Blog World....meet Lightning

Unnamed Sea Otter:  Hurry Drunk Fox, we need to get this post up ASAP.
Drunk Fox: I'm working as fast as my paws will let me.

Unnamed Sea Otter: We need to get this post up by today, September 30th.
Drunk Fox: I know, I know.
Unnamed Sea Otter: Today is Sea Otter Awareness Day.  You know, it's the capstone event of Sea Otter Awareness week.  Did you know that Sea Otters were hunted into near extinction for their furs from 1741 to  1911 when hunting our fur was banned.  The recovery of the sea otter is one of the most successful marine conservation efforts in the world.
Drunk Fox: Yes, yes, I know Otter.......I read Wikipedia too.

Unnamed Sea Otter:  Now, let's get down to business.  In honor of this day I have decided to tell the world my new name.
Drunk Fox: Um, OK.  Let me get Reindeer for this ceremonious event. 
Unnamed Sea Otter:  Yes, good idea.  Get ready for it.  Drumroll please......my new name is Lightning the Sea Otter or Lightning for short.  Thank you for all of Little Fox's stuffy friends for helping me decide a name and I appreciate your suggestions.

Drunk Fox: Whew, good thing we announced your new name today on Sea Otter Day.
Lightning:  Thanks Drunk Fox.  You have been a great helper today.
Drunk Fox: Anytime Unnamed Sea Ott.....oh I mean Lightning.

Air Show Party

Hi Friends,
Drunk Fox here.  The airshow is in town and I live on the flightpath so my backyard has a front row seat.  I decided to throw a party together at the last minute.  Let's see what I have in the kitchen.  Uh, yes, Droopy be aware this post should have a Drool Alert posted.

What a great day for the air show.  The sun is out, the table is clear, what more could a fox ask for?

Sequoia wanted to come out.  He sniffed around then decided to rest.

Every good party has to have food.  Let's see what I have in my kitchen.  Ah yes, Peanut Butter and Jelly - that will do.

Hmm, I better get some chips too.  Just in case my stuffy friends want something else. 

I was reading a Martha Stewart blog earlier today about how to throw a good party and she said drinks are important at any party. 

Let's see: Coffee, Sparkling Cider, and Ginger Beer (don't worry gang, it's Non-Alcoholic). 

Little Bear and unnamed Otter are my first guests. Looks like Little Bear is going to double fist the coffee and ginger beer.  That's an odd combination.

Big Bear decided to show up.  Big Bear is taking flying lessons so he was beary interested in attending my party.

Perhaps a little pre-airshow entertainment.  The Martha Stewart Blog said to have some entertainment lined up.  I was able to book Kermit the Frog.  I hope that is acceptable. 

You know, it's odd.  I don't see Reindeer here and I was hoping that he would come. I know he wants me to be a better cook but I tell you I like my Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches.  I hope he comes to enjoy the party.

Ah yes, he made it!  Now we wait for the show to start. 

The Blue Angels didn't come this year but you have to admit they are pretty cool to watch.  Years ago the Canadian Snow Birds (the airplane group, not the Rver's coming to vacation) came to the show as well.

The F/A 18 did graze our cul-de-sac today as they were getting ready for their maneuvers at the air show. 

Otterly adorable

Hello Blog Pals,
Drunk Fox at the helm of the blog today.

The doorbell rang today.  Apparently answering the door is another job Little Fox does (only he know how he reaches the door) that has now been delegated to me.

How does Little Fox reach up here? 

There was a huge box addressed to me, Drunk Fox.  This is weird. I usually don't get any mail (I try to live off the grid).

I examined the label in further detail.  Yep, that's Little Fox's handwriting.  No return address (I guess he is still "finding himself".

Looks like Stuffie Shipping Service is a division of UPS.  Go figure. 

I better open this box.  Perhaps it's fresh peanut butter.

I looked in and saw a small little otter.  I carefully pulled him out and quickly got him some water (to drink, not to swim in).

Otter and I got to chatting and I learned that he met Little Fox on an adventure and Otter wanted to stay with us.  I asked him his name and he said he didn't have one.


Now.....naming animals is not my humans strong suit.  For example, I am Drunk Fox.

We also have Big Bear.

Who can forget Little Bear.

Looks like Otter made it into this picture. 

Don't forget Reindeer.  I started calling him Otter and he got very upset saying "I want a name".

Now, I just finished a bag of JoJo's for lunch so I suggested JoJo.  He looked at me like I was CRAZY for suggesting JoJo (by the way I understand that not all of the country calls them JoJo's....strange huh).

So we need a name:  Here are my choices that Otter could live with but I could use some help from the stuffy community.  Do any of my stuffy friends have suggestions?  Here is what we have come up with but we're open to suggestions.

1) Wicket the Otter
2) Biscuit the Otter
3) Shelly the Otter
4) Chowder the Otter
5) Olive the Otter

Now, I am going figure out how to get rid of this big box.

Unofficial capitals of the world.

Hej kompisar.
Drunk Fox here.  Today, I went on an exploration of Albany, Oregon.  The first stop (after lunch) on all of my adventures is the local museum to get an overview of the area.  Couple things I learned at the museum.
1) Albany, Oregon was named after Albany, New York (huh, I would have thought it was the other way around).
2) Albany is the county seat of Linn County and more importantly "the unofficial grass seed capital of the world".
3) Albany is the self proclaimed "rare earth metals of the world" capital.  Albany produces zirconium, hafnium, and titanium.

Let's travel back to 1845.   Mr. Abner Hackleman was the first European settler in Albany.  He was a farmer from Iowa who came out to get a land claim and brought his friend Hiriam Snead to get another claim for his son.  The next year he goes back to Iowa to get the family and dies on passage.  Fast forward to 1847 and the Monteith Brothers from Albany, New York take Oregon Trail to Oregon. They buy the land claims from Snead for $400 and a horse and platted 60 acres for the town site.  The rest is history.

Here I am in front of the Monteith's house in downtown Albany.  The house is the most authentically restored pioneer home in Oregon (circa 1849).  It has stood the test of time. 

Speaking of the Monteith family.  Here I am enjoying this nice bench at Monteith park.  The Willamette river is behind me and that bridge is for highway 20.  Highway 20 travels from Oregon to Boston. 

Lots of old buildings in downtown. The building on the right used to be a boarding house on the top floor and a grocer on the bottom.  The remodeled the boarding house part to one large apartment. 

In San Francisco there is a nice hotel (or so I hear) called the St. Francis.  Here I am posing in front of the St. Francis in Albany. 

This looks like the kind of alley Sandy's gramma would go for a back alley deal.  I wonder if I can find some cheap chicken to bring home to the gang?

Popular places to visit in Albany? Ok, here is Drunk Fox's spot #1.  Burger Queen, not to be confused with a similar sounding burger restaurant. 

The original breakfast (now serving lunch).  According to the sign it's better than grandma's. We'll see about that.  

My favorite place.  It's a little seedy and sketchy but that's how I roll. Do you see it?  Fox Den.  Fox Fun. 

So now that you are all excited to see Albany you are probably asking yourself, "how do I get there?"  Good question.  Albany has the oldest operating airport west of the Mississippi (another story for another day).  No commercial service though.

 Amtrak serves Albany.  Don't fall asleep on the train, you might miss the stop.

 If you are more adventurous you can ride the rails and take a freight train to Albany.  Looks like Union Pacific serves Albany.   Jerry and Ben, this might be your preferred mode of transportation since you two love trains.

 One last think about Albany is they have a convenience store called Dari Mart that sells farm fresh ice cream in their stores from local farms.  What a way to end the day.

Extreme closeup, Eh?