Easter 2012

Decided to head out an explore a couple parks around us, since it was a perfect day. The sun was shining and it was around sixty degrees.

The first one was WestCrest park which is huge and has an off leash dog park. This did not go over well with Princess Gracie, several big dogs came at her and she was scared to death and was growling and crying at the same time. So we went on the trails that you are suppose to have your dog leashed on. This was awesome and beautiful until the end when someone came in with more big dogs, not on leashes. So we left and went to the other side of the park. Tried to introduce Gracie to another dog, thought maybe one on one would be easier for her to handle, it was not, she was not having it. So we left and went to another park called Lakeview, which is only a few blocks from where we live. It was smaller and alot less crowded. Unfortuneatly it is set up for something called frisbee golf. So there were several people there with frisbees and that was more than my poor frisbee loving Gracing could take, so we came home. Still hoping to find somewhere fenced in where Gracie can play frisbee alone until she passes out. Never the less she was pretty worn out and was very happy that she got to go on a car ride.

 

Lakeview Park

Last Sunday I got the chance to have a little tour of downtown Seattle with a friend here are a couple pics from that.

This is the North end of Pike Street Market, it is the yellow building. It goes on for several blocks and would take most of a day to see everything.

P.S. not sure why the pics are blurry, if you click on them, they will come up clear. Forgot my camera so I took all of these on my phone.

February 16th, 2012

The Maggie Mobile is back on the road and is now legal. Only cost $832, what a bargain. I have a 4 day weekend so hoping to take a drive and take some pics as well as getting my WA driver's license so I'll be legal too. Gracie was so glad to see the van she jumped in and sat in the seat while I was putting on the plates, then she wouldn't get out, I will have to take her on a long drive.

I am officially a wearer of glasses. Bi-focals no less. As my friend Anne put it, I am officially old. Of coarse she would know, since she has a head start on me.

February 5, 2012

Apparently there is some big football game on today, so me not being the sports fan I thought it would be the perfect time to update the blog, I'm also planning on washing the grey out of my hair and ironing.
It has been a month since I left the buckeye state, but it seems like a year. I am so glad I'm here. With the exception of the freak snow/ice storm that happened right after I moved into my new place, the weather has been amazing. The past few days have been warm and Sunny, I've even had my windows open, that's right my windows open in February. I would almost describe it as balmy. Contrary to what you may have heard it does not rain constantly, there have been plenty of sunny days since I've been here.
I have put in two full weeks at GCG, it has gone by really fast. Hopefully that will continue since I don't get my first paycheck till the 15th.  I'm glad I got to stay with this company. I really like my new co-workers most seem to be geeks/nerds like me, so we have lots to talk about. When I asked if they liked Firefly, they looked at me like who doesn't, they're awesome. Apparently Seattle has their own version of comic con so I look forward to checking that out, probably not in costume, although maybe a brown coat. (Rachel will probably be the only one who gets that) The team lead turned me onto "The Nerdist" podcasts, I've been listening to them all night, which makes the time pass quickly.
I think I have the public transportation figured out, although I've still not used the rail or ferry. I have managed to get to and from work on the bus. It is actually nice to let someone else do the driving. The Maggie Mobile stranded me in the Target parking lot the Saturday after I moved into my apartment. The fella at Poor Boys auto is fixing it but it's going to cost $675. Turns out I was fortunate that it got me all the way here. Looks like they'll be getting some of my tax refund. Speaking of taxes, Washington doesn't have state income tax.
Gracie seems to like it here, though I think she is happy anywhere there are squirrels. She really likes one of my neighbors, whenever he is sitting outside, she watches him out the window wagging her tail the whole time. My apartment complex has a pond which they call a "lake" that has tons of ducks, geese, and sea gulls. We take a long walk around it everyday, she really wants to get at them birdies. I think if she ever got close enough, one of those ganders might change her mind. I can't wait for spring when all the trees are in bloom and there are baby duckies.

The big thaw has begun

Took these pics of the pond here, I'm sure it will look completely different after the thaw.

In other news my dog is still nuts....

Pet photos

Gracie and Sassy trying out the new bed

Gracie helping me unpack

Kitty hide away in the closet

Found this in IKEA, couldn't resist

My new place

 

 

 

 

Snowmaggedon?

Front

back

view from my front door

view from my front door

This is what they are losing their minds over, not that bad but it is record snow fall here.

Day 4

The last day of driving. Spent the morning crossing more mountains. Service engine soon light came on while going up the steepest mountain. Hoping it is just a sensor. Not much to look at until I reached The Dalles, OR, then it started to look like the Oregon I had pictured in my head. Finally made it into Washington state about 1:30 pm. Stopped off at a rest area and Gracie got her first smell of Washington.

Made it to the motel at 4:00 pm. Can't believe we are finally here. I am so sick of driving.

Gracie thinks the people in the room upstairs are those pain in the ass raccoons back again, she spent alot of time staring at the ceiling.

Raccoon duty is exhausting.

Good thing she isn't spoiled or anything.

Day 3

Left Rock Springs at 6:40am, spent the next 3 hours trying to get out of Wyoming. It was very similar to Ice Road Truckers but with a GMC Safari. The roads got alot better as soon as we got to Utah and by the time we got to Idaho all I had to contend with was that crazy wind. Made it to Ontario, Oregon for the night. I have 500 plus miles to go, I've gone 2166 so far. Very tired, I am really sick of driving, but only one more day to go. Time to crawl into bed with my crazy dog.

Ogden, UT

Idaho Rest Stop

Canyon Rim Trail, Twin Falls, Idaho

Day Two

Got a later start today, had to recover from yesterday. Left Lincoln at 7:30am, left Nebraska at 2:30pm. What can I say about Nebraska, it is 400 miles wide, there are alot of cows and fields, the best thing about Nebraska is that the speed limit is 75 miles an hour. I thought I was never going to get out of that state. 5 more states to go. Made it most of the way across Wyoming, staying tonight at Rock Springs, Wyoming. We are now in the mountain time zone.

All that sleeping in the van, wore Gracie plum out.

Day One

Well after catching and re-catching the felines, the Maggie Mobile made it out of the driveway at 6:27am on Thursday January 5th, 2012. At 6:37am we had to stop in a parking lot at Easton. There is now a large pile of dog food in a parking lot at Easton. Made it all the way to Lincoln, NE, 4 states down 6 more to go. It was one very long day. 

The result of the re-catching of the felines, didn't take a picture of the six other scratches, not a pretty sight, the scratches or their location.

The Maggie Mobile

My trusty sidekick

About fucking time

Doing the time even though I didn't do the crime.....

I find myself under house arrest. Technically I could leave at any time, there is no electronic bracelet attached to my ankle forcing me to stay inside, but I feel just as trapped. I simply just can’t risk using up gas going anywhere, or spending any of the few dollars I have left, to try and make this cabin fever go away. The uncertainty of when the fucking money will come, keeps me a prisoner in the home I desperately want to leave for good. I almost hate it as much as I need it.


Frustrating doesn’t accurately describe my life right now, painful is more like it. I feel like I’m drowning in time, it is everywhere, surrounding me, mocking me. I sit in front of the TV time drags for me, but speeds swiftly away for the rest of the world. The fact that is happens to be Christmas time only makes it worse. The irony is that when the much needed capital arrives, all this time will disappear, it will fly away from me and I will be chasing it once again, but at least I will be advancing.

More good news, forecast is calling for snow flurries tomorrow.

Still here, still waiting....

Well I'm still stuck in Ohio, can't go anywhere untill I get my check from the government. Apparently the Office of Personel management is moving and packed up all their files and sent them to the new place, so they can't get our money processed until they move, and of coarse they have no idea when that will be for sure, currently the date is 12-14-11. So I'm in limbo until then.  I had to call the landlord and ask to stay for one more month not sure how I'm going to pay the rent for December though. Last day of work was the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, I was hoping to get my car fixed and be on my way west by now. I will probably have to call and ask to move my start day up a couple of weeks.

 Went to get my mail this morning, decided to take Gracie with me to see how she would be in the passenger seat, she made herself right at home. Stopped at McDonald's for breakfast and got Gracie a sausage patty, which she did not let out of her sight until we got home.