Exciting Times in Boston!!

There I was walking on Fan Pier at the waters edge when I spotted a treasure of nature. A dead Red Breasted Magangser was just waiting to be discovered. It had been dead for a few days and was starting to ripen nicely. I knew I needed to work quickly if I was going to be able to add it's skull to my collection. Since I had no pocket knife with me ( TSA would not let me take the two in my suitcase through security) I had to to improvise. No beer can was at hand like when I took the head off of the Great Blue Heron. I had no side cutters with me as I did when I found the American Kestrel, but I did spot a sharp rock. I figured if early man could butcher a 20 ton mammoth with a sharp rock I could take the head off a two pound bird. It took me about 30 seconds.......and did this guy ever smell bad!!!

Now speaking of smelling bad, I had to get this guy back to my hotel room and packaged for my trip home. I decided not to carry him in my pocket and you don't want to just walk around with a stinking bird head in your hand. Lucky for me I was able to locate a Burger King bag to place it in and was on my way.

Once in my hotel room I wrapped it in two plastic bags and placed it in my computer bag. When I took my computer out at airport security you may have thought I had a dead walrus in my bag it smelled so rank. People started looking around like some one had farted and trying to insinuate it was not them. So I just acted like everyone else. Once on board I cured the problem with a double zip lock bagging. All was good.

Have a great day and always keep your eyes open for treasures!

All I want to do is get some sleep!

I promise this will be a short posting. Here I am in Boston on another layover. I just need some rest so I can be at my best when working back to Portland.

So there I am, in bed, reading and trying to fall asleep. Minding my own business. When all of a sudden the noises start. First it is the head board lightly knocking against the wall from the room next door. Then the vocals started. Then the short burst of bed headboard slamming against the wall. Then louder vocals. At this point I come to the conclusion that these are not kids jumping on the bed.....Ohhhh no!

Did I mention this is happening at midnight? This commotion lasted for I don't know how long! Finally it stopped, but by this point I was tramatized. What were the people thinking. They need to rent a motor home when they travel. After things quitened down I bet it took me at least five minutes to fall asleep.

I guess this is just part of my glamorous life style. Hope I don't find cat poop on the floor again when I get home......

PARTY ON!

Donna has gone back to London and we all know what that means. It is time to rehang my black velvet paintings, put the keg back in the fridge and crank up the stereo! Phantom of the Opera sounds so good when really loud, like a 12 out of 50 on the volume meter.

I was out boating with my buddy, David. He has the boat and I have a pair of sun glasses, so I look really cool on his boat. We had an epic adventure. After removing 3 inches of snow from the deck and passing through the Ballard Locks we cautiously made our way into Puget Sound. The wind was blowing at least 4mph and was whipping up waves cresting at close to six inches!

After close to an hour of fighting our way across the Sound we arrived at Blake Island with a little liquid courage in our bellies and a new boat fender on board. It is one big ass boat fender we rescued. It is on its way to our friend Mark. He has the big ass boat and I take two pairs of sun glasses when I am out on his boat and wear them both at the same time.

Speaking of our buddy Mark. He is doing a little one on one battle of his own with cancer, but is kicking it's ass. I am sure the doctors think it is due to their chemo. I know differently, it is due to prayer. I have been putting in a good word for Mark to the God of Huge Camp Fires and Potato Guns and it seems to be doing the trick. Yesterday I also sent some vibes to the God of Happy Boating and Crab Eating. So just don't sit there, say some prayers.

Now it is time for Dow to get serious. While on Blake Island I saw something that just broke my heart and I am focusing on changing it. We all need to take on a cause to make the world a better place.

While walking the beach I spotted a raccoon without a tail. That is correct, no cute, fluffy, ringed tail. I am sure he is made fun on by all the other raccoons on the island and has no girl friend. I want to change this, but is not going to be cheap. More about donations later.

This poor raccoon is so down trodden that he not only needs a tail, but it needs to be a cool tail. The Pin the Tail on the Raccoon Foundation is presently looking to locate a nicely groomed and feathered Irish Setter tail as his replacement. If you know of one please let the foundation know. He would be the coolest raccoon on the island. All the females would not be able to keep their paws off that tail!

Yes this is going to be very expensive. I will need a helicopter to dart the pitiful looking thing from. He would then be transported in a net hung from under the helicopter ( like they do with bears and mountain goats ) to the Harbor View Hospital where a team of surgeons, lead by Dr. House, would be awaiting his arrival. After two weeks of recovery and six weeks of rehab ( tail waging therapy ) he would be on his way back to Blake Island where he would be received back to the island with a Potlatch put on by the local Native Americans. After feasting on fresh clams and smoked salmon he would then be released back into the wild with his anti rejection medications to live happily ever after. ( That last part makes my eyes tear up. )

So, now don't be cheap. Send your checks to"TPTTOTRF" at my home address. Do not delay for this poor little fellow needs a tail. One of the board members feels he also needs matching ears, but as you know that is just more expense so it may have to wait, but it would be nice to get it all done with one visit to the hospital. Thanks for your support!

Well gotta go!

Sitting in Boston on a different day

Donna may think she is having a fun time, but she is definitely not kicking up her heals like I am. Take today for instance. I have spent all morning in my hotel room working on our taxes and watching the stock market drop and then drop some more. Talk about warm fuzzes!

Last night I went for a lovely stroll in blizzard like conditions. If it had been a little colder, snowing a little harder and the wind blowing just 10 MPH harder it would have been perfect out. I had to remember you can't have every thing your way. It was nice to see that my ears had not turned black and fallen off from frost bite when I looked in the mirror this morning!

Donna gets home soon so I need to do a little party clean up around the house. I guess I will also need to take down the really cool black velvet paints I have hung since she has been gone. I am going to especially miss awakening to the painting of the female Amazon warrior riding on the back of a tiger while only wearing a bandoleer across her chest and holding an AK-47 in one hand and a bottle of 21 year old Highland Park scotch in the other. Oh, did I mention she has a viking helmet on her head with gigantic horns and a feather plume on on top. I wish I had a photo of it to post, but I am sure you can just close your eyes and see it in your mind.


Well, sorry it has been so long between posts. I will try to do better, but give no promises. Sometimes I am just too busy getting crazy and out of control. Later!

Sitting in Boston

It has been a few days since I have blogged and I am sure all of my followers have missed me. Well I'm back with up dated excitement!

After returning from three weeks in London I felt I had been having too much fun and needed to to get back in the groove of everyday life. I slept the first night, awakening at 4 AM and decided it was a good day to get started on painting the bathroom. I spent the next two days locked in that five by eight foot space. Talk about fun! By the time I stepped out of that room I looked like I had been in a paintball shoot out.....and had lost. The bathroom looks great, especially with that new toilet seat. I almost bought the "Glacier Bay" model toilet seat, but it kind of sounded cold to sit on.

The cat is still alive and sticks to me like glue. How long can a cat live? I caught him on my bed the other day. I didn't know he could move so fast. You would think he could catch a mouse or something with moves like he showed me.

So here I sit in Boston with no shoes to go down to the gym in. After my gluttonous night of BBQ chicken pizza and diet coke I could have used a good 3 or 4 hours on the exercise bike. Oh well.

Gotta go! It is almost 10 AM here and I need to get to Dunkin Donuts before the run out of Boston Creams!

Back in Portland

There I was, naked in the shower, soon to be on my way to to the the Underground to Heathrow Airport to SeaTac to Portland International to the employee bus to my car to the house and Saylor, the worthless cat. I was on my way home. Parting was was hard.

So there I am on the plane. We are taxing out and a baby has been crying, maybe screaming, for about ten to fifteen minutes. Some moron, I think an American, yells "Can't you shut that kid up!" The plane became silent, except for the baby, who's shrill screams reminded me of a F-4 going into after burner. I so wanted to say something bright, like " Your making more noise than the baby" or better yet " Who is sounding like a baby now, you dip shit!". But it was not to be needed. Some gentle grandmother type turned around in her seat, with a smile, and said something to him that made him shut up and feel like shit. Job well done!

Nine hours and fifteen minutes we landed in Seattle. Sunny and sixty degrees. The next thing I knew I was home and in bed. Alone. And the cat has become my shadow. He will not leave my side. This is not a good thing. So far I have only stepped on him once, but I am sure more times are to come.

Well today I went a touch loco and pruned the roses. Yes, with out gloves. It does not get crazier than that! Later gators!

Worst snow storm in 18 years hits London!

Donna going to work. BRRRRRR!

This is one happy boy! Click on to enlarge!

I was planning on leaving for the States on Wednesday, but I may be here a few extra days. No buses were running in London today and the Tube was at about 10%. Thank goodness the pubs were open! ( Oh, along with the British Museum) They get 6" of snow around here and they start acting like Portland or Seattle.

The British Museum wouldn't take me but a local pub did. It didn't pay all that well, but I was inside warm and dry. The beer was cold. No one was fired, but my stint as Chief Beer Puller was short. One beer.

The snow is still falling and per what I over heard at the pub it is going to be a blizzard tonight! I may not get out of here until March. I hope Saylor has enough food and water.

I went and bought bacon and eggs for breakfast tomorrow morning. It may be Donna and my last morning together for a few weeks if the blizzard does not hit. Timing is everything!

I think I will venture out and pick up a Subway sandwich for dinner and then meet Donna at the Swan for a pint when she gets off work. Later!!