Monday
Mom left Monday morning. Well, she meant to leave Monday morning, but it was more like early afternoon. Sam and I stayed in Sequim, so she could study without distractions. The only distraction around here would be grandma watching her Soaps. I had to go into town today for a doctor’s appointment. I had received an email from someone at the Coast Guard telling me that I needed to make a follow up appointment after my initial physical for my JAG application (at my own expense). This process is getting a little tedious. I have never been through so much for a single job application. But, given the experience, benefits, decent pay and of course, the adventure that the job brings, it is worth the hassle.
Monday night, we went back to the Thompsons for dinner. Barb gave us the quick tour of Gardiner, where there are some amazing houses. And not just big houses. There is a castle house, painted purple and full of gargoyle-like trolls. Unreal. Barb ran one interesting errand on our tour. She stopped at a little farm to pick up two dozen eggs. The shopping was on the honor system. No one was there selling eggs. There was just a cooler, full of eggs in recycled cartons, and a ziplock full of cash. Leave your cash and old cartons, and pick up some new eggs. We are obviously not in Anchorage anymore. If this were Anchorage, that cooler would have no eggs and no cash in it.
Dinner was awesome. I thought we had left Alaska, but here we were, eating halibut. The halibut will be the food I miss most about Alaska. Yum. After dinner, Chuck left for his firefighter training, while Bard sat and socialized with us until she was just too tired to go on. She had been working so hard on the Garden Show over the weekend, that she lacked some of her usual energy. Back to Sequim to call it a night.
Before bed, Sam and I caught a repeat of the Daily Show. I was hoping it would be a new episode concerning the health care bill. Alas, the show is on hiatus. However, this episode devoted the first segment to John Stewart acting as if he was doing the Glen Beck Show. Brilliant comedy! The absurd graphs, the non sequitur logic, and the insane (borderline asylum-like) rant, even full of fake tears. I was in actual tears, I was laughing so hard. When I find a better internet connection, I am you-tubing it, so I can watch it again.
M.E.
Tuesday
I went back into town today. The tires on the Subaru still had studs on them. The tires were great getting through the Haines Pass. But, now, those tires are going to be illegal for the rest of the trip. I took the car down to the tire place in town to have them de-studded. Somehow, this process took longer than it should have. So, I took advantage of not having the car to walk through downtown Sequim. I managed to cash some checks at the bank and find a coffee shop to get a smoothie before getting the car back. The tires now have a lot of little holes in them, but there is no sound of them tearing up the road. Stopped and the grocery store and picked up some Taco Time before heading back to the house. Sam wanted a quesadilla and expected me to stop at Taco Bell before getting back. I refuse to go to Taco Bell here in the Pacific NW. Anyone who has lived in this area knows the cast superiority of Taco Time to Taco Bell. It is taco-style fast food, sans all the grease and D-grade meat. It actually tastes good (and not just after you have been drinking, like Taco Bell).
We tried to take the cats outside for a bit, but there is an eagle nest in a high tree, not too far from my grandmother’s house. We know, from living in Alaska, that eagles have been known to pick up small pets (such as cats) and have them for dinner. There was an eagle in the nest and we saw it flap its wings a few times. So, the cats had to go back in the office for their own safety. Sam and I took a walk before dinner, and two things were noticeable walking around the residential area of North Sequim. First, there are a lot of deer around here. And they are not that afraid of humans. I remember living in Georgia for all those years, and deer would bolt when they saw anyone make even the slightest move. Here, you could walk right by them, and though they would be wary of your presence, they would not run off. I assume the obvious here: That the deer probably don’t get shot at around here like they do by all those guns in the South, so they aren’t that afraid of humans. Just a theory. The second thing that stood out were all the “No Trespassing” signs around here. It, sadly, gave this beautiful area a very unwelcoming feeling. There are a lot of very unique homes and gardens around here, along with the beach looking out towards Vancouver Island. All of this beach land seems to be privately owned. Boo on the state of Washington for letting this small piece of coastal land to be bought up and made so unwelcome.
After dinner, Sam and I were given the rare treat of two back-to-back new Lost episodes. We missed the previous weeks lost due to being on the boat. Sawyer was finally back and we got that Richard episode which we had been waiting for all season. No spoiler, but how Richard got to the island was fairly obvious at this point.
M.E.
I feel like I don’t have much to contribute since mostly I’ve been studying. I have been reading through the Surveyor’s Reference Manual and discovered a few topics that I need more info on and don’t have the right sources with me. Rats! So, at some point I’ll be browsing the net for answers and explanations. I am happy that most of the material is just review. Terms and concepts I already know so instead of having to really learn it I am just jogging my memory. Once I make it through the book I will start over with the sample test book, hopefully with better results.
S.K.T
Wednesday
I started in with the test booklet again. Matt was back on the Jailhouse recording project. I made it halfway in the 6 hours I spent studying. VERY slow, but I spent time trying the problem and then studying the answer at the back. I want to make sure I understand how to approach them so next time it won’t take so long. Tomorrow I am going through the second half. I need to get more information on map scales, easements, and field surveying. I wouldn’t have such a hard time with field calculations if I would set the problem up correctly. Trying to remember the difference between zenith angles and vertical angles, various types of easements, and scaling maps is frustrating. Also not helping is my HP33 is DOA. I need to replace the batteries. It’s hard to do a bunch of calculations when you have to manually convert degrees- minutes- seconds to decimal-degrees on a basic 4 function calculator. GRR!
With the cats now having the office in addition to the small bedroom and bathroom to run around in they are able to get more exercise. We took them out on the leashes in the backyard for a bit. Lucy was super excited, but Thomas loudly protested and just wanted back inside. He spent the rest of the day weary of me for fear I might make him go back out. Lucy and Brandy (the schnauzer) got along just fine while Luce invested every nook and cranny of the yard. Brandy never even barked. We were all surprised.
After dinner we watched Survivor and American Idol. I haven’t watched those in years. Then, Matt and I watched the next three episodes of Flash Forward to catch us up on the season before tonight’s episode.
Oh, we also learned about Blackstrap Molasses. Here, I thought it was only good for cookies. It has a whole list of uses both edible and non-edible. According to Earth Clinic, a tablespoon can help with digestion, iron, brewing beer… It can also be used as an ingredient in mortar for bricklaying, fertilizer, fishing bait, removing rust…
We are going to pick some up at the store.
S.K.T.
I have nothing to add here, except a comment on American Idol. I have never watched that show. And after being subjected to it tonight, I never plan on watching it again. That hour of TV gave me a much better grasp on why some of our world’s citizens hate America.
M.E.
Mom left Monday morning. Well, she meant to leave Monday morning, but it was more like early afternoon. Sam and I stayed in Sequim, so she could study without distractions. The only distraction around here would be grandma watching her Soaps. I had to go into town today for a doctor’s appointment. I had received an email from someone at the Coast Guard telling me that I needed to make a follow up appointment after my initial physical for my JAG application (at my own expense). This process is getting a little tedious. I have never been through so much for a single job application. But, given the experience, benefits, decent pay and of course, the adventure that the job brings, it is worth the hassle.
Monday night, we went back to the Thompsons for dinner. Barb gave us the quick tour of Gardiner, where there are some amazing houses. And not just big houses. There is a castle house, painted purple and full of gargoyle-like trolls. Unreal. Barb ran one interesting errand on our tour. She stopped at a little farm to pick up two dozen eggs. The shopping was on the honor system. No one was there selling eggs. There was just a cooler, full of eggs in recycled cartons, and a ziplock full of cash. Leave your cash and old cartons, and pick up some new eggs. We are obviously not in Anchorage anymore. If this were Anchorage, that cooler would have no eggs and no cash in it.
Dinner was awesome. I thought we had left Alaska, but here we were, eating halibut. The halibut will be the food I miss most about Alaska. Yum. After dinner, Chuck left for his firefighter training, while Bard sat and socialized with us until she was just too tired to go on. She had been working so hard on the Garden Show over the weekend, that she lacked some of her usual energy. Back to Sequim to call it a night.
Before bed, Sam and I caught a repeat of the Daily Show. I was hoping it would be a new episode concerning the health care bill. Alas, the show is on hiatus. However, this episode devoted the first segment to John Stewart acting as if he was doing the Glen Beck Show. Brilliant comedy! The absurd graphs, the non sequitur logic, and the insane (borderline asylum-like) rant, even full of fake tears. I was in actual tears, I was laughing so hard. When I find a better internet connection, I am you-tubing it, so I can watch it again.
M.E.
Tuesday
I went back into town today. The tires on the Subaru still had studs on them. The tires were great getting through the Haines Pass. But, now, those tires are going to be illegal for the rest of the trip. I took the car down to the tire place in town to have them de-studded. Somehow, this process took longer than it should have. So, I took advantage of not having the car to walk through downtown Sequim. I managed to cash some checks at the bank and find a coffee shop to get a smoothie before getting the car back. The tires now have a lot of little holes in them, but there is no sound of them tearing up the road. Stopped and the grocery store and picked up some Taco Time before heading back to the house. Sam wanted a quesadilla and expected me to stop at Taco Bell before getting back. I refuse to go to Taco Bell here in the Pacific NW. Anyone who has lived in this area knows the cast superiority of Taco Time to Taco Bell. It is taco-style fast food, sans all the grease and D-grade meat. It actually tastes good (and not just after you have been drinking, like Taco Bell).
We tried to take the cats outside for a bit, but there is an eagle nest in a high tree, not too far from my grandmother’s house. We know, from living in Alaska, that eagles have been known to pick up small pets (such as cats) and have them for dinner. There was an eagle in the nest and we saw it flap its wings a few times. So, the cats had to go back in the office for their own safety. Sam and I took a walk before dinner, and two things were noticeable walking around the residential area of North Sequim. First, there are a lot of deer around here. And they are not that afraid of humans. I remember living in Georgia for all those years, and deer would bolt when they saw anyone make even the slightest move. Here, you could walk right by them, and though they would be wary of your presence, they would not run off. I assume the obvious here: That the deer probably don’t get shot at around here like they do by all those guns in the South, so they aren’t that afraid of humans. Just a theory. The second thing that stood out were all the “No Trespassing” signs around here. It, sadly, gave this beautiful area a very unwelcoming feeling. There are a lot of very unique homes and gardens around here, along with the beach looking out towards Vancouver Island. All of this beach land seems to be privately owned. Boo on the state of Washington for letting this small piece of coastal land to be bought up and made so unwelcome.
After dinner, Sam and I were given the rare treat of two back-to-back new Lost episodes. We missed the previous weeks lost due to being on the boat. Sawyer was finally back and we got that Richard episode which we had been waiting for all season. No spoiler, but how Richard got to the island was fairly obvious at this point.
M.E.
I feel like I don’t have much to contribute since mostly I’ve been studying. I have been reading through the Surveyor’s Reference Manual and discovered a few topics that I need more info on and don’t have the right sources with me. Rats! So, at some point I’ll be browsing the net for answers and explanations. I am happy that most of the material is just review. Terms and concepts I already know so instead of having to really learn it I am just jogging my memory. Once I make it through the book I will start over with the sample test book, hopefully with better results.
S.K.T
Wednesday
I started in with the test booklet again. Matt was back on the Jailhouse recording project. I made it halfway in the 6 hours I spent studying. VERY slow, but I spent time trying the problem and then studying the answer at the back. I want to make sure I understand how to approach them so next time it won’t take so long. Tomorrow I am going through the second half. I need to get more information on map scales, easements, and field surveying. I wouldn’t have such a hard time with field calculations if I would set the problem up correctly. Trying to remember the difference between zenith angles and vertical angles, various types of easements, and scaling maps is frustrating. Also not helping is my HP33 is DOA. I need to replace the batteries. It’s hard to do a bunch of calculations when you have to manually convert degrees- minutes- seconds to decimal-degrees on a basic 4 function calculator. GRR!
With the cats now having the office in addition to the small bedroom and bathroom to run around in they are able to get more exercise. We took them out on the leashes in the backyard for a bit. Lucy was super excited, but Thomas loudly protested and just wanted back inside. He spent the rest of the day weary of me for fear I might make him go back out. Lucy and Brandy (the schnauzer) got along just fine while Luce invested every nook and cranny of the yard. Brandy never even barked. We were all surprised.
After dinner we watched Survivor and American Idol. I haven’t watched those in years. Then, Matt and I watched the next three episodes of Flash Forward to catch us up on the season before tonight’s episode.
Oh, we also learned about Blackstrap Molasses. Here, I thought it was only good for cookies. It has a whole list of uses both edible and non-edible. According to Earth Clinic, a tablespoon can help with digestion, iron, brewing beer… It can also be used as an ingredient in mortar for bricklaying, fertilizer, fishing bait, removing rust…
We are going to pick some up at the store.
S.K.T.
I have nothing to add here, except a comment on American Idol. I have never watched that show. And after being subjected to it tonight, I never plan on watching it again. That hour of TV gave me a much better grasp on why some of our world’s citizens hate America.
M.E.
It is good to know you two and the kitties are doing well and having all kinds of cool adventures!
ReplyDeleteYou need more pictures though. :)
Yeah, we have all the pics on the computer but havent been able to load more on here or FB due to sketch or nonexistant internet signals. So, we'll be getting them up soon. Promise!
ReplyDelete-Kay