Git'R'Done!

Um....????

Score - Jetta/Skidplate 1 - Concrete - 0

So I was out running errands last week...specifically on SR900 between Renton and Issaquah. Just driving along, minding my own business, sunroof open, tunes on the stereo. Suddenly the car in front of me swerved, and just as I was reacting, I saw what it was he was swerving to avoid - a chunk of concrete about the size of a softball. Without time to avoid it, I ran smack into it at about 45mph. I cursed at the top of my lungs, pulled the car over immediately and shut the engine off, assuming that this prison softball may have penetrated the aluminum skidplate I have protecting the oil pan. I waited for a break in traffic and peered my head underneath -

No fluid spills apparent (yet). Thank god! I let the car sit a minute and then fired it back up. No strange noises either, I think we're ok!

As I was about to pull onto the road again, I paused, got back out, and scrounged through the bushes for the assailant. I brought it home as a memento, and now we've got ourselves a nice redneck doorstop!

Behold the (lack of) carnage -

Are you excited about the presidential election?

I know I am...and so are these guys!

In case you can't put it all together...

Here's a nice Venn Diagram for you...
Crimes and Misdemeanors

Mmmm, Cold, Frosty, Hoppy, Fermented Goodness...

So I headed on over to the Mac and Jacks Brewery on Monday to finally pick myself up a pony keg. $80 later I'm headed home with the Northwest's best brew! I got the keg installed and gave it a while to settle. My first pour was still a bit foamy. The documentation that I have said to set the CO2 at about 12psi. I've got it down to around 8 to see if that will kill the foam a bit (though I can live with it). But if Kevin were here pouring, it'd be a major problem...who taught that guy to dispense beer?

Foam or not, when I come home from work my Mac and Jacks is cold and fresh! This, my friends, is living! And major thanks to my lovely wife...remember, it all strictly environmental/economical!



Come on over for a beer anytime!

One Remote to rule them all...

With apologies to JR.R. Tolkien...

So Jaime had originally presented me with a new car stereo for my birthday (it's what I wanted!) but no sooner had I finally gotten it then we had ordered the Sportwagen. So I finally got the stereo sold on Craigslist, and in the meantime, Jaime replaced my birthday gift with something even MORE awesome! Ladies and Gentlemen, I present you with the Logitech Harmony One universal remote control...


That's right, one remote control, for EVERYTHING! This thing is totally sweet! That's the only way to describe it! Tivo? Cable Box? DVD player? TV? Stereo? EVERYTHING! And it's wife approved due to the aesthetic appeal of a coffee table with only one remote control.

It does have a couple of bugs. If you turn on say the TV, but then use the remote to change to something else, it'll turn it off, since it's all macro based, but it is easy to get around that, and it is HIGHLY intuitive. A great product!

Just a minor oversight...

So I failed to mention that July 8th was our two year wedding anniversary. I didn't forget on the actual day, so it's forgivable, right Jaime? Thanks (or maybe not) to Brooke for pointing that out...
Jaime is the most rockin' most awesome wife ever!!!! (Plus she's pretty and smart!!) We enjoyed the evening with a nice meal, a sunset, and a bottle of champagne from our wedding!

In the past two weeks...

Geoff and Jaime have -

Travelled to Portland, Mt. St. Helens, and Leavenworth
Worked a combined total of 90+ Hours (Jaime only took 1 day off, Geoff 0)
Spent app. 6 hours at the gym
Assembled 1 Kegerator
Averaged 46mpg in the Jetta with the AC on (That's 701 miles on one tank!)
Cooked numerous meals
Taken over 100 pictures
Spent over 8 hours listening to music (that's time in the car, folks!)

Last weekend we drove down to Portland to participate in our niece and nephew's baptisms. Apparently I'm responsible enough to be a god parent. Just thank god I'm not responsible enough to be a real parent yet...You hear that all you people quipping about Geoff and Jaime buying a family car? NOT a real parent!

We had a great time hanging out with Ryan Remick's parents Paul and Sandy. They have beautiful home that they opened up to us for the post Baptismal party! Isabel and Peyton were absolutely perfect at the ceremony, we are very excited to "officially" be Peyton's godparents, as are Ryan and Michal of Isabel.

We also had a nice dinner with Jaime's cousin Kelly and her boyfriend Matt. Jaime's friend Nick also joined us. Unfortunately our venue wasn't a very good choice - McMenamins Edgefield - it's a cool concept - Brewery, Winery, Park, Golf course, restaurant, concert venue all in one - but our service at the restaurant was atrocious...if non existent - by the time we got our food, it was already cold, and parts of the order were incorrect. Oh well! We went back to the Hotel Bar and had a grand time...but come Oregon, you can still smoke indoors? LAME!



Monday morning we drove back and took a nice detour to Mt. St. Helens as Jaime had never been before and I hadn't been in at least 12 years. Wow. What else can you say? Jaime was thoroughly impressed - funniest moment was after we had watched a video on the eruption, and they had mentioned the massive landslide when the entire north face of the mountain slid away. Jaime thought that maybe massive wasn't quite the right word...epic perhaps? Over 1400 feet of the top of the volcano and most of the earth inside was gone in little over 20 minutes. I'll post the pictures, but if you have not been, you need to go. And with the (fairly) new Johnston Ridge Observatory, you can get to within 2.5 miles of the crater. It's amazing to say the least...



The rest of the week was the usual - work gym cook work sleep etc...except Wednesday, when my kegerator finally arrived. Talk about gigantic box! I spent the late afternoon assembling it and got it all setup. Now I've just got to get the CO2 tank filled and pick up a keg and I'll be enjoying frosty cold beverages whilst saving money and not wasting glass!

We also had our friends Kevin and Param visit on Wednesday night and had a very nice evening chatting and imbibing with them...too bad they had to go home to New York.

Friday night all the Graves kids were able to get together, at Doofers no less! (A bar near my parents house) It was nice to be able to catch up with Ryan & Michal and Tina & Ryan without any children around. Unfortunately we had to keep it early because I had to work at 6am on Saturday.

I made it through work on Saturday and Jaime came and picked me up and we headed up to the cabin near Leavenworth. It was in the 80s by the time we got there and we arrived just in time for beer'o'clock. I started the campfire later and we had a nice night sitting out under the stars enjoying family. Sunday was spent floating in the river and enjoying the weather! I didn't get too badly burned, but clearly missed a couple of spots with the sunblock. I also managed to fall into the river and dunk the car keys and the camera, but everything works...And the best news of all - Thank God Jaime didn't get eaten by a bear...

And here we are on Monday...Jaime had to work, but ha, I had to get a filling replaced today...d'oh! Who says ibuprofen and IPA don't mix? Hope everyone is doing well, and I'll try to keep more up to date...

Nordstrom's Anniversary sale starts Friday, so go shop!!!

Updates soon, I promise

Sheesh, we've been busy lately...I'll get photos and info from this weekend posted soon, I promise!

Sunset in West Seattle

Enjoy the Summer
(and I'm still working on my photography skills!)

Dan and Courtney are Home!!!

Two of our best friends, Dan and Courtney Dunne, are home from living in New Zealand! We joined them at Dan's parents house for a nice barbecue on Saturday and enjoyed their company (and Boundary Bay Beer!) We are so excited to have them back and to be able to once again enjoy their company...

Update -

My kegerator has been shipped and is en-route to West Seattle!