The End of Snow Whitey.....ALMOST!

That's right boys and girls you read the title right! Today, was almost the last day for Snow Whitey! See she's been down and out since the Tuesday before thanksgiving. I had the right side front brake caliper sieze up on me! I'd taken "Duckuby" (that's what she's called when she hauls all the duck hunting STUFF) to the Slater Road corn rows, and on the way back the right side brake caliper decided it was done.....about the time i'd hit the Lummi indian reservation. I wasn't about to stop and leave her there on the side of the road, i'd of returned to a bullet riden, stripped down hulk! So i stompped down on the gas, pounded my fist on her dash and screamed "go baby go" while at the same time prayed to the lord himself that i'd make it home. God must of had pitty on me that day, because i made it. Once parked in the driveway the front wheel steamed and almost glowed red, due to the siezed brake! I wasn't sure what to do, but lucky for me, my father in law was here (in my book one of the best mechanic's whatcom county has ever seen). He advised me on the brake, and even braved the rain, and showed me what to do. I can't say thankyou enough! Chalk up another valuable/usefull lesson learned from Cal! So, we went to Schuck's and he helped me order the part, which wasn't due till after he was to leave, but we went over how to replace everything and bleed the brakes.....leaving me with just enough confidence to do the job.


Now time for a little intermisson, i don't normally type this much.....and i'd guess nobody reads this much on a blog.....so PICTURE TIME BABY!

Snow Whitey..."All jacked up and almost dead"
Another shot.....i call this....."She Rides again"

And my favorite.........i like to call this ......"Grrr!....I'm a BADASS!"

Alright, intermisson over....hope you got your snacks and went to the bathroom.....

So, The brake part came in and as of yesterday i finally had time enough to attempt putting on the new caliper, and preparing the car for the road again. To my surprise, it was just as easy as Cal had said, and i was done in just a little under two hours. Not to bad, in my world of car works.

That being said i still needed to bleed te brakes to be truely done, and that's a two man job. So, a quick call to Chuck...and an 8 p.m. time was set to finish off whitey.

Well, with little effort, and in no time at all we had the brakes bled and Whitey was back in business.....at least so, i thought.

Just as Chuck was leaving he asked...."have you put any ANTIFREEZE in her yet, it's supposed to get down to 14 deg. tonight?"...i Quiped back..."naaaaa she don't need any freaken' anti-freeze" ......oh how i now regret that comment.

Well, you guessed it. This moring i awoke to a frozen solid car! I was sick to my stomach knowing, $5 worth of anitfrezze would have solved this but.....OHHHH NOOO.

After a little trial and error......a call to chuck.....a call to Dad.....a call to Brian...... it finally dawned on me to call the master of car's and there workings....MY FATHER IN LAW!

After much debate in all the other phone calls, call simply says...."Thaw the water pump, and LET HER RIP"......he said she'd steam and steam some more, but that should do the trick.....and that is what i did!

Two hairdryers, a heating blanket, a blow torch, a small brush fire, and a two burner coleman stove all going at the same time under the car did the trick and in no time she was thawed enough to giver her a whirl.

She fired off, steamed a lot and in a little over an hour she was back on the road!

So from the North....where car's freeze rock solid under a moonlight night, we look to the south for helpfull advice, and where free cars drive once again...which is nice!

Mark....."The iron skillet"

She's gone!

Well today was both a sad and happy day all in one. Today, was the day i sold my boat to someone else! Happy to be out of a payment, but sad to see her go. As she was pulled out of the driveway, i couldn't help but start thinking about all the adventures she had let us have out here in the San Juan Islands. So, here are a few pictures in her honor.

Early morning, and the rising sun. There is nothing like rounding the southern tip of Lummi Island. I get the same feeling every time.....like i've just passed into another world!
One of her last trips i made with her. This was taken on the west side of San Juan Island. A trip i did by myself (80 miles round trip). I'd just finished up with a limit of salmon, and was starting the journey back to port.

Last years salmon derby, trolling indian village....(my favorite place to troll)

Another early morning trip. Not sure who's along this day, but a friend snapped this pic. as we were in tandem heading to the fishing grounds.

And last, all spiffed up ready for her new owner. She actually cleaned up pretty nice.

So as Brad, the new owner, pulled her out of the driveway i stood there and smiled. I smiled to the fact, that she was going to be used some more, and taken care of too. She's head to Telegraph Cove, at the northern tip of vancouver island. A place i've been to several times, and think of often. Brad and i both chuckeled as we used the fraze "small world" as we talked of Telegraph cove, and other places we'd fished in common. So it feels good knowing she's found just the right new owner, and that she'll contiue to catch fish as she did for me.

So, from the North.....where boats a bought and sold, the travel even farther north, and handshakes still can seal a deal....which is nice.

Mark....."The Iron Skillet"

Turkey day 09'

Well, yesterday being thanksgiving, found me watching Kai, while being thankfull he was feeling better than the day before. He'd had a super high fever the day before and a modest one most of Thanksgiving. Soooo ....it was decided that he could hang with dad while the rest of the family headed out to the Benders (Nicole's sister) house for the elusive DOUBLE turkey dinner. There were promises of food brought back, so that was good enough for me.
Kai followed me around as i cleaned a little house and did some more dishes. At some point i must have gone to the bathroom and come back out.......it took a couple minutes for me to realize the little guy wasn't right beside me. So i called for him and he answered.......inheredaddainheredadda.....translation...."in Here".....So i peared into the bathroom and here he was. Practicing his "Peee". I laughed so hard i had tears, and was pleased a boy and his Dad were able to share such a special moment!

He just has to figure out how to get that darn diaper off, and he'll be pee'en like the big boys!

Well, with all that being said, i had to have some time with Isa, so she helped me bake a blueberry pie. I'd told here during our blueberry picking outings that she'd get to help me bake a pie.....And she did. So here is the outcome. A pie from pickings to pan. Have to say it was a little runny, but darn tasty!

So from the North...Where men bake, cook, and clean......Little girls bake pies.....and little boys know what to do too.....which is nice.

Mark...."The Iron Skillet"

Duck 2009, Trip 2...The Season Really Starts

Well, as the title says. I found myself in trip number 2 of 2009/2010 duck season. This one had been planned for the last few weeks, with a former co-worker. He's been hitten the duck grounds hard, and has managed 70 ducks already this season, with many a trip under his belt. For me, today was the first serious day of the season. Unfortunatly, the ducks didn't want to coperate. None the less, it was good to hit the "corn", try the new duck cart out, and get back into swing of things.

Here are a couple pictures of our set up. I know it doesn't show it all, but we've got 5 "Wind ducks" this year, along with a cart that'll carry 48 ducks, along with the dozen field decoy's i can carry, for a total of 60 decoy's. Needless to say, we've got a pretty good spread this year, only time will tell on how well it pays off.

When we arrived in the dark this morning this little puddle had 200 + ducks roosting in it. Pretty cool to hear that whirrrrrrr of wings, with inadvertant quack's as they take off.

Unfortuantly, the weather didn't turn nasty like it was supposed to, and the roosting ducks didn't return, like they have in past hunts. Way it goes i guess.


Of course we have to have a picture of the "hide out" in the "corn". Man, that cart was nice and i think we really "upped our game" this year. Chase give'n the high sign......to bad it didn't bring in any more ducks!


And, last a picture of me with the only duck of the morning that was dropped, a small bull pintail.
By 11 we called it a day with little flyer's and clearing skys. Still, a good day to re-aquaint ourselve's with the corn, and for me to get back into the swing of things.



so, signing off from the north. Where ducks sometimes fly, seasons blend from one to the next, and we still have fun too....which is nice!


Mark...."the Iron Skillet"

Another Season Starts

Yesterday found myself at home. I worked around the house, wrapped Nicole's birthday presents and finished most of my list of "To-Do's" by about 1:30. It was kind of rainy and nasty (like it's been for the last few weeks) so i decided that it would be a good day to start duck season of 2009. Nothing special mind, just a good hike and see if i couldn't puddle jump a bird.

So.....that's what i did. Walked a few miles, just enough to get a good sweat going and just about where i normally turn around up popped this nice drake mallard.

A couple quick bursts from the trusty stoger shotgun, and down he went. I nice way to end a good hike, and to start a duck season. (Sorry about the picture, doesn't really do this guy justice, but he'd been stuffed in a coat pocket for awhile before i got a chance to snap a photo)

So, there you have it the start of duck 2009. Whith the last day of deer season on Sunday, i'll be full swing into ducks by Thanksgiving.

Like i've said before we live in a pretty cool place if you like the outdoors. There is always something to do!


So, from the North......Where birds fly south......we shoot to the North........and get ducks too......which is nice.


Mark...."The Iron Skillet"

The End of a Season

Well, this last Sunday we came to the end of a hunting season for me. Bear season is now officially closed. This was a season of many a logged mile, and i enjoyed every footstep. In total I'm not sure how many trips i did, but it was a heck of a lot more than last year. In total i think we saw 5 or 6 bears for the season, with me missing the only shot taken for the season.


So as i awoke this morning thinking of the places i've been this year i thought i'd share a few of my favorite pictures with everyone once again. (you can click on the picture to make it bigger)




A picture of early in the season......"The Secret Bowl"

Another early season shot......."Lupin on the divide"


End of September.........."Early snow in the high country"

This last Sunday, the last day........"C-man.......a.k.a. HardCore"

Last day, in deep snow..........."Snowshoes for the end"

The last day found us in deep snow, and lower down than we normally hunt, so we strapped on the snow shoes and went for a hike. What a fun way to end the season. Although, i found myself thinking................

WHAT?....WHAT??????? I've got to wait another year to do this again! I think my face says it all

"WHAT?"

So, From the North,

Where one season ends and another begins.....Things are both lost and found on the mountians......and, we look forward to next year too.....which is nice!

Mark....."The Iron Skillet"

SNOW WHITEY'

Well, as some of you already know, i aquired a "new" car this last weekend! I should say a "new" to me car. What i aquired was a 1988 Subaru dl, two door, hatchback. Everything about her say's "SPORTY"! Even the amount of miles on the car say "drive me more". So with Approx. 239,000 miles "snow whitey" became mine! She's not filled with a lot of luxuray, as you can see in my nice blury picture. Even the radio is missing! The picture is blury cause the door fell off as i was snapping the photo! (just kidding)

So, now for a few glamor shots. I just love the no grill, no hub caps, and a font wheel so caked in oil that it's saturated forever. Speaking of oil, might have to buy a little stock in oil now, after driveing this old gal. Seems she has somewhat of a leak.....or two or three!

Now for the head on shot......could you imagine seeing this pull up in your rearview mirror on I-5 doing 75 mph.? Nothin but RAW POWER there!

So, some may ask....how much does one pay for a 1988 subaru with 240,000 miles on it? For me NOTHING! Yep, this car was free! We all know i can never say NO to free! In fact when we drug it home on Saturday it didn't even run! With a little of this, a little of that.......some duct tape......bailing wire.......even a few shot of wd40.......and we had this P.O.S. running once again!

Turns out, that even with the oil sheen it produces in the driveway (take into acount i don't have to kill any more weeds in our gravel driveway) and the gear oil i have to add once in awhile to the tranny, she gets close to 30 mpg.! Factor that with $25 a month insurance and i've got an around town communter that beats the old dodge hands down!

So, from the north......where cars with 240k are just broken in, and we buy stock in oil too!

Mark.......the leaky iron skillet!