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June 9, 2006

IT'S FRIDAY, MY FAVORITE DAY!!

Last Friday, Dave left for Portland to announce the drag races both that night and Saturday night. He drove the motor home because he wanted leave it out at the race track while he announces the Rose Cup and Champ Cars later on this month. I stayed home and worked in the yard all day on Saturday while the weather was good and then on Sunday I left bright and early and drove into Portland to pick him up. We went out to breakfast and then over to visit with my Mom for a while. We stayed overnight at Lara and Greg's because I had a nail appointment first thing on Monday. After that, a few errands and then we headed back to the coast.

On the way home, we got to our Highway 53 cutoff, which we always take. It is a narrow two-lane road with a lot of blind curves. Dave counted them once when he was really bored. There are 168 curves in 19 miles on that road, and six of those miles can be called "straight". You can count on passing several oncoming log trucks on the way. Anyway, this van was pulled over along side the road and there were about a dozen young people getting ready to bicycle down 53. The "leader" of this group was yelling at all of the cars going by to "slow down, bikes ahead". I almost wanted Dave to stop so I could ask the guy if he was nutz and was he on some sort of suicide mission. I'm sure he would have said that they have a right to be there too. My response would have been that I have a right to walk on that road too, but I don't do it because I know I'd get killed! What is with these bicyclists who think everyone should watch out for them, especially on such a dangerous road as Highway 53?

It's been a backbreaking week. I have spent most of the nice days working out in the yard with my battle of the weeds and brush. With about one-half acre of property, I don't know who is winning! Dave hauled a large trailer load of branches down to the neighbor's to put on their burn pile and I haven't even scratched the surface! I spend about 3-4 hours a day pruning and clearing away more debris. Once it's all done, it'll just be maintenance from then on. But I don't know when it will ever be done! I certainly can't see any light at the end of this tunnel.

Did I mention that last week we went to the Planning Commission meeting? The property across the street from us sold and the new owners had applied for a height variance so they can build a two-story home on this site. Unfortunately, the lot isn't very big and most of it slopes down a hill, which is unbuildable. So they have to build on the only flat spot...at the very top. Several neighbors up the hill from them will loose a good portion of their view and so everyone attended the meeting to protest. It doesn't affect us because we have the best view on the block and nobody can build in front of us. Dave is on the Planning Commission, but couldn't take part in the variance hearing because he lives on the same street. So he had to come sit out in the audience with us. He couldn't voice his opinion (it turns out later that he could have) and wasn't allowed to vote. The rest of the neighbors didn't put up much opposition, so the variance was approved. It kind of irritated me that the new neighbors were given EVERYTHING they wanted while the rest of the neighbors (some of who have been there a long time) had to compromise their view. I don't think I would want to live in this neighborhood with everyone mad at me, because I think that is what is going to happen to the new people. Oh well, you just can't fight City Hall sometimes.

Since I went to see the doctor last week, I have been watching my calories. It seems odd to me that if a person only eats about 1800 calories a day and exercises too, that they should be able to loose some weight. I mentioned this to the doctor and he had my thyroid checked. Sure enough, my thyroid is underactive. I have to go back in for another thyroid test at the end of the month before the doctor will give me something to kick-start my metobolism.

It rained yesterday, which is probably a good thing. Otherwise we'd be outside killing ourselves again. As it was, it was a stay-indoors-and-read kind of day. It's supposed to be sunny this weekend; there'll be plenty of chances to get some jungle hacked down. Dave will be gone all weekend, so that will give me a lot of time to get stuff done.

No pictures this week. Other than a huge pile of brush, there was nothing to take a picture of!