Houses in Bellingham where I lived

On a recent trip back to the homeland (Bellingham, WA) I took a few minutes to drive past the houses I lived in when I lived in that city.

This is the first place I lived, on West North Street.
My mom used to say we were a stone's throw from a neighboring church because once, a kid threw a rock from the church parking lot and it broke a window on our house.

It looks quite a bit different than when I lived there. On the left side of the front yard used to be a huge tree/shrub. I used to climb inside it and hide. Of course since I ALWAYS hid in there, it wasn't a very good hiding spot. An even worse spot to hide was inside the toy box in the carport as anyone could figure out you were in there, sit on top of it and trap you. Leaving you only one recourse: SCREAM until an adult finds you and chases off the neighboring children. Uh, yeah that happened there.

For a child who was having just the slightest trouble with pronouncing the "s" and "th" sounds, living on "weSt norTH Street" was a cruel, cruel address.

Luckily, when I was five, we moved to this house on West Maplewood.

Then

and now.

Uh, it hasn't really changed much. My parents still live there. The driveway is big enough to come up one side and swing around to a full turn, ready to head back out the other side.

The stump in the front part of the yard is from a tree I got for free at a home show when I was around 7. I planted my pine tree sapling in a coffee can and left it on the kitchen window sill for two years. We decided it was getting too big to live indoors (I thought it was going to be my Christmas tree one day) and it needed to be planted outside. I chose that location at the front corner of the yard by the driveway so I could see it every day. And it grew, and grew, and grew up into the power lines and it finally had to be cut down because it was too big to be near the power lines and it was blocking the view for getting out of the driveway. So instead of having "my tree" in the front yard, now I have "my stump".

I moved away. I moved back. Away. Back. Away... Back... and then Lyle and I met and we moved to Bellingham and found this tiny house to live in on Logan Street.
When I say "tiny" I mean, one small bedroom, a bathroom and a living room/kitchen. So basically two rooms with a minuscule bathroom attached. All of it, resplendent in wood paneling.

We took this house because it had an enormous yard for out first little dog, Sophia, to run around in. We discovered, the larger the yard, the more she could go out and get in trouble and the more mowing and upkeep it required. Smaller yard was preferred after that.
Besides, she could have fun anywhere, even on the hood of the car in the driveway.

We lived there in "the cabin" for a year (so named due to the wood paneling inside) and then we moved to this house on State Street.
Of course back then it was a house. Just one floor with a full basement. You can still see the original bones of the old house inside this condo complex. The basement is the lowest row of windows, the main floor is now the middle row of windows in the front structure. The old garage at street level is gone and the driveway, though still steep and curvy, is less steep and less curvy than when we lived here. Also the giant structure in the back used to be an overgrown hillside of blackberry bushes.

I'm pleased to say that both our wardrobe and decorating style have both evolved quite a bit from that year on State Street.
This house was perched on a hill with an amazing unobstructed bay view (I guess that's why they built all those condos onto it) and we lived here for the last year before we moved to California. What a shock it was to give up a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom, with full basement house overlooking the water to move into a one bedroom, one bathroom house across the street from a school... for $200 more a month. Of course the weather did vastly improve.

Bellingham State of Mind

I've avoided looking at this for a few days. EVERYONE who has every lived in my hometown has been sending this to me. Finally tonight, I watched this EXCELLENT video.

I think they capture the true spirit of where I grew up, "the city of subdued excitement". Yes. That's exactly it. Please enjoy.

Everyone should have an Uncle Ed

This is what we wrote for my Uncle Ed's funeral service. It was a collaborative effort from all the nieces and nephews who were gathered around my parents dining room table.

Uncle Ed Memories from the people who called him Uncle - or as he would have called us, a bunch of "hahn-yacks".

Because he never married or had his own children, we all became his children. While our parents were boring responsible adults, Uncle Ed always had time for us.

When he was younger Uncle Ed was fun. He had a camper. He had a boat. He had the outdoor gene. He loved to hunt and fish and go camping. As a kid, nothing was more exciting than getting to sleep in the camper… in the driveway.

For a couple of summers, when Barb and Ted went on their summer vacation, they took Gary to stay in Yakima. How do you entertain a 12 year old boy in the summer in Yakima? If you were Ed the answer would be, go to the auto supply store, visit other Aunts and Uncles, go fishing and hang out with retired friends. As a kid, it was fun to be included with the adults.

It showed a point that Uncle Ed wanted to make. He used to say, "If you want to learn something, go to where the old people hang out. Ask them a question, then shut up and listen."

Uncle Ed was a window into our parents that we didn’t have. He told tales on them that they would shout and tell him to stop telling. He was willing to pull back the curtain of perfection that our parents hung up and reveal all the rotten things they did as kids. They were human once, and we really loved knowing they weren’t so perfect after all.

Gary remembers once when Ed was over visiting from Yakima. He was upstairs in his room and all of a sudden he heard Ed and Ted laughing hysterically. They were watching the "Odd Couple" on TV and laughing at the scene where Oscar hit Felix with the newspaper. Karen’s Dad, Kenneth used to say that "Ted & Ed weren’t really twins, they were just born at the same time." In many ways they were the original Odd Couple.

The first wave of kids grew up and they had children of their own. A new group of nieces and nephews got their own Uncle Ed. A new group of children discovered what is was to have an adult ready to tell tales on how rotten their parents were. A new group of kids needed their own Uncle Ed.

He took his great-niece Ashley to the park and kept her entertained giving her divorced parent Karen a break. He sat with her and read her stories without Ashley discovering that due to bad eyes, Ed couldn’t actually read the story in the book. Instead of saying I can’t do that, he sat and made up stories to match the pictures in her books. His great-nephew Sam would ask, "Is Uncle Ed going to be there? Because then I‘ll have someone to play with."

You didn’t have to be born into this family to have an Uncle Ed. Marry one of us, you’re in. Get adopted, you’re in. Wander a little too close to the family, or stay a little too long, you’re in. He took an interest in what you did, and was pleased for your success. For a cranky guy, he still knew how to show you that you were loved.

Uncle Ed injured his back when he was 42. Because of the constant pain his mood understandably changed. He wasn’t able to continue working. He had to give up his camper. He couldn’t keep his boat. When Ed was sitting in the hospital looking back over his life, he told us, "I have no regrets. I’ve done everything I wanted to." Then he added, that he actually had one regret. His one regret in life was giving up his boat. Out of all the things in life someone could regret, that was his only one.

As many relatives and friends made their way in to visit him, the staff at the nursing home told Jim that Ed must have been a very special man. At first he was going to correct them and say he was just an ordinary man. But we’ve realized that even though Uncle Ed never built a town hall, donated money to a college or won an award at ceremony, being an "ordinary guy" is what made him extraordinary. He was ours and he was there for us.

Though he was getting weak, he told us over and over again, that he was so happy to have everyone come together. At the end of the day, what you have is your family. If this had to happen to him, at least we got a chance to remember how much we mattered to each other. As the end came closer, we all came together to surround him and return the love he gave so freely.

We want to extend a special thank you to the staff at Alderwood Manor for taking such great care of Uncle Ed and all the family that sat with him. It was impossible to explain to someone on the outside the unique place that Uncle Ed holds in our hearts. When the world was busy, and the adults had too much to do, at the end of the day Uncle Ed was there. He was the adult who was always available.

We’d like to thank all of you for coming. Ed always said he never had any friends. He was humble, didn’t like to draw attention to himself and he might have been pulling our leg. By the evidence here, we feel, he was mistaken.

Last weekend

So uh, it was quite the rollercoaster.

We had planned to go to Seattle for my (MUCH) older brother's 50th birthday party. Weekends with the family always get too packed so on purpose I try to leave a lot of "free time" that automatically gets eaten up with lunches, brunches and driving from place to place.

As we were packing I got word that my great aunt passed away. And now I would be taking something to wear to the memorial service.

It's one of those awful Broadway reviews, "I laughed! I cried! I ran the gamut of emotions!"

I was going to to do a dodge on all this and just post a very funny story about myself involving the church where the service was held. However, my iPhone did a big poopy crash and I lost whatever photos I had recently taken, so that story will have to come later.

I guess this post is here to share why I may be a little less wordy this week and to remind you to appreciate your family.
Uh, we don't normally all wear tropical wardrobe, but my (MUCH) older brother's birthday was themed, "Gary Five-O."

Mom's Birthday Weekend Extravaganza

Last weekend I went to Bellingham, Washington to be with my family as we celebrated my mother's 70th birthday. It became a whirlwind non-stop activity filled weekend the likes of which I will need much time from which to recover . But I wanted to get a little something up here so I will just hit the highlights of the birthday weekend.

I arrived on Wednesday the actual day of my mother's birthday and we went out for dinner at Black Angus. This is my mother wearing her birthday tiara while receiving her birthday dessert. I know, that tiara is so small... I offered to bring her a crown that would announce to the whole world that she had just won Miss Universe, but she politely declined my offer saying she wanted people to talk about her and not the size of her crown. I swear, sometimes its like we're not even related.

On Friday I checked in to our hotel, The Chrysalis Inn & Spa. It is situated on the water, right above the railroad tracks. They even provide you with complimentary ear plugs ("my you have attractive ear canals!"). With the window closed, I didn't even notice the trains go by. As I told my mother, "they're quieter than the helicopters that fly over our house in LA."

The Alaska Ferry launches from Bellingham, on Friday evenings about 6:30 pm. There it goes right in the middle of the picture. This pic was taken from our hotel room window. I wish I could have stayed in my room more.

On Saturday morning I met up with my nieces and sister in law for a walk along the waterfront. This is my "athletic look" of dark denims and dress shoes, I did not plan on having any physical activity on this trip. I knew I had to be up by 9 am to be on schedule and I started waking up at 4:30 am in a panic that I had overslept. I woke up every half hour until I finally got up at 7:30 am. I am not a morning person. The photo above is us pretending to run like we are in Baywatch.

I change into my first official outfit of the day which was my "working" look of grey flannel pants and a pink button up shirt. I had to wear buttons so as to not mess up my hair when I change for the photo outfit. After the room is all set up and the decor is done, I change into a blue shirt with a blue, red and white Polo tie for photos.

Just before the launch of the Birthday Extravaganza at the Elk's club, I pose my mother in front of this mountain painting. She tells me that it was painted by her uncle Marvin. I tell her I am giving her picture my own personal title:

Little-Olde-Lady-Whooooooo!?!

There is a strict schedule we have mapped out and we begin promptly at noon with a photographer brought in for family portraits. Lyle and I organize this section of the day because let's face it, that's what we do for part of our living. Everything stays on schedule and at 12:45 we are finished with photos. I change into my party outfit of jeans, a pressed white French cuff shirt and plaid blazer with black patent leather shoes because I want people to talk about my shoes and not notice me. People begin to arrive early for the 1 pm party start time. The next 3 and half hours are a blur of people, people, people. I am tested time and again as to whether or not I remember people's names or how I may know them. I only fail once (sorry Rose) but in my defence my sister says it wasn't a fair test because Rose looks too good (and now you're welcome).

I also avoid having any cake or punch to avoid a crazy sugar rush. But finally it is 3 pm and the party starts to wind down. I have my piece of cake. The next thing you know I have tied balloons to my niece and am encouraging her to run up and down the ball room.

Madness ensues with me as it's main director.

From the party I run to the hotel and change into my dinner and bowling outfit. For this I put on my orange belt and navy Polo shirt with over sized pony logo also in orange. At dinner I somehow mange to shower myself in margarita when I flip my straw out of my glass. Ice even finds its way down the back of my neck. As we leave the restaurant, Lyle begins recruiting extras for bowling.

Me and my sister, Debbie, with a ball that just happens to be marked as, "Debbie".

Gwenda & Jaymi took the bait and joined us for bowling. That was their first mistake.

Robb, Lyle & Mickey show us what bowling is really all about. Beer.

After bowling we went back to the hotel where most everyone slowed down and went to bed. I changed one last time and Robb, Scott and I went out. That made for a total of 5 wardrobe changes for the day. And you wonder why I take so much luggage when I travel?

The next day was Mother's Day. We checked out of the hotel and made our way to the Bayside Cafe for brunch.

This is the electronics haul from my two nieces and one nephew. The boring old man looking phone in silver in the middle is mine. Those kids would never use something so plain. If only I'd have had more time I could have completed that last Super Mario level for my nephew on his Game Boy. He did give me my props by telling me that I was "really good".

Our final shot of the whole crew.

And then it was time to go home.

Alaskan Ferry begins here

The view from my hotel room.

Bellingham

A quick pic of Bellingham.

Propeller Party Plane

The thrill of it all