Raincharm’s Weblog

We got just over 10 miles. Before dinner.
Started by stopping at the Taste of India restaurant down the block from our house to pick up some Chicken Nan. Moved things around to fit it into my fanny pack, and off we set.

Northwest to Green Lake (1 mile) and started around the north side. (Note that the bathroom was locked.) 
Left the lake (passed 19 dogs) at Winnona to continue west where we could cross Aurora – a rather busy thoroughfare (2 miles). About this time I noticed that my hind quarters were rather warm, almost hot. Realized that it was the Chicken Nan.
Continuing west along 74th and up the first hill of note. At 8th Ave (mile 3) we found an open coffee shop and had a brief visit to use the loo.
Further west through quiet neighborhoods, past Loyal Heights playfield to reach mile 4 at 24th.
Less than a mile to our furthest west destination, Sunset View Overlook. It looks west over the Puget Sound, marina and to the Olympic Mountains. The mountains were only barely visible, but there was a small patch of blue over the islands. We sat and at our Chicken Nan and said hello to the few others out walking.
South to 70th and then turned eastward at mile 5.
More neighborhoods and through Salmon Bay park. One block was blocked off with a tent set up in the middle of the street for a large family, or maybe a neighborhood feast.
Mile 6 at 15th NW and a coffee shop with an “OPEN” sign still lit. Stopped in a asked if we could get a latte. The lady said she was closing, (2 PM) but would serve us. Chance to use the loo (again) and get a warm drink. Off again to the east and up another big hill to reach Mile 7 at Greenwood.
Turned south on Greenwood/Phinney to the Zoo. Into the zoo at about Mile 8.  After we had been in about 2 minutes they announced the zoo was closed, but we had 1 hour to complete our visit. (Notice a trend of just making it at closing.) Saw the penguins, a new exhibit complete with a resident, non-captive blue heron. On to the gorillas and out the south entrance.
Back to 50th and east toward home. Tired legs and one blister (bandaged by the penguins). Down and then up one last big hill passing Mile 9. Down one final last steep hill, cross the freeway (not on the freeway silly, using an overpass).
Finally back home at 10 miles. 4 PM. Didn’t get the time when we left.
It was raining when we left, then just cloudy, and raining when we reached home. It looks like it is raining harder now, and more than that – it’s dark out! Glad we didn’t leave any later. Made it home just in time.

Time for dinner and some pie. (See previous post)

First of all – Happy Thanksgiving.
Since we are on the west coast, I hope you all have your turkey, tofurkey, or whatever in the oven.
We have a pie cooking. An apple pie. This is significant since the kids almost always demand a pumpkin pie. Now I like pie, but I also like apple pie. Haven’t made one in a long time. What I forgot, is that apple pies often bubble over a bit and it is a good idea to put something underneath them to catch the drippage.

That would have been a good thing to do, maybe even the right thing to do. Yesterday Carl had a chance to do something or do nothing.

Carl was out getting a child, normal stuff that takes him out of the house for a few moments. When he returned he was going to call one of the parents to see when another childs pre-Thanksgiving pre-school performance was happening. The beep-beep says a message is on the phone. So he listens, again. The person on the phone does not say his name or my name or their name. She just is breathing hard, a baby/small child is crying, she says something like, “help,” “this is horrible,” then appears to think she has hung up but you can hear the crying continue, breathing, an, “Oh shit,” and on for about 1-1/2 minutes. Then the phone is hung up. There is a second call, but no message again and very short.

Not knowing who it was or what was going on Carl called for a second listener to see if I could tell who it was. No idea – sounded a bit like one of the mothers, but I was able to get the phone number by having the voice mail try to return the call. (No one answered.) So Carl called the Dad, who he had picked up the phone to call initially. Not them.

The next call was to the North End Police Precinct. Carl told them the story and provided the phone number. They said there was not much they could do, but thank you.

Later that afternoon, Carl got a call. It was the woman. She wanted to thank him for following through. Apparently the police had called her and gotten through. The crying and initial call was due to a 2-year old falling and knocking out a front tooth. Lots of blood, pain, and crying. The woman had been trying to call the dentist, and one number had been mis-dialed, leading to us.

In the end, not a really big thing, nothing heroic, but one of those little things that is the right thing to do. And her returning the call at the end of it all with a, “Thank You,” closed the loop and made us all a little more connected.

Happy Thanksgivings and remember to say Please and Thank You.