For months we have been debating about getting an iPad. I was excited about playing with the new hands-on device, but Esther wasn't sure about the lack of a keyboard and inconvenient lap use. Since the justification for a new technology device was a replacement for the ten year old iBook that Esther has been nursing along, I decided I should defer to her wishes. Well, the release of the new MacBook Air was just what I needed to get spousal consent. This weekend we took the plunge and purchased an 11" MacBook Air. It is amazingly light, compact and super fast. My MacBook suddenly feels like a clunker. On another note, it was conference week at school and for the first time since I have been teaching, all of the parents showed up! I always get a no show or two. This afternoon, we took an Halloween Day drive to enjoy the Fall colors and a little bit of sunshine. We drove out the Northshore Dr. on Hood Canal and kept going on the dirt road all the way to Dewatto. It is some pretty remote country but the woods were beautiful with the yellow alder leaves shouting out from among the deep green evergreen. Tonight we will have our traditional pigs-in-a-blanket and we will reminisce of Halloweens gone by. Such is the plight of the empty nester!
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Sunday, October 17, 2010
mission accomplished
Every fall I have the nagging ambivalent feeling that I need to get my boat out of the water before winter storms come. 'Ambivalent' because I don't want my sailing to come to an end for the year. In former years, I recruited one of my sons to help me with the tasks of hauling up a 150 lb mushroom anchor from the sea floor and getting a sailboat on a trailer at the launch. Having no sons at home anymore, my friend Tim deLacy came to the rescue. He was rewarded for his kind labors with a mild breeze which allowed us a relaxing sail to the Manchester dock rather than the drone of the outboard. I can sleep a little sounder tonight with the boat safe in her dry dock for the winter.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Connecting on Columbus Day
A three day weekend afforded us the opportunity to visit Greenwood (a.k.a. Lynden) Saturday we went for lunch at the Everson Auction Sale Barn. Yes, it was hard to choke down the chiliburger with the aroma of manure wafting up from the floor; but it was a childhood memory that Esther needed to relive. Then it was across the street to the Stonyridge Pumpkin Patch with sights and sounds to delight Ada. The drizzly weather finally got to us and we headed back home down the Van Dyk Rd. Sunday was church at Oikos (Bjorn and Jenny's church) and lunch at Little Cheerful's in Bellingham and a visit with Mom. Monday the Greenwood clan took a hike at Lake Tenant in some welcome sunny weather before enjoying lunch at Boundary Bay Brewery.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
September sunset sail on the sound
It is evenings like today that justify leaving my boat at its mooring until late October. If I hurry home from work, I can be on the water by 5:00, which gives me a glorious hour or two soaking up the wind, sun and view from the middle of the sound. City, forest, mountain and sea all beam brightly in the setting sun. To top it off, I came home to some wonderful salmon chowder that Esther made from fresh salmon caught by a friend from school. A couple more of these and I'll be ready to put the boat away for another winter.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
2010 leaders hike
We couldn't have ordered better weather for our annual hike up Mt. Townsend. We had contingency plans in place, but they weren't necessary. Don and I took 12 students and several parents/grandparents up 6200 ft. Mt. Townsend. It was an eight mile round trip adventure. One parent and child decided to turn back, but the rest all made it to the top. The view from the top includes an interior look at the Olympics and a panorama of the Puget Sound and Cascade Range. The hike is offered to the leaders of our classroom of 56 kids. These dozen or so kids have proved themselves responsible and able to help guide their peers. We have another great group of leaders this year.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Victorian Anniversary
It has been six years since Esther and I have visited Victoria. This weekend being our anniversary, we made a weekend overnighter to the enchanted city. It never ceases to amaze me how ‘European’ Victoria feels so close to us. I love entering the city from the harbor. We took the 12:45 Coho from Port Angeles and jumped into an afternoon of strolling, shop browsing and dining before retiring to our ninth floor hotel room at the Coast Harbourside. The pounding rain in the middle of the night didn’t give us high hopes for Sunday’s weather, but we were pleasantly surprised by sunny skies by late morning. We enjoyed a delicious brunch buffet, which gave us the energy to walk the harbor perimeter, including the fisherman’s wharf which has had some upgrades since we visited last. Another change that we noticed this time was the prevalence of the cruise ships. During our 25 hours in the city, we saw five different large cruise ships drop off their teaming tourists to terrorize the town. We caught a 3:00 ferry back to PA where it was pouring down rain. Once again Victoria delivered on a romantic getaway.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
School Resumes for another year
The school year is off to a good start. We have a nice group of students who are anxious to learn. As a community building activity, each table made a flag to represent themselves. Then we had our own Olympic games, complete with opening flag procession and rigorous competition. It's easy to fall into our familiar routines as teachers, so Don and I have to keep asking ourselves if our routines are effective or would they benefit from a change. I am looking forward to a good year.
Tuesday, September 07, 2010
Summer's Labor
On the eve of school starting, I take time to reflect on the summer of 2010. Amidst the excitement of vacations, sailing and preparing for Calvin to leave, I managed to complete a several year project for my neighbor. I built retaining walls and poured cement slabs around the remaining portion of his house. The second floor is completely surrounded by decks which I have built, and the bottom floor is surrounded by cement patio or driveway. I'm not sure what's in store for next summer, but he'll think of something! Tomorrow begins a new year in the classroom. I am ready!
Thursday, September 02, 2010
Introducing 'Big Man Japan'
If you haven't already found Calvin's Japan blog, I would encourage you to check it out. He is having quite the adventure and is keeping up an active blog. After all the years of him dreaming of this adventure, it is rewarding to see him living it out. Big Man Japan
Monday, August 30, 2010
Calvin takes the plunge
The attached video is of Calvin bungee jumping this summer, but this morning he took the big plunge to Tokyo. We took him to the airport early this morning along with Jenny and Ada as they flew to South Dakota this morning. Calvin is embarking on three years of university study in Japan. He had a great send off on Sunday with his brothers and Mike, Marti and Marika over for a 'last supper' Calvin plans to spend his first night in Japan at a 'capsule hotel' in dowtown Tokyo. The next day he will check-in at International Christian University. We would love to have brought Calvin to his new academic adventure, but finances and schedules prohibit that. Instead, Esther and I sit at home and feel like we just took a bungee plunge!
Friday, August 27, 2010
SOLD
Today I sold one of my sailboats. I have had this boat for about ten years. It's only been used for a couple of seasons. I haven't used it for three years. It is a nice boat for family cruising, but for my usual needs the Montgomery is just right.I like the boat but can't justify keeping it around. Boats take lots of upkeep - even fiberglass ones. I have wanted to get it ready for selling the last couple of years, finally did it! The buyer is a retired teacher from the Portland area who I am sure will give it a good home and fix it up a bit. The grounds should look a little more tidy with just one boat and trailer around.
Monday, August 16, 2010
family vacation Seabrook
Overheated on the Washington coast, we must have been be dreaming! When we booked our weekend reservations for a family getaway at Seabrook a few months ago, we anticipated the usual gray skies and drizzle. We were planning on enjoying the cozy accommodations and maybe getting a weather break here and there. Well, Saturday we hit the jackpot for coastal weather. Everything was warm except the Pacific Ocean. Seabrook is a newly constructed beach community near Pacific Beach, WA. We rented a house for three nights and enjoyed a long weekend of relaxing family activities – dining, biking, swimming, reading, beaching, gaming, sleeping, touring, picnicking, walking, swinging and pickling (pickle ball). Our house for the weekend was called ‘Ella’s Escape’, which for me was in honor of my Aunt Ella in Chicago. Sunday, the fog returned, so we took a short trip to Lake Quinault Lodge. The gathering was somewhat of a last hoorah before Calvin leaves for Japan.
Tuesday, August 03, 2010
Garden Celebrations
This past weekend Esther and I went north to attend a wedding in Vancouver BC. We also got to care for Ada as her parents rushed back and forth across the Canadian border, helping with the wedding preparation and entertaining out of town guests. Aaron Castle is a good friend of Bjorn's from college and Amy Neilson is good friend of Jenny's. Each couple claims that they are responsible for getting the other couple together. The wedding was at a stately mansion on the south side of Vancouver. The grounds and facilities made an elegant wedding setting. We also got to spend time with Esther's family and an evening with Doug, Pam and Ellen. Another highlight of the weekend was a progressive dinner at Marti and Mike's to celebrate Esther's birthday. Marti had five different tables set up around the property, each with a unique set of decorations. The six of us rotated around the tables enjoying the scrumptious courses. It started with clams and mussels in the shell, Italian soup, fresh garden salad next to the garden, salmon with cooked vegetables carefully selected from the garden by each guest, and topped with Martha Stewart's icebox cake by out door candle light. Needless to say, it's going to take a lot to top that meal.
Visit from Sis
My sister Ellen came to Washington for a short visit last week. She crammed in a quick trip before starting her school year of teaching in Sacramento. We were able to have Sheri Nelson over for dinner one night and Ellen and Sheri were able to swap China stories. On Wednesday we took an outing to Port Townsend. I enjoyed the new Wooden Boat Foundation complex and the ladies did a little shop browsing. Ellen also went up to Lynden to share some time with Doug and Pam and visit Mom a few times.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Climbing Mt. Baker
Calvin and his friend Josh have been hounding me to climb Mt. Baker this summer; so this week Markus joined us as we made the ascent. The 'partly cloudy' Thursday forecast turned to a light drizzle and dark clouds as we approached the trailhead. We contemplated postponing for a day but the forest service office encouraged us to go ahead since it would clear up in time for our morning ascent, We met a few climbers coming down who had horror stories of their morning summit - high winds and ice pellets. We continued on with the hopes of clear skies by midnight. We hiked through the fog to the high camp at Black Buttes. It was cold, cloudy and windy so we took care of dinner and essentials and then spent the evening in the tents, Unfortunately, I only slept for fifteen minutes before our two o'clock wake up. We woke to a clear blanket of stars and a towering summit. With head lamps and rope we headed up. As we made our way up we enjoyed stars, sunrise, views and a towering mountain. The final hour was extremely exhausting. We arrived on the summit at 8 am, the first party of the day. It was cold and windy but the views were amazing! The long hike back to the trailhead was agonizing, but we were glad we had the summit over as we met crowds of climbers heading up for the next day's summit. We are thankful for a safe trip and great weather. This was my third ascent of the mountain and my body is telling me it should be the last.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Guess who came for a visit?
Actually, it turned out to be a Bulthuis family event this weekend. Bjorn, Jenny and Ada were returning from Georgia where they spent time with Jenny's sister Jill and family. They decided to give us a couple of days before returning home. Markus came home for part of the weekend as well. We went to Belfair State Park to enjoy the sun and ate at the Blue Agave. Saturday, Bjorn and I went sailing while the girls went shopping. Brett came over for dinner and we got to reminisce. On Sunday we all went to Markus' church, Quest Church in Seattle. It is amazing how much Ada is changing. The mobility of walking has transformed her into quite the busybody. She has also become very verbal, at least in the departments of volume and chatter fluency. In all the babble there is the rudiments of Mama, Daddy, Please and ByeBye.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Tokyo Housing for Calvin
One of the anxieties that we have had about Calvin attending International Christian University in Japan is his housing situation. They have very limited campus housing and there is no guarantee the international students will get on campus housing. The prospect of Calvin finding reasonable and accessible housing in Tokyo was a big concern of ours. Even though we had committed ourselves last month by sending the full year's tuition, we did not know if he had a spot in one of the dorms. Well, this week Calvin received notice from the school that he has a spot in an on campus dorm. Praise the Lord! His dorm is called 'Canada House' which was the one he most wanted to get in because it was more reasonable and had two students to a room. Calvin is not the only one excited about this as it takes a load of concern off our hearts as well. The thought of Calvin commuting 45 minutes to an hour across town, living with students from a variety of other Tokyo schools didn't set well with us. We are excited for Calvin. His dream is getting real close to coming true.
Monday, July 05, 2010
Utah Adventure - Day 8 and 9
Sunday and Monday were travel days getting back home from southeast Utah. We did take a few hours to visit Park City. We expected a resort town like Whistler, but Park City is much bigger. There was a big Fourth of July celebration going on with thousands of people. We found a restaurant out of the bustle and rode our bikes on the great bike paths into Main Street to walk around and see the shops and people. Then it was back on the road for the long haul. We enjoyed the nightly accommodations of Super Walmart in Mountain Home, Utah. Our final day found us grinding back home. We did take a slight excursion by driving Chinook Pass over the mountains. It had been many years since driving it and we enjoyed it over the familiar and crowded I 90. We made it home, having driven about 3400 miles, visiting five National Parks, staying four nights in motels and four nights in the van. We made it back to Washington just in time for summer weather to start.
Sunday, July 04, 2010
Utah Adventure - Day 7
Mellowing in Moab Before our mad dash for home, we slowed the pace a little to enjoy the town and surroundings of Moab. Situated between Arches and Canyonlands NPs, as well as multiple off road venues, the town booms as a recreational hub, but has taken on the tourist destination feel with lots of motels, restaurants and shops. First, we switched motels from the rip off Motel 6 to a plush La Quinta, at a cheaper rate courtesy of a travel coupon. (Thanks for the tip Susan) In the midday, we explored Canyonlands National Park with short hikes to Mesa Arch and Grand View Point. In the afternoon, Esther went shopping while I checked out the world famous Slick Rock Trail. I intended to watch other bikers, but since there was no one there, and I couldn’t embarrass myself, I took my bike on the practice loop. I crawled through the course, stopping to get off once in a while. The trail is marked by white dashes painted on the rock. The scenery was amazing and I fortunately escaped injury. I think I’ll stick with commuting and bike paths for my biking! We enjoyed a late afternoon swim at the motel pool and a good dinner at the crowded Moab Brewery.
Friday, July 02, 2010
Utah Adventure - Day 6
The Red Canyon is just north of Bryce Canyon. There is a nice paved bike trail that winds up the canyon. We started our day off with an hour bike ride. We then pointed the Sienna towards Moab. On the way, we had some scenic surprises. Highway 12 from Bryce to Torrey has got to be one of the most scenic highways in the country. Much of it is in the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. From red rock canyons to rolling hills of aspen groves; from grand vistas to Anasazi ruins, this highway covers it all, with very little traffic. We also stopped in Capital Reef National Park. This lesser known NP has a lot to offer, but is much less developed than its neighbors. We took the time to take a hike up the Grand Wash to the narrows. It was a little on the warm side because the elevation is lower, but we enjoyed the shade and breezes of the canyon. We made it to Moab on the late side, and unlike our usual habit, checked in to a Motel 6.
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