Raincharm’s Weblog

After 1 soccer game and 4 baseball games, the 5th baseball game was almost more than I could manage. Plus, the Ms lost. Not really complaining, they won 8 in a row before today.

The boys, my 3 seatmates, are almost done, but not quite. They headed up to Everett for an evening Aquasox game.

Our attention will soon switch to the World Cup. Starting next Thursday, it’s almost here. Not “here” as in Seattle, that isn’t until June 15th.

We have always tried to watch the World Cup. For many years, long past now, every four years we would order cable TV, so we could watch the World Cup games. Then, a month or two after the champions were crowned we would have cable disconnected and go back to our over-the-air TV. For those who remember we were required to get a box to continue free over-the-air TV. We could still do that, and have the boxes to connect in an emergency situation (think earthquake) where cable providers are out. But we have gotten lazy and appreciate the ease of not having to adjust the antenna all the time.

We should be able to watch more than we can on TV. And have tickets to one game! Can’t wait to experience the World Cup in person.

Ms won last night on the first of two pride nights this month. And we are going/have gone to tonight’s game too.

My other accomplishments for the day included watering and buying new shoes.

Watering because it’s supposed to get into the 80s today. Raspberries and the front yard. I think I need another hose to easily add the backyard too.

The shoes are walking and general all-around shoes. Nothing fancy, although the price at the outlet store was still high. But comfort and fit is important.

I took light rail to the game tonight. I waited a few minutes for the 1 Line, eschewing the earlier 2 Line train, so I could walk a shorter distance to get to the stadium. Then the 1 Line I was on paused at the International District Station. They announced a slight delay. I stayed on the train because most delays are short, and if I wanted to walk from the International District I would have taken the 2 Line. At the 2nd delay announcement I got off to walk. I just made it to my seat in time for the first pitch.

I did get some alerts about the delay being due to a vehicle on the tracks. This happens, but usually at the ground level tracks.

This is an elevated track and station. Following GPS without looking at what you are actually doing is not an excuse. Bright sunny day. Don’t worry, you only delayed a few thousand people. (They use shuttle busses to get around the closed track areas.)

We took a walk to downtown this morning. It was a nice day for a walk, but as is frequently the case, there was an element of baseball involved. In this case Ken Griffey Sr was going to be at a downtown location. In the photo below he is signing a “Remember the Kingdome” card. The design was created by Carl and cut into linoleum for printing by an artist friend of ours, Laurie Brown. With ink, Carl can continue to create copies.

After the signing, the day became more of a ramble. We decided to have lunch before finding transit to get home. Buca di Beppo became our watering hole. It was a very pleasant lunch, people watching with coffee and pasta. We meandered a bit further catching a bus that is a bit of a milk run, but gets us back to our neighborhood.

And now we’re heading back downtown to  attend the Mariners game tonight. It’s against the Mets, so I expect there will be several Mets fans in attendance. There’s at least one in the train car I’m in.

I hope we win, but at least I’m getting lots of steps today.

Two days ago we hit all the transfers, arriving 30 minutes earlier than expected. Today, a lot of misses. There’s my bus, just out of reach.

Light rail is disrupted for part of our normal route this weekend. Yesterday we walked the second half. There is a shuttle for the second half, but today I decided to just try busses instead. I have a feeling the shuttle would have been faster. On the other hand, I got more steps and a reminder of life before light rail to the stadiums. Of course there were more bus options before light rail.

I made it to the game just in time for the first pitch. The Mariners managed to win the game, although it took 10 innings. The weather was really comfortable, in the 70s with a light breeze.

Garbage and yard waste bins are out, and I’m ready for a relaxing evening in. I feel positively decadent. (It’s either that or guilty for having such a day of not making progress on any projects.)

Last night we skipped the Mariners game in favor of the Ballard FC soccer game. The Mariners won without us, although it took 10 innings. Ballard FC won too, 2-0 over a Bellevue team – Midlake United.

Today we went to the Mariners game, and they won again. They beat the Diamondbacks 5-1 (in 9 innings).

At both games we chatted with fans around us. We got called Sir and Ma’am a little more than I thought was necessary, but I suppose they’re trying to be polite.

In any event, fun was had.

In the last week I have slept in 7 different beds.

• Hotel in A2
• Top old cot in the Pretty Good Room
• New cot in the PGR
• Bottom old cot in the PGR
• Double bed on the sleeping porch
• Guest bed at cousin’s house
• My bed at home

The PGR name is a play on those buildings that have a Great Room. While the main cabin is the largest room by far, we felt it was a push to call it Great, Pretty Good seemed more appropriate.

If I were rating the beds, home wins hands down. I slept fine on all of them. I needed to stretch most mornings, but I attribute that more to the work done while awake. I did feel the slats through the mattress on the new cot, so a demerit there. And the old bottom cot may have had a bit of sag in the springs.

The bed situation started when the family population started to expand, and G4 wanted to try out some new beds. The goal is to maximize sleeping spaces with acceptable comfort level while minimizing space taken away from daytime use, like chairs. And to me, not having large boxes take away from the Feng shui.

We did some imperical testing of layouts.

The layout that we ended up with is not perfect by any stretch. We’ll see what layout is in play when I return in August.

Getting ready to board the plane. It’s been a busy day so far, but I’ll soon be sitting for several hours.

A little chatting with Anne and Bill, and then Anne drove me to my dad’s apartment. But not before stopping to get a Fragle. This is a treat I loved in younger days and I thought it was lost to the ages. Apparently not. It is not something to eat every day, but a special treat. Thank you Anne and Bill for your hospitality. 💜

Dad and I got to spend a few hours talking. Mostly about the cabin, now and then. He was not at the cabin until the 1950s, but saw pictures and heard stories of its construction in 1924. The cabin was built by one man, maybe with a mule. He had the man’s name written down. He built the LOG cabin. The stone chimney was built by a second man, I think the next year. Dad has seen pictures of the chimney area covered by a tarpaulin.

Then I was picked up by friend Carol from my school days. We had lunch (lighter than a fragle) and a lovely walk around County Farm Park. She is such a good friend she drove me to the airport. 💙

Next post from the left coast.

Headed south today, courtesy of cousins. That meant leaving the cabin, slightly neater than when I arrived 5 days ago. It seems much shorter.

The drive was relatively painless, but of course I wasn’t driving. After an hour or so of reflecting and resting in low 80s, we headed to Dexter’s Pub for dinner. It was really tasty and hit the spot. No pictures.

A drive through the countryside (really? more driving!) and then more relaxing in the backyard before bed.

Speaking of the bedroom I will inhabit tonight in the landfill, I was almost startled to see two paintings on the wall that had been in the houses I grew up in. They were painted by my cousins aunt, who gave/sold them to my Mother many decades ago. When my parents home was sold, the paintings were rehomed.

Plans are in place for tomorrow, and I should be back to the west coast by the end of the day.

We started with a departure, Jane had to head downstate – work and all. But after she left the visitors started arriving.

First up was the plumber. He replaced the  4o-year old water heater and, after some wrangling with more 40-year old piping, replaced the p-trap under the bathroom sink, and it drains now.

The water heater upgrade begat some updates to our cabin opening and closing instructions. Typed and distributed to those who need to know.

Next up was the pest control guy. The 102-year old cabin has powder post beetles. They drill tiny holes in the logs and lay their eggs, sealing the opening with some of said dust. This creates a fine dusting under their work sites. When the eggs hatch they push out the dust that sealed them in. This visit was an inspection. They will be back next Monday to start treatment, both inside and outside. The treatment is a borate solution called Boracare, sprayed on all wood surfaces in the infected areas. After a month a second treatment will likely be required, and then maybe a third. I’m really happy we are finally getting this addressed.

The next visitor was for wood delivery. A face cord that we moved about 4 times.

And then, with visitors mostly complete, we started trying different furniture arrangements to squeeze in some newer cots. It was like a mover’s nightmare where the homeowner keeps asking them to move the furniture here, no there, no back where it was before.

And our final visitors, our cousins from next door. Good conviviality and a few shortbread cookies.

It was about 55 degrees inside the cabin today when we got up. By mid-morning it was warmer outside than in, so all the windows were opened.

And we got to work.

The final cupboards in the kitchen. Those with the things used everyday. Glasses, mugs, plates, bowls. And we continued to find items that were no longer needed, because they had been replaced but not retired. Again, we kept some historic pieces that are used infrequently, just because.

The main job for today was the shed. This storage area, behind the outhouse, has tools, hardware, chairs (think folding outdoor type), shovels, rakes, and sails and supporting equipment for a catamaran. It also held leftovers from prior projects. Some were retained and a lot of things are headed for disposal, including to a hazardous waste event next week (hopefully).

One piece, not shown in the photo, was the log splitter. This was the last item returned to the shed, after some logs were split. We also gathered wood from the beach for kindling. At this time of year heat management is paramount.

And then it was time for a beach day. Wading into the water and reading in the sun for a few hours. The water is still to cold to be inviting for me, but 3 kids down the beach were in.

We closed out the day with dinner with cousins next door. It was a wonderful repast and time to just hang out. When the sunset, so did we.