Packaging
Dont ya just love it when someone goes to a little extra trouble to delight you?
I have a routine when I get to Amsterdam, my half way point. After all those hours of flying, I love having a shower. I love having the small room all to myself, quiet, to get all clean, to brush my teeth, fix my frowzy-airplane hair, apply a little fresh makeup. I don’t usually get a lot of sleep on my first flight – could it be that last strong cup of coffee I eat before getting on the plane? 😉
And then I wait the endless hours for my flight to Kuwait, trying not to nod off, because the overburdened lounge staff at KLM don’t do flight announcements, and I am so afraid I will fall deeply asleep and miss my plane. All around me are sleeping people – many on their way to Accra, Entebbe, Mumbai . . . and a few familiar faces heading back to Kuwait. Whoda thunk, this early in August, so many people would be returning?
I get restless. I don’t like the lounge food, it has a stale feel to it, and is mostly processed unidentifiable meat slices and hardening cheese, so I head down for the sushi bar. It’s purely psychological, but I believe the miso soup hardens my immune system against airplane-air-germs, so I almost always have a cup of soup and a small tray of sushi, something cooked or vegetable so I won’t offend whoever is sitting next to me on the way back to Kuwait.
And, because the sushi bar was packed, I got it all to go and found a quiet place in Concourse D to sit and eat. And look what I found!
Now YOU tell me – isn’t that adorable?
Normally soy sauce comes in one of those nasty plastic or aluminum packets that you have to tear off an end. This – in a tiny little fish with a plastic screw-off cap – this gave me a moment’s grin in the middle of the limbo of airport transitions. And I thought of you, and how you might enjoy it along with me.
I’m sure it costs them more than a plastic packet. I love it that the top screws off, that the shape is a fish, I love the whole concept.
“It’s just soy-sauce”, you might say, shaking your head in mild disgust at how easily amused I am.
Yes, it is just soy sauce. And packaging matters.
Leaving Seattle
Here is what it is like, leaving Seattle.
For days, the televisions and radios have been telling us that traffic on I-5, the major interstate, will slow to a crawl for a month as serious repairs are made to the overpasses and bridgework supporting the freeway.
Remember the bridge collapse in Minnesota? I-5 is THE major route in and out of Seattle, traffic is unbelievably heavy, and yet . . . without regular inspection and maintenance, infrastructure fails, and a failure in mid-town Seattle could be catastrophic. The stoic Seattleites would much rather be inconvenienced than suffer a catastrophe, so they are all working to find alternate routes.
My drive through Seattle was a breeze. It was the last day before the closure. I was in prime time traffic. I don’t know if everyone thought the closures had happened already or if half the population is on vacation, but the drive was a delight – and the roads were dry.
My least favorite part of every trip is trying to get my bags to the check-in. Once, I left my bags in my rental car while I went for a cart, only to find on my return that the car – and my bags – were gone! It took half an hour to get the car back again. Now, I lug my treasure filled bags with me to the baggage cart section, wishing I were in Kuwait or Doha where someone would be running up to me with a cart, offering to cart my bags.
Check in is always another delight – because my ticket, even though it is an e-ticket, is booked in Kuwait, I have to wait for a real person to check me in, I can’t check in online or through one of the machines. But, by the grace of God, it all goes smoothly, and I am on my way to the gate.
But because I give myself plenty of time to get across town, I always have plenty of time before my flight, so I go to the food court. I love this food court. You could get Burger King, and a lot of people do, or you could get a wide assortment of organic foods, and a lot of people do, or you could get sushi and udon, which so many people do that they are usually sold out in short time. My favorite is a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich.
I have my favorite place to sit and eat, and I love to look at the airport art work. Look at the light fixture. . . I don’t think it is a Chihuly, but just look at it! In the middle of the food court! Isn’t it just gorgeous? Doesn’t it remind you of a very cold river, in the shallows, flowing over rocks?
Royal Treatment
It’s back to Purgatory for me – the start of two full days travelling to get back to Kuwait. The day dawns cool, but the clouds are high and the roads are dry.
Seattle is undergoing a major infrastructure upgrade, and most of the lanes on the major interstate close tomorrow. Public announcements are on all the radio and tv stations about finding alternate routes, and today was the last day all lanes would be open. I was afraid traffic would be heavy, so I started early, but it was surprisingly light.
Turned in the rental car, got checked in, everything is cool so far. Go to stand in the security line and – as usual – I get sent to the “Royal treatment” line.
I am so used to it that I don’t even groan any more. I have my computer, my little plastic bag with face cream, mascara, etc. all in one bag, and I have little footies to put on when I have to take off my shoes. I am SO prepared.
What I am not prepared for is for them to tell me in an angry voice to take the liquid out of my purse. I say – as all guilty people do – “I don’t have any liquid in my purse!”- and they throw my purse at me and tell me to go through it and take out the liquid, and they give me a small plastic bag.
I go through my purse again – it has a lot of zips and pockets – no liquid. I put a very humble look on my face and hand it to her and say “there is no liquid!” and they yell at me “she’s going to take it!” and they run it through again. And then I have to wait in a small booth (again) for the full bag hand inspection for explosives and for the pat down check.
Those who know me will know why this is so funny. I am not dangerous looking.
They pat me down. They magic wand me. They tell me I can put my shoes back on as they wipe down my handbag and my carry on. Guess what – no liquid. They stamp my ticket, but . . .no apologies, no nothing. Just “you can go now.”
I’ve had this happen for five years now, almost every trip. It doesn’t matter whether I pay cash in person or pay by credit card online – I get the royal treatment.
On top of that, my plane is seriously delayed. They are bringing in another plane to substitute for it. I hope I will make my Kuwait connection – and I really really hope I have time between flights for a shower. I’ve also lost my KLM card somewhere in all these changing flights and confused reservations and they are being stinky about believing me, even though my frequent flyer status is on my ticket, on my boarding passes and in the computer. More royal treatment.
Hydroplanes in Dubai?
This article is excerpted from the Seattle Times on July 29th. Hydroplane racing is big in Seattle, and when I saw this article, I thought how perfect the Gulf, with it’s smooth, glassy surface, would be for these incredibly exciting races.
In Seattle, people take their own boats to the hydroplane races and tie up at specially designated sites. It’s like one big huge boat party, people dancing, kids floating around in inner-tubes and floats, good food, all in addition to the excitement of the races. Having hydroplane races in Dubai would be amazing.
(Photo from Tacoma News Tribune Sports.
Several people in the pits said Saturday that representatives of Dubai are looking into holding a race.
“They’re very interested in having us bring our boats over there,” said Erick Ellstrom, crew chief of the Miss Ellstrom Elam Plus. “They love hydroplanes over there.”
Apparently, a delegation from Dubai was scheduled to be in attendance at Seafair next week to take in a race firsthand. Ellstrom said that apparently won’t happen, but that the Dubai group might attend the race in San Diego next month.
It might sound like a fanciful notion, but Dubai has gained an increasing reputation as a sporting destination, which was detailed recently in a lengthy story on ESPN.com. That story quoted one Dubai official as saying the goal is “to use sport as a platform to attract global exposure” for Dubai.
While logistics might seem like a nightmare, veterans pointed out that it might not be much different than the days when a race was held in Honolulu, when the boats were transported by ship.
Apparently, part of the connection between Dubai and hydros is the business association with Boeing, which has taken on an increasing interest in the sport.
Read more at The Seattle times: Next Stop on the circuit . . . Dubai?
Chevy’s Fresh Mex
At one time Adventure Man worked in Saudi Arabia, and came home every three months craving Mexican Food. His all time favorite restaurant was Chevy’s, which specializes in FRESH FRESH Mexican food.
Mom may be 84, but she is always up for a new experience. I asked her if she would like to try Chevy’s, and she was sure she would like to try it. You ROCK, Mom!
Mom’s Tostada Salad with beef:
My Spicy Salmon Fajita:
Totally delicious, but too much food! We brought home enough food for two or three more meals!
Port Gamble
Port Gamble is always a great place to stop, stretch your legs a little, walk around the beautifully maintained old company town, snap a few photos . . . .and have some delicious locally made ice cream. (I had raspberry sherbet, sorry, it disappeared before I could photograph it for you.)
God blessed us with a gorgeous, cloud free day in the Pacific Northwest for my Mother’s birthday, and a great road trip, alhamd’allah!
(Yes, we can make a birthday spread out over a week or two in our family!)
Sequim and Dungeness on Google
I know you guys explained in detail how to post maps. I know you even used small words, easy words, but somehow, I can’t make it work your way. I guess I need a workshop or something.
But I CAN go on GoogleEarth and SaveImage. It works for me, and I can use it here to share with you where the prior photos are taken on the trip to Sequim and Dungeness.
This is the map of the Sequim/Dungeness area. Dungeness is the spit up at the top where some of the sweetest crabs in the world live and die to feed our hearts and souls. If you ever get a chance to drive on the Olympic Peninsula, you will want to do so. It is not crowded, and the scenery is totally awe inspiring. There are Indian reservations selling Indian art, fields and fields of lavender, fresh fruits and vegetables, farms of all kinds, and views of the Puget Sound. Even in rainy weather, it is gloriously beautiful.
Here you can see Sequim and the Dungeness Spit as part of the larger area:
U.S. Taxes, a Poem
None of the following is original. Many thanks to a dear friend who forwards me these gems from time to time. I have never seen this one before:
At first I thought this was funny…then I realized
the awful truth of it.
Be sure to read all the way to the end!
Tax his land,
Tax his bed,
Tax the table
At which he’s fed.
Tax his tractor,
Tax his mule,
Teach him taxes
Are the rule.
Tax his cow,
Tax his goat,
Tax his pants,
Tax his coat.
Tax his ties,
Tax his shirt,
Tax his work,
Tax his dirt.
Tax his tobacco,
Tax his drink,
Tax him if he
Tries to think.
Tax his cigars,
Tax his beers,
If he cries, then
Tax his tears.
Tax his car,
Tax his gas,
Find other ways
To tax his ass.
Tax all he has
Then let him know
That you won’t be done
Till he has no dough.
When he screams and hollers,
Then tax him some more,
Tax him till
He’s good and sore.
Then tax his coffin ,
Tax his grave,
Tax the sod in
Which he’s laid.
Put these words
Upon his tomb,
” Taxes drove me to my doom…”
When he’s gone,
Do not relax,
Its time to apply
The inheritance tax.
Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL license Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Excise Taxes
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel Permit Tax
Gasoline Tax (42 cents per gallon)
Gross Receipts Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charges IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
Liquor Tax
Luxury Taxes
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Personal Property Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Service Charge Tax
Social Security Tax
Road Usage Tax
Sales Tax
Recreational Vehicle Tax
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Telephone Federal Excise Tax
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax
Telephone State and Local Tax
Telephone Usage Charge Tax
Utility Taxes
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft Registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax
STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY?
Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago,
And our nation was the most prosperous in the world.
We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest
middle class in the world, and Mom stayed home to
raise the kids.
What the hell happened? Can you spell “politicians!”
And I still have to “press 1”
For English.
I hope this goes around THE USA at least 100 times
This last year, they changed the way they charge taxes to ex-pats. It has made a HUGE difference in the amounts we owe every year. We now owe more in taxes than we made in the early years of our marriage! Aaarrgh!
If we believe our taxes are truly working for the greater good, we don’t mind so much. Faced with the crumbling infrastructure in our country, we shouldn’t see things like the failure of the levees in Louisiana, the collapse of the bridge in Minnesota, the degradation of our clean water programs in many states as our infrastructure ages. We should, for the taxes we pay, have a world class medical program available for all citizens, but especially the oldest and the youngest, the most vulnerable citizens.
Those who talk the most about bringing God back into our politics are often the ones who complain the most about money wasted on immigrant programs, public health and safety programs, tax monies collected for schools, for rehabilitation programs. Jesus would weep in frustration.
Health Teams Close Kuwait Restaurants
Following hard on the heels of io81.com‘s recent post on Ma63am’estan comes a report from today’s Arab Times:
KUWAIT CITY: Inspection teams affiliated to the Capital branch of Kuwait Municipality launched a surprise inspection campaign in Al-Sabah Health Zone and sealed several illegal restaurants and groceries operating from within the premises of various health centers affiliated to the Ministry of Health, reports Al-Watan daily. Reportedly, a grocery was operating at the Center for Allergies without a license and none of its employees had health certificates to prove that they are free of diseases. Head of the inspection team Fadel Al-Sharhan said another illegal grocery was found operating from within the Psychiatric Hospital and its employees too did not have health certificates.
“It is ironical that the Ministry of Health is not doing its supervision duties within its own premises,” he said, adding “these health centers are visited by several people every day and we do not know what kind of food these groceries were selling and the workers could have been suffering from infectious diseases too.” Indicating that the inspections were ordered by Director General of Kuwait Municipality Ahmed Al-Sabih, Al-Sharhan said the inspections will continue till Wednesday.
Jardins de Soleil
Sequim is the largest lavender producing area in the United States. We stopped at the Jardins de Soleil to pick a few bunches of lavender and to visit their gift shop. Step out of the car and you are enveloped in the most delicious fragrance.
Everywhere you look is a photo. Here are just a few:
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