MERYL!!!!!!

Mortis Redux

Dad's been diagnosed with pneumonia. Again. Saddam Hussein was still in power the first time. Dad spent weeks, then months in various intensive cares. The docs said, "Call the family" as shock and awe ensued. I drove across the mountains to say goodbye for the tenth time while oil slicks burned on the Euphrates. Since then, Dad has been in a holding pattern, low on fuel and out of contact with the tower. He's been contemplating his slippers and wondering where his cigarettes are for years now. The nurses wheel him out on the hour, so he can set fire to his lap when he forgets what was going on after the third puff. I sooooooo don't want this to be my future. If the doctor ever looks at me and says "Alzheimer's", I'm getting so gawddamn drunk and paddling a kayak to Japan.

Bike update

All the best parts from Khalid's bike, my 'Rockhopper' and the 'Trek' some fucking meth-head left laying around here five years ago. This machine needs a little brake work and I'm golden! This puppy hums, though small guys on road bikes are kicking my ass on the hills.
Stupid tiny yuppies.
The thing on the seatpost is a trailer hitch, yes I gots da tow-bar.

New bike. Now I have two cars, two bikes, two cell phones, two tvs and two recliners. I'm can drive there twice as fast, ride twice as far, get twice the phone calls and be doubly relaxed while watching Scrubs and the Simpsons at the same time! Whew, I'm beat.
Think I'll lay down two times.
Then have a yard sale.

Cherry Blossoms

Can't seem to get a good blue sky, but sometimes ya gotta go ride the bike and click away despite the cold gray weather... that... never... ends...
I know, be patient and Summer will be your reward, but why can't it be here now?? Right NOW?? Bah.
Snackbar the goose has been cast aside by his posse (as happens every spring), he's taken to following everyone everywhere.
I just had to snap his portrait, he was so weirdly friendly today.

Playing with the autofocus, learning my way around just that one feature is so much easier than reading the 130 page manual for this insanely complex little machine.

Nettles are edible. I was vaguely aware of that, but had never heard of anyone eating them, the fact they sting you is a little off-putting. John sez ya just gotta blanch 'em some, good "nutty" flavor. Hmmmm.
Tree seems fond of rock. A cross-elemental romance? Tree is probably just saying, "Excuse me, you're stepping on my roots."


"Damn paparazzi." he mutters to himself

Three hour tour

Damn fine paddle today, discovered this great beach construct out by Birch Point, apparently called Fort Viking or something.
Saw blue herons, eagles, loons, cormorants, brandts, sea urchins, harbor seals and the usual collection of gulls, terns and geese. It's soooo good to be back on the water, I'm transported to another planet as soon as the boat is free of the shore.
I think they call it "Earth", I really need to get used to the cold and go visit it more often in winter. Just as soon as I learn the Eskimo roll.
Sundogs over Mount baker at 7 am.
Nothin' like paddling past your job on your day off.
That rock has eyes. An older male seal, he seemed to recognize me.
Somebody built a sweet beach tree house, but around the corner was THIS!
Looked only partially maintained, the kayaks had algae on them. This beach is pretty inaccessible though, I bet those toys sat there safely all winter.
Indeed.



Jesus, that looks like my dad.

Another fun trip to Seattle, we're gonna stop working eventually and let the poor guy actually go shop in The Market or something.


It's cherry blossom time, but I had a frosty windshield this morning. Mom says it's the coldest March in recorded history for WA? Wow. I could believe it...