Highs and lows

So, according to the internet box, yesterday we tied the record of 91 degrees for the high temperature on June 28, and it looks like we are within striking distance of the record for today as well. Yay! Summer is well and truly here, at least for a while. I am sure old pal Jon of Monmouth is just broiling, since they usually seem to be just a tad (ten degrees or so) hotter than us. Sum-sum-summertime!

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In honor of the passing of Ruby Scooter, here is a little portfolio of

Walaka's Motorbikes through the Ages:


Circa 1990: Honda C-70, technically a motorbike but it looked like a moped. I scooted a lot from Queen Anne to the downtown library. I once went downstairs, chipped ice off the speedometer, took off, wiped out, realized that if there was ice on the bike there was probably ice on the road, and decided to take the bus. Got it up to almost 50 mph on a long, empty, straight stretch on Vashon Island. Now owned by J-Force and recently restored to its former glory!


Circa 1993: Honda CX-500, a nice, but heavy, shaft-drive bike. Commuted to Green Lake regularly, then moved to Portland/Vancouver and rode it down there while teaching EFL, during my cowboy boots and Hawaiian short period. Made an aborted attempt to attach a Velorex sidecar in 1995.



Ruby: a Honda CH-150 Elite, picked up in Vancouver in 1999 for a song. Used to put "Campus Security" markings on it and drive it while working the Fourth of July festivities. Parked it while in grad school, then brought it up to Seattle in FarmerScott's truck (along with a bunch of other junk), where it has been adjunct transportation and summer fun. Until two days ago.

R.I.P.
Walaka's Motorbike Days
1990 - 2008

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Kitty blues

Yesterday, Selkie had a bit of relapse: the ameliorative effect of the treatment on Thursday seemed to have reached its limit, and he was once again in distress. We took him down to the animal hospital, where it was determined that his prescribed dosage was incorrect: it is not fistfuls of cash, but rather buckets, that will make him all better. So, he is in kitty ICU for the weekend, with tubes and stuff in him, undergoing a fairly aggressive protocol to nip this thing in the bud. It seemed like a really cool place and the people were great, so it's about as good a thing as it can be under the circumstances. Let's just hope this settles it for good.

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We passed the evening at a wonderfully splendid and spectacularly fantastic barbecue/garden party at the home of O and K-K (the "new roommate," at least from a certain perspective) just down the street from us. There was a veritable boatload of great and amusing folks all around, whom I won't even begin to try enumerating, and the food was, of course, incredible. The combination of weather, people, and comestibles was just about perfect. A special shout-out for NatDog and TomCat, who were so graciously included in the celebration by O and who so gracefully made themselves part of the festivities. (No pics cuz we didn't bring a camera.)

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The First Fortnight actually includes today, so news on the tomorrow.