Pipilio

Social Security Keep It Working

03/02/2011

In the face of blustery, changeable, rainy, windy, cold, sometimes sunny, noontime weather, members of Puget Sound Alliance for Retired Americans (PSARA) joined American Federation of Government Employees (AGFE) Social Security Administration workers, along with Strengthen Social Security Campaign, in staging an informational picket to educate the public about the devastating impact the proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 federal budget would have on the Social Security Administration ability to provide services.

Look in the library of this blog at the album "Social Security Keep it Working (Seattle, March 2, 2011)", for more images.

 

 

In the face of blustery, changeable, rainy, windy, cold, sometimes sunny, noontime weather, members of Puget Sound Alliance for Retired Americans (PSARA) joined American Federation of Government Employees (AGFE) Social Security Administration workers, along with Strengthen Social Security Campaign, in staging an informational picket to educate the public about the devastating impact the proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 federal budget would have on the Social Security Administration ability to provide services.

Look in the library of this blog at the album "Social Security Keep it Working (Seattle, March 2, 2011)", for more images.

 

 

In the face of blustery, changeable, rainy, windy, cold, sometimes sunny, noontime weather, members of Puget Sound Alliance for Retired Americans (PSARA) joined American Federation of Government Employees (AGFE) Social Security Administration workers, along with Strengthen Social Security Campaign, in staging an informational picket to educate the public about the devastating impact the proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 federal budget would have on the Social Security Administration ability to provide services.

Look in the library of this blog at the album "Social Security Keep it Working (Seattle, March 2, 2011)", for more images.

 

 

Seed Catalog

 Yesterday, there came in the mail a seed catalog, it was forwarded from the old address.  But alas, we are not in the market this year for a new collection of seeds.  I dare not open up the pages.  This year we don't get the opportunity; the pleasure of first going through the collection of last year's seed packets, and some from years prior to that, to select which packets hold seeds that can be expected to germinate this season, and then to select from the new year's catalog which seed packets to order for the new year; lettuces and radishes and peas and beans and broccoli and zucchini and cucumbers, oh my.  It is almost time to be thinking about getting the seed bed ready to put in peas, but not this year.

I will especially, I think, miss putting potatoes in the ground.  I will miss the pleasures of cutting the potatoes into pieces making sure that each piece has at least one eye, more are better I think, and placing the pieces into the ground.  Then later in the spring checking for the first shoot reaching the surface and turning from white to green as it breaks above the ground and gets strength from the sun.  Some hills are always slow to get a shoot up to the surface.  And later in the summer poking around below the surface to check for any new little potatoes.  It is always fun to cheat on the season a little to steal a few of the little new potatoes before their time.  But those are ones that are especially flavorful and sweet.

I recall following along after my father, being eager to gather up the potatoes as he pried up the soil with the spade to expose the potatoes hidden beneath the soil , and being eager to count how many came from hill to search out the record setting hill.  That was always after the green vines were withered brown after the frosts of the autumn season.  Sometimes it was difficult to tell jsut where the hill was.  Then there was the chance of thre spade cutting through one of the potatoes.  There was no cheating of the season in my father's garden to gather the especially sweet, little new potatoes.

Maybe it will be safe for me to sneak jsut a peak at just a few of the pages in the new seed catalog.  I know it is sitting on the table downstairs. 

February 2, 2011

Ground Hog's day.  From here on the west coast of the continent, I am not sure what meteorological conditions are the ones that promise the better outcome over the next several months.  Do I wish for cloudy or sunny conditions?  Or as I write this on the west coast, was our fate already decided three hours ago?  What time are the observations to be made, by eastern standard time or by pacific standard time, or can there be some compromise.  Network television has worked it out for big events like superbowls and state of the union messages to select a time that can work for both sides of the continent.

But then again is it even possible or likely, that the augury that has been adopted for east coast conditions will have any application for us on the west coast.  So I guess a reasonable question is, should we on this side of the continent care in the least what conditions Punxatawney Pete encountered when he stuck his nose of his burrow on this morning of February 2.  Especially today when we are hearing of a huge all engulfing storm working its havoc generating way across the midsection of the continent, and heading on toward the east side of the continent.  If he has any sense at all, he will stay burrowed down deep away from the effects of the storm.  Who would pay any attention to a groundhog who purposefully sticks his nose out into the certainty of a frost bitten nose.

I hear rumors of a frog from somewhere not far north of where I sit in Seattle, who has oracle like capabilities to compete with Punxatawney Peter.  Snohomish Slew has predicted, according to his handlers, that it will be mild and breezy.  No lesser of a dignitary, than Cliff Mass, with self professed and verifiable abilities in the realm of prognosticating weather, has vouchsafed for the possible veracity of Snohomish Slew.  "I for one would not bet against the frog in such matters." says Cliff Mass http:cliffmass.blogspot.com

 

Show of pictures at Javasti

 
Tuesday evening with Susan's help I put up a set of pictures at Javasti, a neighborhood coffee shop located at 8419 -  4th Avenue NE.  The ten images included all come from walking and looking and seeing within the neighborhood.  Each image was found within walking distance of our previous residence in the Maple Leaf neighborhood of Seattle. 

I've put the set of ten images into the Javasti Gallery within this blog.

Meet CharlieChester

 

 

 

Meet CharlieChester.  CharlieChester moved in with us three weeks ago from his first home in Mount Vernon, Washington.  On the Wednesday before Christmas, Susan and I drove up to Mount Vernon to visit what showed up on the internet as a very cute dog listed as being available for adoption.  His family was looking to be able to move into a bigger apartment where dogs aren't allowed so were looking to find a new home for this little dog. 

Within fifteen minutes of the initial greetings, his owner was coming back out the door from gathering up his belongings; a bed, slightly chewed; a nearly full bag of food; a certificate from WeSnip, that he had been neutered; and an obnoxiously squeaky toy, we were holding his leash and lifting him in the car for drive back to Seattle. 

He came with the name Curly.  Neither Susan nor I could get our tongues or heads around Curly; it came out as Charlie more often.  But Charlie was already in use.  CharlieChester has met a new friend named Charlie (although with an exotic spelling) and my brother has used the name Charlie for his dogs, so we thought to change over to calling his name as Chester.  The closest we have come in changing the name is CharlieChester.  His full name is CharlieChesterMungerLevyformerly known as Curly.  Sometimes he is Chester, sometimes CharlieChester but more frequently he gets called simply Charlie. 

CharlieChester has settled into the house and our hearts.  We're still working out who is in charge. 

No Picture for November 30th

I was delinquent in seeking out a picture to record for posting as a daily image yesterday.  With the short days, meaning darkness comes early, and with the seasonal gray rainy days it becomes harder to get myself out with the camera to a place where there is a picture. 

And for yesterday I  use the excuse that there was another subjectto occupy my mind.  Susan and I signed the papers to finalize purchase of our soon to be new residence yesterday afternoon.  We received word that the sale has been recorded, and I recently got off the phone with utilities to have accounts changed over.  The work begins now in earnest to pack and transport belongings down the hill to the new residence.

Snowy Day

November 22, 2010

Out of doors, the landscape is in transition toward a black and white rendition.  At first light, there was a light scattering of snowflakes not more than one or two flakes thick.  Snowflakes continue descending to the ground, making for more white less color in my view out the window.

There is a blog i keep track of.  It is written by a resident of Arctic Bay.  Arctic Bay is a small community somewhere in the far north of Canada.  today he wrote of attending week long meetings in baker Lake, a smaller inland community.  during that week "the first blizzard was awe inducing", and right now the second strom seems to be abating somewhat."  With the storm heading on to Rankin, he doesn't expect to be flying away from Baker Lake.

But he opines much as Mark Twain "As much asd we like to talk about the weather there isn't much we can do about it.  Other than anchor down, relax and see what the day brings."

Meanwhile here in Seattle we hear on the radio that schools will be closing early today and that buses will be running on snow routes, and there are school districts to the south and west of here that did not open today.

Not enough snow on the ground yet for forming into spheres to stack into the form of a snow person.  Might be enough for laying down and sweep arms and legs to shape an angel in the snow. 

Veteran's Day 2010

November 11, 2010. 

This truly should be a day for remembering. 

It is true that we as a country and as citizens of this country owe a debt to the men and women, mostly young, who made the choice voluntarily or otherwise, to serve in our country's military; who have been trained to make themselves into warriors, for all that implies and requires of them.  I think I can and do believe that.  This should be a day of remembering what it means to have young men and women recruited and trained to serve in this country’s military.

And in another vein, yesterday afternoon Susan and I walked around Green Lake.  It was a delightful bright crisp autumn day.  It was reminiscent of fall days in colder climes where there is a bright sun in a clear sky but the air temperature is cold; cold enough to warrant a warm coat and scarf and gloves and a hat.  It wasn’t that cold yesterday in Seattle but it was colder than I was dressed for.  We saw the turtles sunning on logs in the lake.  We counted nine turtles.  Seems cold for turtles to be out in the air but I can imagine what the sun on their dark shell would feel like; if a turtle does experience pleasure.  What does it feel like though when the sun dims, and you slip back into the dark cold waters.

 

 

 

The sold sign was put up yesterday afternoon for this townhouse in the Green Lake neighborhood of Seattle.  "This" townhouse being the right half of the building on the left side of this picture.  It was actually "sold" on October 29, when Susan and I signed off on the inspection contingency. 

Yesterday we met Brenda our real estate agent to measure rooms as we begin to consider which pieces of furniture will fit and will move with us.  And we looked with an eye to thinking about color schemes as we think about repainting walls.  Last saturday we made visits to a couple of furniture stores looking at sleeper sofas (previuosly known as hide-a-beds) and maybe a new bed frame.  There are choices ahead of us in considering what we can and or want to move from here to there.      

Closing is scheduled for December 1, so we are anticipating beginning to move during the first week of December, but first doing whatever painting we decide to do, to change the colors of the walls. 

 

 

 

Hiatus Ended

It was back on September 22, that I made the previous entry in the daily image.   Since that time I was, for the first week, out of commision with what was identified as a virus which gave me severe headaches and general achiness and weariness.  As I recovered from the virus, I experienced unexplained swellling in my left foot and leg.  After ultrasound of the leg, two series of blood tests and a CT scan and two visits with the doctor it was determined that while there was obvious swelling, there was nothing that showed up from the testing and consultations that provided any clue about a cause.

I have been up and about and functioning mostly normally, over the last week or so, but only yesterday did I regain my resolve and compulsion to make and post a daily image.  Today's posting comes from being out wandering about the neighborhood alleys yesterday. 

No promises or expectations about how long the compulsion to make and post an image will carry forward into the lengthening and darkening days ahead.