Kingfisher Cove

Listy Things

• Bummed I haven’t heard much of anything from Nate.
  
• Bummed that I haven’t heard anything at all on the jobs I’ve applied for.
  
• A little nervous that I received a notice that my unemployment is running out, but an extension sounds probable.
  
• Felt good to go to the Home and Garden Show in Tacoma yesterday. Perfect thing to do on a gray and rainy day. (We saw Ciscoe Morris there! He’s such a character — and garden geek!)
  
• All that walking at the Home and Garden Show killed our backs! Jeesh!
  
• Also? Word to the wise: When attending said Home and Garden Shows (or the like) do not enter drawings because your email address becomes their marketing list. Gah!
  
• I realized I had never read Stephen King’s “Delores Claiborne.” So, I just finished it! Quite different from SK’s usual stories, but it was good. Now I’d like to see the 1995 movie (uhm, for free….)
  
• Tickled about how Obama kicked repub ass last week at the televised Question & Answer forum! I so admire his intelligence and common sense! (Doubt the repubs will ever allow that to happen again!)  And Faux News cut away in the midst of it! Now there’s some fair and balanced coverage for ya—not! 
  
• Guess the Roomba is gonna have to find his way around and under this for a while. (John’s working on new railings along the upstairs loft):

Technorati Tags: Nate,job,unemployment,Stephen King,Roomba,repubs,Obama,Tacoma

So Very Pleased!

About two weeks ago, I created a photo book via Shutterfly that chronologically (and picturesque-ly!) showcases our plot of paradise on Harstine Island since we bought the place in late 2003. Well, I received it yesterday and I’m over the moon with it! ! It turned out absolutely beautiful! When you create one of these photo books, you have the option of all kinds of background colors, graphics, font types, cover designs, you-name-it. And for certain situations, like a baby book or a special event, those enhancements make sense. But I wanted this to be more of a “coffee table book” style, so I took the lean and clean route in the design. I didn’t want it to look like a scrapbooking project and I wanted the photos themselves to totally pop out without a bunch of extraneous “stuff” surrounding them.

Did I mention I’m over the moon?

So here’s the cover. The book is 8”x8” and it says

                                             “Harstine Island
                                                2003 – 2009
                                   A Place to Enjoy the View.” 

(Heh. Sound familiar?)

My favorite spread of a few of the prettiest Harstine sunsets.

 

Another favorite spread of Mojo (he loves it there).

It’s 21 pages of photos and I can’t get over the quality: the quality of the cover, the pages, and the vibrance of the pictures. You know, my computer is crammed with digital photos and I rarely ever print them (unless I stick them in a frame to set out somewhere, which is a rarity). What a perfect venue for displaying favorite photos!

Also? It’s sort of addicting.

P.S. Just want to make it clear that NO, I don’t work for Shutterfly! (I reread this post and it sort of sounded like an infomercial…)

Technorati Tags: Shutterfly,Harstine Island,photos,photo book,Mojo,pictures,sunsets

No More Gadgets!

for a while…

Yeah, they introduced the iPad yesterday, and my-oh-my. Talk about an iPhone on steroids. BUT. There is no way I could justify it, and I really don’t see the need. I have my decent laptop, my iPhone, my Kindle (and now my Keurig and my Roooooomba!) And I love them all. They keep talking about the iPad killing off the Kindle, but I just don’t see it. The Kindle is exclusively an e-reader and it’s perfect for what it is. It just doesn’t need to be more than that. Plus, I love the size of the Kindle. The iPad appears big/awkward and potentially glary for reading. I’ll be curious to hear how people like them when they actually come out.

I did, however, gently suggest to John that an iPad might be a good thing for him. I think he’d get a lot of use out of it. Really. I mean it.

Yup, I’m a dork:

Last night we watched the State of the Union address (while I live-Twittered!) I could never stand to watch Dubya when he gave these speeches because the sound of his voice was utterly intolerable. As well as his message. After feeling a lot of frustration these past few weeks, I felt very buoyed after Obama’s speech last night. I loved that he called out the Supreme Court for their idiotic decision to allow corporations to run amok and buy politicians in a worse manner than they already do (and that Alito guy totally dissed Obama! What a twit!) And of course the republicans sitting on their asses all smirky, channeling Draco Malfoy. For as powerful and eloquent — and brimming with common sense — as Obama’s speech was, I don’t see the republicans budging from their “Party of No!” stance this year. I was also glad to see Obama call out the democrats for “running for the hills.” They are, after all, the majority. Time to act like it.

I think we’re going to check out the Home and Garden Show at the Tacoma Dome this weekend! I haven’t been to one of them for years, so it should be fun!

What Should We Name Him? Her?

We woke up at Harstine this morning to pouring rain and it was evident that it was going to be parked there for quite a while. So…we decided to head home early so I could hook up my Roomba! Yes! Did I mention I ordered me one? My old vacuum cleaner is on its last legs so I’ve been in the market for something to replace it. The Roomba was on sale and the cost was comparable to any decent vacuum cleaner, so I decided to go for it. I’ll use it for the main floor of the house, which is mostly hardwood, and keep the on-its-last-legs ol’ canister upstairs so I don’t have to lug it. That is, until it dies its death.

I’ve done quite a lot of research about these Roombas over the years, and it’s apparent that they’ve made many improvements since they first came out. They get high marks in the reviews I’ve read. The idea of them has always intrigued me! A robot vacuum cleaner! If we can’t have flying cars, this has got to be the next best thing, right? Several of my Twitter and Facebook friends have been MOST curious about how the critters would respond to it, and asked me to take video. Well…after charging it up and setting it for its first cleaning session, I grabbed my Flip camcorder and prepared for hysterical camcording. Uhm. The dogs bee-lined it to another room to hide and Mojo climbed up on the cat tree and eyeballed its seemingly random trek around the living room like a slow, lobbing tennis match. Not a bit fazed. I do have my doubts that he’ll ever actually ride the thing (like I’ve seen some YouTube video of cats doing). He’s more of a passive observer. (He’s not even fazed with the screaming regular vacuum cleaner).

So here’s a test! I don’t believe I’ve ever uploaded a video to my blog before (embedded stuff from YouTube, but never my own video). Let’s just see if it works… Aha! I had to upload it to YouTube first. Weird. Well, now I have  YouTube account! I rock. (Note: You’ll probably appreciate that the video is quick).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U35t8F3O7uI

OK. So, after that yawner, how do I like the Roomba? I’m so impressed! It cleaned the living room in about a half hour, and even though it’s trajectory is a little odd, it goes over (and under) everything numerous times, so it does a bang-up job. It’s a persistent little thang, checking out all that it can fit beneath, and wedging itself (herself? himself?) into nooks and crannies — but always able to escape! It’s so much quieter than a regular vacuum cleaner, and yet its suction definitely has some ponies working in there. (Ponies? Maybe aardvarks?) It behaved perfectly and headed back to the docking station when it was finished. Just before I use it to clean the dining area and kitchen tomorrow, I’ll clean out the bin and the brushes. I have read that it’s important to be diligent about cleaning it after each use, which isn’t supposed to be a big deal at all. (Also important to pick up the clutter, like the doggie beds, and also pull out the chairs before setting it to go. Which is what you have to do when you vacuum anyway.)

So, this little thing seems to have a personality (or at least a mind of its own), so I’ve thought about naming it. “Rosie” certainly fits (you know, Rosie the Robot from “The Jetsons.”) But I have a hunch 99% of all the Roombas out there are named Rosie. Plus, this seems like a guy for some reason. (About time a guy vacuumed, right?) Ralph? I’ll have to think on it.

~~~~~

Still  having to publish via Typepad composer and I'm NOT a happy camper about it.

Finally!

Down here at Harstine (dry but chilly—it’s January after all) and just after finishing up a nice dinner of steamer clams and fresh roasted asparagus, my iPhone rang and it was Nate! Woohoo! Had a nice long chat. (Yeah, he’s pretty sick of the nasty wind/rain/flooding down there in San Diego, but at least he doesn’t have to shovel it like he would in Chicago). I couldn’t get over this: HE HAS NO INTERNET ACCESS IN HIS BARRACKS. Not in the entire building! Therefore, no Skype. I’m so bummed about that. (Plus, my brother and my Dad both got webcams for Christmas for that very reason!) He doesn’t know how long he’ll be in this particular building, but it could be for a while. He actually expects that he’ll be in San Diego for a year! He’s on hold for A School (sonar training) which will start in March or April, and then he’ll attend C School which is the nitty gritty training for whatever ship he’ll be assigned to. By the time he’s deployed, he’ll certainly be well-trained. But I sure hope he’ll be able to change barracks at some point to a more modern facility (WITH INTERNET ACCESS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH). Jeeze.

He and a Navy buddy took a long holiday liberty weekend together this past MLK weekend and rented a car and drove up to L.A. for some “good times.” They visited Venice Beach and the Santa Monica Pier. Nate went to the Pier in the 8th grade on a band trip (had a total ball) and he said, “I remember it being so much bigger! I must’ve really been a little guy!” Then, of course, they visited some bars as young single men are wont to do.  Hee! Turns out they ended up in a gay bar unbeknownst to them (for a while). Nate said, “Aaawkward…” He and his friend were dressed in nice civvies and had pretty much shaved heads and so they “fit right in.” (Not quite the intent). However, it turns out that a number of young (straight) ladies actually frequent gay bars so they can dance, visit with their friends, and feel “safe” without dealing with the meat-market culture. Nate said it wasn’t exactly a bust of a weekend, but a little weird, since neither of them knew their way around or where to go. 

Did I mention how nice it was to talk to him? I haven’t since he arrived in San Diego. I just ache about the Skype thing… (He might as well be in a 3rd world country!)

Earlier today, soon after we arrived, we took a beach walk. Bundled up a bit. It’s chilly, but at least there wasn’t a breeze. (And it’s DRY!) As usual, Mojo accompanied us.

  
He does this every time—trots on down to the water’s edge to check things out. I get such a kick out of him! On the way back he opted to stay behind in a meadow of (dead) grass and pounce around for mice or bugs. Eventually he made his way back to the trailer, but several hours later (after dark!) I’ve just got to invest in a catcam one of these days and see where all in tarnation he goes!

It’s so quiet around here. Most all of the neighbors are snowbirds and head to Arizona or southern California for the winter (where they’re currently being barraged with torrential rain and we’re not!) I think you can sense the quiet in this picture:

Know what I mean? Oh, there was a seagull or two and some ducks fluttering on the water, but otherwise just….quiet.

Until a big fancy yacht motored on by and kicked up the surf!

 

Agate count: John 3; me 1.

~~~~~

Update: Argh! I actually had to use the Typepad composer to upload this blog post because Live Writer is being wonky. I HATE the Typepad composer! It's awful!!

Weary of Bad News

"No, I'm not a pessimist. At some point the world shits on everybody. Pretending it ain't shit makes you an idiot, not an optimist."
… from Twitterer @ShitMyDadSays (hysterical—check it out)

~~~~~~~~~~

So not only did a centerfold teabagger (who announced in his victory speech that his daughters are “available”) take Teddy’s place in the Senate, but now the Supreme Court’s partisan decision to allow corporations to infuse as many billions of dollars as they wish into self-serving campaigns has punctured a collective bowel. "It is a major victory for big oil, Wall Street banks, health insurance companies and the other powerful interests that marshal their power every day in Washington to drown out the voices of everyday Americans.” You thought it was bad enough before? Just wait. Unless your “grassroots cause” is bought and paid for by corporations, thereby obliterating the very term from dictionaries and stylebooks, you won’t stand a chance. Remember 1975’s “Rollerball?” (Yes, I know a remake came out in 2002, but I didn’t see it so I don’t know if it followed the same script). Catch this summary:

“The year is 2018. Corporations are now the leaders of the world, as well as the controllers of the people. The violent game of Rollerball is used to control the populace by demonstrating the futility of individuality.”

Just eight years early. Hey! I can envision a lobbyist on every corner!

This sums it up well (emphasis my own):

"It's likely to prompt corporations to dole out unfathomable amounts of money in campaigns nationwide. The goal: elect the people who will do their bidding, while defeating those who won't.

And that means these special interests now will hold even more sway over elected officials than they already do, and certainly more than the average person. As has long been the case in politics, whoever has more money has more clout — and potentially more access to power.

In the worst case, looser restrictions could breed corruption of the sort that has been a subtext of U.S. history since the dawn of the nation — and that campaign finance restrictions were intended to stamp out."

I also have to wonder what this court decision will mean for foreign owners of American corporations.

“In 2008, it was reported that foreign ownership of U.S. companies "more than doubled" between 1996 and 2005. To get a fix on the spending power, consider this: "The total receipts of foreign-owned companies were $1.7 trillion in 1996 and just $39 billion in 1971." …Jason Linkins

Just be on the lookout for the CitiBank/Palin ticket in 2012. (Or will it be Sheik Akhmed, Inc./Palin?)

Aching

Tonight was my 2nd Zumba class and ooooh boy. Truth is, it went a little easier than last time, but if I’ve shaved any years off, I’m probably only down to 101 now.  The full length of the big wall we face is entirely mirror, and that is so not a good thing. It is strange and depressing to see my out-of-shape middle-aged self gasping back at me all red-faced and awkward. (And what the hell’s happened to my excellent sense of rhythm?) It probably would have helped if my damned sports bra wasn’t chafing my armpits. (I hate when that happens). At any rate, it’s a feeling of accomplishment once the cool-down starts (I covet the cool-down!) And now? Well, my back aches. So does my butt. (The butt aching is good, but I’m not real jazzed about my aching back).

Overall it hasn’t been such a good day. One of my favorite authors died; Robert B. Parker, who wrote the Spenser series (mysteries with a ‘tude). I’m sure going to miss those characters! Apparently he died while in the midst of writing, which is fitting, I suppose. But never again to read a new book about Spenser and Hawk and Susan and all that hysterical and snarky dialogue? Oh, it’s sad. And I’m also sad about Massachusetts electing a teabagging centerfold to replace Ted Kennedy! Like my friend Karen over at Verbatim (who lives near Boston) said, “I hope there’s no afterlife so Teddy doesn’t have to know this happened.” I worry about our chances now of bringing down the healthcare costs and cleaning up the excessive self-serving ploys of health insurance companies.

And then there’s Haiti. *Sigh*

Things

This cartoon sure hits the mark. Makes you realize what all we take for granted, doesn’t it?

Sigh.

And on the home front, time marches forward and I continue to submit my resume for various jobs out there. There sure aren’t very many to respond to, unless I’d be willing to accept minimum wage. (Uhm, no.) A recent one sure sounds interesting and I’m totally qualified; just waiting to see if I hear back. I’ve noticed that many firms are paying very low wages for a high level of responsibility. In this climate, I suppose it’s because they can. (Sure haven’t noticed prices going down, though…)

Speaking of which, I’m pretty much astounded at how much money I’m saving by not working! Yes, I receive unemployment benefits (and when that runs out I’ll be in a world of hurt if something doesn’t happen), but in the meantime, I’ve never put so much away. The savings in gas, clothes, morning lattes, lunch out, a cleaning lady, and just not doing much “shopping” has made a HUGE difference. I will also have to pay income tax on the unemployment (such a bummer), so a chunk of what I’ve been saving will likely go toward that. Meh.

I did purchase a few items at Christmas time through Shutterfly, including the annual Harstine Island calendar, a deck of playing cards for Nate with his Navy picture on the front, and some photo notecards. (I ♥ Shutterfly!) The other day they asked me to complete a survey based on my recent purchases, which I did. I was a little put off about how lengthy and involved the survey was, but I completed it anyway. Then, the following day they sent me an invitation to create one of their photo books — for free! (Normally around $30!) So, the last few days I’ve been working on that! By last night my eyes felt like they were going to slide down my face and dribble off my chin. I took the “long route” which means that I pretty much customized it myself instead of having Shutterfly design it for me. (If you ever want to do this, don’t be put off! They guide you every step of the way and it’s really quite easy. The hardest part is deciding which pictures to use where!)

Here is the link where you can see an animated version of the final photo book! Just click on the cover picture when it pops up, and then click on “Full Page” to get the largest view. Then click “Play.” (It’s quick; some pretty pictures from Harstine, most of which you’ve probably seen here on my blog!)

Photo Book from Tonya Watkins

Heartsick

In spite of the disgusting lack* of humanity following the Haiti earthquake, namely vile sicko Rush Limbaugh and despicable asshat Pat Robertson (as well as scammers and looters), I’ve opted to make donations toward the relief effort. Thankfully many millions of HUMAN people have done the same.

First, I did this from my iPhone:

Text "Haiti" to 90999 to donate $10.00. 100% of your donation passes through to Red Cross for Haiti relief. Your cell carrier keeps nothing.

And I also donated to Doctors Without Borders and Partners In Health.

*To Limbaugh and Robertson: “You serve no good, and you serve no God. All you do is inspire stupidity and hatred.” …Keith Olbermann

Good God, Put a Fork in My Fat Ass

Just returned from the local gym where I took a “Zumba”  class for the first time. That sound you’re hearing? Me gasping for breath. And I imagine you will  hear major moans and groans tomorrow when every muscle in my body that was Zumba’d tonight demands to know, “What the hell were you thinking?” (Ever notice that? Why does exercise—that is supposed to be so good for you—piss off your body so much, as if it’s trying to talk you out of continuing your journey to betterment? Why doesn’t it encourage you to continue that journey, such as immediately dropping 20 pounds or so overnight? Or at least make you feel glowy instead of  50 years older…) (Yes, that would put me at 103).

I know, I know. I’m terribly out-of-shape, and I’m an old fart, and the positive benefits take a while, blah blah blah, eye-roll. (It’s a journey, after all…)

It was actually pretty fun, or I should say: I can see that there could be a time when it would be fun. Tonight I felt awkward not knowing the moves, pretty much stumbling & fumbling my way around. And while I’ve always enjoyed shaking my booty, it’s a different story these days with said booty being more like the back end of a bus…

Maybe this will help remedy that.

~~~~~

So, last night I had a Facebook chat session with Nate that was sort of a downer! Even though he does really like it in San Diego, he’s feeling lonely. My sarcastic self had to throw out there, that he’s probably majorly missing all his buds back here at home that he spent most of his holiday leave with. But he’s apparently surrounded by really young sailors (18- and 19-year-olds), and he doesn’t feel that he has anything in common with them. The good friends he made in boot camp and then at the Great Lakes training center, have all dispersed around the country (and world), so he’s starting over again with getting to know people. Which I’m sure will be the way of the Navy. He’d also like to meet a young lady and actually have a relationship for once in his life (although, unless she was also in the Navy, I would think that would be very difficult). At 23, he’s never had a serious girlfriend. (Judging by some of his silly/raunchy Facebook posts, I can sort of understand why…) But what really shocked me was learning that he’s on “hold” with his next phase of schooling (sonar training) until March or maybe even April! I thought he’d be classing up this week! That’s a long time to have to paint rocks white around the landscaping, and clean shower stalls with a toothbrush. (If they really do that; he’s never complained much about that sort of tedium). But holy cow! I hope he can stay busy with something that’s not too depressing. Poor guy. He gets this way sometimes, and that’s when he really loves his mom.

~~~~~

Well. Since dinner isn’t going to make itself (and since husband isn’t making it either), guess I’ll haul this tired and sorry ass out of my chair and come up with something. Pity party!