Friday, March 28, 2008

No Summer This Year?

Oh look. It's snowing again.

Not sticking right now, but isn't it supposed to be springtime?

I sure hope this summer isn't a repeat of 1816. We had some snow in March last year, but this year is even colder than last.

Sunspots, get cooking! We need some warmth!

Actually, some sunspots started up, but they are the wrong polarity, so nobody knows what that means. Maybe we haven't seen the end of the low yet. Which means John McCain will definitely win the presidency. But of course he would, anyway, just because of his first name. We've already had four John presidents, after all, and zero Hillary or Barack.

Um... I digressed a bit, didn't I?

WSU Lost

Boo!!

Boo!!!


Boo-hoo.

Monday, March 24, 2008

Protection

Always wear gloves when using a power screwdriver.

Or at least get your hand out of the way if it slips off the screw.

No, strike that. Always wear gloves when using a power screwdriver.

My thumb is healing.

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Happy Easter!

Peep!

Peep!

What do sugary sweet neon marshmallows shaped somewhat like little birds have to do with Jesus rising from the dead?

Nothing, as far as I can tell.

.

.

.

Peep!

Friday, March 21, 2008

Greetings from Minnesota!

It snowed last night.
Golden Valley Snow.jpg
Actually, it's still snowing.

Welcome to springtime in Minnesota!

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Rain in Northern South Dakota

I don't know if any other airline has this (they probably do), but I'm flying Northwest today, so that's where I found it.

When you go to check the status of a flight that's already in the air, they provide a map showing the location of the plane and its planned route. The map also shows weather.

It's raining in the Dakotas. The plane that's coming to pick me up is diverting slightly northward to go around the storm.

I should head for the airport when the plane gets to the Continental Divide.

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Sunday Drive

A few days ago Sunday, Chunlin and I took a drive up the Kitsap Peninsula. Coincidence of coincidences, we drove the length of State Route 3.

The road took us through scenic Shelton:
1-Shelton Hwy 3 Ch

And up into the sky near Gorst:
3-Gorst East Hwy 3 Ch

But eventually, highway 3 ended:
5-End 3 Ch

So we went to the beach:
10-Chunlin Mark Salsbury Point

A park near the east end of the Hood Canal Bridge, called Salsbury Point Park. It has a boat launch.
6-Salsbury Point Piers

And swings.
22-Chunlin Swing

And wildlife.
17-Crows Salsbury Point

And, as I said, a view of the bridge.
15-Hood Canal Bridge West

But don't get too close.
18-Park Boundary Salsbury

Our stomachs told us to leave, so we headed for Port Gamble. It's not just a old-fashsiony tourist town. It actually has industry.
25-Port Gamble Warning Sign

But it does have cute houses.
29-Chunlin Ames House

And flowers.
31-Daffodils Port Gamble

After a tasty meal of broccoli salad, cucumber salad, chicken fajita, and tuna salad sandwich at the general store, we let the MV Spokane carry us across Puget Sound.
36-Puyallup Ferry Seattle
That's a photo of the MV Puyallup, however. And downtown Seattle in the distance.

Smile!
40-Chunlin Mark Spokane Ferry

I've posted twice as many photos on flickr, as is becoming my custom.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Happy Hérazha Day!


08-Wind

For being the Holy Day of Hérazha, Goddess of the Wind, today is rather calm outside.

Who knows? Perhaps She's sleeping in. You'd better watch out this afternoon, then.

Monday, March 17, 2008

Natural Fake Snow

Every morning these days, when I look out my bathroom window, I think it snowed during the night. The tree outside has so many white flowers on it, it looks like it's covered in snow. You'd think one of these days, I'd stop having the snow impulse.

I guess I'm not thinking too clearly in the morning.

Blossoms 1

Wazzu All the Way!

Go Cougs!

Friday, March 14, 2008

Bananas

For your information:

Bananas do not instantly turn brown when placed in the fridge. In fact, they remain yellow for at least eight hours.

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Boooo! Refs, Boooo!!!

Is this cheating?
38-Chief 15 Hooking
I think this is cheating.

Chunlin and I took my parents to see the Thunderbirds on Sunday evening. The Tbirds lost to Spokane, with a little help from the refs.

Actually, I think the infraction above was called and penalized, but there was a serious takedown of our goalie that involved the net moving from its position that somehow ended with a goal for Spokane and no penalties called . . . and continuous booing from the crowd.

More exciting game photos at flickr!

Monday, March 10, 2008

judging

On Saturday, Christina performed at her school district adjudication. The junior ahead of her could have been professional (or will be).
C-Christina Playing
The judges said she had good style, but only hit 90% of the correct notes.

Oh well. It sounded good to me!

Friday, March 07, 2008

Secret Room

We found a secret room in our new house.

We were prying off plywood from the basement walls so the concrete contractor would be able to get a good connection to the exterior walls. Chunlin noticed a discrepency between two rooms in the basement. When we pried off the plywood sheet on the short room, a door was revealed. The original door from 1936, perhaps? Or from the 1950s expansion? It was in the older part of the house. What could be behind it?

The door had been nailed shut, but we are good at prying. We got one side's nails out and I slipped through into the secret room. . .

Wednesday, March 05, 2008

A Couple Weeks Ago

We took a snowshoe hike when we were over in the Spokane area. I know it's been awhile, but I've finally caught up with my photos. I guess this means we can go on another trip now!

13-Mt Spokane Hill Christina
Christina is helping Chunlin put on her snowshoes. Most of the trail was compact enough not to need them.

Watch out!
16-Chunlin Christina Run

When we were back near the car, Christina and Chunlin had fun rolling down the hill.
C7-Chunlin Snow
My excuse was that I had removed my warm clothes because of the hiking so I was too cold to roll in the snow (and too lazy to open my pack and get out the warm clothes). I was having fun taking photos, anyway.

And then suddenly we were in the middle of the Columbia Plateau.
C10-Schrag

Here's a sunset photo from Chunlin as we rolled down I-90 into the Kittitas Valley.
H-Johnson Valley Mt Rainier Ch
That's Mt. Rainier, by the way. I didn't realize you could see it from there. If I recall correctly, I was able to spot Mt. Stuart from the far side of the Columbia, but we didn't get a photo of it.

More photos of playing in the snow and driving down the highway on flickr (flickr).

Earth from Mars

Home:

Taken with the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter by NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ of Ariz. Click the image for full resolution.

Animal Sounds

The horse goes "moo!"
22-Horse Grand Coulee Dry Falls

The turtle goes "baaaa!"
25-Spokane Turtle

The empty road goes "waka waka waka!"
18-Farmer US 2 East

The small-town church goes "rama lama ding dong!"
15-Waterville St Joseph Church Ch

The orchard goes "meow!"
8-Cashmere Anjou Bakery Orchard

Yoda's disembodied head goes "Help me! On an old water ski, stuck am I!"
29-TGI Friday's Spokane Valley

The road sign goes "No, the other way!"
2-Monroe Sign Ch

Monday, March 03, 2008

This Month's Photo of Chunlin

Today, I flipped the page in my calendar at work to find the following photograph from our wedding day:
0zr-QueenChunlin
She's royalty, for sure!

Sunday, March 02, 2008

Our New House

We're not living here, but we own it. Ever since a week ago Friday.
Pinehurst House Southwest
Pinehurst Living Room
Pinehurst Kitchen
Pinehurst House Southeast
We have no buyers' remorse.
Chunlin Pinehurst
The basement stairs have a few head-bump low clearances. I put some vinyl and foam pads on them.
Pinehurst Stairs Basement
The basement garage isn't quite finished.
Pinehurst Basement
We'll pour concrete very soon.

There's also a three-car garage/shop.
Pinehurst Garage North
And a big yard.
Pinehurst Garage West

As usual, there's some more photos on flickr.