Various small fires

Whenever I have been away and sit down to write a catchup blog post, this title comes to me:

VARIOUS SMALL FIRES

It comes from the title of a (1964) book by the artist Edward Ruscha featuring 15 photographs of small fires and a glass of milk merged in my mind with images from a book of whimsical staged images by Bernard Faucon.

I don't know why I think of it.  Certainly not in the same way as the artists (one of which google says was attempting to challenge the notions of classification in photography). 

by Bernard Faucon

Another Faucon image in a book Jonathon Said gave me 20 years ago.

For my version, I imagine a landscape in which various small fires have started and are burning away, all requiring to be put out (or cultivated).   Threat and potential, a harvest of flame, a grid of something wild.  Many small crises, self contained, and I'm never really sure if each one is something serious or something that will burn out, wisp away, with rain.

Thus its a great metaphor for my life (in catchup).  Various small fires I kindled and now must resolve and which I will share with you.  So here they are:

Lit matches

We have moved house.  Moving is 95% complete.  Remaining in the garage of the old house are bits of lumber, some unnecessary furniture, missing hardware, defunct software and some recreational devices I no longer find fun.   I am sure I have left important things over there but at this stage I just wish I could push a DISPOSE button and have it all disappear.

Speaking of "disappearing" things.  Many things are mislaid in the move.  Boxes abound.  The new garage is full and Frost has made no attempt to unpack his boxes of Lego and playmobil, his books or even his clothes.  This confirms my thesis that, as parents, we should simply sell off all our kids toys from time to time as a gift to the family.

Nobody would really miss them.

Cigarettes

Frost had his birthday party.  He is now 10 years old and had a few friends to run around the yard with him and eat sundaes.   He said it was a bit of a disorganized birthday party but he had fun.  He was very happy with his gifts but has left them on the dining room table for me to resolve (remember the lack of unpacking?  Also lack of putting away).

From our end, he had the most minimal birthday yet.  We made a cake and sang at dinner, we gave him 3 presents (Magic the Gathering Cards, a playmobil guy with a skull mace and a pair of Lazer Tag guns.)   He was very excited to receive money from his Granny Katy, Auntie Kindra and Auntie Corlie (and Uncle Tyler).   I didn't go out and buy gifts from the foreign relatives and Mum sent him candy (which he enjoyed).  It was simpler and I don't think he felt short-changed.

The Lazer Tag guns have been great....

Blowtorch

We are still selling our other house.  We have received some offers, below asking, and are going to consider them tomorrow.   This is a short entry because I am sick of even thinking about the work I did, should have done, may need to do if an offer is picky.   Nuff said.

Highway flare

Its summer vacation and yet its been gloomy and rainy many days in the NW.  This while the rest of the USA is suffering a record heatwave.  Joshua keeps telling me how we should have replaced the old roof with white tile, not dark grey.   I can see we are going to have a white roof when we replace this one.  I am still researching the issue of glare off the roof for neighbors.

Gas stove burner

Beezle is still lovely but still poops and pees in bad (but predictable) places.  He loves bathmats, a particular persian rug and a corner under a table in the basement.  All this is resolved if I take him outside a lot but I don't.  He can't get out on his own so its All My Fault (except its his fault too because there are piddle pads on the bathmat for him and he chooses not to use them all the time, and he eats my long hair somehow and then gets them stuck in his bum and runs around with poo attached to my long hair attached to his butt which is horrible and distressing for everyone.

He is a great doggie though and well suited to couch potatos and sleeping with you in bed.

I have a few more conflagrations on the go, but that should do it for now.

Bon voyage Tara, Fred and Alex.  Have a fabulous time in France.  We will miss you and your job is to have such fun you don't miss us, or Seattle, at all.

Wren tells a story about monsters

Once upon a time….

There was a elemental that killed volcanoes but one volcano was good and it came out of that volcano.  It was made of out water, death, sun, flame, tree, wood.

This is the inspiration for Wren's Story

The elemental was so huge it could even grab birds and eat them.

So..

It could jump and flame and turn into a little ball of flame and it could crush all rocks and demons and it could crush everything it could see except the flame god.  It was very simple.  IT was the flame god and the rainbow god.  The FLAME Rainbow.  IT could never hurt the life of itself.  

The life of itself is the world it lives on. It can’t crush that because it IS ON the world.

The elemental went on a walk in a volcano and he saw a thing like a bat that was on fire.   It was his friend the flame adjuster and the flame queen.

He saw all his friends all red and black.

They got out of the volcano and went on a walk and fought demons and evil flame adjusters and lots of things.  They went on and on until they found the Gold Ruby of the Heart.  They’d never known they’d picked it up.  The Fusion Elemental put it in his tree elbow and went back to his volcano and jumped in and summoned the flame friends.

And fore-on he is still summoning those flame friends.

The End.

Brief update on the move

Thanks to motivated friends who went way beyond comfortable in helping us,  we moved house yesterday and slept in the new house last night.  

First picture in the new house!   Late afternoon
cutting the 4th of July Cake
Tara brought.

 I woke at 7am and remembered I was in the wrong house to put the garbage out and the garbage was full.  I found my keys but could not find any pants so I put on my painting pants from the laundry bag and drove over to the old house to put them out.

My real motivation in going over was to get the Advil (painkiller) that was still in the bathroom.  I ache all over from carrying stuff.

While at the old house, I tried to catch the cat, who had not moved yet, but failed.  Instead I grabbed a few bags of Via coffee that we in the remaining debris and threw in a few important things that hadn't moved yet (garbage bags, soap, a mop, medications for sore muscles) and drove home.

Wren had just woken up.    He had found an old 4th of July donut with red white and blue sprinkles, and was eating it.    Frost decided to do the same thing.

"Don't eat donuts for Breakfast boys!" I said.

Frost said "Tara gives us donuts all the time!   When she doesn't have time to make breakfast she gives us money and says "go up to Mighty O and get donuts!"  Later, when we say we are hungry and we didn't have breakfast she says "You had donuts!""

Well, they had day-old donuts for breakfast followed by a mixture of root-beer and strawberry apple-cider (because Frost wanted to test the siphon straw contraption he had made and Wren wanted to do what Frost was doing).  Last night, they had mac and cheese from a box.  Frost had ramen from a bag with MSG as the 4th ingredient.

For breakfast, Beezle had 4 day old roast chicken mixed with ramen.

So, our move went well but we are not unpacked.

Josh is frustrated because Comast cable is screwed up and we are not receiving all our channels, Tivo is screwed up because it can't exist offline in HD mode, Qwest is going to take two more days to connect our phone and internet and neither of us had any power in our cell phones.

He went over to the old house an hour later to get some peripherals like chargers and the cat.

We are now at a coffee shop in the neighborhood coping by drinking iced coffee, Odwalla and eating cookies for lunch.  I must soon go home and unpack, get pet food, buy lots of missing stuff and take some more Advil.

Thanks so much to those who helped yesterday.  I will be sure to have a Housewarming party just to offer something more stylish than pizza and more healthy than Squirt.

We have an Ice Machine on the fridge... we must party!

I have the Advil if you need it.

Bear!

Tara complained to the ranger about a dog which barked all night.  It was over by the RVs and sounded like a big dog, a hound making a deep bray steadily through the dark hours till dawn.

"I can't talk right now," said the ranger.  "I am on my way to handle a fight.  Anyway, the reason the dog was barking is there is a bear in the area."

We were going to take a walk up the hill trail but are now rethinking our plan.  As Josh knows, I feel a bit sensitive about bears.  Lions, rhinos and hippos feel more normal.  I might anticipate them or avoid them.  Not so with bears.

Lake Chelan

We have been camping at Lake Chelan on our annual "school is out" camping trip. After weeks of drizzle and a slow start to spring, let alone summer, we are out of the rain and into the Easter Washington sunshine. There are 5 families camping together and another arriving this weekend.  

This is easy camping.

The camp store is open till 10pm and sells everything from ice to lattes.  We have in-tent wireless and a large playground and a huge grassy field.   We are in the tent camp.  Across the field is the RV camp.   At night one plays a movie across the side of the RV as a big screen.  

We haven't used the iPad once.

We spent most of the day at the Slidewaters water park.  Wren was very bold and went down a few large slides sitting between my legs.  He even went on one of the Advanced ones with a 4 foot landing depth.  Unfortunately I stumbled on landing and went underwater but held up up overhead so he didn't get his face wet.

I had to bribe him with the promise of a booster pack of Magic cards to do the advanced one.   Afterwards, he said "It was so scarey that it took away my hiccups."

I didn't see Frost all day.  He alternated between sliding and sitting in the hot spa.  

I alternated between sliding with Wren and sitting by the fence consoling Beezle who, stationed with his crate and bed outside the fence, felt that he was being ostracized or punished and persisted in trying to claw his way in.  After 2 hours he gave up watching for me and went to sleep.

Beezle has been a great attraction.  He tries to bite little kids who try and stroke him so he needs to work on petting without biting.  Its not entirely his fault as we often play 'mouthing' games with him.  However, he needs lots of practice about not biting too hard.

Now, a wind has sprung up and its fully dark.  Wind is shushing in the trees and the fire, once dormant, has sprung into a blaze that is blowing smoke my way (of course).   Wren and Beezle are asleep and the bigger boys are silhouettes on the tent walls where they are reading Foxtrots by flashlight.

The only brightness is the bathroom block across the field from us.   Time to head there before bed.

Boys at the table.

Campfire.  S'mores.

Stephen making the fire for us.

Reading an Alex Cross thriller in the hammock.  "Is this our hammock?" asked
Wren.  Apparently he can't remember the last trip with it.

Slidewaters Base Camp.  See Beezle outside the fence.

We are in Lake Chelan on our annual "school is out" camping trip.  After weeks of drizzle and a slow start to spring, let alone summer, we are out of the rain and into the Easter Washington sunshine.

Wren eating a yogurt in Chelan.  Yogurt followed icecream which followed
chips.

Iced latte in Chelan heat.

Beezle became overtired from the anxiety of being "outside

The Shining Leaves of the Camelia

Rain again after some days of shine. We are in great anticipation of our camping trip to Lake Chelan next week where, weather report rumors have it, it has been close to 80 degrees AND SUNNY.

The blossoms on the Camelia have shriveled to brown clusters and the leaves shine in the rain. I have a cold and staring out the window is about my desire but instead we have a Garage Sale today. I have boxes of stuff that we do not wish to move and care too much for to donate.

Now, because the Garage Sale starts in 15 minutes... here are some pictures:

Beezle sees a Big Water for the first time (Lake Washington)

The Micro-Dog Won't COME.

Walking the Micro-Beezle (an Aberration, he seldom walks on leash)

I am going to EAT you.

My life.
Balancing Titebond wood glue with Wren's need for JELLO.
Jelly was excellent.  Good with a sore throat!  I ate it
with cream and bananas while Wren added "nutty bits."

What's up with us

Yes, I am still here. If you are feeling neglected, this is why:

TASKLIST:
- Attach wainscoting to back of island
- Attach Pagoda slats
- Conceal range exhaust pipe above cabinets.
- Re-attach closet door (if one is at RE-Store)
- Remove pipe to old faucet under deck.
- Coat new door with 3 coats of finish.
- Take in secure Shredding: DataSite
9401 Aurora Ave North
Seattle, WA 98103
- Re-Store for closet door
- Check with consignment store if they have sold any stuff
- Get blood draw B12
- Transcribe boer war diary
- Give David and Mum copies of DVD of family photos.
- Write patient article on Shone's Syndrome
- Send Kathryn most recent statements for purchase.
- License dog ---> Josh. In new house
- Put dog vaccination on calendar
- Get Kia door part fitted and talk to them about squeaking brakes
- Submit next estimated tax payment by June 15th
- Buy gift for Matthew' birthday party
- Pack entire house.
- Advertise Garage Sale

PAINTING:
Finish Painting porch trim (almost done)
Living room wall paint
Living room trim paint
Living room ceiling paint
Corridor wall paint
Corridor trim paint
Wren's room touch up paint
Main bedroom Wall paint
Main bedroom ceiling paint
Main bedroom trim
Back deck house paint (half done)
Kitchen touchup paint (walls)

GARDEN:
Clean and weed whole garden.
Get load of play chips 1 cubic yard from Sky. (do they deliver?)

WORK
Thursday 3 hours.
Friday 3 hours.

Oh, and we're going camping for 4 nights next week. Just me and the kids.

But we are all well! Except Josh. Josh is sick with a mild fever, exhaustion, cough, cold and man-flu as well. He is eating pap and soup and feeling neglected because I am doing the things on the list. He is also eating sugary cereal.

Wren is playing Magic the Gathering with imaginary cards he drew. He is drawing all day. I am taking refuge in movies about serial killers and romance. The best are romances with some thrills. I am very much enjoying doing the painting and have just stained my first door. It is stained Daly Stain FRUITWOOD.

I am hoping to do some more remodelling one day as I really like it!

Judy (Ford) is my DIY mentor. She is our contractor from the bathroom and is also a matriarch and a wonderful woman. She makes me feel I can fix or make anything if I just have the tools, ingenuity and patience! I think I will be a crafty person when my kids are old enough to be busy by themselves without it being called Neglect.

Going to watch a thriller now.

I bought the bag. (if you are not on FB, I am not telling more). Joshua is going to hide it for me. I am concerned he might lose it in the move along with my jewelery.

Lauren diagnosed me as having "One More Thing" itis. This means you are always rushing and busy to do "one more thing" before sitting down. You end up with little completed but many many things almost done.

The cat is staring at me through the front window, its feet on the pagoda covered in grapevine. It is mewling because the Dog (who I made swim in the bath tonight for its wash) is in the kitchen, thus blocking the cat door.

Don't you like how I had PACK WHOLE HOUSE as one little item on the Tasklist?

Poetry in Discovery Park

While walking in the park we started to wax lyrical, making up poems.  Wren caught the intonation while Frost crafted a whole poem.

The Turkey Syrian Border

Today, there has been coverage of increasing tensions in Syria and how:
"More than 2,400 Syrians have fled into neighbouring Turkey to escape the unrest in Jisr al-Shughur and other towns, according to the UN and Turkish officials."

It got me melancholic.  It got me thinking.   Twenty-two years ago, in May 1989, myself and some friends (Janine, Osnet and Yair) traveled around Eastern Turkey and I have always wanted to return. Here are some excerpts from that trip for my family and perhaps Janine if she is on Facebook these days.

May 19th, 1989
ELAZiG, Turkey
Shoeshiners everywhere carry ornamented footstools, red, green, yellow and gold.  Polish kept in little boxes and bottles.  Some stop by bus stops and provide tea while they polish.  In the downtown bazaar or market area each road or arcade is for one line of goods. There is a road for pots and pans, another for old suits another for farming equipment, electricals, palstic shoes (all the same).

Turkish sweets are strange and very sweet and sugary.  Bought some golden sticks filled with nuts made of brittle spun sugar.  Also, blue green and yellow humbugs, candyfloss like string, turkish delight rolled in coconut and nuts. Nuts, nuts everywhere.

Today we went to Harput thinking it was Pertek and then to Pertek to see an island castle in the [Ataturk Baraji] dam.   The dam caused the castle, which was on a high rocky mountain overlooking the source valley of the Euphrates, to be isolate on an island.  We caught a bus there to the ferry and hired the ferry boat to take us out there.  I remember the jolting of our last bus ride and the smell of the driver's armpits and his socks as he slept across the back window....

The castle is medieval and very wonderful, quite ruined but easily recognizable and having a remarkable vantage over the district water of thh Euphrates sliding by slowly while the hills wade in the waves, orange, green.  We decided to call it the Island of Indecision.   When we landed on our return from the island we were accosted by police demanding "passeporte" which we didn't have [as we had been required to hand them in at the hotel].  They said "Touris, terroris" a few times.  Words ensued.  We were told that they are very sensitive about foreigners being on the dam as the Syrians would like to blow it up and release the water down into Syria.

May [few days later]
Diyabakir
Passed a grey river flowing from the black mountains.  Industrial scars.  Great white storks in nests all along the route. One was clsoe to teh road and I could see the big white baby storks snaking upward for food.  Also, silhoetted on the roof of the Ulu Cami. Walking through the bazaar we saw offal floating in silver dushes.  The bazaar is dark streeted with stagnant puddles and rotting fruit.   Some streets have dark recessed carpentry shops lit by a single light bulb and overflowing with sawdust.   Men sit playing backgammon, waist-coated and dark.  AT certain times they kneel to play on small stools in shops and streets.  Outside the Uli Cami are rows of men, old and young.  Beside them lay piles of long wooden handled scythes.  Apparently the peasants are being forced to seek work in the city and sometimes hired daily to work the land of others.


May 25th, 1989

Dougbezit
From Dougbezit we caught a minibus to Kars and Ani.  It was very hot but high up.  On may occasions we came close to the Russian border and could see the control and observation points across the high fences.  The nomadic people of Eastern Turkey (and Russia?) have huge herds of cows, sheept etc and we even saw horses in their 1000's near ANI.  With the herders are ferocious looking dogs, closer related to wolves than any canine specimen I have seen before this.   Some resemble huskies, white or grey, huge fanged ... they chase the taxi along the road and we must swerve to avoid potholes.  Or they growl by the van and we crawl along as a huge herd of sheept and herders with ponies draped in Kilims move along and slowly cross the road.

In the high regions before Kars the landscape was wonderfully open and barren.  The planes, steppe? flat with pale washed skies, empty and dry.

In a remote town near Ardahan, stopped for snacks and walked into a toilet.  It was awash with water which a dwarf was sweeping up. 

Received permission to enter the neutral borderzone between Turkey and Russia we drove out to Ani, a now deserted city which once rivaled Constantinople and Cairo and was the capital of the medieval Armenian empire.   Now it lies almost in ruins, some churches and a haunting mosque remain standing.  Also the Armenian cathedral.   It is on a cliff above a ravine and one can look across the green rushing river to Russia, to see the USSR road end suddenly and wend its way into unbroken green.  Soldiers from the observation towers watch me.

About Nature

Wren said:  "Mom, I have a question about nature.   Why does my hair move closer to my face when I eat toast?"

I challenge you to answer that.

We went for a walk in Discovery Park.  Wren kept saying "Beazle has DISCOVERED something."

Beazle Discovers Something

Beazle ran well, to keep up.

Frost said "slow down Mom, Beazle has such short legs he has to run all the time!"

I harvested nettles using the clean poop bag to shield my hand.  I am going to make nettle and chanterelle soup.  Beazle thinks I am his mother so he tried to harvest nettles too by jumping and biting them.

I harvest nettles with the (clean) poop bag.

Wren went on the flying fox.

"Why is it called a flying fox?" he wondered.

Beazle ran with his mouth in a smile and his tongue hanging out.  He ran with the leash cut off to 6 inches to get him used to it.

I had to work hard to get Beazle to sniff this hole

Wren (the Wizard) walks with Beazle

"Look at the nettle sea!" said Frost, who was off school due to a cold and sore throat that has lasted 3 days.

"Look at the sea of dinner." I said.

"I would not come in that sea," said Wren.  "I would not swim in the nettle sea!  ARGH!  It is coming!"

The Nettle Sea

We discussed poetry while walking.  I made up a poem.  Then Frost made up a poem.  Then Wren made up a poem.  I shall try and post them.  

Beazle hopes for a snack

Beazle's poem was:

"Feed.
Me."