Avalon

I see the Avalon is for sale on Craigslist. ...I sure wish the Avalon was the seiner in the museum instead of the Shenandoah. There must be a gazillion picture of her throughout the years. If you have 3500.00 dollars in spare cash, she could be yours with just a phone call :o)

Lookin for dinner

It's Sitka herring time again and as the fishermen wait for the herring to ripen and the gun to go off, the eagles keep an eye out for a quick meal.
Just for fun, here's what it occasionally looks like when the gun goes off...let's hope things are a little more sane this year.

Reading is fun

Nothing better than a story read by mama. Jacob loves to be read to and when mama returned to my house to take him home, he wanted her to read " Are You My Mother" one more time. We had read it earlier and there is nothing more wonderful than reading to a good listener.
And..there is nothing more wonderful than this and this.
Here is a good piece on  entitlements and this on learning and this on the health care mess and finally, this on loony Obama. Okay..one more inspiring piece.

Old Friends

My cousin Dawn and I got together with our friend Ron for lunch today at the Clearwater Casino. Ron lives in Alaska and is passing through on his way to Arizona for a visit with family. We met  Ron in  the second grade at  Rosedale school when Dawn and I...often known as the Purdy girls... were moved from Lincoln school in Gig Harbor to Rosedale because of over crowding. That was the best thing that ever could have happened to us because it was a small school, only two rooms, with two grades in each room and the teachers were outstanding.
We had a fun visit and the gal who served us seemed to enjoy watching us carry on :o)  We are truly blessed to have had such  a long friendship. Oh...and Ron is always up to something interesting...this time he is taking violin lessons. I guess 73 isn't too old to learn....though I ran into a little 8 year old at my sisters in Port Townsend later in the day who is learning violin, and I'm thinkin she is probably going to be a whole lot more successful.

Shenandoah

Phew...our concert is over...St. Pat's is over....some yard work has been done... and that is why I haven't checked in for a bit. This morning my hands are stiff and sore thanks to pushing the lawn mower for the first time this year, plus sawing a bunch of small trees that are starting to block my view of the Tides Tavern :o)  I have a handy dandy power saw that does quick work on things, but it's kinda heavy so I think today I will take a break. Oh..and our concert was great. The Chamber Orchestra from Stadium High School joined our strings for Brandenberg Concerto #3, then the students played a piece by Mendelssohn...those kids put us to shame :o(  and most were only sophmores.
The music they played was long haired, but when we less civilized folks joined the strings...it was nothing but one big party...well...at least after the beautiful oboe solo by Mary Lou Hunt in Celtic Concerto....well to be exact...10:16....  The audience loved us and wanted more....which they will get on June 8th..same time...same place :o)
Oh...and here we are...the rowdy bunch...as it sounds from under my chair :o)
Oh..and you might be wondering why the boat pix...well..I just like it.

Concert tonight

The Gig Harbor Life/Kitsap Sun photographer was at rehearsal last week with his fancy camera, taking oodles of pictures of us as we played and don't ya know we made the news :o) Tonight is our concert and for added pleasure, some of our conductor's students from Stadium High School will be joining our strings when they play the Brandenberg Concerto No. 3. It is a fun concert and I hope you can join us. Here is all the information you'll ever need.

Genius project

This article about the Genius Project was in our local paper yesterday. I love to see an old boat get a new face, and ribs, and bottom and the Genius is getting all of the above. She was built in 1920 for my father in law, whom I never met because he died the month and year I was born. His brother, Spiro, came to this country first and no doubt helped with the financing. In 1928, the Genius was sold to Nick Skansi, and my father in law had the Sonia built. I'm thinkin one of these days I am going to have to take a drive  to Port Townsend, stopping of course to check in at my sister's place.

Block house inside

I showed you the outside of the "block house" a few days ago... here is what the living and dining room look like. I am hoping to get back one more time to see the finished kitchen. Everyone that sees the pictures comments that they would love living there....and I am definately among them. The view is to die for.

My buddy

My buddy and I have hung out just about every day this week...last night for dinner and  the day before for a long walk in the sunshine. We even cleaned the dandelions from Father Baily's lawn as we gathered flowers for a bouqet. I tapped Father on the shoulder yesterday when I spotted him at our local hangout,  the Harvester restaurant, and told him of our good deed. He is young and so very nice and I think he is happy living in the harbor. I mean, what's not to like :o)

Block House

For almost 73 years I have been passing this house on the other side of the harbor, and not once in all that time have I  been inside, until today. The young couple who bought the home has been busy redoing the hardwood floors, painting walls, putting in new windows and  redoing some of the kitchen and bathroom.  The view is to die for and there is surprisingly, a large yard. From what I have been told, years ago, the building used to be living space on top, and a bus barn below, with enough room to hold two buses. There is a wall lined with cupboards for tools etc, and long counters where the mechanics must have  done their work. If it were my home, I'd knock out the partition that was put in after they no longer used it for buses, and I'd make it a garage for my cars. It would also be a great basement for basketball hoops since the ceiling is so high.

Rock Wall

Well, sis is back in Ireland. She left her dog home with her son and took her camera. She plans on spending 3 month taking pictures and just enjoying.  With all the moss on the rocks, I'd swear she took the pix in my back yard. Here is the url to her blog so you can travel along with her.
And just for fun....I love this view cam.
And....one more article. I heard a big discussion about it this mornng on the radio, but I must say, I support the nurse who refused to give the woman CPR.  All of us are going to die, sooner or later, and I think we often do too much to stop the normal dying process. I was also glad that the children of the 87 years old woman were okay with the nurses decision. There, now I feel much better.

Beam

Well...here's what the house looks like today and I see what they did with the smiling beam..it's now a frown :o) I hate to tell the folks who are going to live there that they are going to freeze on their deck. So often on a beautiful sunny day, the wind is from the north and it will send them scurrying to the back of their house where there will be more protection. How is it that I know these things...it's because my deck is on the same side of the house and we always freeeeeeze.  If only I knew more when we built, I would have done so many things differently.

Unter Donner und Blitz

Only 2 weeks until our March 16th concert and this is one of the songs we will be playing. It's a wild ride and when it's over, I always go...phew !!! For a peek at some of the other songs, go to our orchestra website and take a look. Oh..and an added bit of info....the Stadium High School strings will be playing along with ours when they play the Brandenberg #3. Since we are both used to playing under Mathew Underwood, it should work our very well....other than the kids being better musicians that we are :o)