Of Cruises and Iron Domes

       I have entries concerning the Hawaii Cruise we took two years ago under the label "Cruising". I was thinking (as I sometimes do) about the people we meet on a vacation. For example the wonderful couple from the UK we met (quite literally bumped into) at a resort in Mexico. They became lifelong friends and we communicate quite frequently. 

    Other times, the people we meet become casual acquaintances and the recognition does not go beyond acknowledging them while on the vacation. On the Hawaii cruise we had 12 "sea days" altogether. so there was ample time to meet and get acquainted with quite a few people. We were on the cruise with some good friends of ours who are our neighbors, but we did not spend all our time with them. We occasionally ate meals at different times and in different places so one cannot help but sit very close to someone who is friendly and who does not mind striking up a conversation. 

    One day at lunch, we were at the buffet at a particularly busy time and there were few table vacancies to chose from. We sat beside a couple from New York, retirement age, and friendly looking. We engaged in small talk, where we were from, had we cruised before, had we been to Hawaii before and on and on. For women, these conversations inevitably lead to talk about family, you know, kids, grandkids, aging parents, etc. For guys, the talk steers towards careers or occupation, and interests and hobbies. 

 

    That is where it took an interesting turn. He pondered his answer and then said, in a vague sort of way, that he was with the Canadian Army until the previous year and was on loan to Israel. He was now retired. Keep in mind that the war in Gaza was blazing hot at that time and I was very interested in what was happening there. I asked in what capacity he was engaged and he indicated that it was in research and development and that he had a few engineering degrees. Now I was all ears and I just knew I was going to learn something. 

     I had just been reading about and watching videos about the IDF's Iron Dome, the shield of protection that was created to shoot down incoming missiles from the enemy. The video in particular was taking about a new weapon that would make the defensive missiles obsolete. Because they (each missile) was very costly, the search was on for something more economical, efficient, and effective. The story said that the IDF was on the verge of perfecting laser beams that could take down incoming missiles. Each blast would cost pennies in electricity and could even run with a large battery on the laser launcher. And best of all, they were 100% automated in both detection, guidance, and firing. 

      So I went out on a limb and asked him if he was involved in developing this technology. Immediately, his wife kicked him under the table and said in a low voice, "Be careful what you say." I knew I had hit paydirt. I also knew I had to be careful how I drew him out, but I was determined to find out where the technology was and if they were indeed using it already. He reluctantly, at first, admitted that that was what he had been working on. He then talked in vague terms about the theoretical aspects of the weapon, and then about the challenges that had to be overcome. Several more times, his wife gave him the eye, and even warned him about saying too much. He reassured her that he was being careful to not divulge too much information. Quite frankly, I was surprised he was saying anything at all. 

     It was a most fascinating conversation as he was surprised that I knew so much about it. What I did learn in the end was that the weapon was not yet ready to use, but they were very close. I also learned that the hurdle to cross was projecting the laser beam at distance, because the farther the target, the more the laser beam would build up resistance in front of itself, or what he called 'plasma'. He told me that at best they were able to fog up the "eyes" of the guidance system on the missile, and that might be enough if they were accurate enough in their aim. 

     It was a long and most interesting lunch. And I never saw him or his wife again for the rest of the cruise. 

     

What is That We Hear?

 

     We had to purchase a new micro-wave oven a few days ago, and, of course, there was a learning curve. Besides familiarizing ourselves with the various options, features, touch screens, and settings, there was a whole new set of sounds to get used to. It got me thinking (as I sometimes do) about how many chimes, whistles, beeps, tweets, bells and chirps we have coming at us on any given day. 

    Every electronic device seems to want to communicate with us apart from visuals. And those auditory signals become something we depend on. "Our dinner is burnt because I didn't hear the beeper" becomes an all too familiar excuse for being distracted by all the electronic devices that surround us. My new phone has a whole set of bells and whistles that are gradually becoming familiar to me so I now know which ones to ignore and which ones I should definitely pay attention to. 

     Which leads me to a funny incident my friend related to me today. He was doing an odd job in his car garage when his wife raised the garage door remotely, and drove in, shut the car off, and was getting out when she heard a soft chime. The car is only a year or two old and she thought she had never heard that particular chime before. She got back in and checked the seat belts, the door closures, the lights, the windows and yet every 30 seconds she hear the soft chime. 

      She called my friend over and asked if he could hear the sound and he could. He checked the car over and could not seem to find anything amiss, checking the same things she had just checked. They were both mystified and even got out the owner's manual and poured through the whole book looking for a clue. Finally, he told his wife to drive the care around the block, come back, shut off the motor, and see if the problem would go away with a reset. 

     She did and this time parked just outside the garage so they could perhaps see something in the light of day that they had missed in the low light of the garage. The sound was still there, but more faintly this time. By now an hour had passed and it became a challenge that, like a dog on a bone, they could not let go of. 

     Nearly at the end of her rope, his wife got on her iPhone and did an internet search. After a half hour of searching and putting up with the annoying chime in the background, she came across a group chat. There were more than 100 answers to her question. Every solution suggested was something they had already checked or tried. And then she scrolled to a "Hahahahaha! I know what your problem is." She thought that looked interesting and read on. The contributor named the make and model of the the state of the art garage door opener that she probably had. And they did have that model. He went on to say that when the backup battery (in case of power outages) is in need of replacement, it makes a soft chime every 30 seconds or so. 

    My friend was on his ladder, screw driver in hand, in no time flat. He pulled the old battery out and ...... yes, the chiming stopped. He told me this with a sheepish grin on his face, because he is a handy-man Mr. fixit and this was an embarrassment for him. We had a good laugh. And now you can too. Just don't tell him where you heard it. 

      

Kittens and Lightening

    The inside of this custom car I photographed at a car show this summer just needed a kitten to draw the attention of those who are not into cars. Please click on the photos to make them large. It makes a huge difference. 

    A sunset scene shot in Sorrento. The distant storm clouds needed a bit of prompting to light up the sky. 

   This was a sunny beach in Hawaii, framed by two palm trees. I prompted AI to add some drama. It is nothing like the original. 

   Photographing Mt. Baker on beautiful day. I would be heading down the mountain if those storm clouds were real. 

    This old heritage house in the southern most part of Washington State needed some drama. Why not a tornado. 

    This is shot at the old Tanglebank Farms but the day we were there there was not another soul walking in the gardens. How did she get there? 

  I walk in this park very often and see a scene like this but never have my camera with me. So I combined the scene with what I wished was in the scene. 

  An old weathered door needs an old weathered hand to open it. 
 

Old Eyes, New vision

      It was 20 years ago when I was told, at a routine eye examination, that I had the beginnings of cataracts. I was informed that it was nothing to worry about, but they would keep an eye on it. (Nice play on words). Fast forward to 5 months ago when I jumped the gun on my routine eye exams due to an inability to focus at pretty much any distance. I had just paid dearly for a new prescription for my progressive lens eye glasses. Could I need a new prescription this soon? 

     After a thorough examination, it was discovered that there was no prescription that would restore my vision because the cataracts (that they were keeping an eye on) had galloped forward and needed to be fixed. I was surprised, thinking that the inevitable progression would more sneak up on me than come almost overnight. 

     A eye surgeon recommendation was made and an appointment set up to get the procedure rolling. This was not going to happen overnight. This was all going to take place in the neighboring city and the first of 8 trips was scheduled. Trip 1 was to assess my eyes to determine if I was a candidate for ocular implants. I was and the next appointment, the purpose of which was to measure my eyes and determine what implants I wanted, was set up. Multiple days of drops in the eyes ("if you do not do all the drops and we cannot measure your eyes, you will have to start over") later, the measurements were taken. At that point a third trip was scheduled to do the actual surgery, but only on one eye. For now. 

     I was told what to expect and I had spoken to friends who had gone through this procedure, but I was still nervous. It's not everyday that you let someone anyone near your eye with a sharp knife. The assembly line of patients at the hospital moved quickly and efficiently and before I could back out, I was "next". 

    The right eye was draped and completely isolated from the rest of my body and propped open in such a manner that I could not blink to save my life. It was OK though because the freezing took hold really quicky and I could not feel a thing. The surgeon, a Dr. Lily, was great! He talked me though the procedure so at any given moment I know what was happening and what was going to happen, what I would feel and what I would hear. This becomes important as your imagination begins to kick into gear and you have visions of all sort of things going wrong, like you eyeball falling on the floor. It was all over in twenty minutes. 

      I sat in the recovery room with a semi-see through patch on my eye and waited for busylizzy to get me. She was my ride home as there was little vision in that eye and I need depth of field (two eyes) to drive. Actually, I could have driven as the vision in that eye was only blurry. 

    Two more appointments for follow-up, post surgery, and then 6 weeks later the left eye was scheduled. I was experienced now and had zero anxiety, only hopeful anticipation that I was on the verge of getting my eyesight back. Two more post-op follow-ups and I was done. Except for the eye drops. This turned out to be the most challenging aspect of cataract surgery, but we did it and now it is all over.

    This week I get a new eye exam for prescription glasses. My vision is beyond expectations for distance and mid-range but for close reading of small print in low light, I need help. But this was totally expected so I am good with it. I drove at night for the first time since my eyes fully recovered and I cannot say enough about how amazing it is to be able to do that again with such confidence. I have always loved driving at night, but last winter it was becoming quite difficult. 

     I staved off the inevitable for many years by taking copious amounts of Vit D and C. But now, at my age, I am so very grateful for fantastic vision, truly, a new lease on life. 

 

Lake House Diaries 19

      The family contacted the realtor and expressed the concerns they had about the possible intentions of the potential buyers. After speaking with them, the buyer assured the family that they would use the Lake House as a residence for at least the nest two years. Whether this was good intentions or the fact that the IRS withholding tax went down from 15% to 10%, it was welcome news and the negotiations began. 

     As in all negotiations, there was give and take and eventually an agreement for sale was reached, with reservations and stipulations of course. There was a far reaching and expensive set of hoops to jump through for the family, especially after the official inspection report was submitted. Paul and Wes became invaluable as they navigated the various tasks that needed to be undertaken. They both worked tirelessly and efficiently, together with their wives, and when Kris and Helen joined them in the last few days before the occupation date, all the loose ends were tied up and it was time to say goodbye. 

     All the documents were signed, many electronically, or with a mobile notary, and finally the funds were turned over to the Escrow company for disbursement. At the time of this writing, there is still an outstanding issue to be resolved. As Canadian citizens, the withholding taxes that went to the IRS on behalf of the owners, can only be claimed back through the IRS. Tax numbers, IRS filings, and eventually Canadian tax issues have yet to be resolved. It was a learning experience for the family and an experience not soon forgotten. Advice to others might be to think long and hard before buying and selling US property as Canadian citizens. 

     And now that the Lake House is no longer in the family, the sibling owners and their children and grandchildren will have to reinvent what it is that holds the family together, if indeed there is something. Ethel is still living, although in a diminished state. Some are investing very large amounts of time and effort to make life comfortable for her. Others not so much. When she is gone, she may prove to be the last stitch remaining in the fabric of her family. It remains to be seen. 

Lake House Diaries 18

      A local Real Estate office was contacted and an agent was tasked with the selling of the Lake House in the spring of 2026. The family was informed that sales were slow and therefore they should not expect a high sale price like they were suggesting. There had been very few lakefront properties sold in the last two years and historically, it was the Canadians who were buying them. Cross border visits by Canadians were declining monthly and there seemed to be no interest in them purchasing an American property with the $CAN so low. The family reasoned that because they were not desperate to sell, they could wait it out if the price was too high and there were no offers.

     The realtor consented to start the pricing at a figure considerably higher than what she had suggested. The family took into account that the asking price was always the starting point for offers and counter offers and where they might end up would be near the suggested price offered by the realtor. Tod and Em were at the Lake House with friends when the realtor's right hand man arrived with the "FOR SALE" signs. There was a momentary stab at their hearts when they realized that things were becoming real. There was no time left for remorse or second thoughts. 

     Activity picked up in the next few weeks as various articles and mementos were assigned and distributed. There was a certain amount of holding back as it would all be for nothing if a buyer did not show up. It was with surprise and relief when the family got a notification that there was an interested party and an offer was forthcoming. Again, that little shot of adrenaline as "Oh yes!" and "Oh no!" battled in the minds of the sellers. 

    The offer was considered very 'lowball' and after discovering that the potential buyers were owners of a company that flipped and/or developed properties, it was considered that the offer should be rejected outright. There was a strong loyalty and consideration of the neighbors and the family did not want to saddle them with the unknown for the next number of years. Would it be rented? Would it be torn down and re-built? Would it sit abandoned? Would it become a come and go party house? These were the considerations as the offer was being contemplated. 

    

Improving on Beauty

  These beautiful Dahlias were photographed in the sunshine, but didn't need to be. 

  Poppies in the misty rain. Very moody.

    If I could paint Hollyhocks. 

    I was very curious to see what would result from a request to turn this sunset Mission Bridge photo into impressionistic art. Wow! I might print this and hang it on the wall. 

    No need to wait for the moon to rise. Take the photo without the moon and then add it in. 

    A skydiver dropping in at the Regency Towers. He would be way off track if he were real. 

    This was just a pretty cow pasture until the Railroad put a track through it and sent this old steam train. 

    Painting Sunflowers with a spatula and heavy oils just got really easy. 

     I did nothing to this one, just to see who is paying attention. 

    This scene in Glenn Valley was spectacular and I have always admired it but thought how fortunate it would have been if those heavy storm clouds would spew some lightening. Well, what do you know? My wish came true. 
 

Lake House Diaries 17

     There was change coming, and it could be felt. The number of family members that were utilizing and enjoying the property began to fall. There was no appetite for going back to the 'user pay' model of covering expenses, so the 5 remaining couples who were on title as the owners of the property had to come up with funds each year. The $CAN was dropping and the expenses were going up. The hired landscapers took on more responsibility for grounds upkeep because there was not always someone there every week to do any of the yard work. They did not work for free!

   The next door neighbors, Bobby and Ellen, who were permanent residents, had always kept an eye on the property whenever it was unoccupied, were now aging and could no longer do it. Wes and Megan were there more than anyone else and kept the property up to date and viable, but also having a share in owning the property next door divided their loyalties. There was an unspoken consensus that something had to be done or something had to change. 

    The situation was beginning to make no sense from a financial point of view. Each owner was paying a substantial amount of money each year for a week or two of vacation. And not all of the owners were even using the property at all, despite the fact that they were paying. The question seemed to rise organically and a vote was taken as to whether to keep or to sell the Lake House. When the unanimous vote was "YES", it was both a relief and a bit of a shock. Was this chapter of the family story really going to come to an end?  The Lake House had been a part of their lives since a young age, for most of them, and certainly for the grandchildren. 

     Wes and Megan had a special connection to the Lake house and made an offer to buy the property from the other 4 owner couples. It was not unanimous, but their offer was rejected as being too low. It would have been ideal. They would get to have sole ownership of a place they loved and cared for, and it would stay in the family, ownership carried on by the family name. 

     There were some second thoughts and the sale date was postponed for a year. The whole family needed time to process the decision and to take stock of how the sale would proceed and how to dispose of a 45 year accumulation of 'stuff' when there were so many memories attached to everything. The extra season would also give everyone a chance to spend a last summer getaway there and say their goodbyes. The reality of putting the Lake House behind them was starting to hit home. But, not putting the cart before the horse, all bets were off unless there was actually a buyer. 

    The summer of 2026 would reveal all.