My Old Skagit Valley Home Zone Swelters At 100 While At Same Time I Chill In Texas At 77

 Around 5:00 o'clock this Monday afternoon, after checking my phone to see the current temperature, I checked to see the current temperature in my old home zone. 

100 degrees.

Currently my location in North Texas is chilled to 77 degrees at the same time my old home zone has a Death Valley worthy temperature. As you can see, via the below screen shot from my phone, thunder is currently booming and rain is currently downpouring, in addition to that 77 degrees chilly thing.

And yet, even though it is 77, the A/C just cycled on.

At 100 degrees, at 5 in the afternoon, it looks like Western Washington had dodged the predicted temperature apocalypse of somewhere above 110, for now...

Theo & Ruby Turn Tarzan & Jane On HOT Harstine Island

That would be Theo you see swinging on a rope above.

Two photos arrived in my email this morning from Harstine Island in Puget Sound in swelteringly HOT Washington.

The text in the email explained what we are seeing...

As we drove back to our cabin from the pool, we saw it was a beautiful sunset, so we went to the beach and the twins took turns on the rope swing. It was high tide, so they could drop into the water!  I’m ready for some cooler temps, and I cannot believe that a day in the 80’s sounds nice! Usually that is waaaay too hot. I hope everyone and all the animals and trees survive this. It’s crazy!

And that would be Ruby above doing her best "Jane" imitation. 

That is a scenic sunset.

For those in Fort Worth who have never actually seen one, and who are easily duped as to what one is, Theo & Ruby are swinging on an island.

Harstine Island.

Harstine Island is surrounded by water, saltwater, to be precise. Located in the south end of Puget Sound, which is an inlet of the Pacific Ocean.

Harstine Island was not created by digging a ditch and then diverting dirty river water into the ditch and then declaring the result to be an island.

Changing the subject back to Theo & Ruby swinging on a rope vine like Tarzan & Jane, we can not help but wonder where David is.

Is he still at the Irish Redhead Event?

David could have played the Cheetah role in this Tarzan & Jane rope vine swinging scenario...

Record Heat Wave Has West Coast Hotter Than Arizona

That which you see above is a screen cap from the front page of this Monday morning's Seattle Times.

June 28, 2021, a date which will likely go down in HOT infamy, due to today's high predicted by some to be as sweltering as 113 for some locations in Western Washington, as this bizarre weather phenomenon sucks super heated air back to the west, over the mountains, from Eastern Washington.

Aunt Alice, in Tonasket, up near the Canadian border, in Eastern Washington, got up to 117 degrees yesterday. Now, it is not at all unusual for Eastern Washington to go over 100 degrees in summer. But, 117 degrees, that is unusual.

Text from the Seattle Times article about today's HOT forecast...

Sunday’s scorching 104-degree milestone, which came at 5:29 p.m., made it the hottest day since at least 1945, when official temperatures started to be measured at Sea-Tac Airport. The previous high of 103 was set in 2009.

And for Seattleites already drenched in sun and sweat, the worst remains to come.

On Monday, forecasters predict a hot wind will sweep down the slopes of the Cascade mountain range and send temperatures soaring even higher, pushing a heat-stressed region further into the unknown.  

In Seattle, “we are looking at 109, 110. 111 is not out of the question,” said Maddie Kristell, a National Weather Service meteorologist.

“The forecast tomorrow is for Seattle to be warmer than Las Vegas,” said Joe Boomgard-Zagrodnik, a postdoctoral researcher in agricultural meteorology at Washington State University. “Unheard of.”

A graphic showing it ain't just Washington that is overheating. 

 I assume the Arizona/Southeast California stats are included because those towns are always hot this time of year, never cooler, like they are today, than the other towns in other states listed.

All the towns listed in Oregon are in central Oregon, well, in the middle of the state, but on the west side of the Cascade range, except for Hermiston, which is in Eastern Oregon, hence hotter than the other towns.

Over the weekend, Seattleites Wally and Wanda were in Astoria, Oregon, located on the Pacific at the mouth of the Columbia River. Wally and Wanda reported being cooled in the 80s, whilst everyone else inland sweltered.

Of the Washington towns listed, all but Seattle are in Eastern Washington, hence HOTTER.

Of the Canadian towns, the only one of the three, the location of which I know without Googling, is Kamloops. Kamloops is in Eastern British Columbia, east of the Cascade Mountains, north of Aunt Alice in Tonasket.

Today is going to be interesting, likely a historic day for the West Coast, hopefully not tragically so...

Nephew David At International Irish Redhead Ginger Convention

Can you find my Favorite Nephew David, looking right at you, in the photo above of an assembly of a lot of Irish redhead ginger sorts at some sort of International Irish Ginger Redheads event?

David in the one and only redhead in the entire extended Jones family. This is just one of the many things which make David such a special Jones boy.

My Old Home Zone Washington Is Melting With Record HOT Temperatures

I saw this on Facebook yesterday. A weather map courtesy of KING5 in Seattle, showing the temperatures in various towns in Western Washington. 

Along with the temperature of one Eastern Washington town. 

Wenatchee.

I have long explained to people, well, Texans, who have no real understanding of the concept of mountain ranges, because, well, they have never seen one, that Washington is divided in two by the Cascade Mountains, making for two totally different climates.

Western Washington has a mild Mediterranean climate. For the most part. 

Whilst Eastern Washington has more of a North Texas type climate. For the most part. Albeit with much more scenic scenery, bigger rivers, with big dams, a lot of orchards and vineyards.

Yesterday's temperature clearly shows the difference between east and west of the mountains. The west side is for the most part not even over 100 degrees, whilst Wenatchee, on the east side, is sweltering at 1104 degrees.

The map shows Cle Elum at 99. Cle Elum is sort of in Eastern Washington, but that town is still basically up in the mountains, sort of. If you were a Northern Exposure fan, Cle Elum is only a couple miles from Rosyln, the scenic Washington tourist town which was Cicely, Alaska in Northern Exposure. 

Today, the final Sunday of June, most of Western Washington is predicted to go over 100 degrees on a record breaking HOT day.

And then on Monday, a disaster is in the making, with the temperature predicted to be in the 108 - 109 zone...

Record Washington Heat Wave Has FN Jason & Spencer Jack In Nephews In Danger Mood

The west coast is having a HEAT wave, including my old home zone part of the west coast, as in the Pacific Northwest part, where there are predictions the temperature may soar to a record breaking level above 100 degrees for the first time, west of the mountains, as in west of the Cascades.

East of the mountains, also known as Eastern Washington, regularly goes over 100 during the HOT time of the year.

Incoming email from my Favorite Nephew Jason and his first born, Spencer Jack, today, documenting the HEAT wave and the effect it is having.

As in Jason and Spencer Jack have closed their Fidalgo Drive-In til Monday, because, as is the case for much of Western Washington, the Fidalgo Drive-In has no air conditioning.

I am assuming the three day closure is based on the PNW norm of a HEAT wave only lasting three days, then cold air arrives from the Pacific, cooling things down, often with thick, refreshing fog.

Today's email from Jason and Spencer Jack including three photos along with some explanatory text.

"Thought you'd enjoy these photos---I have decided to close down my restaurant for the next 3 days, as the PNW is about to experience an historic heat wave.  I imagine there may be many deaths, as I just read that Seattle is the least air-conditioned large city in the U.S.   My restaurant is not air-conditioned."
 

"Spencer and I spent Wednesday and Thursday making the Cascade Loop, overnighting in Leavenworth."

Leavenworth is a Bavarian themed Washington tourist town. One of my favorite places when I was an in state Washingtonian.

I believe that is Liberty Bell Peak behind Jason and Spencer Jack. They are standing at an overlook vantage point at the east end of the North Cross State Highway, also known as Highway 20. This highway passes through North Cascades National Park.

I can't remember if this location is in the National Park. I suspect it is. It is a great view, looking down on the highway as it quickly descends to Eastern Washington. It can be a scary stretch of road to drive. I last drove it a month before moving to Texas. Hard to believe this type scenery used to be a short drive from my home abode.

Heading for a beach or the mountains is how Western Washingtonians get some relief from a HEAT wave. An option I do not have at my current location. But, I do have air conditioning, which is blowing cold on me even as I type.

"I made sure to stop at my favorite Nephew in Danger location: Spencer Jack Not The Nephew In Danger Crossing A Rickety Methow River Suspension Bridge and snap a photo for you."

I can remember it like it was yesterday. Jason and his brother, my Favorite Nephew Joey, took me on the Cascade Loop. That is what it is called when you make a loop of going over the North Cross State Highway pass to Eastern Washington, then Stevens Pass to return to Western Washington. The reverse works too. Or you can make it a way longer loop by making Snoqualmie Pass your way over the mountains.

Anyway, you leave Highway 20 around the tourist town of Winthrop. That's a western themed tourist town. You then head south along the Methow River, heading towards where it meets the Columbia River. There are several rickety old suspension bridges across the river. The nephews convinced me to stop at one, and then asked if they could cross it. I rarely said no, irresponsible uncle that I was. The river did not look too treacherous if one or both happened to fall in.

It looks like the bridge has greatly deteriorated since Jason and Joey tried to cross it. I am surprised that after all this time even remnants remain.

The email also included news about Jason paternal parental unit, also known as Spencer Jack's grandpa, or my little brother...

Your brother is currently visiting, and my hope is this heat makes him feel right at home.   He is currently staying with a pair of neurotics at some camp near the Olympics.  He is due to come visit this upcoming Monday.  Brother Joe and I have advised him that Monday is not an ideal travel/visiting day due to the forecasted 100+ temperatures, however, he is insisting on leaving the camp that day.  Your brother has a very hard time taking reasonable advice.

Wish us all luck.

GOOD LUCK!!!

Another Opportunity To Drone On About Fort Worth's Visionary Bridges To Nowhere

Well, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram seems to be providing a plethora of goofy things to talk about the past several days.

What you see above is a screen cap of part the front page of the Star-Telegram on this final Saturday of the 2021 version of June. An invitation to watch drone video of a completed Panther Island bridge.

As you can see, this is quite a feat of bridge engineering you are looking at. Years in the making, as in around seven years, give or take a month or two. There is no town in America which would not be super proud to have such an amazing new bridge to grace their cityscape. Look at the fine detail in the finishing touches of this completed Panther Island bridge. The landscaping is stunning.

And when that ditch is ever dug under the bridge, and lined with cement, then filled with water, well, people will come from all over the world to eye witness this marvel.

There really are not too many towns in the world which can dig a ditch, do some river diverting, and declare an island has been created. And see it as a vision.

Now, there have been some naysayers who have scoffed at the Trinity River Vision spokespeople, like J.D. Granger, spouting that these are signature bridges being built, which will become iconic symbols of Fort Worth. Now that we see the reality methinks an apology is owed to J.D. and his ilk who made the signature bridge claims. These beautiful bridges are likely to be emulated all over the world. 

And look at how this newly completed bridge leads directly to the stunning skyline of beautiful downtown Fort Worth. There will need to be a viewing platform at this location so all the tourists which descend upon Fort Worth can take a photo of this iconic scene.

Now, there are towns other than Fort Worth which have iconic signature bridges associated with their skyline. San Francisco comes to mind.

Let's compare the two, the San Francisco signature bridge and skyline, and Fort Worth's....

It's hard to decide which is the more beautiful, more stunning, more scenic. I suppose, proportionally speaking, it might be said the San Francisco bridge matches the quality of that town's skyline, and likewise with the Fort Worth bridge matching the quality of that town's skyline.

You can sure see why the federal government is gonna jump at the chance to funnel a lot of funds to Fort Worth to complete this visionary flood control and economic development scheme, what with the amazing results already brought to fruition in only a few years, well, most of this century...

Star-Telegram Wonders How Long Until Panther Island Becomes An Island

 

This morning a new article showed up in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram about America's Biggest Boondoggle. By the end of this long article we learn the article was written by a new reporter, recently moved to Fort Worth, Emily Brindley, who the Star-Telegram is characterizing as an "investigative reporter".

This should be interesting. The Star-Telegram has not had one of those before, regarding anything to do with the Trinity River Central City Uptown Panther Island District Vision, which has become, after limping along for years, America's Biggest Boondoggle.

The article is titled As another bridge opens, how long until Fort Worth’s Panther Island becomes an island?

Just the article's title raises red flags. Such as, even the article's title admits that that which has been called an island, is not an island. 

Let's go through this article and comment as we go along. The first paragraph...

Late this weekend, Fort Worth officials plan to open the new North Main Street bridge that leads to the eventual Panther Island — marking another step forward in a project that has been more than a decade in the making and is still years from completion.

First off, this project has been limping along this entire century. Just the building of the three simple little bridges is taking almost a decade. Is it not even remotely concerning that a project which originally was touted as being a vitally needed flood control/economic development scheme is still years from completion?

Clearly, not vitally needed.

The second paragraph...

But local officials say the many moving pieces of the project are beginning to align. With a new presidential administration, an impending federal infrastructure bill and the return of appropriations earmarks, officials say that federal funding could soon flow into the project and kick off the next big phase of construction.

Have we not heard this moving parts beginning to align propaganda before? There is actual vitally needed infrastructure work in America, including much work needed in Fort Worth, such as addressing actual, real, flooding issues in Fort Worth. Why would, or should the rest of America help pay for Fort Worth's inept Boondoggle after it has been so badly mismanaged for so many years?

Why should, or would, federal money flood into Fort Worth for this project when the voters of Fort Worth have never voted to approve this public works project? Let alone be asked to support a bond issue to pay for it, like towns wearing their Big City pants do.

The next two paragraphs are a doozy, followed by one of the photos from the Star-Telegram article illustrating the imaginary beautiful bridges...

Tarrant County administrator G.K. Maenius pointed to the bridges as evidence that “we’re finally seeing some results” — and he said he’s pleased with the aesthetics of those results, too.

“I don’t know if anyone realized just how beautiful those bridges are going to be,” he said. “I’m not a bridge guy, but even to me, they look pretty darn good.”

Yeah, that is one super beautiful bridge. And look at those signature V-Piers, which J.D. Granger insisted on, rather than the actual cool looking design of the West 7th Street Bridge over the Trinity River. Clearly this guy who admits he is not a bridge guy, has not seen any of the world's actual impressive signature type bridges. Maybe heading west and seeing the Golden Gate Bridge might be too much bother for education purposes, but this Tarrant County administrator could simply drive a short distance east, to Dallas, and see the two actual signature bridges over the Trinity River, which actually do look pretty darn good.

You reading this in non-Fort Worth America, you good with your tax dollars helping Fort Worth build this?  Moving on...

The creation of an island necessitates the digging of a new channel north of downtown Fort Worth, which would connect the Clear and West forks of the Trinity River and then connect the ends of a U-shaped bend in the Trinity River. The new channel would effectively create two islands, together called Panther Island.

This is the first I have read there will be two imaginary islands. Both called Panther Island. If there are two, shouldn't they be known as the Panther Islands? Like in my old home zone in Washington, where the dozen of islands in the San Juan Strait are known as the San Juan Islands. But those islands in Washington are real islands, not cut off from the mainland by a cement lined ditch.

Moving on...

And for access over the eventual channel, the Texas Department of Construction in 2014 began building the three bridges, which currently span dry land. At the time, officials said the bridges would be completed by 2018.

Texas Department of Construction? I have not heard of this Department before. Maybe the Star-Telegram's new investigative reporter can do some actual investigating to find out why it has taken so long to build three simple little bridges over dry land? With construction to be completed three years ago.

Moving on a couple paragraphs...

Officially, the $1.17 billion project is broken into two pieces: the flood control portion, which is known as the Central City project and primarily involves digging the 1.5-mile channel, and the economic development portion, which is known as the Panther Island project and primarily involves the development of the industrial land in the area.

Officially? When did this breaking the project into pieces thing officially happen? When America's Biggest Boondoggle began around the start of this century it was called Trinity Uptown. A few years later this became the Trinity River Vision. I saw Central City on signage in Gateway Park, years ago, far east from the area which does not need new flood control, because it has not flooded since well over a half century ago, due to flood prevention measures already in place. When did the economic development part of this scheme become known as the Panther Island Project? The Boondoggle has been sold as a flood control/economic development scheme from the start. Slapping the Panther Island label on this that and the other thing came around about the time J.D. Granger and the Trinity River Vision began hosting Rockin' the River Happy Hour Inner Tube Floats in the polluted Trinity River, labeling this as happening at Panther Island Pavilion. Where there is no island or pavilion, by any sane person's definition of either island or pavilion.

Skipping ahead a few exhausting paragraphs to the following doozy...

Officials have long said that it was cheaper and easier to build the bridges over dry land, and that the federal government would pay for the channel construction because it’s a flood control project.

Uh, if it was easier to build these three simple little bridges over dry land, why is the project years behind being completed? And, as has been pointed out many many times, there was no option other than to build the bridges over dry land. How could there be any other option? I mean, this entire project is rife with wanton stupidity, but it is hard to believe the stupidity could be so dumb as to dig a ditch, line it with cement, fill it with water. And then build bridges over it.

There has never been any other option than to build these bridges over dry land. How many times must this be repeated before the Star-Telegram ceases repeating this "cheaper and easier" nonsense?

The next paragraphs repeat the propaganda about securing federal funds, Kay Granger's failed role in doing so, the Trump administration refusing to help because the project has never done a comprehensive cost-benefit study and thus is not policy compliant, which then leads to hoping "the Biden administration will look more favorably on the Fort Worth project."

This article makes no mention of the fact Kay Granger's unqualified son, J.D., was hired as the Trinity River Vision's Executive Director, at a salary which has now gone over $200K, so as to motivate J.D.'s mother to secure those federal funds to secure J.D. a good paying job.

Why would the Biden administration look favorably at the Fort Worth project with all its baggage? There still has been no cost benefit study. The project is mired in mismanagement and project delays. The project wastes money on flood control where there has been no flooding for over half a century. Why would the Biden administration waste federal money on this Fort Worth boondoggle while the town ignores actual real flooding issues in other parts of the town?

Moving on deeper into this article...

Mark Mazzanti, a consultant on the flood control portion of the project and a 35-year veteran of the Army Corps of Engineers, said the federal government’s finite funding allocation means difficult decisions about which projects to fund. But he also said that the Panther Island/Central City project has “a number of strengths,” including support from locals, from Congress and from the Corps itself.

A number of strengths? If the locals support this boondoggle why have they never been allowed to vote on it? Like voting yes on a bond issue to pay for it. The amount of money we are talking about here is not that big for most big cities and their public works projects. What makes Fort Worth different? If this is such a good idea, such a brilliant scheme, such a well thought out and important project, why would those who want to make this happen not go to the voters and ask for their help by passing a bond issue to pay for the thing?

And then this...

Federal funding would mean that workers could begin on the new channel — first with final planning and then actual digging and construction.

Yes, federal funds would mean the planning for the ditch could be finalized with actual digging beginning. The same could have happened if years ago voters voted to support a bond issue to finance this vitally needed flood control and economic development scheme, which apparently really is not even remotely vitally needed, due to the backwards way Fort Worth has gone about actualizing the ill begotten project.

And then the following two paragraphs...

Even after federal funding comes through, it would likely be another eight to 10 years until the channel was actually completed, according to Buhman, the soon-to-be general manager of the water district.

That means that the channel would be finished — and Panther Island would actually become a full island — by 2030 at the earliest.

So, eight to 10 years after these three bridges are finally completely built over dry land, to connect the Fort Worth mainland to an imaginary island, the channel, actually ditch, will actually be completed. Yeah, this sounds like a really well thought out project that the federal government should jump right on and help to the max. Oh my, Panther Island might actually be a full imaginary island by 2030, after calling it Panther Island for two decades.

We are almost at the end of this article, two more paragraphs...

In the meantime, Buhman said, officials are focused on getting the land as ready as it can be for the channel. The water district is working on environmental cleanup of the Panther Island properties, he said, while the city moves and sets up utilities.

“We are shovel-ready for that channel and we’re still doing that prep work but I would say it is well on its way,” Buhman said. “And we are at the place that we are ready for that federal investment and for that construction.”

Really? What is the manifestation of those officials getting the land ready for the channel? Are they clearing the land of weeds and debris? What? How is the water district working on the environmental cleanup? Many have long thought that if this ever gets to the point where a lot of dirt is moving it will uncover a contamination level requiring an EPA Superfund cleanup. Shovel-ready and doing prep work? Again, what prep work does one do preparing to dig a ditch? It's well underway? As in how? Ready for that federal investment which likely will never come?

So, one can not help but wonder, if this new Star-Telegram 'investigative journalist" is the real thing.

Will she be doing some investigating to let us know, after all these years, why it has taken so long to build three simple little bridges? Will she look into what it is that J.D. Granger actually does to warrant being paid so much money? How about looking into the real reason J.D. Granger was hired? 

Fort Worth's Amazing "Iconic" T & P Station Skyscraper

I saw that which you see above yesterday in Wednesday's Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

This an example of the type Star-Telegram "news" I have been eye rolling over ever since I was first exposed to Fort Worth and the town's newspaper of record, with its patented tendency towards hyperbolic nonsense..

Delusional hyperbole that long has had me wondering how such gets past any sort of editor. 

Why does the Star-Telegram, and Fort Worth, have such a fixation on claiming some lame thing in Fort Worth is iconic? Or a signature structure?

For years now we have been told that the Trinity River Vision is building three iconic signature bridges, over dry land, to connect the Fort Worth mainland to an imaginary island.

When those bridges finally began to be somewhat seen it was obvious they were perfectly ordinary little bridges which look like freeway overpasses.

Passing over nothing.

Is the explanation for this type nonsense, spouted by those who refer to something in Fort Worth as being iconic, that they don't know what the word "iconic" means?

Simply Googling "iconic definition" should help the Star-Telegram understand the T & P Station is not iconic. One example among dozens which come up when you Google that simple search term...

"Synonyms for 'iconic': famous, well-known, celebrated, renowned, fabled, legendary, notorious, infamous, illustrious, the one and only, best, better."

Yesterday I asked a non-Texan if they could name for me some iconic things that say "Fort Worth" to them. "No", was the initial answer. And then, "Oh, I know, that sign that says Fort Worth Stockyards".

Well, that doesn't count when the name is right on that which you think is iconic.

Now, what are some iconic things which people do see as iconic representations of a town?

The Eiffel Tower comes to mind, you know that is Paris when you see it.

The Golden Gate Bridge, you know that is San Francisco, among other iconic SF things, like Chinatown, the Cable Cars, Lombard Street, Fisherman's Wharf, Alcatraz.

You see a photo of the Petronas Towers, you know that is Kuala Lumpur.

The Burj Khalifa and Burj Al Arab, you see a photo of one of those and you know it's Dubai.

See the Statue of Liberty, and you know it's an iconic symbol of both New York City and America. New York City has many iconic structures, in the form of skyscrapers and bridges. Oh, and Times Square.

See a photo of the skyline of Dallas, with Reunion Tower, and you are seeing an iconic image known world-wide due to a world-wide hit TV show called Dallas, back in the previous century.

Seattle has a few iconic images which people associate with the town, such as the Space Needle and Pike Place Market. And a big volcano called Rainier south of town.

But Fort Worth? I hate to hurt anyone feelings, but there is absolutely nothing in Fort Worth, other than the Fort Worth Stockyards sign, which is an iconic thing people recognize as being Fort Worth.

So, just stop it Star-Telegram, no more with this ironic use of the iconic word.

And speaking of Seattle and the Space Needle.

Last night I was watching a video on YouTube titled TOP 15 Most Amazing Skyscrapers. I expected to see the usual suspects, some of which I mentioned above, like the Petronas Towers, or those towers in Dubai, and some of the towers in China, like the futuristic ones in Shanghai.

What I did not expect was what I saw when we got to the #3 Most Amazing Skyscraper.

That being that it was the Space Needle which was the 3rd Most Amazing Skyscraper.

The accompanying verbiage described the Space Needle as an iconic structure, which it is. But, skyscraper? The Eiffel Tower was not on this TOP 15 list. I would think the Eiffel Tower would be much more recognized, and iconic, than the Space Needle. And I've never heard either referred to as skyscrapers. Even though both do scrape the sky.

I wonder if one day someone will build something in Fort Worth which will actually become iconic. The Trinity River Central City Uptown Panther Island District Vision may become iconic, but not in the way most town's would want to be known, as in an Iconic Boondoggle of Epic Proportions.

You can watch that aforementioned TOP 15 Most Amazing Skyscrapers YouTube video below...

Driving Elderly Senior Citizen By Hamilton Park Doctor's Splash Pad

 

This morning I was chauffeuring the elderly senior citizen who I regularly chauffer to doctor appointments and drug dealing pharmacies, to get some drugs from the far side of town from my home zone location.

After successfully getting the drugs from that far side location I drove to the west side of town to get something I needed. Completing that task, ready to take the elderly senior citizen back from whence he came, he remembered he needed to get another prescription from another pharmacy. So, I headed back in the direction of the far side of town, stopping at the pharmacy about midway between the far side and west side of town.

The pharmacy is on Brook Avenue. Which intersects with Speedway Avenue, which intersects with Hamilton Boulevard. Hamilton Boulevard runs west of Hamilton Park, which is the location of the Doctor's Splash Pad, which is having its grand opening today.

So, one of the routes to take the elderly senior citizen back home goes right by Hamilton Park. So, I drove into the park to check out the new Doctor's Splash Pad. There were a lot of kids getting splashed.

I think the Splash Pad has some sorta sensor which only splashes when weight is detected. I thought that, because after taking the old man home I decided it was early enough for a bike ride. So I rolled the Circle Trail north to Hamilton Park and took the picture you see above of the Doctor's Splash Pad.

Without any kids getting splashed.

Or any water splashing. Hence my conclusion that the splasher detects weight and then turns on the splashing.

I think this Doctor's Splash Pad is going to be quite popular. I wished I would have thought to roll my bike over it to see if that caused splashing to erupt. Maybe next time if I find it unoccupied...