Owner: Let the Dog In! URL:http://letthedogin.com Join Date: Fri, 09 Feb 2007 12:46:58 -0600 Rating:0 Site Description: humorous reflections and stories from a Bainbridge Island, Washington family of 3, plus dog; written by Wendy Wallace Site statistics:Click here
raccoon racketeers 2007-02-09 07:38:42 I have a new enemy on the island. He’s furry, masked and smelly. No, not my husband! He doesn’t have a mask.
I have only myself to blame. I stupidly put out suet by our bird feeder hanging off the deck. Why? Well, it was during that cold spell, and I thought the birds could use the extra fat. Guess who got the extra fat? Not a bird. Ever since, a raccoon or two or three has been snacking at the bird feeder. Flexible bugger, adding millet and sunflower seeds to the rib bones and fruit roll-up wrappers menu originating from our trash cans. How do we get rid of them? Who are their natural predators and where do we get one? And would it be wrong to shoot them with a pistol?
Added concern: a generation of raccoons acquiring new skills as a result of eating from bird feeders. One morning that pole was bent waaay down, and I can only assume that raccoon attempted a trapeze act off our second story deck as a finale to dinner. Just what we need, circus raccoons.
[T
Raising ferry rates = piracy on the high seas? 2007-02-08 04:14:26 This is a portion of an article by the Kitsap Sun Staff, February 3, 2007:
Washington State Ferries is proposing a 4 percent general fare increase to take effect later this year, it announced Friday. The ferry system had planned for 2.5 percent yearly increases.
“The unfortunate aspect is that the 2.5 percent isn’t going to do it,” Washington State Transportation Commissioner Bob Distler said at a presentation for the Joint Transportation Committee in January.
Transportation Secretary Doug MacDonald had said it would take an increase of 5 to 6 percent this year just “to stay even.”
—-
Bob, what is it going to take? You guys have jacked up this fare 62% in the past five years. That’s already outrageous. Don’t think, oh, those Bainbridge people can take it, because you know what? First, it is not just Bainbridge, it is Kitsap and Olympic peninsula people, too, among others. Second, with all the rate increases, we stop driving our car Read more:piracy
, Raising
did I fall asleep and wake up in the 1950's? 2007-02-06 18:19:15 In a recent article about the upcoming Kratt Brothers’ show on Bainbridge Island, a reporter for a local paper here wrote the following when pointing out which Kratt Brother moms believe is the “cute one:”
“…and this is said to be the subject of much contemplation on lonely afternoons at the ironing board…”
Boy, did he get that right! Nothing fills my afternoon daydreams when I stand at the ironing board like fantasizing about hosts of children’s tv shows, particularly when they frequently fall into pools and streams and get soaking wet on those shows. Right after I send my children out to play in the street, pop a little helper, and untangle my pearls, my mind can’t help but wander as I press out my dear, hard-working, bread-winning husband’s tidy whities and scrub out that ring around the collar ’til it’s glistens. Even as I stir up another glass of Tang, perked up with a little something extra just for fla Read more:asleep
helium — a price to pay for shortage? 2007-02-04 22:38:34 When you have a kid, nothing puts a smile on their face (for a good 20-30 seconds, at least) like a helium
-filled balloon. Here on Bainbridge Island, we would visit our favorite paper products store on Winslow where they would hand out balloons to kids for free. The bigger my kid has gotten, the smarter. This past summer she saw kids with balloons walking down the street on an ordinary day, and turned to me to ask for a balloon, too. Where did they come from? We followed the trail and found out.
Then, this past week, after a respite from ballooning, we returned to that store, and what did we learn? There is a HELIUM SHORTAGE and NO MORE FREE BALLOONS!! This was troublesome on many levels — the preschooler having a fit, the embarrassed mom in a store full of shoppers (hm, do I have any cash??), but also the question of the helium shortage. Where does helium come from that they are running low? At first I pictured a tank farm somewhere, but no, silly, inside the tank, th Read more:price
"Top Chef' Over, Done 2007-02-04 01:10:57 I’m in mourning now. Why? Because Top Chef
just ended. Not only that, but Sam, my personal favorite, did not even get into the finale (Bainbridge Island high school graduate Marcel did, with hair that could beat Don King’s hair at thumb wrestling). At least strong, silent Sam was not Voted Off by the “general public” (morons that they are). No, it was judges. Even the host got choked up telling Sam to pack his knives. Maybe a little crush there? Oh, well, just another tv disappointment. Why do I keep going back? It’s not to improve my cooking skills. Top Chef and Iron Chef America are two shows that have had as much effect on my kitchen skills as Sesame Street (at least the latter taught me to spell “vegetable”). I guess I just love a good poke in the eye. That reminds me, when does Project Runway start up?
angels among us 2007-02-02 17:49:08 “I think I see one,” Kid said, her hands cupping her face as she peered through the glass door into the dark.
She had been eating dinner while I was chopping veggies for a salad. She snuck up to steal a couple of cucumber sticks (cut and left out for her, unbeknownst to her) and dashed back. Seeing her eating, I told her how her great-grandma Dorothy had liked to eat cucumbers, too.
“Where is she?” she asked while chomping away. I told her she’s in heaven with the other angels, but they come here, too, to help if you need it.
“Angels do? Where?”
“Oh, they’re everywhere,” I said noncommittally.
“Inside our house?”
“Yep. Maybe over there or up there,” I pointed to the ceiling. She’s already forgotten, but I won’t, the time she looked up at the ceiling while in the bathtub and said, why is Daddy up there looking at me. How to have your heart stop when Daddy is out of town for business.
Last to Know (LTK) 2007-02-01 23:47:07 That’s our nickname for our dog. LTK, as in, she is sleeping on the couch when the raccoon is five feet away at the window outside or when the delivery guy comes to the door. Or, today, she whined to go outside, and after I opened the door (for the 14th time already today), I saw 5 deer just on the other side of the fence. My first thought: uh-oh, she’s going to charge the deer. Sorry, deer.
But then, something happened. The dog went racing around the corner, past where the deer were eating (most of them did not flinch), and barked at ….. a neighbor. Like the boy whose pop-bottle-thick glasses got knocked off at recess, she missed the deer completely. The deer noticed her and looked up with a oh-dahling-what-is-that dreadful-noise? Granted, deer are pretty quiet, and because these guys did not run off (do they run at anything??), there was no motion to catch the dog’s attention. Still, don’t deer have a smell?
It would not be so disappointing,
A Finch-for-all! 2007-02-01 00:09:36 So, there I was this morning, putting insta-hot water in my mug, holding down the tea bag string with my thumb, glancing around. I look up. There they are! 5 American goldfinches (I think) eating from our feeder. One had hopped down yesterday and I was stunned. I had never seen one this time of year. I think I saw one in the summer a year or two ago (when they are bright yellow and hard to miss). They are not common guests at our feeder. But today, 5! They said to me “Okay, lady, you couldn’t figure me out yesterday, so I brought four of my friends. We’ll hang out awhile, and if you can’t figure us out by then, you are hopeless!” Now, watch me be wrong….   As an added pop quiz, after the fab five flew, a reddish bird arrived and ate. My pictures were too fuzzy, but I think it was a purple finch. So, happy finch day!Â
[This post can also be found at Bainbridge Breezes.]
Read more:Finch
Easements — public use or public trauma? 2007-01-28 23:52:24 Anxiety? Check. Fear? Check. Helplessness? Check. These are the emotions around our house. I have written before (on my Seattle P.I. blog) on the upcoming renovations in our neighborhood to add walking and biking paths to the elementary school. Drawings have been drafted, PowerPoints have been used, and meetings have been held.  The scary part for us is the possibility that the City will use all its public use easement across the entire front of our property putting in a winding, paved path adjacent to the road. Why, that sounds nice, you say. A winding path in front of your house where currently there exists a man-eating ditch, snagging crushed Big Gulps and bags of Fritos (hey, not mine, I use the trash cans!).Â
It would be great, but for the Fence Project. You see, if a path goes in and a proper retaining wall is not included, the ground on which our beautiful, painstakingly made Fence will give way.  Picture Malibu in rainy season. The Fence is Read more:trauma
opinions on opinions? 2007-02-09 21:09:27 The islandmoms Yahoo group I participate in has been discussing its discussions. It all arose from a simple question regarding a preschool (it is that time of year again when we start reviewing our options….), and it has mushroomed into examination of the purpose and responsibility of such a group. Should only positive comments of small businesses be posted? When does an “appropriateness” policy evolve into censorship?
My friend Will had similar questions after he wrote a post about his personal experience installing a new closet system. The owner of the company called him! What is the responsibility of opinion-givers online? Their words can reach much farther than just neighbors chatting over a fence. Does it depend on the issue — something important like child care services versus less critical gardening services? If people are being truthful, particularly speaking their own truth and experience, where is the harm? Can’t our marketplace, busin
Pyrrhic PIR-ik victory 2007-02-10 18:04:58 noun:
A victory achieved at great or excessive cost; a ruinous victory.
A Pyrrhic victory is so called after the Greek king Pyrrhus, who, after suffering heavy losses in defeating the Romans in 279 B.C., said to those sent to congratulate him, “Another such victory over the Romans and we are undone.”
2 things: 1) I thought the “Pyrrhic” part of this was based on a myth, not an actual person, so that surprised me (and you too, I am sure!). 2) this is an interesting, ironic concept, if only I could think how it might apply to a modern day situation………
dragon fruit: snack or pasties? 2007-02-10 17:24:03 It started with a quick grab in the dried fruit aisle at Trader Joe’s for a mysterious bag of dark purple dried fruit. It ended with two slobbery, seedy dragon fruit pieces stuck on her chest like pasties
on a vaudeville stripper. A+ for creative use of food item by a three year old. I have a picture I’d love to share, but she is a minor and her other guardian (aka, father) is apparently more concerned about her reputation than mommy’s little amusing blog. A real buzz kill.
As costuming, I’d recommend dragon fruit. It beats raisins and dried nectarines any day. I’m sure that pink stain will eventually fade. As an actual snack, stick with tried and true raisins. There’s a reason they’ve been around so long.
Added bonus info: Gerber makes a dried corn snack now (just corn, no additives, no nothing) that is peculiarly tasty and would be especially good for those orbiting around Earth, but I don’t believe you can get it to stick to
After the Kratt Brothers Show on Bainbridge Island-the Inquisition 2007-02-11 21:48:58 Kid (leaning in): Didn’t you ask first? Who did you talk to?
Me (shirking): I…I…didn’t really ask anyone. I saw an ad. We like their tv show, so I just went online and bought tickets…..It was for a good cause, for the kids’ museum. You like that place. It’s fun…..I thought it would be nice….
Kid (pacing): What?! You didn’t check first? Real smart going there, tiger.
Me: OK, I’m sorry….I…I…just assumed a live show by the Kratt brothers would include live animals, too. Their tv shows have animals, don’t they?
Kid (waving a show ticket around): Did anyone actually SAY there’d be animals? Hmmm??
Me (glancing away): Well, no. But there WAS a guy on stilts. That was neat, right? And Dad came, too. That was nice, right? Right?
Kid (standing still now, glaring): But what about Zaboo?? Did you or did you not see any LEMURS anywhere in the gymnasium??
Me: Well, no…not any Read more:Brothers
, Inquisition
, Island
Talk dirty — dirty pans, that is….. 2007-02-12 22:46:21 This poem is dedicated to the broiler pan, greasy, smelly and on the move, from oven to counter to stove to counter (but not to the sink).
I have a house.
I have a spouse.
My spouse likes to cook
But does not like to look.
He uses each pan
And spills since he can.
Not once does he clean
Which makes wife real mean.
This trail of a mess
Puts love in distress.
One day my big soap
Will hit the head of that dope! Read more:dirty
Anti-Valentine's Day Cards — why didn't I think of this? 2007-02-13 07:56:12 Yet another brilliant idea not conceived by me. And I so could have. For so many years, I’ve dreaded Valentine
’s day and had to give inner speech after inner speech about its commercialism and Madison Avenue creation financed by Hallmark. How I’m okay. How not having a Valentine does not make you a loser (usually there are other factors, too). Converting it to a girls’ night out with other singles, groups of us spitting at the lovey-dovey couples, snarling at the commercials, ordering rounds of marg’s-rocks-no salt, dancing on the graves of sweet, heart-shaped boxes of lame, flavorless milk (ugh) chocolates. Who’da thunk? If only I’d channel that ire and tequila into cold, hard cash. Yes, people, the greeting card industry. And not just that, there’s mugs, picture frames, candles, t-shirts….the merchandising is unlimited, as George Lucas has taught us. Ironically, now it is that very industry capitalizing on mocking itself Read more:Cards
, think
Recently said by my 3 year old 2007-02-14 18:23:57 –”You mind your SELF, Jenny!!” When friend at school was ratting Kid out for opening Valentine’s gifts during circle time.
–”That’s okay, Mommy. Accidents happen. Looks like you made another mistake.” When mom unintentionally locked Kid’s room at bedtime and Kid had to come out (moments later) to potty.
–”I miss my cookie.” After she placed a small paper sack with part of cookie inside on the deck railing and went back to find it gone (!), only to see the torn shreds of sack in a pile in the yard; cookie gone; dog with crumbs in beard.
–”Why did the binkies have to go to the fairy? I want my binky back.” While riding in the car, almost a year after binkies (pacifiers) were offered up to the “binky fairy” (to redistribute to babies who need them) in exchange for paints.
Mind your self on Valentine’s Day! ♥
How do you feel about National Security Advisor Flipper? 2007-02-14 03:28:24 I just read an article in the Kitsap Sun about the Navy seeking to use dolphins and sea lions to patrol the 4 mile coastline around the naval base in Bangor. After I quit laughing, I realized this was serious. The marine mammals would work with a trainer in a boat and be sent out from the boat to patrol the water, returning if they find an intruder and giving special signals. I am not sure how I feel about this.
Would a sea lion even come back from the ocean when called? Has anyone tried this with them? I have worked in marine mammal rescues, and sea lions are big, agile and dodgy. While dolphins have that human-friend reputation, sea lions don’t. They are curious, fast and have really sharp teeth. They don’t seem the most trustworthy of marine mammals. They might be the Bahamas immigration officer of the sea world. A little food or sex, and they look the other way.
I am surprised that either of these mammals would return if released in the wild. Are we under Read more:Flipper
, National
Agate Pass Bridge Closure — what's in it for you? 2007-02-15 23:13:49 I was jolted out of my sugar hangover this morning when I read about the Agate
Pass bridge closure scheduled for March 4th through the 29th. To repair damage done by a crane on a truck in April 2006, the bridge will be totally closed from 10pm to 4am for most of March. Although usually at that time of night I am polishing, soldering and generally refurbishing my 1885 brass oil lamps (oh, sorry, that’s my spouse–I’m watching Gilmore Girls reruns), I am sure this closure will serve as an incredible inconvenience to people both on and off the island.
What do you do if you are trying to come home from the late shift? Here are a few ideas (feel free to add to these):
1. Clearwater casino–seems obvious but had to say it; a few martinis, a couple rounds of 21, you’ll forget all about your home, which is good since you may not own it anymore by the time you are done.
2. Go the other way, silly! Drive to Tacoma and back up and take the Seattle ferry (it is Read more:Closure
origin of the booger 2007-02-17 06:04:00 Kid, veteran nose picker, recently informed us of where boogers come from…..Africa! They grow there and then ride on an airplane to her nose where she picks them once they are ripe. Imported fruit from Africa?! I couldn’t even bring an orange into Arizona.
Outing to Dungeness Spit (or at least close to it) 2007-02-19 02:46:07 We took a day trip out to Dungeness
Spit Sunday, kid, dog, spouse, the whole gang. The spit is a 5 mile formation with a lighthouse on it. I can’t tell you how long it takes to get there from Bainbridge Island because we stopped so many times, both ways. I can tell you from what we saw, the spit area is beautiful, open, windy and heavily controlled.
“I think they need to add another sign,” my spouse commented snidely as we drove around the paved area, past several campgrounds. You must understand, he is from Alaska and did not grow up around any “managed” areas. Wilderness was wild.
We drove as far as you can, dog whimpering, knowing something great was close. Angling around to a parking spot, we drove past another batch of signs including one that had a picture of a dog with a red line through it. Whaaaa??? Turns out, no dogs allowed on the spit, on leash or off. Why? Because birds live there.
“But our dog LOVES birds!” my spouse Read more:least
housing shrinkage 2007-02-19 21:05:35 I was just reading about a small house movement, people living full or part time in a “cabin” sized dwelling. I guess it is in reaction to the Mcmansions craze with houses getting so enormous. This photo is of a “Katrina” cottage, originally built for the homeless in Louisiana after hurricane Katrina. They became so popular Lowe’s is going to start carrying them.
I have to laugh, not because I am cynical (OK, maybe a little, but I come from a long line of cynics). But because I know of a couple featured prominently in Sunset Magazine last year for a major remodel of a 740sf waterfront house outside of Juneau. Good friends of ours were their neighbors. I marveled that this couple also had a baby during this lengthy remodel. Like our friends, this couple had to hike in a half mile from a small parking lot and their water came from a cistern. Slightly rough, but doable living. I was inspired by the idea of clearing clutter and getting down to “
Dog may have saved lives of Mount Hood climbers 2007-02-20 18:08:39 By Sarah Skidmore
Associated Press
PORTLAND, Ore. — For three climbers
stranded on Mount Hood, survival came down to a live transmitter and a warm dog.
Covering up with two sleeping bags, a tarp and a black Labrador named Velvet as winds howled around them at up to 70 mph, two women and a man beamed signals to rescuers who were able to fix their precise location.
“The dog probably saved
their lives,” said Erik Brom, a member of the Portland Mountain Rescue team, who described the wind in the canyon where the climbers were holed up as “hellacious.”
You know I love this kind of story. Not only are the hikers rescued, but much credit is given to Velvet, the lab (OK, it helped they had a signal transmitter, too…..). I believe it about the dog, though. If she is anything like our dog, having her lay against you is like have a blob of hot molten lava pressing into the back of your knees.
And, yet again, we have an example of why you SHOULD be permitted
Less gambling time, more drive time 2007-02-21 17:28:49 Really, don’t thank me. I just wrote what everyone was thinking about that planned Agate Pass bridge closure. Nothing like a good-hearted poke in the eye. As of Friday, February 17th, the Kitsap Sun reported the total closure has been revised to allow 3 crossings between 10pm and 4pm (Mar. 4-29, Sun.-Thurs.). So, let go of that slot machine handle and go home!
Read more:drive
thar she blows! a sub party 2007-02-21 04:52:20 Just another Tuesday on B.I……
Last time we went out to see a submarine go by, we missed it, but the dog had a goooood, stinky romp. This time, we braved the cold wind and saw it heading through Rich Passage to Bremerton, WA. Oh, the cheers from the wives/mothers on the beach! The excitement was palpable. We love you, honeys! We missed you!! (translation: Now, come home and feed your kids cuz I am pouring a glass of merlot, locking the door and taking a bath! Alone!)
A good time was had by all. Sub, shlub! Where’s that seagull?
Spinning the yarn 2007-02-22 17:24:49 I have been knitting. And reknitting. After making scarves, I am once again attempting a hat for Kid. Hoping some “ownership” would keep this hat on her head, we went to the store together (which took bravery on my part since she peed on their floor last time–she was discrete, in the corner, but no one tells you about THESE potty training issues) and she selected the color she liked. A few rows into this new exercise, for some reason, I don’t know why, too much wine, not enough, anyway, I started thinking about a mysterious and heretofore untried thing called “gauge.” I picked up a book. I recalled the last hat. Kid not so gently pointed out the “size deficiency” of mommy’s first hat attempt.
So I make a swatch to measure my stitching. What a pain! Because I am knitting in the round, the book recommended cutting the edge string at each end to slide the swatch to the other end since I did not have the right length of circula
breakfast of champions? 2007-02-23 17:20:15
Remember “Silly rabbit, Trix is for kids”? It’s a little different from when I was a kid. Fluorescent colors, new shapes. Top 3 ingredients: corn, sugar and corn syrup. I am thinking of conducting a “super-size me” type experiment to see if it ever decays. What do you think? A half life of, oh, 25 years? Maybe we could use it for art projects….
eating like a bird 2007-02-24 20:07:43 This is as close as we get to eating
like birds around here. See Mr. and Mrs. (I assume) Downy Woodpecker enjoying fresh suet from feeders made for them (note the special paddle shape for them to rest their tail while snacking). Notice she is on the lower, larger one. That’s the one with the new deluxe suet with dried bugs in it. Num num. Smart girl.
news flash: Kid can't wait 2007-02-27 02:13:01 While waiting in traffic on the way to Silverdale with my sick laptop, Kid asked for the bazillionth time when we were going to BE THERE. We told her she had to wait. That’s when we got the unfortunate news: “waiting” was not in her brain, she said. Yes, sad but true. It went out the hole in her brain. Waiting is like air, she informed us, and it can float right out of a hole in her brain. What is this hole? Is that that hole that babies have in their skull? She is her father’s daughter, so maybe she used a power drill just so “waiting” would get out of her brain? And how is it that “waiting” is gone, but “yelling” “incessant talking” and “constant busyness” are still there? That does not seem fair to me. Is there a reinstall button for “waiting”? Can we put it back with a few other items that escaped, like “sleeping all night” and “trying new foods”? Ma
Crash-Bam-Bing! 2007-02-26 06:46:38 What did you do this weekend? Uh-huh, sounds fun. Me? Oh, my weekend sucked the big SUCK. My computer and website had a head-on collision and crashed. Both. Did I have a handy backup? Uh, nooooooooo. Let this be a lesson to you all. Even though it is about as much fun as vacuuming, backing up, turns out, is a good idea. Oh-vey! We drove all the way to Silverdale so the geeks at Best Buy could help me under my warranty. He looked at my machine, looked at me and was all Dan Rather, bad news. But! I could use the recovery disk to perform a “nondestructive” repair and not lose anything. OK. Sounds doable. I go home, fix a stiff one, and pull out that recovery disk. Ten seconds in and it tells me I am about to lose EVERYTHING. Where’s my “nondestructive” repair? Where’s the love? This is what I get for doing anything computer related, downloading programs, dinking around with stuff I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT, at the worst of all times…ME
Recommend Site To A Friend
