Raincharm’s Weblog

What I have found about the olympics this year – I stay up too late.

Good night.

5:45 AM and up on a Saturday.
Yes it is time to walk again (in an hour).
Today it is back to the eastside (of Lake Washington)
Rey has a dentist appointment near where my walking partner lives, so …
The appointment is at 7 AM, on a Saturday – now for some of us that is really convenient!

More later after we see how the day develops. It is a bit cooler, and damp, very Northwest.

Grrrrrrr, grrrrr, stomp, rub eyes, open eyes, grrrrrr

One rider here and ready – call the other – no go. Drive.

Grrrrr, hummmm a new tune, grrrrrr

EAGLE sitting pretty next to the road (on a sculpture in Lake Washington)

Grrrrr, better be a better day than yesterday (which had promise at one point)
You know it is much harder to be grumpy when others are around.

I had to include the date address because I am really a day late with the post, so this is channelled from yesterday.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD

I really did try to contact yesterday. At least one phone call with a message. It was even in the morning (my morning anyway). But my thoughtful son told me he actually did make contact, so at least there was a family presence. I trust it was a good one (birthday that is) and that the mosquitos aimed at others, at least for the day.

I met my walking partner after work today.
We walked a little more than 4 miles I think, maybe 5, not really sure.
There were a couple of really long hills (one down, then up), but it felt good.
It was really hot (for here), in the 80’s so we were quite … let’s say damp.

Dinner – pasta salad and chicken -mmmmmm.
Then down to a field to watch Ashlan play soccer.

Except that they were short players.
So – I ended up playing, and did an OK job.
Well we did lose the game, but I won’t take full responsibility for that.
There were two other parents playing as well.
(This is an adult league – just a young team).

It was fun, and the walk was just a warm-up, and luckily the food stayed put.

Yes – it was National NIght Out night, so we had a block party. Good food, cajun music jam, catching up with old neighbors, longest duration on the block = 47 years, and meeting some new ones, including 2 that just moved in yesterday. Fun and good food.

Note: 47 years may sound long, but just a few years ago the longest was 75 years. But then Mrs. Diamond, at 107 years old, had to move out of her little house. A couple and their 1 year old twins now live there.

For the record, we have been in the neighborhood for 22 years, in two different houses.

This morning on the way to work I was greeted by fog in the trees, but blue skies straight above. Reminds me of stepping onto the cool beach with the sun through the trees, but enough moisture to have a mist rising.

For me, anyway, it was a quiet day.
I went on a 6-mile walk this morning, just to see how it felt.
Amazingly awake, and not sore.
And best of all I met a new fellow walker, also looking for a walk, and spent the 6 miles getting to know each other. So different, and yet we had many things in common. (Michigan connection for one) It was early in the morning, so the City was still sleepy.
Then I spent the better part of the day doing data gathering on the computer.
Ashlan and Carl went to the Mariner game, so the house was relatively quiet.
There were occasional loud spells when the Blue Angels flew over, but they were limited, and expected.

I don’t think I’ve had a really quiet day in a while.

The normally full day –
Jay – Walk 17 miles in the morning
Ashlan – Go to work – 8 hours or so
Carl – Mariners are in town – so some sort of basebally thing.

Well – the 17 miles and 8 hours got done in a fairly usual fashion, but the basebally thing took all sorts of interesting and different turns.

First of all it is one of the two days per year when the Mariners “appreciate” the fact that people pay lots of money to them to get the privilege of watching the team win some and lose more. They let us in an hour earlier, and gave out long sleeve t-shirts and hats.
It was also trading card day, for all fans. They give every fan a pack of Mariner cards that have all but 6 cards from the set and then 7 cards of one player. The idea is that you trade your extras to other fans that have the ones you are missing. It is actually my favorite give-away. It is fun when everyone is trying to find cards. We established quite a trove of cards and I was trading like crazy. Giving someone that last card they need is fun – especially the kids.

Now the early opening and cards were for everybody.
But Carl’s ticket person had asked him to come in really early and do an interview about the Mariners, family and Safeco field. Since I had finished my walk and didn’t want to walk to the bus later I decided to go with Carl, early, and so did our two friends and seatmates Kevin and Mark. They interviewed Carl and then all of us as well. I am not sure what they are using this for, but they were interesting questions.

Then – out to our seats before just about anyone else was in the ballpark. It was a beautiful, sunny afternoon. Watching the Mariners warm up on the field. Others arrived, batting practice was on, and then

Carl’s ticket person contacted Carl again, and asked him if he wanted to throw out the first pitch before the game – Season Ticket Holder Appreciation Day. So – Off we go – got to stand on the field during a few openning acts, the national anthem, and then Carl got to throw out the pitch. A strike, right over the plate, thrown to Cesar Jimenez, a Mariner reliever.

What fun – Ashlan had arrived from work and was cheering from the really expensive seats right next to the field (no she didn’t get to sit there).

Then the game started. And ended in another loss, but still – a really full and fun day.
I think it was so much fun because we didn’t know what to expect from the interview and everything after that was unplanned, and just happened.

(Oh – and in the 3rd inning they have a contest where two rows compete to try and pass a stack of empty pizza boxes from one end to the other. The first row to finish got free pizza. Well our row tried, but fell apart just before us.

And now I am tired and ready to go to bed.
This has not been particularly witty or erudite, but it really was a fun day.