Happiest Fireside

Finally, a home to love.

This fine chilly October evening I'm sitting by the fire in my beach shack; ok, it's not mine, but it's mine to use and live in.....

Waterfront. I lived there once, many years ago, when my children were young. And, so was I, for that matter.

And now, again, the same place, but different. This time, Port Orchard Washington, instead of North Vancouver British Columbia. But, there's the same knotty pine interior, a front porch with a fabulous view, a never-ending marine scene, in this case the US Navy, including aircraft carriers, and the Coast Guard, moving right past the front door, and my spiritual totem, a Great Blue Heron, the eminence grise of my former life.

And here's me, alone, but happy. Motorcycle in carport, van in carport, tools in toolshop, photo studio about to be set up in the spare bedroom, and wireless access on my laptop courtesy of my Blackberry.

And the kayak's out on the brick side patio waiting for spring, and the boat plans are posted on the shop wall.

No nosy neighbors, no fire engines, no traffic, a dead end lane, and I LOVE IT!!!!!!

More, much more, to come.

Decisions, Decisions

The best memories are the ones you can't refresh by looking at a photograph. I'm sorry to say that that's true.

Sorry, because last night I was able to create a fresh new memory that I'd swear is going to last a long time.

It's of course an aviation memory.

Unexpectedly, a customer needed to get down to Bend, OR, and he chartered an aircraft from us. That aircraft, a Beechcraft Bonanza, has a large enough passenger load that the charter pilot, who also happens to be my instrument instructor, asked me along, so that I could get some instruction in the real world of IFR on the way home.

So, I sat in the rear on the trip down, while the customer flew and my instructor helped him, as he too had never flown that particular type, though he has many hours in similar aircraft.

The trip down was delightful, and uneventful. We stopped off for a sugar fix at the FBO, filed a return flight plan, and took off.

This was my first Bonanza flight, and sitting left seat I'd spent about fifteen minutes making myself familiar with the panel. I've spent a lot of time in a simulator with this instructor, and it is, though not identical, a similar layout, with similar equipment. I was actually perhaps a bit more current with the GPS, but I think that's just my vanity talking.

Anyway, to the memory. All flights are wonderful, but this one in particular was great. We climbed to 11,000', then asked for VFR on top at 11,500'. Below us was a perfect white cloud layer, about 9000' Heading north to the Olympia VOR, I had the great pleasure of being faced with two choices.

To my left, the Pacific Ocean, with a brilliant red sun setting behind the cloud layer. And to my right, a perfect full moon rising behind Mount Rainier. At one moment the moon was perched perfectly right on top the mountain, like a shining white ball balanced on the tip.

And my cameras? Left behind for weight and balance considerations for the trip south.....

Ah well, the images are burned on my mental flash drive.....

Changes in Latitudes

It was all to do with a motorcycle ride.

I needed to get it fixed, and one of the guys I'm lucky to have as a resource lives on the Peninsula. I of course slept in late the morning I was supposed to have gotten my butt over to his house, and, arriving at the ferry just as it was leaving the dock, and failing to have his phone number I really had blown it. He really had set aside a limited amount of time, and I'd not shown up during that window...

However, I asked him to recommend a good ride, and the net result was that I found a great little house that I'm going to move into.

Now, my good friend Mark has advised me that I'd be best to discipline myself, and not choose the house.

Thanks Mark, I tried to listen, really, I did....

Instead, I'm moving in a few weeks, and am excited as hell. In order to make the move, I've got to generate more income, and that's going to take a lot of my time. But, I've started, and some of the photographs I've been taking recently may hold the key to it. In any case, here's some photos of the house, and the view, and in the winter I'll be spending a lot of time getting the workshop ready, and getting the kayak ready to push off the front lawn and into the drink.

I'll be back in touch.