looked like 100m from one direction turned out to be COIN from the other and a bit farther down the handle it said J. Emery. Of course the next thing anyone does in the age of google was to start searching. What I found, and maybe you already knew about COIN, but I sure as heck didn't, was this..........

In colonial America, silversmiths decided to forge their own silverware and goods to avoid patronizing British purveyors of sterling silver. They collected useless European coins, mainly Spanish reales and melted them down. Because coins were an alloy of metals, their silver content was lower than that of sterling, only 90 percent. America did not adopt the Sterling standard until 1870. Coin silver was made in the United States from the earliest colonial times until just after the Civil War. There were some coin silver manufacturers who continued to produce after the Civil War, but most silversmiths changed to the use of the much more popular sterling silver.

The maker's mark on coin silver usually included the first initial and last name of the silversmith, as well as the city and state of manufacture.

In 1859, silver mines were discovered in Nevada and coin silver dropped out of favor. It was no longer cost prohibitive to acquire sterling silver.

So there ya have it...I hope you learned somthing new today as I did yesterday. Oh...and I never could find anything about J. Emery, the silversmith, but the more I think about the initial, it looks like a J...maybe it was J for J. Emery, or tipped the opposite direction it looks like a C and we did have Campbells in the family.

Neighbors

How nice to have neighbors when the snow flies. The two little girls on the left live up the hill and through the woods, not far from the two on the right. Canceled school and plenty of snow on the ground made for a fun day.

Winter is here

The thermometer has been at 29 degrees all morning and this is what we have so far....let's hope this is it !!!

It's supposed to get down into the teens tonight so that should be the end of all the beautiful flowers on the porch. Aaaaackk.

Oh...and this is fun. Are you one who takes the stairs more often than the elevator or escalator. Do you park way far away from the store so you can get your exercise? Watch this, it's cute. And, so is this.

Try not to cry

I doubt you can watch this video and not cry.

School

In 1851, the East Maine Conference Seminary was opened by the Methodist Church as a preperatory school, but closed in 1933 when Bucksport opened its first public secondary school. Wilson Hall sits atop Oak Hill. Given its current state of disrepair (a result of long-term neglect by its current owner) and the Town’s efforts to have it condemned, the old building may not be long for this world.

The reason I posted this picture is because my dad grew up across the street from the building and I remember walking down the hill in front of the building when I was 3 years old. It was fall and the color of the leaves and the water below are imprinted in my mind forever.

Pauline and Pat

I was "surfing" the net and found this picture of my sis in law and a friend of ours. It was in the Gig Harbor Weekly, a small paper that comes free each Friday. Pauline grew up in the house in the background and has lived there most of her life.

Here is the complete article with only a few errors...her dad wasn't born in that house..he was born in Croatia on the island of Brac.

Cousins are such fun.

Jacob and Ingy got to stay at granny's house yesterday and did they ever have fun. He is now 1 1/2 , she is 3 1/2 and they really got a chance to get acquainted. When all was said and done...all three of us needed a good nap :o)

Happy Birthday

Happy 78thth birthday Nick. As you can see, he had to darn his own socks because my mantra was, toss them cause they're cheap. He lost his dad when he was 7 years old and things were not easy for his mom and sis so that is probably the reason for his frugilness.

There's no way I would darn his darn socks, so I did the next best thing: provided him with needle, thread and scissors. I was happy to sew him a new shirt or jacket, but don't ever ask me to darn a sock.

Hallelujah

The Hallelujah is the one song in Handel's Messiah that I like and here you can see it being done by some very beautiful voices at Macy's in Philadelphia.

I am so glad I live in america where folks can sing praise to the lord above, wherever and whenever they so desire.

On Saturday, October 30, 2010, the Opera Company of Philadelphia brought together over 650 choristers from 28 participating organizations to perform one of the Knight Foundation's "Random Acts of Culture" at Macy's in Center City Philadelphia.

Rooflines and water

The election is over and I have nothing more to say other than I am so glad Nancy Pelosi has had her gavel ripped from her :o)

Scary Stories

Halloween was a fun day for the cowgirl and witch in our family. It started at the new Gig Harbor museum with a scary story read by one of their volunteers, plus a hands on art project. After that came the walk through the harbor to the businesses which handed out candy and last of all, to the close friends and relatives for more. Even granny was treated to a treat by Ingy. The best treat of all was the warm sun that shone all day and kept all the little ones dry.

Waist Deep Almost

Saturday soccer again and it looks like the little sisters are gonna have one heck of a good time. I do hope they brought toy boats to sail in those gigantic puddles.

Beethoven plus Schickele

Our concert mistress ...the gal holding the bow and violin....will be stuck with the job of directing the orchestra once our conductor...the fellow leaning on the cello case..... gets "pulled from the game". We rehearsed her part over and over last night and I think she's "got it" . We are playing the 1st and 4th movement of Beethoven's 5th Symphony and the 1st will be done Peter Schickele style. If you don't know who he is, take a look at this youtube video. He writes under the name PDQ Bach and loves taking classical music and making it fun for all to hear.

He joined Itzhak Perlman and the Boston Pops a few years ago and I know you'll love this.

Oh...and don't forget...December 18th, 7:00 pm, Peninsula High School.

October Surprise

Wow....what a difference a day makes !!!!

Global Cooling

Hard to believe it's only October 26th and the plows are busy clearing the parking lot at Paradise. According to the weather forcasters, we are spose to have a wet, wild winter thanks to La Nina. There is nothing more comforting than knowing there is a good supply of wood waiting just outside the door.

This one's for Boompah

Ingy agreed to pose in her great grandpa's visor hat only when I said I'd send the picture to Boompah. I'm not sure if that's how you spell the name she calls her grandpa, but I do know she is totally crazy about him :o)

It was interesting reading about the insignia on dad's hat at this site, although it says US Maritime Service officers wore this cap device. We always knew he was in the Merchant Marine, but for a time he must have been in the USMS. I know, because of WWII, there was great need for trained personel to man the ships needed to supply war materials and that dad was made captain at a very young age and, thankfully, survived his trips across the Atlantic in convoys during the war. Because he died so young, I will never know the answers to so many questions I'd have loved to ask.

How they've grown

Found this picture of my mother with 7 of her grandchildren. When all was said and done, she ended up with 13.

These 7 gave the world 17 more children, and the grandchildren yet to be born, as of now, have 4. Amazing !!!

Among them there are fishermen, teachers, artist, clothing designer, computer guru, shop keeper, musician and Dr. The one on the left, in front, with the impish grin, is our family foot Dr. who practices right here in the harbor. Amazing !!! Mom would be very pleased.

Gettin there

The new home on the old Skansie property is really taking shape. When I get a chance, I will take a picture of the front of the house and post it here and, if I'm lucky, I'll take a few of the inside.

Best Friends

What do little sisters do while their big sisters are playing a game of soccer? Why they hang out with their best friends. Sadie and Ingy were enjoying the company of a bunch of little sisters until granny stopped them and asked them all to pose. The only two willing to stop long enough for the shot were Sadie and Ingy, otherwise known as best friends.

Yesterday was a busy day around the harbor thanks to all the youth soccer, the annual Chum Festival and the Lutheran Church's Lutefisk dinner under incredible sunshine that shown down on it all. Today is the Fall Harvest dinner at St. Nick's from noon to five and we are supposed to have more of the same. What more could anyone wish for.

Paul Ancich

Paul George Ancich Age 49, beloved son, brother, husband, father, uncle and friend, died after a courageous battle with cancer on October 6, 2010 at Hospice House surrounded by his family. He lived fully and left us all better for it. A life-long resident of Gig Harbor and third generation commercial fisherman, Paul began fishing with his father at age 13. He graduated from Peninsula High School in 1979 and proudly served in the US Air Force for two years before returning to fish Puget Sound and Alaska waters aboard his boat, the Memories. Aside from his life on the water, Paul's commitment to preserving healthy salmon runs included work for the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group and a position on the Regional Fisheries Enhancement Group Advisory Board. He was a member of the Gig Harbor Commercial Fishermen's Civic Club, the Washington Dept of Fish & Wildlife Lands Mgmt Advisory Council, and the Governor's Forum on Monitoring Salmon Recovery & Watershed Health. He initiated the Donkey Creek Chum Festival, now in its fourth year. Paul loved tennis, golf, auctions, and anything he could build or create. He will be greatly missed by his wife of two years, Lisa Hanson-Ancich, sons Paul Jr. and Jacob (and their mother Christina Ancich), and step-children Brennan and Lacey Hanson. Paul was preceded in death by his mother Ethel Lee. He is survived by his parents, George and Barbara Ancich, siblings Lenita (Nick) Markovich, Maria (Chuck O'Herin) Ancich, Lita Dawn Stanton, Laura Quinn, Chuck (Cindy) Horjes, Cindy Lumsden, John Horjes and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends. A reception to celebrate and remember Paul will follow a Funeral Mass at St. Nicholas Catholic Church, 3510 Rosedale Street, on Thursday, October 14, 2010 at 11am. In his memory, donations may be made to Franciscan Hospice, 2901 Bridgeport Way West, University Place.

Beauty and the Beast

If I voted on just looks...it's easy to see who I'd vote for...but having read about their latest debate...it's easy to see who anyone would vote for who wasn't a dyed in the wool democrat.
Oh....and here's why I can't watch Rachel Maddow.

Pumpkins among the flowers

It's almost Halloween and if we're lucky, things will look like this when the little ones come for treats. I love the easy weather during the month of October, other than the 1962 Columbus Day storm, but come November, we are usually in for some kind of weird, wild stuff.

Road Trip

What a fun day we had yesterday on our spur of the moment day trip to Port Townsend/Point Wilson, aboard one of our friend's RV. We parked not far from the light house, and had a terrific BBQ in the wonderfully warm October sun, all the while watching the giant container ships pass among the many sailboats that scooted across the water under a perfect breeze. For desert, we piled into the SUV that we had towed behind and drove downtown for ice cream. We stopped at sis' house to show them a true Victorian home, again to a beautiful spot along the beach where one could look north to the San Juan Islands and beyond, then home again where we found a spot big enough for our huge land yacht, across the street from the liquor store of all places, hauled out the chicken, tossed green salad and fresh strawberries dipped in whipped cream, and ate our dinner, with folks scratching their heads as they passed by. Once our stomachs were full, Len and I got in the front, and we smooshed another couple into the back seat of my car next to my grandchildrens carseat, and returned them, along with his walker that hung out of my trunk, back to their retirement home. It was a fun day and we're ready to do it again soon !!!!!!

Pruners at rest

There's no need to hire a gardener because mama and her little ones are taking care of any pruning that needs doing at the home of one of my sons.
Interesting column.

TJ's New Home

He's back !!!! The kid, who is now 50 years old, has moved back into the woods above my house. He grew up near me, is paranoid schizophrenic and refuses to live between 4 walls. He's been in and out of Western State Hospital many times, and in and out of my home many times, each time uninvited. He walks through the harbor at all hours of the day and night, talking to himself or to the voices that talk to him. Part of me says oh just let him be, and the other part says call the cops. He has been living in another part of town because I had him removed from my woods once before, but because his mother lives near me, it is easier for him to be closer to her. What to do, what to do.

And of course my favorite columnist.

Alicia Colon

This column by Alicia Colon in The Irish Examiner says it all. I have been a long time reader of Lucianne.com and appreciate their work in keeping us informed about current events, locally, nationally, and globally.

Goodbye

This may sound strange, but there are a whole bunch of us old time KIRO chatters who lost a long time friend. Most of us had never met him, but we felt we really got to know him well thanks to our crazy HTML world. KIRO AM radio used to have a chat that some hosts would join when on air. We would type comments and occasionally they would be read to the listeners.

As time went by, we chatters became too rowdy and finally the chat was discontinued, but along the way, we taught each other about tags, fonts, img's, href's, links and most important, closing tags. We chatters started planning get-togethers at safe public places and once we found that we were none of us dangerous, though some of us, honestly, kinda scary looking, we met often, usually at Christmas time, for great get-togethers. Why even the mayor of the town of Pacific was and still is, part of our group. There's even been a marriage between two of those among us. Many of us still stay connected via the internet through Facebook and other forums because it seems that by sharing our opinions etc, we have made lasting friendships. RIP my friend Dak.

Vaclav Klaus

You gotta love this guy. Czech President Vaclav Klaus says the UN should stay out of economics and global warming. Most times, I think the UN members should stay home. Maybe we could blast those involved with the United Nations Outer Space Affairs into outer space to earn their pay. If aliens ever land on earth there will no longer be any confusion over who will greet them with the news the United Nations is set to appoint an astrophysicist to be their first human contact.
Mazlan Othman is expected to be tasked with coordinating humanity’s response to an extraterrestrial visit, if ever required.

I think I need a nap.

Toys

Thanks to the "Kindle 3", I am reading again. Who'da thunk it would be so easy to use. I download a book from Amazon.com. using my neighbors router :o), and can read indoors or out with no problem at all. It's easy to pop in my purse when I am off on a trip, or read in bed...no pages to turn, just the press of a button on the side. It turns off by itself when set down and when turned back on, it goes right to the page I'm on.

Lordy lordy, this would sure be a great tool for school, but not so much on a bus.

Class Of 58

Well here we are again...or some of us from the Class of 1958...at the annual Mega 50's reunion at the Eagles Hall.

We are all now 70, still upright and still able to party :o)

What is it?

It was museum grand opening day, dog walk day and Lions Club salmon BBQ day yesterday, plus the rain took time out for all the events so the harbor was packed with people enjoying one of those wonderful September days we so often have.

Ingy spent the day with granny while mama took big sis to her soccer game and we, of course, had to join in the fun. Along our way we did a careful inspection of the new house being built on the Skansie lot. It is going to be a lovely home, with a view to die for, especially from the rock section in front. We aren't sure if it will be for seating or a hot tub...we are hoping table and chairs, but wont know until we find someone to answer our question, or just wait til it's done.

School Girl

Our little miss Ingrid started preschool this week. Her teacher is also a photographer...aren't we all...but she is more on the professional side. Anyway...she took pictures of all her new students and I think she caught our little missy in a perfect pose.

Kjirstin Nicole

We took a drive down the coast this week and the first thing I spotted when we drove along the waterfront in Westport was the tophouse of the Kjirstin Nicole. Uncle George built it for my hubby years ago when she was our boat and her name was, Maria. I was tickled to see her so well cared for and hope she has many years of service left in her :o)

Net builder

Jacob is getting his first taste of net building as daddy sews the net to the cork line. If he grows up and becomes a fisherman, he will spend some long hours on his feet.