Winnie's new house

Some people just like to create order out of chaos (like people who play Freecell), so maybe that explains why I have loved living this week in our new completely disarranged home. Its Friday afternoon; we arrived here from the park on Monday morning. Just a sample of how things went--we had to prune an overhanging dogwood tree and an azalea before we could back the trailer into the driveway, and it took Lynne three turns around the block before she could get the trailer started at the right angle (if you have experience backing anything that is hitched to your vehicle, you will understand.)

Since then, besides making headway on the 80 boxes which were waiting for us in the garage, Lynne, our endlessly talented miracle worker, has installed a new kitchen sink and faucet (two times for the faucet, since the first one leaked like a sieve), installed our gas/electric range and replaced the terribly difficult and corroded bathroom faucet. She has learned a shortcut to the local hardware store--hey did I mention a local hardware store? This is the hardware store of your dreams--two floors packed floor to ceiling with every little plumbing washer or small base light bulb or tape measure you could ever want, along with knowledgable people to help when you need it. Its a family owned business, something that Bellingham is full of. So far we have had really good work from local craftspeople: the floor refinisher (Ken) and the tile installer (Dave) and the woman who sold us the tile (Kathleen) and the fence builder (Andy). In another week, Greg, the electrician will install radiant ceiling heat in the whole house, sold to us by Jeff from his local business Heating Green.

We have been warmly welcomed by the neighbors, who of course have opinions about our new fence and about the overgrown yard. Winnie has found a friend in Abdullah, the 4th grader who lives across the street, and his sister Selene. The three pugs who live next door (owned by Ron and Nancy) have terrorized Winnie (not difficult to do), so I was happy to see her romping around with her toy duck once the fence was in. Our yard has beautiful landscaping, but actually, too much of it. We have done lots of pruning already, and I see lots of weeding in our forecast.

I've included some pictures from our last Sunday afternoon at Larrabee State Park. Lynne took the picture of the underwater purple seastar at the top. The orange seastar with 20 tentacles is called a sunflower sea star, pychonopodia helianthoides. I found it on the beach at low tide. The two legged barefoot babe is me, playing with Winnie, who loves to climb around on the rocks but doesn't like to go in the water. The last picture (below) is Winnie running after her duck in our front yard now that the new fence 90% complete.

I hope you all will have an enjoyable Labor Day weekend. Its been a perfect sunny NW day today and as I write, the sun is on its downward path over Bellingham Bay, making a show of the city and water as it does every night. I look forward to sharing this peaceful and beautiful place with you. As always, thanks for your emails.

Love,

Sky