six random facts meme

Here are the rules to the Six Random Facts Meme:1) Link to the person who tagged you.2) Post the rules on your blog.3) Write six random things about yourself.4) Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them.5) Let each person know they've been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.6) Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

My friend Peggy Sue tagged me with this meme last week. I posted the six random things about myself in my profile, that was easy enough. Why six people? That's hard for me at this point.
I mean, I read other blogs, but I don't know the other people personally. Can I count Peggy Sue again or is that against the rules? Nope. I'm going to have to settle for four. Perhaps someday I'll know enough people who blog to make it up to six.

However, it does give me the chance to introduce some very inspirational blogs to all my readers. Check these out:

1. Marnie: art cars

2. Robin: beaded jewelry

3. Mizu: the artist

4. Linda: living in the mountains of montana

Our reindeer display looks pretty weird

Somewhat fuzzy and a little dog-eared

That won't stop us from wishing you cheer

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Baby, it's cold outside. 23 degrees F last time I looked. The pond is frozen. A couple days more of this and I may start ice-skating. Here's a picture of a great blue heron sitting on the pond this morning. I would regale you with tales of adventures in the snow, but this is nothing--check out my friend Linda's blog Sweet Home Montana. -25 degrees, now that's talkin'.

Fortunately, evey activity I was planning for this week got cancelled so I didn't have to go anywhere. That included the east coast swing dance class we are taking, yoga, the Textile Guild Christmas Party to name a few. No landscaping is getting done. So, too bad, have to sleep in, decorate the house for Christmas, bring in the firewood. Play with the dog.

Of course, if it dumps on us like it threatens to on Sunday, we may have to hitch Suzie up to the sled and go get provisions. Four miles to town.

Hope you all are making the best of this winter wonderland. Oh, and Happy Solstice!

November 2008

Last night (Nov 21) I dreamed I was driving The Route 2 Trolley Route. It is not unusual for me to be dreaming about driving a bus even though I haven't driven one in service for twenty-two years. What was unusual was that it was a trolley (an electric bus not a streetcar) and that I could experience the feel of the steering wheel which acts quite differently from a diesel bus.

I remember feeling very smug as I negotiated the turnaround down at the Madrona terminal at Lake Washington in one smooth pass as I paid attention to the overhead wire. But at one point, I overshot and my bus climbed the sidewalk. (this wouldn't have happened at the Lake Washington terminal, but hey, this was a dream). What was interesting was that I could feel the sidewalk underneath the wheels--pretty specific for a bus dream.

Meanwhile Roger told me that he, too, had a bus dream last night. That's not as exciting because it's only been twelve years since he drove for Metro. However, his dream was about pulling in, but just missing the head of the zone and feeling the brakes, the bus, the road as he pushed down hard to reach his mark. Also very specific physical sensations for a bus dream.

My usual bus dream is about wildly careening down a dark street where my bus has no business being. Sometimes steering from the back of the bus. Perhaps you other current and past busdrivers reading this blog could comment on this with your own experiences of bus dreams. Check out http://www.mehva.org/index.php for more trolley pictures.

Also in November I had my first reflexology treatment. How wonderful! Reflexology is based on the principle that certain parts of the body reflect the whole. Reflex points, which relate to all parts of the body, can be found in the feet, hands and ears. These points respond to pressure, stimulating the body's own natural healing process. The body starts progressively clearing blockages, re-establishing energy flows and balancing itself, resulting in better health.

I came back home and asked Roger for a series of treatments for my Christmas gift.

After a nice Thanksgiving at Roger's folks' house in Auburn, we ventured out to do something I used to avoid like the Black Plague--shopping on Black Friday. I purchased a new digital camera to replace the one I lost on my vacation in September. So expect more images soon. For Roger's birthday, we bought a new Food Saver system! Keeps food fresh up to 5X longer. How exciting! We also contributed to the economy by purchasing shoes at REI and ordering a new pair of glasses for me. We've done our part by shopping, Mr. Bush.

Report #13

Dinner Island is a small island in Griffin Bay, just a five minute outboard motor ride from Jackson Beach. We were able to picnic there on a surprisingly sunny October day with good friend Janey and her friend Dan Ward, whose family owns the island.

I don't have any good pictures that show the island, only pictures of water towers and bunkhouses and a happy dog on the beach. Rest assure, it is a gorgeous island with many fabulous beaches and a frisbee course like no other. Here's pix of Dan:

On the last weekend in October, we celebrated an early Thanksgiving so that the eastern Washington Barrecas don't have to travel over the pass in late November. This year my sister Jeannette and her husband Bill Yake hosted at their home in Olympia. Twenty-five family members and friends came together for music, food and good times.

And to round out this post, I simply must mention that we were able to celebrate the Election Day returns at our friends Ellie and Eric's with a house full of elated companions. Yes We Can!

First Post from Thornbush

Lenora at Barreca Thanksgiving 2008

I did it! My goal was to start a blog this Fall. Watch this space.