North Seattle Blog

My previous post was interrupted by my "schedule".  After I left this internet spot, I realized how my last words may have sounded odd.  Yes, we have a professional driver taking us wherever we need to go.  Yes, this is happening in a place where there is inconsistent electricity and water.  But ...

I awoke this morning to see cousin Muhammed leaning precariously off the balcony and waiving a stick.  It turns out he was knocking fresh oranges off the tree to add to our breakfast.  They were still green, but when I took my first bite the juices sprayed everywhere.  It was ripe enough to eat. ...

I have dipped my toes in the Atlantic, dodged crazy traffic with no rules, stood outside in the middle of a torrential downpour and driven on cliffside roads.   And it's only been two days. I was walking with a Terence and Mohammed, my cousin in laws, down a steep and broken road to check out the...

All you Soccer lovers out there may seize up when you read this.  But I was really hoping to connect with people in Freetown through sports.  Any sport, be it Football, Baseball, even Golf, but especially my all-time favorite Basketball.  Anything but Soccer.  It's just not my thing.  I have an i...

"This brochure tells you all about Yellow Fever", said the nurse as she began thumbing through leaflets about potential illnesses we may encounter on our trip.  "This one details Typhoid, the green one is Malaria, and purple is for Hepatitis A..."  Each leaflet had its own color, as if, upon cont...

Hello again world,   I have been out of site, but hopefully not out of mind.  I have been blogging, but not here.  You see my wife and I recently returned from a long trip to Africa and London.  I have blogged about the Africa experience on a different blog site and will be transferring those blo...

    Today's real estate market has prompted many first time homebuyers to ask me if the low prices make this a great time to buy.   My answer is MOST LIKELY YES!  Obviously I tell all first time buyers to sit down and count the costs of home ownership to make sure it's the right decision for them...

    There seems to be a growing "changing of the guard" in our local area here in North Seattle.  More homes are being sold through the owners' estate as their families try to deal with the assets left behind by a loved one's passing.   Just in the Northgate/Maple Leaf/Pinehurst areas there have ...

I recently posted a little powerpoint on my website (ABODEN.com) about this, but I thought I might go into a little more detail.   My latest research shows that the Maple Leaf neighborhood in North Seattle is fairing better in the housing market than some other areas.    Check out the diagrams an...

Yes, I finished the Mercer Island "Escape From the Rock" triathlon this last weekend!  Things went much better this time around.  My bike chain stayed on and my time was an hour better because of it.   The only thing that wasn't so great was my endless nausea throughout the the whole process.  I ...