Kingfisher Cove

This Feels Different!

I know I've mentioned this before, but it feels so weird that I have to mention it again:  It's the first Friday night that we haven't headed down to Harstine Island since the installation of the camping trailer the middle of May!   So odd to come home and NOT be packing up stuff, thinking of food for the weekend, pretty much dreading the drive, but oh-so-looking-forward to arriving.  By now, the weenies would be having mini-conniption fits, having gotten wind of the cooler and overnight bags ("we know what that means!")   In a way, it's kind of nice to be able to come home on a Friday night and chill.  JDub wants to go out for dinner -- a nice dinner.  Hmm.  Sounds great, but I really do need to chill for a bit first.  So, I'm having me some wine and I'm blogging.  (Ahhhh).

I also have to make a salad for a potluck we're going to tomorrow.  One of the guys on JDub's crew is having a "back-to-work-yay-Union" party.  It should be kind of fun.  Tomorrow we're also planning on getting up pretty early and going TV shopping.  JDub's old big-screen died, and it's time for a new one.  He's already done a lot of research and we have our sights set on a 50" plasma.  Possibly 42".  We have several places to check out, although he's already done a lot of the legwork.  It's mostly for me to see up close & personal what the options are.

And then Sunday night, The Dinner Train!  Oh, how fun that's going to be!  I'm not going to wish for it to get here quite yet, though, because it will be, after all, Sunday night.  (Ick).

So JDub went back to work today.  (Up before the butt-crack of dawn...)  He was anticipating it being very hectic and busy, but it was quite the opposite.  In fact, a lot of the guys didn't go back today, figuring one day before the weekend wasn't worth it.   Guess they'll start fresh on Monday instead.  JDub's managers and staff (who weren't on strike) were sure glad to have them back.  JDub's immediate supervisor (a management-level guy) was the designated "plumber" during the strike and he had a lot of plugged toilet stories to tell.  It's probably good for them all to remember what it was like, or at least experience what others have to do every day.  I think about that where I work, which is non-union, of course.  But if those of us in our department got pissed off enough to stage a walk-out (pipe dream), there ain't nobody who'd be able to do what we do, and I think it would be a huge eye-opener for them.   Maybe then we'd actually receive bonuses that amounted to a little more than the 0.0000000000000000000000000000001% of the value of the projects we've seen to it that the company was awarded.

I got a new computer at work today (we all are), and while it's nifty and nice, it's also a royal pain in the ass.  Software I rely on not installed on my new computer, all my settings gone or hosed (hundreds of them), fonts missing, you name it.  Plus, I had a lot on my plate today which added to the frustration.  Everyone seemed quite harried today. 

OH!!  I gotta tell you!  JDub's smoked salmon turned out to die for!  He'd researched a bunch of different brine recipes and basically combined elements from all of them (including the apple juice and brown sugar, Helen!)  It included lots of stuff -- soy, Worcestershire's, ginger, liquid smoke, salt, you-name-it.  Then when it was about done, he basted it with brown sugar.  It's just great!  Not too salty, not too sweet, not too anything!  But just enough of everything!  And yes, he did write it all down, including the measurements.  He also got a Seal-A-Meal type thing which really came in handy.  What a dandy little smoker!  (It's front-loading, which makes it easier to handle the trays).

What else?  Oh, I've been knitting my Fun Fur scarf, and I'm close to being done with it.  Shouldn't take but a couple more hours.  I'm the last in the group to finish, and I absolutely MUST this weekend!  We all want to wear them on the same day and have our picture taken together!  (Bailey thinks that it's a doggy toy.  She absolutely DRIVES ME NUTS while I'm knitting!  That Fun Fur stuff definitely strikes a chord with her!)

And, my kid is on his way to Vancouver, B.C. with a group of buds.  Makes me cringe, but then I did the same thing when I was 19.  (Drinking age is 19 up there).   I'll bet he'll come home totally burned out.  He promised me, solemnly, that there would be NO drinking and driving.  They are staying at a motel/hotel that is walking distance from the clubs, so that's good.  Yeah, when I was there (at 19), disco was the thing!  It hadn't "quite" made it to Washington yet, but it was soon to follow.  I spent my 21st birthday at a disco!  (OK, but I'm still worried about him and don't like the idea much because I still think of him as, oh, 10 or so).

Time to eat!  JDub's chomping at the bit!

So Excited!!

I'm no longer pouting about not heading to Harstine this weekend.  We have something fun to look forward to!  My brother and his family gave us a gift certificate (last Christmas!) for the Spirit of Washington Dinner Train, and Sunday night, we're on it!  (Fridays and Saturdays book up months in advance, but Sunday should be just fine, as long as the Columbia Winery is still open!) Our anniversary is Saturday, so this will be a wonderful way to celebrate.  Prime Rib, yum. 

Take me away! 

And So...

...when in doubt, gripe.  Right?  Aside from the following, life's uhm, good:

• Fall is here and so the days are so damned short and getting damned shorter.  (I'm not over summer yet, and guess I'd better get there). Sigh.
• A grumpy kid from hell.  "How was your day?"  (Mumble).  "What?"  "FINE!"  (In the loudest, most obnoxious MONOTONE you can imagine).
• The indoor planter box smells like cat shit.
• The carpeting needs shampooing in the worst possible way.
• Work sucks.  (Except I am working on a proposal right now so word processing has taken a back seat.  But it's just a temporary back seat).
• Work sucks.  (Ooops, already mentioned that).
• Not going to Harstine this weekend.  I'm already in withdrawal.

But, I am very thankful that:

• JDub goes back to work soon.  (Depending on the contract acceptance vote, but we're quite sure it's a slam-dunk).
• Which means I can buy a book or two (or computer game or two) and not feel too guilty about it.
• I'm enjoying learning how to knit. 
• JDub bought a smoker today!  And we currently have salmon "brining"!  Woohoo!

In the Midst of Katrina...

Question:  "Mr. President, what are your thoughts about Roe vs. Wade?"

Answer:  "Don't make no difference.  Get out of New Orleans any way you can."

.....Courtesy of my MOM!!  (tee hee!)

So, What Do We Do With Our Agates?

Lisa asked me this question, and I sure wish I had a clever and artistic answer.  In fact, JDub and I were just discussing this the other day.  "I wish there was something we could do with all these agates that would display them in a 'classy' way, and not be all tacky."  But, hmm.  Unfortunately, tacky is the word.  I've thought of mosaic stepping stones made from them, but they probably wouldn't show up unless they were lit from underneath, and the whole image of that is tacky.  Jewelry?  I'm afraid it would just look like a rock hanging around my neck or on my finger.  Nothing special (unless the sunshine hit it).  Again, tacky.  What I have done in the past that worked out pretty cool was an acquaintance made me a dreamcatcher to hang from my rear-view mirror, and I had her attach a few agates to it.  I enjoyed it a lot, looking at them every day in my car, and when the sun hit them, they'd glow all amber.  Another thing I've done is used them in gel candles.  That's pretty cool, too, because they really do shine when the wick is lit.  But....call me selfish, but I'm not overly jazzed about giving agates away!  They are special to find, and difficult to relinquish!  I suppose I should get over that, since we have found so damned many over the years.  We have at least one large glass bowl in the living room full of them (maybe two).  I have a collander in the kitchen full of them (after running them under water to wash them off years ago after using them in an indoor fountain and they got all slimey and I never did anything more with them and I'd really like to have my collander back...)   And at Harstine, we have a PILE OF THEM on this little nook that pretty much hides behind a chair in the trailer, which is a shame, because that pile is impressive!  (Also includes some beach glass, which is fun to pick up, too.  In fact, note, the aqua-colored nuggets above are beach glass, not agates). 

So, what do we do with all our agates?

Nothing much.  But we sure dig 'em.

Medicinal Weekend

Friday Afternoon (At Harstine) -- This morning, JDub (being on strike) and I (taking a sick day) hauled our hacking, coughing, snot-factory-selves to Harstine just after commuter traffic subsided (sorta). There were still a lot of idiots on the road, many of which were jugging up the “fast” lane, going 55 mph, TOPS. GOD those people should be shot! It was still a much better drive than it normally is on a Friday night after work.

But, oh my. What an infusion of good medicine it is to be here! It’s a sunny, crisp, definitely “Fall” day. We took a walk on the beach, watching Will and his salmon-gathering enterprise (he was making good pulls!), and I found 15 agates, and JDub found 16. The September sun is just perfect for agate-hunting with its unique “tilt”. (Actually, yes, I do understand that it’s all about Earth’s tilt). We are amazed at all the activity here! The boat launch was the fullest we’ve seen it all summer with rigs and boat trailers – must be lots of people fishing. And the Teamsters park down the way from us is completely full of RVs and there are throngs of folks (mostly retirement age) on the beach with their coolers, awaiting Will’s salmon pulls. They are all making hauls (including Will, money-wise!) We brought a big filet with us to grill tonight.

We are both feeling pretty punk with our colds. JDub’s taking an early nap as we speak, and I believe I will soon join him in Napland. The weenies are totally digging JDub being on strike. With all his companionship, they think they’ve died and gone to doggy-heaven, I’m sure.

I finished my computer game “The Longest Journey” last night. Overall, it was fun. It had some lame aspects to it, but it’s kind of like reading a “pretty good book”. You get very engrossed and involved in the thing, and when it ends, you’re all “Bummer!” These games are very much like a novel, with a storyline and with characters that you come to know and care about. These storylines leave a bit to be desired though. The “geeks” who create computer games need to joint-venture with decent fiction writers.

Saturday (feels like Sunday, but sure glad it ain’t!) – Another stunning Fall day. And last night I nailed some gorgeous sunset pictures. We also did some more casting from the beach last night, but neither of us got a bite. (I guess last weekend’s cutthroat truly was beginner’s luck! Can’t be expecting that all the time). But it’s fun to try. It’s very relaxing and enjoyable to stand on the beach and cast over and over, and take in the beauty all around us. I really enjoy it from the beach like that, in lieu of in a boat. Fishing in a boat is boring to me, plus it’s difficult for us girls when we have to go potty. I’m getting dinner ready right now so we can head down and try our hand at it again!

Later – Well, no luck, but it was so pleasurable, as well as beautiful. Mmm. Then we had a fire, and THEN we came in and we’ve been playing my NEW game: Syberia II. The graphics of this game are awesome! Such a difference from “The Longest Journey” which is vintage 2001 or so (and yes, with computer games, just a few years ago truly does mean “vintage”). They’ve come a long way, baby. It’s fun to be back with all the Syberia characters.

Bailey really wants outside so she can “try” hunting for some critter she had “treed” under the deck last night and won’t GIVE UP. God, she’s been driving us batty! What a frustrated weiner dog!

Sunday -- Now it really is Sunday. Sigh. And yet another gorgeous, sunny morning! We have been so lucky! My understanding is that next weekend things are going to deteriorate, so we actually may not come down then. It would/will be the first weekend not spent at Harstine since the middle of May!

JDub’s folks might come out today, so he’s down on the beach with his cooler to rouse up some salmon for them from Will. We’ve decided to get some extra and then we’re going to get ourselves a smoker. Try out some of those brine recipes. Mmm.

So, it’s shower-time!

Later – Just about ready to GET ready to head home. But I’m sure not mentally/emotionally ready for that. God. It’s so very hard when the water is SO blue and sky is SO blue and the temperature is warm enough to crank up the A/C after coming back from a beach-walk. Total agate count between the two of us for the weekend? 75. Can you believe it?

So, JDub got 60 lbs. of salmon from Will! His folks did come by and they took home four good-sized ones. We’re taking home 2. Yum!

Home – I guess it pays to be away (and not have access to news). Sounds like a tentative agreement has been reached between Da Airplane Company and the Machinists’ Union. They vote Thursday. The agreement is much more in line with what the Union was asking in the first place.  (If Da Company hadn't been so initially hard-lined, there would have been no need for a strike!)

Living for Fridays

Gotta put things in perspective, I guess.

What's It Gonna Be??

Do I blog?  Do I do laundry? Do I knit?  Do I tidy up the kitchen?  Do I play "The Longest Journey?" Do I read my book?

I have too many things that I enjoy doing.  But not enough time to do them all.  (I have to spend far too much time doing crap I DON'T enjoy doing).  I really do need to practice my knitting.  Everybody in our "class" has way surpassed me, and I can pretty much blame myself the computer game and my good book. Oh, and my blog.  We meet again tomorrow and if I don't do something about it tonight, I'll be in there with a short stubby thang and everyone else will pretty much have a scarf all made.  Sigh.  Well, I think they'll still love me anyway.

Work continues to be frightful and depressing.  We're all scratching our heads, wondering if anything (positive) is ever going to happen.  (We pretty much have strong doubts). And... the strike marches on. 

Oh, but we had baked salmon for dinner tonight!  Yum!  And thank you, Helen, for your brine suggestion!  Very interesting!  "Soak the salmon in apple juice and brown sugar for 12 hours and then smoke!"  Definitely sounds worth trying.  I like "simple".  Not too sweet, not too salty -- but flavorful.  Ya know?  I think we'll accumulate a few ideas and try them all, and see what we like the best.  (We have a LOT of salmon....)

OK, dammit, my computer game is beckoning.  MAN they're addicting!  (And I swore I wasn't a gamer babe!)

Nate's A College Kid!!

In some ways, I have mixed feelings that I'm not going through with Nate what Margaret is with Ashley.  I pretty much had it imagined when Nate was little, that I'd be someday dropping him off at his college dorm, helping to move his crap in, giving advice on organization and decor.  (heh heh).  But, it wasn't to be.  When he left last summer for Phoenix after high school graduation, I was totally expecting that it wouldn't last.  I KNEW it wasn't right for him, but he had to figure that out on his own.  It was disappointing to me, though, that he was so adamant and insistent on doing something so horribly wrong for him (going to a voc-tech school down there to become an auto mechanic.  After never even LIFTING a screwdriver, let alone knowing or caring about the workings of cars).  Well, he never even STARTED that school.  He figured it all out after being there for only 2 weeks -- and spending buko bucks on rent and deposits and stupid stuff for which he's still paying me back.  (Yes, this past year has definitely been an education for him, even taking a year off from going to school). 

Anyway.  Today was his first day at Highline Community College.  It's a small (2 year) college located in the town where we live, and it has a good, solid reputation.  And the kid is JAZZED.  I'm so glad!  He's not taking a full load -- he's also working at Anthony's Home Port restaurant, and we all felt that he needed to not burn himself out.  This needs to be successful for him, and the combination of working and school and homework seems so potentially stressful.  It means living at home, of course, which is fine.  He's been pretty decent to get along with lately, albeit basically lazy.

I sure enjoyed hearing all about his first day.  I wondered how forthcoming he'd be, but he was more than willing to talk about it.  He's taking a writing class (which he bemoans, but he's actually quite good at it, and I think he knows it), and a math class, and two different P.E. classes.  They're all requirements, although I recognize that he's getting the "tough P.E. classes" out of the way first.  (Snort).  But he already has his first paper written for his writing class.  And, he's excited (so far) about his math class.  He's also met some interesting people -- the age groups span pretty far in a community college, so there are women in some of his classes that are around my age.  He thinks that's pretty cool. (If I'd just win the lottery?  I'd quit my job, move to Harstine, and go to college!  Heh heh!  Maybe where Ashley goes, which is darned close to Harstine!)

Dream on.

Hey, JDub cleaned and filleted all that salmon today!  I'm still waiting to hear if anybody has a good smoking brine recipe to share.  (Anybody?)

I CAUGHT A FISH!!!

I’m so damned tickled with myself! JDub rigged up our poles for casting from the beach (with lures/spinners). The tide was (way) up, and we traipsed down late yesterday afternoon to give it a whirl. (I totally soaked my feet getting to the beach berm, and I was irritated as all get-out, but it was interesting how soon I forgot all about it). He taught me how to cast and after a few wacko practices, a couple of which I nearly hooked JDub, I pretty much got the hang of it. And then all of a sudden, BOOM! I had a fish on! It was a sea-run cutthroat, and in my shock and excitement I just about dropped it back in the water, however I believe he was hooked pretty good. He looked like a miniature salmon or rainbow trout. Woohoo! This was on my brand new pole that I’d picked up this summer for something like $19.95, complete with reel, because I thought it was pretty. It’s actually a nice pole, and a nice reel! And now it’s the “lucky” pole. (Yes, I admit, this had to be entirely luck). It was the only fish caught, although JDub did have a bite, and fish were jumping all around us. Oh, and he caught a stick! (I have a picture to prove it!) (Click on these for bigger versions).

JDub cleaned my fishy, and this morning I fried it up with eggs and hashbrowns for breakfast. Oh, it was so very good! The meat is pink, just like salmon, and it tasted, well, just like salmon! (JDub assures me that no, it wasn’t a salmon. It was a sea-run cutthroat, which is like a saltwater trout).

Speaking of salmon, it’s that time of year around here when the local Squaxin tribe net in the returning salmon from their farm located across the way from us. This was new to us last year, and we didn’t quite understand what was going on at first, but essentially these farm-raised (pen-raised) salmon don’t go upstream to spawn. Instead, they come back to these waters where they originated from. And, they actually don’t spawn, so the tribe tries to net 100%, and they sell them commercially, as well as to folks on the beach, and they also “milk” them to keep the farm producing more fry to set the cycle in motion again. They set their net in a half-circle from the beach, often right out in front of our place, and wait a while for schools to come through and then they close the circle, forcing them onto the beach. People along here park their butts on coolers waiting. When there’s a big “pull”, it’s quite exciting with all the fish boiling in the shallow shore waters, many of them extremely good-sized. JDub’s come to know the guy, Will, who has apparently been net-fishing right around here for many years – everyone seems to know him really well. (He also maintains the fish farm). The season for this is pretty early – it goes from about mid-September through the end of October – so they aren’t running real hard yet. There was one pull we watched yesterday that netted over 40 fish. But mostly it’s been a lot less than that. Today we went down with our cooler and waited for quite some time before Will closed the circle, and there were only 7 salmon in that pull. But, he had fish in big coolers on his boat that he’d caught earlier this morning, and he filled up people’s coolers with those, including ours! We got 4 nice-sized ones. Probably 40 lbs. For only 20 bucks! JDub would like to smoke some of it. Anybody got a beloved brine recipe you’d like to share?

I did actually get a little bit of knitting practice in this weekend.  I'm a little frustrated because my sore wrist/thumb are not happy campers when I'm knitting. Yow! I’m pretty much beyond thinking that it’s tendonitis and/or carpal tunnel (although I suppose that’s still possible), but I’m wondering now if it’s arthritis. It runs in my family, I know. It certainly hasn’t been improving.  I'm getting a new ergonomic keyboard at work (so I can type those letters!).  I'm not real excited because I've tried my mom's before and hated it!  But, maybe I can get used to it. 

Here is a fun little video that shows the salmon being netted onto the beach: Download sept_17_2005_014.avi.  And here is a hilarious video of Bailey checking out the fish I caught:  Download sept_17_2005_021.avi You might want to turn your sound down on that one so you don't have to listen to my dorky laugh/snort. 

I had to give that bratty little dog a bath today because she rolled in something.  Yuk!