Roller Derby 101

Most of us have seen the movie 'Whip It' starring Drew Barrymore. The Definition of roller derby seems synonymous with crazed violent woman knocking each other around. The modern roller derby, however, is a true sport governed by rules and regulations. It's a game that involves skill, speed and agility. While most sport teams have camaraderie, these roller derby woman have also built a community in this female dominated sport. In addition to immensely toned legs and buttocks; team members use the following words to describe this fast-paced game of athletics: confidence, empowerment, self-esteem, strength and a place 'to be yourself'.  Roller derby woman come from all walks of life. I met with two such woman in preparation for this blog, 'Brawlyanna' and 'Octopus Prime', a waitress at a five star restaurant and a Jr. High School Science teacher respectively. Their team mates includes a Military Veteran, a Nurse, a Policewoman, a Detective, a Stay-at-Home Mom, a Jewelry Appraiser, a Legal Assistant, a construction foreman, a Pet Sitter and a Full-time Student.

Now that I've painted the picture of extremely successful, capable woman, I'll focus on getting down to the basics of the game and what local roller derby teams mean to Kitsap County.

Roller derby actually first started in the late 1800's as a test of endurance staged over a grueling 100 miles. It's colorful history at the turn of the 20th century evolved into a game of strategy as it remains today. Although it's popularity seemed to die out after its first peak in the 70's, this sport has continued to evolve and expand to what it is today. To read more about roller derby's colorful history, check out what wikipedia has to offer at this link.

The game of women's roller derby is governed by multiple organizations with rule sets- sometimes a roller league may adhere to more than one set of rules. The two rule sets I'll talk about today are the ones used around here- The Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) and USA Roller Sports (USARS). WFTDA was organized originally in 2004 as the United Leagues Coalition but was renamed the Women's Flat Track Derby Association a short time later. USARS is the national governing body of all competitive roller sports and has been around since 1972. Both organizations focus on roller derby as a legitimate sport and put safety of the players in the forefront. (Side note about the term 'flat track'- flat track refers, as you may have imagined to a flat track vs a bank track that we often see in movies. A flat track can be set up anywhere vs the bank track has an intricate set up of under braces and generally cannot be moved once set up).
Modern day roller derby is made up of two, 30 minute periods. These two half hours are divided up by 'Jams'. The 'Jam Clock' goes for a minute and a half to two minutes (depending on the set of rules being followed) in which time 5 players from each team protect their 'Jammer'. It's the Jammers responsibility to score points- actually the Jammer is the only team member that can score points. When the clock starts the Jammer from each team start behind the pack and must work their way up forward to score points. The players of each Jam are rotated in and out of the game. (This is the nutshell of the game- to really get an idea of the skill and strategy involved, you'll have to watch a game).
Kitsap County has five Derby Leagues, four of which are governed by WFTDA and one, Port Orchard's own team, Port T'orchard is governed by USARS. The Port T'orchard team recently took third place in a Regional Tournament and are now eligible to compete in the USARS National Championships in Oklahoma in October. This local team doesn't have much time to raise the $7,000 to fund the trip and they need the Port Orchard Community's help!
You can help support these amazing woman athletes by pitching in a few bucks- here's the link.

For the Good of the People

I'm blessed to be able to do many things in life that I feel passionate about. Yesterday I was very honored to speak at the South Kitsap Rotary groups lunch on a subject I have accidentally neglected to write about here in my Blog. Not for lack of enthusiasm- just for lack of time.

A few months back I met with Jennifer Hardison, Executive Director of the South Kitsap Helpline Food Bank and pitched an idea I had called 'Pick and Pass'. The idea is to collect the fruit that would otherwise go to waste from fruit trees. Last summer I started to notice all the fruit on the ground around Kitsap County and it broke my heart when I know the food bank is working so hard to feed people of the community that need some help. It seemed so simple- Pick the fruit and pass it along to the Food Bank. I was (and still am) in love with this idea. I couldn't make it happen last year, but this year, after an approval from the Helpline's Board of Directors, the program is up and running. To date, we've collected just shy of 100 lbs of plums and 85 lbs of apples- and more fruit is in the works to be picked!

I do think of myself as a 'do good-er' but the Pick and Pass idea comes out of something much deeper than just trying to be a creative and worthy person in my community. Back in the 1980's when I was about 15 years old, my family fell on hard times. I can clearly remember getting up early on Saturday mornings, getting in our family's GMC Suburban and driving an hour to the closest food bank with my 3 sisters, brother and Dad. The six of us volunteered for 8 hours each Saturday for what seemed like years (although I think it was just about 6 months). We would help accept food donations as they were dropped off, organize it on the shelves and do just about anything to earn the food we would come home with at the end of the day. I can remember walking through the door at home with boxes of food and the excitement we all shared for the food that would feed us for the next week. It wasn't embarrassing, it wasn't humbling, it was hard work that gave us an essential part of life.

Then I got older and society got to me. Any hard times I experienced without food became embarrassing and accepting food from the food bank was a humbling experience. I can accept the humble feeling because I think that shows appreciation and we need more of that in this world. What I can't accept is the feeling of embarrassment. Having food, to me, is the right of every human being. It saddens me to think that so many people struggle on a monthly basis to make ends meet and feed their family. It's my hope that through awareness society will one day understand that good people need help from time to time. Hard working people. Young people. Old people. Everyone needs help sometime, right?! Why should the need for food be embarrassing? In Kitsap County 80,000 people struggle to put food on their tables.

Pick and Pass isn't just about about picking fruit and donating it. It's about spreading the word, that we, as a society need to be mindful that we should all do what we can to help others without judgements or preconceived notions. I'll let the karma get the people screwing the system and I'll just keep spending my time doing what feels right in my heart.

Little Free Library - NOW OPEN FOR BUSINESS!

That's right! My Little Free Library (Charter #7500) is finally finished and opened for business! What a relief to finish this project! I taught myself how to use a circular saw and finished the retrofit on the inside. There are two compartments. The one in front is for kids and around the right side is for grown-ups. The drift wood stick on the front right side acts as signage to direct those who do not know the sides of the library. It's stocked with books thanks to the generous donations of my friends.
When it was finally mounted, I stood there starring at it in awe and suddenly burst into tears. The happy,  joyous kind of tears. Finishing things I say I will is of utmost importance to me and when projects take so long to finish I start to panic a bit. My husband tells me it's already had users which makes me happy although I must admit, I am looking forward to seeing someone use it myself.
It was listed in my past post about this, but just in case you are looking for more info, check out www.littlefreelibrary.org and please, by all means, come by and use the library yourself! It's located on the corner of Division St and Harrison Ave.

Little Free Library

About a month and a half ago I heard about something called LittleFreeLibrary.org - It's one of the coolest things ever. Little Free Library's are popping up all around the world. My official registration number is 7500. The organizations' goal is to have more libraries than Carnegie. Now that's a big goal (and at the rate Little Free Library's are popping up, they'll reach that goal!
I'm working on my little library and it's become far larger of a project than I could have imagined. Not only did I increase the size of my little library (generally they are about one foot by one foot) but I had this cleaver idea to make a mini library diorama in the top part of it. I've always loved diorama's and this one beats any shoe box craft I ever made. I'm not real keen on using power saws, not because I am without skill, but because a good work area for wood working at my home is non-existent.
I don't like having projects hanging over my head for long and this one is going on a month, so I'm a bit frustrated, but I'll get there. Thanks to my dear friends the diorama part is finished....now phase 2 starts- getting the sections completed for the books. My little library will have both a children's section and a grown-up's section. Below are pictures of my project so far. When it's finished, I plan to have a little block party to invite friends and neighbors. I'll keep you posted!

This is the corner of the front yard I reconfigured for the Little Library.

Of course I had to add a sign to let neighbors and passers by know what I am up to.

I got this little chicken coop on Craigslist for $20.

It's multiple openings will make great sections for kids and grown-ups.

This is the start of my diorama. I started by painting little books on the shelves.

More painted books.

The little diorama before it went into the little library roof top.

A peek through the little hole to see the diorama.

We closed off one of the three doors - this will be the
back side of the little library.

You know you haven't written a Blog in a while when......

I went blank for a minute when I went to login. What? How could this be? Truly, it's been THAT long since I've written a Blog! So long, that, I almost forgot what my username was. This makes me sad.

My excuse is not without good reason though....

It all started back at the end of May when I headed down to Northern California to help my sister. Actually it was a bit more than help, I actually had signed on to be gaurdian of my 8 year old niece for the month when my sister was attending a special project. I had rented a truck to drive down to Chico where the weather is HOT even in May. 108 degrees to be exact. Okay, well, that wasn't that hot every day, but you get the picture. My sister left a few days after my arrival and the plan was for me to stay with my niece until her school was out then head back to Washington. Negatives of the trip: A/C went out in the rental truck. Radiator died in the rental truck and I spent an entire day in the shop baby sitting the shop manager who was more concerned with weekend ahead than about the fact I was in a strange town in a rental car. Got it fixed, finally (and yes, the rental company paid for it. and No, they couldn't just swap out vehicles, because it was a little local company) Positives of the trip: Reconnecting with family I hadn't seen in a long time. and Swimming in my sisters lovely pool while I was there.
I get back to Washington on the 11th of June- rushing to get back to film another episode of my show 'Port Orchard Living'. Once home, I was told by the Production Company that their schedule had changed and that we couldn't film during the week anymore and that the next couple weekends weren't good either. That put a wrench in my upcoming series plan. Okay, plan B. Now working (volunteer) with BKAT (Bremerton Kitsap Access Television) on a show called 'Cruising Kitsap'- Stardom may be in my future yet. (although I am still a bit sad about the current demise of the 'Port Orchard Living' show). My niece and I did lots and I mean LOTS of cool stuff while she was here. I could even say I may possibly be the best tour guide in the world (but perhaps that's pushing it...)
My sister finished her project and came to Washington for a week (again, tour guide- yes, I rocked it!). My niece and sister both left Monday. Today is my 3rd full day without a child around. It's really quiet in my world. I filmed with the new show the day after they left and yesterday I did some errands and yard work. Today I'm meeting with a friend about a volunteer project idea I have and possibly meeting with a new client also.
I never understood the term 'empty nest' until now- and I only had a kid for a little over a month.....

Upscale Consignment and More!

I had another first last week. It was the first time I had been into Twice Around The Closet, a consignment shop located at 585 Bethel Ave in Port Orchard. I've considered myself a seamstress for most of my life and when it comes to fabric and clothing, I feel I have a good eye. Quality is quality period. Upon entering the store you'll notice the quality and selection of items. They don't accept every piece of clothing, nor do they sell brand names that are known to be of inferior quality. They do sell nice, clean recycled clothing (and accessories) that are in excellent condition. The store has a wide selection of woman's clothing in all sizes. It has a shoe department that might make think you're in an upscale boutique. There's also a small housewares department located in the back of the store with the children's clothing and toys. I've been there 3 times in the last week. I bought a few items the first two times and nothing today, although I did drop some items off to consign. Port Orchard doesn't offer many retail choices for clothing and I'm thrilled to find one that offers a variety of fashion at a fair price.

Lessons From Grade School

There's a book called 'Everything I needed to know I learned in Kindergarten'. I can't say I've read the book from cover to cover, but I can say I have thumbed through it and have a pretty good idea what it's about. There are a lot of good things we are taught that seem to get forgotten as we get older. One such thing is something my Great Grandmother used to remind me over and over. 'If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all'. Unfortunately, I say things that aren't nice sometimes. I don't mean to, but I am human and it happens. I can't think of one instance where my conscience hasn't made me pay the price for my choices that are outside of 'the golden rule'.

I often wonder how people could feel any differently. How is it that some folks feel they have the right to rudely regard other individuals. Words can hurt. I think when words are used purposely to be hurtful that is the worst! Words used accidentally can be hurtful also, but at least they don't include malice. I learned that the hard way many years ago when a quickly written email was mis-understood and I realized what a huge mistake I had made. It took me over a year to not think about it everyday. That was a long time to feel so terrible inside about something I had done: I made someone feel bad and despite that not being the intent it was the effect. It was a good lesson in life and an important lesson in business.
As I continue to develop my business I am grateful for the lessons that life teaches me every day.

One of my all time favorite quotes is:

Watch your thoughts they become words,
Watch your words they become your actions,
Watch your actions they become your habits,
Watch your habits they become your character,
Watch your character it becomes your destiny.
(Author Unknown)

It's not a long journey from words to destiny. If only life were that simple all the time.....
....Or is it?

Views and Kindness

Throughout my life I have read various books about the best ways to work with people and employees; management styles and even corporation-type biographies. I've learned a lot and have had ample opportunity to test the methods I've read and studied about. Some styles work for me, others don't. One factor, however, remains paramount as far as I am concerned and that factor is kindness. I'm a firm believer that troubling times and hardships can be won with a good attitude and a kind spirit.

Recently, my attention has been drawn to the words of a local business owner and how those words relate to real life.  I've known Amy Igloi, owner of Amy's On The Bay for about 7 or 8 years. We aren't close friends but then we probably would be if we spent time together outside of the social requirements for work. I remember when Amy first moved to town and when her restaurant opened. She's been a great asset to the Port Orchard Community and to the various Boards and Committees she has spent her time on.  Amy's management style is a rare jewel in the business world. She not only relies on her employees to do their given jobs, but she also relies on them to take part in business decisions she presents to them during staff meetings. Of course, as owner, she has the final say- but in most situations she chooses her staff as her 'boardroom' allies if you will. Changes to procedure are discussed and everyone's views are taken into account. Yes, I know what you're thinking- and you are right - this form of management style won't work for everyone. Another aspect of this I have yet to mention is that Amy also often thanks her employees for choosing to work for her. She respects and values their time and expresses the honor it is that they have made the choice to work under her employ. In fact, you may be hard pressed to find something Amy has said or had written about her that doesn't include kudos for those who work with her.

I had not been to Amy's On The Bay in sometime and last weekend some friends and I decided to give it a go even though we could see the restaurant was packed. Tables full of people, the clinging of dishes in the busy Friday night atmosphere, I observed something wonderful. Something I've often seen disappear in a busy restaurant atmosphere. Teamwork.
Like the cogs of a well oiled wheel, I watched the staff members work together to serve the restaurant guests. Waitstaff assisting each other in another 'section' was a common site. I was a waitress in my twenties and wish I could have had the experience of teamwork of this magnitude.

Kudos to you Amy Igloi. Keep up the wonderful work. Not only are you running a successful business, you are sharing your success with your employees. When everyone wins, no one loses.
Good Job!

I Missed the Condolences

For the past two and a half years, since I've lived in the downtown area, my dog and I have often strolled downtown on our daily walks. The quiet squeak of my tennis shoes and the pitter patter of Zigi's paws are often the only sounds as we stroll quietly past storefronts on early morning walks. We often stop along the front windows of Bay Street Custom Picture Framing to say hello to our friend Squirt, the round, orange tabby cat. Sadly, Squirt passed away peacefully in his sleep on December 31st this past year.  Zigi loved Squirt a lot. He knew the cat by name and I always had a hard time pulling him away without a glimpse of that furry feline.

We had been wondering were Squirt was and sadly just found out this past Friday that he had gone to greater Catnip Pastures. I can't help but wipe a tear from my eye as I write these words. I've known my dog, Zigi, since the 9th day of life when I picked him out and named him. We have had a lot of great times together since he became this Girl's best friend over the past eight plus years. Many mornings as we walked the Port Orchard Marina I'd say to Zigi, 'Do you want to go see Squirt?' My little dog would start wagging his tail and head toward the corner of Harrison and Bay Street. He would jump up toward the window and stretch his neck until he could see Squirt inside the store. Sometimes Squirt played hard to get and other times he was very friendly. In either case, we sure loved that cat and will sure miss him. 

Here's a little more information about our friend:

Squirt Jackson was born in 1996. He lived a long life of almost seventeen years and worked his entire life in Customer Relations at Bay Street Custom Picture Framing. He enjoyed every day and greeted customers with a smile and pat on the leg. He will be missed by many merchants and frame shop friends. 

Squirt lived a good life and had a wonderful owner, Mallory Jackson who owns the shop. A lot of kitties aren't so lucky. Animal Rescue Families is an animal outreach organization that works hard to place pets in homes where they are loved and safe. They are always in need of food, blankets, toys and other pet comforts for cats (and dogs). I got the idea when I read Squirt's obituary - what a great one - to donate in honor of a pet we've loved so that another pet may live a better, healthier life. 

May you have all the tuna you can eat and all the milk you can lick up sweet Squirt, you will be missed.

You Super Star You!

I have to admit. It's been a great week. Actually, April turned into a pretty darn good month. And May is off with a fantastic start! I can honestly say that my only complaint with myself recently has been that I'm not taking enough time to get out into the Port Orchard Community and talk to/meet business owners. In my mind there is a fine line between 'selling' what I do and just living the life I am creating for myself. I do hope to (eventually) meet every single business owner. I would love to be a walking referral system. The truth is however, that I can't possibly wear the hat of sales person at this point. Little by little I'll get to new businesses. Or maybe I can clone myself and do it faster!
This week I saw the realization of a life time dream. I got my own microphone. (Just kidding, that's only part of the realization). Having grown up in Burbank, CA (it's not my fault I was born there) near the home of NBC Studios, I always saw myself as someone who had something to say (that hopefully others wanted to listen to). I pretended I had a reality show a decade before they really existed. (Some might call this crazy, I prefer 'creative'). And now, I am creating my own show: Port Orchard Living. It's actually a webcast program which means we will record it and then after edits are made, will publish it to PortOrchardLiving.org, YouTube, facebook etc. 'We' is me, a videographer and a producer. This first episode is about the upcoming Port Orchard Public Market and should be released in a day or two! Woot!.......So, yeah, this week I did get my own microphone. Best May Day ever, I'd say! Seriously, though, I am really enjoying learning more of a journalistic style of writing. I've learned camera shots and angles, learned how to write an investigative report and interview questions, written filming disclaimers and completely broken out of any hesitant shell I might have had. It's a good, a most wonderful feeling to be doing what I love and loving what I am doing. It feels like I have finally 'arrived' in my own life if that makes any sense.

Happy as I am, life has been a bit crazy lately and I actually left my phone behind and then spent 4 hours without it. They were the hardest four hours of my life. (HA HA! Just kidding, OF COURSE!!)  I did find it very interesting how many times I reached for my phone. To check the weather forecast, to check the time, to check my email, to check the web, to use my calculator, oh and most importantly to call my husband so he knew where I was! I didn't even know his phone number by heart. That really got me thinking about how much I rely on technology for my life. Don't miss understand me, I won't change that, but I will keep it in mind. I ended up going by the work place of a friend, borrowed a phone and looked up my husbands phone number. I survived the great cell phone debacle of 2013!

On a different topic, I'm walking much better and if you've read my earlier blogs you know all about it my walking issues. Never, ever, ever take walking for granted. It's such a blessing! Physical Therapy is helping a lot. I realize how badly I am out of shape from my injuries. I'm so grateful to have health insurance coverage that will help me overcome these obstacles. I was told I shouldn't attempt to run again, but I have faith I'll be back to walking completely normal without pain soon!

I wish my blog was more substance tonight, but I just don't have it in me. It's been a long week and it's gonna be a long weekend. I've got multiple engagements this weekend and sleeping in, isn't on the list- but then doing chores and yard work isn't either.

Five star dining in Port Orchard

Last night my husband (Kelly) and I had dinner at the Bay Street Bistro located at 834 Bay Street in downtown Port Orchard. After a lovely dinner, I only had one question: Why did I wait so long to try this place?! (Apologies to my readers for not taking any pictures of the food- I had planned to, but each time food arrived I lost all thoughts and headed for the fork!)

Upon arriving, a light hint of jazz music filled the air. The neatly arranged tables were filling up and we decided to sit upstairs. With a view of the diners below I watched various groups of people enjoying a Friday night out: a group of gals enjoying a girls night out with lots of laughter; an older couple sipping wine and sharing secrets; a younger couple feeding each other delicately in between smiles and winks. The sound of glasses clinking, laughter and romantic whispers created a background for what would be a wonderful night out.

We started our dinner with the Spicy Coconut Mussels, with Cilantro and Lime. AMAZING!! I could have devoured the big steaming bowl of mussels myself! The light delicate sauce had just enough spice to make you want to lick your lips to save every drop (in fact I had to encourage my husband to use a spoon to finish off the sauce in the bowl vs drinking it from the side of the bowl like soup). The fresh mussels were steamed to perfection. A great way to start a weekend indeed!

We shared a salad of Spinach and Romaine lettuces with Goat Cheese, Dried Blueberries, Vidalia Onions and Walnuts. (Probably to avoid arguments and fork wars) they split the salad for us so we each had our own plate. If all salads tasted this good kids (and us grown-ups) would always eat our veggies! The flavors of the combined ingredients was a culinary symphony for my taste buds and next time I go to the Bistro, I'll definitely order my own salad (sharing food this good is just silly when everyone can order there own!)

For the main course, my husband and I chose from the Specials List. Kelly ordered the House-smoked Neah Bay Sablefish with Whiskey Cream and I chose the Stuffed Chicken Breast with Goat Cheese, Blueberries, Pine Nuts and Fresh Basil. The vegetables that accompanied our meal where served on a large platter to share and included tiny red potatoes, asparagus and carrots. Each vegetable grilled to perfection with light seasoning. Mother Nature herself would surely find delight that these treasures of the earth tasted so good. To summarize in one word: YUM!! The Sablefish was cooked to perfection. The delicate fish was firm and flaked perfectly on to the fork with each bite. The Whiskey Cream sauce itself could have won awards. A perfect mix of cream and whiskey, even a non-drinker would have enjoyed the delicate, yet robust flavored sauce. The Stuffed Chicken was so tender and I delighted in the light sauce that was created on my plate from the goat cheese, blueberry, pine nut and fresh basil that had been stuffed into the chicken breast- Flavors just enough, without being over powering.

Dessert (despite feeling full and satisfied, we had to!) was as one would assume after a dinner of this caliber: AMAZING. We ordered the Carmel Cheesecake & the Custard with Carmel drizzles. Each was delicious in it's own way and Kelly and I shared what was a perfect end to a wonderful meal.

Just when your taste buds think they are done for the night, the check came with a couple of delectable dark chocolates from Port Orchard's own Carter's Chocolates located at 160 Bethel Avenue (just a couple blocks from downtown).

Truly a delightful evening! Bay Street Bistro, you've got a couple more customers for life! I can't wait to share this local five star dining destination with friends and out of town guests.

Paradise Around The Corner

Earlier this week I had the good fortune of touring Cedar Cove Inn, a bed and breakfast located up the hillside above downtown Port Orchard, Washington. After years of walking by the property and reacting in awe to the stellar views, I was finally able to see what I had previously only dreamed about.

Surrounded by old growth trees and panoramic views, this house built in 1909 has definitely kept it's charm and then some. Walking up to the front porch, the first thing I noticed was the pristine front lawn and meticulously maintained landscape. The brightly white painted, wood wrap around porch didn't make one squeak as I walked up to the front door of the Inn. Upon entry, my eye was instantly drawn to an early 1900's secretary desk with an attached glass doored bookshelf just inside the front door. Despite the massive staircase to my right, the foyer drew me in further as my eye caught the light from the dining room window in front of me. The dining room itself contains two buffets, a long wood table and chairs. It's simple, yet elegant style had my daydreams in full swing. I could imagine dinner parties as much as I could imagine sitting reading the morning paper with a cup of coffee. (Not to mention the amazing view!) High wood ceilings with wooden beams and wainscoting add the architectural elements you would expect to find in such an old home. Owners, Gil and Kathy, have lovingly restored this home since they purchased it in 1995. The home has only had two other owners since it was built.

The doorway separating the dining room from the sitting room has thick wood and glass pocket doors that were salvaged from a building torn down back East. The pocket doors on the other side of the sitting room are original and lead to the living room containing a grand piano. Centered in the corner of the room, listeners to a pianist would delight in views of the Olympic Mountains, Orchard Bay and Sinclair Inlet below. Rookwood tiles (made of pottery) create a retro, light green fireplace that gives warmth and charm to another room,  located just off the living room. It would make a great place to read a book and has a door that opens outside to the large wrap around porch, green lawn and breath taking views.  On the other side of the room a hallway leads to the elevator entrance (yes, I said elevator) and further down to the kitchen.

There are four guest rooms on the second floor and three on the third floor. Each of the seven rooms have their own unique personality. All the rooms have private baths and many have original claw foot bath tubs. The second floor has a wrap around sun porch that any sun bather would envy. Just when you think you've seen it all, a journey up the stairs (sorry, the elevator only goes to the second floor) reveals floor to window ceilings in a space that is both spacious and cozy. Each of the rooms on this floor offers different views and it would be a challenge to choose a favorite one.

It's really a beautiful place. If I won the lotto, I'd want to rent the place out for my closest friends and have a fantastic party.  When I checked out the prices I found them to be very reasonable and it's sure to become my favorite option to spoil guests visiting the area.

You can check out more information on their website: CedarCoveInn.com

How Do You Gauge Success?

Success, like many things in life, is based on a person's interpretation. What may seem like a success to one person, may seem like a failure to another. One of my favorite expressions is 'Perception is Reality'. I like to keep this in mind because every person interprets things different. If a person feels that 60 degrees is a warm day- that is their reality. If another person feels 60 degrees is chilly - that is their reality. It's fascinating if you think about it.

My reality this week is that it's been a heck of a good week. First off, my leg injuries are doing well and I was able to walk without assistance all week. What a blessing!! I will never again take walking for granted! This week I presented a Port Orchard History presentation to a Women's Group. Despite a couple of flub-ups when my tongue got tied, it went very well. This week I also hired a Production Company for the next phase of Port Orchard Living- which I am very excited about (don't worry, I'll release details soon enough). I had the privilege of recreating a few business relationships with merchants who didn't like me so well in years past, based solely on the fact I was selling credit card processing. (Even honest sales people get a bad rap!) It feels amazing to be doing something I love, something that I am proud of, something that makes me truly happy and something, most importantly, that has more value to me than money.

I also joined the Port Orchard Bay Street Association (POBSA), a group of downtown business owners that work to bring tourists to the area, encourage locals to shop locally and beautify the downtown area. It's a great group of people with a lot of energy; I look forward to the camaraderie and new friendships i will develop within the group.

So in answer to the question: How do you gauge success?

My gauge of success is feeling blessed. If I feel blessed, I know I am doing what I should and that makes me feel successful.

Port Orchard Summer Music

Otherwise known as the 'Concerts by the Bay'. The Fathoms O'Fun has put together another exciting year of summer outdoor concerts. I also want to pay tribute to the other sponsors of the event: Alfred Interwest Insurance, Kitsap Bank, City of Port Orchard, ServPro, Port of Bremerton, Paul Davis Restoration and Friends of the Concerts who make these outdoor music events possible.
There's a little something for everyone this year- Classic Rock, Jazz, Blues, Country Swing, an Elvis impersonator, a Frank Sinatra Tribute, Rolling Stones Tribute and of course some music from the talented student at South Kitsap High School. Rain or shine, it's always a great time so be sure and mark your calendar so you don't miss any of these FREE family events at the Port Orchard Marina Waterfront Park!

Thursday, June 6th @ 6:30pm, Hook Me Up (Variety/Jazz)
Thursday, June 13th @ 6:30pm, SKHS Band
Thursday, June 20th @ 6:30pm, The Tonze (Jazz)
Friday, June 28th @ 6:30pm, Let It Bleed (Rolling Stones Tribute)
Thursday, July 4th @ Noon, Various Christian Bands
                               @ 5:30pm, Denim Skillet (Classic Rock)
                               @ 8:30pm, Common Ground, (Classic Rock)
Thursday, July 11th @ 6:30pm, Ranger & The Re-Arrangers (Gypsy Jazz)
Thursday, July 18th @ 6:30pm, Blue Rocket Music (Blues/Rockabilly)
Thursday, July 25th @ 6:30pm, Greenbriar Project (Classic Rock)
Thursday, August 1st @ 6:30pm, Dusty Cadillac (Blues)
Thursday, August 8th @ 6:30pm, Usual Suspects (Classic Rock)
Thursday, August 15th @ 6:30pm, Cowgirl Dreams (Country Swing)
Thursday, August 22nd @ 6:30pm, Sinatra Tribute, Joey Jewell
Thursday, August 29th @ 6:30pm, The Illusion of Elvis (Danny Vernon)
Sunday, September 1st @ 3pm, Delphi (Pop, Rock, R&B)

                             

Port Orchard Farmers Market NOW OPEN Saturdays!

I was on scene yesterday at the Ribbon Cutting of the 35th Annual Farmers Market in Port Orchard, WA. The Port Orchard Farmers Market offers flowers, produce, shellfish, plants, foods, arts and crafts to the community rain or shine. The market opened a week earlier this year than last and unfortunately market goers had a rough downpour of cold windy rain and hail about 10am. Although the day did clear up from time to time throughout the afternoon, shoppers braved a cold day in the elements to shop for goodies produced locally.

Did you know the market now excepts Debit/Credit Cards, Quest/SNAP cards. Customers wanting to 'charge it' will receive wooden tokens good for redemption at various market vendors. Did you know the market is always looking for volunteers? You can enjoy a day at the market and do something good for your community!

The market runs seasonally each year. 2013 is in full swing with Farmers Markets every Saturday from 9am to 3pm until October 12th. This year a special Harvest Dinner will celebrate the end of the season with a dinner made up of local foods and will include an auction and more! Stay tuned for details toward the end of summer.

The Port Orchard Farmers Market has designated some special events throughout the summer that will include live music and much more.

Listed by month, the special events for 2013 are:
May 11 - Celebrating Mom.
June 15 - Fun for Fathers.
July 13 - Kids Day
August 10 - Farmers Market Week
September 14 - The Great Tomato Taste-Off
October 12 - Chili Cook-Off

I also wanted to mention I had the honor of meeting the new Fathoms O'Fun Royal Court for 2013. All four teens were very polite and despite chilly temperates they smiled brightly for on lookers and photographers. I think its great to see teens getting involved in positive things!

King Aaron Thomas, Princess Alyssa Josephsen,
Princess Carly Fulbright and Ambassador Delaney Triplett

Kitsap County Commissioner Charlotte Garrido was one of
the founders of the Port Orchard Farmers Markets. She cut the
Ribbon of the 35th Annual market with a little assistance from
a long time friend and market supporter.

Look for this booth to make purchases
with Debit/Credit or EBT cards.

With A Stroke Of A Brush

The old colors were grey with dark green trim.

I've blogged before about my yard projects and all the work involved in owning a home built in 1925. Recently we hired painters to paint the house and garage.
I struggled for almost a year as to what color to paint the house. My husband and I knew we wanted a red door and I was firmly set on the white trim. One afternoon while raking in the backyard, I came across an old terra cotta tile. I loved how the creamy greenish color looked with the red. Thanks to so many options of paint color these days, it was easy to find one to match the tile- Thermal Spring.
We hired Corliss Painting from Port Orchard to do the work. Darren came out and we did a walk around to assess what work would be necessary. The side of the house that gets the sun the majority of the day was down to bare wood in some places and missing siding in others. It took two crew members, Pat and Steven, two days to pressure wash the house and garage and to scrap and prep the old house. Job site Foreman, Mike, showed up with a couple more guys the first day of painting and did a wonderful job of repairing the old siding. Trying to match up old pieces with new isn't an easy task! The repairs really made a difference! I was so happy to see all the old tar paper and bare wood covered with siding! Two and a half days of painting later the masterpiece was finished! The outcome is amazing and I wanted to share some before and after photos.

I absolutely love the bright new color of our house! 

Our garage roof was covered with moss
and needed major love!

Love indeed! Pressure washing was just what this
old structure needed before the transforming paint job!

On the Upside!

The last time I wrote a Blog, I was feeling pretty poorly. Fighting an injury and the public's general attitude toward those with disabilities was a lot for this 'do-gooder' gal to handle. Fortunately, I am feeling much better- physically and mentally. I've learned a lot and hope the lessons are ones I will keep close to my heart for eternity.

The most surprising lesson I have learned is that people really do tend to shy away from people with disabilities. I experienced this prejudice first hand when using a cane to walk my usual route with my dog, Zigi. I noticed that people approaching would look at me, look at the cane and look away. When close enough to pass by these people they would say hi to my Dog and I was lucky to get a nod from someone walking by looking at the ground.  This same group of people are those who I would generally smile and say hi to because they would be looking at me while walking by. Now that my knee is healing, I don't need the cane much and get lots of smiles and hellos from those walking by. I find it very odd and sad that disabilities are met with such discomfort. Our society is that way. It's not right, but it's true. A friend reminded me that as children we are taught 'not to stare' at those who are different from us, so I guess it only goes to reason why this behavior is so common. It still makes me sad, though, and I hope I can step up to be a better person remembering to take an extra minute to smile at someone with physical differences. I hope also, to include, options for all persons when writing about public places, parks, etc.

The second lesson I learned (yet again) is how precious good health is. I've always been blessed with great health, so I've always took it for granted. Losing the physical ability to walk correctly or easily for a while has really humbled me and given me a new outlook on slowing down a little bit to enjoy life more. I injured myself from overworking when my body was already showing signs of exhaustion- for two days! That's just plain silly.

I am a firm believer that life gives you what you need when you need it if you have a open mind and heart. I'm the first to admit I like to over achieve, everyday. When I don't over achieve, I feel the day wasn't used to its fullest and it upsets me. Perhaps this injury and all the time of thinking about it will help me lighten up and let go a little more....And well, maybe it will make me work harder to make up for lost time. One things for sure, I'm not going to run a marathon anytime soon.....

Life's Hard Lesson or Two or Twelve.....

The last time I wrote a Blog, I was venting about my knee injury. Which, unfortunately, isn't any better. It's been a hard time for me the past few weeks. The excitement I had about the PortOrchardLiving.org has since wained. I am trying to be excited, I know the potential is great, but the problem is my pain is at a near untolerable level and it's taking a toll on my good attitude. I have a new found respect and appreciation for being able to walk and look forward to walking without a cane again soon. (Did I mention I have to walk with a cane now?)
I'm a true believer that life gives you what you need when you need it. Along with the belief, I believe it goes the other way too. I think life can take things away to teach valuable lessons. My fight with depression and pain the past three weeks hasn't been without benefit, although the lessons I am being taught are hard for me to understand and very frustrating.
Once I started using the cane I noticed that people look away from me and won't make eye contact. Don't think I am paranoid. I walk my dog at least once a day and was used to greeting passers by with a big smile and 'hello' or 'good morning'.  The first day I used the cane I noticed that people will look at me, look at the cane and look down at the ground as they pass me. My 'hello' is now met with a nod if I am lucky, but no eye contact, no smiles, no conversation. My dog, however, is still acknowledged and often petted. The same scenario has held true each day I have had to use the cane to walk.
It's occurred to me in the past few days how appreciative I am for the upbringing I had. I lived around senior citizens and was taught to be kind to everyone despite age or physical differences. Having never had any discrimination shown against me, this time in my life seems especially cruel.
'What is it life is teaching you?', you may be thinking. I think life is teaching me to slow down and appreciate life more. It's also teaching me that persons with physical differences are treated differently and maybe someday I will be able to help change that. All I know is that, my injury, my depression, my sadness, has to mean something, it has to be for a reason.
Please God, let it be for a good reason.

Ready To Run From The Sidelines

To date, March has been an interesting month. Mixed with the best feedback for my website and a personal injury, I feel like I'm stuck in the mud.
A week ago Sunday I pulled some muscles in the back of my right knee. Last week I spent most days with ice on it in a elevated position. I finally ended up going to the Emergency Room on Saturday because the swelling had barely gone down and the pain is so severe. A set of X-rays and an ultra sound later, I have no broken bones and no blood clots (Thank God!!). The pain, however, I do still have. Adding insult to injury, yesterday I feel down a few concrete steps in the basement and added a huge bruise on my right hip and my right forearm. OUCH!
I'm so frustrated. As I sit here typing this, I can feel shoots of pain radiating from my left hip and I'm afraid to stand up to feel pain again on my right side. It's so discouraging- I have great aspirations for my new website and need to get out in the community to talk about it. I'm just hoping I can walk and talk at the same time without a grimace on my face.

Can't You Read My Mind?

I know you can't read my mind, hence, the subject of today's Blog.

It occurred to me (as I check the stats of my daily blog readers) that I would like to take an opportunity to say a few things I may have neglected to mention.

First off, last week was amazing. Friday I was blessed to find an article about myself and PortOrchardLiving.org on page 8 of the Port Orchard Independent newspaper. In past endeavors, I've been mentioned a few times in newspapers, but to be featured on a page was awesome!!! Thank you Danny Oliveaux (Editor of the POI)!!!

Second, the website I created is a work in progress. I've been working on adding more businesses everyday and I've got some ideas for some new features in the future too. I want to spend the time building it correctly so that I can optimize search engines and truly be an asset to Port Orchard by providing information that search engines pick up. Basically, please bare with me- if you don't see something you're looking for, PLEASE LET ME KNOW!

Thirdly, My sincere goal with the PortOrchardLiving.org website, the Port Orchard Living facebook page and everything else I do here is to promote Port Orchard. I really love this place and want to be a part of its economic success. You may ask why I feel I am capable of this.... It's not that I am capable of creating economic success for Port Orchard- it's that I have the tools of knowledge to create an information system that will (hopefully) create more search engine traffic that draws attention to Port Orchard. I'm really passionate about what I am doing, so I hope the fire I have within me will ignite an interest in others as well.

On other notes, I am thrilled with the traffic on the site so far. In less than 2 weeks since it went 'live' there have been more than five hundred visitors each week, with a spike after the newspaper article last week. Facebook is collecting 'LIKES' as well- we have an official page now: facebook.com/portorchardliving.

I feel really, really excited and blessed by this!! Thank you for reading and I hope you'll be back!

Waterpark Expansion & More!

You may have noticed the lane closure at SR 166/Bay Street just past Harrison a few blocks to Rockwell Ave if you are traveling away from downtown going west toward Annapolis.  Road closures can be a bother, but in this case, I am not thinking about the now, but rather the later and what the project completion will bring.

The Waterfront Park Expansion Project is well underway and I’m getting excited! The City of Port Orchard is in the process of constructing a multi-purpose path/trail beginning at the Waterfront Park and ending at the Annapolis Ferry Dock. 

Taken from the Foot Ferry Dock, this picture shows the
construction area right below the Golden Grill restaurant
shown in the background. Notice the beach on the left side-
caution was taken to keep debris out of the water.

When I first heard about the expansion, I thought, ‘what a great idea’. I mean, who doesn’t like a nice walk along the coast, right?! The more I learn about the project the more excited I become, because it’s not just our area that is getting a new pathway. Imagine being able to ride your bike to other towns along the water? Imagine heading out with the kids for an adventure with a picnic lunch. All these ideas and more are going to be possible when the full scope of this project is realized.

The project is considered a portion of the ‘Mosquito Fleet Trail’ and is named after the commuter ferries that linked our community with those nearby in the early days of Sidney (now of course, called Port Orchard). The project is adopted from the Kitsap County Greenways Plan completed in 1996.  Read more about it here and check out the map of the projected plan.

You can also read more about the current Bay Street Pedestrian Path and check out a map here.

Another picture of construction area taken on the existing boardwalk behind Peninsula Feed.