The Garden Tour after party

I ran into a former Westside neighbor who's curating a really fun "modernist garden" visual art display in the corridor where Dova Silks and Blooms reside. I know there's a name for that place but I don't know it (just wander in by Blooms and you're there)! Anyway, Jack told me that from 4:30-6p next Sunday (6/28) this will be the wrap-up destination of le tour, with noshes and a live acoustic band complete with mandolin. They're performing gratis, so throw a dollar in the hat, wontcha?

And...if you haven't poked your head into Dova lately, or draped any of the shop's "like buttah" garments on--as I had the pleasure of yesterday in search of my Strawberry Festival samba ensemble (en-samba-l), you must check this place out. Things here are timeless and elegant and artful. I love the little jellyfish-like swaths of silk that trim certain flirty skirts, scarves and tanks. Fun!

BCBG-licious!

It's been at least 18 months and I've been waiting for this day:
My BCBG slacks fit again!

Uh...do you know how much BCBG costs? All this time, those five pairs of pants hung neglected in my closet. The last time I tried one pair on, my thighs weren't having it. I was shocked and depressed, and out like $1000 in hot clothing expenditures. I fought myself to put them on consignment. I'm so glad.

Thank you afro samba dance class and swimming (Dayna)!

Karaoke at the Red Bicycle

Last night, Anjae Ludberg and I ventured over to where friends were gearing up to karaoke at the Red Bicycle. We joined them at the banquette as they flipped through the songlist binder. When Krista Dehnert suggested we go up--and do a RAP SONG--"It takes two," I bit the bait.

There was an 11 year old named Molly who was such an amazing young singer. She sang a song with very adult content about leaving a man who she didn't really love. And ya felt it--even though an 11 yr old was cranking it out.

Krista is a great entertainer on stage, too. And the guy who started it--darn I didn't get his name but what a gritty soulful white dude. When it was our turn, the Rob Base rap song went very well--for two white girls. We killed it and folks were out of their chairs bouncing around and dancing. What I lacked in rap-ability I more than made up for in stage "frontin'," I'm sure my co-rapper will attest.

Oh...the guy in the motorcycle moon boots who sang "I need a hero" complete with pelvic thrusts, lunges and lobbing his leg over the side of the stage--he had us laughing so hard we needed to stretch our abs and facial muscles afterward. I needed a cigarette--and I don't smoke! After that, nothing could top this guy's performance.

I highly recommend you go; it's very entertaining.

Vashon Chamber: spend wisely.

I am a Vashon Chamber member. If there's a way I can help out island businesses, I'm in. People on the island don't know the biz side of my life all that well. They see my mommy side, or my consumer side, but few have any idea of the stuff I work on and HAVE worked on for the past 17 years. What a blessing to have consulted and driven home so many great projects that help businesses go deeper to affect their bottom lines.

My advice for the Vashon Chamber is to spend wisely, not reward members' hard-earned dollars for contracts based on favorites or kiss-ups. There are many meritous businesses on the island, from construction to branding firms who are more than happy to help out the Chamber for a steal and do fine, effective work.

In the marketing world, 10 years back while living in Bremerton doing local and national projects, I took on copywriting with an outfit that turned out to be comprised of real sheisters on projects, and I witnessed them walk away with big bags of money and NO RESULTS for hopeful clients who invested in LAME web promotions. Smoke and mirrors all the way. LAME, I tell ya. It took a near lawsuit to get myself paid out of that experience! And when the copywriter's getting calls from pissed off clients because the Internet vehicle that was supposed to launch big biz didn't deliver, you KNOW it's bad.

Not even two years ago, this same person came to the island acting like a savior on horseback--and by the time I found out who it was from an island merchant, I told her STOP NOW--but it was already too late. And he did the same damn thing to the hardworking merchants of Vashon. Worse yet, an on-island marketer who drank his kool-aid promoted him to the merchants in the first place; I find it really baffling that this person can look merchants in the eye and act like that was okay to do. Pardon my ethos but, I'm willing to bet there was a commission involved.

My hope is that the COC, if it chooses to award contracts (especially relating to marketing), does due diligence, collects references, and fully looks at the work experience to be sure it is relevant to the project needed.

Nobody goofs, nobody gets hurt! Just looking out for y'all. Nuff said.

David's swarming bees

It happens! Nature literally taking its course.
Somewhere on the North End, the bees that split are settling into their new home.

Our first egg!

Guess what?! We got our first egg today. And it was white...which would lead me to believe this came from one of the Pearl White Leghorns. In the lower photo you'll see the egg and a ping pong ball; D put that in there to start the party, so to speak and lo and behold that was the nestbox where the egg was laid. We've got all the birds named now: Alice, Heather (Alex named), Luke, Darth (those came from Zachy), and Lucy and Mel (from D n me). The egg was delicious!

Afro-Brazilian dance class on Vashon

This woman teaches a rockin class! I'm having fun. See that lady in the pink? That's me...okay it's not really me, I'm just kidding ya. I'm not quite that old yet.
Join me!

Just the WAX, mam! (encore)

There is some BAD INFORMATION out there on body waxing, including Brazilian Waxing. I am here to set the record straight, not to be a weirdo or misquoted or misconstrued (although some people would love that). It's not for everyone, but it sure eliminates some hassles. Here goes.

The straight dope is this:
1. It does feel better during mano-a-womano contact.
2. It does look nice (aerially speaking) not having a "crotch fro:" uh, not that I did in the first place!
3. It IS resassuring that some wayward hair doesn't decide to do the "HEY THERE!" peek-a-boo out the side of the bikini.
4. A Brazilian doesn't mean all the hair goes--some B-Waxes can leave a little some-some behind, like a triangle, or a letter shape, a "Hitler" tuft, whatever! It's okay to remind yourself you're a grownup not fulfilling some sicko pervy man's pre-teen fantasy.
5. It is expensive: $50-70 at WaxOn Spa in Seattle depending on the -beavage- (did I just say that?)
6. It does hurt for a brief and fleeting "Phweeep!" Tweezers for the stragglers are a killer
7. It's all out there during the visit--show no shame and let the pros at it.
8. Tip well, these folks are in a place even the Gyno doesn't stay long--and making way less $
9. Wash before visiting. Nuff said.
10. If you hate it, baby it grows back like all the other hair on your bod.

Zach. Dog Bite. Bottom lip torn into two.

There's nothing quite as nauseating and heart-wrenching as seeing your child bleeding and in pain. I feel for the parents out there whose kids have been seriously burned or maimed. This doesn't even come close to that, and yet I still got this horrible panicky feeling when I saw Zach on the clinic table having his bottom, canine-custom-butterflied lip sewn back into one piece. It was a total accident. Zach is a gentle boy who would never provoke a dog. It was just one of those freaky things that went from two kids playing croquet to a sleeping dog suddenly rousing up--maybe having a case of stranger danger? or protecting his young resident--and in a split second creating what the X called a "reverse hairlip" outta Zach's perfect pouty lower lip.

I don't even know the name of the doc/nurse who did it--but she was masterful and Zach just lay there quietly and still, with big tears streaming down his face.

Low tide days!

We geoducked again and hit pay dirt! The only downer was a crotchety old man who took it upon himself to YELL at us for not owning property on the beach upon which we were digging; fronting the very place I rented for some years. Some of the current renters are still friends of mine. Sigh. The WDFW law is dubious and confusing but I contend we were not -technically- at all on his private tidelands. He was about ready to whack me with his cane, if he could head out that far...but he left us alone in time and just WATCHED from his distant stoop. This was a family affair, and no damage was being done. We love the AINA. We even bury our holes and you know darn well the tides gonna wash it into oblivion all the same!

Note to self: When I'm old and crotchety and own waterfront property, I won't yell at nice families trying to celebrate low tide.

The birds have "landed!"

Chickens are here! They're so cool and bizarro. They love their awesome coop. Of course they do...it's the lifestyles of the glamorous hens. Here's a scene from getting them as Mickey at the post office checked em through, and Zach carried them to their new home.

Snorkel Stove is in!

This thing ROCKS. David built a really cool platform just beyond the garden. We purchased this (barely used!) from a Bremerton lady. Assembled it, filled 'er up, Wood. Water. Hot tub, Snorkel Stove style is done! Even though it's a Tacoma-based company, we first saw this at a buddy's in Trinity Co., Ca (Dickaroo!). They are every bit as great and prettier than the plastic fantastic relics of the 80s, and look ma, no electricity!

You mean you didn't want to see my panties?

I should have known when the acupuncturist was putting a sheet on the already made massage table that it was for me to get UNDER...but for some reason I figured he was just re-dressing the table. So when excused himself just after he told me, "face down on the table, everything but your panties..." I did exactly that. I thought, "Gosh I hope I have good underwear on today"...LIKE AN IDIOT.

He comes back in, and gasps.
"Hey! You didn't get under the sheet!"
me: You didn't tell me to!

him: Why did you think I put the sheet down?
me: I thought you were re-dressing the table.

him: You're making me blush, get under the sheet.
me: Tell me about it, and here I was worrying about what panties you were gonna see.

We laughed it off. The panties were like the ones in this photo (not my bod!).

Beautiful People Everywhere

Is it wrong that I find myself gazing into the very souls of strangers sometimes? I wonder about their lives, their losses, and their passions. I wonder if the kind face I'm staring at is truly as kind inside as it looks on the outside. At an intersection, at a party, on the ferry I do this thing where I lock in and observe for an uncomfortable amount of time, and the person has no idea I'm dong a full court assessment based on little more than verbal cues and the look in their eyes. I know I'm a quick study. I also know there are times when you just wanna throw your boots across the river and break the chain of silence to approach conversation.

It's easy to hide from the world, too. But why? Too many cool people in this world!

Learning to swim (the right way)

When I started dealing with chronic pain, found out I had some back issues and got the second opinion of a neurologist (a friend's dad) who checked out my MRI, the all-around best recommendation for working out was to swim.

All my life I've loved being in the water and started swimming at an early age. I just didn't want to get in a pool full of serious swimmers and be the dork who was doing the sloppy swimming.

Being the information addict I admit to being, my quest was to learn from someone I could trust, who'd be patient, and was a pro. Dayna Rogers has taken me to task (and I her!) and these days the Vashon Athletic Club pool has become my frequented spot. Lucky for me I learned I have some ability and have ascended quickly through her thoughtful lessons.

Once I get past the breathing mastery, the rest will be gravy. Dayna is bringing me new challenges with each progression. I am very grateful to her and recommend her to anyone who wants to improve on their stroke. I'm doing it!

The Hives

David did a "pulse check" yesterday, and the bees are bee-having like they should!

The kids are growing

I am reminded of how quickly time goes by when I see photos like these. Here, the budding equestrian I see so deftly riding (and jumping!) is a young woman that was once my son's best buddy. As they got older, the gender roles kicked in and their thick-as-thieves status soon diminished to a "hey" while passing each other in the middle school hallways. An enduring, mutual admiration still quietly exists under the veil of aloofness.

Em's growing up!

Geoducking on Vashon

It's a LOT of work, but they're here on Vashon!
We'll definitely do it again during a minus tide.

Vashon Youth Baseball Opening Day

Zach is in there! He's playing on D&R Excavating's team in the Bronco league and is he ever happy! We were waitlisted because we registered late. But..it all worked out beautifully. His team is the dark green w/yellow uniforms. If you click the photo it will expand; you can just make out Zach on the very far right, between two adults in blue. Lauri Hennessey, up front and center in red and white, sang a colorful rendition of the national anthem. The adults-only social was held in the evening at Sound Foods and it was the perfect setting. Lots of fun all around.

The coop is so close to completion!

We're getting there.
This is done on an OLD digi camera but you'll get the idea here.
There's also a glimpse of the two beehives in here.
More later as we progress.

Is Bold Beautiful?

This morning I received my subscriber e-blast from Palouse Winery's Linda Kirkish.

In it, she sought feedback about the new winery "sign" on their facility, located on their Vashon Highway property.

Privately, I emailed my thoughts to her. I want to know what you think, too. If you leave a thoughtful comment, I'll pass it on to her.

Granted, this is a business, it is also Vashon Island. Apparently, a neighbor convinced her to use the side of the building for visibility. This neighbor is a marketer on the island (so am I, but...).

Alright folks, spill it. You can leave anonymous comments, too.
Thanks!

Weekend in Westport

Okay, this did not happen on Vashon...
This weekend the boys and I headed to Westport and bunked in a cute little beach cottage with Sue, Jim, and the rest of the Edwards kin. There was a morning razor clam dig for a couple straight days. Alex, my 12-y-old, was not digging it, pun intended, but Zach took command of the razor clam gun like a pro and he nearly "limited" so that was good enough for me. We had a wonderful time, even as the weekend weather turned to horizontal rain and whipping wind.
Our last trip to Seabrook (this is the best place ever to razor clam--they're big and plentiful on this lesser known stretch of the Mocrocks district) had us maxed out and we still have tons from that trip, so quantity was not a factor this trip. I brought these and the last of the chowder home to David, where we enjoyed a yummy lunch with fresh clams dropped in to the mix of chowder. Then David made rosemary shortbread for the full kiss of decadance! I will never be skinny again.

The Powder Room

The new chicken coop shall be named "the powder room!"

Thanks to Dennis Loeb, our neighbor who kindly spared his scrap materials, we created a chicken coop out of ladies room doors (and one men's room door--no roosters allowed!) and also spare lumber from David's friend and colleague Bill.
David and Zach are doing a bang up job. Also Krista Dehnert let us rifle through her pile of old windows...so it has leaded windows on one side and vinyl/alum combo windows on the other! Thanks to these cast-offs, about 97% of the building is salvaged material. Chickens are imminent in May!

Stimulus is...knowing we have a refund!

I always get nervous around tax time. I used to always inevitably OWE the feds money or get back a paltry refund at best. My first year as a divorcee, I hired Joyce Olson on VI to do my taxes. She helped me get things in line and gave me a lot of direction for future years, for which I am thankful. From there, I bucked up and filed my own returns.

I made sure to claim just two exemptions to get more taxes taken from my paycheck. That move paid off with decent refunds, for the first time since the glory days of filing a 1040EZ in the simplicity of being 18-21! Remember those days?

This year was the best yet: I have fully realized the tax benefit of being married (when both parties have conserved taxes all year long, there are no ugly surprises) and things look good. Granted, it's a bit intimidating to file a return that has with it three schedules and special forms, but if you have the patience to follow the directions, it's really not difficult at all!

We may treat ourselves to a snorkel stove (hot tub) to celebrate.

The lesson, as I've made the big 4-0, is to conserve. I save elsewhere, too, and have learned to just live without that money each paycheck. It's pretty sad though when you lose 35% of your 401K, 39% of your RothIRA (which was in S&P stocks), but then MAKE 6% on a WaMu savings account. That is the first time I've celebrated the return on my savings account. Take those wins where you can find em!

Man V. Blackberry

Blackberry is evil. Blackberry is the devil incarnate. Canes the length of 30 and 40-feet arch into the trees and tangle through shrubs on the property, specifically, where David plans to put two beehives. This week we did serious battle, and have the scabs and puncture wounds to prove it!

Not that I love pesticides, I don't. I'm all about mulching, smothering. For blackberries, it doesn't work well. But...one islander tipped me off to a trick in which she hacks down the big mofo canes at the base and takes a watercolor brush and brushes the roundup onto the base's exposed cut. It works and minimizes the toxic factor.

The only thing worse than cutting the canes was REMOVING the canes to a pile of yard waste, which caused more bloodshed (minimal, albeit those little wounds hurt for days after!).

Natasha Richardson

I was saddened to learn about the way in which she died.
It underscores the need for the unappealing but very life-saving headwear.
Vashon Ski School won't let you ski or snowboard without one. Ever.

More bond-age

Ladies and Gentlemen-

It appears my blog is circulating among those both in favor and against the bond. They are finding me on email and telling me their feelings. Wow. What has surprised me most are the large numbers of "strong silent types" who are against this iniative passing. Someone wrote "notice the lack of NO signs" (cuz nobody in their right mind would run such a counter campaign--why when they can just cast a no vote).

Another comment was about the district having every right to put out a pre-voter brochure. I totally agreed! But (and this is a big but) if the TAXPAYER, assuming this was ultimately taxpayer money that funded this communication, had a say, would he opt to bankroll a full-color glossy, custom-scored, fold-out folio-style brochure complete with design schematics, OR would he opt for something ala "straight dope" and informative that actually demonstrated fiscal responsibility in its modesty? Could the message have been equally communicated using a baseline b/w with one-color, 8.5 x 11, two-sided tri-fold document that would cost a fraction of this slick doc? Could the color detail not have just lived online for the voter to learn more and download a pdf of the rest, and saved thousands in production costs? This is what I'm talking about. I'm just saying: There is a psychology to those marketing nuances, and what I've witnessed is a major sell. My provocation was, might it have turned some people off?

I salute all the volunteers who made their voices heard loudly. I trust that everyone on Vashon who is registered to vote, no matter what the stance, will mail that bad boy in so we get a nice full count. Cheers. I'm over this topic.

"Raising Chickens" class from VIGA

I cannot believe this class was free! In gratitude I'm doing a big chicken dance for VIGA, which funded this 2.5-hr class "Raising Chickens" that I attended today. It was truly awesome. Cathy Fulton and Dana Ness DVM conducted the class and it was really insightful. I could not NOT pay for this class, so I (as well as several class goers) donated to the new non profit Seed Money sustainability program from the local Lutheran church.

Ness said favored egg layers that are hardy around here include Brahmas, Red or Black Stars, Wyandottes and Turkens. Pearl White Leghorns were another that class attendees raved about. After checking out Dana's turken up close, I found it to be quite a sweet, runway model of a chicken---what with that long neck and all! It made the cover of Backyard Poultry mag so I supposed she is a superdiva chicken!

David is in the process of using 90% reclaimed materials to construct a very tricked out chicken coop. We've talked to a neighbor who has thrown in the towel (we bemuse the hand-scrawled epitaph on one defunct coop: "Raccoons 3, Chickens 0") and know we've got to really get this thing protected to make it predator proof. AT LEAST two other neighbors on the North End raise chickens, one commercially.

We're getting six layers once the coop is ready to rock. I have the Murray McMurray catalog ready! Next I ponder--will it be pullets or chicks???:)

My pensive school bond manifesto

Dear Vashonistas:

The "Vote Yes!" campaign for the school bond has proven itself a relentless, "hit-you-over-the-head" style marketing blitz. Even though "Committee" funded, I contend the budget allocated toward this months-long promotional initiative--comprised of printing, design, advertising placements and consulting---could have easily checked a project or two off the laundry list of those noted in the bond package.

As a public relations practitioner I know the amount of money that backs the production and postage of a full-color direct mail folio (sent to every Vashon household!), signage, full-page newspaper ads, three-color direct mail postcards, an ongoing newspaper advertising buy, plus numerous related communication pieces, all of which this effort has deployed. I also consider the extensive resources and hard costs that go into bringing this bond to the voters. By the time this note goes to print, many of you will have already cast your vote.

I have wanted to get behind this bond since the beginning, and there is no question after seeing it firsthand our high school needs improvements. So why do I still get a queasy, gut-wrenching feeling that this is an over-packaged bond with the hardest sell of any initiative I've seen yet on this Island? When an initiative (such as a bond) is marketed exhaustively to the public, it makes me question whether or not it can stand on its own merits, as if reading the straight literature of the bond measure itself was not enough to compel citizens to vote "yes."

As my vote is cast, I will not only consider our future students--my own children, I will also think about the wallets of every Island homeowner, and whether or not there is a leaner, meaner bond proposal yet to be penciled.

I thank the Beachcomber for its insightful pro- and con-bond editorials; I'm sure those opposing the bond appreciate having a voice, since they lack the thunder of a well-funded marketing campaign.

Pensively, Me

Back from the wilderness

Vacation was awesome. The 8-hr snowshoe was the most intense workout I can recall in recent history, truly putting a physical strain on this bod. We ate wonderful meals at Dick's place, all done on the wood cookstove, from homemade scones to filet mignon w/bearnaise to breaded razor clams we backpacked in.

Trinity County, Calif, we'll be back...oh yes...we will (when I recover!).