Yohoho and pass the rum

There's a damn pirate ship floating up my river. The news article says that one of the ships was used in the PotC movies. Think they sailed that sucker all the way up from L.A. and up the Columbia? That must've been fun. Sadly, it was more likely a big semi up I-5 and a launch from Vancouver (WA).

Dang, they're shooting off cannon now. Maybe they'll pick off some of the cars on the bridge. That'd be diverting.

Arrr mateys, this be the start of the Rose Festival, the biggest civic event of the year 'round these parts. Not only that, but it's the 100th year (yo, you East Coasters. Don't be haters. Nothing around here besides the old fort at Vancouver is older than 150 years, so 100 years is nothing to sneeze at).

They set up this big "waterfront village" (e.g. temporary portable carnival) along the waterfront, including a perennial favorite that kind of looks like bungee jumping in reverse. There are these 2 tall pillars (8 stories tall? I'm estimating) and I think how it works is that they strap you down and attach you to bungee cords under tension and then let you go, so you go flinging high up into the air, between the pillars. I think like a slingshot, except the stone (person) is stuck to the cords.

What? No, no way, I've never tried it. I treasure my stomach and its current contents, thanks. But I can see the two pillars from here and it's always a antidote to work boredom to glance out the window and see some random person flung into the air. Woohoo! Entertainment for a week!