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<title>Geoduck Letters RSS</title><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/index.html</link><description>Geoduck RSS</description><dc:language>en</dc:language><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:rights>Copyright Douglas aalseth</dc:rights><dc:date>2009-01-04T18:44:39-08:00</dc:date><admin:generatorAgent rdf:resource="http://www.realmacsoftware.com/" />
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<lastBuildDate>Mon, 2 Jan 2012 14:26:11 -0800</lastBuildDate><item><title>Goodbye 2008&#x21;</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-01-04T18:44:39-08:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/d86eea10d0114e7d4d8cf5ed55e360a9-157.html#unique-entry-id-157</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/d86eea10d0114e7d4d8cf5ed55e360a9-157.html#unique-entry-id-157</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I'm now looking at using that money to get a really good camera for the Japan trip this summer.


We voted and we were able to get Barbara signed up to vote (something she hadn't been able to do in 23 years). ...  Yes our retirement investments are down, but we won't be tapping those for 10 to 15 years so they should bounce back by the time we need them. 

...One story that got missed over the last few weeks is the tale of How Ed and Pat Saved Christmas. ...  Christmas morning we got a call from Barbara, she had no bread in the house and we had not picked any up. ...  Then in a Christmas Miracle (cue the warm lighting and soft focus close-up) we discovered that the present from Ed and Pat contained mixes for Green Chili Stew, Potato Chipotle Soup, and CORNBREAD. &nbsp;  OK it was blue cornbread, but in a pinch bread is bread so we made it for the meal and it was quite good.


...Ok it is all boxed and with a bit of luck we will be able to put the boxes back in the crawl space in a few days. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Trip to Victoria &#x26; a New Toy</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-01-11T18:43:07-08:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/a7e02354726e7ef15fc92a79071f358a-156.html#unique-entry-id-156</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/a7e02354726e7ef15fc92a79071f358a-156.html#unique-entry-id-156</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The snow is going rapidly but it's taking longer than we expected and the entrance to the driveway is still a narrow slot between compressed snow berms. 

...Rather than causing a controversy they included her picture in the display, but they put it near the back and have a blanket carefully pinned in place.


...The other big news is that I used the proceeds from selling the PowerBook to get a new camera for the Japan trip this summer. ...  I've only played with it for a few hours, and the weather, gray and rainy, is not great for taking pictures, but so far I'm impressed. &nbsp;

...The only way we can take a hand held shot at 80x is because the camera has digital image stabilization. 

...Here is the same picture taken with the old 3.1 megapixel Olympus, note how grainy the image looks due to the lower sensor resolution.


...This is a picture of a 2 inch long fossil fish in my collection taken from around a foot away.   In Macro mode the Canon theoretically can focus within an inch of the subject, AND the zoom works even at close range. &nbsp;]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Fog&#x2c; Fog&#x2c; and More Fog</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-01-18T18:42:35-08:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/1ebf36284ed591ece92a8cad55b4b34f-155.html#unique-entry-id-155</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/1ebf36284ed591ece92a8cad55b4b34f-155.html#unique-entry-id-155</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[We may be getting lots of fog, but the temperatures here&nbsp;have&nbsp;been much nicer than the chill of Minnesota. &nbsp;  We still have some snow left, but it has been melting fast and is one of the reasons for so much fog. &nbsp;  The other reason is that we have not been getting much wind so the fog just 'hangs around'. &nbsp; ...  She was worried her car would not start up since it had just been sitting there unused for a few weeks, but it started right up and she was glad to be able to get out on her own for a change.


...The rest of the week including some of this weekend was spent in Parksville working on an application problem. ...  However the problem is mostly solved or at least enough for the Spa to have what they needed and he can continue to work on it next week.


The orientation training for H&R Block started this last week so I have been busy working at the SuperStore and going to the training sessions. &nbsp;...  I need to spend some time reviewing their tax application and the original text book so in between training and work, I'll be at the dining room table studying. &nbsp;
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Farewell January</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-01-25T18:41:47-08:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/d7f2ac00aa28cb44bcfaede534412328-154.html#unique-entry-id-154</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/d7f2ac00aa28cb44bcfaede534412328-154.html#unique-entry-id-154</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The fog has broken and we were finally able to see some sun, unfortunately there is now talk about possible snow tonight or tomorrow. &nbsp;

...This week started out pretty good as it was my last week in class for H&R Block.   Agnes one of the ladies I took the original class in was also in some of my classes so that gave us a chance to catch up with each other.   Agnes has a B&B in Courtney that Doug and I are hoping to make it to some time. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

...I knew that she had not been doing well lately, but it was still a shock to hear the news. &nbsp;  Sheila was a wonderful friend and mentor to me and I will miss her dearly. &nbsp;  Sheila had joined Doug and I on many eclipse trips and had planned to join us for the solar eclipse trip in July 2009 until her recent diagnosis of cancer. &nbsp;

...No work tomorrow so Barbara and I are going to do some shopping and walking. if the snow holds off, perhaps I'll even make it back down to the beach. &nbsp;]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Hello February</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-02-01T18:41:04-08:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/3d369c4bd274ae3183d18baf5a0de837-153.html#unique-entry-id-153</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/3d369c4bd274ae3183d18baf5a0de837-153.html#unique-entry-id-153</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I did find out that Sheila's memorial is scheduled for the end of March so I have been making arrangements to fly back for it. &nbsp;  My brother Curt found a very inexpensive roundtrip flight from Seattle to Minnesota so most of my time was spent on determining the best way to get to Seattle. ...  I finally decided to take a ferry to Vancouver, drive to Seattle and leave the car there while I am in Minnesota. &nbsp;  I'll spend one night in Seattle prior to departure just to make sure I get there in time as the flight leaves at 7:30 am. &nbsp;  I have told one of my jobs about the upcoming trip but I still need to tell H&R Block about it too. 

...I had a light schedule at work so I managed to make it down to the beach a few times. &nbsp;...  I could not leave it there as the tide was coming in and the only other folks on the beach said it was not theirs. &nbsp;  So tomorrow I am going to go to the&nbsp;Lantzville&nbsp;Post Office along with a print of a couple of the pictures to see if we can find the owner. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>February&#x27;s Here</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-02-09T18:40:15-08:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/094a4e6a86bb8906c2609d9245f3bde6-152.html#unique-entry-id-152</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/094a4e6a86bb8906c2609d9245f3bde6-152.html#unique-entry-id-152</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Last week, (Jan 30 to be precise) Marsha was walking along the beach in Lantzville and there she found a camera. ...  The tide was coming in and in another few minutes the camera would have been ruined so she picked it up. ...  We did find several pictures of a fairly distinctive house, two dormers over the garage and the other end had a double gable, so we printed a couple of them off and then the next day, Saturday we went down and drove around Lantzville hoping to see the house. 

...We had just about resigned ourselves to posting a sign in the Lantzville post office and hoping the people would come in. the trouble we didn't know if they even lived in Lantzville. 

...To us the idea of a place that sells filtered water systems and bottled water in Nanaimo seems absurd. 

...We don't know why they congregate on this particular house; no other house around here seems to be a gull-magnet like this one. ...  The house next to it looks nearly identical, same color, same roof, same size but we've never seen a bird on that roof. 

...I tried to photograph the planet Venus but even at highest magnification it just could not focus on a little dot in a black sky. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Early Mid-Winter</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-02-15T18:39:34-08:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/9dd347959a133be842140b97ec376869-151.html#unique-entry-id-151</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/9dd347959a133be842140b97ec376869-151.html#unique-entry-id-151</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[It's been a lot of fun and as well it has helped our knowledge of Canadian geography substantially. ...  Nanaimo, Victoria, and Vancouver make a tiny little triangle in the lower left corner of the map. 

...The tile we ordered came in, we went with a 13" ceramic tile that looks like sandstone.   It even has a degree of roughness that is different from the usual vitreous shine of ceramic tile. ...  We have a friend that is really good at this kind of thing and has the tools to do it right.


One of the big news stories this week has been the airline crash in New York. ...  We'll often hear about a car crash in Newfoundland, or a big event in Winnipeg along with something that happened in Vancouver. ...  In this case the worry is that if the crash was ultimately the fault of the airplane then it would make Bombardier look bad and they are OUR airplane company.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Computers&#x2c; Aircraft &#x26; Dishwashers</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-02-22T18:38:34-08:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/48c02405467eb18a3a5c619fdd329c4a-150.html#unique-entry-id-150</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/48c02405467eb18a3a5c619fdd329c4a-150.html#unique-entry-id-150</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The old machine only had a couple of 80 Gb hard drives which was fine for the last 5 or 6 years but since we got a digital camera it's been filling up fast. 

...Interestingly the team was headed by Alexander Graham Bell, and his family money underwrote the development of the Silver Dart and Glenn Curtis was part of the team that developed the plane.   This was the start of what in the following decades would become Curtiss Aircraft a major player in aviation up through World War II. 

...Actually it runs fine, as long as you define 'fine' as water leaking all over the floor and the dishes not coming out clean.   Marsha found out that one of the perks of her job at H&R Block is that she gets a discount card from Sears. ...  We found a nice dishwasher on sale for a good price, plus we got an extra 10% off with Marsha's card and an extra $20 in store discount. ...  The delivery charge and the charge to dispose of the old appliance are almost as much as the installation charge and the latter includes delivery and disposal.


...One of the doors on the cigarette cabinet came off and fell on one of my co-workers and when I was there I had to call a Code Adam. (missing child). ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Insanity</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-03-01T18:37:52-08:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/635e3697c914d600fe1911b285514713-149.html#unique-entry-id-149</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/635e3697c914d600fe1911b285514713-149.html#unique-entry-id-149</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[It all started early in the week when Marsha came across an article in the paper about a charity fundraiser in town. ...  They had people who came all the way from Wisconsin and New York just to pay for the privilege of throwing themselves off of a tower, in the cold rain (it is February after all), while naked, to raise money for charity. 

...Marsha was working late that evening and when she called me on her lunch hour she mentioned that she still needed to put gas in her car.   I thought it might be a nice surprise for her, so after hanging up I drove to where she was working, took the Prius, fueled it and brought it back to where she had it parked. ...  Now there are some of you that may be asking why I didn't just leave my car, that I had fueled that afternoon and take the Prius back home. ...  MY Mini getting who knows WHAT on it and setting there for ANY nefarious types with a tow truck to spirit it away. 

...While I was s-l-o-w-l-y sliding toward the truck I did have time to wonder if hitting an F-350 with a Mini Cooper would damage anything other than the Mini Cooper. ...  By then we had six inches on the ground but it was falling so fast that I finished one pass down the driveway and found there was half an inch on the ground where I had just cleared. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>What&#x27;s Going On With Our Weather</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-03-08T18:36:24-07:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/603087d539dcc1ef77bb6d5d015d94c3-148.html#unique-entry-id-148</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/603087d539dcc1ef77bb6d5d015d94c3-148.html#unique-entry-id-148</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Not as much as we had in December and January, but everyone panics once it starts thinking they will be snowed in again. &nbsp;  So the Superstore was a zoo on Saturday as everyone needed to stock up on food and cigarettes.   Unlike H&R Block which was very slow today, I guess not many folks wanted to brave the snow to have their taxes done.


Actually right now the snow has mostly all melted and the sun is back out. ...  Not much else new this week, so this week will be a short letter. &nbsp;  Doug is working on putting all of our prior letters and pictures on a website. 

...Went down to the Lantzville beach and it was raining and gray - but still beautiful


The tide was out so you could see lots of shells, sand dollars and barnacles.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Road Trip&#x21;</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-03-22T18:35:41-07:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/ac3745919a598afe613c2c3e62795175-147.html#unique-entry-id-147</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/ac3745919a598afe613c2c3e62795175-147.html#unique-entry-id-147</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[In each room I had to locate the wiring cabinet, figure out which Cat5 cable was the one going to the connection room, and put an RJ45 plug on the cable. 

...For visitors like us the site has some knee length rubber steel toed boots in the changing room and I used a pair of those. ...  While the boots weren't too bad walking a few paces around the site, by the time I completed the seven blocks back to the Rosewood, my feet were not happy. ...  That's was all fine and good but I had to drive barefoot because there was no way I was going to be able to drive the Mini with the big boots on.   The very first thing I did when I got back on site Friday was to get my shoes and put them in our wiring room where I knew I could get them at the end of the day.


...The last few dozen had no failures and where the first few took over 10 minutes per room, by the end I was down under 5 including locating the panel, when seemed to be in a bit different location in each room. ...  She worked from 9:30 to 5:00 at H&R Block, then from 6:15 to 11:00 at Superstore. a killer schedule, especially as she has another shift Sunday at Superstore, but as she said, she's going to be gone for a week so better to get as much time in as she can right now.


...On Monday when Marsha was at the beach she noticed that one section was covered with what she thought was yellow sand. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>French</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-03-15T18:34:00-07:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/2b3a09a6f96446c09e4a4e55ea1537e5-146.html#unique-entry-id-146</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/2b3a09a6f96446c09e4a4e55ea1537e5-146.html#unique-entry-id-146</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[This did get me to wondering if they ever translated the old Pepe la Pew cartoons into French. 

...Now we don't speak French but we have fun figuring out what they are trying to say. 

...Though I seem to remember a dictator of some South American country with this name, it is actually what they call Snack Crackers, like generic Ritz or Triscut.


...If nothing else I'd guess that it would be loud, but it is in fact food. 

...When we look at the French side of the package they replace Old with Fort. 

...Well Arachines are &nbsp;not eight legged venomous creatures, they are Peanuts so it's OK. So far though, I just haven't been able to get used to eating Dry Roasted Arachines.


...If the French side of the label is facing out you have to look for Delice Royal. ...  If there was a name that screams NOT FOOD then Guim o Choco would have to be close.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Batchelor Life</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-03-29T18:31:37-07:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/d05d42bd8852e6f007196a742944f50b-145.html#unique-entry-id-145</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/d05d42bd8852e6f007196a742944f50b-145.html#unique-entry-id-145</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[All week it's been work, TV and computer stuff in the evening, and by 8:30 the cats and I are asleep.   No wild parties, no floozies, no drinking everything in sight, I'm a lousy bachelor, but then I've known that since my college days.   This weekend was Earth Hour and at 8:30 on Saturday evening we're supposed to show our support for protecting the planet by turning off our lights for an hour. 

...Each of us got a plastic grocery bag at the door and it was $5.00 for everything we could stuff in the bag.   I got a Japanese teapot (list $3.00), 2 muffin top pans ($.75 each) and a plastic pitcher ($.25) all for just &nbsp;$5.00.&nbsp;

...After the big flood in the mid nineties, (the time Fargo was flooded and burned), a big diversion project was built so Winnipeg is not going to be hit.&nbsp;  They're evacuating a couple of small towns too close to the US border to protect but otherwise it's business as usual.&nbsp;


...With a bit more training I think I will be able to get some good shots of the eclipse this summer.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Return to the Island</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-04-05T18:30:01-07:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/23a3ca94bb100d402fb192ff37f27686-144.html#unique-entry-id-144</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/23a3ca94bb100d402fb192ff37f27686-144.html#unique-entry-id-144</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[But at least I made it and did not have to wait for the 10:45 ferry crossing. &nbsp;

...Brenda a programmer we used to work with put together a nice memory book with contributed pictures for the family and Linda, our former boss, also gathered many old work pictures in an album. &nbsp;...  I felt Sheila was with us that night and telling us all that she was only on a new journey and to celebrate with her. &nbsp;

...However it sounds like he may have been the only one as energy use in Nanaimo went up during Earth Hour.&nbsp;  The city's electricity consumption increased 0.2% to join the ranks of other Island communities, such as Campbell River and Courtenay, that surged instead of conserving power. ...  The high&nbsp;proportion&nbsp;of &nbsp;seniors in Nanaimo who stayed up later than normal to be able to turn lights off at 8:30 skewed the numbers.


...We have had to spend the last two days vacuuming, Fabreezing, and hanging the rug out in the sun to get the tobacco smoke out of it. 

...He loves to bring them in as a gift for Barbara who takes them away and then puts them back outside as they are generally still alive.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>An Underwear Affair</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-04-19T18:29:20-07:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/eedd01710db74fca46e861da62365167-143.html#unique-entry-id-143</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/eedd01710db74fca46e861da62365167-143.html#unique-entry-id-143</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[It&nbsp;is a 5k and 10k run where participants are encouraged to run in their underwear to benefit underfunded cancers. ...  For more information on this run in case anyone wants to come and participate can be found at the following website.


...I put in the grout and then Marsha and I cleaned, and cleaned, and cleaned.   Four buckets of water, the sponge and half a dozen rags later the entryway looks marvelous. ...  I guess while laying the tile we were up, down, walking back and fourth, and such. ...  We were going to include a picture, but we've decided to paint before we put it back together. ...  One oddity though, during the grouting process we locked the cats in the bedroom as Geiger had already taken a stroll through the grout once and had to have his paws cleaned before he tracked red on the carpet. &nbsp;  During their imprisonment, Geiger managed to tear up a corner of the carpet while trying to make an escape. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Just What the Heck IS a Canuck Anyway?</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-04-26T18:28:38-07:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/ba276afa238f42c7e52e9eb911d7de47-142.html#unique-entry-id-142</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/ba276afa238f42c7e52e9eb911d7de47-142.html#unique-entry-id-142</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Of course this is Hockey so the only thing smaller than our knowledge of the event is how much Marsha and I really care about it. ...  Of course it is Canada after all, so they'd probably drag us out in the street and politely beat us with hockey sticks. 

...The lot was prepay like the lots at the U of MN and you have a choice. $1 for 2 hours, I can already hear the people at the U of MN groaning. 

...Up here we have mostly the same cars as the US but some of the cars have different names than they do south of the border. 

...In a totally unrelated bit of news; this week I'm going to be scheduling an appointment to get my contacts checked.


...It turned out that they were playing a version of Spring arranged by a court musician for some French king centuries ago. 

...I have more to add but the essentials from the old site have been moved over to the new one, and this weekend I took the old site down. 

...If you are unable to get our e-mails and are unable to unblock umn.edu e-mail on your end, you might just have to start checking the updates on our web site.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>An Eventful Week &#x26; a Happy Easter to Everyone</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-04-12T18:26:45-07:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/81e7a2ca91720d6279e1d9a55dfc91ab-141.html#unique-entry-id-141</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/81e7a2ca91720d6279e1d9a55dfc91ab-141.html#unique-entry-id-141</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Finally I knew it was going to be fine when Steve kept giving me things like servers, system cards, wiring tools, and such to take back to the Nanaimo office. &nbsp;

...In the last few weeks I had cleared the last of the big shrubs out of the front yard, trimmed the rosebush, and broken down the junk cabinet that took up so much space in the garage. ...  The Recycling Center in Nanaimo would take all of it but what would have been a dozen or more loads in the Prius was done in three trips with his pickup truck. 

...I had previously removed the old carpet and vinyl flooring out, this was part of the junk I had taken to the Recycling Centre earlier, and put down sanded 3/4" plywood as a smooth subfloor. ...  While planning this project I found that it would cost about $70 to rent a tile saw for the day.   I knew George had done a lot of tiling, but he didn't have his own saw as he never could justify the cost. 

...Not only did he do a better, and faster, &nbsp;job than I could have ever accomplished on my own, he also was quite miserly with the tiles. 

...We started at the family room end &nbsp;of the entryway and worked one row at a time toward the front door. when we reached the closet we completed that and opened the front door. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Two Years</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-05-03T06:08:19-07:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/bdc47fd6fbdc9b1e9454cc5ffa6881e8-140.html#unique-entry-id-140</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/bdc47fd6fbdc9b1e9454cc5ffa6881e8-140.html#unique-entry-id-140</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[It's been two years since we washed up, exhausted and bedraggled on the shores of this wilderness &nbsp;island lost in the vastness of the Pacific.   We've made a home, and survived upon the bounty of nature, by our wits and with more than a little luck. 

...OK we didn't really flee in the darkness; it was a sunny April afternoon and flee IS a bit strong. ...  And I guess while we did get apples, blackberries, and rhubarb, from nature, mostly we got our food from the grocery store.   We are on an island in the pacific, but lost is a bit strong. ...  OK and to be completely truthful we didn't in fact wash up, BC ferries dropped our little caravan off right on schedule, and that night we stayed in a hotel that first night.


...We've been back to Minnesota a time or two and it was nice to see old friends but Minnesota isn't home any longer. ...  A bad commute is when I trip over one of the cats on the way down the hall to the office.&nbsp;
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Fuzzy Wuzzy Was a Doug</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-05-10T06:04:00-07:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/61db1fce71ba5cfa77772e80bdce990c-139.html#unique-entry-id-139</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/61db1fce71ba5cfa77772e80bdce990c-139.html#unique-entry-id-139</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Like I told Barbara; I can still see if something darts out in front of me, I just can't tell it it's a cat or a rabbit&nbsp; (or a moose, or Mount Rushmore....). ...  I was telling Marsha about this when I happened to look down and realized that my shirt was on inside out. 

...This time we didn't fiddle around, We just primed the whole room and then put two coats of Scotland Road on the walls. ...  For those of you who remember, it is similar to the color we painted the master bedroom&nbsp; in our last house in Minnesota.   Interestingly, when Marsha was picking up the paint she was thinking of going with semi-gloss or eggshell but they recommended sateen which we'd&nbsp;never heard of before.   It is similar to semi-gloss but comes with anti fungal (mold, mildew, etc) additives which makes sense in a place that gets as much rain as we do here.


...Nothing new has been released and no new feet have been discovered since the 6th foot found in June 2008 so the mystery continues. 

...The next time you want to cross the border tell them that you don't need a passport because Minnesota is practically Canada. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Shaggy Dog Stories</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-05-17T06:03:19-07:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/e761dcbebe28715077912b7d9389f983-138.html#unique-entry-id-138</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/e761dcbebe28715077912b7d9389f983-138.html#unique-entry-id-138</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[They looked at me like I was crazy and then said 'The dog's name is Dioji, spelled D-O-G.' 

...All was well&nbsp; until one of Barbara's cats hopped into the window to see what all the noise was. ...  The guys upstairs let Barbara and Dave the owner, know that they are going to be replacing the window. 

...We've celebrated by putting a second light fixture in the front hallway, working in the yard, cleaning the garage, rearranging all of the furniture in the office, moving the big bookcase and the ton of books from the living room to the office, and Marsha made a set of curtains. 

...Here's one that we found yesterday that we really liked: &nbsp;Let us know if you have a problem as sometimes there are films that can only be viewed in Canada.


...But I discovered that if I slide the glasses down my nose a few millimeters, no more than 5/16 of an inch then I can focus for reading, but not distance. 

...Lastly, way back when in college I kept track of my travels by drawing them on a map. ...  It's finally reached the point where even the wall map wasn't&nbsp;flexible&nbsp;enough and I just finished putting the map on the computer. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Happy Memorial Day&#x21;</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-05-24T06:02:37-07:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/e42ef5f978f1b57b6e14d46f0b4c962b-137.html#unique-entry-id-137</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/e42ef5f978f1b57b6e14d46f0b4c962b-137.html#unique-entry-id-137</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I think we mentioned this last week that we had our May holiday last weekend so no long weekend for us. 

...The growing season here is behind a couple of weeks due to our colder spring so there was not much produce yet, but that will be coming up soon.&nbsp;


...They certainly have been scoring a lot during the last few games, I believe the announcers said they had scored 37 runs in the last three games. 

...Doug had left the patio door open a little, while I was in the back weeding and guess who managed to get out for a stroll. ...  We tried to leave the door open a second time and even put a planter in front of the door to slow down any possible escape.   It did not work, in just a couple of minutes Geiger was back out again, so the door and screen were closed. &nbsp;

...Yes he's known this laundry room for a year and a half but he still&nbsp;explores&nbsp;like it was the first time. ...  He knocked it off in just the right angle to strike the hot water heater drain tap and turn it on a bit. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>What A Glorious Sunny Day</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-05-31T06:02:01-07:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/52d59fa9d024168e0eeeb97fe51b927a-136.html#unique-entry-id-136</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/52d59fa9d024168e0eeeb97fe51b927a-136.html#unique-entry-id-136</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Saturday &nbsp;we picked up Barbara and did another circuit of&nbsp;visiting&nbsp;the farmer's market where we bought some plants (peony, tomato and zucchini) and then on to a few garage sales. &nbsp;

...We need a visa to visit China and were told to not start the process too much in advance as it was possible they (China) would not honor a visa that was too old. &nbsp;

...I started to say something to the customer, when he jumped in and said, "Well most people at least wait until I leave to laugh". &nbsp;...  He had let his hair and beard grow long as he was up north for the winter. &nbsp;  He thought at &nbsp;first he looked very outdoorsy until a friend started calling him Charles Manson as that is what he looked like. 

...Have not done this for a while, but just a reminder that if you would like to be removed from this mailing list, please let me know. &nbsp;  Promise neither Doug or I will be offended as we realize folks already get a lot of email they do not have time to read. &nbsp;  Also if you would like to remain on the list, but have a new email address, please let us know.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Visa&#x27;s For The China Trip</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-06-07T06:01:21-07:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/27497f5d3afad74e587829b2152949b2-135.html#unique-entry-id-135</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/27497f5d3afad74e587829b2152949b2-135.html#unique-entry-id-135</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The car was HOT. It had been sitting in the sun and while the outside air was well over 30 degrees C, inside the car it was somewhere over 45. ...  Just about the time we were going to shut the car down, some guy hopped out of one of the cars a little way in front of us, walked back and read us the riot act.   He went on about how we were NOT supposed to let our car run while in line, and how it was polluting the air that ALL of us had to breathe.   I started to say how the Prius ran on the battery most of the time and we were about to shut it down anyway. ...  I was sorely tempted to point out that each one of the cigs he went through polluted the air more than the Prius would have had we left it running for the whole three hours. 

...This has reversed the normal wind patterns so that instead of clean and cool westerly wind off of the Pacific the wind is blowing from the east bringing the heat from the prairies. 

...You know the one where it's 20 degrees C all the time and only rains at night (Unless of course there is something interesting going on astronomically speaking in which case it would just skip that night and stay clear).&nbsp;


...I was working at Pacific Shores one day, came around the side of the building and walked into the cloud of dust from someone using a leaf blower to clean out one of the parking lots. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>A Few Days in Victoria</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-06-14T06:00:47-07:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/065732cc44e6740ed117f547d74cd27f-134.html#unique-entry-id-134</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/065732cc44e6740ed117f547d74cd27f-134.html#unique-entry-id-134</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[So 10C becomes 50F. 30C becomes 90F. OK it's actually 86F but when you are standing out in the sun that four degrees ain't really that important. 

...Even getting on and off the site was difficult because they were building the form for a poured concrete wall that will go all the way around the buildings.   It will be beautiful once the landscaping is done, but I don't see any plants going in yet. 

...Well actually they WOULD like us to wear them but the supply of hats and boots they kept on site have all walked off. 

...That's right you will be able to stay at Parkside and get a face lift or tummy tuck.&nbsp;


...Next to the Farmers Market there was an area set aside for people to come down and sell any sort of stuff they wanted. ...  Officially it was the Junk in the Trunk event, but there is such a strong British influence here that most people were just calling it The Boot Sale. 

...All were taken on the beach in Lantzville from no closer than 50, and usually closer to 100 feet from the subject. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Short Bits</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-06-21T06:00:06-07:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/ba607d5dea5ae2729303f353d655ea28-133.html#unique-entry-id-133</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/ba607d5dea5ae2729303f353d655ea28-133.html#unique-entry-id-133</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The big effect was that it's been a week since she picked up rocks from the beach for the front flower bed. 

...The best part is that not only were they just $2 per pound, normally they are at least $3 in the store. 

...This leads to some confusion as at the Superstore the ad lists prices in pounds but some ring up in kilo's.   The price is the same but Marsha has had to explain it to some people who think there was an error ("Your ad says a dollar a pound but you charged me $2.20").   Actually in the early 1980s when Canada was converting to metric there was an Air Canada flight that ran out of gas. ...  Personally I grew up in Eugene Oregon in the '70s so I knew from elementary school on what a kilo was (and usually the street price as well). 

...She leaped on the cougar, pried it off of her daughter and drove it away with her bare hands (and then ran like heck). 

...This is right up there with the Minnesota guy last week that said to the cops something to the effect of 'I'm not drunk, give me a breathalyzer and I'll prove it' and then blew a .375. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Geiger&#x2c; Well&#x2c; and Canada Day</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-06-28T17:51:31-07:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/be67513e07394f2bf583812df5c40b7a-132.html#unique-entry-id-132</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/be67513e07394f2bf583812df5c40b7a-132.html#unique-entry-id-132</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Then I installed a used system that I brought from Nanaimo, and then hooked the whole thing up, hit power and everything started up and ran just like it was supposed to. 

...It was then that she noticed that they had been trimmed. apparently sometime in the night, the long flowing fronds on one had been bitten off and eaten. 

...She said that if it was within a couple three hours they could induce vomiting, and then put Geiger (and we were sure it was Geiger) on an IV and a catheter and try to pump the poison out of his system. ...  Though Geiger seemed fine everything that we'd read said that his kidneys would shut down and &nbsp;in 3-5 days toxins would build up, and that would be it. 

...The guy is 84, he was looking for a well he'd dug years before and when he stumbled on it the rotten boards covering the hole shattered. ...  When they finally found him though, he refused getting pulled out "Just get me a ladder and I'll climb out." 

...We said no so she took the one out of her car "I got a 24 hour ticket and got back early. ...  Marsha backed up I rolled down the window and handed the ticket to the very surprised driver, gave a quick explanation and we took off. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Real Canadian Superstore</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-07-05T17:50:50-07:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/6478b7f02a0dff4dcfdb1ce0d377bfa7-131.html#unique-entry-id-131</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/6478b7f02a0dff4dcfdb1ce0d377bfa7-131.html#unique-entry-id-131</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[There is a rule at the SuperStore that if the shelf price is different (less) than the price charged, the customer gets the item free or $10 off if the price is more than $10. &nbsp;  When folks question the price, they come up to Customer Service, we get a price checker to verify what they're saying and then do the necessary paperwork.   Well, &nbsp;last week a couple came up to the counter and said the honey they had bought should have been $7.59 and not the $7.99 that was charged. &nbsp;&nbsp;...  Their response was so different than some of the customers who I feel can't wait to run up and tell me,"You know I get that for free now!"


...We have a procedure that if something is left behind in a cart or on lane that has been paid for, we write it down in our "LEFT BEHIND" binder. &nbsp;  Now - the item has to be turned in for us to do that so if a customer left the item in their cart/buggy and another customer takes the item we have no record. &nbsp;...  So I checked in our LEFT BEHIND binder but unfortunately nothing was turned in so I said, "Sorry but as nothing was turned in there not anything I could do." &nbsp;

...We've had several cases where people came in to get a refund for something they bought that was bad or did not ring up at the right price, but did not bring either the product or the receipt. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Liver &#x26; Onions</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-07-12T17:48:18-07:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/469f115ca440dc4a35501ac1a01887e3-130.html#unique-entry-id-130</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/469f115ca440dc4a35501ac1a01887e3-130.html#unique-entry-id-130</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Or maybe the 20th, at least partially open, I mean it might be, but really this time we're serious. ...  They had some trouble finding me a place to stay (it is peak tourist season and Victoria is full right now) and I suggested they just let me camp out in one of the rooms. 

...All I know was that at the bottom of the green onions was a perfect little onion one to one and a half inches in diameter. 

...The trouble is that these books cost in the $30-$75 dollar range and I don't want to drop them as I go. ...  These are serious articles with names like The Permian Greenhouse Crisis, The Cambrian Fossil Record and Origin of the Phyla, or Exceptionally Preserved Non Trilobite Arthropods and Anomalocarids from the Middle Cambrian of Utah.   This is some great stuff (if you're a palio-geek like me) and the cost for printing around 120 pages (60 sheets, double sided) of this was around $10. 

...We will try to post a note or two on the way but you may not hear from us until we get back.   When we do return there will be lots of great pictures for the letters and to post on the web site. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>We&#x27;re Back&#x21;</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-07-30T17:47:12-07:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/95fa960139a42f7b0c9f4a58d2eaf9bf-129.html#unique-entry-id-129</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/95fa960139a42f7b0c9f4a58d2eaf9bf-129.html#unique-entry-id-129</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[We got back yesterday about 6 pm to the hottest day ever recorded in Vancouver and unfortunately Nanaimo is not much better. &nbsp;  The eclipse was beautiful. &nbsp;  We will be sending more info on our trip during our Sunday email, but just wanted to let folks know we are fine. &nbsp;  Here are a coupe of pictures to share.


Marsh and Doug


Doug in Cheju, South Korea


...Doug in Kagoshima, Japan.


...Eclipse Day
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Big Trip Part 1a</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-08-01T17:34:25-07:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/771d0172a11be5d7f341768bc4bd4117-128.html#unique-entry-id-128</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/771d0172a11be5d7f341768bc4bd4117-128.html#unique-entry-id-128</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[It was noisy, it vibrated, and every little bump in the air went immediately thru the thin seats to our posteriors, but you could see individual birds, the color of the tackle boxes in the little fishing boats close below and the fish below them. 

...Rain was coming down in sheets so we just hit the little stores in the hotel and then boarded the busses. ...  Here we were staying in an international hotel in Beijing and the only image of Mao we could find was on a silly little wristwatch for tourists. ...  I would hit the shutter to photograph some sight and instantly the camera would focus on the water drops on the window an inch in front of the lens. 

...I'm not sure if it was the shortest path or we were just staying as far from North Korea as we could or both. 

...A couple of days after she got the she went out to the street and got in, but an eye watering stench made her bail out almost immediately.   It seems that the night she brought the car home her father had asked the spirit of the car to protect her and left an offering of fresh fish and beer on the seat. 

...After they set a small child on the cart they (I'm assuming, that it was the parent), tried to push the cart so it ended up on a target some meters away to win a prize. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Big Trip Part 1b</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-08-02T17:40:20-07:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/cdaad1d11a6f75a84bd7f88c32d10108-127.html#unique-entry-id-127</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/cdaad1d11a6f75a84bd7f88c32d10108-127.html#unique-entry-id-127</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Here are pictures from Kagoshima, Japan.


Kagoshima is situated in the far south of the island of Kyusha.   It is the capital of the province of Kagoshima Prefecture and is often compared to Naples, its Italian sister, as it shares the same mild climate, palm lined streets and an &nbsp;impressive volcano.


Not sure where the mild weather was when we were there as it was very hot and humid.


Sakurajima Volcano


Proof that Marsha was there too.


The Cherry Queen Ferry


Yup, here it is, Curling with Kids
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Big Trip Part 2a</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-08-09T17:40:23-07:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/7f15682bf3caf665a93435b7b2ab2a97-126.html#unique-entry-id-126</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/7f15682bf3caf665a93435b7b2ab2a97-126.html#unique-entry-id-126</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A few puffy cumulous clouds dotted the sky but these were far enough apart that we would be able to dodge them with no trouble. 

...Before we went to the spot where we would view the eclipse the ship circled around the island of Iwo Jima, made famous in two films by Clint Eastwood and one by John Wayne. 

...In one of the lectures there was a picture of a US battleship sailing by the island no further than we were firing all their guns essentially at point blank range.


...The other end of the island was a maize of tunnels and strongholds protected from bombs and shells beneath and within the lava flows that make up the island. 

...The US tried to knock the radar out several times but the Japanese forces always had it running again within a day. 

...There was a moment of panic when one of the cumulous clouds we passed under dropped a few raindrops. aside from a bit of scrambling to cover cameras and lenses, there was no damage. 

...Our second thought was to wonder why he came out here to circle us once and then head home. 

...The light gets really weird, shadows get really sharp, the sky turns a deep color and you can see the shadow coming at you at something like 1000 miles per hour.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Big Trip Part 2b</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-08-09T17:42:37-07:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/778c94a02e27a4556039123c9003f3c2-125.html#unique-entry-id-125</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/778c94a02e27a4556039123c9003f3c2-125.html#unique-entry-id-125</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Don't worry we wore our hats for everything but this picture and covered ourselves with sunscreen once an hour.


...Officially it was 6:38 but the people that put together the eclipse used a couple of tricks to lengthen it. ...  By placing the ship a few miles north of centerline they were lined up with the widest part of the moon. 

...This gave us time to take pictures and then when they announced "Mid Eclipse" to put down the cameras and just enjoy the sight. ...  We didn't but those that had said they could see the whole of Orion and parts of several other constellations.&nbsp;


...A couple short range Japanese cruse liners had come out to see the spectacle and had ended up near us.&nbsp;


&nbsp;We had brought along our Partial Phase Projector Array to safely view the partial phases leading up to and following totality. 

...The partial Phase Projector Array (P3A) and Shi-Shi (the proxy for our friend Sheila that wanted to come on the trip but was unable to). ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Big Trip Part 3a</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-08-16T17:41:03-07:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/373e7025345bf7209662dc1340ca31c6-124.html#unique-entry-id-124</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/373e7025345bf7209662dc1340ca31c6-124.html#unique-entry-id-124</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Rather than spending much of the day on a bus we decided to spend the first day in Kobe, on our own, wandering around town. ...  We spent a wonderful day wandering around, just looking at the locals, picking up a few things, and trying out our <very limited> Japanese.


...After looking at the menus in the windows of several places, we chickened out and grabbed a bite in a French bakery. 

...The day we were there the overcast was a few hundred feet below the top of the mountain. 

...Later on as we descended the mountain&nbsp;&nbsp;in a cable car we got a brief view of Kobe. 

...The alcohol content is higher than wine or beer and I'm not a huge fan of hard liquor.   Even though it was stronger than I normally care for I found the taste, a smooth, grainy, slightly thicker than water ambiance that wasn't bad.   I don't know if I'd have it normally, but it was fun to try.&nbsp;
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Big Trip Part 3b</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-08-16T17:42:16-07:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/1ce3bae55081a21708c0d46baa179144-123.html#unique-entry-id-123</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/1ce3bae55081a21708c0d46baa179144-123.html#unique-entry-id-123</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[We found later that the cloud of pollution goes beyond Shanghai, and east beyond Beijing, This pollution has been documented for a number of years and was a concern during the Olympics last year. 

...This smog was with us the whole time we were in China, making it hard to see very far. 

...After traveling on a bus for three and a half hours we arrived at the Great Wall. ...  What was amazing was how we travelled across absolutely flat plains from Tianjin past Beijing, and then suddenly we were in steep mountains with folded layers in outcrops all over the place. 

...Taken from the bottom, the tower in the top center is as high as I was able to go. 

...I'm sure it was a total coincidence that we had an extra hour after dinner with nothing to do but wander around the showroom.   In any event we got back to the ship after 11:00. we finished packing for the trip home and crashed just after 12:00


...We passed through customs and airport security and made it to the gate with a couple of hours to spare. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Friends Visit &#x26; Sand Castles</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-08-24T17:39:15-07:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/de5e36cddd3606e0c65b8d7a11ee259e-122.html#unique-entry-id-122</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/de5e36cddd3606e0c65b8d7a11ee259e-122.html#unique-entry-id-122</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Things have been settling into a normal routine as we wind down from our trip.   The weekend after we returned our friends Jaki and Dale stopped in for a visit.   They had been in &nbsp;Idaho for a conference and drove on up to see us, &nbsp; Vancouver Island is after all on the way back to Minnesota.&nbsp;


...Speaking of Momiji and Geiger, they have settled into their normal routine of eating, playing and sleeping. &nbsp;  The outdoor wildlife has also settled into their routine as well, much to Geiger's delight.   That reminds me, on the way back from Vancouver we flew low over a tiny island with a single house on it. 

...(You did know the 2010 Winter Olympics are in Vancouver and Whistler BC didn't you?)   We've only been to a couple of the sand castle events but we're always amazed at what they can do with sand and a little imagination.&nbsp;
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Snowbirds &#x26; Parkside</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-08-30T13:10:49-07:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/1887e2017042c163db2bd9ce0add53f2-121.html#unique-entry-id-121</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/1887e2017042c163db2bd9ce0add53f2-121.html#unique-entry-id-121</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[They go from event to event, fairs, celebrations, air shows, and such and put on a show of their flying skill, much like the Blue Angels or Thunderbirds do in the US. ...  The Snowbirds were supposed to be in Nanaimo in May or June but a problem with the ejection seats grounded them for a couple of weeks. 

...As they turn and spin the aircraft will sometimes seem to vanish or appear out of nowhere depending on which side of the aircraft is facing you and what the background is.


...This is what you get when you are shooting with a telephoto lens at aircraft that are a mile or so away through trees that are half a mile or so away. 

...As I mentioned I had just returned from Victoria when we ran out to see the Snowbirds.   This month I have made 3 trips down there to work on the Parkside Resort; the 30th-1st, 10th-12th and most recently the 24th-26th.   The place is now partially open, which is nice because now they can put me up in one of the unused rooms. ...  Now I have a secure parking ramp for the Mini, a really nice room to stay in, and my commute to work is just a quick elevator ride. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Trim Colour - You Decide</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-09-06T13:09:16-07:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/bc3e9eb5813cd164cae8b3dbf2b3781e-120.html#unique-entry-id-120</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/bc3e9eb5813cd164cae8b3dbf2b3781e-120.html#unique-entry-id-120</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A full gallon of paint, two worn out brushes, and numerous heart stopping moments with ladders, (as I told a friend "No I'm not afraid of falling, it's the landing that scares me.' ) and it is done. ...  We got a slab of concrete from the back yard to make a solid stable base and up the ladder I went. ...  I didn't take the bucket up with me, I wanted a free hand to hold onto the ladder so I ended up climbing up and down, over and over, down to load the brush, up to paint, down to load. ...  It was too high, too spooky, and from that far away nobody is going to notice the occasional touch on the shingles or soffit.


...I thought it might be a good idea to take a chunk of the old trim colour to the Home Depot, have them scan it and tell us if they would put any green in the mix. ...  (Actually there were plenty of paint chips that had been scraped from the deck, but Doug said not to bother keeping them.) &nbsp;&nbsp;  Also Barbara said the colour was grey and looked at Doug as if he had two heads when he said it was green.


...Yes we had stopped at a moving sale and the owner said to go ahead and help ourselves to some of their peaches as the tree was just loaded. &nbsp;]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Odds &#x26; Ends</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-09-13T13:08:31-07:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/4d418ff72a4ac34efd527d0b60f1afd0-119.html#unique-entry-id-119</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/4d418ff72a4ac34efd527d0b60f1afd0-119.html#unique-entry-id-119</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[During the night they apparently curled up together for warmth and were still together and none the worse for wear when they were found late the next day. 

...He flew off the handle and read her the riot act about HOW he had had to deal with that stupid song for 70 years, and WHY it was so wrong, and on and on. 

...Marsha stopped by the Customer Service counter to check on her schedule and let them know about something we had bought that scanned at the wrong price. 

...Dad grabbed the little girl and pulled her back ashore, she was wet but OK aside from a a rather bad bite on her hand. 

...If any of you are thinking of taking a cruise, this week Disney Cruises announced that they will be making Vancouver the home port for their Alaska cruises starting in 2011. 

...I looked it up in Wikipedia and found that while in cooking fruits are sweet, biologically fruits grow from a flower and contain the seeds. 

...I had the bright idea to set a few paperback books on the table below the sensor so Geiger would sleep at the other end. ...  However as he stretched out and looked around the room, his paw 'accidentally' pushed all the books off of the table, then he moved down to his usual spot in front of the sensor, curled up and went back to sleep.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Changes on the Home Front</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-09-20T13:07:54-07:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/741c4c0b33067e73690135d24835763a-118.html#unique-entry-id-118</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/741c4c0b33067e73690135d24835763a-118.html#unique-entry-id-118</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Item 1: I have a Mini Cooper which I love driving around the twisty island roads, BUT Fixing the slightest thing on the Mini, even routine oil changes, costs many times what it does on other cars so I only drive it when I need to.


Item 2; The Mini is fantastic on dry summer roads, &nbsp;BUT I already wrote you about how BAD she is on ice and if I had to drive her all year for work, it wouldn't end well.


Item 3; The Mini looks great all polished up and clean, BUT when it comes to hauling lumber or cinder blocks or bags of mulch, something we are doing more and more of, she just doesn't cut it. 

...Item 4; I keep her in the garage to protect her from the elements, BUT that side of the garage would be better used for exercise equipment, a workbench, storage of stuff to go into the house projects, and we could really use a second freezer.


So logically I (and I do mean I, there was no pressure from Marsh), decided that as fun as the Mini is we don't need a cute little sports car as much as we need a mid milage ratty mini pickup truck. 

...Item 2; I did try soft lenses and I found that unlike hard lenses they tended to rotate so sometimes my vision was sharp and sometimes it was fuzzy (an effect of my astigmatism), &nbsp;BUT glasses always give me a sharp image.


Item 3; I have reached the point have to use reading glasses WITH my contacts, But as I mentioned before, with glasses &nbsp;if I need to see something close up, all I have to do was slide the glasses down a fraction of an inch and voile' close up vision. 

...The worst part though is that I sold the Mini and Marsha took the Prius with her and parked it at the airport (in Seattle), so I have no wheels. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>The Autumn of our Discount Tent</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-09-27T13:03:04-07:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/948265dcedf81452d6a239043ab896d6-117.html#unique-entry-id-117</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/948265dcedf81452d6a239043ab896d6-117.html#unique-entry-id-117</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Though we're at that point where you need a jacket in the morning but by noon you don't so you forget it at the office.


...The most amazing bit is that it's a '96 so I got it for a very reasonable price.


...We'd make phone call, tell the guy we always worked with what we were looking for and the price we wanted to pay He found the car and had it brought to Minneapolis. 

...They gave me a list of things they promised to fix, justifying the higher price, essentially getting me to pay ahead for their repair work. ...  They said it was in premium condition, overlooking the things they just said needed to be fixed a minute before.   I told them it was still a 13 year old truck and with the list of needed repairs there was no way I'd pay any more than $5500. ...  The only concession I made was I gave them a promise that I would refer the next three people looking for a car to them (Yeah right).


...A few lights, I want to check the ball joints, I don't think they're shot but I want to see how close they are. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>I&#x27;m a Lumberjack and I&#x27;m OK</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-10-04T13:02:23-07:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/bb37df89d7083da1c6b998d1e24d1d7e-116.html#unique-entry-id-116</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/bb37df89d7083da1c6b998d1e24d1d7e-116.html#unique-entry-id-116</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I can see the night sky in the back yard and our back yard will get a lot more sunlight for the stuff Marsha wants to grow. 

...They moved all the stuff in our back yard away from the base of the tree so it wouldn't get damaged. 

...By a little after noon they had all of the branches off and removed the last couple of feet off the top.


The rest of the afternoon was punctuated by RRRRRRR&hellip;&hellip;&hellip;THUMP, RRRRRRR&hellip;&hellip;&hellip;THUMP, RRRRRRR&hellip;&hellip;&hellip;THUMP, as they cut off chunks of the trunk with a chainsaw and let them fall to the ground in our neighbours yard.&nbsp;


The tree was over 75 feet tall and they tried to keep the chunks between a foot and a foot and a half thick so they worked all afternoon and the first half of the next day cutting the tree into bits.&nbsp;


The rest of the second day was gathering and hauling away the branches, piling the chunks in their back yard, and cleaning both of our yards. 

...The 'electrical problem' that caused the Check Engine light to stay on (that they figured would take several hours to trace), was actually a clogged vent in the gas tank.   Overall we had to drop a few hundred into it but our mechanic said it is in exceedingly good shape and now should be a solid truck for us for many years.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Happy Thanksgiving</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-10-11T12:59:51-07:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/8dddda6f794d35f158423ad53294ec72-115.html#unique-entry-id-115</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/8dddda6f794d35f158423ad53294ec72-115.html#unique-entry-id-115</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[In honour of that I'd like to discuss a subject that slides under the radar for most, even some Canadians; Canadian Cuisine.   If you ask the casual person what French, or Italian, or even Chinese food is they will have an answer. 

...To quote from an authoritative site I ran across: "Some of the original Indian recipes were roast polar bear, boiled reindeer, moose meat soup, sweet pickled beaver, squirrel fricassee, fried woodchuck, stuffed whale breast, steamed muskrat legs, boiled porcupine, boiled caribou hoofs, baked skunk, dried buffalo meat, baked salmon, roast or boiled corn, and acorn bread." ...  I'm not really sure how you would cook stuffed whale breast even if we DID have an oven big enough. http://www.foodreference.com/html/artcanadianfoods.html


...We just drive on by and look for a Tim Horton's.http://www.alineaphile.com/archives/22-TUNA,-Candied-and-Dried.html


...I just find it amusing that the French Canadians make Shepherds Pie, change its name and claim it as their own. 

...They are not bad but in reality Nanaimo bars were engineered specifically to squirt custard on your shirt when you bite into them.


...Even better I've seen (are you sitting down), Poutine, (really I don't think you should be eating or drinking for this), in the frozen food section of the grocery store. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Upperclass Twit Of The Year</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-10-18T12:58:23-07:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/a130e6e170894ae7004a58f5076f375e-114.html#unique-entry-id-114</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/a130e6e170894ae7004a58f5076f375e-114.html#unique-entry-id-114</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I was walking across a parking lot when I noticed a vehicle coming down the lane in front of the main doors to Canadian Tire. 

...Either way he backed up and got the corner of his bumper in the space before running out of room between the cars on either side. ...  Just for good measure he pulled forward and back one more time to make sure the truck was straight.


...Remember this was the central drive directly in front of the main doors to Canadian Tire and this fellow was parked in the second space in from the door.   By this time I was entering Canadian Tire (I had taken the long way around so as &nbsp;to make sure at least one row of cars was between me and this Twit at all times) and I couldn't see him actually get out.   I saw the door open and the top of his head and two bony hands disappear on the far side of the truck, but he remained invisible to me. ...  My visit to Canadian Tire was quite brief, and when I emerged the truck and the fellow I've come to call Tiny Twit was gone.


...Shaw switchboards lit up both nights but Shaw just said the conclusion of the MLB game would be on their TSN-East channel WHICH IS NOT AVAILABLE HERE, only on the east coast.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Off To Courtney</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-10-25T12:57:13-07:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/b23882e6e4636d157789be807ab489e5-113.html#unique-entry-id-113</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/b23882e6e4636d157789be807ab489e5-113.html#unique-entry-id-113</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[We're spending the weekend with a friend Marsha got to know when she was doing taxes last winter. ...  Our plan is to be back home in the early afternoon as Sunday evening I have to run into the Nanaimo office.   BCHydro is shutting off power to the building at 6:00 and turning it back on by 2:00 am Monday.   This wouldn't be a huge problem except that the Nanaimo ofice is where Aviawest keeps some of their critical servers. ...  At NCO I had to do one of these every month or so and in some cases two a month.


...It was an overcast day but still you can see how pretty the place is. ...  Pacifc Shores is one of the resorts that are run by Aviawest and one of my main responsibilities.


...You can see the fish, anemones, starfish, &nbsp;and urchins, The same kind of creatures we see near the beaches around here.&nbsp;
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>An Eventful Week That Got Better As IT Went Along</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-11-01T12:55:48-08:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/78ba77fddb9a2a509572de41953292da-112.html#unique-entry-id-112</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/78ba77fddb9a2a509572de41953292da-112.html#unique-entry-id-112</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[At 9:30 I went back and once the power came back started everything on again. ...  The last one started, it was lit up AS IF it was working fine but would not answer network calls.   It wouldn't have been too bad but it was the one system that &nbsp;had a critical process that was used across the whole Aviawest network. ...  I fought with it until 3:00am then I went home, crashed for a couple hours, and went back to the office at 7:30. 

...Well if you go way back, though he grew up in the US he went to college in Canada at Brandon University in Winnipeg on a basketball scholarship. ...  Anyway Barbara told us that in 1972 while he was still in college they wanted him to play on the Canadian Olympic Basketball Team.   He was ready to join the team but they discovered that he had not resided in Canada long enough to be eligible. 

...Finally the runner passed to much cheering, and picture taking, After going through Lantzville the torch relay will continue to Port Hardy on the northern end of the island. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Boy Are We Tired</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-11-08T12:55:08-08:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/94325fc3fc2d2cd3c5496ace1191360a-111.html#unique-entry-id-111</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/94325fc3fc2d2cd3c5496ace1191360a-111.html#unique-entry-id-111</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I had cleaned it out earlier this week and was hoping to get the painting done. &nbsp;  However I got called in for extra hours due to co-workers being sick or needing family time, so only got the first coat painted. ...  Doug put in a new light fixture so we had better lighting to work in. 

...We watched Ice Age: The Age of the DInosaurs and had a great dinner (ribs for me and pasta for Doug.) 

...Today we went and bought some shelves, stacked the washer and dryer and started working at getting stuff back in the laundry room. &nbsp;

...Well one of the places they used to hand off the torch was on the roof of the Old Country Market along with the goats. &nbsp;&nbsp;

...Wednesday is a holiday here (Remembrance Day) but both Doug and I are scheduled to work. &nbsp;

...Master en-suite - new flooring (the old stuff was yellowish and ugly), teal paint (the old stuff was yellowish and ugly).
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Conversations</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-11-15T12:54:32-08:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/a19bc47cc4343021789121f5745ed957-110.html#unique-entry-id-110</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/a19bc47cc4343021789121f5745ed957-110.html#unique-entry-id-110</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The original plan was to put a transmitter in every room but we found that we only needed to put a transmitter in every fourth. 

...The other thing I had to do was fabricate a bracket out of strapping and attach the WiFi transmitter to the bottom of the night stand in the bedroom and plug it in. 

...This sounds odd but what I've learned about timeshares is that you own a week at the resort but you can trade your share for time at other resorts. 

...He talked about how in the '60s his base had to get ready for a visit by Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip. ...  On the day of the visit, the Queen arrived, looked around for a minute and said "Oh it's such a beautiful day, let's drive instead", whereupon they hopped back in the car and disappeared down the road. 

...The door was answered by a sullen teenage girl with black hair, eye shadow, and lipstick and a 'I'm so sick of going on vacation with my parents' &nbsp;attitude seeping out of every pore. 

...Unfortunately, being he is part of the government some of the receivers assumed that this was an official announcement that former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher had passed away. ...  Only when this last office called <a very confused> Downing Street&nbsp;did they find out that, much to Harpers Office's embarrassment, that Margaret Thatcher was fine. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>The End of the Dreary Stuff</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-11-29T12:53:39-08:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/60245c6aaf159ad5b29c0f03960ed0e6-109.html#unique-entry-id-109</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/60245c6aaf159ad5b29c0f03960ed0e6-109.html#unique-entry-id-109</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The thing is that after weeks of dark and grey and dreary damp it's hard to keep going. 

...On the news they said it was blue sky, but Marsha called it grey and I thought it was ever so&nbsp; slightly green. ...  I got more done at work Friday than I had completed all week. ...  We took Barbara out to lunch on Friday and it was a lot of fun. 

...It worked and it was FAST. The only thing was I had to make sure I stayed back from the sheet as it was fully capable of melting the plastic. 

...I ran out and picked up some 1/2 x 1 stock and made a frame for the patio door. 

...I heard a POP-RRRRippp and looked into the room to see Geiger proudly displaying a couple of openings he had made in the film. ...  He hasn't tested the plastic, or my patience since then, but our front window now has a couple pieces of clear packaging tape across it as a reminder.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Christmas: A Time For Crazy Old Coots to Hug Their Cats</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-12-06T12:52:50-08:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/54ce054e7fc8d33a250b951bca129852-108.html#unique-entry-id-108</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/54ce054e7fc8d33a250b951bca129852-108.html#unique-entry-id-108</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I don't know if you've seen the ads for it down there but it is quite possibly the most inappropriate product ever sold, and yes, I am including the Hello Kitty AK-47 in that assessment. http://www.glamguns.com/hk47.html&nbsp;This week I was walking down an aisle in the Superstore. 

...This may sound trivial but as I work at home I spend more time in my slippers than I do in regular shoes. ...  Marsha kept recommending that I get new ones but I wanted to get every penny's worth of use out of them so I kept wearing them. ...  Finally, the strips of the sole were slapping noticeably when I walked and worst of all I started to trip over them. (plus he was leaving bits and pieces of them all over the house) Replace them? ...  While Marsha was at work I tossed the remnants of the old slippers in the trash and told her the cats had eaten them.   I pulled out an even older pair of buckskin slippers so I STILL haven't had to buy new ones. 

...Oh and I'm officially a crazy old coot now. this is of course something Marsha has known for some time.   Any doubt on her part was eliminated this week though when we were sitting in the family room and working on our laptops. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Rain</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-11-22T12:50:07-08:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/8f137c409285d30d8789b5c38c87dc1f-107.html#unique-entry-id-107</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/8f137c409285d30d8789b5c38c87dc1f-107.html#unique-entry-id-107</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[We've had a few bands that have had a lot of wind and driving rain but mostly its been fairly heavy, incessant rain with a few periods of light rain. even the concrete is starting to feel soggy in places. 

...The Pineapple Express is a seasonal thing that sets up a couple of times per year, but not usually for this long.   If you look at a satellite picture there is a band of warm wet clouds a few hundred miles wide that is flowing onto the coast from the southwest. 

...# as I made my way through the room Marsha piped up with "Well, why don't you turn on a light", which I actually tried to do before I realized that she was kidding. ...  By now it was nearly 5:00 and a thick cloud cover filtered what little light the setting sun could provide so it was getting pretty dim in there. 

...Now, Agnes lives on a hill overlooking the river so that even though some parts of Courtenay are flooded, she is high and dry. ...  The other thing the residents of Courtenay are dealing with is the river has cut the town in half. 

...What is making things so bad is that the tides have been extremely high this week and this has been backing up the rivers and making the flooding worse.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Christmas Horrers and Other News</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-12-13T12:48:25-08:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/2bdd68f25fac98d987b27ca1153221db-106.html#unique-entry-id-106</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/2bdd68f25fac98d987b27ca1153221db-106.html#unique-entry-id-106</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[There is just something really wrong on so many levels about Bob Dylan singing Winter Wonderland <SHUDDER>&nbsp; Here's a review and some clips. http://gawker.com/5381621/most-comically-dylanesque-tracks-on-bob-dylans-christmas-album


...I don't offhand know the plot, I think it's something along the lines of "Hi Mom here's my boyfriend,&nbsp; did I mention I kidnapped him?". 

...Rather than having a European name they changed it to a name in the Haida language, which I think is great, in concept. ...  While I understand the concept I'm just not sure why a name made up in 1978 is better than a name made up in 1778 http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2009/12/11/bc-queen-charlottle-islands-renamed-haida-gwaii.html


...Mostly sourdoughs, walnut sourdough, rye sourdough, a multigrain strohan (a scottish soda bread with lots of seeds and grains and stuff in it), and several others all of which have lots of nuts and seeds, and things in them. ...  Personally I enjoy looking down at my toast in the bleary hours of the early morning and wondering if that chunk in the bread is a seed, a grain, or maybe larva.


...The girl behind the counter looked puzzled for a bit and then explained it was a scottish soda bread with lots of seeds and grains in it. ...  I have to give her credit for being polite and not laughing out loud, but I'm sure she thought I was nuttier than the bread.&nbsp;
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Counters&#x2c; Counting the Days&#x2c; &#x26; Holiday Memories</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-12-20T12:46:31-08:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/7efb8d9b05e319df976dedd3b9878d60-105.html#unique-entry-id-105</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/7efb8d9b05e319df976dedd3b9878d60-105.html#unique-entry-id-105</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[It's beautiful and all that but as a kid growing up in Oregon I just couldn't appreciate anyone singing joyfully about how "He will RAIN forever and ever and ever and ever." 

...This year though, we've not been able to do the full Xmas do-dads dripping from every inch of the house thing with two trees and multiple ornament collections and figurines and holiday bric-a-brac on every level surface and garland everywhere including Geiger if he's napping. 

...We replaced them with new counter tops that are still Formica but it's SO much better than the old stuff. 

...Well, you see, originally we were expecting the new countertops to be installed the last week of November. ...  As it turned out the countertops were delayed and we didn't get them installed until the 17th of December.&nbsp;&nbsp;

...She'd open, she'd close, she's work two days in a week, she'd work eight or nine days in a row over two weeks. ...  (You all will have to ask Marsha for her Job Title) (I'm called the 'Candy Bitch" - mga) She has regular hours, three five hour shifts on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. ...  Now she can resume meeting Barbara to walk in the morning, or she can take classes, or we can plan to see a movie, or she can volunteer at the Library or SPCA. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Christmas Weekend</title><dc:creator>Douglas Aalseth</dc:creator><dc:subject>Home Page</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-12-26T12:38:07-08:00</dc:date><link>http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/7b0afe5780add374843e532f14f4b2a8-104.html#unique-entry-id-104</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://douglas.aalseth.net/blog-2/blog-5/files/7b0afe5780add374843e532f14f4b2a8-104.html#unique-entry-id-104</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Mike gave Marsha a very nice vase made in New Mexico by a pueblo artisan and me a Mr. Peanut cookie jar (I guess it means Marsha is a classic and I'm nuts). 

...Being accepted was rather difficult in these remote towns, especially for a young couple when everyone else in town was First Nations and had lived there for generations.   They had been there a couple of weeks when one Saturday there was a knock at the door. ...  The long distance charges were well over $200 (and this was in the early 1980's, so in today's dollars today it would be at least twice if not three times that.) ...  When he regained his composure they let him make his telephone calls to talk to his relatives in Yellowknife, and Winnipeg, and Vancouver, and Toronto, and Halifax. 

...Yes while many of our friends were dealing with heavy snow, whiteout conditions, and travel warnings, we were walking hand in hand on the beach, taking pictures, looking at the boats on the water and seagulls in the sky, picking up brick-a-brack, and enjoying the Christmas morning sunshine. 

...Today, Saturday, is Boxing Day, when all the stores discount whatever they have left over from Xmas to clear them out by the end of the year. ...  I work at the desk and listen to internet broadcasts or iTunes all day so she thought a good set of speakers with a base driver was a nice idea. ]]></content:encoded></item></channel>
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