Oh Deer...

Well, some new neighbors have joined the Glacier Highway menagerie. A couple of young bucks have been hanging-out in the neighborhood the past few days. Yesterday morning when I opened the blinds in my bedroom one was on the hill no more than fifteen feet or so from the window. I managed to open the window and get one really good shot before he wandered back into the blueberry bushes. I also saw him on the driveway a couple of days ago. I'm getting better with my new lens; but still have a focus problem. I'm beginning to think it may be my eyesight that is at fault. Imagine that!

Yesterday I drove out to the shrine. It was (briefly) a nice afternoon. Lots of crows and Bonaparte Gulls; but no marine mammals. There did appear to be some feed in the area though - there was a big bunch of gulls working something between the shrine and the little cove to the north. The Spring King derby starts tomorrow. A nice filet of fresh Salmon sounds pretty good.

Yesterday I got the results back from my latest blood tests and my PSA was nil - so it's "so far, so good" on the prostate front.

The guy my dad hired to replace dad's woodshed showed-up yesterday with some of his buddies and demolished the old shed and hauled away the debris. Whew! I'm very glad I dodged that bullet. I could stare at a pile of lumber all summer and it wouldn't turn into a woodshed. I'm more of a pick-and-shovel man... It looks like it may be a half-way decent day today so I think I'll wander up to my aunt's a begin some yard work.

I'm about two-thirds done with my photoshop project for Marian Harrigan. I brought back a bunch of old photos and negatives that her brother took over the years. I promised Marian I would scan the pics and negatives and send Terry a CD - and I feel obligated to be discreet since the owners have not yet seen them. However, I may indulge myself with one or two pics of the young Ms. Terry Harrigan for your viewing pleasure. Hint: Terry's favourite childhood companion was named Mutt-Mutt.

Funny. My ears are suddenly burning...

Meet My Neighbors

Juneauites continue to step-up to meet the challenges of 55 cents a kilowatt power. Alaska Electric Light & Power reports that consumption has fallen between 20-30% since we lost our hydro power. Pretty good.

The Empire has also reported that among the electricity saving strategies employed is the rediscovery of the lost art of hanging clothes outside to dry. This approach is not without its drawbacks however. Yesterday afternoon I noticed something strange hanging in the tree by my eagle's nest and, upon closer inspection with my binoculars, it turned out to be a bath towel.

Al and Edna Eagle have resumed refurbishment of their nest with great enthusiasm. I have seen them haul good sized branches and bunches of unidentified material to the nest the past couple of days - although I missed the lift of the aforementioned bath towel.

Upon a thorough inspection at the construction site, the towel was evidently deemed unsuitable for nest building and was given the heave-ho.

I have christened the eagles Al and Edna in memory of a couple of folks who lived in my childhood neighborhood. Al Shaw lived across the street from our house and was called "foghorn" by everyone in my family for his distinctive summons of his sons for supper or bedtime. As I recall it, his bellowing sounded very little like the eagle's calls I hear every morning at 5 a.m. - except that it was also annoying.

Edna is named after Edna Swapp, the matron of the house right next to ours. In the summertime when my bedroom window was open and the Swapp's dining room window was open, I would be serenaded every night by Edna's distinctive cackling, clucking, and general caterwauling. Her poor husband caught-hell for something almost every night. And she sounded very much like the 5 a.m. eagle complaintants.

At present, I am also sharing the neighborhood with Mr. Rocket J. Squirrel. Rocky and I are becoming great pals. I feed him corn chips and, in return, he amuses me. Last evening while I was enjoying a glass of Pinot on the balcony, he came right-up on the rail no more than a couple of feet away. The landlord has set-up a feeding station for him on the side of a tree by my parking spot.

Pictures of Al, Edna, and Rocky are posted to the right.

Juneau Spring Picnic Season Begins!

Night before last I went out to Dave and Kris Grays for a picnic. They live on the south side of Lena Point - about the finest property in the borough. It was a beautiful evening. My old boss, Al Adams, was the grillmaster and Marla Berg, official firestarter.

There were a dozen or so sealions in front of the cabin carrying-on. They dove and jumped around like I've never seen before. Must have been some kind of groceries out there although I didn't see any herring or other feed flipping. John and Marla Bergs' dog, Buddy, was fascinated and made several attempts to swim-out and join the party. I suspect the sealions would have been more than happy to see him...

I took a bunch of pics with my new telephoto lens; but operator error resulted in most of them being out of focus. I've got to stop using the autofocus in these kinds of situations - it works like a charm - but doesn't care whether it focuses on what I want to focus on or something in front or in back of the subject. I will learn however.

Last night Dougie, Alison, and I walked the airport dike trail in search of swans and other birdies. I've walked the trail a bizillion times and don't think I've EVER seen so FEW birds! A few ducks - a couple of crows; but not the spring tweet fest we expected. I think the migrants are late - can't say I blame them since it was snowing a week ago. It was another beautiful evening and a nice walk however.

More later...

It's a miracle...

Well, all my vacation pics are now posted on my Kodak website. Click on the link to the right.

While I was in Arizona, some guy spotted the likeness of J.C. in some rocks. Enthusiasts were arriving in droves to gawk at this apparent miracle seeking all the dispensations typically associated with such events. I don't normally pay much attention to these things...but when I was photoshopping my pics - well...take a look for yourself (at right).

In local news, Juneau remains in shock over the loss of hydro power. The rate increase is now estimated at 500% and three months remains the expected period of time before repairs are completed. Many businesses are turning off half of their lights. I am taking all my showers at the racquet club and have installed new energy efficient lights in the apartment. I'm even turning down my thermostat at night...something I've never done before.

The foot of snow we got last week is almost gone - at least where the sun shines. It's in the mid-50's today and very nice.

There is an eagles' nest a hundred yards or so from my balcony. The day I got back they were packing new construction material to the site. They were mighty pissed-off when the nest filled with a foot of snow. They've been waking me up around 5 a.m. with their complaining every morning since I returned. But today they seem in better spirits and are quietly sitting in their tree by the nest. I hope she didn't lay before the snow...I get a big kick out of watching the young ones. I didn't see them actually fledge last year; but I did watch them practice on the edge of the nest. I need to figure out how to get some good pics this year.

In Northwest news, I offer the following from the Corvallis Gazette-Times for those of you skeptical about my desire to emigrate to that fair city.

Student-run farm plans Earth Day celebration:

..."The festivities, sponsored by Oregon State University’s Organic Growers Club, will take place from 3 to 7 p.m. Attendees can tour the farm, watch draft horses plow soil, check out an electric tractor, and see how chickens in a mobile coop are used to till the earth. In addition, attendees are invited to bring a turning fork to help till the ground and plant beet seeds, lettuce and 10,000 onions." ...

Now how could I possibly turn that down?

Go Beavs!

More later...

Welcome Home

I got back on schedule on Tuesday. Spent yesterday paying bills, checking-in with the elders, etc. Some bad news from the landlord. Their wonderful companion Bailey the Dog passed while I was gone. When I would turn into my driveway more often than not the first thing I would see would be Bailey at the top of the drive with tail wagging. She would always come over for a greeting. I will miss her.

I've downloaded all three hundred or so pics from my camera and now will start the photoshopping process. I will post stuff to my Kodak site in phases.

A lot of my Alaska Open 2007 pics are already posted on the Juneau Golf Club Website. And I have attached a link to that site on this blog to the right of this entry. The pics have NOT been photoshopped...so I think I can make some significant improvements.

This morning I woke up to a foot of snow. And it's still coming down at a good clip. It's supposed to stop around 10 a.m. and then clear-up. It's also supposed to get down to around 23 degrees tonight.

Yesterday morning a HUGE avalanche took-out the transmission line between Juneau and Snettisham. It will take at least two months - and maybe longer - to repair the downed towers and line. Soooooo...we have been told that our electricity bills are going to increase by 300% or so for the next few months.

Now what was it that I don't like about this place? Oh yeah, the weather.

Adieu to the Emerald City

Well...tomorrow it's back to Juneau. I can't say that I'm looking forward to going back although it will be nice to see friends and family. I want OUT!!!!!!!! Time will tell...

I feel bad about bailing on Marian. Yesterday was a bad day with lots of pain and it's going to be awhile before she is really able to function completely on her own. But she and Terry are making other arrangements and I'm sure everything will be fine in the end. And it's not like I won't have things to do...my sister has very thoughtfully kept me fully apprised of the projects awaiting my return.

I enjoy both Portland and Seattle immensely. But real estate remains prohibitively expensive in both cities - even for very modest homes or kennel-sized condos. I know my Northwest friends think their market is largely insulated from the current troubles - and I agree with them that prices are unlikely to collapse as they are doing in much of the Sunbelt - but I suspect a sizable correction is nevertheless at hand.

Today's Seattle Times article on Washington Mutual makes it clear that these boneheads were at the design desk for many of the most dubious instruments of financial jiggery-pokery related to the sub-prime mess. And their balance sheet is rotten to the core. I'm guessing that WaMu will either be taken out behind the barn and killed with an axe - or we, the taxpayers, will have to put it on life support of one kind or another. It's a BIG institution - so the feds may conclude it cannot be allowed to fail. Regardless, some people desperately need to go to jail.

Wandering around Ballard I've looked at a number of real estate flyers. It's beyond belief. If you were to plunk down my old Crow Hill Condo in the bowels of Ballard and put it on the market the asking price would probably be over $300,000. Yet you could rent the same condo for probably around $1000 a month. Notwithstanding the tax benefits associated with having a big mortgage, this differential makes no economic sense and will not last... And I don't think it means that rents are going to shoot-up.

But I digress... My point being that I really like this area and hope to make the Northwest my home soon. Corvallis - or someplace similar - still feels right. I want to be able to buy a reasonably sized home with lots of outdoor living space and a garden. And that ain't gonna be possible in the city - even with a likely real estate correction of 10-20%. I need enough space for my yet-to-be acquired basset hound to stretch his legs. Correction: I need enough space for my yet-to-be acquired basset hound to turn around in the living room.

Stay tuned for more pics from my trip. I will be doing some serious photoshopping once I get home and will post them on my Kodak site. And I will probably keep this blog active in some fashion although I do not yet know what that means.

I Remain,

Sincerely Yours,

Elmer A. Lindstrom

City Dogs

Sorry about the downtime. But I've been staying close to the nest the past few days as a steady parade of home health folks have traipsed through the apartment on their various errands of mercy. The subject of their attention has been outwardly compliant; but there is no doubt in my mind that rebellion lies just below the surface. I am very familiar with the breed, and Marian is clearly pissed-off that a little thing like having both hips replaced at the same time has impinged on her life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.

I did get to do some walking around this week - it's been much warmer. A couple of days ago I hoofed-it down to the Shilshole Marina. Lots of REALLY nice boats. They are renovating the marina. One of the additions is a ten foot statue of my cousin Leif Erickson. And for an unspecified amount of swag, one can have the names of one's beloved Scandinavian ancestors inscribed on a genuine concrete runestone to be placed on Leif's pavillion.

Yesterday I hiked down to and across the Ballard Locks and then up the hill, around the point, and into Discovery Park. It was a beautiful afternoon. The birds were chirping. People were smiling. Dogs were panting. Which brings me to the main subject of today's ramblings - city dogs.

As a long-time Juneau resident, I have certain preconceptions of dogs and their doggy lifestyles. In Juneau, every pick-up truck comes with not only an AM/FM radio; but also with a black lab tethered to the metal toolbox in back (said toolbox more likely than not serving as a beer cooler) or riding shotgun with the passenger window down and ears and tongue happily flapping in the slipstream.

Seattle dogs are, for the most part, a much more refined lot. Labradors (and pick-up trucks for that matter) are relatively rare. Ballard is a riot of exotic, pint-sized and pampered pooches. The prevalence of small dogs I understand. Condo and apartment living does not lend itself to large breeds. It's the accessorizing that I find amusing. When it snowed last week, I was dumbfounded by the superfluity of doggy sweaters, windbreakers, booties and other garb. Foo- foo dog pedicures are clearly de rigueur. I expect that many of these hounds bathe more frequently than many Alaskans. And while I have not actually seen them, I am certain that doggy yoga and pilates studios exist somewhere in this burg.

So...with all of this in mind you can imagine my satisfaction when yesterday in Discovery Park I came across a very unhappy hip 30 something gal attempting to come to grips with the fact her furry little rat-bag bundle of joy actually enjoyed CHASING SQUIRRELS! Indeed I witnessed the tenacious little bugger chase a big fat one up a tree.

A dog is still a dog - even in Magnolia.

Cheers!

Waiting for Nurse Ratchet

Just a quick note to say all is well. The weather is still crappy - and I am disgusted to report that it is not supposed to get really Spring-like again until the day after I leave. Such it is...

We're expecting a visit from Providence Home Health today so I will stay close to the nest until they come and go. Nurse Ratchet was here on Saturday to get a health history and work-up a plan. She actually had a German accent and was predictably efficient.

I do not believe Marian is looking forward to therapy. Otherwise, she is improving daily. I enjoy her company. Terry and I are going to a nice French restaurant in Fremont tonight. We had a good brunch there on Saturday.

Cheers!

Gangsta's in the 'Hood

Another morning. Another latte grande at Tully's. I really like this place and it's getting to feel like home.

Yesterday morning I was approached by one of the regulars who hangs-out here every morning. Chatted about the weather and the Mariners. I took it as an open invitation to join one of the Koffee Klatch gangs here.

There are two distinct factions who reside at opposite ends of the room. On the west end, by the fireplace, the Krusty Kodgers reign supreme. This all-male crew is middle-aged to elderly and preoccupied with (in order of importance) 1. personal health issues (numerous); 2. the high cost of living; 3. NCAA basketball - soon to be supplanted with a preoccupation with the Mariners I'm sure; and 4. the congenital incompetence of various local governmental bodies and agencies.

On the east end of the room, the Old Lefties hold sway. This mixed-gender crew is also gray-haired or follicle impaired but preoccupied with far weightier matters. This morning they appear to be organizing some sort of petition effort...something to do with cleaning-up Puget Sound I believe. Their conference table groans under several stacks of journals and papers. Several people are taking notes. Their enthusiasms include: 1. personal health issues (numerous) 2. global warming (bad); 3. Recycling (not good enough); 4. Barack Obama (very good); and 5. George Bush (VERY bad)

Yesterday's discreet offer to enter into negotiations for membership came from "Ed" - one of the supremos of the Krusty Kodgers. And although I have not had any similar contact with the Old Lefties, I am confident that with my charm, wit, and impeccable bureaucratic credentials I could easily secure membership with that crew as well.

The question being: do I want to? I think not. I refuse to believe that I am crotchety enough for the Krusty Kodgers; and the Old Lefties are just a tad too earnest for my taste.

For the moment, I will continue as a de facto member of the third crew in the joint - the Sullen Loners. This bunch, actually more numerous than the other two combined, are scattered throughout the establishment. They sit alone, staring slack-jawed at their laptops. Some appear to be students with textbooks on the table. Others are checking emails and reading the news. An occasional gamer. And a couple of them...well I prefer not to dwell on what they may be staring at...

So there you have it. Coffee House Culture in Ballard.

Elmer

P.S. The coffee cake is quite good.

Confused in Boise

From the Washington Post. Our top story tonight: Boise has been rated one of the top 10 major cities that would likely suffer grievously if attacked by terrorists according to a newly released study commissioned by the Department of Homeland Security. The deliberate setting of wildfires or blowing up a nearby reservoir causing massive flooding are the primary risks.

At the Fancy Pants boutique in downtown Boise, sales associate Katie Bohannon said she wasn't feeling particularly vulnerable. "I'm less scared than I am confused," she said. "I don't really see why Boise would be on the top of that list."

Why indeed? One can only wonder if any of the researchers have actually been to Boise...

Meanwhile, here in the Emerald City (which placed #87 in the survey) all is well. Marian Harrigan was paroled from Virginia Mason yesterday and is one mighty happy camper to be back in her own digs. It will be awhile before she's fully recovered; but she is doing well.

The weather has turned cooler again and it's supposed to sprinkle off-and-on all weekend. Terry and I are going to the Seattle Art Museum today to look at a bunch of Roman artifacts on loan from the Louvre.

Cheers!

Pigeon Love

Hey kids! How the hell are ya?

The last couple of days have been quite fun...the sun has been shining and it actually feels Spring-like. Not supposed to last, of course, but I am taking advantage of it for the moment.

On Monday I went out to visit my cousin Anne Marie in Burien. She is my dad's late sister's eldest daughter and is ALSO Dick Behrends half-sister. Anne Marie and her husband, Gene, are really nice folks. Their hobby is making yard displays - they go nuts at Christmas - but have something up year round. Anne Marie moved to Seattle with her mom (my Aunt Inga) in the late 1940's. Anne Marie and Gene are coming to Juneau on a cruise on Memorial Day. I will pick them up at the dock.

On Tuesday I took the bus up to the top of Phinney Ridge and then walked around Green Lake. There were HUNDREDS of people and dogs on the trail. Old people with young dogs, young people with old dogs, dogs with sweaters, dogs with other dogs, skateboarders, bicyclists, joggers - you name it. Everyone was smiling in the sun after the crappy weather of last week. After circumnavigating the lake I walked back to Ballard via Woodland Park. It was quite fun.

Yesterday morning I took some stuff to Marian at Virginia Mason and got my lesson from the physical therapy folks on how to assist Marian get in and out of the car. Friday is discharge day. She is delighted she will be able to go out the front door; but was fully prepared to go down the fire escape if necessary.

Yesterday afternoon I drove over to Discovery Park and spent about 2 1/2 hours roaming around. It's a great park -adjacent to the Magnolia neighborhood on the hill just south of Ballard. Most of the park is on a bluff which used to be the Army's Fort Lawton. A few of the old army houses still stand. You can also hike down to a very nice beach which has an old lighthouse at its western end. Again, lots of hikers with and without four-legged companions and everyone in a good mood.

After my hike I drove around Magnolia for a bit. Saw quite a few places I would be willing to call home - beautiful views of Puget Sound and/or the Cascades and downtown. Doubt if you could touch any of them for under a million bucks and many would go for a great deal more. The Seattle market is still relatively robust although it is softening. Time will tell...but barring a complete collapse I do not expect to be relocating to Magnolia anytime soon.

Last evening just before sunset I was sitting on Marian's deck and noticed a dozen or so pigeons on the roof next door. Love was in the air. I have never seen such a display of indiscriminate avian lust. For the record, I can state with certainty that pigeons are NOT monogamous. In fact, some of them appeared to be a little light in their wingtips.

This morning they were all sitting there prim-and-proper. But they're not fooling me. I know!

Well, just about finished with my latte so I will pack-up and hit the road. I am torn between walking out past the marina west of here (there are supposed to be some nice gardens in a park) or go play 9 holes at a little course just south of Fisherman's Terminal. Or maybe I can do both...

More later...

Blue Sky...Smilin' at Me

FINALLY! A beautiful spring morning. Still a little cool (I suspect there was frost last night in some areas); but it will be around 50 today and in the mid-50's for the rest of the week. Yesterday it was nice - but cold - in the morning and I ran a bunch of errands for Marian. But in the afternoon there was wind, rain, and hail. OOFTA!

Marian is doing better and hopes to be discharged from Virginia Mason this week...the doc is hinting at Friday...but we're hoping a day or so sooner.

I have been in my "Juneau" routine the last few days. Morning coffee, morning workout, a little wandering around, and yesterday had a second workout when it became clear the weather would not be condusive to outdoor activities. Today I'm going to take the bus up to Greenlake and walk the park. I don't know if there will be anything photo worthy or not - but stay tuned.

I will do my best to manufacture some news for your entertainment...