Another Timbers Game

We lost. But a good time was had anyway.

These are our front row friends, Bob & Dianne.  They have a network of friends that sit in the same spot each game. They set up a canopy on the sidewalk and take shifts holding the space until wristbands are passed out.

Saving seats can be a lonley vigil. 

So they handed out likenesses of Harrington to make it look like there were more of us.

Back home now and went to the annual COW (Central Oregon Woodworkers)  potluck. One of our members is Lee Baker, maker of the famous (?) Baker Bass. It is a unique stand up bass. 

He is retiring and will make them no more. They are all works of art. He and a friend played for us before the eating began. 

I loved their rendition of "I Just Don't Look Good Naked..........Anymore."

After eats it was time to open the mystery box.

We pass it around each month. Inside is a wooden base that you may attach anything you want to make. There are rules of a sort. You may not show or tell anyone what is in the box and there is a small notebook inside where we can write down an explanation of what we did. It is opened at the annual pot luck for all to see and then goes on exhibit at a few places around here.  I took it for a turn this year, mainly because I was dying to see what was in it.

The first thing I discovered when I opened the box was there was no good way to get it out. It fit too tightly to get your fingers around it and the flowers were too fragile to lift the weight of the rest of it. So my contribution was the curved Juniper on each end to serve as handles. I coated them with epoxy like the umbrella handle I made at the same time.

This is last years project. 

Weather is perfect so I must get this posted and go outside.

Stay cool and watch out for those tornado thingys.

The Beach

First a photo of the grand kids that recently assembled in Redmond. 

This week we joined Ryan, Judy & kids in Seal Rock. Weather was perfect in Redmond, started raining  as we drove through the Cascades but the sun broke out about 10 miles inland and all clouds were gone at the coast. Today was in the 60's with no couds or wind until late afternoon. Perfect!

Went to the aquarium this morning and got up close to some Puffins. 

There were statues that are favorites of the kids. 

Louis likes to rub noses.

There were golden turtles to ride. 

And the beachs are perfect. 

Super tide pools. 

And there was attempts to bury the children. 

We tried to constrain them by hiding their feet.

But it didn't work, they got loose. 

Just enough wind for kites, they flew themselves. 

Heading back tomorrow, should be perfect weather. 

The Rest of the Day

Rant Alert!

When I last posted, I was in line to get in line. Turns out, the line was short. Something about it being a work day. What are those?

Anyway, I got #11. 

When you figure they give out 1000, I was pretty near the front. I was right next to my newest friends that got in line at 4:00 am, and they were right behind the ones that were there overnight. 

I had time to run up to the VA and pick up some lab results. Met three other vets in the records office. Two were in trouble, psychologically. The other had discovered the VA's Vet Center and was doing better. We were all Vietnam era. 

Earlier, I had talked with a young man on the street. He was a vet of our more recent wars and was in big trouble. None of the three troubled vets realized that the  Vet Centers existed. They all were battling the conventional VA and their experiences were only adding to their distress. 

The difference is at the Ver Centers you are usually dealing with other vets that understand and can win the trust of the vet seeking help. 

Yes, I have become a bit of a zealot preaching salvation. But that happens when you see your society worshiping their warriors when recruiting them, then pissing on them when they come back broken. 

Done; for now. 

Back to normal ?

Whatever that is. 

I'm in Portland writing this as a draft while I'm in line to get a number to get in line for the game. That wasn't a typo, the Timbers have taken the queue to a higher level. 

We general admission types (the Timbers Army) get our seats on a first come first served basis. We get in line early on game day for a numbered wristband, then we can resume our lives (go to a neighboring bar) until time to line up by our numbers. Our gate opens 30 min before the other gates so the Army can get settled in before the normal folk arrive. 

They do what they can to keep it organized and protect the normal people. 

Meanwhile,

The grand kids and their support systems have all gone home and I left Teri at ground zero to decompress while I go to the game and the VA. The game makes up for the VA. 

By the way the news is fairly accurate (for the media), we knew about the VA's secret lists. They were used to insure that managers made performance goals and received their bonuses. One such manager has already received her first quarter bonus ($8000 +). That information is of course unverified, but if so, sounds like prosecutable fraud to me. 

So my draft turns into a rant; what a surprise. I'll attach what photos I have and post now; with a promise of good photos later. 

Unhappy Molly as mom tries to extricate the truck that drove into her hair. 

Favorite seat of all the grand childeren. 

There were s'mores of course. 

Took Amy to my personal Juniper dealer. We selected a future coffee table and end table. This is how they look with a chain saw cut. I'll update as they transform into funiture. 

Stay safe. 

Invasion

Yesterday was G day (the arrival of the first wave of grand kids). After establishing a beach head, they quickly took over great grandma's chair.

They just discovered the heat and massage mode.

Second wave is scheduled for this evening.