My Life in PT End of Summer 2006

There is nothing like Port Townsend, Washington, not on the West Coast
of North America or South America, or in the heartlands for that
matter. It's not fair to compare Tahiti or Moorea to anywhere, not
possible, anyway, it's really hard to get there and that will never
change. Here in Port Townsend we are in our own time zone, where all
of the numbers on the clock are either islands or volcanoes. It used
to be they would turn white in the winter, now it's more likely
they'll turn gray and wet. Who knows, if we're lucky this winter will
have some of those beautiful Arctic highs where it's crystal clear,
crystal cold, and fresh, especially good after a good snowing.

The sacrifice one pays for living here is the weak job market, so
ideally you order a mysterious bank account or money tree of some sort
for yourself as early as possible, then everything might be fine. But
I have to admit that up until now I have not noticed any people with
money being happier or in many cases as happy as those without. It's
all in the head. I always believed work should be as close to fun as
possible, even hard work like remodel carpentry. It is possible, I
know that, it just means moving with the flow, that's all.

Of course trial and error are the preferred methods to discovering the
flow, and because the flow has so many dimensions and our eyes can
easily get locked into a particular zoom, one can loose that dang
flow, ouch, that can hurt. Here in Port Townsend one can take on the
task to at least find some of the trickles that go to the flow, we've
surrounded ourselves with ice cold water, dark forested islands, and
two-mile high volcanoes, there's nowhere else to go but here now.

Socks, hats, scarves, long underwear, gloves, and vests were all
designed for us, especially if you live on the northern edge of town
facing the straights like us. That's why we don't bat an eye at
wearing any of that stuff anytime of the year. On the other hand, a
few days ago I rode my bike from home all the way out to the autoparts
store on the highway IN SHORTS WITHOUT A SHIRT AND WAS HOT! This is
the biggest indicator of climate change I have ever experienced.
Along with that when taking walks on the beach below the cliffs at
North Beach I see many new gardens of trees plopped onto the beach,
they were once 200 feet above as part of a forest.

Saturday is Sophia's big 21st birthday party at North Beach Park,
we'll see the longest and latest sunset in the continental United
States as a treat foretelling of a great future for her as she leaves
for her final years at Columbia in New York. Mr. Ivy, a.k.a. Noah
Potato, has way too many important dates and appointments in Santa
Barbara to make it to this fuddy duddy party in our little out of the
way hippie dippie town. Mr. Z Business truly has too tight of a
schedule to make it here from LA Cyberlandifornia, otherwise I know
he'd be here. Oh well, maybe those Polynesian islands really aren't
so far away, anyone who visits has to be special otherwise don't
bother coming.