Stiff as a board. Light as a cloud. Soft as a mink. R.I.P., The Lady Kikyo. 2009-2026.

Our little black cat, The Lady Kikyo, died this weekend. (the header description is how her little body felt to me) She joined our household, and made us a Family, in July of 2010, adopted from The NOAH Center, a shelter in Stanwood, Washington. In 2024, Kikyo was diagnosed with late-stage kidney disease, and we …

Continue reading Stiff as a board. Light as a cloud. Soft as a mink. R.I.P., The Lady Kikyo. 2009-2026.

News (mostly bad) from the beautiful Pacific Northwest

First, in Weather: Today was a stormy day around here. Thunder, lightning, power outages, rain, the whole shebang. With emphasis on the BANG part. Thunderstorms knock out power around Western Washington. 8,000+ lightning strikes ignite wildfire concerns around Washington and Oregon. Ceiling Leak forces gate closure at SEA Airport amid thunderstorms, ground delay. https://twitter.com/tommylikecloud/status/2077819064202973193?s=20 Next, …

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Late again, but this might be worth waiting for. July 4 Fireworks from Bellevue, WA

Again this year, we packed up the picnic gear and headed over to Bellevue Downtown Park for the fireworks show. They set off the fireworks literally right over your heads, across the street from the roof of the Bellevue Square parking garage. This year, it was especially crowded, due to the celebration of America's 250th …

Continue reading Late again, but this might be worth waiting for. July 4 Fireworks from Bellevue, WA

I heard a cacophony of birds in the back yard… But then, the Mob came by

Around 11:30 this morning, I was sitting out in my backyard, listening to the birdsong. It was one of those days that everybody was calling, in the yard across the south fence, and in the green space to the west, but nobody was in my yard. (I could hear them, but not see them) Then, …

Continue reading I heard a cacophony of birds in the back yard… But then, the Mob came by

Some Friday Funnies. Catching up with Simon’s Cat.

It's been quite a week for news and other junk, so it's time for a bit of humor, courtesy of Simon's Cat and his sometimes-dense owner. https://twitter.com/SimonsCat/status/2075175883736862939?s=20 https://twitter.com/SimonsCat/status/2074790691457097901?s=20 Above, somebody got fixed. And here is some good advice for cat servants, when the cat can benefit from some extra care. (as if they're not spoiled …

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The Seattle Fishwrap (AKA Times) does a front-page article on Puget Sound Energy’s electricity rates exploding. I critique that article.

On Sunday, the Seattle Times did a long article describing how local residents are suffering from the high, and going higher, electricity rates imposed on them by their mandated supplier, Puget Sound Energy. Below, I provide quotes from the article, and my comments after each quote. The title of the article is "PSE customers hit …

Continue reading The Seattle Fishwrap (AKA Times) does a front-page article on Puget Sound Energy’s electricity rates exploding. I critique that article.

Leavenworth-the Rest of the Story

First, some unusual vehicles we spotted this year. The first one was parked in front of our hotel, and is owned by them. We got a big laugh at the comment painted on the passenger side rear panel. It's an old Mercedes vehicle, last licensed in 2023. Since then, the State has hugely increased the …

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Bitter herbs… On Kale, the bitter vegetable

Kale, a dark green, leafy, "cruciferous" vegetable is a fad food. No one, absolutely NO ONE, ever considered it edible until less than a decade ago. People don't usually eat things that taste bad, especially those that taste bitter. Below is what one of my favorite food gurus has to say about Kale. Kale wears …

Continue reading Bitter herbs… On Kale, the bitter vegetable

A few World Cup fans have reminded me how beautiful the Pacific Northwest is.

There are numerous posts on X this week, from soccer fans visiting Seattle for the first time. They all rave about Seattle’s natural beauty and the sunny mild weather. Many mention the good food at our many local restaurants. I was born and raised in Seattle, and I never take it for granted. So I …

Continue reading A few World Cup fans have reminded me how beautiful the Pacific Northwest is.

Tide’s IN! Picnic Point County Park on a warm afternoon

On Sunday, late in the afternoon, we drove over to Picnic Point County Park on Puget Sound. It was warm, in the 80s, and the parking lot was busy, but not quite full. The Park is on the west side of the shore-hugging railroad tracks, and there is a multi-level pedestrian bridge over the tracks …

Continue reading Tide’s IN! Picnic Point County Park on a warm afternoon