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RETIRED, AT LAST!! 5/27/06 The activity continues!
We had our house re-roofed last week and it now looks pretty good. The
cedar 6/8/06 Still busy as can be! The
front yard is torn up again, but this time it's in a good way. The
garage/driveway project got under way a few days ago and we can see the light at
the end of the tunnel finally. They ripped up what was left of the old
driveway, dug trenches for the extension footing and set the forms. We
hoped to have a pour today, but the Building Inspector said no more work until
the Engineer comes by and gives it his blessing. But at least we have
begun and my little vision of a place to park the truck, new garage doors, and a
new driveway are starting to take shape. Meanwhile, I have been putting in
some time at the hangar getting my little workshop put together. Yesterday
I wired the breaker box and put up some insulation. I have been putting
off the exterior painting (I don't like to paint) but need to get going on that
very soon. It's interesting to see people slow down as they drive past my
open hangar doors. The hardest part of getting anything done is stopping
to talk to all the people who drop by and want to chat, 6/12/06 The EAA had their "Young
Eagles" program at Port Angeles the other day. The program gives free
plane rides to kids who will, hopefully, be interested in aviation one day.
I helped load some of the kids in and out of the planes and they all seemed to
have a good time. When things got slow, Alan and I flew to Port Townsend
for lunch, and then returned to continue with the program. Yesterday we
took the Goldwings out for a little ride and that felt good. Today the
Contractor will be back to pour the footings at 11am and tomorrow will probably
mark the beginning of the framing. Meanwhile, the hangar workshop is
continuing along, with the wiring all done and the front primed. Next will
be the painting of the front, completion of the insulation, and installation of
the interior plywood. It's hard to believe how much effort has been put
into this tiny
6/21/06 The projects are moving along very well. They are putting the siding up on the garage extension as I write this, and the cement truck will be here any minute to pour the slab inside the garage. Next week or so they will pour the remainder of the driveway. The doors should be installed on Friday and I hope to clean up the garage and install the openers shortly thereafter. The hangar workshop is coming along well - the outside is painted, and I am about to finish putting the interior plywood sheathing up. Next will come the painting of the interior, and the installation of some kind of flooring.
7/11/06 What a hectic couple of weeks!! On 6/28 I
towed the travel trailer to Arlington, WA, where the EAA was preparing for their
Northwest Fly-in. For the next week I did everything you can imagine on
the airport grounds - installed fencing, drove their forklift, set up buildings,
etc., etc. Then on the 4th of July we began manning the small open tower
that was to control airplane parking for the next 5 days! It was just like
working Ground Control during my FAA days, except that there were FAR more
airplanes, and things were a lot less structured. So for 5 days I worked
12-hours in the tower, starting around 7:30am and not climbing down until 7pm or
so. Even then, I wound up bring the handheld radio back to the camper with
me and parked a few planes while sitting at my dining table! It was an
exhausting experience, but lots of fun! Below is a picture of the truck/camper
on one of the first days on-site before the crowds of people began pouring in -
8/9/06 Since writing last, we've been pretty busy.
We finally wrapped up the garage project and are happy with the way it looks.
The truck mirrors only clear the frame by about 2", but that's good enough and
we're glad to be able to park inside at last.
8/21/06 Motorcycle madness!! A few days ago Alan
and I headed out on the motorcycles for a little get-away. We rode east to
Port Townsend, caught the Kingston ferry, and then proceeded to ride northbound
and into Canada. It took us a while to get through Vancouver, but we
finally came out on the north side and kept going. Eventually we caught
the Horseshoe Bay ferry, where we met Dennis and Ron, a couple of really nice
guys that had recently purchased Goldwings so they could take an epic trip
around the US and Canada and reconnect (they're brothers). From
9/4/06 Teddie and I threw the girls in the camper and headed out last week for a few days of R&R. We drove down to Ocean City Beach Park (about a mile north of Ocean Shores) and set up camp, only to have the fog roll in and stay for a couple of days! The first two days we were there we never saw the sun, and it was cold, wet, and windy!
We did try to get out and about a little and Teddie
got to see her first black bear in front of us on the trail one day! After
two days we hooked everything back up and went about 20 miles north to Pacific
Beach where we stayed one night. Then, on the next day, we went to Lake
Crescent and camped at a National Park campground for one night. It was a good
time and will likely be our last campout of the year. Yesterday I flew to
Orcas Island with Alan and Michaelle. After brunch we flew down to
Arlington where we looked at an Ultralight that Alan is thinking about buying,
and then returned to Port Angeles. Friends Bud and Tracy flew their Cessna
and Jay and his son flew their homebuilt as far as Orcas Island, so we all went
as a (rather loose) formation. Lotsa fun! Last weekend Teddie and I went
with Bud and
11/11/06 It has been a little over two months since I updated this page, and what a busy two months it's been! I went to New Jersey in the middle of September and didn't return to Washington until 5 weeks later! I had a great time visiting with my family, sailing on the Chesapeake, and generally kicking around. Got to see the grandchildren a lot (they keep getting cuter, although I didn't think that was possible!). A week or so after my return to Washington, Michael and Alicia came out to visit with us for 10 days and we spent time touring, working at the hangar, and doing projects here at home. We were sorry to see them go, but I know they were anxious to return to their regular routine in Oklahoma. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so here are a few snapshots that were taken during the past two months:
12/11/06 Michael and Ailcia went home about a month ago! On Thanksgiving, my nephew Sam came to visit with us and it was great having him around the house for a few days. For Thanksgiving dinner we also had Alan, Michaelle, Bud, and Tracy over and everyone brought some food! Last weekend all of us went to the little theater here in Sequim to watch a play that Tracy directed, and then came home for drinks in the evening. They are really a great group of folks. Right after Thanksgiving we had some snow and Sequim got
about 8" in some places. It's probably the most snow Lately we've been doing some more work in the hangar workshop. A week ago a friend helped me lay most of the ceiling and then a few days ago, Teddie and I went over and primed the entire inside. Today we went back and painted it. Tomorrow I hope to start laying down the floor (laminate) and should have that done in a day or two. Perhaps then I can *finally* settle down and start building the plane. For a change of pace, Alan and I rode the motorcycles over to Port Townsend yesterday. The battery on his was going bad, so we had to jump-start it off of mine every time we stopped, but it was a fun ride and made me anxious for summer to someday get here so we can do some serious riding. Otherwise, the bike is over at the hangar and will probably not move again until the early spring. 12/20/06 A little sadness around here - when I
returned home from dropping Teddie off at the airport yesterday, I was greeted
by Sandy and Pepper as usual. I played with them, walked them, and fed
them, and then we settled
12/31/06 Teddie returned from New Jersey yesterday and felt the pain of having only one dog come to give her the big greeting! But she's glad to be home and rested up from her 10 days on the east coast. Travel is fun, but there IS no place like home! I've been spending time at the hangar putting the finishing touches on my little workshop and cleaning up the rest of the place. It's looking pretty good now and should make a great hangout spot and place to build the little airplane. Time to think about getting started on the plane now!
1/6/07 Went for a checkout in a C172 the other day and it went well. So now my flying is current for a brief period until next month when my biennial flight review (BFR) expires! Once I take care of that I will be current for almost two more years. It felt good to fly again, and I was comfortable at the controls, so now I hope to rent a plane from time to time to keep current and get more familiar with the surrounding airports. Picked up Pepper's ashes this morning, so now she is in an urn on the bookshelves next to the fireplace. Teddie said she wants to put Sox's ashes in there too. Still kind of hard to believe the little girl is gone. 1/13/07 I just couldn't stand only having one little poodle puppy around the house, so a couple of days ago Teddie and I drove to Lake Stevens and brought home another little girl. She's all black, was born on 9/9/06, and right now weighs 4 lbs 14 oz. She's a real handful, and it looks like she and Sandy will get along fine. Click here to see a few pictures, or click on the arrow below to see them in action.
1/14/07 Yesterday was fun - we brought table and chairs over to the hangar, along with some food and drinks, and were eventually joined by Alan and Michaelle, Bud and Tracy, Jay and Francois, and Dava - a new airplane owner. We had a pot-luck dinner in the hangar workshop and it seemed to work out well. Between the electric heater, and the 23,000 BTU kerosene heater, we were plenty warm and eventually wound up moving the big heater outside to let the workshop cool off a bit. It's nice to finally get some use out of the workshop after spending so much time planning and constructing it. Gigi is doing well, although house-training her in this cold weather is proving to be a challenge. I walk her outside until she and I are both freezing cold, and then she messes on the floor within minutes of coming back inside! This will be easier when the weather warms up a bit, but I AM getting tired of picking up after her. Oh well - just part of owning a puppy. 1/28/07 We're still struggling to get Gigi housebroken, but it's (slowly) coming along! We did have a crisis last week when Gigi tried to jump up onto a chair that Sandy was laying on and Sandy snapped at her and got her right on the face. She suffered a small puncture wound next to the left eye, and a cut above the right eye. I whisked her off to the Vet who treated her and gave us antibiotics to administer. Now - a week later - she seems to be doing fine and there have been no more serious incidents. Flew to Hoquiam with Alan yesterday. Bud and Tracy followed in their C182, and Jay came along in his homebuilt. It was a very smooth flight and the scenery was great. Also, last week I rented a C172 and Alan and I flew to Boeing Field and back - felt good being back in the left seat again.
I have FINALLY started working on my little airplane!! Repaired some shipping damage, installed the Flaperon control, and started work on the landing gear and engine bolt-ons. There is a link to the airplane on my home page and I will try to keep the project status current there. 1/12/07 Gigi has proven to be a real challenge when it comes to being house-trained! For the past month we have cleaned up after her, held her in our lap so she wouldn't run into the next room and "do her business", and spent more hours than I care to think about standing outside with her, waiting for her to get the idea. Then, a few days ago, we had two consecutive days with NO accidents! It was very encouraging, but today she was back to her old tricks. Argh! Looks like a few things coming up in the next couple of weeks or so. The Fire Department indicated they would begin training on the 21st (I'm not going to be surprised if it's put off yet again), Alan and I will attend an aviation trade show in Puyallup on the 24th, and we'll be going to a three day Light Sport Aircraft Repair seminar during the second week of March. Also, we're expecting company around the 10th of March and there's a possibility I will fly to Oklahoma for a few days early in the month. Even being retired, I sometimes run out of time!! 2/25/07 Like the last one, this page has gotten too long! So, I'm starting still another. If you're still with me, Thanks!! Click here to continue on to the next page. Page last modified on 02/25/2007
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shakes were about 30 years old and had dried, split, cracked, and grown moss, so
we had them replaced with plain composition shingles which should be easier to
maintain. When we got the estimate, it included $800 to haul away the old
shingles, so we told the guy that we would take care of that part of the job.
What a mess!!! We wound up having to dig through a giant pile of shingles,
felt, nails, spiders, tree junk, and everything else. It took Teddie and I
three days (and one tetanus shot) to clean up that pile, but at least now it's
done and the place looks nice. Meanwhile, I have been continuing to work
at the hangar and the little workshop is taking shape. All four walls are
up now, and the door and window is installed. Next I will work on the
ceiling and a stairway. After that comes insulation, electrical work, and
painting. It has been fun and I'm learning a lot, but I'm anxious to be
done with it so I can finally start work on the airplane! Oh yeah - the
driveway/garage project gets under way in
about
9 days, and it will be nice to be done with that.
but that's just the fun part of having a hangar. Besides, I have all the
time in the world now and it's always enjoyable listening to their stories.
building,
but I've enjoyed every minute of it and feel it will be attractive when it's
finished.
7/17/06 Things are shaping up nicely in the front yard
now! In the past few days we have painted the garage extension, and buried
drain and sprinkler lines alongside the garage. Tomorrow we hope to set up
the 4x4 pathway borders, and will fill in the path with gravel a day or two
later. For a project that didn't involve too much work, this one seems to
have lingered on far longer than it should have! But now it's looking nice
and the front of the house looks much better than before, so it was all worth
it!
didn't want to have to replace the entire countertop, as it was in good shape,
so we got a marble-cutting blade for the Sawsall and sawed the sinks out of the
counter and installed new china ones. It sounded like a goofy idea, but
worked out well and saved us some $$$. 
that
point, the four of us rode together. Continuing north we eventually took
the Earl's Cove ferry and rode to Powell River where we spent the night.
Next morning we caught the ferry over to Vancouver Island where we rode north to
Campbell River and then turned south and went all the way down to Victoria to
catch the evening ferry over to Port Angeles. Dennis and Ron stayed at a
motel in Sequim where Teddie and I, and Alan and Michaelle, met up with them the
next morning and the six of us had breakfast before heading westbound on highway
101. At the Highway 113 junction we pulled over and said goodbye to Ron
and Dennis who were going to continue around the Peninsula and head down into
Oregon and beyond. Alan and I, and the women, then looped back east on 113
and 112, made a brief stop at Salt Creek Recreation Area to visit Michaelle's
son and family, and continued on to Port Angeles and Sequim. For Alan and
I it was three days of perfect motorcycle riding, with great weather, fantastic
scenery, and an opportunity to meet up with a couple of great Goldwing riders!
I hope they encounter nothing but smooth roads and clear skies for the rest of
their trip.
Tracy
to Hoquiam in their Cessna, and then flew right back over the Olympic mountains
on the return. That's the first time we've been over the Olympics and it
was GREAT! 
we've seen here, and it pretty much shut the little town down for a day or two.
Now most of it is gone and things are well back to normal.
down for the evening. Shortly thereafter I found Pepper laying on the
floor and breathing heavily, so I picked her up and held her. Within a
minute or two she quit breathing and quietly died in my arms. The Vet had
told us she had a bad heart, so I guess it finally just gave way. We will
miss her dearly.
