Raincharm’s Weblog

(Until 8 or so)
After that it was pedal to the metal.
That is to say we started working, and kept at it.

The busy time actually started the night before.
We got together with a few friends and walked around Green Lake.
This was the special night where they (volunteers) put luminaires around the entire lake.
They were expecting 10,000 folks. (So I hear.)
There were many, many folks. The not raining always helps, and it was a fairly dry night.

Then it was out to dinner at a sort-of new restaurant. (The Olympic)
I had never been to the restaurant, even though it is just a few blocks away.
In fact, it had to be rebuilt after a fire.
As it turns out, I had been to its sister restaurant (The Olympic II)several times, most frequently as part of pizza parties at the end of soccer seasons.
I had a lamb shank with delectable potatoes, lemon chicken soup and a salad. Carl had greek lasagna (with spinach), there were a few pizzas and another lasagna to round out the repast.
This ended with our friends presenting Carl with an unexpected “gift”. Payment for the daycare he had provided earlier. He knew about the delayed payment, but we had both forgotten about it. A nice surprise.

So after getting out of the warmth of bed, Carl buckled down to complete the final for his computer class. I am not sure he is literate (computer), but he has come an amazing way from the start of the semester.

I buckled down to the task of wrapping presents, especially those that must head east.

Finally it was time.
Time to face – THE MALL.
And we were off. (In the car for the first time this weekend)

We went late afternoon on a Sunday, so we hoped that most shoppers would be tired out from the weekend, and kids would be demanding dinner. The mall was not empty, but it was not over-crowded either. We traipsed from end-to-end on our journey, and in the end found what we had gone for.

Then it was home to drop our prizes, and off to the Green Lake School Christmas Tree lot.
We had about 45 minutes to spare before their posted closing time.
We did OK. Not quite a Charlie Brown tree. And a wreath to boot.
There have been years when we picked from the last 6 trees on the lot. In fact, they were not on the “lot” anymore, but propped against the fence for anyone to take. Carl, however, went inside the school and made a donation to the PTA.

The tree has been installed in the stand, but I think that is as far as it will get tonight. (Water has been added.)

So all in all it has been a busy, but basically productive day.
That said, there were so many things on my weekend to-do list that did not get touched.

As I was driving home tonight I had some time to observe my surroundings.
I left late enough that traffic was light.
It was also late enough that I had to scrape ice off of the windshield to drive.

They have put in several informational signs along the freeway.
Tonight’s offering was, “DUI Patrols Tonight.”
As I was driving under the sign a State Police car passed by.
About a minute later I caught up to the State Police, with a paying customer on the side of the road.

Continuing along the freeway I came to the I-90 floating bridge.
As I was heading west on the bridge, a parade of Christmas Ships was heading east.
My first sighting of the season.
I would have taken a picture, but my phone was stowed, and it would have been illegal to find it and use it – and there were those extra patrols around.

When I got home I found that Carl has started the decorating in earnest.

Mantle - 2011

Today started with no telephones!
After determining the phone issues were handled by others, I settled in to work uninterupted, at least not by folks from outside of the office.

Phone outages are actually pretty serious, and at least we did not have any emergencies. Reception managed to get calls forwarded to a cell phone. Of course that meant, “I will take a message, and we will call back when we can.” The phones were fixed mid- afternoon, and life resumed.

In addition, our primary Xmas treat provider brought in thee platters of goodies. I managed to avoid them all day. Here is a picture of one of his creations. It is not reallya good example, as most of his treats are home-made, not home-put-together.

Chocolate laden sleighs

Work is over for the day.
Not too bad as workdays go.
Of course, most of what I worked on was not on my radar when I arrived at work. But a bit was. Plus there were a few letters that I had been sorely remiss in getting out the door, that went out today.

Question: why do I blog about work so much?
Answer: because I have no life.
Wait, strike that. Carl probably thinks we do.
Perhaps it is because I have been blogging on the drive home from work, and it is still front and center of my mind.
(Also the reason for limited formatting and pictures.)
((And for the occasional Jerome.))

Why is it that work appears to be accelerating.
I spent a good part of yesterday at work. But that was after going in late due to a doctor appointment. (My first small skin thingie frozen off. Actually, first 3) I did not see Carl until I got home, and he was already in bed.
Highlight of the morning was a bird trifecta, a Jerome on each side of the freeway, and a bald eagle on a light over the freeway. Very symetrical.

Definitely feel the holidays approaching. Vacations, visitors and a bit of shopping here and there.

I NEED MORE TIME.

Really – sunshine and cold.

So, after spending the morning with the newspaper, we set off.

Our errand for the day was to pass along some tire chains, and then check out a few bookstores. We managed to fit 7.7 miles around chain delivery (I was quite happy when the chains were out of my backpack), 2 new bookstores (new to us, that is), a new restaurant (to us that is) for brunch, another bookstore for repeat business, and a grocery store.

In one of the new bookstores they were having a book-signing about urban farming. Carl recognized one of the folks as a parent at the school where his kindergarteners hang out.

In the new restaurant there was a good business going on, and it seemed that the operators were having at least a small disagreement. In greek we think. They also had a fake tree in one corner. One, obviously regular, family with 3 kids came in and sat at the table under the tree. Then the two older (3-6 yrs old) kids headed, I thought, for the restroom. But instead they stopped and interacted with one of the proprietors and a string. We finally realized that by letting the string out, a spider would descend out of the tree into the midst of the “unsuspecting” diners at the corner table. What fun.

Met up with an old friend (as in, have not seen him for a while) while traversing around a portion of Green Lake.

At the grocery store we did get some food for dinner, beer, 2-buck chuck, and a few other bits and pieces for our larder.

At this point the backpack was starting to feel like the tire chains were back, so we stopped at one more bookstore. But at least we were close to home.

(Does this sound like the Ice Cream Soup book?)

November December in Seattle with sun and no rain. Spectacular.

Which of course means that no house chores are getting done.

COLD
But Beautiful.

Our goal was to go do some Christmas errands, and then take a walk.
Like all great plans, it started well, and quickly fell apart.
It did not really fall apart, but some parts just took longer to reach their conclusion.

To be specific the first part. (Not counting getting up and dressed and out the door, which does take some doing on certain days.)

In the end Carl was quicker at the first part than Jay.
So he took off and got other errands completed, came back, took off and got other errands completed, came back, and took off for home.

When Jay was done, she walked home.

So – in the end, it all got done.

Yesterday I was full of plans for so many things to do.
Maybe a movie, always more work to get done, flinging things around the house.
But in the end, I let an impulse take over.

Somebody had set a few jigsaw puzzles out on the table for the taking.
JIGSAW PUZZLE!
[We do not need any more stuff in our house – so my idea was to take, and then return.]

The last jigsaw puzzle I recall doing, was not so long ago, but was memorable because we finished it by flashlight. It was a 1000 piece painting by Norman Rockwell, in the basement of my parents house. Somehow the power manages to go out whenever we visit. We stayed up until almost 2 AM to finish the puzzle.

Last nights venture ended up with about 1/4 of the pieces installed.
Carl started out assisting, but then decided it was time for bed.
I persevered until after the Late Night talk shows start, but left before they finished.

Maybe tonight.
I am going to try to stay up for SNL – being hosted by Steve Buscemi. I enjoy his work, so this could be fun.

The word for the day is Pasties.
As in, “My boss spent a fair amount of time in northern Wisconsin, and was introduced to UP pastors, and learned how to make them himself.”
I benefited with a tasty lunch.
Did I feel bad that there were not enough for everyone in the lunchroom?
No.

I have been very busy at work. Stayed late last night so I could check something off my list. Stayed late tonight to let the traffic for the Seahawks game simmer down. (Seahawks 14 – Eagles 0 at this point)

Probably work a little more after I get home, so I can check another thing off of my ever growing list.
(Not quite like Santa’s list)

Happy December.