*announcer voice* AND NOW - THE MOMENT YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR......
ABOUT THE HOUSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
*coughs* yes, it may not prove to be a very interesting post, but then again it may. I'll see what I can do with it. want to tell all y'all about my aunt and uncle's house here in Portland.
Let's go back in time to when I was very young. I don't know how young, because I've been coming here since before I was born, since my mom was about ten years old or so my aunt and uncle have lived here. Their house is humongous, like four thousand square feet or something ridiculous like that too, and built in the very early nineteen hundreds (1915 or thereabouts). It's a nice lightish green color, with a covered veranda supported by columns of stone. let's go us the old wooden steps and to the door that has to be at least twice as big as any door you've ever seen in your life, and purple, and you ring the doorbell - !ding-dong! Meanwhile the Cat Prince is rubbing against your legs, begging you to pick him up and drooling on you, and trying to convince you he hasn't been fed in a week or so. But the door turns in on it's massive hinges and the cat has to stay outside.
You are in a foyer, a rather large one, with the old coat rack to your right that looks so much like a mannakin, stairs in front of you leading up, and the living room through two large oak sliding panel doors to your left. We'll leave the upstairs to itself for now; let's go into the living room.
It is a large room, with bookshelves and cabinets built into the walls, and three large windows looking out onto the veranda. The whole house has a feel of being old and antiquated, but well-preserved, like a treasure found in an antique shop. A few floral-print couches stand in stiffness with tasseled pillows, refusing to mold to fit any shape of comfort. A glass-topped table holds foreign curiosities, many from India or Japan, collected by these world-travelers. But aside from the treasures of the bookshelves, this room holds not much of interest; let us move on.
The next room is the dining room/piano room. Being a very open floor plan, this is not quite as strange as it looks in print! You kind of move into an open area with a dining room table on the left, and a grand piano on the right (quite cluttered in piano music when I am here!), and a built-in china hutch thing against the wall straight ahead. Now which door shall you choose - to the right or to the left? Let us go to the left, into the kitchen.
The kitchen is spacious, and old, down to the stove and the fridge. an old gas range which must be lighted by hand, the sort of thing you might find, once again, in an antique shop or early twentieth-century house. Lots of couter space makes it a pleasure to cook in! to the back there is another door, leading to a short corridor, and eventually to the outside in the back of the house. But let us go right, past the door leading to the basement, and out by an opening on the right (where the earlier door we by-passed would have taken us). To the right is the dining/piano room, and to the left a hallway. turn left. the two rooms to your right are bedrooms, only one of which has a bed, the other much clutter and memories in tangible form. Let us not forget the "nerd hole" as the computer closet has been affectionately dubbed! The second bedroom is home to many pictures long-forgotten in drawers, remembered after the removal of a thick layer of dust by a curious young girl, or perhaps merely a bored young girl. Perhaps a mix of both.
At the end of this hall is the bathroom. Here when I was young I thought for sure the bathtub was a monster, as evidence by the four beast-like claws supporting its massive shape, waiting to devour me! now i know better...
perhaps you should like to take a short tour of the upstairs? you would? come! follow me!
The stairs are creaky, but stable, so do not worry. at the top we meet with more that two doors, we meet with a mystery...
long ago, at a Thanksgiving in this very house, when I was quite young (probably eight or nine), we were all together, including some friends the E's. they had a son named Carl, about twelve or thirteen at the time, and we spent much of the evening together in these old sacred haunts, a wide-eyed girl listening to the tale of the Hound of the Baskervilles (and somehow the Matrix got sprinkled in there too), wondering with a dash of incredulity if the story could really be true, related by such a "big kid." He swore it was, and I cannot say that I did not actually believe him for the most part by the time he got to the cliff-hanger and stopped, telling me I would have to read it for myself in the future. It was indeed a night of mysteries, and as we climbed higher and higher into the thousand-year old cedar outside, we met with the most capital sort of one any one could wish: the house extended on the top beyond my aunt and uncle's room! Of course our young minds had never considered that the top of the house might be somewhat proportional to the bottom, and we wondered indeed what was all this extra space we had never seen was? After climbing back down through magical spider-webs, we snuck upstairs while the adults were occupied elsewhere. two doors: where did the second one lead? Being children, we turned the handle. the door swung noiselessly open.....
I'm just kidding, the handle turned but the door didn't open. We went back downstairs where my mom met us and solved the "mystery" by explaining that my aunt and uncle loaned out the extra space to renters, and we weren't allowed up there. does it seem strange to you that I have never seen 800 square feet of a house I have known so well? perhaps yes, perhaps no. we returned to the bedroom, with red pills, blue pills, and glowing footprints.
I'll write more about dinner and stuff tomorrow, after we get home, but I'm tired now and I'm going to bed. G'night ya'll!!
August 31, 2007
August 29, 2007
Please don't get mad at me, but this is a really really really really really really really really really really really really loooooooooong post!!!
Ok, so I’m here in Portland, but there’s this password thing on my aunt’s computer that won’t really let me go anywhere without a ‘guardian’ to babysit it. Very annoying. By the time you read this, my aunt may have disabled it, because she thinks it’s annoying too.
I guess I’ll just start with Friday and go through the present, updating when I can. I DO have e-mail access here, and limited blog access (limited by time, lol), so feel free to e-mail me or something if you want and I’ll reply when I have time (or can get over this stupid password thingamy)!
So, Friday – I drove all the way down here!!!!! After running a few quick errands, we were on the road, and traffic was terrible. I almost got run over by a semi who decided he wanted to be in my lane and didn’t care if I was there or not I guess, but, we’re all still safe and alive and here. We stopped in Vancouver and had dinner with Lucy and Lindy and Co., which certainly didn’t last long enough!! I miss you guys already!! But we consoled each other with the thought that the sleepover is soon. ;) Lindy and me dancing to My Favorite Things….and trying to hide me when it was time to go…We arrived at my aunt and uncle’s fairly late (nine or nine thirty), but got here before them since they were doing something at church. They pulled up about thirty seconds after us and let us in, where we stayed up talking for an hour or so, something we’re all very good at! I read the first chapter of David Copperfield, then turned in for the night. Nancy and Richard now have a bathroom with a shower downstairs, which has been nice when sharing between five people!
Saturday morning we had breakfast with Mythraie, this year’s team leader for the India 2008 team, to hang out, and also to talk about my possible involvement on the team.
*deep breath* It looks like I ‘might’ be going.
*screams*
I MIGHT BE GOING!!!!!I MIGHT BE GOING!!!!!I MIGHT BE GOING!!!!!!
SOOO, there is the Visual Communications team, which does all of the pictures, videos, interviews, and articles, etc. for the website people can view back home, and the Report night, and stuff like that. They provide training for writing and photography!!!! Training!!! Mythraie seemed very positive about me fitting in on that part of the team, especially with the people I would be working with. One door open! Now I need a guardian…any suggestions?
January is a very hard time for my aunt to get away from her office, and she’s not sure she feels called to return this year or not yet. I put a bug in my cousins’ ears, Marcus has been before and Lissa has been with this church to Kazakhstan. Who knows? I know that if God wants me back there, He will raise up a guardian for me, and the financial support too. PLEASE KEEP PRAYING!!!
After breakfast, we got ready to go up to Mt. Hood for some hiking, which didn’t really turn out as hiking, ha-ha. We puttered around the lodge and checked it out, then we went up this trail that goes pretty much straight up for a long time. After about a half mile Uncle Richard decided that was enough for him, and I decided to stay with him off to the side of the trail on a rock (don’t worry, no annoying little people yelled at us!), since I had just been hiking at Paradise and we’re all going on Mt. Rainier next weekend. We made great plans for growing ginormous pumpkins next year and roasting all ten thousand seeds!!!! He’s retired, and very much into gardening. We decided to go to church on Saturday night instead of yesterday morning, since it was on our way home and the timing was pretty close to perfect. We were a little early, but got drinks at the coffee stand and hung out in the lobby for a little while until service started; I got an Italian soda. I tell you, those are just addicting. Like Starbucks double chocolate chip fraps. It’s when I’m at the coffee stand and the movie theater that I realize just how much of a teenager I really am. :)
We came home and played Oh Heck! also called Nertz (multiple-person solitaire; multitaire? Where you all build on each others’ aces), which seems to happen every time we get down here, and I won!! which is the first time I think that’s ever happened! It was very exciting. After that, everyone except Dad and I were tired out, so he and I stayed up and watched Contact on his laptop for a few hours, then went to bed. I was so tired at this point that I didn’t read at all. :( ah well, more time for that later.
Sunday morning we slept in, and then after breakfast Dad and Richard and I hit the chipping and putting green at a nearby golf course for practice. We came home and ate lunch, then all drove over to my cousins’ house and visited for three or four hours. We don’t get to see them very much, so that was a real treat, plus they make chocolate and brownies and truffles and stuff, which is an added treat, ha-ha! I was remembering all this stuff from when I was little and my cousin would play with me. remember…
the first song you ever taught me on the piano? three guesses! not mary had a little lamb, no. not twinkle twinkle little star, no. Jesus Love Me, yes!
remember when I was so small you could bench press me? “I’m too weak now.” and I’m too big now.
remember when I would try to tickle you, and it never worked? but you could always tickle me.
We talked for a while, but then they had to go to a Bible Study and my parents had to go home, so we all parted (alas! parting is such sweet sorrow!). Aunt Nancy and Uncle Richard and I went to uwajimaya’s (sp? Word tells me it’s wrong) and got a whole bunch of things I can’t pronounce. then Nancy made this limey Thai soup for dinner that was…umm…interesting. It’s wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t my favorite. Had quite the kick to it. We also had these other – things. I don’t know what they were called either. they were these little sweet buns (I think Japanese) with a lotus root filling. I liked the bun part, the filling was ok. Uncle Richard mowed the lawn and set up a stake for a target, and we did some chipping with golf balls to see who could get closest to the pin, just for practice. Later on, I read a little more, and then raided their OLD bookshelves. Pretty much every book of which has about half an inch of dust on top. I had noticed some books earlier that looked like old classics in a set, which is exactly what they turned out to be – now Anna, don’t freak out on me or anything. WEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!! oh wait you’ve never seen the gazebo scene have you?
Dickens, Stevenson, Poe, Scott, Eliot, Austen, Hugo, Thackeray, not to mention a whole shelf of just Mark Twain!!! I was pretty much in heaven, because you had to open each book to see what it was; the outside only said the author. So I spent a good half hour getting my hands dusty in all these wonderful old books. (anna what have you done to me???) I’m bringing home a couple on indefinite loan…won’t my mother just be thrilled? The COMPLETE WORKS OF SHAKESPEARE and also about six or seven of Stevenson’s books in one volume. both are about fifty pounds each, and I don’t know how I’m going to get them back home, but it’s all the same. I’m certainly coming back with much more than I left with!
Sunday night my grandpa was in town, because he had to work on a boat early the next morning in Vancouver, so he crashed here for the night. That was kind of fun, even though we only talked for about an hour before he had to go to bed. It was still nice to see him again. Late that night as I sat up reading David Copperfield, something caught the corner of my eye, something moving. As my gaze followed it I realized that it was a huge spider. If you don’t know, spiders are my biggest fear – no funny business around spiders. It was probably about three inches in diameter though, really really big! Well here I’m caught between two fears: getting close enough to kill it, or having it alive in my room. Obviously I had to go with my first choice, but oh! what to do?!? Thankfully the room I was in was rather like a throw-things-in-here-until-we-get-to-them room, with a few large books. I stretched a trembling hand toward the book, which was also toward the spider, and had one of those moments where you hear the sound and don’t realize that it’s you screaming for a moment. Completely involuntary. I caught the book and smashed, not thinking or caring about the volume of the scream and the thump (no one woke up, anyways). I couldn’t lift that book up all that night, and, shaking, I tried to focus once more on David Copperfield, glancing up now and then at the book as if I half-expected to see the arachnid climbing out from under it in full force again.
Early Monday morning I woke up to the sound of my Uncle Richard’s voice coming under the two-inch crack below the door. Kacy…..Kacy…..it’s time to get up. We…have…to…go…walking. I rub my eyes. walking? It’s got to be like three in the morning or something. before I can turn to check the alarm clock I never set, He says IT’S SEVEN O’CLOCK…… ugghh! Seven? oh yeah, I did sign up for this didn’t I?
My uncle goes walking twice a week with this group of elderly people (he’s the youngest of them I think, so no, I’m not calling him old ha-ha) at a mall near here. Since Nancy’s taking the week off, we decided to go with him on Monday and Wednesday, which we had done once a loooong time ago when I was down here (like two years ago or something, you know, a long time). Nancy and I do our own pace, much faster than everyone else though, so we walked together and basically ditched the rest of the people. The first thing we did on coming to the escalators was to promptly go up the down escalator, which proved beyond a doubt that Up is, in fact, Down. Aren’t I smart? Experimental proofs people, that’s what this world needs! So we pant (er, I mean walk) around the second floor for a while, then met up with everyone else for coffee and chatting. Met a few nice people at our end of the table too!
After walking we went to Heaven. Oh, for those of you who haven’t figured it out yet, Heaven is Barnes and Noble bookstore, where I have a gift card! *waves gift card in the air* oh wait, there’s no money on it anymore….drat. *tossed gift card* *waves books in the air* SO, there’s no sales tax here in the wonderful state of Oregon, which is why my ever-clever mother suggested I use my gift card here. Oh, the only downside to this particular earthly form of heaven is that their LotR section sucks. a lot. But you know how a few months ago I wanted to learn how to write short stories, and basically no one knows how to? I got this complete stories of Franz Kafka book; supposedly Kafka is the best from what I’ve heard. some Russian dude I think. Anyway, that was fifteen bucks, which killed my gift card, but was well worth it. Then I found the ten buck thing I couldn’t live without. I was on a Dickens high pretty much the rest of the day. YES, I said Dickens. Did you guys know that Dickens wrote short stories? He did he did he did!!!!! *jumps up and down* and I’m not talking like the Christmas Carol short stories, I mean like five to twenty page short fiction stories. which are incredible, like anything else Dickens wrote. Stevenson, step aside, thou art being dethroned. Make way for Dickens! (sounds like make way for ducklings…) So that was only ten dollars, and even more that worth it!! I heart Dickens!!!
yes I’m done.
Oh yeah, we actually did have to leave Heaven, despite my pleading to stay almost forever in the classical lit section. but there was the fabric store to be visited! Not like we bought anything (not like I had money), but we got some ideas for this selwar kameez I want to make soon, so that was cool. Later on…let’s see, what did we do? I think maybe we went for a walk, and that night we watched The Greatest Game Ever Played (a golf movie, but super-good, even my mom and my aunt liked it, and they don’t really like golf!). I moved into the bedroom with a bed in it, which is a lot nicer than sleeping on the floor, let me tell you! And no spiders that I’ve seen yet…
Tuesday, yesterday, let me see. I slept in till about nine, then got up and took a shower. (very interesting day so far, right? I knew you would all want to hear about this part especially.) Here’s the exciting part: Uncle Richard has a lathe (that’s the wood-turning thingies that go round and round and people supposedly make cool things out of hunks of wood), and he is really really good at making bowls and candlestick holders and spoons and vases and whatnot on it, so every time I come down for more than a weekend, we make something on it. This year it’s a box with a lid on it, which we started yesterday. It should be finished tomorrow, and hopefully will turn out nicely. We spent about two hours doing that, and then my cousin and her two boys (two and five years old) came over for lunch, and to go to the Body Exhibit at OMSI (Oregon Museum of Something Interesting….JK! Oregon Museum of Science and Industry I think). It was at the Science Center earlier this year, the one where they have real cadavers on display to show the different body systems, but then it was gone and we didn’t get to see it, so we saw it yesterday. Had a ton of fun trying to explain bones and muscles and nerves to my five-year-old cousin, as you can imagine. yeah….no comment. It actually wasn’t too bad. After I finished explaining nerves to him, he looks at them and says “they’re like electrical wiring!” seriously….this is not my life, this is not my life.
The exhibit was really neat though; I’m glad I went. They even had a camel with the digestive system kind of cut out; it was a really big camel too! And at every cadaver, my cousin turns to me and asks “can he see?” because they have eyes. so how do you tell a five-year-old that the person’s dead and can’t see? umm….
We came back home and had a feast of corn on the cob for dinner. On the way home my other cousin (Marcus) calls and says he and his wife (Lissa) want to have dinner with me, only me, on Thursday. My heart does a double flip; this has never happened before. Why only me? He says they don’t ever get to see just me, it would be cool. I think so too. They’ll pick me up, I choose the restaurant. We joke on the phone – I can’t drive by myself yet, you know that! So just fly your helicopter over here, right? Yeah, when you get that jet-pack you’ve been raving about Marcus, then I’ll have my helicopter. Alright, we’ll have a race to see who can get it first! Sure, I’ll get right on it. I’ll talk to my dad about that. Actually…maybe my grandpa instead, better chances there…
So it’s settled, Thursday night, dinner. then my mind starts doing double flips too – What am I gonna wear? oh my gosh, my mind reprimands me. This is your cousins, for crying out loud, they want to see you, not your wardrobe! ok, ok, well there is that skirt Nancy just gave me….whatever. who cares? I’m going to have a great time. I have to choose the place? I don’t know Portland! umm, umm….yeah, know any good Indian places?
I just wonder, is there more? Do they want to talk about something specific? it was so sudden – do they want to just hang out? why only me? Am I over-analyzing this? Probably.
I need to stop. I know I’m going to have a great time, my mind just keeps getting in the way trying to figure out my awesome cousin who is so, so, awesome, so awesome he’s mysterious sometimes. like, you just don’t know what he’s thinking. enough about my cousins, I’m rambling again.
Tuesday night we discovered it was a friend/neighbor’s birthday, so we cooked up a pie and brought it over. But she was out doing something, so we sat outside and ate half the pie and drank lemonade, talking to her husband and son for a while. Steve and Mary I think, and Matt is their son (no laughing Anna, he’s not a Die Hard-type geek lol). Matt just graduated. Matt is really cute. So we sit their looking at the professional graduation photos of this really cute boy for like ten minutes. nice. then we go home.
I am so fifteen this week.
We went to Blockbuster on the way home and looked for Newsies, but it was out, so we decided to watch Little Women instead, which I brought. Nancy and Richard both liked it, even though Richard literally left the room during the forty-second opera scene and missed about fifteen minutes of the movie while waiting for it to finish. I’m guessing Phantom of the Opera won’t be a winner with him? After that I read a tiny bit, then went to sleep.
This morning we went walking again with Uncle Richard, but abstained from the bookstore, however not from going up the down escalator and down the up escalator several times! My aunt says when she can’t do that anymore, then she will be old. We got several, er, interesting looks, but thankfully didn’t run into anybody. We came back home all in one piece, then Uncle Richard and I went to the driving range, which I would rather not comment on right now. something went all screwy with my grip and the balls were not doing what I thought I was telling them to do, which is always frustrating. Hopefully all the bad shots will be gone for our nine holes tomorrow!
notice how I keep switching between present tense and past tense? It’s very interesting.
After we came home, Aunt Nancy and I went to the store and bought a few things, including peanut butter with which we made peanut butter cookies, currently hidden in my room from my diabetic uncle! they turned out really well, despite my aunt insisting on putting nuts (walnuts no less, not even peanuts!) into them. We then spent about four hours making Indian food for dinner, which was very fun and very good. :)
After dinner Nancy and I went for a walk, about half an hour, and after digging through her bookshelf some more, I then decided to continue work on my blog post, which I am sitting in the “Nerd-hole” doing right now. That would be the tiny little closet of a computer room. So now I think I’ll post this…
We’re coming home on Friday!!!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!! I miss you guys…*pouts* but the sleepover is soon!
I may not post again before we get home, or I may. I’d like to tell you all a little bit about their house, but I seem to only get the feel for it at certain times, so maybe tomorrow. We might be going to my cousin Leslie’s house in the afternoon, or maybe not, so I guess it somewhat depends on that. Talk to you all later!!!
~Verya~
I guess I’ll just start with Friday and go through the present, updating when I can. I DO have e-mail access here, and limited blog access (limited by time, lol), so feel free to e-mail me or something if you want and I’ll reply when I have time (or can get over this stupid password thingamy)!
So, Friday – I drove all the way down here!!!!! After running a few quick errands, we were on the road, and traffic was terrible. I almost got run over by a semi who decided he wanted to be in my lane and didn’t care if I was there or not I guess, but, we’re all still safe and alive and here. We stopped in Vancouver and had dinner with Lucy and Lindy and Co., which certainly didn’t last long enough!! I miss you guys already!! But we consoled each other with the thought that the sleepover is soon. ;) Lindy and me dancing to My Favorite Things….and trying to hide me when it was time to go…We arrived at my aunt and uncle’s fairly late (nine or nine thirty), but got here before them since they were doing something at church. They pulled up about thirty seconds after us and let us in, where we stayed up talking for an hour or so, something we’re all very good at! I read the first chapter of David Copperfield, then turned in for the night. Nancy and Richard now have a bathroom with a shower downstairs, which has been nice when sharing between five people!
Saturday morning we had breakfast with Mythraie, this year’s team leader for the India 2008 team, to hang out, and also to talk about my possible involvement on the team.
*deep breath* It looks like I ‘might’ be going.
*screams*
I MIGHT BE GOING!!!!!I MIGHT BE GOING!!!!!I MIGHT BE GOING!!!!!!
SOOO, there is the Visual Communications team, which does all of the pictures, videos, interviews, and articles, etc. for the website people can view back home, and the Report night, and stuff like that. They provide training for writing and photography!!!! Training!!! Mythraie seemed very positive about me fitting in on that part of the team, especially with the people I would be working with. One door open! Now I need a guardian…any suggestions?
January is a very hard time for my aunt to get away from her office, and she’s not sure she feels called to return this year or not yet. I put a bug in my cousins’ ears, Marcus has been before and Lissa has been with this church to Kazakhstan. Who knows? I know that if God wants me back there, He will raise up a guardian for me, and the financial support too. PLEASE KEEP PRAYING!!!
After breakfast, we got ready to go up to Mt. Hood for some hiking, which didn’t really turn out as hiking, ha-ha. We puttered around the lodge and checked it out, then we went up this trail that goes pretty much straight up for a long time. After about a half mile Uncle Richard decided that was enough for him, and I decided to stay with him off to the side of the trail on a rock (don’t worry, no annoying little people yelled at us!), since I had just been hiking at Paradise and we’re all going on Mt. Rainier next weekend. We made great plans for growing ginormous pumpkins next year and roasting all ten thousand seeds!!!! He’s retired, and very much into gardening. We decided to go to church on Saturday night instead of yesterday morning, since it was on our way home and the timing was pretty close to perfect. We were a little early, but got drinks at the coffee stand and hung out in the lobby for a little while until service started; I got an Italian soda. I tell you, those are just addicting. Like Starbucks double chocolate chip fraps. It’s when I’m at the coffee stand and the movie theater that I realize just how much of a teenager I really am. :)
We came home and played Oh Heck! also called Nertz (multiple-person solitaire; multitaire? Where you all build on each others’ aces), which seems to happen every time we get down here, and I won!! which is the first time I think that’s ever happened! It was very exciting. After that, everyone except Dad and I were tired out, so he and I stayed up and watched Contact on his laptop for a few hours, then went to bed. I was so tired at this point that I didn’t read at all. :( ah well, more time for that later.
Sunday morning we slept in, and then after breakfast Dad and Richard and I hit the chipping and putting green at a nearby golf course for practice. We came home and ate lunch, then all drove over to my cousins’ house and visited for three or four hours. We don’t get to see them very much, so that was a real treat, plus they make chocolate and brownies and truffles and stuff, which is an added treat, ha-ha! I was remembering all this stuff from when I was little and my cousin would play with me. remember…
the first song you ever taught me on the piano? three guesses! not mary had a little lamb, no. not twinkle twinkle little star, no. Jesus Love Me, yes!
remember when I was so small you could bench press me? “I’m too weak now.” and I’m too big now.
remember when I would try to tickle you, and it never worked? but you could always tickle me.
We talked for a while, but then they had to go to a Bible Study and my parents had to go home, so we all parted (alas! parting is such sweet sorrow!). Aunt Nancy and Uncle Richard and I went to uwajimaya’s (sp? Word tells me it’s wrong) and got a whole bunch of things I can’t pronounce. then Nancy made this limey Thai soup for dinner that was…umm…interesting. It’s wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t my favorite. Had quite the kick to it. We also had these other – things. I don’t know what they were called either. they were these little sweet buns (I think Japanese) with a lotus root filling. I liked the bun part, the filling was ok. Uncle Richard mowed the lawn and set up a stake for a target, and we did some chipping with golf balls to see who could get closest to the pin, just for practice. Later on, I read a little more, and then raided their OLD bookshelves. Pretty much every book of which has about half an inch of dust on top. I had noticed some books earlier that looked like old classics in a set, which is exactly what they turned out to be – now Anna, don’t freak out on me or anything. WEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!! oh wait you’ve never seen the gazebo scene have you?
Dickens, Stevenson, Poe, Scott, Eliot, Austen, Hugo, Thackeray, not to mention a whole shelf of just Mark Twain!!! I was pretty much in heaven, because you had to open each book to see what it was; the outside only said the author. So I spent a good half hour getting my hands dusty in all these wonderful old books. (anna what have you done to me???) I’m bringing home a couple on indefinite loan…won’t my mother just be thrilled? The COMPLETE WORKS OF SHAKESPEARE and also about six or seven of Stevenson’s books in one volume. both are about fifty pounds each, and I don’t know how I’m going to get them back home, but it’s all the same. I’m certainly coming back with much more than I left with!
Sunday night my grandpa was in town, because he had to work on a boat early the next morning in Vancouver, so he crashed here for the night. That was kind of fun, even though we only talked for about an hour before he had to go to bed. It was still nice to see him again. Late that night as I sat up reading David Copperfield, something caught the corner of my eye, something moving. As my gaze followed it I realized that it was a huge spider. If you don’t know, spiders are my biggest fear – no funny business around spiders. It was probably about three inches in diameter though, really really big! Well here I’m caught between two fears: getting close enough to kill it, or having it alive in my room. Obviously I had to go with my first choice, but oh! what to do?!? Thankfully the room I was in was rather like a throw-things-in-here-until-we-get-to-them room, with a few large books. I stretched a trembling hand toward the book, which was also toward the spider, and had one of those moments where you hear the sound and don’t realize that it’s you screaming for a moment. Completely involuntary. I caught the book and smashed, not thinking or caring about the volume of the scream and the thump (no one woke up, anyways). I couldn’t lift that book up all that night, and, shaking, I tried to focus once more on David Copperfield, glancing up now and then at the book as if I half-expected to see the arachnid climbing out from under it in full force again.
Early Monday morning I woke up to the sound of my Uncle Richard’s voice coming under the two-inch crack below the door. Kacy…..Kacy…..it’s time to get up. We…have…to…go…walking. I rub my eyes. walking? It’s got to be like three in the morning or something. before I can turn to check the alarm clock I never set, He says IT’S SEVEN O’CLOCK…… ugghh! Seven? oh yeah, I did sign up for this didn’t I?
My uncle goes walking twice a week with this group of elderly people (he’s the youngest of them I think, so no, I’m not calling him old ha-ha) at a mall near here. Since Nancy’s taking the week off, we decided to go with him on Monday and Wednesday, which we had done once a loooong time ago when I was down here (like two years ago or something, you know, a long time). Nancy and I do our own pace, much faster than everyone else though, so we walked together and basically ditched the rest of the people. The first thing we did on coming to the escalators was to promptly go up the down escalator, which proved beyond a doubt that Up is, in fact, Down. Aren’t I smart? Experimental proofs people, that’s what this world needs! So we pant (er, I mean walk) around the second floor for a while, then met up with everyone else for coffee and chatting. Met a few nice people at our end of the table too!
After walking we went to Heaven. Oh, for those of you who haven’t figured it out yet, Heaven is Barnes and Noble bookstore, where I have a gift card! *waves gift card in the air* oh wait, there’s no money on it anymore….drat. *tossed gift card* *waves books in the air* SO, there’s no sales tax here in the wonderful state of Oregon, which is why my ever-clever mother suggested I use my gift card here. Oh, the only downside to this particular earthly form of heaven is that their LotR section sucks. a lot. But you know how a few months ago I wanted to learn how to write short stories, and basically no one knows how to? I got this complete stories of Franz Kafka book; supposedly Kafka is the best from what I’ve heard. some Russian dude I think. Anyway, that was fifteen bucks, which killed my gift card, but was well worth it. Then I found the ten buck thing I couldn’t live without. I was on a Dickens high pretty much the rest of the day. YES, I said Dickens. Did you guys know that Dickens wrote short stories? He did he did he did!!!!! *jumps up and down* and I’m not talking like the Christmas Carol short stories, I mean like five to twenty page short fiction stories. which are incredible, like anything else Dickens wrote. Stevenson, step aside, thou art being dethroned. Make way for Dickens! (sounds like make way for ducklings…) So that was only ten dollars, and even more that worth it!! I heart Dickens!!!
yes I’m done.
Oh yeah, we actually did have to leave Heaven, despite my pleading to stay almost forever in the classical lit section. but there was the fabric store to be visited! Not like we bought anything (not like I had money), but we got some ideas for this selwar kameez I want to make soon, so that was cool. Later on…let’s see, what did we do? I think maybe we went for a walk, and that night we watched The Greatest Game Ever Played (a golf movie, but super-good, even my mom and my aunt liked it, and they don’t really like golf!). I moved into the bedroom with a bed in it, which is a lot nicer than sleeping on the floor, let me tell you! And no spiders that I’ve seen yet…
Tuesday, yesterday, let me see. I slept in till about nine, then got up and took a shower. (very interesting day so far, right? I knew you would all want to hear about this part especially.) Here’s the exciting part: Uncle Richard has a lathe (that’s the wood-turning thingies that go round and round and people supposedly make cool things out of hunks of wood), and he is really really good at making bowls and candlestick holders and spoons and vases and whatnot on it, so every time I come down for more than a weekend, we make something on it. This year it’s a box with a lid on it, which we started yesterday. It should be finished tomorrow, and hopefully will turn out nicely. We spent about two hours doing that, and then my cousin and her two boys (two and five years old) came over for lunch, and to go to the Body Exhibit at OMSI (Oregon Museum of Something Interesting….JK! Oregon Museum of Science and Industry I think). It was at the Science Center earlier this year, the one where they have real cadavers on display to show the different body systems, but then it was gone and we didn’t get to see it, so we saw it yesterday. Had a ton of fun trying to explain bones and muscles and nerves to my five-year-old cousin, as you can imagine. yeah….no comment. It actually wasn’t too bad. After I finished explaining nerves to him, he looks at them and says “they’re like electrical wiring!” seriously….this is not my life, this is not my life.
The exhibit was really neat though; I’m glad I went. They even had a camel with the digestive system kind of cut out; it was a really big camel too! And at every cadaver, my cousin turns to me and asks “can he see?” because they have eyes. so how do you tell a five-year-old that the person’s dead and can’t see? umm….
We came back home and had a feast of corn on the cob for dinner. On the way home my other cousin (Marcus) calls and says he and his wife (Lissa) want to have dinner with me, only me, on Thursday. My heart does a double flip; this has never happened before. Why only me? He says they don’t ever get to see just me, it would be cool. I think so too. They’ll pick me up, I choose the restaurant. We joke on the phone – I can’t drive by myself yet, you know that! So just fly your helicopter over here, right? Yeah, when you get that jet-pack you’ve been raving about Marcus, then I’ll have my helicopter. Alright, we’ll have a race to see who can get it first! Sure, I’ll get right on it. I’ll talk to my dad about that. Actually…maybe my grandpa instead, better chances there…
So it’s settled, Thursday night, dinner. then my mind starts doing double flips too – What am I gonna wear? oh my gosh, my mind reprimands me. This is your cousins, for crying out loud, they want to see you, not your wardrobe! ok, ok, well there is that skirt Nancy just gave me….whatever. who cares? I’m going to have a great time. I have to choose the place? I don’t know Portland! umm, umm….yeah, know any good Indian places?
I just wonder, is there more? Do they want to talk about something specific? it was so sudden – do they want to just hang out? why only me? Am I over-analyzing this? Probably.
I need to stop. I know I’m going to have a great time, my mind just keeps getting in the way trying to figure out my awesome cousin who is so, so, awesome, so awesome he’s mysterious sometimes. like, you just don’t know what he’s thinking. enough about my cousins, I’m rambling again.
Tuesday night we discovered it was a friend/neighbor’s birthday, so we cooked up a pie and brought it over. But she was out doing something, so we sat outside and ate half the pie and drank lemonade, talking to her husband and son for a while. Steve and Mary I think, and Matt is their son (no laughing Anna, he’s not a Die Hard-type geek lol). Matt just graduated. Matt is really cute. So we sit their looking at the professional graduation photos of this really cute boy for like ten minutes. nice. then we go home.
I am so fifteen this week.
We went to Blockbuster on the way home and looked for Newsies, but it was out, so we decided to watch Little Women instead, which I brought. Nancy and Richard both liked it, even though Richard literally left the room during the forty-second opera scene and missed about fifteen minutes of the movie while waiting for it to finish. I’m guessing Phantom of the Opera won’t be a winner with him? After that I read a tiny bit, then went to sleep.
This morning we went walking again with Uncle Richard, but abstained from the bookstore, however not from going up the down escalator and down the up escalator several times! My aunt says when she can’t do that anymore, then she will be old. We got several, er, interesting looks, but thankfully didn’t run into anybody. We came back home all in one piece, then Uncle Richard and I went to the driving range, which I would rather not comment on right now. something went all screwy with my grip and the balls were not doing what I thought I was telling them to do, which is always frustrating. Hopefully all the bad shots will be gone for our nine holes tomorrow!
notice how I keep switching between present tense and past tense? It’s very interesting.
After we came home, Aunt Nancy and I went to the store and bought a few things, including peanut butter with which we made peanut butter cookies, currently hidden in my room from my diabetic uncle! they turned out really well, despite my aunt insisting on putting nuts (walnuts no less, not even peanuts!) into them. We then spent about four hours making Indian food for dinner, which was very fun and very good. :)
After dinner Nancy and I went for a walk, about half an hour, and after digging through her bookshelf some more, I then decided to continue work on my blog post, which I am sitting in the “Nerd-hole” doing right now. That would be the tiny little closet of a computer room. So now I think I’ll post this…
We’re coming home on Friday!!!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!! I miss you guys…*pouts* but the sleepover is soon!
I may not post again before we get home, or I may. I’d like to tell you all a little bit about their house, but I seem to only get the feel for it at certain times, so maybe tomorrow. We might be going to my cousin Leslie’s house in the afternoon, or maybe not, so I guess it somewhat depends on that. Talk to you all later!!!
~Verya~
August 24, 2007
and if she cooks all day/you better eat it with a smile/it doesn't matter if it tastes just like bad gravy/on a goodyear tire
Hey everyone!
In about an hour and a half I'm leaving for – Lindy and Lucy's!!! then for Portland!!! I wanted to make one last post before I leave, so I don't just drop off the planet for a few days, again I'm not sure about the internet sitiwation for awhile. never mind the misspelling, it's totally Dickens.
I'm soooo excited for tonight, but I could use some prayer for tomorrow morning. We're having breakfast with a woman who is one of the team leaders for the India trip, and it will pretty much decide whether I go or not this year. I'm being selfish, 'cause I want to go, but I want God's will first, I'm just not completely sure what it is, and I'm kind of afraid to find out if it's not what I want, lol. Selfish, right? Anyway, as I've said before, I need answers about a guardian, and about a good place for me on the team, and I'll most likely be getting those tomorrow morning. We're going to have a very busy weekend!
Wednesday on the golf course went really well; it didn't rain and I shot a 59, and I actually had a lot of fun golfing with the other girls. I found out that one of them who is really nice, lives right behind me, like less than ten minutes away! so we can carpool together and practice at my house and stuff. I also had a lefty golfer in our threesome, and then our threesome became a foursome when a freshman who has never golfed before joined us. that made me feel better, because I was no longer the youngest or the worst golfer, and even I was able to help her out with her swing a little. Youth Group last night was phenomenal! we talked about "Why Should I Believe in God?" with reasons from the head and from the heart, and broke up into smaller groups for discussion. I was praying that one person would be in my group, and that person was! It was much better than last time I went as far as the small group discussion went. I'm also going to see about joining the youth group worship team possibly in the future. And I found out that one of the boys in my group golfs for the same high school as me! so that's pretty cool. Even though he's on the boy's team and I'm on the girl's, it's nice to know there's a Christian hiding out there too, ha-ha.
I'm driving to Portland!!! and…I have to go finish packing. I think that's all I wanted to tell you guys. I'll be in touch as soon as I can! Vancouver, WA, here I come!!!!
In about an hour and a half I'm leaving for – Lindy and Lucy's!!! then for Portland!!! I wanted to make one last post before I leave, so I don't just drop off the planet for a few days, again I'm not sure about the internet sitiwation for awhile. never mind the misspelling, it's totally Dickens.
I'm soooo excited for tonight, but I could use some prayer for tomorrow morning. We're having breakfast with a woman who is one of the team leaders for the India trip, and it will pretty much decide whether I go or not this year. I'm being selfish, 'cause I want to go, but I want God's will first, I'm just not completely sure what it is, and I'm kind of afraid to find out if it's not what I want, lol. Selfish, right? Anyway, as I've said before, I need answers about a guardian, and about a good place for me on the team, and I'll most likely be getting those tomorrow morning. We're going to have a very busy weekend!
Wednesday on the golf course went really well; it didn't rain and I shot a 59, and I actually had a lot of fun golfing with the other girls. I found out that one of them who is really nice, lives right behind me, like less than ten minutes away! so we can carpool together and practice at my house and stuff. I also had a lefty golfer in our threesome, and then our threesome became a foursome when a freshman who has never golfed before joined us. that made me feel better, because I was no longer the youngest or the worst golfer, and even I was able to help her out with her swing a little. Youth Group last night was phenomenal! we talked about "Why Should I Believe in God?" with reasons from the head and from the heart, and broke up into smaller groups for discussion. I was praying that one person would be in my group, and that person was! It was much better than last time I went as far as the small group discussion went. I'm also going to see about joining the youth group worship team possibly in the future. And I found out that one of the boys in my group golfs for the same high school as me! so that's pretty cool. Even though he's on the boy's team and I'm on the girl's, it's nice to know there's a Christian hiding out there too, ha-ha.
I'm driving to Portland!!! and…I have to go finish packing. I think that's all I wanted to tell you guys. I'll be in touch as soon as I can! Vancouver, WA, here I come!!!!
August 23, 2007
The "P," I should add for your guidance, is silent, as in "phthisis," "psychic" and "ptarmigan."
LEAVE IT TO PSMITH!
Psmith Will Help You
Psmith Is Ready for Anything
DO YOU WANT
Someone To Manage Your Affairs?
Someone To Manage Your Business?
Someone To Take The Dog For A Run?
Someone To Assassinate Your Aunt?
PSMITH WILL DO IT
CRIME NOT OBJECTED TO
Whatever Job You Have To Offer
(Provided It Has Nothing To Do With Fish)
LEAVE IT TO PSMITH!
Address Applications To 'R. Psmith, Box 365'
LEAVE IT TO PSMITH!
Meet Psmith (the 'P' is silent), the most amazing P.G. Wodehouse character ever created, in my opinion. He was at one point merely Smith, but considered himself far too remarkable to be simply Smith, and found Smythe a poor substitution, as were any names ending in -Smith. The P is for originality. Psmith is a dandy - this is really the only word to describe him.
Jeeves is my dad's hero, Psmith is mine. We (my family and I) first met Psmith in Leave it to Psmith where he travels to Blandings Castle after placing the above ad in the paper. Young Freddie Threepwood needs someone to pinch (steal) his aunt's necklace, so he can become a bookie for horse racing. His Aunt Connie's husband Joe, needs money to buy his daughter (who is estranged from her step-mother Connie) and her husband a farm. Psmith does not object to crime. Also, the husband is a long-time friend of Psmith.
Enter Eve Halliday: A beautiful girl sheltering from the rain so she will not spoil her new hat (which she has just spent all of her money on) must have an umbrella! Psmith instantly dashes to the rescue, "borrowing" Lord Walderwick's umbrella, the best in the umbrella rack, for that express purpose. Later on, Eve to ends up at Blandings to catalog the library, where Psmith begins wooing her, with some success, though rather against her will.
"The only thing you have against me is that I am not Ralston McTodd, and think how comparatively few people are Ralston McTodd!" Indeed Psmith has been impersonating Ralston McTodd, the famous Canadian poet who had the genius to write "across the pale parabola of joy" which puts so many innocent chaps to sleep. Unfortunately, Psmith has eyes only for Miss Halliday, who thinks he is McTodd, who has recently left her good friend Cynthia. Another mess for our dandy, who handles everything with the greatest calm, and gets out of scrapes in the most genius and fluid ways imaginible.
Now Psmith has only to snatch Lady Constance's diamond necklace (a rather easy task), but then, what to do with the body? Or rather, where to hide them until they can be exchanged for money. Soon we have the blithering Lord Emsworth's secretary Baxter locked out in his lemon-colored pajamas digging through flowerpots - and throwing them through windows in order to wake someone in order to regain access to the house. Unfortunately, it is rather culturally unacceptable to be throwing flowerpots through peoples' windows at three or so in the morning and, taken for insane, Baxter is promptly dismissed.
So what has become of the necklace? And what about our friend Edward Coots who has shown up with his best friend his revolver also claiming to be McTodd, or his thief friend Aileen Peevy - also staying at the castle disguised as a poet, and both after Lady Connie's necklace! Will Eve fall to our hero's conquests?
If you haven't read this book, both King County and Pierce County libraries have it, as a book or on tape. Get it. seriously, you will love it. This is one of my favorite books ever. Get it on tape, read by Jonathan Cessil - he's the BEST!!!
August 21, 2007
Gonna send us hobbits outa the shire
The golf team – It's going really well so far. Yesterday I had to remind myself to breathe through the first four holes or so, and I played pretty badly, but the girls are all fairly nice (some more than others of course), and I seem to fit in as much as anywhere else. Only homeschooler, only Sophomore (also the youngest girl), only first-year girl. We're having lots of fun (that was only half-sarcastic, actually). Today I only had to remind myself to breathe through the first three holes. I won't go into details and tell you every single stroke I took, but yesterday I shot a 64 and today a 60, over nine holes. Tomorrow we have to be there at 7:45 AM to get ready to tee off. oh dear…….I know I'm making the team though, because there's only ten or eleven of us. I'm only slightly worried about missing all three practices next week…
an upside to golf – you get new clothes!!! (I thought you might like that mnm.)
I didn't take my driver test today. I'm "not eligible." As my mom put it, we should know better than to trust anything the instructors at my drive school said. yeah – it was really that bad. Anyway, they said I could take the written test as soon as I finished Driver's Ed, which I wanted to do before I forgot everything. But no, we went in and the gal is like "you have to have had your permit for four months (I've had mine three months and twenty-seven days) and you can only take the written test sixty days before you turn sixteen. We're not going to issue you a license till blah blah blah blah blah." Well I don't turn sixteen till January. And I'm not asking for my license, I just wanted to take the written test!! So much for that idea. oh well, I don't really think I was ready, and it gives me more time to practice golf and actually read…novel idea, no? Ugh. Why do they have to be so rude about it though?
I just realized I didn't tell you guys about our trip to Mt. Rainier!!! You know Sam's post, where some ladies just make it their goal in life to complain, and make sure other people are following all the rules? We ran into one of those women. oh dear…So we went up to Paradise, me and Mom, as part of WA State history, and we went on a few short hikes, one up to a small waterfall. It was super-HOT that day, and we decide to leave the path! about five feet away to the river's edge, where there are already footprints and put our hands in the water. Then we discover that the bridge makes a nice shady spot over all these rocks. Let's sit on the rocks! yeah!!! All of the sudden we hear this voice: Excuse me young lady, you can't sit there. THE SIGN SAYS don't go off the path; can't you read? You're destroying all of the natural habitat and environment.
there was more, I don't remember everything she said. But yes, that's pretty much word for word what she said. We were destroying the environment by sitting on rocks in the river…oh what would she have said if she saw me fill my water bottle up there? So we have dubbed her our rock-hugger, and now mother and I are delinquents, named Genevieve and Eleanor Psmith, the P is silent. (inside joke, check the library for Psmith or P.G. Wodehouse books if you want to laugh A LOT!!) So other than that, it was pretty nice. We saw a marmot, and lots of wildflowers, and next weekend we're going to our side of the mountain with my aunt and uncle and grandparents! The signs that say "Don't Go Off the Path" totally reminds me of the hobbit! I like our side better. We have tree-huggers, but at least they don't totally freak out when you touch the water that's gonna be a few miles down stream in an hour anyway.
Ah yes, I leave for Portland on Friday (and Lucy and Lindy's!!! Yay!!!!!) and I'll be at my aunt and uncle's house for a week. I'm not sure how much internet access I'll have, but I'll post/check e-mail as much as possible. I think I already said this before…
We saw The Flying Dutchman!!!!!! It was SOOO good!!! So we go to the Seattle Opera box office over on Johns Street, but they're closed on Sundays, so no one was there. So we're like, huh, I guess we'll head over to the hall and see if we can buy tickets there. Well, we could, and we ended up in the fifth row, orchestra level, which happen to be $116 seats!!!!! for $5 each!!!!!! My mom was turning cartwheels, and I have to say it was pretty cool. if you don't have teen tix yet…get it!! Oh yeah, and the Flying Dutchman guy's name (the singer, not the real Dutchman, he doesn't have a name) was Greer Grimsley! I saw that, and I'm like I'm sooo stealing that name!! Isn't it the most Dickensish name in the entire world? What do you guys think of Tucker English? He did our house's photography. Love that name; I'm stealing it too. And our house was shown today at 11:00 or something, Mom said the agent sounded really excited about the house and the "buyer." hopefully a buyer!
Ok, last but not least, these are the lyrics for Secret Kingdom, by Newsboys. It's like my new favorite song for today at least. I know it's probably a ton better with music (check online to see if you can listen somewhere if you don't have their newest CD), but the lyrics are really cool, as usual. I love this song!!!
This here comes breakin’ in
Like brick to glass
Like grace to sin
Gonna kick down walls like West Berlin
Shout an amen
Hug it out, then
This here’s gonna light a fire
Gonna pink slip preaching to the choir
Gonna send us hobbits outta the shire
Here’s the theme song
Get your ring on
That there’s still propagating, waiting on a rooftop
Our journey’s just begun...
COME HERE, A LITTLE BIT CLOSER
I WANNA TAKE YOU TO A SECRET KINGDOM
IT’S HERE SPINNING OUR WORLD AROUND
TURN IT UPSIDE DOWN
THIS HERE IS BIGGER THAN SHOW BIZ
IT’S GONNA SHOW US WHAT THE GOOD NEWS REALLY IS
THIS HERE IS SPINNING OUR WORLD AROUND
‘TIL WE’VE GOT NO FEAR
This here won’t be contained
By culture, wars and trendy names
Been there, done that, wore out the t-shirts
Don’t need free perks
Don’t need knee jerks
This here still wakes the dead
Still gets God’s people Spirit-led
Gonna put in action all we’ve read
Not all enraged, just all engaged
‘Cause that there’s still fabricating kingdoms out of boxes
We’re gonna leave that slum
This here wants faithfulness, not easy fixes
This here won’t shrink to fit no politics, yeah
This here knows whistles make for better mixes
an upside to golf – you get new clothes!!! (I thought you might like that mnm.)
I didn't take my driver test today. I'm "not eligible." As my mom put it, we should know better than to trust anything the instructors at my drive school said. yeah – it was really that bad. Anyway, they said I could take the written test as soon as I finished Driver's Ed, which I wanted to do before I forgot everything. But no, we went in and the gal is like "you have to have had your permit for four months (I've had mine three months and twenty-seven days) and you can only take the written test sixty days before you turn sixteen. We're not going to issue you a license till blah blah blah blah blah." Well I don't turn sixteen till January. And I'm not asking for my license, I just wanted to take the written test!! So much for that idea. oh well, I don't really think I was ready, and it gives me more time to practice golf and actually read…novel idea, no? Ugh. Why do they have to be so rude about it though?
I just realized I didn't tell you guys about our trip to Mt. Rainier!!! You know Sam's post, where some ladies just make it their goal in life to complain, and make sure other people are following all the rules? We ran into one of those women. oh dear…So we went up to Paradise, me and Mom, as part of WA State history, and we went on a few short hikes, one up to a small waterfall. It was super-HOT that day, and we decide to leave the path! about five feet away to the river's edge, where there are already footprints and put our hands in the water. Then we discover that the bridge makes a nice shady spot over all these rocks. Let's sit on the rocks! yeah!!! All of the sudden we hear this voice: Excuse me young lady, you can't sit there. THE SIGN SAYS don't go off the path; can't you read? You're destroying all of the natural habitat and environment.
there was more, I don't remember everything she said. But yes, that's pretty much word for word what she said. We were destroying the environment by sitting on rocks in the river…oh what would she have said if she saw me fill my water bottle up there? So we have dubbed her our rock-hugger, and now mother and I are delinquents, named Genevieve and Eleanor Psmith, the P is silent. (inside joke, check the library for Psmith or P.G. Wodehouse books if you want to laugh A LOT!!) So other than that, it was pretty nice. We saw a marmot, and lots of wildflowers, and next weekend we're going to our side of the mountain with my aunt and uncle and grandparents! The signs that say "Don't Go Off the Path" totally reminds me of the hobbit! I like our side better. We have tree-huggers, but at least they don't totally freak out when you touch the water that's gonna be a few miles down stream in an hour anyway.
Ah yes, I leave for Portland on Friday (and Lucy and Lindy's!!! Yay!!!!!) and I'll be at my aunt and uncle's house for a week. I'm not sure how much internet access I'll have, but I'll post/check e-mail as much as possible. I think I already said this before…
We saw The Flying Dutchman!!!!!! It was SOOO good!!! So we go to the Seattle Opera box office over on Johns Street, but they're closed on Sundays, so no one was there. So we're like, huh, I guess we'll head over to the hall and see if we can buy tickets there. Well, we could, and we ended up in the fifth row, orchestra level, which happen to be $116 seats!!!!! for $5 each!!!!!! My mom was turning cartwheels, and I have to say it was pretty cool. if you don't have teen tix yet…get it!! Oh yeah, and the Flying Dutchman guy's name (the singer, not the real Dutchman, he doesn't have a name) was Greer Grimsley! I saw that, and I'm like I'm sooo stealing that name!! Isn't it the most Dickensish name in the entire world? What do you guys think of Tucker English? He did our house's photography. Love that name; I'm stealing it too. And our house was shown today at 11:00 or something, Mom said the agent sounded really excited about the house and the "buyer." hopefully a buyer!
Ok, last but not least, these are the lyrics for Secret Kingdom, by Newsboys. It's like my new favorite song for today at least. I know it's probably a ton better with music (check online to see if you can listen somewhere if you don't have their newest CD), but the lyrics are really cool, as usual. I love this song!!!
This here comes breakin’ in
Like brick to glass
Like grace to sin
Gonna kick down walls like West Berlin
Shout an amen
Hug it out, then
This here’s gonna light a fire
Gonna pink slip preaching to the choir
Gonna send us hobbits outta the shire
Here’s the theme song
Get your ring on
That there’s still propagating, waiting on a rooftop
Our journey’s just begun...
COME HERE, A LITTLE BIT CLOSER
I WANNA TAKE YOU TO A SECRET KINGDOM
IT’S HERE SPINNING OUR WORLD AROUND
TURN IT UPSIDE DOWN
THIS HERE IS BIGGER THAN SHOW BIZ
IT’S GONNA SHOW US WHAT THE GOOD NEWS REALLY IS
THIS HERE IS SPINNING OUR WORLD AROUND
‘TIL WE’VE GOT NO FEAR
This here won’t be contained
By culture, wars and trendy names
Been there, done that, wore out the t-shirts
Don’t need free perks
Don’t need knee jerks
This here still wakes the dead
Still gets God’s people Spirit-led
Gonna put in action all we’ve read
Not all enraged, just all engaged
‘Cause that there’s still fabricating kingdoms out of boxes
We’re gonna leave that slum
This here wants faithfulness, not easy fixes
This here won’t shrink to fit no politics, yeah
This here knows whistles make for better mixes
August 19, 2007
José Singers of America, UNITE!!!
Finally figured out how to spell it – jeopardy!!!
That was a random side note, sorry! This post is really mainly about the game last night. If you want to know on a scale of 1-10, 11, and I can't talk right now I'm so hoarse!!!
The fun started before we even left our parking spot (only 3-4 blocks away, not two miles!) at about 5:00 PM, when they open the gates. We were just getting parked, and Dad's like, look under those coats on the seat next to you. So I look, and what to my wondering eyes should appear?
You know that commercial that's like "Seize Your Someday" for insurance or a bank or something? My someday was always "someday I'll own a Raul Ibanez shirt." Well my someday was yesterday. Isn't my dad amazing?
So we get to the park, in plenty of time for three wonderful Raul Ibanez bobbleheads, despite the anxieties of my father that we would be too late (we got there about fifteen minutes after they opened the gates). We went to right field, just right of the foul post, and tried to catch some fly balls in batting practice. No luck this time, but we did see one get stuck in some netting in the next section over, and this guy kept tossing his mitt up there trying to get it out. My dad was convinced he was going to lose his mitt.
After a while we decided to walk around and see if we couldn't find the place where Anna and Sam had their picture taken with Raul (if you haven't seen it yet, head over to Sam's blog and take a look)! We found it after walking around for about twenty minutes, and then stood in line for twenty more. There was a couple in front of us with this adorable little four year old daughter, and Dad noticed the guy's eyes kinda eyeballing our bobbleheads, like he wished he had one. After further inquiry, it was discovered that they were tourists, and they made it too late to get one. Dad gave the little girl his, figuring we didn't need three…it felt really sweet to see her hugging onto it. :)
While in line, my grandparents call to say they're at our seats, and wondering where we were, so after the picture-taking we head way way way way way way up up up up up up……."With the help of two mountain goats and a Sherpa, you have finally made it to your seats. Look – you can see your house from here! And Canada! And Japan!!!" Yeah, they were that high. We have officially dubbed it the "Cool Section" now. Reasons: We were surrounded by church groups at this game, which was amazing because I don't think I heard one swear word the entire game, pretty much a first! We were sheltered from the wind, and it was quite warm. Birdseye view of the whole park, and right up the first base line, so we could see the batter pretty well and everything else. And last, but far from being the least ---- we had the José singers!!!
You may have heard them at a game before. I know they were there opening night. The Mariners have three Josés on their team: José Vidro, José Guillen, and José Lopez. Every time a José cam up to bat, these four guys would start singing to the tune of the Irish National Soccer Team, "JoSÉ, JoSÉ JoSÉ JoSÉ, JoSÉ, JoSÉ!!!!!" At first it was just the four of them together, then they got some more people to join in, and by the end of the night they had spread out over three or four sections and had almost everybody in those sections singing "JoSÉ JoSÉ!!!!!!" We did get a video of it…
And the OTHER reason our section was cool: We didn't start the wave, but we kept it going, and the third level was the only one that got the wave to go completely around more than once! We actually did it five or six times in a row!!! I haven't done the wave in forever, it usually dies to quickly.
Oh yes, the game. Right, almost forgot, sorry! So somebody gets on base right off the bat, and then who comes walking out but the star of the night, Mr. R-A-eight U's – L Ibanez himself! Everyone goes wild (It's his bobblehead night, after all) and his very first pitch he parks it over the wall in deep right-center field, M's 2, White Sox 0. That was super-exciting. Then later on Ichiro bunts back near the mound, the pitcher or third baseman, somebody, picks it up and throws to first base trying to get him out. Well the first baseman completely misses the ball, and it skitters out to deep right field for a triple. Yes, you heard right – a bunt turned into a triple!!! Over the course of the game it turns into 5-0 Mariners.
Then comes the seventh inning. Batista has thrown 91 pitches; he's getting tired. He walks to load the bases. People start booing (quite unnecessarily for someone who's pitched a great game up til now). Needless to say, new pitcher. Whom, you might ask? Mr. George Sherrill, pretty well known as infallible in jams. He decides to give up a grand slam to this lineup who's highest batting average is a .272 (that's pretty BAD, btw). However, he gets one more out before they pull him and bring in the rookie Morrow, who get another out. We're mowing through the bullpen if we keep this up, top of the eighth, 5-4 Mariner's, two outs and we could be in trouble with one slip. We need someone with ice in his veins.
J.J. Putz.
That's really all I need to say. J.J is considered one of, if not the, best closer in baseball right now. He has something like 34 save this year, and he IS infallible. I can only guess what went through the White Sox's minds as they heard his welcome, Thunderstruck playing in the foreground. Every person in the stadium was on their feet, screaming. The hero was here. The train even joined in the exhilaration, blowing its whistle as it passed the field! this lasted about five minutes. All because one man, who was to throw about twenty pitches, had just walked out of the bullpen.
After a nerve-racking last out, the top of the eighth was over. We relaxed a few tiny muscles and wondered if we could tack on any more runs in our half of the inning. Nothing doing. It was hang-on time once more. Another welcoming ceremony for the master of the mound, and then every breath was held as every ball was thrown, all on the edge of our seats, grasping each others' hands with the pressure. The tension was so thick you could spread it on a sandwich, but Iceman worked as he always does – infallibly. Just after ten o'clock PM, the White Sox's last hope had struck out swinging.
On the way home, I rode with Dad and we listened to the post-game show. This one guy called in, and first he says "I think they left Batista in too long tonight." Batista was our starting pitcher. The radio men disagreed with him, as did I. He pitched very well until the seventh, and then they weren't even in the lead. I mean, their highest batting average in the lineup was .272 for goodness sake! Next he says "I think the Mariners have been using their bullpen too much this season."
Uuuummmm….Sam you might be the only one who actually gets this and finds it humorous.
So, enough about baseball. The night was incredible and I'm soooo glad I went, but I know most of you really don't care much, so I'll tell you about the rest of my life lately. First of all is college. I think I have decided for sure where I want to go to college. It's Bethany College of Missions, the same one I've been looking at for a while now. But I've been considering my options, and Bethany is the best I've seen for what I want to do so far! Here's their website, if you want to see what I'm looking at: www.bcom.org
I would end up with a B.A. in Cross-cultural Studies, which is three year of school (16 months of which are spent in an overseas internship with missionary contacts, learning how to be a missionary, how to learn a language, adjust to a culture, etc.). I am soooo excited to go the Bethany in a few years!!! It's such a relief to finally be sure about where I am supposed to go, since this has been bugging me for awhile. I know it's all in God's hands, I just too often wish my brain knew what God's hands were holding!
Officially, I'm going to the golf tryouts on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. I'm still a little nervous, because I shot the worst nine holes of my life so far on Thursday, but I'm hoping I got all the bad shots out of the way then, and I won't make a fool of myself at tryouts. Pretty sure I'll make the team just because there won't be enough girls, but that's not a ton of consolation if you know what I mean. However, we went to the driving range this morning for a couple hours and I went through about two large buckets on practice, practice practice! Also, my former teacher was just getting done with a lesson, and we said hi, and he helped me fix a problem I was having with my swing in about two minutes. That was pretty cool. I could just use a lot of prayer right now, that I have a good time while I'm out there and don't let the bad holes get to me. I just want to learn and have fun at the same time.
Tuesday I am taking my Driver's test, and I know I'm not ready. At least, I know I don't feel ready. Prayer there too please, that I'll find time to study more before then, and that I'll pass first time. It's only the written part, and I really don't want to have to retake it!
After the driving range this morning, we saw Bourne Ultimatum at the theater!!! It was SO good!!! If you saw and liked the other two, you'll love this one! Action action action all the way through – my kind of movie! A few good one liners too.
I'm leaving for Portland on Friday, to stay at my aunt and uncle's for the week. I don't know how much free time I'll have for computers, but I'll hopefully be on fairly often. We're going to try to meet with Mythraie, who is one of the team leaders for the India trip every year, and we're going to talk about me being on the team. Lots of things will be decided at this meeting, so that could use a lot a prayer too. Please just pray for God's will, because I want that above my own. I'm feeling pretty selfish lately, because I want to go even if God says not this year – aren't I horrible? Ugghhh….feeling like Dorian Gray. But I want to want God's will over mine, so just pray for that. It's getting better. I do have high hopes though, because I heard from my aunt that there is a children's team, which sounds like somewhere I would fit well. As long as I have a guardian and a place on the team, I trust the Lord for finances. Just pray for God's will and peace in my heart at this meeting next weekend. I'm so sick of waiting more than anything! I can't believe September is almost here!!!
That was a random side note, sorry! This post is really mainly about the game last night. If you want to know on a scale of 1-10, 11, and I can't talk right now I'm so hoarse!!!
The fun started before we even left our parking spot (only 3-4 blocks away, not two miles!) at about 5:00 PM, when they open the gates. We were just getting parked, and Dad's like, look under those coats on the seat next to you. So I look, and what to my wondering eyes should appear?
You know that commercial that's like "Seize Your Someday" for insurance or a bank or something? My someday was always "someday I'll own a Raul Ibanez shirt." Well my someday was yesterday. Isn't my dad amazing?
So we get to the park, in plenty of time for three wonderful Raul Ibanez bobbleheads, despite the anxieties of my father that we would be too late (we got there about fifteen minutes after they opened the gates). We went to right field, just right of the foul post, and tried to catch some fly balls in batting practice. No luck this time, but we did see one get stuck in some netting in the next section over, and this guy kept tossing his mitt up there trying to get it out. My dad was convinced he was going to lose his mitt.
After a while we decided to walk around and see if we couldn't find the place where Anna and Sam had their picture taken with Raul (if you haven't seen it yet, head over to Sam's blog and take a look)! We found it after walking around for about twenty minutes, and then stood in line for twenty more. There was a couple in front of us with this adorable little four year old daughter, and Dad noticed the guy's eyes kinda eyeballing our bobbleheads, like he wished he had one. After further inquiry, it was discovered that they were tourists, and they made it too late to get one. Dad gave the little girl his, figuring we didn't need three…it felt really sweet to see her hugging onto it. :)
While in line, my grandparents call to say they're at our seats, and wondering where we were, so after the picture-taking we head way way way way way way up up up up up up……."With the help of two mountain goats and a Sherpa, you have finally made it to your seats. Look – you can see your house from here! And Canada! And Japan!!!" Yeah, they were that high. We have officially dubbed it the "Cool Section" now. Reasons: We were surrounded by church groups at this game, which was amazing because I don't think I heard one swear word the entire game, pretty much a first! We were sheltered from the wind, and it was quite warm. Birdseye view of the whole park, and right up the first base line, so we could see the batter pretty well and everything else. And last, but far from being the least ---- we had the José singers!!!
You may have heard them at a game before. I know they were there opening night. The Mariners have three Josés on their team: José Vidro, José Guillen, and José Lopez. Every time a José cam up to bat, these four guys would start singing to the tune of the Irish National Soccer Team, "JoSÉ, JoSÉ JoSÉ JoSÉ, JoSÉ, JoSÉ!!!!!" At first it was just the four of them together, then they got some more people to join in, and by the end of the night they had spread out over three or four sections and had almost everybody in those sections singing "JoSÉ JoSÉ!!!!!!" We did get a video of it…
And the OTHER reason our section was cool: We didn't start the wave, but we kept it going, and the third level was the only one that got the wave to go completely around more than once! We actually did it five or six times in a row!!! I haven't done the wave in forever, it usually dies to quickly.
Oh yes, the game. Right, almost forgot, sorry! So somebody gets on base right off the bat, and then who comes walking out but the star of the night, Mr. R-A-eight U's – L Ibanez himself! Everyone goes wild (It's his bobblehead night, after all) and his very first pitch he parks it over the wall in deep right-center field, M's 2, White Sox 0. That was super-exciting. Then later on Ichiro bunts back near the mound, the pitcher or third baseman, somebody, picks it up and throws to first base trying to get him out. Well the first baseman completely misses the ball, and it skitters out to deep right field for a triple. Yes, you heard right – a bunt turned into a triple!!! Over the course of the game it turns into 5-0 Mariners.
Then comes the seventh inning. Batista has thrown 91 pitches; he's getting tired. He walks to load the bases. People start booing (quite unnecessarily for someone who's pitched a great game up til now). Needless to say, new pitcher. Whom, you might ask? Mr. George Sherrill, pretty well known as infallible in jams. He decides to give up a grand slam to this lineup who's highest batting average is a .272 (that's pretty BAD, btw). However, he gets one more out before they pull him and bring in the rookie Morrow, who get another out. We're mowing through the bullpen if we keep this up, top of the eighth, 5-4 Mariner's, two outs and we could be in trouble with one slip. We need someone with ice in his veins.
J.J. Putz.
That's really all I need to say. J.J is considered one of, if not the, best closer in baseball right now. He has something like 34 save this year, and he IS infallible. I can only guess what went through the White Sox's minds as they heard his welcome, Thunderstruck playing in the foreground. Every person in the stadium was on their feet, screaming. The hero was here. The train even joined in the exhilaration, blowing its whistle as it passed the field! this lasted about five minutes. All because one man, who was to throw about twenty pitches, had just walked out of the bullpen.
After a nerve-racking last out, the top of the eighth was over. We relaxed a few tiny muscles and wondered if we could tack on any more runs in our half of the inning. Nothing doing. It was hang-on time once more. Another welcoming ceremony for the master of the mound, and then every breath was held as every ball was thrown, all on the edge of our seats, grasping each others' hands with the pressure. The tension was so thick you could spread it on a sandwich, but Iceman worked as he always does – infallibly. Just after ten o'clock PM, the White Sox's last hope had struck out swinging.
On the way home, I rode with Dad and we listened to the post-game show. This one guy called in, and first he says "I think they left Batista in too long tonight." Batista was our starting pitcher. The radio men disagreed with him, as did I. He pitched very well until the seventh, and then they weren't even in the lead. I mean, their highest batting average in the lineup was .272 for goodness sake! Next he says "I think the Mariners have been using their bullpen too much this season."
Uuuummmm….Sam you might be the only one who actually gets this and finds it humorous.
So, enough about baseball. The night was incredible and I'm soooo glad I went, but I know most of you really don't care much, so I'll tell you about the rest of my life lately. First of all is college. I think I have decided for sure where I want to go to college. It's Bethany College of Missions, the same one I've been looking at for a while now. But I've been considering my options, and Bethany is the best I've seen for what I want to do so far! Here's their website, if you want to see what I'm looking at: www.bcom.org
I would end up with a B.A. in Cross-cultural Studies, which is three year of school (16 months of which are spent in an overseas internship with missionary contacts, learning how to be a missionary, how to learn a language, adjust to a culture, etc.). I am soooo excited to go the Bethany in a few years!!! It's such a relief to finally be sure about where I am supposed to go, since this has been bugging me for awhile. I know it's all in God's hands, I just too often wish my brain knew what God's hands were holding!
Officially, I'm going to the golf tryouts on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. I'm still a little nervous, because I shot the worst nine holes of my life so far on Thursday, but I'm hoping I got all the bad shots out of the way then, and I won't make a fool of myself at tryouts. Pretty sure I'll make the team just because there won't be enough girls, but that's not a ton of consolation if you know what I mean. However, we went to the driving range this morning for a couple hours and I went through about two large buckets on practice, practice practice! Also, my former teacher was just getting done with a lesson, and we said hi, and he helped me fix a problem I was having with my swing in about two minutes. That was pretty cool. I could just use a lot of prayer right now, that I have a good time while I'm out there and don't let the bad holes get to me. I just want to learn and have fun at the same time.
Tuesday I am taking my Driver's test, and I know I'm not ready. At least, I know I don't feel ready. Prayer there too please, that I'll find time to study more before then, and that I'll pass first time. It's only the written part, and I really don't want to have to retake it!
After the driving range this morning, we saw Bourne Ultimatum at the theater!!! It was SO good!!! If you saw and liked the other two, you'll love this one! Action action action all the way through – my kind of movie! A few good one liners too.
I'm leaving for Portland on Friday, to stay at my aunt and uncle's for the week. I don't know how much free time I'll have for computers, but I'll hopefully be on fairly often. We're going to try to meet with Mythraie, who is one of the team leaders for the India trip every year, and we're going to talk about me being on the team. Lots of things will be decided at this meeting, so that could use a lot a prayer too. Please just pray for God's will, because I want that above my own. I'm feeling pretty selfish lately, because I want to go even if God says not this year – aren't I horrible? Ugghhh….feeling like Dorian Gray. But I want to want God's will over mine, so just pray for that. It's getting better. I do have high hopes though, because I heard from my aunt that there is a children's team, which sounds like somewhere I would fit well. As long as I have a guardian and a place on the team, I trust the Lord for finances. Just pray for God's will and peace in my heart at this meeting next weekend. I'm so sick of waiting more than anything! I can't believe September is almost here!!!
August 11, 2007
an unexpectedly fantastic time
First off, this is a disclaimer: I have given up trying to come up with creative titles for my blogs. This one is stolen from mnm. I guess I just don't apply song lyrics to my life like you guys, so the titles might be pretty boring for a little while.
So my second cousin got married today. I might have mentioned it before - the yin-yang sort of wedding with video games and loud music, certainly, well umm...*coughs* not a church wedding.
At least not what I expected. Despite the fact that a pirate captain officiated and my cousin's ring is a puzzle ring that she can take apart and put back together again, it was surprisingly a lot of fun, and mostly clean fun too, for my almost completely non-Christian family.
I talked with my Uncle Jay. I think he talked more today than I've ever heard him talk in the rest of my life together! And he was cool, pleasant, funny, and smart too, what I guess he used to be like before I was born. Both sides of my family are terribly disfunctional, but like all families, you don't really see it until you step back and go hey, something's wrong here. Here, let me introduce you to them...
My great grandma (Grammy) had ten kids, five boys and five girls. Now you know why I have such a huge family! Seven of them were there today, and of course most of them have kids too, and some have grandkids. Add to that some other family members and friends, and there were quite a few people there, though not as many as there could've been. The youngest two, both girls only a few years older than my mom, are Connie and Thea. They're getting ready to leave today, and someone goes "where's Thea?" Connie replies "She went into the house. Maybe she's filling up a water balloon."
these are my aunts, a good representation of the whole. My aunt Barbara, the oldest, has the most sense, certainly. Nancy, the one I went to India with is the only daughter who's a Christian (one of the sons is also) and though she is usually pretty sensible, she also has a fun and mischevious side to her; for example going up the down escalators and down the up escalators at the mall. I hear she has also been sliding down the banisters at the capitol in OR.
And then there's aunt Phyllis, who does all the cat shows. She is all fun seasoned with a dash of sense, usually ignored when there is fun to be had. It is she with whom I had the pleasure of riding the luggage carts in our hotel in Canada with three years ago. We were very disappointed to see the ramps at the end of the hallways removed last year. ;) Today she had about twenty cats/kittens in the "nursery," where the mothers and baby kittens are kept until they're old enough to go to the cattery! That's the most I've ever seen there!
As further proof of my family's hilarious defectiveness (never a dull moment!) Phyllis is married to her half-brother or something. Now, don't freak out, it's complicated. Grammy married twice, and had Phyllis from her first marriage. Phyllis met Jay, married him, and then later Grammy married Jay's dad, so they became related afterwards. It's all very...interesting.
I won't even venture to the uncles. They all have their quirks, but I really don't see as much of them as my aunts. Still, family gatherings make for an interesting mix!!!
It's been said before that you never see an ugly bride. Grooms, heck they can look however they look, but somehow the bride is always beautiful. My cousin was beautiful today. and I'm not saying that she's usually ugly or anything! just today there was something special and different with the rosy cheeks and the white dress.
Why does my cousin Eric always tell me to "be good" when he says goodbye? it is one of those mysteries that shall never be explained, and a command he needs much more than I. Yes, this is the amazing phenomenal pianist cousin who has heaps of talent and doesn't seem to know it. oh yeah, and doesn't have a piano either. It almost makes me want to cry...
sneaking upstairs under the pretense of going to the bathroom so I could visit Piper, the blind cat and also the sweetest little girl you will ever meet in you life! ooo...I want her!!!
my uncle Richard spilling something else on his shirt, and still not caring, and still looking fine.
discussing about ten different ways to make Top Ramen with Eric. "I can make a three-course meal out of Top Ramen!" he says. Of course with eggs, making top ramen burritos, frozen and thawed, regular, just noodles and seasoning, just broth...and the list goes on. you may have guessed that my cousin can't cook. there's a good reason he didn't bring anything to the potluck. said he wanted to spare us his cooking. (or lack thereof)
Aunt Connie suggesting that pretty soon us younger cousins will be able to start inter-marrying (NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!) (don't worry, she was just kidding) but we are getting removed more and more...first cousin twice removed, second cousin twice removed, and the list goes on.
being almost the last to leave.
getting mobbed by kittens
making plans for vacation in two weeks with Nancy and Richard!!!! oh yeah!!!!!!!!!!!
Well.
There's this sign on the trail near our house where they are extending the trail, and the paved road ends. A grassy forest road begins, and the sign says "Enter at Your Own Risk!" I keep wanting to put up a sign that says "No Lifeguard on Duty"!!!!! umm...maybe not?
So my second cousin got married today. I might have mentioned it before - the yin-yang sort of wedding with video games and loud music, certainly, well umm...*coughs* not a church wedding.
At least not what I expected. Despite the fact that a pirate captain officiated and my cousin's ring is a puzzle ring that she can take apart and put back together again, it was surprisingly a lot of fun, and mostly clean fun too, for my almost completely non-Christian family.
I talked with my Uncle Jay. I think he talked more today than I've ever heard him talk in the rest of my life together! And he was cool, pleasant, funny, and smart too, what I guess he used to be like before I was born. Both sides of my family are terribly disfunctional, but like all families, you don't really see it until you step back and go hey, something's wrong here. Here, let me introduce you to them...
My great grandma (Grammy) had ten kids, five boys and five girls. Now you know why I have such a huge family! Seven of them were there today, and of course most of them have kids too, and some have grandkids. Add to that some other family members and friends, and there were quite a few people there, though not as many as there could've been. The youngest two, both girls only a few years older than my mom, are Connie and Thea. They're getting ready to leave today, and someone goes "where's Thea?" Connie replies "She went into the house. Maybe she's filling up a water balloon."
these are my aunts, a good representation of the whole. My aunt Barbara, the oldest, has the most sense, certainly. Nancy, the one I went to India with is the only daughter who's a Christian (one of the sons is also) and though she is usually pretty sensible, she also has a fun and mischevious side to her; for example going up the down escalators and down the up escalators at the mall. I hear she has also been sliding down the banisters at the capitol in OR.
And then there's aunt Phyllis, who does all the cat shows. She is all fun seasoned with a dash of sense, usually ignored when there is fun to be had. It is she with whom I had the pleasure of riding the luggage carts in our hotel in Canada with three years ago. We were very disappointed to see the ramps at the end of the hallways removed last year. ;) Today she had about twenty cats/kittens in the "nursery," where the mothers and baby kittens are kept until they're old enough to go to the cattery! That's the most I've ever seen there!
As further proof of my family's hilarious defectiveness (never a dull moment!) Phyllis is married to her half-brother or something. Now, don't freak out, it's complicated. Grammy married twice, and had Phyllis from her first marriage. Phyllis met Jay, married him, and then later Grammy married Jay's dad, so they became related afterwards. It's all very...interesting.
I won't even venture to the uncles. They all have their quirks, but I really don't see as much of them as my aunts. Still, family gatherings make for an interesting mix!!!
It's been said before that you never see an ugly bride. Grooms, heck they can look however they look, but somehow the bride is always beautiful. My cousin was beautiful today. and I'm not saying that she's usually ugly or anything! just today there was something special and different with the rosy cheeks and the white dress.
Why does my cousin Eric always tell me to "be good" when he says goodbye? it is one of those mysteries that shall never be explained, and a command he needs much more than I. Yes, this is the amazing phenomenal pianist cousin who has heaps of talent and doesn't seem to know it. oh yeah, and doesn't have a piano either. It almost makes me want to cry...
sneaking upstairs under the pretense of going to the bathroom so I could visit Piper, the blind cat and also the sweetest little girl you will ever meet in you life! ooo...I want her!!!
my uncle Richard spilling something else on his shirt, and still not caring, and still looking fine.
discussing about ten different ways to make Top Ramen with Eric. "I can make a three-course meal out of Top Ramen!" he says. Of course with eggs, making top ramen burritos, frozen and thawed, regular, just noodles and seasoning, just broth...and the list goes on. you may have guessed that my cousin can't cook. there's a good reason he didn't bring anything to the potluck. said he wanted to spare us his cooking. (or lack thereof)
Aunt Connie suggesting that pretty soon us younger cousins will be able to start inter-marrying (NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!) (don't worry, she was just kidding) but we are getting removed more and more...first cousin twice removed, second cousin twice removed, and the list goes on.
being almost the last to leave.
getting mobbed by kittens
making plans for vacation in two weeks with Nancy and Richard!!!! oh yeah!!!!!!!!!!!
Well.
There's this sign on the trail near our house where they are extending the trail, and the paved road ends. A grassy forest road begins, and the sign says "Enter at Your Own Risk!" I keep wanting to put up a sign that says "No Lifeguard on Duty"!!!!! umm...maybe not?
August 8, 2007
(type title here)
Wow. I've passed the 100 mark for posts on my blog. seems like we should have a party or something! okay, any reason to party, right?
You know in Holes, when they're like "the first hole is the hardest," and then the second day they're like "the second hole is the hardest"? It's the same for walking three miles with golf clubs. the second day you're already sore...ughh.
I'll stop complaining now. whoop de do!!! Today was a beautiful day - wait, it rained and was overcast. never mind, I'll just play my piano.
I have a hilarious story about SeaFair!!! On Sunday, we were in Evrette because my dad had to look at some windows on my aunt's rental house that they want to replace, so we all go up there after church, right? and this old guy who totally looks like he should be in downtown Seattle comes walking by on the sidewalk and as he's passing he says, "Beacon Plumbing in going to take the hydroplanes."
yeah. seriously.
I'm trying not to crack up until he's gone, which let me tell you, was very hard. and then the Goodyear tire blimp flew right over us like three times, and my uncle is going crazy and acting like a six year old (which is really actually quite normal for him) and taking pictures, and he goes "I think I'm gonna buy Goodyear tires now, just because of all the enjoyment they gave me with their blimp."
okaaaaaay.
so guess who got fifth place in the hydro races? Beacon Plumbing. phhhheeewww! Glad I didn't put any money on that one!!! but my boat won!!! I've always like Oh Boy! Oberto...guess 'cause of the beef jerkey aspect or something.
so then we parked up on this hill in Seattle and watched the Blue Angels, which was very cool. We usually just hear them. Although one year we were having a party at our house (an open house party our first year here) and they flew right over us; we also saw twin fauns that ran right through our yard during the party that year! wait, where was I...focus Verya, focus. We got back in the car and drove past Boeing field just as they were landing!!! also very cool!
that's really all I had to say. now I have to come up with an interesting title for my post. notice the previous one (or the penultimate, aren't I smart?) has no title. I am feeling very blah lately in that area. any suggestions are welcome.
P.S.
I didn't kill the car today, I just decided to turn into a driveway while downshifting when I was about five feet past the driveway - not the smartest idea in case you were wondering. don't worry, I made it. ;) Mom and Dad were trying to tell me the same thing at once, and I was trying to focus on twenty-seven things at once, and I'm not sure I really got anywhere. oh well, it's getting a little better. i think.
*sigh* I wish I could see all of you more often. It's hard to believe we laugh even more when we're together than when we're online! You guys crack me up just on the blogs, haha, I almost forget real life!!!
You know in Holes, when they're like "the first hole is the hardest," and then the second day they're like "the second hole is the hardest"? It's the same for walking three miles with golf clubs. the second day you're already sore...ughh.
I'll stop complaining now. whoop de do!!! Today was a beautiful day - wait, it rained and was overcast. never mind, I'll just play my piano.
I have a hilarious story about SeaFair!!! On Sunday, we were in Evrette because my dad had to look at some windows on my aunt's rental house that they want to replace, so we all go up there after church, right? and this old guy who totally looks like he should be in downtown Seattle comes walking by on the sidewalk and as he's passing he says, "Beacon Plumbing in going to take the hydroplanes."
yeah. seriously.
I'm trying not to crack up until he's gone, which let me tell you, was very hard. and then the Goodyear tire blimp flew right over us like three times, and my uncle is going crazy and acting like a six year old (which is really actually quite normal for him) and taking pictures, and he goes "I think I'm gonna buy Goodyear tires now, just because of all the enjoyment they gave me with their blimp."
okaaaaaay.
so guess who got fifth place in the hydro races? Beacon Plumbing. phhhheeewww! Glad I didn't put any money on that one!!! but my boat won!!! I've always like Oh Boy! Oberto...guess 'cause of the beef jerkey aspect or something.
so then we parked up on this hill in Seattle and watched the Blue Angels, which was very cool. We usually just hear them. Although one year we were having a party at our house (an open house party our first year here) and they flew right over us; we also saw twin fauns that ran right through our yard during the party that year! wait, where was I...focus Verya, focus. We got back in the car and drove past Boeing field just as they were landing!!! also very cool!
that's really all I had to say. now I have to come up with an interesting title for my post. notice the previous one (or the penultimate, aren't I smart?) has no title. I am feeling very blah lately in that area. any suggestions are welcome.
P.S.
I didn't kill the car today, I just decided to turn into a driveway while downshifting when I was about five feet past the driveway - not the smartest idea in case you were wondering. don't worry, I made it. ;) Mom and Dad were trying to tell me the same thing at once, and I was trying to focus on twenty-seven things at once, and I'm not sure I really got anywhere. oh well, it's getting a little better. i think.
*sigh* I wish I could see all of you more often. It's hard to believe we laugh even more when we're together than when we're online! You guys crack me up just on the blogs, haha, I almost forget real life!!!
August 7, 2007
so my turn for a new post - just be prepared for it to be rather random. thank you. *clears throat*
I found out today that if you go walking on a three-mile paved trail next to a busy skate park in the middle of summer, carrying a golf bag full of clubs on your back, you will get some strange looks.
so I'm trying out for the high school girls' golf team in a few weeks, and I desperately need to get into shape for carrying my bag instead of pulling it around on wheels. Anna: make all the fun of me you want, at least I'm not running and running and running around with no apparent goal in sight, ha-ha. oh yeah...I need to call you. please don't kill me for what I just said.
drove to the library and back today. there was fine. on the way back all I can think of is Bill Cosby's act on driving in a manual transmission (which is what my mom's car is)....... "First gear: I get the hiccups *cough cough cough*, second is a little better; third is great! Once I get into third I'm not shifting back for nobody. I mean, I'll run over a guy before I have to go back into first gear again...."
then he gets stuck on the hill with the guy behind him. this is me today trying to turn left and flooding the engine and killing the car, with another guy behind me. as soon as I turn on my hazards, boom, here's Bill Cosby again:
"I don't want to look like a fool so I look at the guy behind me and say 'come around, idiot, come around!' He can't hear me because he's busy telling the guy behind hime 'come around, idiot, come around."
thankfully the guy behind me had a fish on his car. God is very good, no?
"They cought thirteen million of us on that hill, and we all made an agreement to put on the emergency brake, and we turned it into a used car lot."
two weeks ago I took my foot off the clutch too fast and didn't give it enough gas, so it got the 'hiccups' and we literally hopped accross the main intersection at rush-hour, with about twenty people staring at me.
"Over the mysteries of manual transmissions there is drawn a veil, best left undisturbed." yes mnm, you know what that's from!
also killed that car today pulling out of the farm supply store, right in the middle of the street. hazards again. *sigh*
I passed page 1000 today in Les Mis. YAY!!!! only 222 more to go....*big sigh* then - David Copperfield!!! I'm feeling Dickens-deprived right now.
oh yeah vacation. we went and we came home again. there, that's it. JK, my grandparents have the log that we're going to turn into a scrapbook, so I'll post the rest of it later. just know that I got super-hyper on Friday night, and also we watched the Newsies, which I don't believe any of you have seen actually...
"Your Honor I object." "On what grounds?" "On the grounds of Brooklyn!"
I want to go back to Roche Harbor. Sam, can we stop there on the way to Australia? Anna, you're coming right?!?!? where are you anyway? we misses our Legolas preciousssss
and we did see Shakespeare!!!!! yes!!!!!! Shakespeare with Stand by Your Man wasn't exactly what I had in mind, but it was really pretty cool. They kept all the lines and stuff the same, but the actors had western costumes and every now and then they'd sneak in a western song. It was well-done though, and very enjoyable, and I wore my 100% deet bug spray so I didn't get eaten alive (when we go back to Roche Harbor Sam, I'll supply the bug spray. they seriously have man-eating mosquitos up there!!! I got like four bites over half an hour at eleven in the morning! yeah.)
oh yeah, I'm leaving you all for Paradise on Wednesday! don't freak out, just mount rainier paradise. I will take pictures!
I made a blackberry pie today, but spent too much time picking my way through Phantom on the piano so I didn't actually get to eat any. Mom is acting weird, and says I may have pie for breakfast. strange, no? three little kittens/they lost their mittens/and they shall have no pie/miaul! miaul!
like I said, random today! today is one of those spell blonde with an e and gray with an a sort of days. oh yes, and somebody came to see our house! maybe they will want to make an offer....(yesyesyesyesyesyesyesyespleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease)
and for about half an hour it was one of those I'm freaking out because I don't know what I'm doing with my life sort of days. Lucy, what college did you say you were looking at? i can't quite remember the name.
So on the second half of our walk, my mom and I sing almost every song from Newsies, and I'm huffing and puffing because I'm walking with fifty pounds of golf clubs and trying to sing at the same time, and terribly off key of course, but heck! who cares? then we move on to Disney and that doesn't work so well...but it took my mind off the clubs! suggestions for tomorrow? what is Emily singing down in Arizona? Do people really get up at three in the night for anything other than golf?
and why should I go to Highline instead of Green River? if green river is closer, I have to talk my mom into highline instead, and I must have some good reasons.
I keep hoping the library will have a copy of nicholas nickleby or any other dickens in the free box. usually it's junk like "The business owner's guide to taxes" and "God wants you to be rich" (no joke) but I did find a copy of Oliver Twist once with the cover ripped off...so you never know what you'll find exactly. I'm really gonna miss our dinky little library with about two hundred books and the same number of square feet, and Marty who knows me by sight even behind the pile of books, and and and...never mind. moving will be good. we're going to have high speed. we're going to be closer to friends. it will be good. you'll see...it will...it w--*breaks off*
John Browdie! John Browdie can always make me laugh, almost as much as the Crummleses. and Smike can almost always make me cry, in a strange way. of course there's also Mrs. Nickleby and the mad neighbor who throws cucumbers and vegetable marrows over the garden wall because he's in love with her, then gets stuck trying to come down her chimney, and promptly falls in love with Miss LaCreevy instead.
ah, good times, good times.
I should go to bed now...sleepy time is now
this Javert dude is really creeping me out. oh Anna - it happened again! I had to stop in the middle of the most horrible place to stop, for lunch! Just as Eponine is dying - can't be a worse place right? and then every time Javert pops up I pretty much jump out of my skin for no logical reason, and then sit there not looking at the page for about two minutes because I'll get creeped out again. Does Gavroche die? I can never remember.
okay, 'night all!
I found out today that if you go walking on a three-mile paved trail next to a busy skate park in the middle of summer, carrying a golf bag full of clubs on your back, you will get some strange looks.
so I'm trying out for the high school girls' golf team in a few weeks, and I desperately need to get into shape for carrying my bag instead of pulling it around on wheels. Anna: make all the fun of me you want, at least I'm not running and running and running around with no apparent goal in sight, ha-ha. oh yeah...I need to call you. please don't kill me for what I just said.
drove to the library and back today. there was fine. on the way back all I can think of is Bill Cosby's act on driving in a manual transmission (which is what my mom's car is)....... "First gear: I get the hiccups *cough cough cough*, second is a little better; third is great! Once I get into third I'm not shifting back for nobody. I mean, I'll run over a guy before I have to go back into first gear again...."
then he gets stuck on the hill with the guy behind him. this is me today trying to turn left and flooding the engine and killing the car, with another guy behind me. as soon as I turn on my hazards, boom, here's Bill Cosby again:
"I don't want to look like a fool so I look at the guy behind me and say 'come around, idiot, come around!' He can't hear me because he's busy telling the guy behind hime 'come around, idiot, come around."
thankfully the guy behind me had a fish on his car. God is very good, no?
"They cought thirteen million of us on that hill, and we all made an agreement to put on the emergency brake, and we turned it into a used car lot."
two weeks ago I took my foot off the clutch too fast and didn't give it enough gas, so it got the 'hiccups' and we literally hopped accross the main intersection at rush-hour, with about twenty people staring at me.
"Over the mysteries of manual transmissions there is drawn a veil, best left undisturbed." yes mnm, you know what that's from!
also killed that car today pulling out of the farm supply store, right in the middle of the street. hazards again. *sigh*
I passed page 1000 today in Les Mis. YAY!!!! only 222 more to go....*big sigh* then - David Copperfield!!! I'm feeling Dickens-deprived right now.
oh yeah vacation. we went and we came home again. there, that's it. JK, my grandparents have the log that we're going to turn into a scrapbook, so I'll post the rest of it later. just know that I got super-hyper on Friday night, and also we watched the Newsies, which I don't believe any of you have seen actually...
"Your Honor I object." "On what grounds?" "On the grounds of Brooklyn!"
I want to go back to Roche Harbor. Sam, can we stop there on the way to Australia? Anna, you're coming right?!?!? where are you anyway? we misses our Legolas preciousssss
and we did see Shakespeare!!!!! yes!!!!!! Shakespeare with Stand by Your Man wasn't exactly what I had in mind, but it was really pretty cool. They kept all the lines and stuff the same, but the actors had western costumes and every now and then they'd sneak in a western song. It was well-done though, and very enjoyable, and I wore my 100% deet bug spray so I didn't get eaten alive (when we go back to Roche Harbor Sam, I'll supply the bug spray. they seriously have man-eating mosquitos up there!!! I got like four bites over half an hour at eleven in the morning! yeah.)
oh yeah, I'm leaving you all for Paradise on Wednesday! don't freak out, just mount rainier paradise. I will take pictures!
I made a blackberry pie today, but spent too much time picking my way through Phantom on the piano so I didn't actually get to eat any. Mom is acting weird, and says I may have pie for breakfast. strange, no? three little kittens/they lost their mittens/and they shall have no pie/miaul! miaul!
like I said, random today! today is one of those spell blonde with an e and gray with an a sort of days. oh yes, and somebody came to see our house! maybe they will want to make an offer....(yesyesyesyesyesyesyesyespleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease)
and for about half an hour it was one of those I'm freaking out because I don't know what I'm doing with my life sort of days. Lucy, what college did you say you were looking at? i can't quite remember the name.
So on the second half of our walk, my mom and I sing almost every song from Newsies, and I'm huffing and puffing because I'm walking with fifty pounds of golf clubs and trying to sing at the same time, and terribly off key of course, but heck! who cares? then we move on to Disney and that doesn't work so well...but it took my mind off the clubs! suggestions for tomorrow? what is Emily singing down in Arizona? Do people really get up at three in the night for anything other than golf?
and why should I go to Highline instead of Green River? if green river is closer, I have to talk my mom into highline instead, and I must have some good reasons.
I keep hoping the library will have a copy of nicholas nickleby or any other dickens in the free box. usually it's junk like "The business owner's guide to taxes" and "God wants you to be rich" (no joke) but I did find a copy of Oliver Twist once with the cover ripped off...so you never know what you'll find exactly. I'm really gonna miss our dinky little library with about two hundred books and the same number of square feet, and Marty who knows me by sight even behind the pile of books, and and and...never mind. moving will be good. we're going to have high speed. we're going to be closer to friends. it will be good. you'll see...it will...it w--*breaks off*
John Browdie! John Browdie can always make me laugh, almost as much as the Crummleses. and Smike can almost always make me cry, in a strange way. of course there's also Mrs. Nickleby and the mad neighbor who throws cucumbers and vegetable marrows over the garden wall because he's in love with her, then gets stuck trying to come down her chimney, and promptly falls in love with Miss LaCreevy instead.
ah, good times, good times.
I should go to bed now...sleepy time is now
this Javert dude is really creeping me out. oh Anna - it happened again! I had to stop in the middle of the most horrible place to stop, for lunch! Just as Eponine is dying - can't be a worse place right? and then every time Javert pops up I pretty much jump out of my skin for no logical reason, and then sit there not looking at the page for about two minutes because I'll get creeped out again. Does Gavroche die? I can never remember.
okay, 'night all!
August 2, 2007
Random Stuff
Hey everyone!!! I drafted four days ago, but have had sketchy/no internet so I haven’t been able to post it yet. I miss you all and will be updating whenever I can!!!
Sunday, July 29
11:30ish AM
Kaizen
We're just leaving Sydney, B.C., Canada!!! Sydney is where I spent a week last summer with my parents and grandparents at a beach house - we just stopped here to clear customs and reprovision, and now we're on our way to Todd Inlet, which is near Butchart Cove (Butchart Gardens), to stay a few nights, and my grandparents will be diving with some other friends who are cruising around on their own boat.
I'm going to enter the log entries from the last two days, so you can get an idea of what's been going on - maybe with a *little* elaboration. ;)
Friday, July 27, 2007
7:00 PM
Kaizen
We left the Anacortes Marina half an hour ago (6:32) and are under way now, hoping to make it to Roche Harbor before sundown. We are all very excited to be on vacation at last! The Kaizen is 36', has two decks and is much wider than Panacea (my granparents' previous boat).
The Skipper, 1st Mate and myself left Seattle at a quarter to 1:00 and drove up to Anacortes, but made good time and se were too early to be checked out of the marina. We drove to a local Safeway and provisioned ourselves at the deli, then went back to the marina to take a look at our ship! Tom, the fleet manager, and Jonah, his assistent (should we be worried?) checked us out, and apart from minor steering difficulties in re-entering our slip, all went very wll. Finally all of our luggage was unloaded from the van (including about 400 lbs. of dive gear, ha-ha) and onboard the Kaizen. I have the vee-berth, which is very spacious and has its own head and TV/VCR set! Mimi and Papa occupy the "master" stateroom with a queen and twin bed, and the larger head with the preffered shower, sinice it is closer to the verboard drain and so uses less water to get there. Amidships is the alley and dining area, and also the lower helm. There are two dinghies: an inflatable and a hard-sided, both of which may be used. Another helm is above on the fly-bridge, which has plenty of seating and a biminy (sp?).
Our cruising speed is about 8 kts, and the Skipper says we should just make Roche Harbor before dark. On our way out of tha marina we saw three sunning sea-lions and a nest of young seagulls!
Now I am going to read and organize my stateroom until there is something more to write about.
Skipper's Log, Friday July 27
Seas Calm/Light winds
We left Anacortes Marina and were lucky to catch the ebb current westbound in Guemes Channel exceeding 9 kts. Crossed Rosario Strait (no commercial
traffic) to Thatcher Pass into Harney Channel. Ferry traffic and lots of crab pot buoys.
Continuing west through Pole Pass, North Pass and into San Juan Channel.
The setting sun made visibility difficult due to the glare and reflection off the water. We entered Spieden Channes and into Roche Harbor as darkness fell. We anchored near the Tug Tyee (my grandparents' friends' tugboat that they live on) and Morning Mist (other friends' tugboat).
7/29/07
10:25 AM
Kaizen
48 degrees 38.6 N
123 degrees 17.3 W
Good luck - leaving Roche Harbr we saw Dolls Porpoises (sp?)!!! Friday night we did make it to Roche, anchored at 9:57 PM after cruising by moonlight for awhile (how romantic, right Em?), then we hitched a ride on Big Bud (the Tyee's dinghy) over to the Tyee. Visited for awhile, were introduced to Eve and Randy, and soon came back to Kaizen for bed.
Saturday mornin we rose early and went to shore to look around. After seeing a poster for "A Comedy of Errors" presented for free at the "Island Stage" and 8PM every night, we spent about 4 minutes walking around trying to locate said stage. It was later decided not to go to the stage again in the evening for the performance, but to spend that night visiting on the Tyee, and to try to see it later next week on our return accross the border.
After lunch with the Sharps on Kaizen, we all headed for Garrison Bay to see the fort there and hike Young Hill, all the time learning about the famous Pig War - in which the only casualty was: you guessed it! the pig.
*Note: we ran out of fuel on the dinghy when returning to the Morning Mist to establish a plan, and just barely made it back to the fuel dock! Our bill for a third of a tank of gas and one ounce of oil: $1.36!*
The hike was beautiful, with a spectacular view! Afterwards, we opted to reture not Roche to spend a few more hours with our friends; Mike and Michele stayed the night at Garrison Bay, and after departing at 9:36 AM, we are both seperated on our way to Sydney to clear customs!
7/29/07
2:26 PM
Kaizen
48 degrees, 42.0 N
123 degrees, 25.8 W
Customs was cleared with no troubles, I have read over 100 more pages of Les Mis, and we are now on our way to Todd Inlet and the area around Butchart Cove for at least two-three days! It will be nice not to travel so much, much as I love boating, it's nice to stay at places for a while too. Maybe I will work on my famous tan! (lol, NOT!) We spent about an hour in Sydney at the bakery and grocery store (if you are ever in Sydney you have to go to the bakery! They have the best meat pies and cream puffs and and and.........lots of stuff.) before heading back to our ships and leaving.
We had a chance to cruise by the house we stayed in last summer, and take some pictures of it from the sea!
The weather is fair with a somewhat calm sea - though with a strong current.
We have supplied ourselves with fruits and vegetables now that we are accross the border (yes!) and I think we will be barbequeing something tonight.
It's very nice to have internet here, but I do want some vacation, so I'm off with my book! Later!
~Verya~
So I didn’t have internet there. Oh well. Customs were cleared no problem, and after Sydney we made our way to Tod Inlet to stay for two nights. It was absolutely heaven!!! Tod Inlet is just on the other side of the Butchart Gardens, and has several walking trails.
I got to go kayaking yesterday in Tod Inlet!!! It’s as still as a lake, but with all kinds of saltwater life, which is really cool. We had chicken for dinner, and again had the Sharps over, but this time we ate on the flybridge where the weather was beautiful! We did finish Déjà Vu, but my grandma fell asleep so we had to tell her what happened. It’s a lost cause…
This morning we got up and took another walk, then made our way here (not entirely sure where here is) and now everyone is out diving except my grandma, whose tank got left open and so there’s not air in it currently.
We’re keeping each other company, but I can’t play my music *sad*. Oh well…guess I’ll have to keep myself occupied the old-fashioned way. Les Mis here I come!
Well, Blogger is being retarded so hopefully this will work now. We left the marina we were in last night (don’t touch anything, it might fall
apart!) (seriously.) and then my grandparents dove again today at some place, and Michele and I kayaked again! Now we are in Maple Bay, getting ready to go to dinner…so I have to cut this short! til later!!!
Sunday, July 29
11:30ish AM
Kaizen
We're just leaving Sydney, B.C., Canada!!! Sydney is where I spent a week last summer with my parents and grandparents at a beach house - we just stopped here to clear customs and reprovision, and now we're on our way to Todd Inlet, which is near Butchart Cove (Butchart Gardens), to stay a few nights, and my grandparents will be diving with some other friends who are cruising around on their own boat.
I'm going to enter the log entries from the last two days, so you can get an idea of what's been going on - maybe with a *little* elaboration. ;)
Friday, July 27, 2007
7:00 PM
Kaizen
We left the Anacortes Marina half an hour ago (6:32) and are under way now, hoping to make it to Roche Harbor before sundown. We are all very excited to be on vacation at last! The Kaizen is 36', has two decks and is much wider than Panacea (my granparents' previous boat).
The Skipper, 1st Mate and myself left Seattle at a quarter to 1:00 and drove up to Anacortes, but made good time and se were too early to be checked out of the marina. We drove to a local Safeway and provisioned ourselves at the deli, then went back to the marina to take a look at our ship! Tom, the fleet manager, and Jonah, his assistent (should we be worried?) checked us out, and apart from minor steering difficulties in re-entering our slip, all went very wll. Finally all of our luggage was unloaded from the van (including about 400 lbs. of dive gear, ha-ha) and onboard the Kaizen. I have the vee-berth, which is very spacious and has its own head and TV/VCR set! Mimi and Papa occupy the "master" stateroom with a queen and twin bed, and the larger head with the preffered shower, sinice it is closer to the verboard drain and so uses less water to get there. Amidships is the alley and dining area, and also the lower helm. There are two dinghies: an inflatable and a hard-sided, both of which may be used. Another helm is above on the fly-bridge, which has plenty of seating and a biminy (sp?).
Our cruising speed is about 8 kts, and the Skipper says we should just make Roche Harbor before dark. On our way out of tha marina we saw three sunning sea-lions and a nest of young seagulls!
Now I am going to read and organize my stateroom until there is something more to write about.
Skipper's Log, Friday July 27
Seas Calm/Light winds
We left Anacortes Marina and were lucky to catch the ebb current westbound in Guemes Channel exceeding 9 kts. Crossed Rosario Strait (no commercial
traffic) to Thatcher Pass into Harney Channel. Ferry traffic and lots of crab pot buoys.
Continuing west through Pole Pass, North Pass and into San Juan Channel.
The setting sun made visibility difficult due to the glare and reflection off the water. We entered Spieden Channes and into Roche Harbor as darkness fell. We anchored near the Tug Tyee (my grandparents' friends' tugboat that they live on) and Morning Mist (other friends' tugboat).
7/29/07
10:25 AM
Kaizen
48 degrees 38.6 N
123 degrees 17.3 W
Good luck - leaving Roche Harbr we saw Dolls Porpoises (sp?)!!! Friday night we did make it to Roche, anchored at 9:57 PM after cruising by moonlight for awhile (how romantic, right Em?), then we hitched a ride on Big Bud (the Tyee's dinghy) over to the Tyee. Visited for awhile, were introduced to Eve and Randy, and soon came back to Kaizen for bed.
Saturday mornin we rose early and went to shore to look around. After seeing a poster for "A Comedy of Errors" presented for free at the "Island Stage" and 8PM every night, we spent about 4 minutes walking around trying to locate said stage. It was later decided not to go to the stage again in the evening for the performance, but to spend that night visiting on the Tyee, and to try to see it later next week on our return accross the border.
After lunch with the Sharps on Kaizen, we all headed for Garrison Bay to see the fort there and hike Young Hill, all the time learning about the famous Pig War - in which the only casualty was: you guessed it! the pig.
*Note: we ran out of fuel on the dinghy when returning to the Morning Mist to establish a plan, and just barely made it back to the fuel dock! Our bill for a third of a tank of gas and one ounce of oil: $1.36!*
The hike was beautiful, with a spectacular view! Afterwards, we opted to reture not Roche to spend a few more hours with our friends; Mike and Michele stayed the night at Garrison Bay, and after departing at 9:36 AM, we are both seperated on our way to Sydney to clear customs!
7/29/07
2:26 PM
Kaizen
48 degrees, 42.0 N
123 degrees, 25.8 W
Customs was cleared with no troubles, I have read over 100 more pages of Les Mis, and we are now on our way to Todd Inlet and the area around Butchart Cove for at least two-three days! It will be nice not to travel so much, much as I love boating, it's nice to stay at places for a while too. Maybe I will work on my famous tan! (lol, NOT!) We spent about an hour in Sydney at the bakery and grocery store (if you are ever in Sydney you have to go to the bakery! They have the best meat pies and cream puffs and and and.........lots of stuff.) before heading back to our ships and leaving.
We had a chance to cruise by the house we stayed in last summer, and take some pictures of it from the sea!
The weather is fair with a somewhat calm sea - though with a strong current.
We have supplied ourselves with fruits and vegetables now that we are accross the border (yes!) and I think we will be barbequeing something tonight.
It's very nice to have internet here, but I do want some vacation, so I'm off with my book! Later!
~Verya~
So I didn’t have internet there. Oh well. Customs were cleared no problem, and after Sydney we made our way to Tod Inlet to stay for two nights. It was absolutely heaven!!! Tod Inlet is just on the other side of the Butchart Gardens, and has several walking trails.
I got to go kayaking yesterday in Tod Inlet!!! It’s as still as a lake, but with all kinds of saltwater life, which is really cool. We had chicken for dinner, and again had the Sharps over, but this time we ate on the flybridge where the weather was beautiful! We did finish Déjà Vu, but my grandma fell asleep so we had to tell her what happened. It’s a lost cause…
This morning we got up and took another walk, then made our way here (not entirely sure where here is) and now everyone is out diving except my grandma, whose tank got left open and so there’s not air in it currently.
We’re keeping each other company, but I can’t play my music *sad*. Oh well…guess I’ll have to keep myself occupied the old-fashioned way. Les Mis here I come!
Well, Blogger is being retarded so hopefully this will work now. We left the marina we were in last night (don’t touch anything, it might fall
apart!) (seriously.) and then my grandparents dove again today at some place, and Michele and I kayaked again! Now we are in Maple Bay, getting ready to go to dinner…so I have to cut this short! til later!!!
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