My Dad loves to write. I wish I could say that we get along perfectly but we don't any more. Even though we do not see eye to eye, I am in awe of his sacrifice in Vietnam. I wanted to share a poem with you that he wrote shortly after he came home. The words show a man struggling with coming to grips with his experiences. As I googled Dad's name I found these pictures...not the poem yet. He never really shared all that much with me, as to what happened over there. But I have to say these photos brought tears to my eyes. I think about his days and I wonder how his mind ever fought through the actions he had to take to survive. If you wish to view them here is a link.  PHU LOI PATROL Thanks Dad. Here is the poem: I visited the wall today and posted a message by the name of Earl Aiko Okumur... 11/11/2009

As we in the northwest go into winter it rains a lot, but have you ever thought that the sun is just above the clouds? When things slow down we can be glad for the slow pace due to all the things we would like to do but couldn't because we had been to busy! I like to think the winter is a way to reflect on the past year and what I would like to do in the coming year, Its been often said Have you ever seen a skinny bird? Of course not and yet they don't stress out about what the winter is going to be like! I hope everyone has a great fourth quarter ! http://www.daryldatus.com       11/10/2009

The Beginnings of a new day haunts me as I wander past the old barn. Weathered in time, the sun glazed wood recalls a day when it was fresh and new. Beams as old bones hold her up for all to see. The wind whistles through her gates, as the birds perch along her walls. Tales have been told here, dreams have been birthed here and time rests here among her singing creaking rafters. No one can pass with out pondering her days.   Warm and safe, a haven of rest the outside world peers wantonly in. The day's light breaks through the walls illuminating her historic values. Soft golden straw spills across the floor lending comfort and welcoming her limited  visitors. Memories like the spiders webs, stretch across every corner reflecting on their moment in time.  A dream fulfilled. A promise kept... 11/08/2009

We proctorybably just had the most important vote of this Congress at least as far as the 2010 elections are concerned.  The health insurance government takeover bill passed 220-215.  One Republican from New Orleans voted for the bill.  He represents a district McCain and Bush got 23 and 24% of the vote in respectively.  He's obviously voting for political survival.  He made a serious mistake.  I think the circumstances of his election are such that he is unlikely to survive anyway and it would have been far better if he stayed home and voted on principle.  (He beat the $90,000-in-a-freezer congressman in an election delayed due to Hurricane Ike that had very low turnout).  It hurts we can't have absolute unanimity--all 7 of the Cap-and-Trade Republicans still in Congress voted right th... 11/08/2009

I wanted to share a reciepe that does well with crab or shrimp. Ingredients Old Bay Seasoning TM to taste 5 pounds new potatoes 3 (16 ounce) packages cooked kielbasa sausage, cut into 1 inch pieces 8 ears fresh corn, husks and silks removed 5 pounds whole crab, broken into pieces 4 pounds fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined newspapers beer Directions Heat a large pot of water over an outdoor cooker, or medium-high heat indoors. Add Old Bay Seasoning to taste, and bring to a boil. Add potatoes, and sausage, and cook for about 10 minutes. Add the corn and crab; cook for another 5 minutes, then add the shrimp when everything else is almost done, and cook for another 3 or 4 minutes. Drain off the water, and pour the contents out onto a picnic table covered with newspaper. Grab a paper plate a... 11/08/2009

A lesson learned from Old Butch the Rooster John was in the fertilized egg business. He had several hundred young layers (hens), called 'pullets,' and ten roosters to fertilize the eggs. He kept records, and any rooster not performing went into the soup pot and was replaced. This took a lot of time, so he bought some tiny bells and attached them to his roosters. Each bell had a different tone so he could tell from a distance which rooster was performing. Now, he could sit on the porch and fill out an efficiency report by just listening to the bells. John's favorite rooster, old Butch, was a very fine specimen, but this morning he noticed old Butch's bell hadn't rung at all! When he went to investigate, he saw the other roosters were busy chasing pullets, bells-a-ringing, but the pullets... 11/07/2009

LakeLand Village~29 Homes for Sale~ What's been happening in the Fall LakeLand Village Real Estate Market? Homes for Sale in LakeLand Village in the first couple of weeks of October seemed to have taken off and then..... it slowed backed down.... As the seasons change did and will the real estate market change? Well it seems as though there was a slight stall in offers being written for the month of September, it picked back up the first couple of weeks of October and then the last two weeks it all but stalled...... (Hmmm where'd everyone go??) There are currently 29  homes for sale in LakeLand Village   The average asking price is $301,303 (down from September); The average dollar per square foot is $148.77; The average days on market is 209 There is one (1) contingent homes for sale (... 11/06/2009

Other Homeowners are now also eligible for the Tax Credit to purchase a new home! That's right - with the signing of the Extension of the Tax Credit and it's expansion, a current home owner, which by definition is someone who has used their home sold or being sold as a principal residence consecutively for 5 of the previous 8 years, is eligible.  You will need to find a home that you would like to purchase and be in a written binding contract for that home on or by April 30, 2010 and the purchase must close by July 1, 2010 in order to be eligible.  Now how cool is that?  How much is the tax credit?  $6500.00 unless you are married filing separately which it would be $3250 each.  Remember, this is if you are not a First Time Home Buyer but qualify as a a current home owner. If you are a ... 11/06/2009

People with significant assets in their individual retirement accounts can tap that cash to invest in a retirement home, but there are many complexities involved. They have to establish a self-directed IRA with an independent trust company . They have to treat the home as an investment, so they can't use it as a vacation home or rent it out at below-market rates to friends and relatives. When it is time to retire and they want to start using the home, they have to pull it out of the IRA, and if it's been held in a tax-deductible IRA, that would force them to pay income taxes on the entire value of the house. That makes it far preferable to use a Roth IRA (from which withdrawals will not be taxed) to buy real estate. Older investors who have been buying into the market may turn into net ... 11/06/2009

Its  estimated approximately 3 million renters are now financially well-qualified to buy a median-priced home. As long as buyers do not overstretch and stay well within their budget, a sizable pent-up demand can be tapped among financially qualified potential buyers, Its interesting that the tax credit is greatly reviving the existing home market, new-home sales may continue to struggle as home builders hold back production to drive down inventory. With the tax credit and all these buyers it should be a great 4th and 1st 2010 quarter! 11/06/2009

GlenAllyn Condominiums is offering Today a special 30 yr. Fixed Rate Interest at 4.74% with only a $500 flat loan fee. There is also NO APPRAISAL FEE. GlenAllyn currently has 5 units with Special Sale Prices: Units B4 /B5    Alpine Fir plan    1,760 sq ft.              Price $399,950    Special Sale Price $369,950 Unit 6             Dogwood plan     2,328 sq ft.              Price $465,950   Special Sale Price  $439,950 Units A1/A2     Red Maple plan   2,016 sq. ft.            Price $395,950    Special Sale Price  $379,950 (Prices are subject to change and square footage is approximate.) For more information go to : GlenAllyn.com or LakeLandLiving.com I'm Richard Bell reporting from beautiful LakeLand Village GlenAllyn Condominiums. 11/05/2009

The waters of Washington state are a national and international resource. Recreationally and commercially, these waters contribute to the well-being of residents of the Pacific Northwest and are a blast to be on! To help maintain this valuable resource, it is essential that all users of these waters, including recreational boaters, recognize their role in keeping these waters clean. Additionally, it's important that boaters operate their vessels in a safe manner that includes their children, to protect themselves and others from needless accidents and injuries the state has a wonderful program to educate all boaters and their families for safe boating! 11/05/2009

Allyn Homes for Sale~Fall Market Report~October 2009~ How is the Fall real estate market doing in Allyn, WA? What has the real estate market been like in Allyn, WA?  Let's Take a look! The following takes into consideration, homes that are for sale that are currently listed, pending and/or sold with a professional real estate agent and company. In the area code of 98524, Allyn, WA, there are currently 43 homes for sale.  29 of these homes are located in LakeLand Village. The rest are sprinkled throughout the small village of Allyn - some waterfront as well. The price range for these homes start as low as $107,800 and vary all the way up to A $768,750 asking price which is a waterfront home offering 2959 sq ft of living along the pristine shores of the Treasure Island community. Average ... 11/04/2009

The majestic mountians are one of my favorite things to just look at ! Sitting and having a cup of coffee wondering what the day will bring,its all part of a bigger picture that we sometimes forget about, I hope everyone has a great fourth quarter!  These mountains have arisen from the sea. For eons, wind and rain washed sediments from the land into the ocean. Over time these sediments were compressed into shale and sandstone. Meanwhile, vents and fissures opened under the water and lava flowed forth, creating huge underwater mountains and ranges called seamounts. The plate(s) that formed the ocean floor inched toward North America about 35 million years ago and most of the sea floor went beneath the continental land mass. Some of the sea floor, however, was scraped off and jammed again... 11/04/2009

We all enjoy the colors of autumn leaves. It seems so nice to color up the day before we know it winter is upon us. Did you ever wonder how and why a fall leaf changes color? Why a maple leaf turns bright red? Where do the yellows and oranges come from? To answer those questions, we first have to understand what leaves are and what they do. Leaves are food factories. Plants take water from the ground through their roots. They take a gas called carbon dioxide from the air. Plants use sunlight to turn water and carbon dioxide into oxygen and glucose. Oxygen is a gas in the air that we need to breathe. Glucose is a kind of sugar. Plants use glucose as food for energy and as a building block for growing. The way plants turn water and carbon dioxide into oxygen and sugar is called photosynth... 11/03/2009

The deep waters hide her colors and the sky simply melts away.  Whispering shimmering swirls of ancient magical gray. Unfurling themselves as they wind in and again though black trees Beneath the surface the fish are in mime of creation's lead. As the sun's limited hours were only for this day borrowed. Fall has come to Allyn - cloaking light's breath, unconcerned, & shadowed. A bright bird calls and through the ghostly vapors  land makes it's way Dark and light meet up with the night and swallow the day away. 11/01/2009

Drain underground sprinkler systems.  Have outdoor pools drained and professionally serviced.   Drain exterior water pipes and any pipes that run through unheated areas (such as a garage, crawl space or unheated porch). If draining these pipes isn't possible, wrap them with foam insulation or heat tape.  Cover exposed spigots with foam covers. Or, if cosmetics and ease of removal don't matter, wrap spigots in layers of newspaper, cover the newspaper with a plastic bag, and seal the whole affair with duct tape.  Drain and store garden hoses. Leave one hose and nozzle somewhere that's easily accessible; you'll need it for gutter cleaning and car washing. 11/01/2009

 the Pacific Northwest is beautiful, October has definitely ushered in Autumn. The chillytemperatures,wind and rain leave us in no doubt that Summer is over. We've traded in ourwarm-weather for boots and rain coats, and we're building cozy fires to stay warm at home.Change is in the air. Taking our cue from Nature, and get some of those recipe's for drinks by the fire,` ```````if you have a good one send it to me, I am always up for new things to try! 11/01/2009

Mortgage tracker Bankrate.com said the average 30-year fixed loan slipped to 5.22% from 5.25% the previous week. The 15-year fixed rate also fell, Bankrate said, to 4.6% from 4.64% the week before. The 30-year rate is influenced by the benchmark 10-year note's yield, which moves in the opposite direction of its price. Treasury prices have risen over the past week as $78 billion worth of auctions received above-average demand. 10/31/2009

Congress hasr quick action in continuing these higher limits during a time for recovery in the housing market and national economy. The higher limits, along with the home buyer tax credit extension, are necessary to keep the markets moving at this critical time ! Home sales have shown significant movement upwards in the past six months and reduced inventory in some segments of the housing market, but not in all.  Home purchases in the middle-income and higher brackets have not moved much, and those markets must improve before we can experience a fully sustained housing recovery. These higher loan limits will help motivate qualified home buyers to purchase in Belfair, Lakeland village, and hood canal waterfront homes. 10/31/2009