Sunset a few weeks ago

This is a pic of a sunset from the top portion of our apartment complex a few weeks after we moved in. The apartment complex is on a hill that faces east and the cascades...but the top crests the hill we are on...and you can see past Lake Sammamish, past Bellevue, past Lake Washington and into the skyscrapers of downtown Seattle. This was looking that direction with some dynamic clouds and a beautiful sunset! :) Enjoy.

  

Forms Appear!

Some Forms have appeared on the lot this last Saturday. The foundation is suppose to be poured this week (yea I said that before). So we'll see

 

Our house is the forms to the left, the right house that is framed is the house next to ours

 

Looking at the lower part of the forms for the foundation

 

Looking at the foundation (to be built up) for the right garage.

 

Looking at the forms for the left garage...the front door entrance is off to the left out of the picture.

 

So you think you can ride the tour?

Yea. Um no. The pro riders sure make it look easy. Every year before the tour blazes through France, a ride is organized that sets anyone up for it against one (just one) stage in that year's Tour, called L'Etape du Tour [letapedutour.com]. This year? Stage 15. L'Alpe d'Huez.

Ouch.

7500 insane people rode it this year. 1500 didn't finish.

But don't take my word for it. Read about someone that rode it....and cry.

The Tour de France Almost Killed Me [Slate.com]

House Updates

Not much to mention. There hasn't been a bunch done lately. The builder called us mid week to let us know they are about to lay the foundation. So hopefully that will happen soon. The lot has been excavated and is ready for the foundation to be layed :)

More pics....

The framing on the left is the house next to ours...the framing in front is the house accross the street from ours...This pic was taken from the lot looking down.

 

The Jeep is pointing at our lot.

 

The framing on the right is the house next to ours.

  

Tour de France: Stage 11

Floyd Landis is now in the Yellow jersey. Hincapie has fallen way back.

This tour has been very interesting, with the Yellow jersey bouncing around to all sorts of riders. I think it is good that one rider is not dominating the race. Its an open field and anything can happen.

In case you missed it. Landis announced that he has been having hip problems since a crash in training back in 2003 and is scheduled to have surgery after the tour.

I REALLY Love Seattle (part 2)

We went down to San Diego this last weekend for a wedding. It was a long time coming, even if it was short notice on the date side. It went well and was fun. We had a blast being able to talk to a lot of people we hadn't seen in a long time. Lots of friends came in from the various places we have split to and it was great to talk to friends and professors from PLNU.

Now the downsides....

It was HOT...as in 81 Deg at 7am. (disclaimer: Point Loma was nice and cool (all relative of course)! Always has been...That's the only reason I was able to stand San Diego for 5 years...)

And then there is the unexpected. Even though San Diego is close to LA, it has been historicity a great town. There are lots of good restaurants and fun things to do. Good movie theaters. The Zoo and Wild Animal Park are a blast. Balboa Park is awesome and The Old Globe is there that offers very good theatrical productions. Seaworld is fun and the beaches and piers are abundant. That all still holds true, except for one thing.
The mentality has changed. I have never been yelled at, flipped off, cut off, run down, glared at, and had just general animosity directed at me more in a 3 day period in my life. There are now AT LEAST 20 minutes of commercials and trailers at the beginning of movies. Gas is expensive, homes are expensive, movies are expensive. But there is good Mexican food at least! My question is this... WHY? I will never, ever live in Southern California again in my life. We will visit again and go down to see friends, but that is all. Oh, and I almost forgot...don't use your turn signals in San Diego. Instead of letting people know you want over so that they will let you in, a turn signal seems to be a notification to other drivers to speed up and make sure you don't get in front of THEM.

Now I understand that no place is perfect and all cities have their downsides, but to me, Seattle is a great area.

Did I mention I love Seattle?

I Love Seattle....

Well, I guess I should say I love the Pacific Northwest. Oregon to Whistler. The trees, the ocean, the rivers, the mountains, the snow, the rain. The Colors. And of course the random changes in weather.

The last two weeks have royally sucked. HOT. Did I mention it was HOT? 90s..high 80s. Ich. (of all times to sell the house WITH the A/C!)

And then WHAM.

At 4am on the 4th, we (all 4 of us...Beagles included) sat straight up in bed awakened by the loudedest and most grippingly strong rolling clap of thunder I have heard in years. It was awesome. It even rained. All on the 4th of July! :) Yesterday was the first cool day we have had in two weeks. The ground was wet when we woke up and there were clouds in the sky. The bike ride I went on in the morning was awesome. It got warmer in the afternoon and cleared up some, but not too much. The clouds were still hanging around come fireworks time. I don't know what it was like at the major fireworks locations because we went to a friend's house and watched their cul-du-sac's local display. But this is what I am used to. I grew up in Monterey, CA where 60% of the time the fireworks were half in the clouds. :) It was a good forth.

Real. Actual. Progress! With proof!

Its actually for real! We really are building a house. :) The lot is finally starting to be cleared. Bellow are some before pics and some pics I took today.

Original Shot - Looking up the lane. Our house is the second lot on the right

 

Sunset from Lake Sammamish that night.

 

Today: Looking up the lane. The first lot with the foundation is the other house the builder is working on.

 

Today: Grading the lot.

 

Today: Looking down from the lot.

 
 

Cool Tour Tracker

I ran into this cool gps/google integrated tour tracker this morning. Its pretty cool...
Google Maps Tour de France Tracker

Tour de France 2006 - Stage 1 - George Hincapie in Yellow!

The 2006 Tour has started, amongst controversy and major hopefuls being pulled from the race. The prolog went well, with two US riders in the top 3 after Thor Hushovd (Norway) took the first stage. I am excited now tho, because the chance that George Hincapie could take the tour is much higher now with Ullrich and Basso out. He is definitely due, sitting behind Lance for the past 7 years. I just don't know if he has it in him. We'll see. Hincapie is starting strong in the 2006 Tour. Now the question is, is it too strong? Is he pushing to hard too soon? Only time will tell. See the specifics here: Tour de France 2006 - Stage 1