Lucky Day Pictures

Pic: Two boys in their new stalls. Alternate title: "Feed Me"































Pic: Guard Dog with chickens. Alternate title: Which is more of a chicken, the white fluffy thing or the tubby girls?







Pic: Sunrise this morn. (Can't quite capture the "Red in morning, sailors warning" of the moment)

Speeding Ticket, or not

I wish I had a pic of this one. It crossed my mind after to ask the officer if it was okay if I took a picture.
So, good buddy Colleen came over yesterday. We all decided to head up to Sequim to see what was up there. On the way up we were catching up and telling stories. She asked what I was reading and I went off on a tangent about "A Year in the World" by Frances Mayes. About how she seemed to have issues with large americans touring abroad, and how her language was somewhat snotty. And that her pic did not make her look like a svelte European inspired woman. She looked a bit large and american, so maybe there was a bit of self non-love goin' on. And then, the book had the most amazing descriptions about food! Things that I would not really consider eating I was hungering for late at night when reading this book! She and her husband are foodies, and she is an excellent writer about food. So Colleen was mentioning that the weight comments were more the authors issue that were shining through in her writings...
In the midst of all this book talkin' with my gesturing I saw a white police car on the left. Well, I had my cruise control on the speed limit since the truck isn't a quick and slick wee speedster, and gets about 14 mpg, so I was not worried. Next thing I know those pretty glittering police lights are pulling me over. Dang! Dang! Dang! In all my story telling I must have missed a speed sign.
And then, Rose tells me she is not wearing a seatbelt. WHAT?!?!?! Double Dang twice! I figure I am doomed.
Roll down my window, put my face on, hand the officer my driver's license. As usual, he asks in that special policeman voice "Do you know why I pulled you over...?" I said no. He said I was going 58 in a 45. I expressed shock. He said he clocked me three times. I said I did not know the limit changed. He started getting that blustery "you callin' me a liar" tone and said there were seven signs saying 45 mph . I widened my eyes and said I was certainly not doubting that he clocked me at that speed I just didn't see those signs and I was sorry. I had my cruise control set at 55. He said my tires may be off then, since he clocked me going faster. He asks for the usual registration and proof of insurance. I start digging around in my purse first. Then the glove box. I have these things because I had to change all the info when we moved. But could I find them? No. So the officer went off to his car to check my license info. Colleen, Wilder, Rose and I were tearing through every part of my purse and the car. I could find nothing. Nothing. OH GOD I AM DOOMED.
Mr. Officer comes back, and faces me in the window. I peep out at him. He turns his body to face the oncoming traffic. I remember all those accidents where police get hit by other people driving by, so I asked him if I pulled over enough for him to stand safely. He said yes.
I told him I couldn't find my registration of proof of insurance. He stood back from the window and took the grumpy police stance. "Did you know that is $550 for no proof of insurance and $100+ for no registration?!!" " Do you even HAVE insurance?!" I told him I was probably the most overinsured person he has met. He said how would anybody know I was insured if I got in an accident?? I assured him that if I was in an accident, those insurance companies are pretty savvy at finding out who is insured. And I think I said I was sorry, that I thought they were all in the car. He handed me back my license, and said to be careful and watch my speed.
I drove off with NO TICKET.
I have no idea how that happened. He did not see Rose's lack of seatbelt. (she put it on while we were sitting there).
I am still a bit stunned. That was at least an $800 ticket.

Photo courtesy http://www.usbr.gov/lc/hooverdam/police/trafficstop.html

Seattle Primer - somewhat rant-y

I was rather fond of this response I gave to someone thinking of moving to Seattle and looking for hip and affordable. It was before I left Seattle, and I see in here a bit of WHY I left Seattle....

"Hip and affordable in Seattle. Hmmmmm. Well should start out that there are no real ghetto places in Seattle... compared to other cities. It is a pretty homogenous group with an enormous amount of fierce individualism thrown in. There is probably no street in Seattle that I would not live, although some lean more toward owning a car alarm, not walking your dog at 1 in the morning in the park or making sure your front door is locked. The most ethnically diverse areas are still the central area, international district, and White Center (not yet swallowed up and annexed by the city of Seattle, so still 'cheap') and can be a blast. Some folk are flipped out by the central district, since in white white Seattle it has more of a color range to it's residents... but it is becoming completely gentrified and losing a bit of it's character. But then much of Seattle is losing it's character.... but I digress. Since you said hip: I am thinking you would be fond of (the old) Fremont, Ballard, Columbia City, Capitol Hill and parts of West Seattle. Queen Anne is another hill in Seattle that some may consider hip, I think it has gone beyond that due to being way too expensive and a little high on the 'aren't we lovely' scale. If you mean hip as kinda a self-centered uptight way.. you would probably like the eastside as in Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland, or the lovely gem of an island a 30 minute ferry boat ride way-- Bainbridge Island. Good for you to moving to Seattle with so many others: Here is your damn seattle primer: You gotta recycle (really, you will be fined), don't jaywalk (you will be ticketed), you gotta be pc, if you are a baseball fan and go see the Mariners...you need to sit on your rear and cheer (don't jump up! heavens! don't yell! oh no!) during baseball games so the people behind you don't get there panties in a wad because they paid good money for season tickets and don't want you jumping up in front of them during an amazing play, or even being too loud, and no, they won't tell you directly by leaning forward the 3 inches to your back... they will go get the usher who will tell you to hush (oh, no, I am not bitter), so that being said, true Seattle-lites have a bit of a passive aggressive thang going on... and if you stay you will learn the 30 second super-nice attitude to all things and the ability to committee meeting things to death --"the Seattle way" . Please come with the ability to make decisions rapidly, and speak your mind. We need more of that so if you can get through your first two very grey winters which tends to suck the everlovin' life out of some folks... welcome!
Photos: Wilder and I waving a ship with Rose on it heading to camp through the Chittenden locks
Heading down down underground to the express lanes under I-5