Raincharm’s Weblog

3 days in a row we hit 10,000 steps plus. I guess that’s what a 3 day weekend can do for us. For today’s walk we built around our special meal. For most takeout we go to places within quick walking distance. Today we splurged for our celebration, with Ivars Salmon House. We can walk to Ivars, but the food would not be warm when we reached home. So we drove to Ivars, 2 hours early, and walked out for an hour then turned around to return in time for the pickup.

We went through Gasworks Park on the way out. There were many people, but distanced for the most part, and a fair number wore masks.

We ran into a friend on the return trip and caught up on life in the time of Covid. The sun was out in full force, but luckily the temperature was only in the 70s. A generally pleasant walk, but we were tired and in need of nourishment when we got back to Ivars.

Dinner was so tasty. It would have been a treat to eat at the restaurant, and it was possible, but a risk factor we just didn’t need to add.

Ceasar salad, clam chowder, blackened rockfish tacos, grilled sockeye salmon, cornbread pudding, grilled asparagus and beer/wine. One of us had our chocolate decadence cake with raspberry sauce dessert. The other is holding the carrot cake with caramel sauce for later.

It’s now early evening and the exercise followed by a lovely repast means I feel like a nap is in order.

And don’t forget that it really is Sunday now, and the garbage does need to get set out.

I do know the date, I just don’t know the day. Since yesterday morphed into a Saturday, it only makes sense that today is Sunday. I keep having urges to do Sunday things. Like putting out the garbage. And doing the Sunday crossword puzzle, which I did do, only from a several week old paper.

We took a long walk. I do try to have at least one 10,000 step day a weekend, so which day it is/was, doesn’t really matter. I even picked up a book out of one of the little free libraries we passed. I hand sanitized after retrieving the book, and sanitized the book itself after arriving home.

The chores for the day focused on the garden. Raspberries picked, watered those, kale and tomatoes, and staked the tomatoes, again. When I bought 3 plants I only had 2 cages. And then I waited too long to get a third, as the plants grew to big to fit the traditional cage over. So I bought a few put-together versions that allow building around the plant, and putting the crossbars where they are needed. They come with three stakes to build as a triangle. A review I read said they would work better as a square, so I bought 2. I am glad I did, because now I have 2 extra stakes to help manage some wild branches from the plants in the traditional cages.

All three plants. Pink traditional cages, and green added structure.

Close up of some cherry tomatoes forming.

But the most fun of the day was hosting a family zoom with almost the whole family on my side and significant others. Most significantly absent were my Dad, and I realized we never saw Allen, although Theo made a cameo appearance. We discussed the normal family issues; squirrels, bees (bumble not murder hornets), boats, cars, middle fingers, computers and kittens. Of course the free 40 minutes goes by way too quickly- as did the second version.

I have heard one large boom this evening, several hours before the sun is down. Sunset is at 9:09, and it stays light for quite a bit afterwards. It is likely to be a loud night, but we can sleep in tomorrow.

It’s not quite 3, and we have reached 10,000 steps, each. So I guess I can relax. The day started feeling like a Friday, alarm and all, but has morphed into a Saturday, with a long midday walk. I should be thoroughly confused by Monday.

One of the first things I did this morning was watch a video about a glacial erratic put out by the local natural history museum. Wedgewood

Then after some future meeting negotiations and a bit of work we donned our masks and stepped outside. First stop was a mailbox, then drugstore, bookstore pickup, park for ball vs wall time and then a walk to go further just because.

And Carl said, do you want to go to the rock? And so we went. Cruising north Seattle neighborhoods, heading to Wedgewood.

Along the way we passed a lesser known site,

And finally, the Wedgewood Erratic.

Almost as exciting, we found a non-motorized cut through short cut. In Seattle these are usually steep right-of-ways with stairs. This one started with about 5 steps, but was a gentle slope, paved halfway with dirt path the other half.

Breakfast was a face of fruit.

Apple, pear, strawberry, cherry and grapes

Not to be confused with a fruity (blackberries) face.

And of course, this bounty of backyard raspberries.

After a full day of work, it was time to relax and check in with the kids. First up was a zoom with Rey and Becca and Corwin. There are a few videos, short, but isn’t he cute.

Next up was Ashlan and Allen, although they didn’t actually make an “appearance.” They were out on a walk, and came across these.

I said it wasn’t the 4th yet, or even the 1st (Canada Day). Ashlan explained that to discourage large gatherings the City is holding smaller fireworks events, on successive days. But they don’t say where each day’s will be, until a few hours before they start.

Sounds like a creative approach.

Another work week in the books. References to the movie Groundhog Day abound. I think it should be Groundhog Week, or even Month. It is increasingly difficult to remember when things happened, specifically. I have only been to my old workplace once since the stay at home order, and really from before the official order because our office was forward thinking. And the only time I have been in, was on a Saturday. Our office maintenance guy was there, but that was it. I have several things waiting for me at the office, but none are essential. I should probably go in just to clean up my office to the point where it could be used by someone who does need to be in the office. And sort through all of the debris in the non-digital in-box. Anything official or potentially significant is scanned and emailed. There will be significant filing to be done, eventually.

Still finding beauty on our walks, enjoying the warmer weather, and logging more consistent miles than before.

On the home front, the raspberry patch is producing. It’s not at its peak yet, but again, consistent.

This morning it’s a bit damp, but not raining, yet. Must be the weekend.

A few of our favorite fathers.

But nothing much has changed.There is graduation. At the UW and local high schools. And lots of other schools, but these are the ones we see most frequently. We do live close to the UW, and I think this past weekend was their main “event.” We saw several gatherings with robes at houses around the neighborhood on our walk. A few to probably 15 folks together, largely unmasked. At least one location had some on-line talking head on their porch.One of Carl’s former kids is graduating from high school too. My how time flies!We continue our daily walks, although there was one day last week I don’t think I left the house. We wear our masks and notice when others do as well. Our immediate neighborhood does not have an especially high percentage of mask usage. But when we walked through the UW business area the percentage jumped to over 50 percent. It was surprising. We were wondering if the general higher density of people was the reason. Or a higher percentage using mass transit, where it is required. I haven’t been on a bus or light rail since early February.And so it continues. Yes, the hair continues to grow. Lunches are always fun.And so are grandkids.
Okay the last picture refuses to post, grrrr.

It was 33 years ago today, Rey came out to play. And now he is playing with his own son.

It’s a bit of a trip down memory lane, but with extremely different circumstances. We just wandered through some old photo albums. We were so young! And so was he.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY REY

Maybe it should be, just one walk. Weather was fine today. No rain, and mostly sun. But unlike the last 2 rainy days, there was work. And 3 significant meetings. And pre-meeting prep. And post-meeting wrap up. And emails with more requests throughout.

At least some of the emails were about which cities/suburbs/neighborhoods were being targeted for protests, damage or both. So we are in the 3rd or 4th day with a curfew. So, technically, by the time I was off work, I wasn’t supposed to go anywhere. For tonight that means skipping the evening walk. I am so tired, I am not even going to try and figure out whether we should. Today’s damage did include one of our regular shopping areas. I don’t know if there was also a protest. The neighborhood grapevine is limited.

On the positive side, we did get our regular lunch walk in.

Loved this grouping. Enlarge for the detail.

California Scrub Jay

Many different blooming stages

Before, notice the corona.

The tools.

Pre shearing

Post shearingNot too many tears were shed. Not even in howling laughter.

I don’t want to be anywhere close when a trained hairdresser gets hold of him.