Raincharm’s Weblog

BC Place, home to the 2010 Winter Olympics, is getting a new, $443.5 million retractable roof — the world’s largest for a domed stadium. The stadium’s old air-inflated roof required 16 fans to keep it afloat and cost hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in electricity.

Deflated fans

Worked until 8 PM yesterday. But it was not quite dark yet. Ah … Spring.

We had a Board meeting at 3 PM and a rate hearing at 7 PM.
Both meetings were punctuated by hail and rain, and a little snow.
Punctuated by the sounds on the skylights, which actually made you have to raise your voice to be heard.

Temperature in the 30’s when I finally left, letting the wipers get rid of the residual ice pellets.

Seattle area roads are in a state of flux, usually.
Expansions for Microsoft, changes at the interchanges.
As they build they shift lanes here and there.
They use a lot of the stick on reflector bits and rubberized paint stuff to identify lanes.
But when they flex for construction or changes, all those lane identifiers must come up.

They remove the reflectors, but a bits of the glue stay on the pavement.
They remove the paint by grinding it off, leaving a ground line instead.

When it has rained, and then the sun comes through at a low angle, the removed stuff can show up just as well, or better than the current lane markings. I know I am not the only one that is befuddled by what I am seeing.

But made it home safely as the sun finally disappeared completely.
I had driven in the rain all the way home, but to the west there was hope for clearing.

Nope – this morning it is clouds again.

The bluest skies you’ve ever seen are in Seattle.
Except that they are often obscured by clouds.

As my mother says, “You can get the worst sunburn on a cloudy day.”
Yesterday was kind of one of those days.
It was overcast, with hints of blue sky that never took over.

At the end of the day you feel like you have been out in the sun all day, except that you have not.
It was just cool enough to wear out a cold soul like me.
But warm enough that warm bodies were OK with a shirt and maybe a light sweatshirt.
It was not hot enough to consider that you might be getting some color added to the winter pallor of your skin.

Don’t worry Mom(s), nothing too bad, just a nice pink glow.
Mostly on Ashlan’s friend, a Boulderite, who does not understand that the rays come through clouds, because Boulder has 300 days of sun a year. The rest are not worth worrying about.
We will have the sunscreen with us today.
And hopefully the sun will shine.

And for those that are keeping track – I think Ashlan had a fun time out all day yesterday.
She did get carded ordering a beer at the restaurant, and got the drink she requested.
She also says thank you to all that sent her birthday wishes.

First they are tiny, and all yours.
And then suddenly they are 21, and their own person.

Let’s see, on Seattle’s schedule tonight is – Cliff Lee pitching his first game for the Mariners.
Many will not know who he is, or maybe care a lick about baseball.
But there are several thousand that do, and traffic will be heading to Safeco Field.
Safeco Field is at the west end of the I-90 floating bridge.

Also on the schedule tonight is getting ready for the Opening Day of Boating Season.
Which is tomorrow.
There are crew races (Oxford is in town), the parade of boats, lots more boats watching, and general merriment.
Many boats are already tied up on the log boom, and more on the way.
This is directly adjacent to an near the end of the 520 floating bridge.

Traffic going east to west has been impacted.
But I was carpooling (thanks for taking the car Ashlan), and just got to sit as the driver made decisions.
We started on I-90, then cut north through Bellevue to 520, skipping much of the 520 slog.
As a carpool we got to use the quick entrance to 520 instead of waiting in line.

The predicted time to Seattle via 520 when we made our decision to leave I-90 was 52 minutes.
We made it in about 35. Not bad.
And I had a ride – better than yesterday.

I didn’t really hesitate, I was just still working.
But when another worker from upstairs came downstairs and announced that all others upstairs were gone ….

Well that meant that my ride home was gone too ….

I did find him by phone, but he was well on his way home by then.
So off to the bus. (Did get a ride to a Park & Ride to avoid one leg.)

I am sure my looking for a morning ride earlier in the afternoon played into the loss of the ride home.
I just confused them.
Two potential rides, made a choice for the morning.
Maybe the afternoon ride was put out that I didn’t choose him.

No harm, no foul, and I got some work done on the ride home.

I only hope tomorrows ride in goes as planned.
It is harder to make up time going in to work in the morning.

Tuesday – work 13 hours.
Wednesday – work 6 hours, then drive 6 hours.

Which makes you more tired? I’m not sure, and have just done them both.

The drive was to the big Vancouver (not the little vancouver in washington).
The reason – to pick up the girl who has completed year 3.

Note to self: Do not approach Vancouver on 99 from the south at 5 PM.
It is rush hour. But driving into Vancouver is the reverse commute.
Unfortunately, there is this tunnel, the George Massey Tunnel, they use to go under the Fraser River.
A great little road, except that the reverse commute are given only 1 lane.
15 minutes to get across the border, 15 minutes to get through the merge for the tunnel lane.

Got a chance to see Ashlan’s apartment a little more decorated.
Here are a few views of the common area. Sorry no bedroom or bathroom shoots.

It is a cozy place. If you work at it you can piece the floor plan together by finding the links between the picture.

At work I am surrounded by paper.
Paper, and boxes filled with more paper.

At home, when I sit at my computer, I am surrounded by little dolls.
Polly Pockets to be specific.
Not my daughter’s Polly Pockets either.
The new, larger (don’t choke on me), more rubberized version of a mini-Barbie.

There are many varieties.
Different colors and shades of hair.
I am not sure I have seen a boy-pocket.
I have seen several Disney princesses.
And they all have rubberized clothes and mini-shoes that come off,
and are apparently a bit harder to get back on.

I was never that big into Barbie. I did have a Barbie, and a Ken.
I also had a larger doll, with red hair.
I think I wanted that doll because my older sister had one.
I don’t remember her playing with dolls too much either.

But I wonder about the Pollys.
They are so small.
I think I liked little things that could be manipulated.

Who knows.
What I really remember playing with were little cars.
Hot wheels.
Really Models of Yesteryear were my favorites.
My cousin and I would play for hours with cars on the floor of the old cabin.

Maybe it’s me.
Or maybe it’s just growing up in Michigan.

Note to self: Do not give blood the day before you are scheduled to play soccer.

That said I did play soccer, at least most of the game. I was a bit light headed after making runs, in addition to being slower than most of the opponents. I planted for a head ball, got backed into by a taller, stronger player, ended up on the ground with a knee to my head. That was the last straw and I took myself out.  (We had no women substitutes, and had actually borrowed two women from an earlier game to fill out our five) While I was out my team came back and scored the tying goal. 3 minutes to play – I had rested a few minutes, so back on the pitch. I figure they would at least have one more player to run around. We fended them off and walked away with the tie.

After the game I found out that one of our regular women players was not playing the season at all. But not because of the leg injury I thought was the cause. But because she is undergoing treatment for breast cancer! OMG. I was shocked. Last to know as usual, but still. She is in treatment, it is stage 1, so the prognosis is good.

My little complaints about being tired, muscle pull hear and there – they are nothing. My teammate is dealing with treatments that sap strength and make you sick – all trying to rid her body of the evil C. Since 1 in 8 women in the states is likely to be diagnosed with cancer, the fact that one on our soccer team should not be surprising.

It has got my attention – again. This is why I walk – because I can. And to raise money to support research in the fight to rid us of breast cancer in particular – but really for cancer in general. What we learn about one cannot help but broaden our knowledge about the other.

So – if you have any money to spare after taxes, or want to boost your charitable donations for 2010 – please consider making a donation to support the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer fight. There is a link on the right. I have been lax in fund-raising this year – but I suddenly feel inspired again. I have to support Marie!

Not very eloquent – remember the knee to the head. Moral of the story – keep giving blood, keep walking, raise some more money. I have nothing to complain about.

Yesterday was a pretty good day.
I worked basically 8 hours figuring out the fine details of some water rights.
Well more figuring out where the differences in what was reported appeared, where they started, but not why they popped up again about 10 years later.
I also got to sample some emergency rations we are considering for our emergency larder (3 year shelf life). They were reportedly much better than C-rations, but not something you would want to eat everyday.
Then it was time to go home, figure dinner, do a few chores and fall into bed.

Today is a big day for Carl. He is going to attempt to give blood for the first time. I am going along for support, and may give blood if they have open slots. If not I am scheduled on May 3rd. I started giving blood back at E. Lansing when I was in college. I wanted to know what type I was, and it was an easy thing to do. Except that to make the minimum weight requirement I would put weights in my pockets. (Note: that is no longer a problem.) My most frequent problem now is low iron content. But I get in there on a fairly regular basis. Carl has always had a little bit of a needle thing, so this is a big step. I’ll report on the outcome later.

He Did It!
The staff was very helpful and knew right away he was a newbie. Said he had that worried look. About halfway through the donation he said he felt faint. They brought him some juice and it all went well from there.
I am so proud – since he is usually the type they make lay lie down just to get a sample for a test.
I gave too – they were busy, but squeezed me in – and squeezed out enough to give me a 2 Gallon total for the Puget Sound Blood Center.

Took Carl out for brunch to celebrate.