Welcome newcomers! Please introduce yourself
Come on in!
Coffee & Tea under the window, platters of treats on every table
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Newspapers are in their regular spot next to the door
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Please recommend (and unrecommend the Cafe/Lounge from yesterday)
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May the 4’s be with you
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Arrive in Biloxi from Mexico and the Netherlands!
Dutch, Mexican sailors pitch in to aid US hurricane victims
Frigate Van Amstel <click on pic to enlarge>
and NATO follows.
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Hi Oui, how are you doing today..and, thanks to the Netherlands for sending this ship..
You know we do not have a ‘very big Navy’, that’s why we couldn’t get there sooner with our ships…
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great appreciation from people still suffering in Katrina aftermath. Amazed, fly in from the Netherlands!?
The Marines explained the Van Amstel assistance.
<click on pic to enlarge>
The Dutch Marines have been watching the backs of the U.S. in the Caribbean – drugs patrol – the Persian Gulf– mines clearing and patrol – Afghanistan with F-16’s stationed in Kyrgystan, and Special Forces
BTW – a Dutch Chinook helicopter did fly 5,000 miles from the Netherlands to Afghanistan recently! The greatest difficulty was getting the flight plan approved – for a Chinook not being transported by an Antonov.
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Thank You Netherlands!!
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The Dutch are helping out wherever needed to priorities set by FEMA and the U.S. Navy. The Dutch just got new orders: OIL RIGS in the Gulf!
Checkout location and chart damage of the installations on the oil rigs.
Well Shell, Exxon and Chevron have to eat too you know.
No pastries in the frigidaire leads to starvation?
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It’s all ‘work’…..says the pres. as I am writing this, work, work, work….actually “a whole lota work”.
Hi everyone, the cafe is up and running, come on in and share your thoughts with us.
The welcome wagon is always parked at the cafe so if you are new to the site, or even relatively new, you can ‘tell us about you’, and you will get a big welcome from the FBCafe.
A mid autumn sunrise on the Olympic mountains taken last year.
Mornin’ folks.
I’ll be in a self-imposed news blackout much of this week. After watching this moment loom for 25 years, I just don’t have the strength to watch the confirmation battles.
Meanwhile Seattle’s progressive station has a new program lineup today without having updated its web site. I’m keeping an open mind even if it’s not to my taste, because we don’t need to attract voters like me–we need the Ed Schultz type blue collar crowd a lot more.
Can we come live there too? It is so beautiful in all your pictures…fine mist and all!
These pictures are all Photoshopped from bits of NW forest and Scottish west Highland scenery. In reality, it rains all the time except when it’s foggy, it’s 40 degrees at some point on every day of the year, the coffee is actually supplied by McDonald’s, and all the roads are parking lots 24-7.
Of course, this picture wouldn’t be nearly so bleak, if only we had <drum roll>……..
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100 Sailing Ferries for Puget Sound.
(And maybe a blimp or two.)
They’re faster than a gridlocked Interstate, more appealing than a monorail, able to set heartbeats leaping in a single bounding main, and greener than a bicycle hauling a kayak downhill.
If we had 100 Sailing Ferries for Puget Sound, there’d be transportation and jobs and room here for everyone.
As a girl who lived on a CT 37 in the early 80s, I LOVE your sailing ferry idea!
Woohoo -I lived on a ‘cement pig’ for a year in San Diego- it was great except for the slight difficulty of rowing to and from work- from being at 3 AM.
Since then I have owned two other boats- ,a Flicka and a Pearson 26.
I have some juicy boat stories to tell,oh yeah.
Ahh, those juicy boat gu…uh, stories, that’s it…
🙂
for a few years, back before we flunked out of the economy. We’re still digging through the garage for our photos of the Lake and surrounding are. There’s some very lovely scenery and sailing thereabouts. I’m in a mighty El Toro these days. 8 feet long, less sail area than a king sized bedsheet. But hey–it beats the alternative.
Old glass cruising sail yachts are almost free these days. You can be into 30 feet and sometimes bigger, for $5,000 and less, especially if you can do some repair work.
And that doesn’t include the absolute bonanza of storm damaged boats about to hit the market late this fall. There are still some fix-em-up’s on web searches from last season.
And speaking of those sailing ferries, folks, lemme tell ya–the powerboat and R.V. industry is going to feel a real tsunami next season if these gas prices hold. There’s a huge middle class of boat and R.V. owners, and a sizeable travel industry depending on them, who care very much what gas costs at 3 miles per gallon.
Hub is currently working for http://www.zimmermanmarine.com-they deal with some very high end boats–scuse me YACHTS- hub spends alot of time up masts-cause he isn’t afraid of heights and he is light.
Mrs. Gooserock is convinced we need to move onto a Spray type (photo collage, bottom right). 39′ lod, 14′ beam, like a ship inside. There are quite a few of these around since the first one solo-circumnavigated 100 years ago. Much as I love the idea, lifelong sailor as I am, I doubt that her gardener self could handle it for long without missing the dirt under her nails.
But what an appealing fantasy–especially in times like ours.
It is an appealing fantasy, especially for someone who finds the clanking of stays and halyards in the breeze a perfect sound to fall asleep by…reminds me of my childhood!
Oh dear, my Flicka was the sweetest little craft- 20 ft with six foot headroom-look it up at Pacific Seacraft.
On the other hand ,I spent six weeks alone in March tending to the Pearson ,before we brought it up the inter-coastal. I was FREEZING my butt off.
A local guy took pity on me and loaned me one of those little bitty cube heaters.Saved my life! THANX BUBBA!
I was in a wedding on Vashon Island umpty years ago- it was idyllic then- and not only that but we went out into the cow pastures and gathered some of them magic mushrooms– it was an interesting ferry ride after that!
Do I sound like an unreconstructed 60’s radical? Could be because I am.
I feel the same way. Check back in with us.
I have to go see if it’s posted anywhere at all so I know what to expect. So far it’s been mostly OK, but I miss Al Franken in the 9 AM slot (and hope they run him on a delay later).
It was in Bill Virgin’s Radio Beat column in Thursday’s P-I.
3:00-5:00 AM: Morning Sedition
5:00-6:00 AM: Rachel Maddow
6:00-9:00 AM: Stephanie Miller
9:00-12:00 AM: Thom Hartmann
Noon-3:00 PM: Ed Schultz
3:00-6:00 PM: Al Franken
6:00-10:00 PM: Randi Rhodes
10:00-1:00: Mike Malloy
Virgin doesn’t list Rachel Maddow in his column but I remember hearing it this morning. Not sure what happens between 1 AM and 3 AM. If I’m awake that early I suppose I’ll find out. 🙂
Hmm, I wonder what they’re thinking.
I liked the more intellectual Franken in the 9-noon slot personally, and I have to wonder what audience would want him at afternoon drive time. Randi seems much better suited for that cranked-up time of day. I find Ed fun after lunch.
Miller and Hartmann seem fairly bland but polished as radio voices. Maybe they test well for the kinds of audiences 1090 needs to pull in.
Not that I ever call in, but I like the idea of running Al’s show in realtime (it’s in the noon slot on the East Coast). As it is I don’t think we get any of the shows in its intended time slot — at least none of the Air America shows. The tribulations of not being on the East Coast, I suppose.
Hi Diane! How are those shingles doing today?
Hi Cabin Girl, the shingles are doing better, but now I have some kind of upper respiratory condition, cold or flu not sure, but feeling a bit dragged out.
Thanks for asking.
So how are you and your kidlets today?
Everybody’s at school, and I have become the diabetes project Nazi today for work (someone has to take charge, might as well be me…)
I was afraid to ask about the damm shingles- but I am glad to hear there is something to take for it! My aunts were all plagued with it- and I know it is very painful. Brought out by stress usually?
When my father was dying, and I had four,count em ,four senior citizens to care for, my aunt got shingles and as far as I know,at the time there was no treatment.
A friend here is just getting over a bout with it.NO FUN AT ALL. What was the medication called again?
acyclovir, is what I am taking, but there are quite a few of them, same drug as used for Herpes. acyclovir is the cheapest I gather…
I also got a herbal product called ‘shingles no more’ which is topical and transdermal and that seemed to clear up the blisters fast….course I don’t know if it was the medication or the ointment that worked the best for the blisters, .
Interesting note, I went undiagnosed for the first 4 outbreaks, even tho I went to 5 doctors during a one month period alone during one very bad episode. Among other things I was accused of causing skin eruptions by scratching, (scratching does make eruptions worse).
Sound like some echinaceae, nice healthy produce, and some soothing activities are in order (I like knitting, myself)…need to bump up that immune system!
I think you are right about building up immune system, am working on getting some echinaceae and am taking vitamin C.
Say Cabin Girl, what do you do exactly for work, I know you are a pharmacists (right) but then you talk about all these other projects, so I am wondering.
Maybe you should do a “Tell us about You” comment. Please!!!!
But then you’ll all know that I”m a science nerd!!! Since you asked…I have a bs degree in pharmacy, am currently working on my doctorate in pharmacy, and work as a consultant in the medical communications/education industry doing strategic publication planning and everything related to that…and I used to work in a small community pharmacy in my spare time.
That’s what seems to have run me down the most. The spouse wants to take me to Urgent Care, but I know what they’re going to say — rest and drink plenty of fluids, which is what I’ve been doing, so I don’t need to sit in a waiting room for 2 hours to be told that.
Take care of yourself, Diane…step back and relax, get off the damn computer (easy for me to say!), and get some rest. If the weather’s nice in the Southland, grab a book and head outside…
Take care of yourself as well cali, and btw, hint, hint, don’t forget about Village Blue, we miss you over yonder.
May I suggest that other might want to drop on over at the Village for some r & r in between taking on the big issues of the day.
You’re all invited, the doorway is right here on sig line.
Been reading the messages on the boo-march group– I am so proud of all of you!And it’s nearly noon here- so good nearly afternoon.
Pinto beans slow-cooked with ham shanks, onions and maybe some bacon. I haven’t decided yet about the bacon. Vegetarians, I’ll make a special pot for you without the pig.
Corn muffins fresh from the oven
Fuji apples from the new crop for dessert
And if I get my butt in gear, pico de gallo made with tomatoes fresh from the neighbor’s garden. They’re on vacation for three weeks and told us to help ourselves.
Come on over, bring whatever you like.
What time is dinner, sounds absolutely delish…I would dearly like access to some fresh tomatos, lucky you, all my tomato crop failed this year. Oh I got actually 3 tom. out of it, but very disappointing, squirrels and possums got the few that did develop and the remainder of my plants gave in to the heat.
Personally, I would add the bacon!!!!!
Don’t be too late, the corn muffins won’t stay hot you know. 🙂
I think it’ll take that long for the beans to cook up. That, and Mrs. Omir is going to visit a friend in the hospital tonight. The cornbread is going in as soon as she says she’s on her way home.
As for the bacon . . . mmmm, I’m still thinkin’.
Playing w/ a new toy this morning…a film scanner…trying to figure out how the damn thing works…anyway, here’s a stab at a scanned slide….fingers crossed…hit “post”…hold breath…
Melbourne Australia
Later
Peace
Energy still a premium…I guess I’m going through my own “energy crisis” along with the country.
Been putting off the grocery shopping too long — have to venture out to the stores today, once the laundry is done and I have shirts to wear. Although it’s almost cool enough that I’m ready to unpack the sweaters! It’ll probably warm up again toward the end of the month though, so I’ll leave them alone for at least a few more weeks. The spouse actually is thinking we should get the blanket down and put it on the bed, so even he is feeling the chill.
Not sure which menu I’ll use for tonight…possibly do the fish dish I was going to do yesterday, which means an extra stop by the fish market but being Monday they should have some really fresh fillets. I’m really trying to cook and eat healthier; that might help the energy level as well.
Have a great day, everyone…
Now this won’t mean a lot to most of you but trust me it is HUGE in England.
The English cricket team has just won the Ashes, a competition between the English and Australian teams every two years FOR THE FIRST TIME IN EIGHTEEN BLOODY YEARS !!!!!
A nation is celebrating !!
So join in and leave your Ashes mojo here while I crack another bottle of wine open!!!!
Aftenoon!
Me bones ache from all the painting I did over the weekend. Still more to do ARGGGGGHHH.
Getting busy for an IPP (today) and then an IEP (tomorrow) all regarding my son. Which means I have my Mama Bear Super Hiccup Leotards with Matching Cape on. Meaning… I’m running around with my hair on fire.
Good news, a major major company wants to fly the spouse up to OR area. Great schools in one neighborhood for both special and gifted students. And I have a hockey friend in Beaverton (whose son is also autistic) so maybe I don’t have to flee the country to find sanity after all(?)
ShyCat!!! Thank you so much. You will be there with us all in spirt.
Hate IEP meetings…but they are much easier now that I have beaten the school district up with my attorney. For some reason, that made the school officials so much more cooperative. I simply can’t imagine why… 🙂
Good luck tomorrow!
Sadly we have had to have state senate investigations here… so many times we could have sued.. but the money was needed for the students…
However, I’m just burnt out and I will sue if need be. I think they now know that and luckily they have a few new heads onboard who might not be too nasty of creatures.
Also… two of his teachers this year – their own son is autistic (newly diagnosed 4yo) so it appears they are “onboard”. The English teacher is helping him with his laptop since last year no one was “trained”… althought my son was very skilled.
Can’t wait to see you!!!!!! 🙂
We had a principal that needed to retire. I feel good knowing that she is now limited to destroying the lives of her grandchildren, and not those of unsuspecting parents and children.
Everyone at our elementary has commented on what a nice happy, open feel the place has with her gone. It was an act of public service on my part, really. 😉
🙂 We’ll have to swap “war stories”
I “reitred” a school psychologist. Even got a letter of apology from the district over that one. What a lame ass she was.
One school, during the time out room scandal, got rid of 5 of the 6 bastards… they all went to different schools in another state. The articles of the time out rooms somehow managed to find their new schools
🙂
get down to San Jose before you flee up North, DJ!!! Sharks season home opener is October 12th, after all…
Well, at least the spouse and I have another reason to squeeze in a Portland trip sometime next year, besides my niece (and great-niece)…
Hey there 🙂 I was just down there over Labor Day. Was my son’s bday and took them out for school clothes shopping with my good, dear friend who is THE hockey queen 🙂
Maybe we can meet up together? 🙂
Psst she also has family in Oregon and has vowed to come visit me 🙂
Hockey. Hockey. I’m still mad at those rat bastards (both sides) for skipping out on the best fans on earth. LOL
Aright , whose bright idea was WHITE carpeting? CONFESS!! Was it you Janet, or you Cabingirl,or you Diane, or maybe it was BOOMAN? yeah musta been a man.
Could not have been me, I am against white carpeting as I have had it in the past…lol…I definitely think it was a man.
Must be the same person who invented textured walls 🙂
I’d like to get my hands on that creep!
Living on plywood flooring for now. Hoping to get bamboo (easier on the globe doncha know)
However, I’m in a PAINT IT BLACK mood. Tired of fixing up the house so someone else can buy it and live in it. ACK LOL
No white carpeting here -now or ever 🙂
If we can ever get this place in order we’re going to rent a rug shampooer and try to clear up some of the worst of the black marks; not sure if they’re left from moving or if the spouse’s work shoes are the culprit. (Since many of them are under the dining table where he eats breakfast, I suspect the shoes.)
We get professional rug cleaning when we sign our next lease, but that’s not till next August…
is awesome — the in-laws replaced the linoleum in the kitchen/dining area and the carpeting in the living room with bamboo flooring; hardwood makes it easier for mom-in-law to get around with her wheelchair. (They already had wood floors in the rest of the house.)
Only problem with wood floors is they’re not as comfortable on bare tootsies; I went through a lot of pairs of socks when the spouse and I were living there for a year…
Here’s a hint for black stains or any stains for that matter….use 409. I used it one time on the worst looking carpet you ever saw and it was a miracle, even used it in machines instead of reg. carpet cleaner and it worked like gang busters. Didn’t discolor, in fact brightened, but you should test first.
Yeah 409 is da bomb!Good for miniblinds too-take em out hang em on a tree -douse em with water then 409 – spray em off. Miraculous. WHY do I have the feeling this is turning into Hints from Heloise?
Oh boy, Los Angeles has lost a lot of electrical power, nothing here in orange county thus far.