Happy Birthday Pat

Today is my sister's 73rd birthday. As you can see from the picture of her many children and even more grandchildren...she went forth and multiplied.....and this isn't all of them.

Let's go shopping

It took some doing, but they finally decided on just which hats, gloves and purses to wear shopping. Course, it being summer, there was no need for shoes :o)

Traps

There was an interesting article in the Seattle Times this morning about the Fraser River sockeye. It is nice to see the run in such great shape.

In the picture, Bergen and Ingrid are playing on the beach at the "traps" which is on the west side of San Juan Island, with daddy fishing in the distance.

The picture takes me back to the days when their daddy was the one playing on the beach, watching his dad fish, hoping that he'd send in the skiff and pick him so he could spend the day on the boat.

Hopefully this scene will repeat for generations to come.

Friday Harbor Girls

Woman's work is never done and the work that needed doing this time was for mama to take needed gear to Friday Harbor so daddy could be ready to fish in case there was an opening.

Course no one had to twist anyone's arm cause she and the girls had never been there before and were happy to drive to Anacortes and ride the ferry through the islands on a beautiful sunny day.

Only one thing stood in their way; the huge fish pump in the back of the truck! Mama had to find a way to get it out to make room for other gear. Not to worry. She figured out how to start the propane fork lift, lift the forks, and get the job done, leaving only a slight dent in the joists that hold up the net shed roof :o)

My son was smart to marry a fisherman's daughter.

Parade of Pinks

The fellas are still catching in southeast. It does a heart good :o)

Laura Dekker

14 years young Dutch sailor, Laura Dekker, is on her way. She hopes to be the youngest person to sail around the world as she started her journey on her 38 foot boat "Guppy" in secrecy yesterday from Gibraltar.

Our prayers go out to her. May she have enough wind to fill her sails, but none of the winds that ended Abby Sunderland's journey. If I were her parents I'd be a mess.

New replaces Old

The new home being built on the site of the old Vin Skansie home is really taking shape. One of these evenings I will have to take a walk and see what it looks like from the inside out.

Makah

Makah is now over a year old and things are a whole lot safer around the home front. His taste for adirondak chairs has lessened and the wooden steps are no longer in jeopardy. My cousin, Dawn, found him when he was just a tiny pup, alongside the dirt road between Neah Bay and Cape Flattery. They passed by and her daughter told her to stop and go back because she was sure she had seen something that looked like a puppy. Sure enough, it was a tiny, hungry, dirty, lonely little critter, ever so happy to be in the arms of anything that resembled a mother. Off he went on their camping trip to the ocean and once home, to the vet for a complete physical where he was pronounced a keeper.

He looks like he is part wolf and part who knows what, with two different colored eyes, but my cousin has found a friend for life and Makah doesn't know it, but he will no doubt be headed for Alaska, via the Alcan, and a plethora of places before his days are over.

Oh...and the reason we were all at my cousin's home yesterday was because she threw herself a 70th birthday bash. She has an amazing view and can watch the cruise ships come and go from almost every window, so of course I got carried away with my video camera.

Tom Grams

We need more people like Tom Grams.

Try watching this without shedding a bucket of tears.

Red Rooster Cafe

At last the Red Rooster Cafe is open and it was so nice to see people enjoying one of the most delightful spots in the harbor this afternoon . I hope the owners are successful in their new venture.

The menu looks interesting, but with such a small kitchen, and the city not allowing many tables, it seems they do all they can to discourage private enterprise. There will be no liquor sales, but I think people can bring their own wine if they want.

I wish them the best.

Pool House

What a fun day we had yesterday, though sad that no one used the pool thanks to the weather doing a one-eighty from the day before.
My two sisters and I, along with a few of their kids and grandkids, got together for a delicious potluck and gabfest at my nephews home.
One of the younger guests arrived at SeaTac just in time to join us after a month in CZ studying violin. The first thing he did was arm himself with fresh towels and head for the pool house shower.
What a great place for the kids and their friends to hang out when mom and dad need QUIET !!!
Speaking of cool weather...how bout this from Bolivia.
Plus....just a fun song !!!

Chrome Dome

This is the first family member of mine that I have ever seen borderline bald. He is still single, so maybe he's contemplating entering the seminary.

I think I like him better with hair.

Thank God for baseball and caps.