This weather SUCKS!!!

Catastrophies everywhere lately (City wide, State wide, and Country wide)... So we had to cancel our ski trip to Dad's place in Sandpoint, Idaho last weekend due to avalanches and the passes being closed, and his Christmas party before that due to a foot of snow...now we are have to cancel Noel and my romantic blustery weekend to the Oregon Coast due to record flooding. I-5 is closed along with the Ocean freeway because it is under 10 feet of water in some places (Centralia/Chehalis)...THIS SUCKS! This has been a difficult month of weather, disrupting the holidays and vacations and work projects. At least our house is not flooded unlink 30,000 other Puget Sounders....silver lining...

I just hope my Mom is okay since they closed I-5 in Arlington, and the Snohomish River went above it's dyke and is still rising. I can't get ahold of her via phone and am a little worried.

Here is a little commentary on the crappy job the city of Seattle and Mayor Nichols did in the 3 weeks of snow and ice:

Twas the week before Christmas, and next to the Sound,
Not a creature was stirring, for all were snowbound.
Greyhound busses quit running, no matter the fare,
And the mail men and garbage said they just couldn't get there!

The children were sliding Queen Anne Hill on their sleds.
While roofs were collapsing on old people's heads.
And mamma in her boots and I in my cap,
Were stuck in the snow and ice and such crap.

When at the Home Depot there arose such a clatter,
I trudged from my car to see what was the matter.
A group of sad souls were waving their cash,
They couldn't buy shovels, they'd sold in a flash.

Tires were spinning and just wouldn't go,
And chains lay broken in the dirty old snow.
Then, what to my surprise did my eyes look over and see?
Eight representatives of SDOT

With a fat politician so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it was Mayor "Salt Nick".
More rapid than gun bans, his excuses they came,
"To save our environment the roads stay the same!

On Broadway! On Boren! On Yesler and Denny!,
To clear off these roads would cost such a penny!
Sliding down Thomas and onto a wall!
The buses hung over I-5, ready to fall!

Still, he insisted it wasn't his fault,
As the world's greenest mayor he wouldn't use SALT!
That stuffs corrosive, could hurt the fish.
(But the Puget Sound's SALT WATER you ignorant kish!)

So snowy Seattle continued to stew,
But Mayor "Salt Nick" just hadn't a clue.
While I stood there astonished, on nearby TV sets,
I saw the airport was packed, no de-icer for jets.

Since others couldn't get down the roads to the ferry,
The city decided to close Denny and Cherry.
Police cars and firetrucks were highly impaired,
Citizens got no impression that Mayor Salt Nick cared.

A house that caught fire, or a rape in progress,
Was less important than "going green" in Seattle - I guess!
An accident closed the I-90 bridge,
And people couldn't drive down Phinney Ridge.

Shovels, and salt had just flown off the shelf,
And I laughed when I heard him in spite of myself.
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
He tried to convey we had nothing to dread;

He spoke many words, but did little work,
Yet Seattle knew they should never have elected this jerk.
Then thumbing his nose at his citizens' plight,
He turned to the crowd and exclaimed "We've done right!"

And then to his limo refusing to yield,
He left to get solar panels installed on Qwest Field.
But I heard him exclaim, as he skidded past me,
"Happy Christmas to all, heck, I give myself a 'B' "

Some of my favorite things...

You know when something so stupid, so mundane, so usual just makes your day?

I just got back to my desk and realized I was surrounded by beverages. I love that...I have a fresh water with a lemon to my left, a Coke Zero from lunch straight on, and a new Starbucks London Fog Latte to my right. (The London Fog is a lavendar & vanilla black tea latte...Yum!).

1 - I love when you are having that big breakfast hungover, the morning after going out, and you surround yourself with a big ice water, endless cup of coffee, large grapefruit juice, and maybe even a bloody mary (depending on how H.O. you really are).

2 - I love silent cool sound and feel of the blue glow of new snow on the ground (which we have had a lot of recently...even 4 more inches last night...which is 18 inches since December 13th). It's so peaceful and virginal as you are the first to put your steps forth in the snow...and hear that crunching under your feet.

3 - I love the roar of the Pacific Ocean at the Oregon Coast (just not the same in L.A. or Vallarta)...and I am so excited that I am taking Noel this coming weekend, on a mini-break of sorts. Noel has never been to the Oregon Coast so we're doing one of my favorite loops: Astoria, to Seaside, to Cannon Beach, to Tillamook, to Portland and back. The Oregon Coast is so peaceful and my heart, my soul missed that calmness.

4 - I love seeing that great movie in a not so packed theatre with a big popcorn, and hold the hand of your loved one.

5 - I love getting into a hot shower after a long cold 3 mile run outside. Washes away the sweat, and the sore muscles and freshes up everything. Then getting out and throwing on some cozy flannel loungepants and long sleeve tee...and cuddling up in front of your favorite TV show.

Ahhh....

Happy 2009!

Need to catch up from the last couple weeks, Christmas, New Years, Noel & Heidi's b-days, David & Doug's visit, Dina Martina, Boat cruise...and a total accumulation of some 15 inches of snow over 3 weeks...but until I elaborate...HERE'S TO A PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!

Couple of 2009 tentative escursions:

1 - San Diego to visit Shane for our  b-days in May

2 - Provincetown for 4th of July 

3 - Heidi & Andy's Wedding on August 8th

4 - Chelsea & Adam's Wedding in Vallarta on December 2nd

5 - Paris to celebrates Noel's 40th b-day (and Heidi's too) the last week of December

Stay tuned...