Raincharm’s Weblog

We are finally settled in front of the Oscar telecast, but it is probably halfway over. They were just singing the song from Toy Story 3 and then from Tangled. (Toy Story 3, one of the few Oscar nominated films we saw this year. What a tear jerker.)

We spent the first part of the telecast in an Oscar-related pursuit – at the showing of several previously nominated, and some winners, of the animated category. Quite the range – from 1934 to 1981. Including a wide range of offerings. My favorite was one done in 1993 called Screen Play. Linked just before this on YouTube – worth the 11 minutes. It looks like a Japanese play with a revolving stage and screens moving to show passage of time, and included a narrator puppet/animation doing sign language.

And now back to our relatively warm house. The projectionist, our visitor, will not get home until the last two shows are done. And, unless he calls to request a ride, he will be walking. (Not too far, and we really would not know when he was ready, unless he calls.)

And many things not done. But I can actually check off my list

• Taxes (all three filed)
• An early birthday present
• One floor of the house drawn to scale – pretty much anyway.
• A few lasagnas fixed (I really shouldn’t have this on MY list, but I did stir some)

And we have extra people in the house for the third weekend in a row.
No complaints. They are all regular visitors – or with other family members in charge, and don’t need much from us as hosts.

And – we went out last night.
I suppose that could have been on the list of things done, but that would make it sound like a chore.
We went out to see the Seattle Womens Chorus with Kathy Najimy.
It was a fun show.

We took the bus down and back. It saved on the parking issues and cost, but we did have to wait in the cold for about 10 minutes for the first bus. IT WAS COLD, at least for Seattle. In the 20’s, and maybe lower. Walking in it was fine, it was the standing around that took its toll. The bus was surprisingly warm, and people watching is always fun. On the trip back it was more like people listening. A nearby young man was calling friends, planning what he was going to be drinking. I heard run, red bull, cola, and a gator-bong. (would that be with Gatorade?) I actually felt a bit out of touch. And this was starting at 10:30 PM. I was looking forward to being home, and snuggly warm in my bed. I guess I am getting a little old. (But in my mind’s eye I am still in my twenties, or maybe thirties.)

One of the kid’s favorite (well read anyway) books growing up was, “Is Your Mama a Llama?”
Play on words for the title. But we had a similar situation at work – finding the correct mother for a forlorn egg.

Looking for a mother for this forlorn little egg.

Life has always been a little fuzzy for this chick

Harumph - I am not anybody's mother!

There is a family resemblence

Sorry, this egg will not end up with it’s own hatchling. But that’s nature. 

More signs of spring for sure. But this one was also taken this morning at the office.

Still hoping for a snow day tomorrow!
The evenings weather has started – with hail.

Spring is almost here.
Well OK, it is still a month away.
But the daffodil and tulip greens are poking up in the gardens.
Spring cleaners are afoot.

And the rain drops are here.
Except they are disguising themselves as snow flakes.

There was a little less than an inch in the grass when I got home tonight. But the roads were still just wet. They are expecting a few inches – so we will have to see what accumulates overnight.

I had a class scheduled for the next three days. It has been cancelled. (Snow plus continued cold prediction.) So, if it is bad I would consider taking a day at home. I almost feel like a school girl praying for a good showing of the white stuff.

I was listening to the radio driving in to work this morning.
A DJ asked what people did to celebrate President’s Day.
I guess we don’t have any traditions here. I remember when there were both Lincoln’s and Washington’s birthdays to celebrate, and figuring out at some point that the calendar changed after Washington was born, so what was the “real date” of his birth.

I celebrated today by going to work. I am a government employee, but my wonderful employer has designated four of the holidays as “floaters”. You can choose to take them off as holidays, or you can save them to take at a later date – but it has to be in the same calendar year. Initially most people focused on the week between Christmas and New Years Day. Some still do, but it is really all over the board.

I did come home in a bit of a celebratory mood because

• Traffic was very light going to work this morning.
• I had a total of 2 phone calls at work today – both from my hubby.
• Traffic was very light coming home this evening. Basically no traffic (second work day in a row).

Tonight we are going to eat dinner and then do some more house measuring.
It is really time to get it done and off of the to-do list. It needs to be to-done.
I know this because the architect we are working with e-mailed me and offered to do it himself.

Dinner’s cooking and I’ve got to run.

How did you celebrate?

Yesterday was SUNNY and WINDY!

We took a walk on the windy day. Blown hither and yon, but not into the drink as we skirted Green Lake. Playing later with a few of Carl’s tykes. It was the kind of day where you feel as though you had been skiing. Ruddy cheeks.

Today we took a drive. North and back.
Sunny again, and not so windy.
Ashlan, two friends and Jay.
In three different places, 2 in the US and 1 in Canada, there were large flocks of swans.

Sitting, flying, generally hanging about.
I am thinking that they may be mid-migration, or perhaps they have arrived.

Border waits – 10 minutes northbound, and a rather abrupt border guard.
20 minutes southbound (really about 15, but the sign said 20). A nice guard who said, “Welcome Home”

Traffic was busy, but not too busy – except in a few places.
A basically uneventful trip, just like I like ’em.

Up, off to work, work, home, cook dinner, eat, sleep, repeat. Try to find some time to play.

Such is the life of us 40 hour a week sloggers.
The off to work – work – home bit can vary a lot – and the “40-hour” week can become 50, 60, 100 hour weeks.
Then you try to cut out or slim down on the other bits.

The boy was trying to decide how to prepare a dinner dish the other day, and was leaning toward the faster, but possibly less satisfying option one night – because it was late when he got home.

I know many people that have solved this problem by use of a crock pot. One of those that can whip up a tasty day-long cook-fest is my car-pooler. He was telling me about a crock pot cook book that he enjoyed.

The first time he told me I only remembered the  “Slow Cooker” joke that went along with the present to his niece. (Remember, the name is not about you.)

Today I asked him for the title again. I heard “Aggressive Peas for the Slow Cooker.” When I repeated what I heard he busted out laughing. (Correct title = the title Recipes for the Slow Cooker.

So now I have to consider my choices.

I have a job – for 23 years now.
I really do like my job.
I can’t quite imagine moving to another job, at least not right now.

Jobs that have paychecks result in taxes to be paid.
I have no problem with that particular theory.

I do know that it took me FAR TOO LONG to get our taxes done this year.
Self employment and a car that disappeared from our life halfway through the year. Who would have thought it would be such a problem for me to follow all of those helpful little directions.
I did get through the education deduction bit with little delay. I guess after 6 years of kids in school I figured it out. Of course the last is almost out. (of school that is)

I also know a lot of people that are not working.
I am not complaining. I just spent many more hours staring at a computer screen and papers than I needed to. And what the heck is MACR depreciation?

First (and foremost) – or maybe thirdmost

JANE! Not plain.

Jane (and Dave, Rey, Mouse & Mom)

It is also the birthday of my friend Sherry – from grade school on.

One of them is older than me, and the other is younger. Sorry I am not in Michigan to celebrate, with either of you.

That’s the question – the answer in Seattle is, “Monday.”
The weather forecasters had predicted yet another wet and rainy Seattle weekend.
But when my eyes opened this morning they detected a certain brightness. Maybe even sun.
So I raced downstairs and declared we needed to walk. (Carl got up with the first brightness in the room.)
After taking a bit to coffee, clean a bit, make a bed, and determine that it was still dry, we headed out.

I wanted to go to the University Farmer’s Market to get some root vegetables to try roasting. The market is a year-round Saturday happening, located about 1/2 mile southeast from our house. So we headed east, and 4 miles later made it to the market.

Along our route we went through the Cowin-Ravenna park ravine, and up a trail that comes to the main trail. Carl said he had been up it once previously with on of the kids, just exploring. It turned out to be quite steep at the end, but the payoff was a pedestrian bridge that crossed a side-ravine tying too neighborhoods together. After determining that to play pooh-sticks from this bridge would also entail considering the wind direction and speed – and then just hoping your stick would hit the creek. Mine was in the watercourse, but hung up on a branch in the stream. Carl hit more in the center and declared himself the winner, although I am not sure his stick really traversed under the bridge.

We then struck out through some other neighborhoods, intending to make the University Village our turn back point. However, the rain drops started to appear so we decided to slingshot around a cemetery instead, and start the trek back west. Saw many shoots poking through the ground. Crocus with hints of color, and daffodil leaves, maybe some tulip leaves too. Instead of heading back to the ravine, or the adjacent winding road (Ravenna), we went up the NE 52nd stairs. 233 stairs by Carl’s count. And we discovered that there were actually a few more stairs to the east that we had cut off by our decision on which low road to find the stairs from.

Then to the U District Starbucks and market. We got both a batch of potatoes (small mixture of reds, whites and blues) and a 5-lb bag of root vegetables (including a few more potatoes).

Sounds like part of a dinner tonight. Hopefully one we get to share with the girl. She is riding down with a friend, so the timing is less sure than a train or bus. And the rain has still not hit in earnest, although there are dark clouds on the horizon.