Post Christmas

Well the Christmas season appears to be over for another year.  Sitting here this morning I have to wonder what 2016 will bring.  We had a great time with the family yesterday and I really enjoyed having all of them in for a visit and dinner.  They all have lives but I miss the times like we had yesterday.

I read this morning that our region of the country, primarily Seattle, might be in another housing bubble.  With the Fed increasing the interest rate there may very well be another explosion when it comes to our housing market.  We have made significant gains over the past few years but fewer and fewer people can afford a house when the median home is $521,400 with values having grown by 12.7% according to a report released on MSN this morning.  If interest continues to rise there are going to be fewer and fewer folks who will be able to afford to purchase the "American Dream" of owning their own home.   Sadly the Seattle area may already be out of reach for many of the population living in the area.

Today is a do nothing day.  I have no plans.  There is a Washington Husky football bowl game on today and I will probably watch it.  Tomorrow as the Seattle Seahawks do battle at Century Link Field, Mia and I will be visiting my stepmom in Mt. Vernon.  We plan to help my son with some maintenance work around his home over the coming week and I am looking for and working on plans for a new project in the wood shop.  After the first of the year I have to get back to work putting down the moldings around the baseboard and our built in cabinets in the kitchen area.

Hope everyone had a safe and Merry Christmas.  Thanks for stopping by.

These Characters

Colonial Williamsburg

We have almost another one year of listening to and trying to judge the candidate that we think would best lead our country into the future.  Sadly, I am already tired of the whole he said, she said, there're lying BS that we are listen to or reading about daily in the media.  Between the allegations of theft of information to the out right fictional videos, we listen to the front runners call each other liars and many other things.  I am personally sick of listening to it.  Tell me what you're going to do.

Show me you have the qualities to lead.  Be knowledgeable about the issues, don't make up facts that aren't in existence.  Show some personal character and don't sink to the other guy (gals) level.  Name calling and personal attacks are not what I want to see.  If I wanted a bully for President, I would got back to grade school.  Have respect for the Constitution.  Perhaps it is flawed or needs updating but for now it is what we have to guide us into the future.  And have a flexible mind.  Be able to listen and perhaps choose a different direction when you hear arguments against your position.

Please just give me information that will benefit my decision at the polls.

Christmas and Root Beer

Christmas is about a week away and I think I have all the shop projects for this year done.  I finished a rocking doll cradle for my youngest granddaughter (don't worry, she doesn't use the computer yet).  Mia put together some accessories that include a pillow, quilt and a mattress.  I originally gave one of these to my daughter when she was young and she let me use it as a pattern so I could make the new one.  Frankly, I built the first one back in the days when I drank alcohol like a fish and I really don't remember building it for her.  I have photo records of a bunch of different things that I have built over the years but can't find a single photo with her cradle in it.  I guess I failed to take a picture of it then and now.  Gave it back to my daughter yesterday.

Done with three coats of satin polyurethane

Back in the early days I used to build and give away all kinds of silly things for Christmas.  I made Angel Door Bells from pine, dowels, round wooden door knobs, sting and a couple of bells.  They were pretty big and I doubt if any of them have survived the years.  I made some simple Reindeer that everyone seemed to like and with the help of Mia we gave several away as gifts one year.  Both of the kids still have theirs.

We baked on Tuesday and Thursday this week.  First up was a Fruit Cake that my mom used to make sometime in September.  The difference between ours and hers was the lack of alcohol in ours.  I took one taste of it and was swept back into the 60's.

Thursday morning we made some cookies.  The first one was a icebox cookie with candied fruit.  Again, this cookie was my mom's recipe and once again I was transported into the 60's and our house on 35th N.E. in Seattle, which no longer exists.

The second on was an oatmeal cookie with candied fruit added.  This one was our doing and is something new for us.

As those of you who follow the blog are aware, I love Root Beer.  When we were on our trip across America I took every opportunity to grab a different Root Beer to test.  After extensive drinking, Mia and I decided that the Root Beer we drank at Jefferson's Monticello was the best we had found.  When we got home I did some extensive research and discovered that their Root Beer is bottle by the Old Dominion Brewing Company.  Upon visiting the local Root Beer Store I soon discovered that Old Dominion Brewing actually had their own Root Beer.  I couldn't tell if it was the same as the one from Monticello or not so I ordered a case of Root Beer from Monticello and purchased a couple of bottles of the Old Dominion from the Root Beer Store.  The cost difference is amazing.  With shipping added in you pay $3.03 per bottle for the Monticello brand but change the label and the price comes down to $1.69 per bottle.  After getting both in my hands we did a comparison this morning.

Other than the label on the front and the name they are both the exact same product.  It is much sweeter than I remember but it still tastes like old time Root Beer.  I have 24 bottles of Monticello Root Beer to drink over the holidays so you could say I am a very happy camper.

Hope all is well and thanks for stopping by.

Update

It has been a couple of weeks since I posted anything.  We have been pretty busy with preparations for the Holidays.  I got the woodshop cranked up and made a couple of yard decorations for the porch.

Then I started a special project for our youngest grand daughter.

We have had some pretty nasty weather conditions here in the Pacific Northwest.  Something they call the Pineapple Express keeps bringing us rain, sleet, hail, high winds, and even a tornado.
The other night there was a loud noise and I got up to see what was going on.  The snowman I built had learned to fly and was laying on the sidewalk in front of the porch.

The next morning I was walking the dog and found this in front of our building.  It appears to have been dropped here, facing the wrong direction on the street.  My neighbors didn't recognize it so I called the local police department and they came out to look at it.  The car has extensive body damage to the right side and a flat left rear tire.  They said the license came back local but some distance from where it is currently parked.  They were going to attempt to contact the owner but I have heard nothing more from them and the condo owners association has tagged it to be towed away.

You just got to enjoy life.  Hope all is well and thanks for stopping by.