New Year's Eve

Help Fund The Maple Valley Pocket Park

There is a kickstarter campaign to build a Pocket Park in Maple Valley, the plan is to build it in the Lake Wilderness Shopping Center between QFC and Starbucks.  This blog has contributed to the project.  If you would like more information or maybe you already wish to contribute, you can read about the concept and watch a short video here.

Seahawks Earn Number 1 Seed In Playoffs

After going scoreless in  the first half, the Seahawks roared back in the second half to defeat the St.Louis Rams 20-6.  Marshawn Lynch scored a 4th quarter touchdown and Bruce Irvin took an intercepted pass to to the end zone in the 4th quarter.
The victory earns the 'Hawks a first round bye in the playoffs and home field advantage throughout.

Barers Of Maple Valley Sets Record

The previous record for posts in a year was 314, set in 2008.  This will be the 322nd post for 2014

Holiday Light Show In Issaquah

We found a similar house to the Woodinville  one off Issaquah-Hobart Road.

Woodinville Wonderland

One thing that is not hard to take a picture of in the dark is the Woodinville Wonderland.  Located just a couple miles from where my in-laws live, it has become an annual visit for us.  Usually, we are able to chat with the home's owner, however this year, he is recovering from injuries from a fall, while he was decorating.

Merry Christmas!

Happy Hollidays

Snoopy's Christmas vs. The Red Baron - The Royal Guardsmen

The Royal Guardsman, an American group, made songs inspired by Snoopy the dog in the old Peanuts cartoon.

Joe Cocker Dead

Sadly, 2014 couldn't end without the death of a rock legend. British rocker Joe Cocker has died at 70.

This Year's Hutch Award Winner--Alex Gordon

Kansas City Royals left fielder Alex Gordon has been selected as this year's winner of the Fred Hutchinson Award.  The award is given to the player who best exemplifies the courage of Fred Hutchinson, a Seattle native and Major League manager whose life whose life was cut short by cancer.
Gordon, whose Royals made the World Series and where the Cinderella story of 2014, won his 4th consecutive Gold Glove.  He also won the American League's Platinum Glove Award as the best defensive player in the league.
Gordon will be presented with the award at a luncheon at Safeco Field on January 29th.  Dave Winfield will be the keynote speaker.

Seahawks Are In Playoffs

Without playing a down, the Seattle Seahawks are assured a playoff spot by virtue of the Dallas Cowboys defeating the Indianapolis Colts.

"White Christmas" - The Drifters

Bellevue Youth Theatre Construction In Final Stages

The construction of the Bellevue Youth Theatre  in Crossroads Park behind The UPS Store is nearing completion.  The facility was dug into a hill and the construction has taken a year and a half.

Adam Sandler - Hanukkah Song Part 2

Now for a little fun...

Happy Hanukkah!

Seattle Sportsnet Laments "Death Of A Rivalry"

One of the Seattle area's favorite bloggers, Alex of Seattle Sportsnet, speaks of what he sees as the fall of the San Francisco 49ers.     Media sources are all predicting the end of the Jim Harbaugh era.   Harbaugh of course, the Niners controversial coach, whose rivalry with fellow former Pac 12 coach Pete Carroll fueled local talk radio and sports blogs.  You can find the story by clicking here

The Great Shell Casserole

Cousins Linda Woods and Karen Dinino let you in on a pasta recipe that has been in our family for generations.  Click here

After 52 Years, Heisman Returns To Pacific Northwest

Marcus Mariota quarterback of the Oregon Ducks has been awarded the 2014 Heisman Trophy as college player of the year. Although there have been many winners of the trophy from what is now the Pac-12, he is the second Pacific Northwest player to win the trophy and the first since Terry Baker of Oregon State was award the trophy in 1962.  Since there is intense rivalry between the 4 Pac-12 schools from Washington and Oregon, only Duck fans and maybe a scattering of Oregon State fans see this as a victory, the way I see it though, as a graduate of Washington State and a lifelong Washingtonian, the two most sought after football trophies, the Heisman and the Vince Lombardi (World Champion Seattle Seahawks), at this moment, rest here in the Pacific Northwest.

Mary Ann Shows Up On New Day

 I had planned to go to the  Dawn Wells book signing at Black Rapid in Seattle, Wells of course played the iconic Mary Ann on the TV classic Gilligan's Island. However, just like the stranded crew, bad weather was predicted and the thought of navigating Seattle streets at night on a windy rainy evening in terrible traffic just did not sound worth it. Wells did make an appearance on KING 5's New Day, so I watched this clip and posted it here.

Old Family Picture

My dad's parents I.J. And Esther Barer, can be seen here in this picture from decades ago.  This was e-mailed to me by Walla Walla historian Joe Drazan.  This was taken in the living room of  their house at Isaacs and Bellevue Streets in Walla Walla.  Mr. Drazan said the picture was found in the archives of the Union-Bulletin, the local paper.
My grandmother would later move to Rustic Place in the Stubblefield Addition in 1970, a few years after my Grandfather's death.

Aaron Paul on Jimmy Kimmel - December 8th 2014

Actor Aaron Paul gives his wife Lauren a birthday surprise on the Jimmy Kimmel Show, my classmate from high school Debra Kelley Parsekian (Lauren's mom), is in the audience.

Heart - Stairway to Heaven Led Zeppelin - Kennedy Center Honors

I loved listening to this version of the rock classic

Richard Erwin Elected Chair Of KC Democrats

Richard Erwin (3rd from left) was elected Chair of the King County Democrats.  Erwin was chosen on the 3rd ballot in a 3 person race with fellow activists Betsy Walker (center) and Omaha Sternberg.  The first ballot saw the front runner ahead by one vote and a tie for second place.  About that time, the lights went out at the Machinist's Hall in South Seattle where the voting took place.  The meeting continued with flash lights cell phones and emergency lighting.  The members were informed that power would be restored at 5pm,  several hours away.
 On  the second ballot, the field was narrowed to Sternberg and Erwin, Sternberg was slightly ahead.  Erwin was able to win on the next ballot.  Almost on cue, during his acceptance speech, lighting was returned to the hall.

Advertising Blimp Goes Limp At Blazer Game

A remote control blimp in the shape of an Ford SUV crashed into a crowd at a Portland Trail Blazer game last week, causing no reported injuries.  The mishap was reported on The Today Show, sparking giggles from the hosts.  By coincidence, my Father-In-Law had traveled to Portland to watch that game, but was not affected by the mishap.

The Roof Is Finished

The results speak for themselves.  The roof is finished. Totally replaced in 3 days.  All that remains is to have the gutters replaced and then super dumpster can go.  Thank you to Tek Line Roofing.    You can reach Tek Line at 206-246-Roof.

Roofing Project Finished

After just two days, the roof was nearly finished as of yesterday morning.  The project was completed later in the day.  Thank you to Tek Line Roofing for a fast finish and for a quick clean up.  They also swept out the garage.

Old Walla Walla Radio Remembered Part 7--Arch LeRoux

Arch LeRoux owned K-Hit Radio in the 1960s and early 70s.  It was an easy listening station that had it's studios in downtown Walla Walla.  It had an automated format and only broadcast from daylight to dawn. LeRoux would later sell the station to an out of town group.
  An avid tennis player, LeRoux is pictured on the left with his brother LaSalle in the picture from the late 1930s.  LeRoux would later build a tennis court at his house on Clay Street in Walla Walla. A frequent guest at the LeRoux house was comedian Bill Cosby according to UB stories from the 1970s.  LeRoux had apparently befriended the comedian after an appearance at Coordiner Hall on the Whitman College campus.  Thank you to Walla Walla historian and blogger Joe Drazan for this picture.

M's Sign Cruz

For the second year in a row, the Seattle Mariners have a big free agent signing.  It was announced Monday that the team had agreed to a 4 year, 57 million dollar deal with Nelson Cruz.    Last year playing with the Baltimore Orioles, Cruz led the majors with 40 Home Runs. Still, the decision to sign Cruz was debated in the blogosphere, many saying that the signing was costly for a 35 year old power hitter .

Maple Valley House To Get New Roof

The process of putting a new roof on our house has begun.  Tek Line of Seattle started the process of replacing our roof this week.  We will bring you updates as it continues.  For information on getting Tek Line to estimate repairing or replacing your roof, call 206-246-Roof.

Weekend In Seaside

Last Saturday, we headed to our favorite getaway spot, Seaside, Oregon.  We stayed at The Resort At Seaside, which is a great place, but does not allow dogs.  We were able to leave  Dasher overnights with Cindy, A friend that we met on our last trip (in September) that lives a few blocks from the condo.
We had dinner Saturday at the Seaside Brewery, where we watched the Apple Cup.  Although we were in Oregon, they were happy to change the channel from the Civil War (Oregon vs Oregon State) to the Cup.  Sadly both the Civil War and The Apple Cup were  one sided.
Sunday morning, after watching a beautiful sunrise (top picture), we collected Dasher and drove across the big bridge to Long Beach to visit the Cranberry Museum. We then took the dog to Loomis Lake State Park and walked him to the surf.  Afterward we drove back across the Astoria-Megler Bridge, an imposing structure, and walked downtown Astoria.  Before finishing the day, we drove to Cannon Beach and checked out the shops.  We had dinner at Mo's where we watched the sunset (middle picture).
Next morning, we had breakfast at the Osprey, then walked down the beach (bottom picture).