Rain Rain --Feel Free To Stay

                      **"Hooray for cooling rain! Now to hope we don't get to much!"**

                                       **"I want to git chocolate wasted too!"**

                             **"Don't like guns?  Don't buy one!  There now wasn't that easy??"**

                                   **"There will be no working during drinking hours!"**

            **"No matter if you think you can, or think you can't.....   You are right!"**

     Hello all this very wet afternoon!   It seems that a hurricane has came on land about an hour ago near here--- and although it has been deeply down graded to a tropical depression now, we are expected to see lots of rain and flooding o my!  I would normally think we were to far inland to see to much hardship, but by the reports --it is time to sell the row boat and buy an Ark.  Tucson is already seeing many rain related issues.  But it is a much bigger city with lots of roads built following or crossing major drainage routes.   The local news is not much help---with one report basically saying it might rain a lot  or it might not....

   ** As now Tropical Depression Odile wobbles its way toward Southern Arizona, Tucson will get much more or less rain than anticipated depending on which course it takes. Stay tuned here, on Tucson News Now, and at noon on KOLD News 13 for the latest.**
  
  It actually seems that the news is doing it's usual tactic of scaring the crap out of everyone.  Sand bags are being filled by the dozens.  Which makes me wonder why people are buying them, when there is free sand to be found, every where in the desert?  If nothing else please think before you drive through any bodies of water.   Beyond thinking how fun it will be!   Last week when we got the huge rains, the kiddos and I did some great "puddle jumping" in our redneck pickup and I managed to get some neat pictures of flooded roads and such.  The main part of this depressed storm is supposed to pass over us about five tonight---so maybe I can get some good pictures.   I will share these very soon.

My mini rant for tonight

I complain about this every year but it gets earlier every year---Y>>? One full isle of Christmas items are now up at Wally World. I love this time of year, but WTF most kids have just started back to school. And yes it's called CHRISTMAS --cashiers. If you do not have enough balls to wish me a merry Christmas, you deserve your job at Wally World. --Just sayin'

   I love this video   about road rage gone wrong  or maybe right?   I bet this person thinks twice before he jumps out of his vehicle in a rage again.  I am pretty sure Sponge Bob was one of the characters that schooled him.      https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10154516310180705

     Lots of Exploring in the works for us, and posts from past trips.   Including a trip very soon to Lego Land!   In fact that will be early next month.  Our youngest won 4 free passes to the park.  Of course I will have lots of pictures from that road trip.     For local Exploring please check out my newest blog page.     http://exarizonagobensonbobcats.blogspot.com/

 

 

 

I wonder if the publicity manager got fired after this one??

 

 

 

     I might have mentioned a few times that I grew up in Wyoming.  And while I complain about the weather in the desert and maybe the rain while living in but the long winters in Wyoming are so much worse in my eyes.   My home town saw five inches of snow or so a few days back.   To which I say---too soon!  And ahahahahahahhahaha!!


  

 

This is a menu from the 70's. 

Yes prices have risen through the years--but not really that much.

Now to all the saps that want the minimum wage to be $15.00 an hour--and yes you are saps--

how many 0's do you think will be added to the above menu just after wages go up.   And cashiers all become computers??

Also note--and I have talked about this before--please notice how little the menu has changed

in all those years.  I only mention this, because the customers in front of us--always-every trip

get up to the counter and instantly go dumb and forget what is on the MC menu.  Causing them to stare at it for long periods of time without actually ordering anything or stepping out of the way for the next hungry people in line. 

The menu has been very similar for years and years in any country you need MC grease!

 

Something I wrote about this --years ago.....

 

Some how even though the sheer odds are against it, I end up behind the only customers in America who have never been to Mcdonald's before. Last time the only thing that kept me a calm customer in waiting, was knowing two of the workers behind the counter who looked as annoyed as I did. Ok maybe what I was looking at was a mirror, but they were not happy either. Not sure what I am talking about? Here is a greatly condensed version of the eaters that always seem to be ahead of me. Taking the fast out of fast food. We all know that even starving Ethipians have at one point in their life, been to a Mcdonalds. And if they could not figure out the complex menu, they had pictures to point to! The menu is also pretty much the same at any location across not only the 50 states, but the world. Yes world. And the menu has not really changed since burgers were 10 cents a piece, yah mc dope.

On my last trip the family had about five people and an overly controlling father who wanted to change every one's orders after they finely did order. *Stares at menu. Ummm we'd like 5 hamburgers a fake meaty combo and a compressed wiener dog. **Even though they could have ordered a 7 and a 9. But both with ketchup the father adds. And the meat only cooked on one side. I like half of it raw. And cook the lettuce for 22 secs to. Do you have shakes? What kind of shakes do you have? O Timmy is allergic to milk, what kind of pop do you have? Do you have pop? Do you have mc straws? How about curly straws? Soonish the three year old that found a new friend in the parking lot *a lady bug is allowed to order his own food. I want six of those toys the one with the flashing lights and strobes and swords, but no mc girl toys!! *Stretches out arms and "flys" around store lobby for about 22 seconds. And………I LIKE BUGS!! YOU HAVE BUG EYES CASHIER LADY! I WANT A BURGER HOLD the boogies hahahhaha I LIKE BUGS! How many bugs would it take to make a dozen burger patties?? I LIKE BUGS! But I do not want to eat any! Not any more today that is. Hahaha. I'm a spaceship!! The mother is up next, and it soon appears that she has about the same IQ as her son. UMMMMMMMM, what comes in the Mc Chicken sandwich? How is that cooked? What comes in the milk shake? Do you have soy milk? Can I mix an 2 with a number 99 or might that give me hives? Can you tell me what is in a cheeseburger?

I had a hard time not answering the mind numbing questions for her. I mean what's in a milk shake can you tempt my smart ass any more?? Her vegetarian daughter is up next. She is in the wrong restaurant. She is trying to lose weight by not eating anything with a head. She makes up for it by ordering a shake, a pop, a mc pie, some fries, and an double order of mc cookies. Nothing on her menu had a head, but might cause a case of double chins.

The following morning, when it was my turn to order I quickly placed my order and moved to the side. Unfortunately the order before mine was very complex and took the better part of a half hour to fill. After it was up the father went through each item comparing the actual burgers to the pictures on the signs and counting the number of sesame seeds on buns.

I managed to hold my tongue the entire time. Something I am very proud of. And was soon proudly holding my bag of food. Very soon after I was back in line. I had ordered the wrong combo!

Ski To Sea 2012

                                                       **"Get your race on!"**




            I have been so busy exploring and enjoying local activities and taking pictures, that I have been greatly slacking on posting about them. Case and point---this blog. This year was the 101st Ski to Sea. And since it ends in our home town of Fairhaven, we had an easy walk to the fun! This is an amazing race. I have grown very "soft" meaning my couch potato skills are taking over. And I am in a shape, just not a good shape. So just watching this race was, well exhausting!
Held every Memorial Day weekend. A limit of 500 Teams. A Relay Race of Seven Race Legs - Seven Different Sports -The course covers 90 Miles

The Ski to Sea Festival includes a 93.5 mile relay Race of seven venues from Mount Baker to Bellingham Bay encompassing seven different sports. The Festival also includes a community block party with music and food, a Junior Ski to Sea Race, a historical hometown parade, and other special events that provide a wide variety of entertainment and adventure for all who participate and cheer on the contenders. But enough history and facts---lets look at some pictures and such!

The weekend before the Jr division has there own race. And the carnival sets up. My wife has several family members that work for carnivals so we watched the crew set up. It was very entertaining actually. I had hoped to watch them tear down on Sunday night also, but we had scheduling conflicts. Having three kids, this happens a lot!

For whatever reason the corn dogs at the carnival are always the best!

You can just make out the corn dog wagon behind our youngest in the above picture.

I probably do not want to know what they do to these to make them so good---but Mmmmm!

**Note** You have to look for the corn dog wagon actually on the mid-way, not one outside of the rides, for the best taste.

Waiting to ride!

At last!

Today's picture of the day!

My wife worked on carnival crews for years.

This is in her past, but she could still work circles around much of the current crew.

Here she is pictured in front of the last ride they set up that night.

One her brother happened to be in charge of.

Bird's eye view from up on the Ferris wheel.

The following Friday night -- the have a block party in Fairhaven.

We were not able to make that.

Saturday morning was the big parade.

And we were greeted with full on sunshine!

After we had picked a great viewing spot, the boys and I took off to explore. We had an hour before the parade actually started.

We ended up just down from the old city hall. Wandering by the water and the park.

Always a great place to skip rocks!

The water through the park was running very fast.

And allowed for some more great pictures!

Greeting further up the trail.

About time for the parade to start! This parade is always super great! Although the kiddos were super sad that no candy was thrown from any floats.

Another great time to pull off a crime in Bellingham, the police force is very busy with crowd control.

The lone cop from Lummi??

Me in the middle of the street, waiting for the parade to start.

Starting time!!

Possibly the best theme of the day.

I like this shot with Mt Baker Theatre in the back ground.

Not only do I ride the short bus to work, I drive it.....

Santa even made an appearance! I bet that suit was hot.

But it is great practice for Christmas in July

Sunday Fairhaven was full of people. Sponge Bob is very happy that it is also the end of the race.

The beautiful and packed finish line.

Live music on The Village Green.

I hope if you went to any or participated in Ski to Sea this year --it was a great experience for you!

And if you could not make it, go next year!

As always

**Happy Trails!!**

   

               **Next time there is an awkward silence whisper out "Did you forget your line?"**

 

 

 

  

    "The Cool thing about Facebook is that you can give credit for your quotes to anybody and nobody will know the difference" - Abraham Lincoln

 

          **"Can restin' your turned on cell phone on your junk, give you cancer down there?"**----

 

    This started out as a joke post awhile back.    But the more I think about it the more it makes me a little bit nervous.   Usually when I am sitting, I rest my cell phone in my lap.   And now every time it's there  and my phone lights up with a new text message, I have to say it bugs me just a little bit.  Not enough that I would stop getting text messages, or throw the phone across the room.   Although the 2nd, would be fun.   After I get off the phone, and done cooking the baked potato I have duct tapped to my cell phone, I will get back to you on the dangers of all this!   I am sure that something will kill us off--weather it be the eggs you have for breakfast every morning, your new shower head, Bubba in jail--that wants his soap back, or toxins from the computer screen you are reading this blog from.  Notice I did not say enjoying this blog, because odds are, you are not.    I do have to paunder what all of those wi-fi signals, cell phone signals etc etc are doing to us though.   Although I would also have to say that none of them is effecting me.   Although I would also have to say that none of them is effecting me. 

 

 

   

 

 

 

  OK---I once had a friend who became a vegetarian, after she was driving behind a cattle truck that wrecked.   The highway and her car was soon covered in pieces of cow, and she decided that eating animals was not for her anymore.  

 

**"Ever had a cross eyed girl friend and than dumped her because she was seeing someone else?"**

 

                I love people that are sooo surprised when winter hits. welcome to Wyoming!------

 

Going back to my early rambling, maybe these people need a new calender, so they recall that a new season is on the way, called winter! 

 

 

 

 

                Although some times at work, I am biting it so hard, it starts to bleed a lil bit

 

                            **"If swimming is so good for you, than how do you explain whales?"**------

On the same thought line, how does Mr Crabs, from Sponge Bob--have  a whale for a daughter?  Don't even try to decipehr cartoons, it will keep you up late at night.   I used to work with a crazy dude at Wally World, OK that really does not narrow things down much.   But this individual could do the Sponge Bob laugh perfect, and would put it over the stores PA system.   Nothing harder than to be talking to a customer, hear that, and manage echoing through the store, and manage to keep a straight face.  

 

 

 

Forgot today was a holiday and the banks are closed whoops time to break out my new calender-----

This was yesterday.   As I was pulling into the parking lot, I noticed it was empty and had a here's your sign, slap your forehead moment.   Stupid holidaze that fall on Sundays.   The worse thing about the whole episode was that my new 2012 calender came from the bank!

 

 

 

I only live in a room but am constantly amazed by two things.   How dirty it gets each week.  Especially since I usually only use the room to sleep in.  And how my stuff disappears in it. It is not even a big room, so how can things go "poof!" so easily?    I have learned to keep my door closed, because my clothes rarely make it on my shelves, and the landlords little rat dog like underwear.   Several times the landlord has been in the back yard yelling out my name, holding up a pair of my boxers with two fingers, and a highly sour/disgusted look on her face.   I have also chased the dog in the backyard, after my shorts.   Not fun because the dog knows shes faster, and has something you want.  So mostly just teases me just out of my reach.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                 Well played Costco, well played!

 

   A few quick thoughts---imagine that!    First the wine bottle picture came from a sight called Fail.com   I am easily amused, but think most of you would enjoy checking out the sight.   Many of you might be pictured in it---jokin'!  Next-- although I love a good pot of coffee or two in the morning, just put a straw in my pot of coffee, and give it to me to go.   I hate all energy drinks.   They taste nasty, and surly rot through your livers faster than you can sign up for a marathon.   Red Bull annoys me most.   We used to go to a bar in Oregon, that must have bought the drink by the truck load.  They put it in all kinds of drinks.   And I have to say, it ruined the drinks.   Red Bull does not give you wings either.   I recall one fine day while standing on a barn roof top, holding a huge blanket in my hands.   I assumed that if you held all the blankets corners right, you could slowly float to the ground, like a parachute.   I did not hold the corners right.   This concept did work for about 2.5 seconds.   And than it just made me hurt.   Luckily I landed on my head, so I was fine.  

     And lastly---I have talked about this in a whole past blog, but some people should not be having kids.   Topping that list---- is anyone that would shop at the above pictured sales, the couple I worked with that got married in Wally World, and possibly myself.