The Beautiful Oregon Coast

Since I make so many changes on the web site I decided to add a new page to make it easier for all of you that frequently visit the site to find my most recent changes. I hope this helps you find what is new and where changes have been made.

Just thought I’d take a moment to thank the Veteran’s Administration. Without going into details, I have a chronic condition which I’ve dealt with since shortly leaving the military. I spent nearly 20 years going to private doctors until someone mentioned to give the V.A. a try. With some reservations I decided to go, and to my great surprise I found them to be compassionate, caring, and very, very understanding. I now recieve both physical and mental health services from them, and my medications are sent in the mail each month at very little charge. My doctor actually “calls me” out the blue just to ask how I am doing, and if I need anything. How many private doctors do that? It’s an uplifting experience and yet a very sobering one at the same time. There are so many veterans in terrible shape, and I know some that will admit themselves to the hospital for a couple of weeks just to get off the streets to find a warm bed and three meals a day. It really opened my eyes. There are times when I think things cannot get any worse, but seeing some of these veterans in much worse shape than myself makes me than God that I’m doing as well as I am. I often see vets on the streets, holding signs asking for food, money, or work and I again thank the Lord that I’m not in that position. I ask you all that the next time you see a Vet on the street asking for help to stop and at least speak to them. Far too many are homeless, have terrible delibating physical and mental problems. Take a moment to think: They most likely got that way because they were willing to sacrifice their lifes in order for you to have your freedoms. I am rather irritated with the current administration in Washington wanting to cut back on VA Benefits, hospital closures, and the propects of what will happen to the returning vets now. Don’t think for a moment that any vet comes home the same as they left. If not physically scarred, many are surely emotionally hurting. Don’t think that “guy” standing on the corner is a bum in his or her tattered clothes, often unshaven with long hair. Sad fact is they probably do not have the resources to buy clothes, find a place to bathe, or get a haircut, much less any food in their stomachs. Sad thing is, there are phonies out there claiming to be Vets, but a few questions should help you determine the truth from the lies. Many vets will have a Universal Medical ID card that they would be happy to show you. That could be your son, or daughter, or father, or mother on the streets, and worse yet it could be you sometime in the future. I urge you all to contact your local congressman or congresswoman and urge them to fight for veteran’s rights. A good place to start is the VA online . Our sons and daughters are dying every day for you!. Please stand up and do something for them. Would the cost of a cup of coffee be too much to spare? A hot meal? A coat or clothing? A pack of cigarrettes? A small job so they can have a few dollars in their pockets? Please don’t judge what you cannot understand. Remember, if not for the grace of God that could be you or a loved one.

I’ve been recieving quite a number of requests asking me if their are any guides in the area for crabbing and clamming. I’ve also been asked for a list of places or people that rent equipment. Well, rather than farm out all that information I’ve decided to do it myself. Please vist my Crabbing and Clamming Guide Services page. Also, throughout this web site there is most of the information you need to learn to enjoy these activities on your own. The frequently asked questions page would be a very good place to start along with the tide chart, crabbing, and clamming info pages.

Here I sit listening to the “pitter patter” of raindrops on the roof – well is that just abnormal for the Oregon coast (smile). Actually, although the rain is upon us once again I do have that feeling of spring in the air. I see some of the flowers are starting to bloom and the tourists are arriving for Spring Break. Remember, I’m available for rent and so is my clamming and crabbing equipment. There have been some good low tides these past few days and I know just the place to go (hint). Crabbing has been fair for those off the docks, but again, there is a certain time of day to go when you’ll most surely come home with enough crabs for a nice meal (even if it’s a meal for one). One thing I don’t think I’ve mentioned on my crabbing page is to check the claws/legs to see how much meat is there. A soft leg will have less meat, and the crab just won’t taste quite as good as one with hard legs. There’s another free hint for all of you. Don’t forget those shellfish licenses ERR (no, I really think they are a good thing). It’s bothered me since I’ve been in Oregon to see just anyone out taking “my clams and crabs” and then head for the hills or back to wherever they came from. The state needs the money, and it will surely help the shellfish population in the long run. The price of a license is less than the price of one whole crab in the store so it’s well worth the money.

On a side note – does anyone know of a company that makes a camera “umbrella”? I really don’t want to incase mine in one of those underwater gizmos, but rain is not a good thing for a digital camera. I could also use a filter for my LED screen. Certain times of the day make it almost impossible to see, and the lens finder is not what you are really capturing. Let me know if you are aware of any gadgets like I mentioned – it sure would make my photography easier and would protect my camera and help my eyes. Glasses only do so much.

The weather report was updated last night for the week and the site appears to be up-to-date. I also added a new favorite weekly picture today – another sunset – big surprise to those of you that know me.

Also, my guestbook entries will not show up until I approve them. I don’t need unwanted messages hitting my site live before I have a chance to look at them. I’m only checking for bad words and things like that. If you don’t like the site, I’ll post your opinion, but just leave out the bad words.

Enjoy the Spring Break everyone.

Well, I made it through the winter without the hint of a cold, and to my good luck woke up on the first day of Spring with the flu. I guess I should have taken the flu shot when it was offered, but I get pricked enough so didn’t feel lke volunteering for one. I spent half of the other night freezing, the other half burning up, and all of it tossing and turning. Usually when I feel ill I’ve found it’s best just to go about my business – for some reason days in bed don’t seem to be “just what the doctor ordered”, but yesterday I did spend the day in bed. Feeling a bit better tonight. Figures, we get our first “hot” day of spring and I’m in bed. The night before I went to Radar Hill to enjoy the sunset and got some rather new nice sunset photos. I’ve been redoing all my pages. The navigation needed some work and pictures needed updating.

I’m beginning to wonder about this “blog” thing. It’s not like it’s a diary. I surely don’t put in my deepest thoughts here, and really, does anyone care what I think. I once wrote a poem in College about “words” – and that’s all this blog and most seem to be. Idle words with little or no meaning. I’d like to think it’s not the first page on my web site my visitors view. I suppose it’s just a place to put “words” that don’t fit within the confines of my web site.

I’m actually running out of ideas for the web site. I know I need to get a fishing page in there and perhaps some local govt. info about the city of Coos Bay, but there are other web sites that do that better than I ever could. Facts are not high on my priority list for this web site. I write the way I feel about things and just try and offer anyone interested in the area some of the sights and scenery.

I dont feel this is the place to vent my frustrations nor to share intimate details about my life. Like anyone would really care. It’s my life and I’ll keep it to myself and will only share it with my family. My personal views of politics, religion, etc. would serve what point if I was to post them here?

I’ll just continue to use this page as an “update” to my web site and little if nothing more. It might be different if this blog was my web site, but it’s not. It’s just one very meidocre page and not my primary concern. I even bore myself when I write here, and I’ve noticed that I don’t write nearly as often as I once did. These “words” would better be used to express myself to my loved ones and not to just anyone that happens upon this page.