We are here.
Flights were fine, except Delta broke Peggie's new sewing machine travel case after we checked it at the gate in Seattle. We filed a claim, and the agent assured us they would reimburse us.
We rode the ferry from Juneau. Saw one bear, several eagles, a pod of porpoises and some spectacular waterfalls.
We arrived at our trailer to discover a gas leak. There was an earthquake on Friday which I blame for cracking the line.
The train derailed last week.
A coworker's car was wrecked (she wasn't in it).
This place can't get along without me for a week.
Casey has already met several people. There was a party at the boss's house, followed by dinner with other friends. She and Peggie will be busy with offers to participate in activities all over town.
A quick update on our ongoing heat pump problems: they agreed to replace it.
Sunday, July 27, 2014
Friday, July 25, 2014
Happy Anniversary to us.
Still on the big number theme.
Forty four years.
We are still just a couple of crazy kids with no idea what we are doing. But it has worked out so far.
Jersey Boys was fantastic. I didn't know the Four Seasons had so many songs. And Frankie Valli still does 150 shows a year.
Forty four years.
We are still just a couple of crazy kids with no idea what we are doing. But it has worked out so far.
Jersey Boys was fantastic. I didn't know the Four Seasons had so many songs. And Frankie Valli still does 150 shows a year.
Thursday, July 24, 2014
Happy (early) Birthday, Don
We will be traveling back to Skagway on the 27th and I didn't want to miss such a momentous day. 70
Seven-tee!! A seven followed by a zero. Years! Old!
Speaking of big numbers.....it is 105 degrees hot here today. Yesterday we were in Phoenix and we saw something we didn't want to see.....117 on the therm-o-meter.
So, we are going back today. Casey got tickets to see Jersey Boys. It will be a hot show, but in a good way.
Seven-tee!! A seven followed by a zero. Years! Old!
Speaking of big numbers.....it is 105 degrees hot here today. Yesterday we were in Phoenix and we saw something we didn't want to see.....117 on the therm-o-meter.
So, we are going back today. Casey got tickets to see Jersey Boys. It will be a hot show, but in a good way.
Urban wildlife viewing
Sitting in the living room in Tucson.
Peggie sees a collared lizard on the garage wall. Big. Dark. Maybe a foot long from nose to tail. Nearly black on the tan wall. What is he doing? Why climb a wall? He freezes in place a third of the way up. Cocks his head to the left. A minute. Two. He speeds two feet further up. Freezes. Cocks his head to the left.
I am standing at the window. Movement catches my eye. The lantana is in bloom. Cheddar colored flowers cover the 20 or so square feet of the plant. Bees and other insects, small, quick, unidentifiable are buzzing all around. That isn't the movement that caught my eye. There. A fence lizard jumps to a new rock. Small. Lighter gray, perhaps four inches nose to tail. He does a push up. Is the rock to hot to touch the belly to? It is 8:00 a.m. His head moves side to side. Is he hunting the flying insects? Something else is there. On the rocks of the faux dry stream. It is a mourning dove. Still but for a blinking eye. I didn't see it fly in, so it has been there all along. The same color as the rocks. The shadow of the garage just shades it.
The collared lizard spins around, head down, but raised to look out over the yard. There is movement in the lantana. Flowers are bobbing back and forth. It is another fence lizard running across the blossoms. Smaller. Maybe three inches in length. It jumps onto the rocks. The sun touches the dove's head. It takes a step, looks around as if surprised into wakefulness. Flies away. The collared lizard on the wall dashes sideways to the corner by the street. Freezes. Head raised, cocked left. (down) The first fence lizard moves jerkily, jumping from one softball-sized rock to another. Under the shade of the plant. Rests. The second one moves quickly into the growth of another nearby plant. The collared lizard comes off the wall and runs around the corner out of sight.
Nothing to see here, folks. The excitement is over, move along. Okay. I go get a glass of water. Come back.
Check out the yard.
There is a smaller (8 inches) collared lizard on the rock where the first fence lizard first sat. He moves. Too quick to see. He takes a bite of a cheddar blossom. Another. Half the flower consumed. Quickly turns left. Two leaps and he is gone behind one of the bigger boulders.
The neighbors' cat walks languidly from under our truck, crosses the street to sit in the shade of a car there.
Urban wildlife on the small scale. Fifteen minutes well spent.
Peggie sees a collared lizard on the garage wall. Big. Dark. Maybe a foot long from nose to tail. Nearly black on the tan wall. What is he doing? Why climb a wall? He freezes in place a third of the way up. Cocks his head to the left. A minute. Two. He speeds two feet further up. Freezes. Cocks his head to the left.
I am standing at the window. Movement catches my eye. The lantana is in bloom. Cheddar colored flowers cover the 20 or so square feet of the plant. Bees and other insects, small, quick, unidentifiable are buzzing all around. That isn't the movement that caught my eye. There. A fence lizard jumps to a new rock. Small. Lighter gray, perhaps four inches nose to tail. He does a push up. Is the rock to hot to touch the belly to? It is 8:00 a.m. His head moves side to side. Is he hunting the flying insects? Something else is there. On the rocks of the faux dry stream. It is a mourning dove. Still but for a blinking eye. I didn't see it fly in, so it has been there all along. The same color as the rocks. The shadow of the garage just shades it.
The collared lizard spins around, head down, but raised to look out over the yard. There is movement in the lantana. Flowers are bobbing back and forth. It is another fence lizard running across the blossoms. Smaller. Maybe three inches in length. It jumps onto the rocks. The sun touches the dove's head. It takes a step, looks around as if surprised into wakefulness. Flies away. The collared lizard on the wall dashes sideways to the corner by the street. Freezes. Head raised, cocked left. (down) The first fence lizard moves jerkily, jumping from one softball-sized rock to another. Under the shade of the plant. Rests. The second one moves quickly into the growth of another nearby plant. The collared lizard comes off the wall and runs around the corner out of sight.
Nothing to see here, folks. The excitement is over, move along. Okay. I go get a glass of water. Come back.
Check out the yard.
There is a smaller (8 inches) collared lizard on the rock where the first fence lizard first sat. He moves. Too quick to see. He takes a bite of a cheddar blossom. Another. Half the flower consumed. Quickly turns left. Two leaps and he is gone behind one of the bigger boulders.
The neighbors' cat walks languidly from under our truck, crosses the street to sit in the shade of a car there.
Urban wildlife on the small scale. Fifteen minutes well spent.
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
home again
We will be in Tucson next week. It will be HOT.
Oh well.
Yesterday it finally stopped raining after two weeks. It warmed right up to the 60's.
Today on tour we saw a very pretty blonde bear with three cute cubs. You just want to cuddle them like puppies.
Oh well.
Yesterday it finally stopped raining after two weeks. It warmed right up to the 60's.
Today on tour we saw a very pretty blonde bear with three cute cubs. You just want to cuddle them like puppies.
Sunday, July 13, 2014
Moratorium Day
I was in Whitehorse on July 10th getting my bus repaired, so I missed out on the mid-season celebration. For those of you who don't remember, I adopted the idea that on the half-way mark of the season, to relieve stress, it would be okay to run over tourists, answer stupid questions with stupid replies, and generally be irresponsible. (Of course, this is all Walter Mitty)
We had a major mudslide on the 4th.The highway was closed for 36 hours, canceling all tours. They have been working to clear it while leading traffic through with a pilot car. They have been working 16 hour days and closing the road at night. Luckily, the slide happened at a big pullout, so there was a detour available, and there is a gravel pit only 2 miles away, where they can put the dirt.
This summer has been wetter, but not cold. My Sunday hiking has been limited due to the rain. I just don't enjoy getting soaked. We attempted Boundary Creek last week, but the water was too deep to cross.
We had a major mudslide on the 4th.The highway was closed for 36 hours, canceling all tours. They have been working to clear it while leading traffic through with a pilot car. They have been working 16 hour days and closing the road at night. Luckily, the slide happened at a big pullout, so there was a detour available, and there is a gravel pit only 2 miles away, where they can put the dirt.
This summer has been wetter, but not cold. My Sunday hiking has been limited due to the rain. I just don't enjoy getting soaked. We attempted Boundary Creek last week, but the water was too deep to cross.
Sunday, July 6, 2014
Happy birthday, Margie
You get to catch up on me briefly.
It is great to have Peggie here. I know because EVERYONE says so! We have been busy seeing friends and enjoying the holiday. Too many late nights for your working man.
Peggie got worn out saying no, so she is going to work a little bit for the quilt shop.
It is great to have Peggie here. I know because EVERYONE says so! We have been busy seeing friends and enjoying the holiday. Too many late nights for your working man.
Peggie got worn out saying no, so she is going to work a little bit for the quilt shop.
Friday, July 4, 2014
Happy Birthday USA
No fireworks.
Rain!
I will drive one tour today, then I will join Peggie and we will enjoy as much of the festivities as we can. Maybe this is the year we win the Ducky Derby.
Rain!
I will drive one tour today, then I will join Peggie and we will enjoy as much of the festivities as we can. Maybe this is the year we win the Ducky Derby.
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
happy birthday Dick
Dick is always in such a hurry to get older he has his birthday first every year. I would be first, but I am a procrastinator and don't get around to it.
It is really good to have Peggie here now.
We have heard from two different sources that there will not be fireworks this year. "The guy"retired. And nobody thought to get someone else? TWTWS!
It is really good to have Peggie here now.
We have heard from two different sources that there will not be fireworks this year. "The guy"retired. And nobody thought to get someone else? TWTWS!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
