Still Waiting

Summer is definitely over and the fall rains are beginning. Yesterday we paid for another month in the RV park. EEEK! All our cruising friends are readying to go south and here we still sit, waiting for a decision on the house. The offer we made included a deadline of 15 (we thought it was 10 but apparently that got changed) working days for the bank to either or accept or reject. We are now 7 working days beyond that deadline and still have received no response. Why is it that this bank lost 2.39 BILLION dollars due to the huge number of foreclosures they have had to do and yet they are in no hurry to sell these homes. The realtors have become quite reluctant to show short sales and repos specifically because it can take as long as six months for the sales to be completed. It is not unusual for the banks to decline a legitimate offer and counter with a request for more money than they were originally asking. We have heard plenty of these stories from folks who have purchased (or attempted to) these homes as well as from realtors. Given the fact that houses are like cars and boats, and they deteriorate when they sit vacant, one would think the banks would be happy to reduce their inventory. It appears that is not the case. The house we are interested in buying is no exception. The exception (that I am sure the bank does not realize) is that we are NOT married to this house. If they continue to dick around, we WILL withdraw the offer and go south. After all, we already have two homes so we aren't exactly going to be on the street. Besides...neither of us is terribly excited about spending the winter here!

The Tennessee Trip

I’m finally back in Vancouver and happy to be here. I missed Chris, Abby and “home” in general.

Tennessee was an interesting experience.

When we arrived in Knoxville our first difficulty was picking up the baggage and our rental car. Dad is 85, mostly deaf and fairly infirm. He is able to walk, very slowly, with a cane but the distance he can go is pretty limited. The airlines were very good about pushing him around in wheelchairs but they tend to drop him in the baggage area and go on their merry way. It was a long walk to the rental car pickup so we just took our time. Of course, the vehicle I had ordered was not in residence and instead of giving me a free upgrade, I was offered the next smaller size. The other option was to wait 15-20 minutes for the right size car to come in. I don’t think so. Dad was already pretty tired out and there was nowhere to sit and rest.

The rental company provided a cryptic map of the Knoxville area but it didn’t cover our destination so it didn’t help much. The agent gave me directions to Pigeon Forge but, unfortunately, he wasn’t exactly correct. In addition, the highways in Tennessee all have two (sometimes three) numbers and road signs and “towns” are extremely far apart. This means you can drive a long way before you find out you are going the wrong way. It took over two hours to drive the 50 miles to our destination but since I am pretty strong in my “cruiser’s mentality” I was able to remain calm and enjoy the scenery. Dad was a bit tenser and couldn’t hear the small talk I was attempting in order to reassure him. By the time we arrived at our hotel the group was preparing to go out for dinner. They waited while we got our luggage into the room and then we were off.

Pigeon Forge is best known as the home of Dollywood…a country themed Disney-esque amusement park but that is only the beginning. The main portion of the town is a huge “gut” that is lined with hotels, restaurants, souvenir buying opportunities and entertainments. Remember the 60’s when we used to cruise “the gut” showing off our cars and trying to pick up guys/girls? According to Trip Adviser there are 95 hotels and most are along this long main drag with restaurants, shops and entertainment options filling in the spaces between.

Besides the regular fast food options (McDonalds, Burger King, KFC, etc) there is a plethora of local restaurants, many of which offer the ever popular buffet. Dad loves a good buffet but I diligently ordered off the menu in order to reduce the likelihood that I would be taking in enough calories to feed a small village. If you aren’t familiar with southern food it generally has lots and lots of carbs and calories. Think fried chicken, biscuits & gravy (both favorites of mine), beans, cornbread, corn on the cob, home-made chicken and noodles (I actually learned to make this yummy dish from my ex-mother-in-law), green beans cooked with bacon, macaroni and cheese, okra and grits. Delicious food but given my current propensity to “put on a pound or two” if I ate like that I would very soon be as big as a house. I also discovered that Tennessee is a dry state…except, of course, for the moonshine.

I was surprised to discover that this part of the country still has a great number of smokers. Everywhere we went people young and old were smoking. I have gotten spoiled by living on the west coast where smoking is becoming rarer by the day. I’m just guessing here, but maybe the smoking and high fat diet contributes to the fact that Tennessee ranks 45^th in life expectancy.

Here’s an interesting factoid. Apparently lots of people go to Tennessee deliberately wanting a hillbilly experience. Thus, there are cabins for rent everywhere and the amenities range from very “rustic” (no electricity or running water and an outhouse out back) to luxurious. I was also surprised to learn that Pigeon Forge is a big wedding mecca. Of all the beautiful destinations in the world in which to tie the knot this one being on the list just seemed odd.

There isn’t much fear of becoming bored in this little town as entertainment opportunities are endless…the majority of them family oriented. Dollywood is, of course, the main attraction but there are also (to name just a few) the Titanic Museum, the Southern Gospel Museum and Hall of Fame, the Dixie Stampede, the Black Bear Jamboree Dinner Show, a couple Comedy Clubs, indoor (?!) skydiving, the Motion Seat Theatre, the National Elvis Museum, Nascar Speedpark, Wonderworks Museum, several zip lining tours, whitewater rafting as well as several themed miniature golf courses and water parks. We attended the Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Show and really enjoyed it.

The trip lasted five days and Dad was able to get in lots of visiting with the remaining members of his Army unit (the 532^nd) from WWII and the Korean War. I enjoyed meeting these friends of his but I was mostly there as Dad’s escort. On one day Dad & I made a trip to Gatlinburg which is a bit more quaint but it’s mostly another shopping opportunity. The 4 mile drive, however, is drop dead gorgeous. It is right on the edge of the Great Smokey Mountains and the road runs alongside the Little Pigeon River under a canopy of deciduous trees. It was beautiful and I’d love to do a bit of hiking through the area someday.

One of the really fun activities (for me) was the car show. Twice a year there is a Rod Run here that attracts people from all over the country. Everywhere we went there were old cars that had been beautifully restored. If Dad had been more able to walk around it would have been fun to just wander for hours looking at them. I wondered if my friends from California were there with one of their ’40 Fords but I had no way to reach them to find out.

So that was the trip. It was a great opportunity to spend some one-on-one time with my Dad and see a new area of the country. The state is beautiful and the residents are super friendly.

And, as I told Dad while we were between planes in Chicago on the trip home, “I love the whizzing through airports. I think I’m going to start traveling with a “crip” more often.” We both got a good laugh at that.

Travels with Dad

Yesterday was the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attack and where was I? Spending an entire day on airplanes and in airports escorting my Dad to, of all places, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. This next few days is the annual reunion of his Army unit (he serve in the Korean War) and he has attended every year. Mom used to love going along but about three years ago her Dementia had progressed to the point where she really can't make a trip like this. Dad is now deaf and walks with a cane so he is really not able to go by himself so the first year without Mom, his sister went along and last year his brother went. This year, since Chris & I were in Washington for the summer and had no big travel plans I volunteered to go. So here I am, in the biggest tourist trap I have ever seen, hanging out with a bunch of very fun people in their 80's and 90's.
Due to the jet lag, we have missed the continental breakfast today and all Dad's friends have likely already taken off for their scheduled activities. As soon as Dad is ready to go I'll take him to breakfast and then I MUST do some walking around and picture taking. This place is absolutely mind blowing. You have never seen so many cheezy "entertainments" on one street in your life. I was stunned when we were trying to find the Best Western among what has to be hundreds of hotels, restaurants and shopping/entertainment "opportunities". As we drove here from Knoxville (the loooong way due to bad directions from the rental guy and a serious lack of road signs) we were treated to views of a very beautiful state but this town is beyond the pale when it comes to tacky.
I hope I can find a Walmart as I forgot my comb (that's a joke, folks!).

Summer Vacation

OK. You are probably asking yourself, “Where is Sandy?

What’s going on?” Yes. It’s been a while since I last made a blog post but, honestly, it seems like we haven’t done a thing since we got back to Washington. That is not entirely true, it just feels like we are back into an “ordinary” (and thus, somewhat boring) life now that we are on land. For those who are interested, here is the latest:

Last month we attended a lovely baby shower for Chris’ daughter, Keely. It was quite an event as the hostess is an extremely talented decorator. I have never been much of an event planner (I chalk it up to lack of imagination.). A few dips & chips, some cute napkins from the local party store, maybe a vase of flowers out of my garden and lots of wine is about the extent of my ingenuity. This party was planned to the hilt and beautifully executed. Keely & Josh shared the gift opening fun and they got a pretty good start on the zillions of things (based on personal experience) they will need for the new baby. Now we all just wait for little Asher who is due to make an appearance Sept. 23^rd.

Two weeks ago we got itchy feet again so we packed up the trailer and drove to Randle, WA for a few days. I have wanted to show Chris Mt. Rainier for a couple years now but we just haven’t been able to make that happen. Nothing was on our calendar for over a week so it seemed to be the perfect time.

The Cascade Peaks RV Park, just east of Randle, had plenty of grass for Abby to run, dig and roll in and trees for shade. There was no cable, internet or cell service so it was like being at anchor in the Sea of Cortez. The lack of communication options might be a problem for some folks (who tend to carry their communication with them via satellite dish) but Chris & I are used to it and really enjoyed having four whole days just to ourselves. We never have a problem figuring out how to spend time together.

Early on Tuesday morning we drove up to Mt. Rainier. It was a beautiful, sunny day so the drive through the forest was stunning. We stopped at the very first parking area and asked a ranger where the closest trail was that led to a waterfall. I knew that Chris was still learning to use his “new” knee so one hike would be about all we could do and I really wanted him to be able to walk through the meadow at the top so we needed an easy trail. Off we went to Silver Falls. This trail was through beautiful, pristine forest. The clean, heavy smell of evergreen trees and moist, peaty soil interspersed with the sharp odors emitted by many of the low growing plants and forest flowers brought back many memories from my childhood.

I spent my grade school years in Port Angeles when the population was less than half what it is today. It was truly a small town and my friends and I pretty much had the run of the place without our parents fearing we would find our way into any of the dangers that plague big cities. Much of my growing up time was spent wandering through the forested areas around my home, climbing trees, hiding in thickets, feeding the neighbor’s horses, laying in fields of tall grass watching the sky, eating wild blackberries and pretending I was a cowboy or pioneer. To say that I was a tomboy would be an extreme understatement. I have been gradually sharing the wonders of the northwest with Chris and so far he loves it.

As we worked our way down the trail, I discovered that my woodland lore was a bit rusty. We crossed Laughingwater Creek on a one person bridge and try as I might I could not remember the name of the large plant with the red berries and many thorns that was growing nearby. Fortunately, a group of hiking women who were waiting to cross behind us provided the name: Devil’s Club. Oh, yes! Now I remember. Do NOT brush up against that one!

The deeper we went in the forest the louder the sound of running water became. We crossed several streams tumbling over moss covered stones, gurgling and laughing, merrily on their way to join other streams and rivulets and, finally, become one with the Ohanapecosh River. For a while we walked along next to the river and as the water gathered speed and crashed over rocks and through crevasses the volume increased dramatically. I kept thinking of my son-in-law's step-father, Gary, who is a serious whitewater rafter and asking Chris if Gary would float this river. He kept saying, "Nope".Finally we arrived at Silver Falls and it was well worth the walk. The power of the water roaring over the rocks and flinging spray every direction as it crashed into a pool of brilliant turquoise took our breath away. What it is about waterfalls that is so mesmerizing to human beings I don’t know but it does seem to be fairly universal.

I was pleased and proud of Chris as he negotiated the three mile trail with few problems. This was typical forest terrain complete with gnarly roots, rocks to avoid, twists, turns and areas of slippery dried pine needles and not only did his newly repaired knee perform beautifully but he was able to keep up with me. This is a very happy first!

When we returned to the truck we continued on up to Paradise Lodge and the anticipated alpine meadow filled with wildflowers. Alas, it appears we will have to make another trip to see this. The snowfall this past winter was 491 inches and while this is not the record (1,122”), or even the average of 676”, much of it still remained along the pathways at Paradise. Usually, this late in the summer, the meadows are carpeted with millions of wildflowers. This year, few were out and those were just beginning to bloom. We wandered around on the paved path taking photos and slipping over snow patches until Chris’ knee began to complain. It was time to head home for a glass of wine, a great dinner and a quiet evening of Scrabble and reading. We plan to go back again next year…later…in hopes that we can catch the flowers out and about.

So, that is the latest. We have been doing lots of visiting with family and friends. Today we are on our way to Cathlamet, WA for four days of hanging out with our cruising buds from Mexico. We’ve been busy looking for a house to purchase for that future time when we are too old and feeble to continue cruising (and to rent out in the interim). The market is so good right now that we just don’t want to pass it up. There are a few other fun things on the calendar before the autumn chill sends us south again so stay tuned and I will try to write more often.

Moving up!

OK. We finally did it. I was so proud of the fact that Chris & I had our “stuff” pared down so it all fit into a 5’x10’ storage unit and then yesterday it all changed. We moved up to a 10’ x 12’ unit. Does this mean we are collecting more junk? Well, not exactly. What we’ve been doing is reducing the amount of stuff we have on the boat. Each year, at the end of cruising season, we go through everything on the boat and anything that we haven’t been using returns to the great northwest to live in the storage unit or to be sold or given away.

This year, two biggies bit the dust. Chris has a very nice 8’ Walker Bay sailing dinghy that came with him from his previous boat. He insists he loves to sail around in it but during the past three cruising seasons he has done no more that row it around from time to time. The rest of the time, the Walker Bay has been tied upside down on the bow. It’s a great place to put things like the folding steps, the spare anchor, etc when we are underway and it is conveniently located to stand on when putting the sail cover on the main. When “Faith” is in need of a good cleaning it goes into the water and is tied to a cleat on the dock. We have rowed around a marina or two but mostly it has been a hood ornament. This year we decided to bring it back to Washington. It will be a nice change to be able to put a couple lounge chairs on the bow for happy hour sunsets or perhaps even hang the hammock up for Sandy to read in.

We’ve also hauled around the brand new spinnaker that I purchased in 2008 when we left Portland. This is a big, colorful sail in a large bag that is regularly moved from the v-berth to under the table depending on what is going on at the time. Much to my disappointment, it has n-e-v-e-r been used. It seems that the wind is always either much too strong, completely non-existent or on the nose (coming from directly in front of us). Each fall we would think, “THIS year we’re going to put that pretty sail up” and in June, at season’s end, we’d be stunned to discover that another 7 months or so had passed and the spinnaker had still not seen the light of day. This spring we decided it was finally time to bite the bullet and bring it back. We will leave it in the storage unit and see if we miss it.

In addition to the boat stuff that has been accumulating, last summer Chris bought a scooter. He’s always been a real scooter nut and had several before he met me so it came as no big surprise when he bought this one. I do not ride two wheeled things (except the occasional bicycle) but he loves them and, I must admit, now that he has this one it sure is nice to have exclusive use of the truck when I want to go do something by myself. Before the scooter arrived, whenever I would take off in the truck I always felt like I had to hurry home because Chris was stranded. In actuality, it was never much of a problem for Chris but I still managed to feel guilty. At any rate, the scooter storage became a bit of a headache last fall. We thought we could leave it in the small unit but there was clearly not enough room. We were down to the day before we were leaving so we weren’t interested in entertaining the idea of getting a new storage space. That meant finding a friend or relative who had room in a garage and didn’t mind walking around it all winter. Fortunately, Chris’ brother stepped up and volunteered to provide a winter “home” and solved the problem. This year, with the larger storage unit, the scooter can stay with the other things that are too hard to part with.

Actually, when compared with other folks, we don’t have much. The belongings we keep on the boat and in the trailer are only what we use for everyday living. Neither home has much in the way of storage so we keep things pared down as much as possible. Most of what we pay to store is leftovers from our other lives. Chris has tools, clothes, paperwork, CD’s and a few mementos. My things include clothes, my stereo system, some special books and a few final keepsakes that I haven’t passed on to the kids. It really isn’t much and every time we go through the boxes we make more trips to Goodwill or the dump.

Last week when we “upgraded” I told the woman at the storage facility that I rather hated having to admit that we had enough “stuff” to warrant a bigger space but she assured me it was still pretty minimal. She said that many people have two or more and one customer has seven! When you look at those numbers I guess that we really are pretty self contained after all.

RV Show

Since Chris & I spend half of each year living in our “little” (27’) travel trailer we have begun to get interested in what else is out there. Not that we are in any big hurry to find new living quarters because we are quite happy with the “house” we have. As a matter of fact, just thinking about having to move everything from one place to another yet again gives me the willies. Twice a year is quite enough to suit me. We have, however, discovered some “issues” that we might find solutions for by looking at other rigs.

Yesterday Chris & I attended an RV show where we were able to look at lots of new and used travel trailers, 5th wheels and RV's. To say the least, it was pretty interesting. Most of them had pretty similar layouts but every so often we’d go into one that really stood out with some different innovations.

Chris would love to have an RV, and truth be told, I wouldn’t mind either but they are terribly expensive. Also, they seem to be pretty much all flash. Most of them have a ton of wasted space (big open spaces) in the living area but, by comparison, the bedrooms are somewhat cramped (I wonder if any of the, clearly men, designers have tried to make a bed while IN it) and the kitchens either have very little counter area or it is an un-usable design. One thing I found a bit disconcerting is that many of the big RV’s have the bathroom in the middle of the rig which means that it is pretty much in the kitchen. Ewww. In addition, they all seem to have two (sometimes three) built in televisions. Who in the world needs that many TV’s in a space of 35’? Of course, we have never had a TV in the bedroom and have no desire for that particular feature. We can find lots of other more fun things to do in that room.

I must admit there was one RV that really caught my eye. It wasn’t a brand new one…I believe it was a 2008 model…but it was very nicely laid out, the color scheme was pretty (instead of boring or garish) and it had some unique extras (think built in washer/dryer) that made it stand out.

Chris, being the guy that he is, was checking out all the outside storage as well as the whiz bangs and do dads on the “Starship Enterprise” like dashboard. His eyes lit right up with the backup cameras that they all have. :-) I’m sure that would be helpful but Chris can back up the travel trailer into impossible places with just me as his “backup camera” so I don’t see the need. Especially since an RV doesn’t turn in the middle. My favorite dashboard extra was the pull-out desk for the passenger (me). How convenient is that?

The gas powered RV’s are less than half the price of the diesels but that was no surprise. They get less mileage and the engines are much more complicated (thus…more things to break) so even though the price per gallon for diesel is higher, the diesels would be a better long-term choice.

RV’s are no different than any other high end purchase. The initial price is only the beginning. The diesels are built like semi trucks and one look at the tires made us shudder. Replacing those babies (and they don’t last forever) could easily involve taking out a loan on your life insurance. In addition, if the vehicle needs any sort of mechanical repair done and it is your primary residence you could end up spending several nights parked behind a shop somewhere.

Still, there was ONE diesel that we thought we could probably live quite comfortably in. The living area was very well thought out, it had a full sized, four door side-by-side refrigerator and there was even a garage in the back for the Smart Car so it wouldn't have to be towed. We'll take a hard look at that one when we win that lottery! In the meantime, if we do decide to upgrade someday we’ll probably go to a 5th wheel. They have much more user friendly layouts and some even have big picture windows in the back and fireplaces.

After our day of tromping through dozens of over the road houses I must admit to being a bit confused about one new trend. Since I live on a boat for half the year I am very cognizant of what happens to “stuff” when the house is moving. It seems that the new models of motorhomes now often come with a table and four chairs instead of the built in booth type dinette. Now where, exactly, do you think those chairs would end up after a few hours of rattling down I-5 in northern California???

Another cruising season at an end...sigh...

Seals pretending to be sharks.

The last leg of this season was a little melancholy for yours truly. We stayed in Puerto Escondido for a week after the end of Loreto Fest so the majority of the boats would be gone (and the weather calmer) in hopes of finding the anchorages to the north a bit less crowded. As we scooted up to Isla Coronados we were blessed (?) with flat seas and no wind so no sailing happened. The Log (and Chris) insisted that we had stayed there last year but neither Patty nor I could recall the anchorage. As soon as we began closing on the stunningly colored water and the long, sandy beach it all came back to us. Last year we’d only spent one night here and never left the boat…hence the memory lapse.

Pretty water at Isla Coronados

This time we took the dinghy to shore for a bit of exploration. Patty & I wandered the beach looking for shells but the only ones we found were fossils that were imbedded in rock. Chris did a little fishing but was only able to catch the occasional Puffer Fish which always presents a bit of a prickly problem when returning it to the sea.

Chris catchin' Puffer Fish

Still, he seems to enjoy the fishing almost more than the catching. Poor Abby was relegated to guard duty on the boat. All the islands in the Sea of Cortez are protected national park and dogs are not allowed on the land.

Abby "on watch"

Next morning we were up early and off to San Juanico…a breathtaking anchorage where I could happily spend weeks just hanging out. It is about a 4 hour sail…and sail we did! For once we had a nice breeze from a useable direction and we averaged 6-7 knots most of the trip.

Sails up! It doesn't get better than this!

I wish there had been another boat around to take a picture of us with both sails up but, as is normal, the only time you have an audience is when things go bad (think docking). Arriving in San Juanico we found that there were quite a few boats already there but we had no trouble finding a suitable spot to “park” in 20’ of gorgeous clear water.

Beautiful San Juanico

It was especially nice to see quite a few old and new friends in residence. Since this is on the Baja and not one of the islands, Abby got to go ashore to do some quality running, sniffing, digging and crab chasing. Chris & I made a foray to the Cruiser’s Shrine to up-date our contribution.

"Faith's" Cruiser's Shrine contribution

This is a bush on the beach that is covered with odd mementos from the many cruisers who have been here. Wine bottles with notes, flags of all sorts, hand painted shells and driftwood, and, my favorite, a single black shoe with no ID hung with fishing line grace the tree and the surrounding beach. It is somewhat reminiscent of a Christmas tree only much more fun.

The Cruiser's Shrine

Another windy front was expected from the north so most everyone stayed a couple days longer than planned but that is what cruising is about. No schedules. No timelines. No deadlines. People just used the extra time to do some hiking, read a good book or share a meal with another boat. One morning a radio announcement was made that there would be a potluck and bonfire on the beach that evening. Everyone attended and, even though most of us were low on food (using it up before we go home) there was plenty to eat and all of it was tasty.

Too soon, it was time to leave for a night in Santo Domingo, and then to Chivato and our last passage. What a nice surprise to arrive in Chivato and discover we were the only boat there…at least for a few hours. Our friends on Nautilas arrived in the afternoon and that evening the 5 of us had dinner at a restaurant we had discovered the year before. Chivato’s beach is a shell lover’s paradise and while we were waiting for Nautilas, Patty & I searched for something unique and unbroken while Chris took Abby for a run.

All alone at Punta Chivato

All of us had planned a 4am departure for the crossing but when Chris & I got up to raise anchor Nautilas was already on their way through the pass. OK…here’s the “rule”: Whenever any two sailboats are going in the same direction it is a race. Dang! They got the jump on us!

The day began with flat seas and no wind so we employed the iron Genny (Genoa: the sail that is on the front of the boat) to get us going. Chris was generous enough to take the first watch so I could get a couple more hours sleep and by the time I was up again he already had the fishing lines out. After the sun came up a bit of wind and some swell began to build in from the northwest. Up went some sail and we trucked along at 6-7 knots. We could see Nautilas had gone farther south and Chris thought they were making a tactical error that would allow us to catch or pass them. The weather came ‘round more northerly and the wind and seas built to the point where your safety-conscious Capitana required all on deck to don their life vest and tethers. It turned into a bit of a rolly ride with waves slapping the port side of the boat and causing things below to fly out of their normal cubby holes but it was a beautiful day and a fast ride. We caught 5 Dorado (Mahi Mahi) on the way but only kept three. One was too small and we lost one because it was too rough to go aft to pull it in, but the ones we kept were deee-licious!

As we closed in on the mainland we could see that Nautilas was way south and would have to beat back north to get into the anchorage so we thought we had a shot at getting there first. Alas…they are a faster boat and beat us by about 30 minutes. All having decided we had to have one more night at anchor Bahia Algodones (aka Catch 22 Beach) was our destination. The original “plan” was to dinghy to the beach for cerveza and dinner at the Soggy Peso but everyone was dog tired so we just BBQ’d on the boats and were rewarded with a beautiful sunset, full moon and calm night for sleeping. First thing the next morning…before the wind came up…we hustled around the corner and into our slip at Marina San Carlos where we would get the boat ready for another summer out of the water. Ken and Linde, from “Rosebud”, were waiting to catch docklines, Jeff & Janey on “Adagio” were already in the workyard and “Nautilas” came in right behind us so the whole gang was in town. It always takes the edge off all that hard work when friends are nearby to share the moans & groans, a cold beer at the end of the day or a dinner filled with laughs and sea stories.

It was the end of another wonderful winter in Mexico. We are happy/sad.