Kingfisher Cove

Augers and Osprey, Oh My

It’s been busy out. I’ve basically been a vegetable in the (oh-so-short) evenings after work. Then falling, crashing into bed…and not sleeping well. Ugh. Hate that. Big proposal on my plate plus an office Open House we’re planning for, all coming to a head on the exact same day.

And effing construction as far as the eye can see, surrounding our office and causing havoc and noise and shaking and more noise. It’s beyond frustrating, especially knowing that nasty weather will return soon (after a really nice August, which has basically comprised our entire summer). The hike from the parking lot will present me as a drowned and grumpy rat to my cubicle each morning, and one uber-grumpy beeyotch when I tiredly traipse to my car in the evenings. Yeah…I need a new umbrella. They tend to TURN INSIDE OUT when we have nasty weather. I dumped two of them in the trash last weekend when I cleaned out my car.

This is right outside one of our office windows on the 5th floor:

 

You can see our parking lot right there beyond the chaos. Totally inaccessible to our office. We have to hike 6 blocks up and over and around and through and down again to get to the office. Stumbling over broken sidewalks, crossing dangerous streets, and tripping over buckled pavement. And soon it will be DARK when we have to traverse this mess. (And with all the broken infrastructure, they are building a pedestrian bridge. I still can’t wrap my head around that).

The engineers in our office keep making nose-prints on the windows watching all this shit go down. “Big toys.”

Sigh.

So…it is with such incredible joy (and peace) to finally have this week over and have our butts on Harstine Island. Yes, the squirrels have been bitchy and the young osprey hatched earlier from their nearby nest are an intriguing cacophony of exuberant hunting prowess. But I dig them noises! (OK, the bitchy squirrels can sort of grate on my nerves…) Last night after we arrived and settled on the deck with a fire (it’s dark so much earlier now), I was amazed at the QUIET. Just the fire crackling. That was all. The contrast between that and my work days is profound.

We took a beach walk earlier and behold! Another wiener dog! He approached Peanut and Bailey with excitement and, I swear, familiarity! I’ve seen this before, with strange wiener dogs encountering each other like they know they are “of the same cloth.” (One instance comes to mind with my old weenie, Mandy, meeting up with another weenie on the beach at Camano Island many years ago). Usually our dogs will bark at other dogs, but this was a tail-wagging social gathering of low riders, with nary a woof! His name was Oscar.

It’s a beautiful day!

On the grill tonight: rib eye steaks!

Conspiracies?

It sure seems like it. But listening to those right-wingers, I know that I don’t want to descend into the Twilight Zone quagmire of the tin-foil-hat-brigade. Too easy to do. BUT. Crap, it sure does feel like a conspiracy!

No, this doesn’t have to do with politics (another day, another time, and then watch out…)

This has to do with my work commute. It sucks, it has become suckier, and right now  it is all about 100%, in-your-face, wanna-kick-somebody SUCKITUDE.

Why the HELL does a company think that it’s a good idea to have their office in DOWNTOWN SEATTLE? It is an absolute nightmare for the employees on a good day. (And those good days are few and far between, and I honestly can’t name one in the 8 months I’ve worked there). It’s got to also be a nightmare for clients to visit our office — we are hosting an open house in September and I have to wonder: Why would anybody come? Parking sucks. Traffic sucks. And the stakes are even higher now with godawful (and idiotic) construction around our office.

Well, first is the Alaskan Way Viaduct, which serves as a main-line into and out of the city, and I admit that the jury is out whether or not that construction project is idiotic. Built in the 1940s, it will not survive another substantial earthquake. It suffered some damage during the big quake of 2001 and they’ve spent all this time trying to figure out what the hell to do with the thing. The final decision is to tear it down and build a tunnel. Whether that’s the best solution, I really don’t know (seems pretty idiotic to me – wouldn’t want to be in a TUNNEL when an earthquake hit), but all I really care about at this point is the “tear it down” part. Yes, I understand it needs to happen. And it’s in the process of happening – they’ve reduced the lanes on the thing down to two in order to do some preliminary work, and it’s going to be completely closed down for NINE DAYS this coming October to tear down a portion of it and reroute us to a different section. And in the coming year or two they will tear down the rest of it and I have no clue what will become of the nearly 120,000 cars that travel that thing every morning and evening. Which includes ME. I also have no clue how I will get to and from work! I-5 is clogged as it is! Surface streets? Right – me and 120,000 other people. The very thought of all of this makes my heart constrict in my throat. My commute, especially at night, is already an hour long, and that’s just to drive 16 miles. Gah.

AND THEN. Right directly alongside our office building, they have just begun construction of a pedestrian bridge that will cross the busy street in front of us to the park across from us. A $1.5 MILLION project for a PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE. (And there is a traffic-lighted crosswalk a block away that works just fine to get to that same park where they held HEMPFEST all this past weekend and every asshole who attended dumped their litter every damned where, but I digress…) With all the potholes and resurfacing and infrastructure that really really needs to happen in this city, they are building a $1.5 MILLION PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE???? It made me sick to my stomach last week when they cut down and ripped out the trunks of a dozen or more well-established and beautiful trees. Our parking lot, where us employees have to PAY to park, is adjacent to our building and is a relative hike as it is. Guess what? It is now completely blocked off and we have to detour SIX FUCKING UPHILL BLOCKS now to get to our building from that parking lot. I’m not kidding. Up the road two blocks, then up the MAJOR STEEP hill two blocks, then across that street a block because of an apartment building being constructed and that sidewalk is closed to pedestrians, and then down that road at least two blocks to get to our building! It’s totally stupid, totally unreasonable, and it makes me want to kick/slap/hurt somebody. There is a perfectly accessible sidewalk from the parking lot to the office building that is out of the construction zone, but they have it blocked off!

Six blocks of walking to my car in the rain. After PAYING to effing park, a sizeable amount of money that is taken out of every paycheck. Then after that, I get an hour commute home in stop-and-crawl traffic. That is going to get worse beyond measure.

Oh, and speaking of conspiracies – yesterday was our 23rd day in a row without rain, a weekend of the two warmest days of the year, and I washed my car.

Guess what? It rained today.

It Would be Hard to Top THAT

We went to one of our favorite Harstine neighbor’s birthday party this afternoon and it was awesome! She is “thirty-nine-ISH.” (Heh heh). Even the candles on her cake said so, including the “ish!” It was great – many of the other favorite neighbors attended, as well as this couple’s family with grandkids who put on a talent show for us. Wine flowed (as well as beer and cocktails) and it was catered by a new local deli with East Indian fare – oh, it was so good! Chicken kabobs and a delicious and unique salad – with sesame and peanut sauces that were just amazing. An assortment of flat breads. Oh, yum.

They also had this!

Goofy dancing guy at the birthday party

 

And THEN. The grand finale! A total surprise for the birthday lady! Her husband arranged for a SEAPLANE to land right out front of their place and we watched as it whisked them away for a night’s stay in Seattle! After they took off, the plane circled back around and flew over us. It was so cool! I did take a video of the plane taking off, but it didn’t turn out very well. It was with my iPhone and it just appeared so far away (even though it really wasn’t! It was right there in front of us!)

What a fun time!

I miss Mojo, though. He missed the bus.

A Time Line of “Fiscal Responsibility”

These are the facts, Jack.

~~~~~~~~~~

1980: Ronald Reagan runs for president, promising a balanced budget.

1981 - 1989: With support from congressional Republicans, Reagan runs enormous deficits, adds $2 trillion to the debt.

1993: Bill Clinton passes economic plan that lowers deficit, gets zero votes from congressional Republicans.

1998: U.S. deficit disappears for the first time in three decades. Debt clock is unplugged.

2000: George W. Bush runs for president, promising to maintain a balanced budget.

2001: CBO shows the United States is on track to pay off the entirety of its national debt within a decade.

2001 - 2009: With support from congressional Republicans, Bush runs enormous deficits, adds nearly $5 trillion to the debt.

2002: Dick Cheney declares, “Deficits don’t matter.” Congressional Republicans agree, approving tax cuts, two wars, and Medicare expansion without even trying to pay for them.

2009: Barack Obama inherits $1.3 trillion deficit from Bush; Republicans immediately condemn Obama’s fiscal irresponsibility.

2009: Congressional Democrats unveil several domestic policy initiatives — including health care reform, cap and trade, DREAM Act — which would lower the deficit. GOP opposes all of them, while continuing to push for deficit reduction.

September 2010: In Obama’s first fiscal year, the deficit shrinks by $122 billion. Republicans again condemn Obama’s fiscal irresponsibility.

October 2010: S&P endorses the nation’s AAA rating with a stable outlook, saying the United States looks to be in solid fiscal shape for the foreseeable future.

November 2010: Republicans win a U.S. House majority, citing the need for fiscal responsibility.

December 2010: Congressional Republicans demand extension of Bush tax cuts, relying entirely on deficit financing. GOP continues to accuse Obama of fiscal irresponsibility.

March 2011: Congressional Republicans declare intention to hold full faith and credit of the United States hostage — a move without precedent in American history — until massive debt-reduction plan is approved.

July 2011: Obama offers Republicans a $4 trillion debt-reduction deal. GOP refuses, pushes debt-ceiling standoff until the last possible day, rattling international markets.

August 2011: S&P downgrades U.S. debt, citing GOP refusal to consider new revenues. Republicans rejoice and blame Obama for fiscal irresponsibility.

There have been several instances since the mid 1990s in which I genuinely believed Republican politics couldn’t possibly get more blisteringly ridiculous. I was wrong; they just keep getting worse. ~ Steve Benen is a contributing writer to the Washington Monthly

Hello, Saturday

So….John caught my cold. I really thought he’d escaped the bugger because I’m over two weeks into this thing and he just came down with it this week. I wouldn’t have thought I was still contagious. (Maybe the incubation period is two weeks). I’m still symptomatic and I am SICK of this beyond belief! And it’s affecting my EAR again! Grrrr! Not so sure that the antibiotic did much of anything — must be viral.

We drove down to Harstine last night after I got home from work (John’s been off work most of the week, nursing his cold). I was really dreading the drive because Friday traffic is so horrendous, but we waited until 7:00 to head out. It wasn’t bad! Not at all! I was pleasantly surprised.

NOT pleasantly surprised at the weather, though. We were promised sunny skies and highs in the upper 70s, and it’s cloudy with no indication it’s going to burn off. It’s comfortable, though. I’m out on the deck and although I’m in jeans and a sweatshirt instead of capris, it’s OK. Just not as colorful all around me as I’d hoped and expected it would be. And it feels good to be here — after a week of work in the city, this is such heaven. The city is just constant chaos! (However, seeing the Blue Angels blast past our office yesterday during their practice for Seafair was pretty darned cool to see! And hear!)

I was out having a smoke one day this week (yeah, I know…) and took a couple of what I would kind of call “artsy” pictures with my iPhone!

Yes, you are looking at the ashtray. Artsy!

This is our office building. We’re on the top (5th) floor. The view from up there really is something to behold on the water-side, but I have to prairie-dog from my cube to see it. And it’s been so busy lately that taking the time to prairie-dog hasn’t been in the cards much. (That is, until those Blue Angels blasted past our windows!)

• John and Bailey are in town getting propane.
• Mojo is curled up beside me here on the deck.
• Peanut is snoozing in her doggy bed.
• I currently see a mourning dove, two goldfinches, a towhee, and a chipmunk at the bird habitat. (Mojo is ignoring them, good boy).

I had to laugh. The neighbors’ little Yorkie – whom we are very fond of (Sam) – came by to visit like he does regularly (he is buds with the weenie dogs) and he saw Mojo sitting on the landing down the path. Sam bolted like a bullet, like a streak of lightning down that path, aimed directly at Mojo…who just continued to sit there. Didn’t twitch a whisker. And little Sam braked into a screeching skid, coming to an abrupt STOP about a foot away from the sitting, blinking cat, with the most bewildered look on his face. (Cats are supposed to run!) And then (like lightning) Mojo pounced on that little dog. Apparently no claws (Sam didn’t yelp), but scared the living crap out of him. Sam immediately scampered back up the path, looking all humiliated. Laughed my lips off! The look on his face when Mojo refused to be “chased!” And I just adore a cat who won’t run – who has the intelligence to assess the threat level and turn the situation into a WIN. Mojo is one cool dude.

Oh, and Bailey! She is fine. We watched her very carefully after her encounter with Rocky last weekend. No swelling, no infection – bounced back to her normal self right away. I just worry that there could be yet another “encounter” as I don’t think Bailey has quite the intelligence that Mojo does in assessing threat levels – or learning lessons.

Hey, Republicans! Hate Taxes, Do You?

Well, since you do not like taxes or government, please kindly do the following. (A portion of the 102 “do nots” — here are all of them, if you so desire).

1. Do not use Medicare.
2. Do not use Social Security.
3. Do not become a member of the US military, who are paid with tax dollars.
4. Do not ask the National Guard to help you after a disaster.
5. Do not call 911 when you get hurt.
6. Do not call the police to stop intruders in your home.
7. Do not summon the fire department to save your burning home.
8. Do not drive on any paved road, highway, and interstate or drive on any bridge.
9. Do not use public restrooms.
10. Do not send your kids to public schools.
11. Do not put your trash out for city garbage collectors.
…
13. Do not drink clean water.
14. Do not visit National Parks.
…
16. Do not eat or use FDA inspected food and medicines.
…
18. Do not walk or run on sidewalks.
…
23. Do not use the judiciary system for any reason.
24. Do not ask for an attorney when you are arrested and do not ask for one to be assigned to you by the court.
…
26. Do not use cures that were discovered by labs using federal dollars.
27. Do not fly on federally regulated airplanes.
…
31. Do not listen to tsunami, hurricane, or earthquake alert systems.
…
33. Do not use the internet, which was developed by the military.
…
36. Do not ask for FEMA assistance when everything you own gets wiped out by disaster.
37. Do not ask the military to defend your life and home in the event of a foreign invasion.
38. Do not use your cell phone or home telephone.
39. Do not buy firearms that wouldn’t have been developed without the support of the US Government and military. That includes most of them.
40. Do not eat USDA inspected produce and meat.
…
43. Do not buy any vehicle that has been inspected by government safety agencies.
44. Do not buy any product that is protected from poisons, toxins, etc…by the Consumer Protection Agency.
…
46. Do not use Veterans benefits or military health care.
…
48. Do not apply for unemployment benefits.
49. Do not use any electricity from companies regulated by the Department of Energy.
50. Do not live in homes that are built to code.
51. Do not run for public office. Politicians are paid with taxpayer dollars.
52. Do not ask for help from the FBI, S.W.A.T, the bomb squad, Homeland Security, State troopers, etc…
53. Do not apply for any government job whatsoever as all state and federal employees are paid with tax dollars.
54. Do not use public libraries.
55. Do not use the US Postal Service.
…
61. Do not ask the Department of Agriculture to provide a subsidy to help you run your farm.
…
63. Do not ask for taxpayer dollars for your oil company.
64. Do not ask the federal government to bail your company out during recessions.
…
70. Do not ask the Army Corps of Engineers to rebuild levees when they break.
71. Do not let the Coast Guard save you from drowning when your boat capsizes at sea.
72. Do not ask the government to help evacuate you when all hell breaks loose in the country you are in.
…
79. Do not use public transportation.
80. Do not drink water from public water fountains.
81. Do not whine when someone copies your work and sells it as their own. Government enforces copyright laws.
82. Do not expect to own your home, car, or boat. Government organizes and keeps all titles.
…
85. Do not seek help from the US Embassy if you need assistance in a foreign nation.
86. Do not apply for a passport to travel outside of the United States.
…
88. Do not adopt a child through your local, state, or federal governments. [Check that out, anti-choicers!]
…
94. Do not use money printed by the US Treasury.
95. Do not complain when millions more illegal immigrants cross the border because there are no more border patrol agents.
96. Do not attend a state university.
97. Do not see any doctor that is licensed through the state.
…
101. Do not expect to be able to vote on election days. Government provides voting booths, election day officials, and voting machines which are paid for with taxes.

[via The Political Carnival]

~~~~~

And hoo boy, are all those draconian cuts so insisted on by the Republicans while they held this country hostage for the manufactured debt limit crisis, gonna hurt Big Time.