Best Western Bainbridge Isnd Bainbridge Island

Friday August 8th Andy and I finished our projects on the Welfare Avenue house and it is looking "good"! Mercury is a magician in the way he keeps his energy so high and efficient. The secret to a good Realtor and new owner, of a fixer upper. It is all coming together. Investment property, Real Estate Sales and Carlee's Farm Courier...Excellent job kids!!! They both retain high minded attitudes while doing the grunt work it takes to get businesses off ...

So I have arrived on the West Coast and it is so exciting to think how far away I am from home! The last few hours in Chicago were nice and walked around the park and near the lake front. I also managed to befriend the editor of the Sunday Mirror (a national tabloid newspaper at home), she was staying at my hotel and we shared a cab into the airport which was cool. The flight ...

... We took off at around 1:00pm from Manzanita Bay with Alec at the helm. The day is overcast yet warm and windless enough for a smooth and comfortable ride. In about 25 minutes we see a remarkable structure begin to appear. The roof line looks like the house could fly yet the two wings of perfect cedar keep us grounded and safe on Earth. We arrive and begin the tour with Alec as our expert guide at the boat house foundation work. Alex shows us how ...

July I am losing awareness of dates and time....but I know it is still July! We all got up and out to Alec (Duncan's) house where John (Lund) keeps his skiff. Mercury and Carlee gathered up all the necessaries to use the boat and keep us safe. I (Jodie) made a picnic lunch packed into a cooler Carlee set up with ice packs and beverages. Riding a boat to an Island beach destination is something everyone ...

Mercury took Andy and me over to their newly bought house and property on Welfare Avenue. Merc and Carlee have bought it to fix up into a rental and because it is such a great property and location! The construction is almost done....floors and paint will complete the job. Much construction has been accomplished to this wonderful home and property. The pictures ...

... avoided the coffee in an attempt to encourage sleeping on the plane.  It was soon time to hop on our 5 hour Continental flight to charming Newark, where we'd fortunately only have to layover 1.5 hours.  The flight was fairly uneventful, if not terribly roomy.  The most memorable thing was our 2 stewardesses up in the front - huge rollered hair, bright coral lipstick and fingernails.  Wasn't sure what look they were sporting until they mentioned ...

... to pound the rice until it's smooth and shiny. Perfect rhythm is a critical part of the process. The mochi master, who reaches into the usu and turns the rice between hits, calls out the rhythm in sing-song Japanese words. It reminds me of African work chants or rowers on the queen's barge. If the pounders are off, the mochi master's fingers get smashed; not a good way to start the New Year. Lots of teenagers and adults ...

... called the tour company that did the Shipton's Arch tour mentioned in Adventure magazine and signed on. Then I started buying books and maps and more books and more maps until I had more books than I could read in six months and more maps than I could carry with me. I bought a digital camera (and a book on how to use it) and took a couple of classes. I read the tour company's list of stuff to bring (mostly hiking and camping gear and first-aid supplies), re-read parts of ...

... another guy appeared out of nowhere with a cheap earpiece in his ear and flashing a very fake looking badge. He kept asking "What is going on here?" When he figured out we didn't speak Italian he started looking distressed too. I thought, Aha! It is the scam where the "policeman" want to look at your passport then snatch it! All he could say was "Where are you from?" Julius started staring the guy down and they got freaked and ...

... find the bakery. AND the right street market that sold the Ambrosia apples. And then we had to decide how many dark chocolate bars we wanted, and how many flavors of each. Three of us in the car for more than twenty minutes? The chocolate was coming. A brisk walk back to the car, and.... On the road again, to "Key to the Highway," an absolute essential for all road trips from this point hence. (I know where you can get one, but it might be ...