SwedishChef's Journal: I am responsible for the increase in gas prices!

Forgive me. I am (mostly) sorry. But let me tell you the story.

It all started with my wife who converted a business trip to Wenatchee into the purchase of two jet skiis. Instead of going to the craft store while I was in my meeting, she went to the local SeaDoo dealer and did some shopping. To be fair, she did show me the jet skiis (yes, I know that "Jet Ski" is a TM of Kawasaki) and I did approve the purchase. But she bought them.

And, oh my, they are fun. Up until this summer I had more-or-less congratulated myself on being environmentally friendly in my recreation. I flew gliders, paddled kayaks, sailed sailboats, and rode bicycles. Hell, my wife and I lived for 5 years aboard a 32-foot sailboat with solar panels and a wind generator supplying 90% of our electrcicity.

I knew that the gliders were towed into the air (for 15 minutes - after which I flew for hours) and that I got to the river in a pickup truck, but I figured it was still better than driving an ATV all over the sand dunes.

I can no longer make that claim. I now joyously squander our precious petroleum supply on swooping around the lake.

Such behavior never goes unpunished. The day after buying the jet skiis the price of gasoline began to climb. Oh sure, experts blamed the war, sabotage, declining reserves, and China for the increases. But I knew better. I knew it was my fault. I even sorta felt bad about it.

My sailboat sits idle in the water. I haven't flown the glider this season. I have paddled a kayak exactly 3 times (pre-jet skiis). But I leave my office at 5pm, go downstairs, change my clothes into a swim suit, grab the 3-yr-old who lives here , and go through the gate and down to the dock where we untie the jet ski and get on board. Then we head to the end of the lake and the sandy beaches for swimming lessons.

On the way back we are likely to swoop and soar over some wakes, turn tight circles to look at cormorants and turtles, and yell when we go under the freeway (for the echo).

You all are paying for this, of course, I only hope you can forgive me.