Raincharm’s Weblog

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.

Carl’s job usually includes ferrying small children around.
This morning it had a bit of a diversion, to ferry a child’s parent to work.

They are a one-car family still, and the other parent had a need for the car today (later).
Since there is also a smallish child involved, with school schedules, the path of least resistance was to get a ride. So I tagged along, let my carpooler sleep late (if he chose to).

So I am here about 1-1/2 hours earlier than normal.
I used to be a frequent early joiner, but not so much lately.
More like about 15 minutes before the starting bell.
(Really, it is a bit hard to discern our working hours, as we have people start at 5:30, 6:30, 7:00, 7:30 and 8:00)

One of the bridges that connects the City of Seattle to the eastern suburbs is going to get tolls, starting this spring. This will be the second round of tolling for the bridge. It was tolled when it first opened, I think in the 60’s. It needs to be replaced now, and this is how they intend to raise the money, or at least part of it. The tolls are planned to be on a sliding scale, with the highest range starting at 7 AM (for the morning commute). So I am considering whether a 6-6:30 AM crossing would be better. My carpooler heartily disagrees, and doesn’t think that he would be able to make that switch. His choice would be to opt for the other, un-tolled bridge (I-90). I think the traffic on I-90 is going to go from OK to really bad, as other toll-dodgers make the switch. I think they should toll both bridges.

These tolls are going to be collected electronically. No toll booths. None.
If you get a transponder, it will pick up the signal, and debit your pre-paid account.
If you have a transponder, but no pre-paid, it will send you a bill (at a slightly higher rate).
If; you don’t have a transponder, it will take a picture of your plate, and send you a bill (at an even slightly higher rate – I think).
Out of state plate? No problem. They have agreements for data sharing with other states.

Last week I saw some folks on one of the overpasses with traffic type cameras mounted on tripods. I think they were testing the cameras for speed, legibility, etc. This morning I think I saw the cameras in action mounted on a sign bridge. I wasn’t driving, so I could look, and it was dark enough to see the lights associated with the cameras.

If I were to drive every work day, both ways, with a transponder, it would cost me $1800 per year. That’s an amount worth considering in your budget. But I am not likely to decide to change my job, just to avoid tolls. I may consider changing my schedule, or maybe just changing bridges.

I hope all of you were rooting for the Packers. – I DID!
For those that follow football, or at least the Super Bowls.
A few years ago the Seattle Seahawks made it to the Super Bowl.
They were playing the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers won – on a touchdown that was not – clearly.

Hard feelings? Only once a year when it is Super Bowl time.
Other than that, not so close to the surface.

But I was rooting for Green Bay, all the way.
And best of all – the $5 I put into our little Super Bowl pool – won the final score!
A gain of $35. First time ever for me.

Joining the pool and following my numbers is one of the things that keeps me following the game until the end. In all of the years I have purchased my meager amount of numbers, I have never won. This year at the 3rd quarter I did not see how I was likely to come out on top this year. [The two point conversion was not foreseen, at least by me.]

OK – enough of that.
What is really going on is more filing and finding papers to shred.
And learning what a Billiken is.
And, now taxes.

A few days ago I noted that Carl got to go the beach for work. He went on a ferry boat ride the other day. No, their cheeks are not full of gummy bears, they are full of Jet’s hot air of an idea. [Jet does not like having his picture taken, but Carl has told him it is OK to make a face, as long as he looks up.]

On the boat to Bainbridge Island

This weekend is forecast to be overcast and wet. I looked at the hourly predictions and it was 60% chance of precipitation the entire day. So even though I slept in and missed 3 hours of non-rainy window, we decided to set out.

We had the post office destination in mind, carrying a package. So we also carried an umbrella – just in case it started dumping. Instead we were greeted with a mist. Not terribly unpleasant.

After the post office it started misting harder, but we still did not break out the umbrella. [I tend to not like using umbrellas too much, but we do have one or two around, just not used very frequently.] We passed by the zoo, on the fenced in side, and went through an infrequently used part of Green Lake (at least in the winter). Finally reached the lake path and continued around until we hit a commercial area.

Decided to have lunch out, and split a cinnamon roll (hot out of the oven), corned beef hash and apple-something sausages. And coffee. A rather mixed bag of food, but really good, and hot. We will have the vegetables for dinner to balance out the daily diet.

Finally on the homeward path. It may have been warmer but it felt colder to me. The damp clothes were probably a contributing factor.

Now it is time to get some house work done. Carl has done grocery shopping, some laundry and the dishes. I guess it is my turn.

As I drove to work this morning, I thought about the giant snow storm happening in the mid states, home to many friends and relatives. To you – stay safe, stay warm, and enjoy the winter.

What I was privileged to experience instead was listening to Charles Bradley and viewing

The Cascade mountains, silhouetted against the pastel palette of the sunrise.
As we moved east, the colors brightened.
The eagle, perched on the northern sculpture, more intent on fish than colors in the sky.
To the south The Mountain loomed, showing more detail as the sun reached its heights first.

[And closer to work, a corner that was once covered in trees, now a mess of stumps.]

Twilight at least.

On the drive home today there were high clouds, sweeping in, showing the high wind currents. What made them noteworthy was that I could not immediately recognize whether the clouds were the white or grey bands.

There is something invigorating about the return to ever so slightly longer days.

Last week there was a day when I almost turned out the porch light as I left for work. Not quite, but the thought crossed my mind. And we are supposed to be free from rain for at least the next few days. Cold, but not raining (snowing).

I have heard rumors of dumping snow in the midwest.
I have not confirmed whether these will be impacting relatives here and there.
If you are impacted, I hope you are well-provisioned.

We are well provisioned here, and the thought of dinner is starting to penetrate my thoughts.

Smile, ….
You’ll find that life is still worthwhile if you just smile

Smile, originally written by Charlie Chaplin, John Turner & Geoffrey Parsons.
I knew it from Nat King Cole. We just heard it sung by a woman (on the Bob Dylan’s Theme Time Radio).

Apparently Chaplin wrote the tune for his film, Modern Times. I seem to remember seeing Modern Times at a theatre in downtown Ann Arbor, on Division or some nearby street (not the State or Michigan). It was a hot, hot summer day and Grandma R was visiting. We went to the theatre to have some fun and get out of the heat. I still vividly remember Charlie walking down the street with two wrenches in his hands, and a woman approaching from the other direction with nut-shaped buttons on her jacket. 

Smile, the days are getting longer.

This morning had a slow start – for me.
Started with a later than intended night – and not doing anything particularly inspiring either.

So, I finally got up – Carl was already well on his way and gone.
A bit of the newspaper and yogurt.

Then, somewhat inspired, OK really I just wanted to say I had done something this morning, I went and road the bike. Tried to Soduko and made it into a “Very Hard” puzzle. Think I have it figured now, but was getting too light-headed to think deeply, so I set it down for the last four minutes. A bit of stretching, but then the lure of coffee called.

But first – water and a nana. OK, stop by the computer to see if anything earth shattering has been sent my way. A blog comment – JOY – actually, they are fun to get, like a present you have no idea what it is until you open it up. (Maybe if I got a lot they would not hold the same feeling, so let’s just leave it at that.)

Another e-mail led me to fb, which I am on here and there. And low and behold, a link to the Tennessee Smokies site – for yet another video. Rey was actually on the still up front – so I must watch. I think these are fun. Not only do I get to see the boy, but it seems like they are a place that allows for some creativity. And most importantly, Rey is modeling some of Pooh’s handiwork.
I know it is hard work, and I think most minor league teams are marginal enterprises, so having a bit of fun can make the difference.

Off to coffee (coffee coming to me in truth – Carl is returning)
And this afternoon’s Harry Potter adventure. Maybe I should put in one of the movies to stoke the fire.

UPDATE: And so we went. It was an interesting exhibit, with props and costumes. When you enter they entertain the small group you enter with, with the selecting hat. After they have put a few folks into their proper group you walk to an area with several screens. They flash several scenes from the movies on a dozen screens. Then as the scenes end, the wall behind you has disappeared and the light from the front of the train filters into the room – and you are off into the exhibit. It really was a good start, very well done.

After the exhibit, we visited the Space Needle.

Jay+Carl

Last entry – I thought I just wrote it, but it was last weekend. And it is almost the weekend again.

A day at the beach - a great day

And it is almost February.

This weekend is shaping up to be a busy one, and I thought I had it off.
Baseball preview, Harry Potter (the exhibition), soccer dinner and one sad goodbye.

Picture from the King5TV Facebook page

I spent a good part of my day today at Weatherfest. This is an American Meteorological Society event. This year it is in Seattle. I was there with Wayne Drop. (No pictures yet – they are on another person’s camera) About 4 hours of fun and meeting and greeting kids and adults. I understand that the parents want a picture of their kid with Wayne Drop, but many, many adults do as well.

I am a handler. That means I linger in the background, and take a picture or two. Today one of the TV stations gave us a load of shopping bags to had out as well. We did cause more than 1 clot for people trying to get around. (Note that it was KIRO 7 with the bags, not the same as the picture above)

In addition to the area’s TV station’s weather folks, there were lots of national level people. The Weather Channel, Discovery, the Tornado chaser guides, NOAA, glider pilots, and some classroom based folks. Okemos High School had a booth.

In other words, a little educational bit today with a big fuzzy rain drop. And I am exhausted. [There were two other mascots there. One, and eagle, was from a school. The other was Doppler – the Seattle Storm mascot (WNBA). But Doppler cut the ribbon, and then cut out about a half hour later. Professional mascots just don’t have the passion.]