July 2008

The United States Navy Blue Angels maneuvered with that unmistakable roar over and through downtown Seattle, and even flew over West Seattle Friday for the 2008 Seafair Festival. Friday was their practice show, while their official show is scheduled principally over Lake Washington on Saturday and Sunday. The six, F/A-18 Hornet's reach nearly 1400 MPH while their support plane, "Fat Albert," keeps a watchful eye on the crew and their craft.

The Blue Angels debuted at Seafair in 1987 and returned annually until halted in 1994 for safety concerns of spectators. They returned in 1996.

Alki Avenue from California Way Southwest around Alki Beach to the south end of 63rd at Beach Drive from noon until 6 p.m. will be "car-free," Sunday, Sept. 7.

One lane will be coned off for the Water Taxi Shuttle and to provide access for residents living along Alki.

Its part of a promotion Mayor Greg Nickels calls "Car-Free" Sundays that will occur at three different areas in the city in August and September. Select streets will be open to pedestrians and cyclists.

Hidden in a small garage in an obscure and wooded corner of SeaTac are miniature cities and gardens inhabited by countless people, many smaller than your pinky finger.

These are the clay creations of 60-year-old animator, Bruce Bickford.

His garage is filled from top to bottom with what he estimates to be 30 to 40 years of work.

While Bickford can do wonders with a pencil and paper, he is best known for his clay animation, or claymation, particularly his collaborations with offbeat musician Frank Zappa.

His work with Zappa escalated him to cult fame

When a tight cluster of 40 scooters whir down California Avenue on a pleasant weekend morning these quaint two-wheelers of pink, powder blue, mustard yellow and rosy red look about as menacing as a parade of grinning Golden Retrievers and just as fun to observe.

They are the Westenders Scooter Club, a practical and whimsical troupe anchored in West Seattle that operate 70-100 mile-per-gallon toys.

The City of Seattle made its case at South Seattle Community College for the potential siting of a new municipal jail for misdeameanor offenders on July 26th. The forum was one of a series of public forums on where to site such a facility. The City of Seattle, as well as all other cities in King County are being forced to build a jail because the county has said that the contract they have to incarcerate these offenders expires in 2012, and will not be renewed.

The focus of this forum was on two potential southwest Seattle locations.

Jody "JoJo" Robbins brought Pinky, a "long hair wire haired miniature daschund" into her home a few months ago and the 5 month old puppy has developed some unusual habits.

Home concierge service

There's just never enough time in one day to finish everything you need to do especially when you're working 40 hours a week and many think it would be nice if we could just add on a few more hours to each day.

That won't work but something new could help.

GoFetch4U Concierge is a new service in West Seattle to do errands, chores, caring for pets and grocery shopping so they can get it done in no time without having to lift a finger.

"GoFetch4U helps busy people with there everyday 'to do' list," said Nicole Rummer.

You can always tell the English. You can always tell the Dutch. You can always tell Lubahn's class, but you can't tell much. Thank Goodness it's Friday!

At Hilltop Elementary in Puyallup in the 1970s, John Lubahn's sixth grade class gathered every Friday to yell that cheer at exactly 3 o'clock. Then, just as the cheers and whistles and claps were started to fade, the class of kids burst out of the room and ran towards the buses. I remember very clearly that sense that Fridays gave you - the sense of excitement, of wonder, of joy.

deserves buses

Amen to "More buses on Route 37" (published in the July 23 issue of the West Seattle Herald) by M. Gonzales. Metro needs to return to the pre-Eyeman era, when the Route 37 bus ran every hour AND every weekend. After the cutback in response to the disastrous Initiative 695, protesters were promised restoration soon as possible.

It is high time.

While it's no secret that the nation is taking a hit with increased foreclosures and decreased home prices, "Area 140" home prices have been relatively stable. No, "Area 140" is not where our government hides Martians. It's the Multiple Listing Service's designation for West Seattle.

Area 140's biggest economic downers over the last year were not home prices but rather inventory, and its troubled twin, "Days on Market."

In May 2007, 440 houses, including townhouses but not condominiums, were listed, averaging 38 days to sell.