Washington Update

Just to keep people up to date, here's the latest from Washington.

Mom arrived yesterday to help Peggy while Alice returns to North Carolina to visit her husband, attend a wedding, and assist in fixing up the house before putting it on the market. She leave WA this morning.

David & Chunnan's house now has a SOLD sign on it and we're just waiting for the buyers to finish their financing. We're scheduled to close on July 10th.

Peggy & Eric had all of their stuff moved from their apartment to the new house yesterday and we're all pitching in to get things unpacked and sorted...lots of time and muscle and Advil to make that happen.

Dad is acting as Taxi for trips to and from the airport.

That's it for now...Hugs to all!

House Offer

Our house is listed for sale at $499,950. Today we got an offer for $475,000. We countered with $485,000 and are awaiting their reply. Wish us luck.

UPDATE: Yup, they accepted our counter-offer of $485,000. They'll be having the home inspection next Wednesday or Thursday and if all goes well it will then be considered SOLD. Closing will be mid July or sooner...hopefully sooner.

Merle's Latest Creation

Here is the new TV cabinet Merle made and we installed in the living room yesterday.

Pigs on Parade - Part 1

Eric, Alice, Apollo, and I went downtown to start our Great Pig Quest...appropriately started at Qwest Field. Here are the pigs that we saw today.


#89 - "Pigskin"


#90 - "A Moment in Swine"


#29 - "Leland"


#24 - "Frankenswine"


#17 - "The Pirate of Pigzance"


#22 - "Pike Place Market Puzzle Pig"


#21 - "Centennial Swine"


#18 - "Pigcasso"


#19 - "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner"


#20 - "Pigasaurus"


#6 - "Pork Bench"


#1 - "Heart of Gold (H.O.G.)"


#10 - "Market Signs"

David Buys A New Car

I bought a new 2007 Chevrolet HHR on Saturday. This is the first American car I've owned since my very first car I had back in 1979, a 1966 Chevy Impala. No, wait, I owned an old Dodge Colt back in 1986, so this is acrually my third American car. My X90 was cute and all, but it drove like a 30 year old truck and I'm getting to an age where I need a little more comfort.

Interesting Story

http://www.woodtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=6623359

A Poetry Award!

I just about fell out of my chair this afternoon when I opened my mail to find a 3rd place in poetry in the 2007 CNW/FFWA Florida State Writing Competition for my villanelle "Blocking the Way to Freedom", a certificate, and a $50 check to boot! Guess you just gotta keep learning, reading and writing, and sending in those contest entries. I did have a first place once in Poetry Canada Magazine’s rhyming contest, but there was no monetary reward for that one, just a magazine copy. Here is the 3rd place poem.

Blocking the Way to Freedom

Their quilts are hanging on the line,
The colors a blur in the wind.
And their soldiers are marching in time.

We search for safety, search for a sign,
Our freedom we seek to defend
As the quilts are hanging on the line.

Some folks we avoid, but others are kind
As along “the railway” we wend…
While their soldiers are marching in time.

Look for the pattern and see what we find
As we trek with our friends and our kin
To the quilts hanging there on the line.

To keep the past alive in their minds
Our descendants’ voices will blend
While their soldiers are marching in time.

They’ll be free, but feel chained and confined,
Their struggle a battle unable to end,
Their quilts will be hanging on the line,
And their soldiers still marching in time.

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Actually, this isn't the original version. I adjusted the wording to try and better fit the villanelle definition. I liked the original version better, but I'm glad the judges liked this one.

Doug

Uncle Doug made it to Maine safely. He arrived in Pittsfield around 130pm. He was extremely tired, but woke up just in time for a steak dinner.

I will post further updates for him, if need be. I will see him on Tuesday.

Take care
me.