October Weather

Well, October started out September-like but has made up for it the past week.  A very big wind and rain storm mid-week.  Amanda and I sat in the living room and watched the huge triple pane windows do the wugga wugga dance...no danger...but still kinda eerie.  Bet we had some hurricane force gusts.  More of the same (not quite as windy though) yesterday and the classic "rain - heavy at times - and high winds" predicted for tomorrow night.  Followed by mixed rain and snow later in the week...followed by partly cloudy and low temperatures in the upper 20's. 

On Thursday we got a little break and I took Nikki out to the dike trail.

 Nikki LOVES the dike trail.  Runs like a jack rabbit on the wetlands.

The snow creeps down Eaglecrest Valley.  Still great views from the dike trail...

...until you look towards the airport.  Gotta love the prison rec yard look...

All my roommates are now present and accounted for...  Adam got in last evening.  He missed his plane in Seattle so got to spend his birthday hanging-out at Sea-Tac.  He is still snoozing...

...as are Enrique and Amanda who indulged in the Juneau downtown Halloween club scene last night.  I expect it will be a quiet day for the boarders.

Yesterday Amanda got a hot tip on a very reasonably priced apartment downtown on Gastineau Avenue.  She went to inspect and immediately said she would take it.  Great location and cute - though small, of course.  She is delighted.  The joint is being painted and otherwise made ready; but she hopes to move in within a couple of weeks.  We need to go furniture shopping.

Later gang!

Where Does the Time Go?

Yikes!  I haven't posted for over a week.  I'll be damned.  The time just flies.

I've had house guests for just over a week.  Enrique is busy learning his lines for "A Christmas Carol."  He has rehearsals every day accept Monday and has also started working at El Sombrero during the day.  A busy lad. 

His companion, Nikki the Dog, is also busy.  Last evening she was busy for about two hours as I repeatedly flung her chew toy down the hallway.  Yesterday we went for a walk on the beach at Auke Bay Recreation Area.  I am rapidly coming to the conclusion that having a house guest with a dog is probably better than actually having a dog myself - I can take the hound for a walk when I want to - but am under no obligation to go out in the horizontal rain.  Heh Heh. 

Another big day today as daughter Amanda arrives from Portland.  It will be WONDERFUL to have her here - and she says she feels the same.  (Hold that thought, 'Manda.)  I know she has applied for a number of positions with the school district and other agencies.  No joy yet; but I am confident she will be gainfully employed very quickly.

And on Saturday my buddy, Adam, arrives for a visit.  An outsider might conclude I am running a youth hostel; but the way I look at it is that the yin of youth at home is a very welcome balance to the yang of my typical day spent among the elders.  Balance is good.

In other news, there were a couple of interesting columns in the Washington Post today.  The first, by Katrina vanden Heuvel, titled  The Republicans' war on science and reason  describes what many of us have recognized for a good long while - that facts and reason are no longer relevant in the minds of the lead dogs of the Republican right. 

Coincidentally (or not), Eugene Robinson's column on the latest global warming study is interesting insofar as the lead researcher on the project was formally regarded by "skeptics" as one of them.

Well, time to head to the elders for coffee.  Then a workout.  Then pick-up Amanda.  Yippee!

Bah Humbug

Well, my first house guests have arrived.  They flew from New York to Juneau in about eleven hours.  Nikki was damn glad to get out of her kennel.  They both seem to approve of their new digs.

Enrique has gone out for drinks with a couple of friends - he's been here often enough that he has pals both in the theater and otherwise.  Nikki is glued to Enrique's pillow on his bed; although she did come out to observe me putting my bolognese sauce into containers.  I suspect she'll be fine in a day or so - doggy jet lag.

I am a serious Christmas person - I've already been assessing the property for Xmas light purposes.  Christmas will be particularly fun this year insofar as Enrique will be appearing in Perseverance Theater's production of "A Christmas Carroll"  I am housing Bob Cratchit.

I wonder if I will be expected to cook a Christmas goose?

And for those of you who do not recall Nikki - here's a pic from this spring.

  One of my new roomies - Nikki the Dog

I'm delighted to have company...

Settling In

Well, the first two loaves of zucchini bread just came out of the oven - so it's official - I live here.  Still feels new and not quite normal - routines have been disrupted and need to be reconfigured.  But I will manage.  The fact is that I'm as happy as can be - I love this place.

It was another busy week painting, unpacking, and acquiring more stuff.  My new bed arrived on Tuesday.  It is very big and very comfy.  I have the TV set-up and bought a couple of nice lamps.  The master suite is now reasonably well appointed although I have not yet hung any artwork anywhere.  I think I want some new material...

Tomorrow I need to rake and clear the dog yard.  My first house guests arrive on Monday.  I also need to drain and refill the hot tub and figure out how it works.  We're definitely headed into hot tub season.  The snow level appears to be down to about 2000 feet this afternoon. 

And here's another bird pic - an American Coot that Alison and I saw out by Dredge Lake a week or so ago.  A rare bird for Juneau. 

An American Coot

 

I'll try to be more diligent about posting now that the hurl-burly of moving is more-or-less behind me.

Cheers!

Busy Beyond Belief

Jesus H. Christ on a bicycle - I'm tired - feel like I'm back at work.

On the other hand, unlike regular work (at least of the kind to which I was previously accustomed) this brand of labor brings immediate satisfaction.  I am almost completely unpacked and I am now typing from my very recently painted office.  Indeed, the entire master suite is now a beautiful green - Dutch Boy Spearmint Green to be exact. 

I had not painted a room in over ten years.  Used to be pretty good at it; still am.  It just takes longer and is more painful.  I am not as limber as I once was and the various painting poses are now a tad awkward.  And painting - like most everything else - takes longer than it once did.  But I just got back from supper and today's paint is now dry and it does look fabulous - if I do say so myself.  There are a few spots that need a touch-up and the room will probably probably require four hours or so to put it back together - but I am quite pleased.

The urgency of the painting is a function of the arrival of my new King Size Temperpedic adjustable bed on Tuesday.  It will be a "sleigh" bed and the headboard weighs about 200 lbs.  I assume the footboard hits the scales at about half that; but in any event I want everything prepared for its arrival.  The bed may not move for a few years...

In other news, Amanda will arrive on October 25th.  She's applying for lots of jobs and I have no doubt she will be gainfully employed shortly upon her arrival.  I am REALLY looking forward to having her as a house mate.  I wonder how she will feel about her purple bedroom?  It is possible that more painting is in my future... 

I have also booked a guest for a couple of months who will be acting in a production at Perseverance Theater later this fall.  Enrique previously stayed with my friend, Joan, and I am delighted to continue the tradition.  Enrique will be accompanied by his best pal, Nikki, a little herder dog who accompanied me, Joan, and her hound, Maddy, on a number of walks this past year.  Nikki will be giving my new abode a test drive as far as doggy compatibility in concerned.  Enrique is very diligent about his dog walking; but it is possible Uncle Elmo may be able to do some dog walking too...  Hah!

Finally, a couple of pics of a Magpie that Alison and I stumbled across on the Fish Creek Trail early last week.  He/she was a very cooperative subject.

Oddly enough - Magpies are more common in Juneau in the fall and winter

A very handsome and cooperative specimen

And oh, yeah, I am now the owner of a new iPhone.  So...for those of you who lamented my inability to be a text buddy - that issue is now resolved. 

So there you have it!  Carry on kids....

NOW I'm Retired

I'm more-or-less moved in to my new digs.  I'm trying to be very judicious in my unpacking; knowing full well that where I put things will likely be where they remain for the duration.  This is particularly important for the kitchen - where things tend to reside forever - despite daily reminders that they would be more efficiently located elsewhere.  Time will tell whether or not I have been successful.

I LOVE my new home.  I have spent the past couple of hours sitting in every chair (and moving chairs) in the living room and each and every perspective has been pleasing.  And I had a decent sunset tonight.  And now the stars are shining.  The Big Dipper and the arc to Arcturus are featured tonight from my deck to the west.  Vega, Deneb, and Altair are overhead.  Cassiopeia is to the east.  I may need to acquire a telescope.

The house is somewhat peculiar - a hexagonal structure.  It is, I suspect, very inefficient in terms of the use of space - nooks and crannies everywhere.  But I, too, am notoriously inefficient and peculiar - so I suspect it is a good match.  So there you have it.

For the first time since I retired I feel like I know what I am doing.

Salud!