However, each days entries read from top to bottom? Yes?

Welcome to the November 2004 BLOG.

Nov. 30, 2004

Cheating, a bit here, on the date - but haven't started the new months webpage yet.

Evelyn has this swell book that shows how to do the most amazing things with a dollar bill. It even came with it's own dollar! This is origami for money, with money.
Pictured below is a ring, with a dime inserted as the 'jewel'!

This book tells all.

Elephant, even has paper clip feet - not shown - but for real.
Adam sends along a few more pictures from their trip to DC. Alas, I downloaded them, and then lost all but two! Adam, could you send them again, please?
This is Devin

Dick, taken at Sue's, by Adam. Apparently the coffee wasn't lethal. . .

Nov. 29, 2004

Thanks to Jarvis for another great idea! Eyeball scanning!
It's hard not to flinch. I'm going to try and talk Evie into trying this?!

Evie said OK! Here she is:

Nov. 28, 2004

Fae was still doing hair on Saturday. Heidi's, in fact! Heidi and Fae's moms are sisters. They were born within a few days of each other. Heidi is Anna's older sister, to further narrow it down.

Here is the TRUE story behind John's part time job in LA.

Nov. 27, 2004

I know that most all of you email, for which I am very grateful. OK, SOME email.

However, for those of you that don't - there is the comment block. You may comment anonymously - did you know that? The comment block is at the top of the page, where you also find the 'archives' blocks. You just 'click' on the 'comment' block, a new window appears - and you, too, may be heard?! Is this a great deal, or what?

Well, I thought so? But, apparently, no one else does? So, I'm thinking of S*&t canning the whole comment thing, because sometimes, since the comment program is hosted on a different server - it holds up the loading time of this website. Did you ever notice that? I'd appreciate a bit of input, here?

Adam sends some pictures from WA D.C., where he and his family (Anne of the east, Talia and Devin) gathered with his Mom (my stepmom, you see), his brother (and my brother) John, and Dick and Laura - who are representing all of us from WA (the intelligent Washington). Unless this sort of figuring comes easy for you, just go to the pictures. . .
Missing from these fine photos seems to be ADAM!

Here are Devin, John and Talia. John is holding Devin's Thanksgiving pie just out of reach, much to Talia's amusement!

John taking Laura's picture - what camera is that? OH! Brownie Hawkeye, no flash.

Sue to Anne, 'Please use a fork?'

Dick, trying some of Sue's 'so strong you can spoon it' pan coffee. A holiday treat!

Eric has sent along the link to his main page, and here it is:

Eric's Main Page

Nov. 26, 2004

Slightly out of focus picture of Anna and her Mom, both with new 'hair'. Looking for a recent picture of Barb, for comparison. Thank you, Fae!

Ahaa! Here is before:

Looking at the picture of Ann (in the kitchen, yesterday) and thinking about our nice high ceilings - I asked Evie to stand up there for another view. I, too, must use the stool to reach anything above the second shelf.

Anybody hungry? Plenty of leftovers. . .

Ann cooked everything. I was back sink, pots and pans man.

Fae was pressed into service (besides bringing two pies) whipping things up.

The dining room table before the fun started. By noon today, all the Thanksgiving stuff was on its way back into boxes and bins, and the Christmas stuff is hitting the shelves and counters.

Nov. 25, 2004

Happy Thanksgiving, to one and all.

Which reminds me - that is, Jeffrey's comments remind me - Dad had a weird Honda. It was the opposite of a 'lemon'.

Every car is manufactured to certain tolerances. As Jeffrey mentioned, Honda's tolerances are pretty steep - not too many lemons. A lemon is when you get a certain vehicle and too many things were at the bottom end of the tolerance envelope. The overall effect is that one ends up with a car that has way more than it's share of problems, and never seems to run right.

Dad's Honda was just the opposite; everything must have been at the top of the tolerances limits, and that motor ran much better and especially much stronger than probably 99 percent of motors of the same year and type. I've driven a lot of Accords with that engine, and NONE of them felt like Dad's.

It was a freak. I hated to see it go. To drive that car one would never suspect that it was a four cylinder motor. Big six or small V-8, is what it felt like. More than once I had to open the hood to check yet again - did I miss something? I don't know what you call a car that is the opposite of a lemon - but Dad's Honda was a good example.

Nov. 24, 2004

Without changing the date, here are late entries. . .

Jeffrey was kind enough to respond, re: the Honda/Saab matter. I had asked him what his qualifications might be these days? His qualifications are:

"I am a Senior Editor at Large, for AutoWeek magazine."

This is Jerry's brother (which makes him also my old friend Jim's younger sibling, of course) and what he had to say about the Honda V6 and the Saab V6, was as follows -

"Just saw the Saab/Honda observation on your blog.
Without knowing the specific engines we're talking about, we really can't compare relative hp.
Just wanted to tell you that Honda is known for good engines. The man made engines first, and that's still what the company takes the most pride in - engines that are efficient and make a lot of power for their relative size."

Now, THAT is what you might call a good 'read' on motors, from a guy that has been 'doing' cars for the last, I'm guessing, twenty some years?

Thanks for the input, Jeffrey.

We emailed Jeffrey some of the specifics about these two vehicles, hoping to get the bottom line, about horsepower.

That's Roma, on the left, and Jasper on the right, in case you can't tell.
They're wishing you and yours a very happy Thanksgiving, o' course!

A special 'hello!' to the EAST coast Washington folks, whom I am sure hoping will find time to take a moment and view this Blog.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.

This would be the Salmon in question. . . (from yesterday)
I was too lazy to load it (the picture), yesterday. It did make a good meal. However, we decided that salmon is not a pan fry fish, and that it comes out better when cooked in the oven, with a little milk and butter. The blue bowl is one that Laura made, of course. And the egg? YES! It came from one of the hens, which have decided to start laying again, after several weeks hiatus. Go figure. They were molting at different times, is all that we can figure.

Stove top, prior to cooking the fish, etc. Why do I do this? Dang. I don't know. I guess, because I can?

The table - for three - Cass was busy. . .

Evie doing her homework until I interrupted. . .

Anna, taken today while the girls were rehearsing. . .
Again, until I got in the way. . . They are very patient about that. . .

Roma, enjoying the interior of Anna's violin case, as cats will. . .

Nov. 22, 2004
Here's a great N'west dinner - fresh salmon!
Of course, you do realize that the 'fresh' salmon in your local supermarket is no different from ours?
Mais oui, this is true.
We're trying a new recipe, pan fried, instead of oven baked, or broiled. It is also yummy off the grill. One cannot go too far wrong, with fresh salmon. Want the list of all the good things that are in it?
Dick and Laura are on their way east. Our hearts are with them.
In the meanwhile, I'm driving Dick's Honda. (only to his house, I hasten to add.) This is hard for me to admit, but that Honda V-6 is more powerful than my Saab V-6. I would guess right around 200 horse as compared to 160. I'd have to look it up? Jeffrey? Any thoughts here?

Nov. 21, 2004

Mardi sends along a picture of Mom Winston taken by Mom's brother Floyd, earlier this month. Mardi was visiting in AZ, where Mom is retired and where Floyd and his family live. Mardi reminds me that Gram Shacklock was 99, at the time of her death.

I suppose this belongs on the BOATBLOG 'Boatblog'.

Nov. 19, 2004

Here's a great thing: (additional) photos from John Marx Smock ~
Thank you, John

Flag woman, another in John's series of 'folks smoking'. Just kidding, the last series had some folks smoking, too. (I'm looking for those, for a link, BTW.) Eventually, John's photos are going to need their own site. He has acquired a truly wonderful portfolio, of which he is kind enough to share a few for this Blog.

All hard work, we notice, too - Jessica Simpson demonstrating her new line of edible skin care products.

"ASYLUM - This is from an asylum for the mentally ill in Georgia. The place was from the dark ages." John's words. Georgia is in Russia. The good lord only knows where he found Jessica Simpson. . .

Jarvis found a great series of pictures. They are
Jerry's found photo series here.

Nov. 17, 2004

This is a fishery boat. What they catch (if anything?)(and the catch from other boats nearby, that load onto the fishery boat) is FLASH frozen, and may be sold in your supermarket as 'fresh'. Some of the catch is unloaded onto this huge dock. Where the fish (or whatever) ends up in these fiberglass containers, that are being continuously pumped with salt water. This stuff is sold locally, as REALLY fresh, I guess.
This boat suffered some pretty steep November storms, up there in Alaska, or where ever they go. Swung around the anchor chain pretty good.

Fresh seafood containers, on the dock.

This is a clever shot of my head. Behind which, is the scooter - which I missed. This was included to show how lovely it was here in WA today. Meaning, it was fifty and sunny, and we got on the scoot.

John took some great shots of Dad. Here they are.

Well. Here we see the basic cable modem, (that grey thing with the white top) underneath the new Netgear Router (the white thing on the top) and the external hard drive reader, that grey thing sitting on top of the computer case. The cable modem is sitting on top of the bass part of the computer's speaker system. Along with the left hand treble speaker (that thing with the two circles.)
We are so glad to have the laptop online, broadband wise.
We are still working on security issues. Are these a worry? Got me. I'm just paranoid, I guess.

Here is the ext HD reader, with the top off, showing the 80 gig hard drive. Which is exactly the same size as a two gig hard drive, by the by. The thing called Dazzle, is a universal photo card reader.
Not shown: a truly amazing rat's nest of wires. . .

Nov. 16, 2004

Wow, this is great! Twenty gig of info went right from my hard drive to the external hard drive. Thus, we are effectively 'backed up!' Shoulda' done this a long time ago, I suppose. Many thanks to Dick, for the help.
For those of you that have never suffered a 'crash' that effectively cost everything you might have had on your computer - think of this as a learning curve. It can happen.
Rebooting is one thing. A nuisance, but nothing is lost.
Being unable to raise the hard drive after a crash, is far more disheartening. It only happened to me once, and I only lost about three months worth of 'stuff' (documents, pictures, etc.) but that was enough. Since then I have faithfully backed up things I value onto CD's.
However, with the huge file sizes that we use these days, even the amount of information (700 MB's) on a CD, might not be enough when it comes to backing up the files in one's 'My Documents' folder. To include, 'My Music, My Pictures, My whatever, etc.' Rather, it might take a lot of CD's! In my most recent case, over forty. That was where I was at, when I discovered the USB II external hard drive reader.
It will 'read' a hard drive. It has it's own hard drive ribbon cable, power source and fan. It will read CD/DVD R/W units, too. But here is the nice thing: to be able to go to one's local computer store, purchase a hard drive of sufficient size to hold all your files, plug it into this external hard drive reader, and drag ones entire 'My Documents' file onto the external drive. And whatever additional applications that might seem worthwhile. Whoa! This was awesome, and handy. I am so relieved.
Along these same lines, the laptop is now wireless broadband. With the addition of a wireless router, this computer and the laptop can both utilize the broadband internet connection, freeing up the phone, amongst other things. . . This computer is still hardwired (to the router), but the laptop will now work anywhere that there is wireless connection service provided - I.E. your local coffee shop, (if one might be so inclined), certain places in the airport, and a few other 'hot spots', that offer free wireless connection to the internet. For us locally, this means anywhere in or out of the house, for the laptop. We are working on the encryption aspect of it all, now.
This day started out cloudy, windy but warm. When the sun came out we took the cover off the scooter. Before we had a chance to actually get ON IT, the climactic situation took to dew drops, and back on went the cover. It's the cloth seat, you see. We're working on that.
At the time of this writing, some two hours later, the sun is once again prevailing. Really, a beautiful day. It was MY timing, that was off.

Nov. 15, 2004

Happy Birthday to Adam Smock, and to John Shacklock. Many happy returns!
If you know of any other November birthdays, please either email or use the 'comment' link, to let us know?! Thanks!

Nov. 14, 2004

Well, obviously we're still having fun playing with the scanner's photo abilities, such as they are.

Bought a new hard drive today, getting ready to re-do this computer. It's been getting way too cranky (read: freezes/ crashes too much too often). Time for the so called 'clean re-install' of the software. I think we'll upgrade to win XP, at this point, as well. Also add another 512 MB to the RAM. This in an effort to put off building a whole new computer, something we can't really afford, just now.

Nov. 13, 2004

Anacortes doesn't pick up one's garbage from the curb. It must be in approved containers, in the alley. As an inveterate 'curb shopper' (before which I was an alley picker), I really miss that. Tooling thru the affluent suburbs on garbage night has yielded so many treasures, over the years. Lamps, enlargers, vacuums, appliances of all sorts - that merely needed a small repair. Not so much now as when I was a poor childrearing family man, but geez, it was fun! Folks throw away so much cool stuff! Anyway, today was 'free dump' day, here in town. For a mere three dollars we were able to unload all the stuff behind the back fence that the garbage men won't take. This (the idea that some stuff must be hand carried to the dump) was unheard of, in Ferndale, MI., where - if you put it on the curb, it was gone! As you can see from this picture, I finally let go a few old computer cases. It wasn't easy, but storage space is definitely at a premium. The lovely woman assisting me in this endeavor is my darling wife, Ann.

We never figured a handy way to load sound files, except to give them their own page. We might have to do that again. In the meanwhile, the scanner photo mystique is explored a bit further.

Coffee cup other way 'up', ditto pencil, and other items added.

Coffee cup side, phone open, etc. The scanner makes a pretty good camera. The resolution is better than my 'old' digital camera, by far. We'll have to see how far this can go. . .

Nov. 12, 2004

Continuing with 'scanner' pictures. (You do see that the above entry came after this one?) Trying to decide how far the scanner can 'see'? Here are a few items off the desk at which I am working: bottom of coffee cup (says Laura, the potters name - that would be Laura Smock), a coaster from O'Callaghan's, in Plymouth, MI., a busted spout that I need to repair or replace, guitar picks, and a pencil.

Nov. 11, 2004

Whoa! Evelyn has two lower teeth pulled today. She's doing just fine. A day off for all.
Ken sends along a multi track recording program, that works even easier than the last one he sent. Here is a link, if you're into making multiple track recordings: Multi track recording 

Nov. 10, 2004

Recent pictures, from Brett and Amy. This would be, Hogan G. Smock

Picture from TJ - taken during his visit just prior to Halloween - thanks, TJ!

Scanner pictures, a new venue?

Girls getting ready for ballet

Dang. NOW it's Nov. 07, 2004

I lost a day during the travels, I think?

Adam sends along some pictures that he took while visiting at Dad's today. They show the progress that Dad is making at his new apartment.
Pictures are making it onto the walls.

Books are unboxed and in the bookcase. WHOA! There's Min Marx's self portrait. (Family joke.)

Even in the study/office, which is looking much more office like.

The desk is looking like it's ready for some serious work.

I'll know that things are really getting back to normal for dad when his CD's are back in the changers. 500 CDs will take some time to reload, I'm sure. For awhile there, you could pick any song off one of the five hundred CDs, and he'd have it playing in twelve seconds. I have my doubts we'll ever see quite THAT again, but one never knows. That took the coordinated use of no less than three remotes, and a lot of button pushing. These days, one button on one remote has been a difficult task to master. Alas.

It's good to be back in WA. When asked by the folks in MI what it is that I like about island living, I reply - 'My wife is there.' Amen.
I see why she (although raised in the midwest, as was I) has chosen to live here for over twenty years. Moderate clime, water, water, water, small town (even at the fourteen thousand souls that it has grown into) and a great view. We get all four seasons but actual snow is rare, as is that 95 degree midwest heat. Winter here is like Indian Summer back east. It's fifty degrees at 9:30 AM, and is starting to look like a pretty day. It did rain all day yesterday. I forgot to cover the scooter, and the seat needs some sunshine!

Mardi  is visiting in AZ, where our mother is retired. Friendship Village, a gated community she and our stepdad (Irv, now deceased) selected as their home shortly after they retired in the 70's. She's been there ever since. They owned two homes in Friendship Village, then mom got a smaller apartment when Irv died. As her health failed she moved into the Health Center, where she remains. Lifetime care at Friendship Village. My Gram Shacklock (mom's stepmom) lived there, too, until her recent death at age 97.
Mom is in the later stages of Alzheimers. I hope Alzheimers skips a generation. . .

Now that the davesmock.com  webpages have been 'spidered' by the Site search engine, it is fun to type the odd word or phrase and see what turns up? Three letter names don't work very well, but with another word added, do just fine. I wasn't getting much just typing in 'Ken', but 'friend Ken' turned up several pages.

Nov. 07, 2004

Re reading what I wrote yesterday, I realize that I might be able to add a bit more detail.
Robert, thought to have Parkinsons for the last few years, is now believed to have been merely suffering from the effect of too much Lithium over too many years. He was on Lithium (a bi-polar med) for nearly thirty years, which turns out to be about twenty years too long by current thinking. His overall mood has been steadily improving since the Lithium was stopped, some months ago.
It remains equally true that not all Dad's problems are bi-polar and being nearly eighty. He has definite short term memory problems, which are generally acknowledged to be Alzheimers. Middle stage, at this point, it is thought.
This is not preventing him from getting his new apartment organized and making the most of a new environment and new friends. It does make it hard to remember how and when to turn the shower on and off.
There is an upside. He forgot that he has always been mechanically inept. He has never used an electric drill, (or forgot that he ever had) but managed to use one to mount some pictures and shelves, a job that he would normally never even consider attempting.
Dad's overall health is pretty good, other than that. He doesn't excersize enough, and is getting somewhat stiff and immobile. He walks OK, but pretty slowly. Getting in and out of the car is tough. His best line so far, as he was struggling to emerge from the backseat - "I'm stuck! Get the Jaws of Death!" We know what he meant.
After getting all moved the other day, we gathered at the Dewey house where Dad amazed one and all by remembering an hour's worth of songs, and singing them, while accompanying himself on the guitar. Ken and I played along, following his lead. Memory is a funny thing.

Ann did find another copy of the same photo! The trick now, is to identify the location? The fuel oil tank should be a clue?

Nov. 06, 2004

Recent finds: This was in Dad's stuff that turned up while packing, unpacking, moving, etc. The glass is cracked.
It is Gram and Gramp Smock, (Harold and Betty), on a porch (Six Lakes?) with a teenage Richard. Richard is Dad's younger brother, of course. Uncle Dad, to me. This would be circa early forties. Ann recognizes the photo, and thinks she might have a copy. The amazing thing is that she will locate it, if she does.

Ann took this shot of John and Adam when she was visiting Michigan, in the late seventies.

Nov. 05, 2004

We are returned from MI, and Bob Smock has moved into his 'next phase' of retirement living. I.E. an assisted living apartment about two miles from the house on Dewey. Fran will remain in that house as long as she is able to manage. They were in the Plymouth house

for some twenty plus years, nearly all their marriage. They were married in 1985. At this point in Dad's life, Fran is not able to provide the degree of caretaking required. He needs a bit of professional supervision. She has always been able to provide a more than adequate level of love, care and attention. But she can't tell if he takes his pills or not. Therefore, the move to the Plymouth Apartments, where pill taking is a supervised activity. Also two hot meals a day, and a comfortable two bedroom apartment.

Arriving late into Plymouth - Dad stayed up!

Most of Sunday was spent loading this truck.


Dad loaded enough furniture to be comfortable, including some books, his music system (500 CD changer) all of his study, and bought himself a new bed.

Henry (Dad's next door neighbor and good friend on Dewey) came over Monday after the movers left.

By late Tuesday Dad had whipped his new apartment into pretty good shape. It was starting to feel like 'home'.

The bookshelf is up, but the books are still packed. I'd bet that by the time you are reading this, Dad has filled that bookcase. He brought paintings and pictures, too, and is looking forward to putting them up, both in the living room and in the study and bedroom. You may recall that Dad's study walls were covered with Framed Photos  family photos.

Dad's new living room. He treated himself to a new TV and cable music.


Ann and I rode by the water today. I got back Wednesday, and was jetlagged yesterday.

This dock, overgrown with grass, is no longer attached to land and has become a bird paradise.

self portrait

Dick took this picture