Young Bucks playing in the front lot


Brett replaced some broken window glass on the second floor. While he was up on the ladder, the local young bucks came to watch and play in the front lot. The rope swing is a particular favorite to spar with. Posted by Picasa

Remembering Charles Mulvey

The Friends of Seaview held a raffle reception at The Depot restaurant.

Charles Mulvey was a pretty famous watercolorist who lived in Seaview. My involvement was everything from press, to arranging location/hosting, wine pouring, designing, printing and sending out invitations, etc. The event was very successful and many of us stayed for a Jazz Music Dinner of "Moules Mulvey" (steamed mussels).

The community of Seaview is inviting the public to celebrate the memory of beloved Seaview artist, Charles Mulvey, and participate in this opportunity to acquire a beautiful and rare piece of original artwork.

On Sunday, Dec. 3, at 3 p.m. there will be a reception and raffle drawing held at The Depot Restaurant in Seaview.

Charles Mulvey, one of the finest watercolor artists in America, was a Seaview legend. He worked in the bright pink two-story beach cottage on 42nd Street named The Sea Chest and opened his gallery there in 1955.

His larger canvas was the Seaview beach he loved. As he walked the dunes and beaches, dug clams, fished the surf and climbed the headlands he had known since childhood, he brought elements of understanding, sensitivity and pure love for his environment into his paintings. Most of his work was devoted to the vision before him, his beloved land, sea and community of Seaview.

Charles Mulvey and his wife, Kaye, were devoted to the preservation of the character of Seaview. They were ambassadors of welcome and amazing art. Charles never lost the air of humility that he was just an average hometown guy who happened to paint pictures. Always gracious, Charles welcomed with open arms his friends, neighbors, community, visitors, tourists and families to share in the delight of his art and town.Mulvey paintings may be found in private collections across the nation.

Charles Mulvey passed away Christmas Eve 2001. In honor of Charles and the Seaview community, Kaye Mulvey Cowen has generously donated from her private collection, a Charles Mulvey original watercolor of the dunes of Seaview. Another collector has donated a Mulvey limited edition print also of a beach theme. The two paintings will be raffled. You get two chances for the price of one $25 raffle ticket or buy five tickets for $100.

The Depot Restaurant is hosting this opportunity to honor our Seaview legacy and acquire original art with a reception for the raffle drawing and complimentary wine and hors d'oeuvres on Dec. 3 from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Christmas Boats


On Saturday, Dec. 2- the Port of Ilwaco hosted the 2nd annual Christmas Boats. Santa and Mrs. Claus hung around the bookstore.

We counted "8" boats. I think we need to work on adopting boats out for decorating next year... and how about some Holiday music?

Brett, Aura and I ended up at the Harbor Lights Lounge for Hot Buttered Rum.
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The Season Begins


The Christmas Season was kicked off on Friday, Dec. 1 with a fundraiser by the Ocean Beach Hospital Foundation. They are raising money for a new mamography machine.

Considering this was their first effort- the silent and live auction was very nice and there was a big crowd.

The Inn at Harbour Village was host for the event... and it was decorated just beautifully.

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Crabbers striking again.

Oh dear. The crabbers are going on strike again. The price difference is 20 cents per pound and they cant come to an agreement.... so the answer is always a strike.

The season was supposed to start yesterday. The crab industry is the largest fishing industry we have in Pacific County. These people need to work- bring in the negotiators. Posted by Picasa

Ilwaco Fire Department Burns to the Ground

Ilwaco, Wash. -
Fire destroyed the Ilwaco Volunteer Fire Department building Thursday night, along with just about everything inside.

No one knows for sure how the fire started, but Chief Tom Williams said he suspects it was an electrical fire in the old building's wiring that sparked the blaze and set off the fire alarm.

The building was built in 1947, and an addition was constructed in the 1980s. Besides the fire department, it also housed the Red Cross office, a meeting hall and the Ilwaco City Council chambers.

It is a total loss, Williams said, estimating the loss at about $2 million. He said the fire department building was insured by the city of Ilwaco.No one was in the building when the alarm went off about 11:06 p.m., Williams said. He was alerted by Pacific County Dispatch and immediately called for mutual aid from the Chinook, Long Beach and Fire District 1 fire departments.

In the meantime, a couple of firefighters who live nearby were able to get one fire engine and one brush truck out. Two other fire engines, a Seagraves and a Ford La France, were destroyed, along with an ambulance, a mobile cascade system in the bed of a four-wheel drive truck and all of the fire department's turn-out gear and self-contained breathing apparatus equipment. Even the little robotic truck used in parades and for fire education burned, Chief Williams said. "Most of our stuff is replaceable, except for the antique truck," Williams said sadly, "and all the old pictures are gone." The files containing the history of the department also burned, he said, but luckily the original hand pumper had already been donated to the Ilwaco Heritage Museum.

However, it could have been worse, he said, if people had gotten hurt. That didn't happen. None of the firefighters who fought the blaze were injured. The fire was finally put out around 4 a.m. today. What's next? "We'll move the saved trucks to the city shops until we figure out what to do," Chief Williams said.
reprinted from Chinook Observer

Day after Thanksgiving visit

We stopped in Portland to visit with Dad and Mom. Hal and Evie were there too. After a meal of leftovers- Dad snapped a photo. Posted by Picasa

Deep Fried Turkey






We finally used the turkey fryer that Madison gifted me last Christmas. It gets dark early!




This was the BEST turkey we have ever had!


Blue Scorcher Bakery and Cafe

Our trip into Astoria included a stop at The Blue Scorcher. Fantastic Bread! They have converted an old building- next door a brewery is going in.

This cafe/bakery is a co-op...with lots of vegetarian goodies and strong organic coffee. The best part is the multitude of current magazines you can look at while you relax.

I understand they also have wi-fi.
Aura made a friend - the Newfoundland waiting outside.

Today is a Nansen Holiday

It is tradition to declare a James Bond Opening Day a National Holiday and go to the movies!

We will be seeing Casino Royale in Long Beach at The Neptune Theater. I am packing martinis and treats. Posted by Picasa

Hurricane strength winds and rain

We are digging out from under the storm and flooding last week. The wind gusts measured 105 mph.

The north end of the Peninsula was without power for a few days. We only lost internet for a day. Everything is fine here at our place- but we have lots of yard cleanup to do.

In the middle of all this- we moved Aura home. She will be here until her next great adventure begins.

Post Election Words

Ronald Reagan's words still have meaning

"Bitter as it is to accept the results of the November election, we should have
reason for some optimism. For many years now we have preached "the gospel," in
opposition to the philosophy of so-called liberalism which was, in truth, a call
to collectivism.

Now, it is possible we have been persuasive to a greater
degree than we had ever realized. Few, if any, Democratic Party candidates in
the last election ran as liberals. Listening to them I had the eerie feeling we
were hearing reruns of Goldwater speeches. I even thought I heard a few of my
own.

Bureaucracy was assailed and fiscal responsibility hailed. Even George
McGovern donned sackcloth and ashes and did penance for the good people of South
Dakota.

Our task is to make them see that what we represent is identical to
their own hopes and dreams of what America can and should be. If there are
questions as to whether the principles of conservatism hold up in practice, we
have the answers to them. Where conservative principles have been tried, they
have worked.

Make no mistake, the leadership of the Democratic party is
still out of step with the majority of Americans.

Our people are in a time of discontent. Our vital energy supplies are threatened by possibly the most powerful cartel in human history. Our traditional allies in Western Europe are experiencing political and economic instability bordering on chaos.

Can we live with ourselves if we, as a nation, betray our friends and ignore our
pledged word? And, if we do, who would ever trust us again? To consider
committing such an act so contrary to our deepest ideals is symptomatic of the
erosion of standards and values. And this adds to our discontent.

We did not seek world leadership; it was thrust upon us. It has been our destiny almost from the first moment this land was settled. If we fail to keep our rendezvous
with destiny or, as John Winthrop said in 1630, "Deal falsely with our God," we
shall be made "a story and byword throughout the world."

Americans are hungry to feel once again a sense of mission and greatness.
I don 't know about you, but I am impatient with those Republicans who after the last election rushed into print saying, "We must broaden the base of our party"-when what they meant was to fuzz up and blur even more the differences between ourselves and our opponents.

It was a feeling that there was not a sufficient difference now between the parties that kept a majority of the voters away from the polls. When have we ever advocated a closed-door policy? Who has ever been barred from
participating?

Our people look for a cause to believe in. Is it a third party
we need, or is it a new and revitalized second party, raising a banner of no
pale pastels, but bold colors which make it unmistakably clear where we stand on
all of the issues troubling the people?

Let us show that we stand for fiscal integrity and sound money and above all for an end to deficit spending, with ultimate retirement of the national debt.
Let us also include a permanent limit on the percentage of the people's earnings government can take without their consent.

Let our banner proclaim a genuine tax reform that will begin
by simplifying the income tax so that workers can compute their obligation
without having to employ legal help.

Let our banner proclaim our belief in a free market as the greatest provider for the people.

Let us also call for an end to the nit-picking, the harassment and over-regulation of business and industry which restricts expansion and our ability to compete in world
markets.

Let us explore ways to ward off socialism, not by increasing
government's coercive power, but by increasing participation by the people in
the ownership of our industrial machine.

Our banner must recognize the responsibility of government to protect the law-abiding, holding those who commit misdeeds personally accountable.
And we must make it plain to international adventurers that our love of peace stops short of "peace at any price."

We will maintain whatever level of strength is necessary to preserve
our free way of life.

A political party cannot be all things to all people. It must represent certain fundamental beliefs which must not be compromised to political expediency, or simply to swell its numbers."

Mike McGavick at the Morck Hotel in Aberdeen


Chester Trabucco- the owner of the Hotel Elliott in Astoria- is restoring the old Morck Hotel in Aberdeen. He graciously opened the site for a Victory Tour ralley on Thursday.

I drove up to help staff. Dino introduced Mike and our local Leg District candidates- Tim Sutinen and Keath Huff were also there.


(It was nice that Chester recognized me and asked where Madison was. It was also nice that Sue Pattillo, from Raymond, came for the event... it was pouring rain outside and a construction zone inside.)



Pacific Co Assessor's Office

The gals in the Assessor's Office are dressed as Super Heroes this year.

I heard they went to the Sheriff's Office and told him they could help him out tonight. Posted by Picasa