The folks at Dakota are still fine tuning the Grant Candies, launched a few weeks ago.  We notice the addition of 'Skum' guns!

As explained by the local tugboat operators, Skum guns are used to fight fires. A wise addition on a vessel that will see service around oil equipment.

The Samsung CLP-300
Working much better, these days... thank goodness. You see, the problem wasn't so much the cost of the machine - since it was purchased refurbished at about a third the cost of new - but we had purchased a reserve supply of ink cartridges - and you KNOW that's where the REAL money is. We were prepared to buy another CLP-300 just to use up the ink. Fortunately, that will now not be necessary...

Thanks to JET -

Busted!

By now, most of us realize that when it comes to Internet browsing, there are choices involved. For a long time Microsoft had a lock on things with their browser -- Internet explorer. When that browser came under such heavy attack by unscrupulous hackers - attacking your mailbox, etc. (exploiting weaknesses in the browser) we were forced to realize that there were alternatives.
The Mozilla Firefox browser has been a good alternative, and though Internet Explorer remains a viable and reliable browser these days -- Firefox has garnered a substantial market share.
Low and behold -- here comes another browser on the international scene, this one from Japan. Try it, and see what you think? It's fast and spiffy and has a lot of nice features... the Sleipnir browser

Speaking of browsers -- don't forget Opera
There is a reason we have choices and it is up to us to explore them.
On the other hand, you could just leave it up to geeks like me to explore the alternatives and pass the information on to you...
Mozilla remains our browser of choice. However, we're still playing with the Sleipnir browser, and the jury is out. Try it yourself, it has many nice features and seems very fast. By all means, let me know what you think?

Jul 23, 2008 Wed

Midweek. News of the day --
A few months ago we bought a refurbished Samsung printer. Refurbished, it went for less than half the cost of new. We were replacing a Hewlett-Packard printer that was well over 12 years old. One of those DeskJet models that everyone seemed to own. It was with some trepidation that we veered away from the trusted name of Hewlett-Packard...

We had wanted to step up to a quality laser printer. This Samsung model CLP-300 seemed like a good bet.

Unfortunately, it gave us some grief. It would print photos but it wouldn't print documents... The good news? -- it seems to have been a software problem, and the unit itself is okay -- yippee. More on this, later, as testing continues...

This guy's sense of humor rocks...

You could be planning ahead, and have one of these handy chairs~

Jul 22, 2008 Tue

A very yummy thing, Ann has made - 'Fruit Pizza' - delicious fresh fruit in a pasty/fruity glaze on a pie dough crust. A bit of whipcream - sinfully scrumptious!

Heidi and Aaron have a wedding webpage -

A bit of signage...

A bit of future forecasting from the fifties - seemed so right... or, not.

This machine resides locally, and is still in daily service. Rotary, is the term that describes this dial phone from the 70's. Also, analog - also, pulse - as in, pulse VS tone dialing.
Would make a good 'Heritage' piece, with a picture of... oh, like this: Cordless digital phone, I am your Father.

The travel camping van  is sold... alas. Another Craig's list success, as Bob's Ford Focus went the same way.

Have you looked at the Flickr pix?

TJ  is back from Alaska cruising, and has posted some pictures, HERE

Thanks to Jerry ~~

THE TRICK IS TO FIND THE MAN AMONG THE COFFEE BEANS:
This is bizarre - after you find the guy - it's so obvious. Once you find him - it's embarrassing, and you think, Why didn't I see him immediately?

Jul 21, 2008 Mon

You may recall that some months ago we ordered a Linux laptop, online. So far, that device has not been delivered. E-mail exchanges suggest that patience will be rewarded, however, at this point we remain unconvinced. That was months ago...
In all fairness, we have not been charged for this machine yet, either.

S'ok. We converted Paul's old computer to Linux, and the learning curve has commenced. Here's what we can tell you, so far - Linux is not as easy as Windows, yet.

However, if you mainly surf the Internet and use your computer for e-mail, pictures -- and that's about it -- you would be miles ahead with a Linux computer. It is definitely faster and more reliable, to say nothing of easier to use. And FREE. The going rate for windows Vista is into the hundreds of dollars... and most folks are not too happy with it, to say the least. Can you say, bloated software?

The problems arise with software. Although Linux makes it easy to view pictures, edit pictures, watch videos and make CDs-- it's those other Windows programs you will miss, if you are a Photoshop sort of person. In other words, if you have a lot of money invested in Windows software (who doesn't?) then you might find Linux a bit challenging.

Installing programs on Linux is more difficult than with Windows, and there is so much more Windows software out there. It is getting easier, with each new Linux release. (We are using Ubuntu).
We have been running Linux on one of our computers 24/7 for several weeks now. It is so fast and easy for web browsing. However, even installing Mozilla Thunderbird (an open source e-mail program, which we use on all the other computers), hasn't worked out, yet. The Ubuntu disk comes with an e-mail program, Evolution, which we haven't been able to get working, either...
Although to be fair, we haven't plowed through all the 'readme's', yet.

Bottom line -- there is probably a Linux computer in your future due to the power of open source programming. It's free. Microsoft Word is still 300 bucks. Open source 'word', is free and works well.

We noticed this lady curbing her dogs in our front yard. To her credit, she did pick up the poop... while talking all the while on her cellphone~

We happened to travel downtown yesterday, and low and behold -- it was an old car extravaganza! We are sure that this was advertised in the local news, but somehow we had missed it...

Over several blocks there were hundreds of automobiles on display. This was great fun, on a Sunday, when Ann is busy with the church and various related activities until afternoon...

Whoa! Not your daddy's Willys - a full-blown engine in a 1936 wee Willys pick up~

We did have another look (and a bite to eat at the Brown) when she got home - here, photographing the lady on the hood of a Rolls-Royce -- vintage 1955

What came to mind was this: words that have multiple and opposite meanings, yet, are spelled the same. The word in this case, referred to car engines -- blown.

In other words, a 'blown' engine -- meant that it had been destroyed, blown up in some way, internal pressures having destroyed the engine.

Whereas, the same word, 'blown', could refer to a souped-up high performance engine -- one that had a 'blower' -- a mechanism that forces compressed air into the intake manifold at high pressure, mixed with gasoline - i.e.
It was powered by a blown 354...

So -- which 'blown' are we referring to? The destroyed engine, or the high-performance engine?

To clarify this issue we are asking for other words that might fall into this category - they are spelled the same yet their meanings are diametrically opposed.

Jul 20, 2008 Sun

The 'it's too bad' category:

Too bad I can't make any money off the folks that want to use the tag board for free advertising. As you know, we've tried several different 'boards', finding this one to be the best. Unfortunately, it is that fact making the tag board a target.

It's hard to imagine what type of mentality would think they are going to get rich by advertising to the 10 or 15 people that read this blog? It's more than that, though. Who's really being spammed is the tag board's server itself. When my tag board is spammed, the page counter doesn't go up -- the spamming is occurring at the server level -- probably to untold thousands of tag boards at once.

The tag board folks are doing their best to deal with it, and we find it easy enough to hit the delete button...

So, spammers, have a nice day...

Too bad Shipwreck Days has become Shipwreck Day -- it was formerly a weekend event. We told ourselves that it would be all right to purchase a come-along (described here), should one turn up at the world's largest garage sale, which basically describes Shipwreck Day in Anacortes. Oddly enough, one didn't. But we did see every piece of junk that ever cluttered up our garage, or the garage of anyone else we ever knew. (Perhaps this explains why it has become a one-day event?)

And a lot of other stuff, too.

Shipwrecked Day, with it's every man sort of charm, draws huge multitudes - which makes walking around a great deal of fun - as part of the overall experience. Cheeseburgers are sold...

Thanks to Neil - a game

Ann gave a wedding shower~

These potatoes grew in our raised beds behind the back fence. You will note they are rather small and bumpy. They are more like potatoes used to be, but that isn't the best part. The best part is that they are amazingly delicious and flavorful, and don't need to be peeled...

Enjoying the patio (and a cuppa) late yesterday.

Jul 18, 2008 Fri

Evelyn pulling out onto the city streets all on her own, for the first time. She has since navigated to the mall and back.

Weird

All the fair weather vehicles are back in service - Saab with the top down (and up, when needed) and the scooter starting reliably at the push of a button. These new fangled machines no longer have kick starters - a loss, in our estimation...

Jul 17, 2008 Thu

Things begin to take shape at the boatyard - new boat a-building, one section at a time.

Did you notice this fellow in the picture? He would seem to be twins! This is due to the picture being a composite, or stitched image -- and that's how far the fellow walked between frames.

Richard~~

Summer spelling...

Jul 16, 2008 Wed

Evelyn is an officially licensed driver. Be advised.

Saab is back - top working. Just in time - very nice weather, these days. Now, if Honda would just give back the scooter...

Jul 15, 2008 Tue

More pix from Evelyn's birthday ~~

Ann's ring from the jewelry class - lost wax method

Jul 14, 2008 Mon

Evie's cake!

We took the trusty Saab down to the dealer in Seattle this morning, arising at 5 a.m. for the trip. The goal being; have the convertible top go up and down at my discretion, without having it jerk us around, occasionally. To satisfy this requirement the good folks at Saab had us order up some micro switches the last time we were in, and today's trip was to get them installed. Installing them took us up the food chain to the next failed item -- a u-joint affair, which needed to be ordered. They sent me home in a loaner -- sort of deja vu from last summer.

Mind you, all this grief was brought down on my shoulders by none other -- than me. A couple summers ago, a piece of stretched out elastic in the top fabric got wrapped around something it shouldn't and instead of listening/seeing the writing on the wall -- I kept using the top, damaging several other of the tender mechanisms. Woe.

It's getting better, little by little. Within a day or two I should have an operating convertible good for another 150,000 miles. In the meanwhile, I will continue to beat the living hell out of this Mitsubishi loaner... VROOMM

Having used this tunnel many times during the course of my railroad career, this was not the first time that someone overlooked the height of the tunnel. It was re worked some 20 years ago to accommodate trilevel auto carriers -- which are still a couple feet shy of double stacked equipment...

Jul 13, 2008 Sun

Happy Birthday to Evelyn - 16 this date!

Added a few pix to the Flickr site - link at top of page~~

Ann has been attending a jewelry class - making treasures -

mid eighties at 6 pm yesterday - mid seventies today at 4 pm

Trucker misses turn, tries shortcut - no go... thanks to Tim V-

Last in the Farm Oops series...

Jul 12, 2008 Sat

Blue skies - sunny - almost hot - low eighties - we wait months for this~

This little fellow also enjoying the weather - Harbor seal, in the Anacortes Marina

Today one of only two days a year that the sun matches the City of New York street grid. I recall this happening in the Windy, too...

Well, my bed's taken -
Note: Tizzy is doing a front handstand~~

Too many...

Jul 11, 2008 Fri

Early news:

New improved Tagboard bellied up in record time. They are having continued and intense spamming problems, that they hope to avoid passing down to we users - by blanking the service, temporarily...

Eight hours later, they still aren't back up. Alas.

S'ok. The weather is too nice to stay indoors. We took the Honda Shadow ('92) in this day. Starter dragging.

The girls went shopping and came back with ingredients for~~

Pizza! Some of us are hoping for leftovers - it looks and smells delicious, and is rumored to taste very good.

In the continuing series of Farm Oops - thanks to Kurt

Feed your Fish!
Make it GROW this big!

Jul 10, 2008 Thu

As you may note, the tag board didn't stay gone for long -- it's back in the new and improved version. So, feel free to jump right in there and give it a try. Like the sign says -- Say something. Or not, as you prefer...

I would gladly settle for a mere 'HI!'

Eric and son, Gideon

Gadget alert: a device that tells you what parts, if any, have failed in your computer's power supply. The power supply puts out voltage of several different values and this gadget measures them all.

Ann was fishing for tadpoles today - I'm waiting to find out why? Ah ha, because they are draining the natural pond in front of her new office building~~
First I stick this bucket in...

Wide pic, yah -

When this becomes more of a complete hull, we think these will be the bow thrusters...

Pretty fancy~~

More farm oops - thanks Kurt

Jul 09, 2008 Wed

In a continuing effort to simplify and keep page load times to a minimum we have eliminated a few things. Foremost amongst these is the tag board -- it's the one I'll kind of miss. It was fun to see the occasional comment or hello from family and friends. It wasn't as much fun trying to constantly stay ahead of the spammers. Their intense efforts frequently caused the tag board server to fail -- which adversely affected page loading times. The tag board folks say they are working on this, and maybe someday we'll try it again.

Those of you that have followed this blog for awhile perhaps will remember - we had tried using a 'comment' service, before going to the tag board. The idea is to have some sort of feedback that allows a general response from anyone reading the blog. Maybe something new will turn up? We are open to suggestion. In the meanwhile, you are encouraged to send along any pictures, etc. that you find interesting.

Eric and Debra have introduced their young son Gideon to boating. Thanks for sending along the picture~

From Heidi: This is at the Seattle Art Museum Sculpture Park downtown Seattle on the 4th of July

And from Kurt - Farming oops

Jul 07, 2008 Mon

Master Woodcarver Kevin Paul has started a Blog

Enjoying the good weather on the patio~

John and Linda, by Ann

Barb and Paul

Dave and Paul - Paul didn't really drink all those glasses...

What Evelyn was doing four years ago - Giving a Tiny Lady a horseback ride!

Big boat - Russian sub

A lot of humorous signs have been surfacing, Chinese translations in preparation for the Olympics. Sometimes, the true meaning is a bit difficult to ascertain...

Jul 05, 2008 Sat

We love new gadgets. This one is a hard drive reader, for the newer SATA drives, both PC and notebook sizes. We already have featured an external hard drive reader/enclosure  for the older, IDE type of drives. These things come in handy when a computer fails and one wishes to retrieve information from the old hard drive - perhaps to transfer to a new machine...

Here it is with a 3.5 inch hard drive being 'read'. Also handy about this particular unit, it has extra USB II slots (always a shortage of THEM - note full USB hubs) plus functioning as a universal flash (camera) card reader.

Our love of cheeseburgers is perhaps only rivaled by the Popeye character, Wimpy's. We might have to draw the line at these, however - Krispy Creme bacon cheeseburgers. Too much of two too disparate tastes.

Thanks to Jake - what Tizzy would look like if she were part chicken?

They have cleared the decks, so to speak, at Dakota Industries, for the construction of a large boat - to be another in the Candies series - of which they recently completed the 'Grant'.

Here is part of the bow section -

Various other parts are under construction here and there on the property - and will soon be craned into place.

We know from the last time, that the final 'nose' piece of the bow doesn't go on for some time...

Our local hospital has been remodeled - a task that has taken several years ~

Thanks to Nancy -

Try your common sense

Jul 04, 2008 Fri

Richard doing the famous 'floating spoon' trick~~

We got in some uke practice~ Richard 'photobombs' Niomi -

The Fourth of July Parade - these guys were a big hit with all the kids, young and old.

Mary, Barb, Paul, Linda, John, David - yes, the cheeseburgers were excellent!

Ann - wearing the Tee shirt from Fae's salon~

The honor of being Grand Marshall in today's parade went to: none other than our very own Richard~

He not only got to ride in a swell convertible, but was one of the speakers at the ceremony in the park.

A new 'oops' - the Tank type

And a bit of signage... 'Bury it Here'

Get the washer in the cup - Horsewashers, is the game

Jul 01, 2008 Tue

Ann captures the washer in the air -
Scoring is as follows: in the cup = three points, touching = two points, and the closest to cup is a point, if neither of the previous two apply. The game was brought to us in 2004, when Jake paid a visit. Prior to that, we had played in the Windy City. The cups are placed about however far apart seems appropriate, and sunk in the ground until level with the surrounding lawn.

In an attempt to garner more residents, we've moved the bird condo from the fence to the shed wall. We thought that perhaps the gate slamming was too much noise, in the old location...

We're already getting potential tenants.

Evelyn, on her way to take her driver's test. Passed!

With friends, Molly and Jordan

John and Linda arrive -

All day long...