Phones

Isn't it interesting that phones, which at one time only transmitted sounds, now transmit SO MUCH more than sound? Who, apart from the odd sci-fi writer foresaw that? I mean, take a look at the movie Lethal Weapon from the 1980s. Remember that brick that Dany Glover was talking into? Who, at the time, thought, well, in a few years that phone will be so tiny you can put it in a pocket? I am certain almost no one thought, "Well, wait until they can play movies on their phone." I'd have probably said, "Sure, in the year 2250 (OK, I was 12 or so when the movie came out, I wasn't very good with dates)!"

And, here's another thing. Who looked at a camera and a phone and said, "what would happen if those two mated?" Or even a phone and a computer? And, I really want to know who the guy was that decided the screen should be able to sense touch! Because, I don't care what era you live in, that's COOL!

When phones were first invented they were connected via a network of heavy cables. People depended on "operators" to connect them. Now banks of computers do that job. And who needs cabes or wires? We just send our electronified voices (I'd have said digitized, but electronified seems much cooler, maybe it will catch on) out across the air waves.

This post has a point, and I intend to make it eventually. Cora and I bought new phones yesterday. We managed to get a very good deal. While other providers/carriers were charging $30 per phone for the ability to surf the internet, we found one that would do that for both phones for a low price, not too mention the helpful sales rep gave us his own 27% employee discount (I suspect it is because the end of the month is right round the corner).

We wanted one of the new cool phones...you know, touch screen, senses when it is upside down, stuff like that, but we decided to go with something we could afford instead. Turns out the ones we chose aren't slouches. The ones we got will play video, take video, pictures, allow us to surf the net (Not that fake mobile net, which I can't make heads or tails of, but real net, like on your computer) and, of course, make phone calls. If you want to look at it and see what else it can do, here is a link: Centro

If you are interested in getting an OLD PHONE for your very own, go here: Old Phones And I want to thank them for the image of the old phone above, I borrowed one of their images to ilustrate the evolution of phones.

Finally Friday!

What to do with the weekend? I am not sure. I suppose I could take a day and go wreckchasing, but I hate to just leave for a whole day when there are things to be done at the house.

Maybe I can just go for a short forray toward Zillah and find some old people to talk to about the gunnery range there...hmmm, or find out where "Mrs. Ted Johnson" lived in 1945...an airplane went down not too far away and I am itching to discover where exactly. Wonder if Zillah has a Museum or a historical society...guess I'd better do some research.

Today, well, it's Friday!!! I love Fridays. That means the Weekend is within reach.

It has been warm in the afternoons and cool in the mornings this week. Yesterday was the first time I wore full length pants in probably two months. Not that you need that info, but I thought it was an interesting insight on my sense of summer fashion.

Well, I need to head for work and see what needs to be done today...for some reason, I suspect I will find myself used for hard labor...hope not.

Day Trippers

I have been aching to leave the area. I have a hard time staying around the valley for more than a few weeks at a time. Cora kindly acquiesed to go with me on a drive this weekend. We packed a few sandwiches an the dogs and drove up White Pass. We stopped to take some pictures and then continued to Ohanapecash. Which is where we had lunch.

Above is Toby thinking he would rather have lunch than a hug. Below we see the kids watchg out for those horrible chipmunks! Dogs are keepers of the little known knowledge that Chipmunks hope to someday take over the world, and therefore they (dogs) must be on the watch for Chipmunk trickery. Our dogs are super vigilent when in the forest. We feel so safe from those evil chipmunks when the dogs are with us.

We stopped to look at a cool bridge and the stream underneath...the dogs stayed in the truck.

I love the road! I love driving. The scenery was great and the company was pretty awesome, too.

looking down a long valley...

Indian Paintbrush on the side of the road at the top of the pass.

We stopped to see Boulder Cave andtook the dogs. Cora and Gypsy take a break next to a handy downed tree, which made a perfect bench.

Here we are coming out of the cave. I am guided by the dogs...which Greek God was it that travel through Hades? He should have had a couple Hell Hounds like me.

That trail to the cave seems steeper and longer than it used to...I think the Park Service is in cahoots with the chipmunks if you ask me.

All in all it was a wonderful day! Thanks for coming Cora!

FIRE!

There were some thunderstorms last night. Apparently a few lightning strikes...according to my mother and the firefighters I spoke to when I took these pictures.

Above is over near Gable Mountain on the Hanford Nuclear Reservation...fun.

Above is one that closed down hiway 241 north of Sunnyside.

here is what it looked like on the road heading East from Moxee, note theone on the right...I thought for sure I'd be crossing the fire.

Here it is from the end of our road. I saw it as I was leaving work. I came home and got the camera and the dog and made a 60 mile road trip for these pictures. I had time and I was curious!

Toby seemed to enjoy the ride, even though he did not get the chance to go for a run.

Friday!

Not much has been hppening. I tried to call the Ageny yesterday, but the agency head was "on the phone" and would have to call me back..he never did. I will be calling again today to make sure he has not forgotten how annoying I can be when he has not talked to me for awhile.

It's been a pretty good week. I went to bed really early last night...and could have slept longer this morning. I am definitely getting tired of moving furniture, boxes, and whatever else the school needs moved. Weird stuff, too, sometimes.

Well, I need to get moving, but I hope everyone has a good weekend. I want to do something...different.

Brand New Week

Hmmm, I am actully looking forward to the shorter work day. Today I am going to go in a seven and leave by 330. I do this because of some of the weirdos I work with. The ones there on Monday provide a dearth of conversation and so going in later seems like a golden idea. Tomorrow I will return to the 6-230 thing.

I downloaded a few songs this weekend. (Bought them after a few drinks, it seemed the thing to do, thank you very much) I got five from Gordon Lightfoot. Something about his music, well, I just enjoy the songs. I remember "Sundown" playing on the radio when I was a kid. By then, though, it was already a few years old. Strangely, I recall the Beatles' "Glass Onion" and "Savoy Truffle" playing on the radio, too. Oh, I also remember doing my best to belt out "Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On," too. Lord have mercy. I wonder if my parents thought it was cute or just creepy.

Weekend Fun!

OK, maybe not SO fun. We did move the Mazda in the fence so we can clean it out. If we don't end up giving it to Grandma, then we will sell it for whatever we can get out of it for BB. Same goes for the Buick. Also we took the dresser out, sanded and refinished it. Next, we need to put a clearcoat on it.

Friday I worked to clean house and just make it easier to do other stuff. Last night we had GREAT tacos, thanks to Cora. And while she sewed for awhile tonight, I made dinner. I believe Cora will responsible for dinner tomorrow...CARNITAS!!!! If you have never had Carnitas, you have been MISSING something from your life. Honestly, you may think you have not been eating food all this time, sawdust maybe, but not real food. Tender perfect pork!

We did some shopping that needed to be done. I got a new pair of shoes! I am so happy to have my feet in new coverings! I also picked up a book on Pacific Norh West Mushrooms. Pretty cool.

Tomorrow, I begin eight hour shifts again. Bummer not having Fridays off, but I will be less tired and more able to fix dinners or do house work before Cora gets home. Lately, with the tens, I have been beat after work.

I was happy!

Some days just go well. I had one go well today. I began the day about 5:40am. My stupid biological alarm clock. Still, I made use of it. I made coffee. (Makes me sad to hear my neighbor is going to stop drinking it...really Edna? Are you sure you want to do such a rash thing?) I then picked up the 7th book of the Harry Potter series. I finished it this morning, sometime after Cora went to work. It made me happy.

I then began working on the house. Doing laundry, dishes, and cleaning house. I listened to Sirius Satellite Radio. I got to listen to my new favorite song: "Very Busy People" by the Limousines. It made me happy.

Then I went to lunch with Cora. We went to a local taco stand that she frequents. They were good! It made me happy to have lunch with her.

I then took a melon and some garden veggies to Cora's Grandmother, who recently suffered a tragic traffic accident. She is fine...some bruises, and her car is not well, but otherwise, she is ok! Thank goodness! When I showed up, her Daughter and son-in-law (Cora's aunt and uncle), were there. I got the chance to visit with them (they live in Tacoma) and Grandma. It was good to see them and great to chat! I was pleased (You thought I was going to say it "made me happy" again, right?)!

Hah! fooled you! (THAT makes me happy)

I went shopping and picked up a few necessities. Then came home and cleaned house. I began dinner. Cora hd requested BBQ chicken with BBQ sauce. I decided Bullseye needed something and added some whole seed mustard, chipotle sauce, and granulated garlic...among other things. I also steamed some zucchini. It turned out very good! I opened a bottle of chardonnay. the whole thing was most YUMMY! and that made Cora happy. When she is happy..I AM HAPPY!

The weekend is ahead of us, so much to be done! I can't wait to see what it is. That makes me happy, too.

I think it was a good day.

Really Julie? Really?????

So, I was watching Big Brother 11 with my wonderful wife tonight. I happened to glance up at the screen from my book (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows[almost done{not the first...or second time for that}]) and this is what I saw:

OK, Julie Chen, we KNOW you are pregnant...but, you work for a large network, surely you afford (I believe they call it wardrobe) some clothes! CAN'T you please wear something cute in the way of maternity clothes? Why the scrunched in bottom? Why the tight little white vest? You look like someone inflated you (or a beach ball under your dress)...and you appear not to have noticed! You are only 4 years older than me, PLEASE tell me we don't lose our sense of style at the age of 39! PLEASE!

O.K. Maybe the network made you wear that...but then it is the network's fault...and again WHY!!!!!!!!??? For the love of dog! MY EYES!!!!!

Some Pictures!

Take a close look at that photo above. See the bird in flight? Pretty cool, huh?

This last weekend we put Cora and all her sewing equipment into one of the back rooms. Look, it worked, she is sewing again!

I mowed the lawn...like this. (It REALLY was hot, so don't laugh too much!)

That night..I think it was Saturday... I sat outside, next to a torch and a glass of wine and read Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince until after midnight. The temperature had to be in the 70s. It was a nice way to read.

It has cooled down a bit...but not much.

Dog Days of Summer

We have been watching Cora's Parent's dog this week. Pepper is a very bright dog. She loves to fetch. She DOES get a little annoying when she has a toy with a squeaker in it...today we were moving Cora's sewing to the back room and things were in general disarray, when Pepper decided she wanted to play fetch. (Funny how dogs choose their own time when they want to play) I decided to take the whole lot over to a school to let them get some exercise and maybe tire them out. Tired dogs are considerably LESS annoying than playful rested ones. Watch the video all the way through, because the best part is at the end. Toby shows how to drink out of a hose...he is an expert.

The next one shows how our dogs act when they get a treat. Note that Gypsy is usually a very shy and reluctant part of the family. For her to act like that is a bit abnormal...but funny. Toby walks around with the bone in his mouth until he thinks no one is watching, then he will bury it. He is such a funny dog!