Chapter 450

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL CANOE DAY!

Although some folks enjoy bobbing about on top of one of the world's most dangerous elements in a tiny piece of plastic might be ok for some, they are definitely a death trap to me as I usually end up like the photo above.

But those that love canoeing (or kayaking), really love it. This is why Carissa and Chris added to their fleet of kayaks. This way they can head out to the water with a bit more free board than they had with the 3 of them crammed into one kayak. 

My last few days at work were filled with organizing. The backstory is that when I first started in the shop many years ago, I could not even get into this tool room. I've been organizing as much as I could over the years, but the new teacher Kurt really took organizing to a new level. We can walk into the tool room and walk right to the tool we need without climbing over a bunch of other stuff.

 We had socket scattered all over our entire 8,000 square foot shop. They were stuck in every drawer, box, nook and cranny. We've managed to round them all up and get them sorted and into one collection.

I also rounded up ratchets and miscellaneous stuff that goes with sockets and organized them so they are all together!

Then labeled the drawers. The labels look weird, but there is actually a strategy involved here. I am capable of making a (reasonably) straight column if I chose to.

I even got the skinny closet organized. This closet was so full that when the doors were opened, it was just a wall of stuff. Some dating back to the 50s from the original shop. I rounded up all the spare tools and organized them into boxes on the left, and Kurt has all his demonstration parts on the right side sorted by engine system.

I came home from my last day of work, looked at all of my flowers, 

 dragged my lawn chair to a meager patch of sunlight, 

 got a bee sting, and lounged for a while with an ice pack on my foot and recovering from the frenetic pace the last days of school demand.

Bob got the teardrop completed. It sure did update the look of it. Now we have to find/buy/design/make some graphics for the sides to complete the entire project. We'll file that project under "never again"!

We have Reagan for a week while her school recovers from the Big Sewage Spill of 2018. She is keeping us busy, but definitely easier as she gets older. We had her for a few days when she was 5 months old and were exhausted afterward.  Here Bob shoots Reagan with foam ball while she Superhero's some sort of defensive weapon courtesy of boys at her school.

Our new baby birds have gone from being all beaks and pointy elbows to actually looking like birds. Reagan is enjoying watching them grow as they change every day.

I made a few changes on Reagan's time to wake up clock. She loves the clock and respects it by waiting until the red sparkly hand clears the dark part of the clock. This clock is much more upscale than the one I made for Kyanne which was just paper over the part of the clock she was supposed to stay in bed. 

Bob and Chris went to the Jimmy Buffet concert at Key Arena. Here Bob is ready to "get the party started!" Ok, that was the wrong artist, but the song title fit the subject.

 They guys seem to be having a great time at the concert. The people-watching at a Jimmy Buffet concert is amazing, but add to that the simultaneous Seattle Gay Pride Festival and the people watching must have been outstanding!

Reagan went to her favorite indoor petting zoo in Parkland. This poor "unicorn" had just come back from a kid's party and appears to be done with the world. Just done. Of course between the painted mane and the unicorn horn on his halter, he's probably the laughing stock of the Parkland horse community.

Baby camel kisses!

Reagan drew the planets on her patio, the correct number, colors, and order. Her sense of proportion is off, but at least she knows there is proportion.  Check out the textures and colors on each of the planets. 

Carissa's childhood friend, Eileen, and her three kids met on the beach. It's so cool that not only were the girls childhood friends, but their kids are growing up friends as well. Aren't they just the cutest?

 Reagan's back to her superhero pose again. Those daycare boys have taught her well!

After buying their kayak, the Walkers stopped at Steamers and, totally unplanned, met Kyanne, Ryan, and his parents there. I guess Reagan planted herself on Kyanne's lap and it was date night for Chris and Carissa since it appeared they had no kid with them.

Within a half an hour from getting here Reagan had her little kitchen up and running on the patio.

 Reagan enjoyed her new working sink with a faucet that actually has water. Check it out here if you'd like. 

I guess I don't know much about growing radishes. The tops are HUGE. Apparently that means the radish is too mature and it is tough and spicy at this point. Now I have a huge patch of garden to replant since I am going to have to tear all the radishes out.

Reagan got the first crops of the year: A handful of sugar snap peas...

...and fresh carrots!

After a busy day washing plastic dishes and eating fresh veggies, it's time for a 28.6 second snuggle with Grampa.

Today we had a great circular halo around the sun. This only occurs when ice crystals are suspended in cirrus clouds and the sun shines through them at 22°.  Now you've had your science lesson for the day! Circular halos often indicate that rain will fall within 24 hours. In this case, it was right on. 

Reber Ranch Feed Supply has become a destination vacation for Reagan. We always have to go, get a little shopping cart and a bag of popcorn then tour the store like she's the queen inspecting her kingdom. We usually have to buy a cat toy for Mozz.

That "free" bag of popcorn just cost me $4.39!

On the way home from Reber Ranch, we grabbed some Subway sandwiches. So while we sit on the floor at a super teeny table eating food out of paper with a four-year old...

Chris and Carissa are having a sunset glass of wine down at the harbor.