Wow!

Wow! is right!  It's been almost a year since I've posted on Fredley on Whidbey.  I've been doing my blogging on Home on Whidbey instead.  

Brad finished up 2012 with 5000 miles of hiking under his belt and a wonderful relationship developing with Yessi from Xiamen, China, the woman he trekked the Annapurna Circuit with at the end of last year (and my last post on this blog).

Yessi & Brad, Annapurna Circuit

In the spring Yessi came to the U.S. for four months to hike with Brad as he recorded trail miles and conditions for Green Trail Maps.  They started their adventure with a motorcycle trip to California; joining fellow 2012 thru-hikers at the 2013 PCT kickoff party; and then hiking Big Sur. 

Yessi & Brad, California

Brad & Yessi's mode of transportation through Washington, Oregon & California 

A sweet little cottage on Whidbey Island was their summer retreat between northwest hiking trips to the Olympics, Cascades,  Mt. Rainier and Glacier Peak Wilderness.

Brad & Yessi, Mt. Rainier

Then Yessi returned to China and we all mourned her absence. But, woohoo, she returned in two months and she's here still and we're delighted!

Yessi & Brad

  

In the meantime, Ed and Fran are traveling to Cuenca, Ecuador in January to check it out for four weeks in anticipation of moving there permanently in the spring of 2013. 

Fran, Ed & Benton in Garden on Grace

We wish you all a very happy and healthy holiday season!

“Unless we make Christmas an occasion to share our blessings,

 all the snow in Alaska won’t make it ‘white’.” 

~ Bing Crosby ~

Brad's Adventure!

SeaTac Departure

Check out his new shirt from Wander on Whidbey

Brad departs for New Zealand tomorrow for a five-month hike of the Te Araroa Trail. The missing-of-Brad has already started and he's still in Seattle. If you want to follow Brad's adventure see Brad's Blog or Fran's Blog as they follow Brad on the Te Araroa Trail from the north tip of New Zealand to the south tip. An adventure that will unfold over the next five months (mid November to mid April).

Tater Tot and Sushi Moto

We've had a sad kitty month. Both of Brad's much-loved kitties have died recently. Toter Tot of old age and Sushi Moto of Cancer. Goodbye sweet kitties.

Benton At Six Months

Benton is growing up. At 35 lbs. he's the perfect size and we're hoping he will stop growing, RIGHT NOW. He's a cutie and we're loving him most of the time. Every now and then though his puppy antics are trying, but mostly he's super.

Karra & Dennis

Seeing Karra and Dennis again, after several years, was wonderful. Unfortunately, their son (now 6) didn't come along because they were having a business meeting with Brad and didn't want the distraction. However, we haven't seen him since he was an infant, so we were disappointed. We're looking forward to the next visit -- with all three of them!

Annie

Sweet Annie who helped us build our new home and has loved living here, died on the bridge, one of her favorite spots, on Saturday. Too soon we've had to dig a grave in our new garden and too soon we've had to say goodbye to our much loved pup (she was only 11). We have a huge, huge empty spot at Grace Lane and in our hearts.

A stream of our favorite people...

Taigan

Marti, Shelly, Paula, Betty & Ann

Brad & Erin

Michael & Shelly

Elliott, Ed & Judy

A glorious day of family and friends...

Lots of visitors today...

Kim with Annie

Peggy & Marty with Ed

Ursula & Ann

John with Brad

Moving in on N E A T after two+ years of construction mess

Construction piles are going away and driveway gravel is getting spread.

How did we get our name?

We're building on Whidbey Island: "on whidbey"

There are three of us in our family: "fredley" -- Fran (fr), Ed (ed), and Bradley (ley)

Front Door

Here, Brad is constructing our front door, which is now installed, with weather stripping and all. We're still waiting for the glass to arrive for this door, as well as our two bridge doors, plus we need the hardware for the front door. Otherwise, they are fully functional, including temporary but quite functional "plastic windows". The completion of the details for our living pleasure and comfort are getting checked off the list at a nice pace.

Eli, Dick, Andrew & Brad

Steel countertop

Our bath counter top (with hole for the sink, the back splash and the small shelf) is almost ready for installation. Brad, the real designer, creator and force behind this project, like all our projects, is grinding the cut edge before dropping in the sink. The next pictures are of me grinding the edges. But, really it's a set up as I did very little. Making the sparks is the real fun.

Merry Christmas!

Fran & Ed cook in new kitchen (first picture) and new table set for Christmas Eve dinner (second picture). We love our new home and are anxious to be full time residents in the beautiful spaces Brad's created.

Lots of winter this year!

Our December goals are finishing up our new home and moving into it. The weather and our long to-do list have both been challenging. Despite that we've taken time out to play in our winter wonderland. Happy Holidays to all of you!

Pond Planting

This weekend we added stones, a nurse log, licorice fern and sedges (have edges) to the edges of the pond and to the fen.

Gail & Joe

This past week, as part of a pizza/movie evening, Joe and Gail toured our building project.

Rhonda, Kerry & Finn

Kerry & Finn

visit from Portland. Finn, just turned 3, hasn't been to Whidbey since he was a few months old. We were delighted to enjoy their company for several days, and it was a treat to finally show them our building project. They have been faithful blog followers but the real live thing is always more interesting. Rhonda, when they were still living in Santa Barbara, suggested the blog initially as a way to keep far-away friends informed and as a way to share the building adventure. Smart woman, that Rhonda!

Finn, Rhonda & Kerry

Rhonda, Kerry, Finn, Brad, Fran & Ed