Raincharm’s Weblog

Not to be confused with today. That would be Sunday. Not enough to say about Sunday yet.

Yesterday the final team for the 2018 World Series was set. Carl thinks he’s going to root for the Seattle Pilots 2018 version, otherwise known as the Milwaukee Brewers. [None of the players from the 1969 Pilots remain on the team. ] He is also hoping this year’s villain, Machado, of the Dodgers, has a really poor showing, which just about guarantees he will be the MVP.

Saturday started with breakfast with a friend from our time of residence in the fun Fort. The food was good diner fare, and the better part was they did not pressure us to move along, even after we had long since finished our meal. The walk to the diner was about 32 degrees. It was quite a bit warmer on the return trip. Soon after that walk we were back to eating. This time it was bratwurst with Bob.

We finally edged away from the table to visit with Carl’s brother at his store in Old Town.

Steve suggested we wander by what had been a bar during our time in town, Washingtons. It has been repurposed as an auditorium, but one of the main decorations is still displayed. A stained glass window from 1895 depicting George Washington with the God and Goddess of Victory.

Originally from Pittsburgh, it was moved here in 1977, and hung in the bar until 2016. I’m not sure whether I am more impressed with it’s survival over the first 82 years or the last 39 in a bar.

Pardon the quality of the pictures.

On Friday we had been reminiscing with Bob about his younger days. One memory he shared concerned his 1940 Torpedo, two-door coupe. We looked up some pictures, it was quite the car. Carl and I thought for a moment we had found that car in a nearby parking lot.

Not quite the same make or model, but we were only off by one year.

1939 Chevrolet

Still Life in Hotel Room

It has been a glorious day here in Fort Collins. Blue sky. The temperature varies depending on the sun or shade of your location.

A pile of snow gave Carl the opportunity to create this little guy.

We drove up to Horsetooth Reservoir. Back when I was in graduate school, I would drive up to Horsetooth with my notes, books and a thermos of something warm to drink. Then I would try to make sense of fluid dynamics and boundary layer theory.

We even found the ERC (Engineering Research Center) where I had a computer lab to use. Most of the time available for students in my position were low on the totem pole for computer time. I got most of my time between 11 PM and 6 AM. Of course those were also Carl’s working hours and he occasionally worked in the ERC.

Longest security line. EVER!

I think they are working on the principle that if you keep them moving they won’t complain. And we never stopped for more than a brief moment. It went back and forth, around escalators, over the river and through the woods, to grandfathers house we go.

We were not rushed. My carpooler went the extra mile for an early pickup and drop off. First class all the way. At least for Carl. The perks of missing Rey’s wedding. [Wait, that sounds like he wanted to miss.] Me, I’m in steerage.

I can see Carl from my seat. But not his expressions, visual or audible. On the other hand, sitting alone, in the midst of others has provided an opportunity to start a book that would never have been started while going to bed. My nocturnal reading needs to grab my attention, at least at the beginning of a book. I have read a few chapters and it is starting to grow more interesting. I am interested to see whether I decide to follow it to its conclusion, or set in on a bookshelf to find a more interested reader.

On the ground, early. But our gate is occupied. 10 more minutes before I can move towards the restroom.

And we made it to the fun Fort, borrowed a car, got a few groceries and made it to Bob’s for an early dinner (or late lunch). The temperature was low 60s, I think, but there are still vestiges of the 6 inches of snow that fell last weekend.

Carl and I went out tonight to see the show in the title. For those that don’t know, the musical is about September 11th and the days that followed in Gander, Newfoundland. It was at the 5th Avenue theater, and I am pretty sure it was the touring company.

The show was amazing. The Tuesday night crowd tends to be a bit older, and will often leave before the last note is sung and the curtain falls. Tonight everyone stayed, and many stayed until the musicians finished their encore.

Commuting comedy. Seen on the rear license plate holder.

“Driver Reads Braille”

With pictures

I often talk about work being work. This was work too, but Wayne Drop is always fun. Last game of the Mariners’ 2018 season.

Seeing double. Another season ending gift from a friend.

Said friends

Seasons change. Temperatures drop. And furnaces fail. So we are now the proud owners of a space heater. It took 5 days to get a repair person to diagnose the problem, and another day for the repair.

We were trying to meet a friend to watch a game in a sports bar near the Seattle Center. We decided to walk. About 4.5 miles, the longest walk attempted since the summer of surgeries. This is some Amazon artwork along the way.

Chili. Spicy lentil chili. Rey lead me to this recipe. I made it for a work chili cook off. I would do it again, but make it a day in advance and just reheat. Carl and I have been eating the leftovers and they improve every day.

In addition to adding more miles, Carl has restarted working. It has been a slow start, picking up and dropping off. But Saturday we took both Dean and Audrey for 4 hours. We spent our time at a park and the zoo.

Two zoo residents and a volunteer.

The carousel was closed, so they pretended.

Sometimes the bear hugs you, sometimes you hug the bear.

Not what it seems. Those are laser eyes. Laser eyes of a robot.

We capped off the day with the Seattle Women’s Chorus. We managed transit to avoid parking. The added walking, on top of the zoo, meant we were both ready to sleep by the time we got home.

It was a beautiful fall day.

We did walk. Must take advantage. Probably a few miles, with a large hill between our house and the target grocery store.

Vactor trucks that lurk around every corner.

Long line of dump trucks waiting to dump and pave. Work does not stop for a weekend.

Figs, strawberries and some new kitchen implements in hand, we headed out for a bus ride home.

It was so nice that I spent part of the afternoon on the deck, going through the Sunday paper.

And then there is the truck that has spent the weekend on our block. As far as I know, no neighbor knows the entire story. Facts: The truck will not drive away without serious help. It didn’t drive far in this condition. Rumors: The police arrested the driver. There is a note on the windshield asking not to be towed, that “he” will get it moved. The mountain dew on the hood is not empty.

Front tire doing a side step

I wonder if the garbage haulers will consider picking it up with the rest of the trash tomorrow.

We got up reasonably early for a Sunday. Except it was Saturday. What fun!

We decided to go watch Audrey’s soccer game again. More for a walk destination than the excitement of the game. On our way we found an erratic. Whenever this area was developed they just avoided the rock. The road jogs around, leaving a really wide parking strip.

We were a bit late, arriving just before halftime. Dean was being wild and rambunctious.

Audrey scored a goal in the second half and was quite excited.

We had only planned to walk one way, around 2 1/4 miles, and bus back. When we got to the main road and the bus route, we discovered the road was under repair and the bus route detoured. So we walked the 10 blocks to get to the bus.

All-in-all, not a bad morning.

As promised.

The book of everything from this year’s medical adventure. Cleverly disguised as a driving log.

All rooms so far are interior, no views. In the first room they even turned out most of the lights so the technician could see the echocardiogram screen better. This made it a bit more difficult for me to read some work I had brought along, but not impossible.

On to round two, checking the pacer. All systems are go. 98% use on the bottom, but only 17% on top.

During round 1 I slipped out to get poked as requested by Doctors Part 1. Very little waiting (number 1 in line) and they sucked out 7 vials worth.

Between round 2 and 3 I tried to sneak in a mammogram. Really. They do walk-ins. But it appeared it would take a bit too long, so we opted for a prescription pick-up instead.

Round 3 started late. Ruminating while waiting for rheumatology. Knee is looking good, with no swelling evident.

Results overall. Generally good, but eat more vegetables. (We do eat vegetables every day already. Apparently some folks only eat them once or twice a week.) And Ice, Ice, Ice! Even when all looks well. And a bit of heat after icing won’t hurt. (We can manage this by having me put my hands on Carl’s knees, followed by his hands on his knees.)

And out into the sunshine, or clouds.

I got to go to the doctor for myself. First time in a while, and just for a routine checkup.

I have been a bit nervous about today’s visit, and I am not sure why I should feel that way. New doctor for me, as my previous one has moved out of patient care. New office too. Same building, but I would have remembered this room. Check out the view. (Space Needle).

So far nothing major has come up. But they do want to run some standard lab tests, so I am not out of the woods yet. I think I will wait until tomorrow to get poked, during Doctors-Part 2.

So in short, I got to leave work early today, and get to put off working tomorrow until the afternoon. Downside is that the first part of Doctors-Part 2 starts at 8 am. There will be no sleeping in.

Today we celebrated 3 months post 1st surgery. Three months is when the bone that was cut should have healed. Lifting restrictions are lifted.

This afternoon meant lunch out. I had salmon stuffed with crab. Carl had Ahi tuna. They were both quite good. All we needed for dinner was a salad.

He also gave me a nice card. Made me tear up. All systems GO.

After lunch we walked around the Bellevue City Park. It was a lovely afternoon.

A long time ago we went to this park expecting it to be Bellevue High School. This was in the days of Thomas Brothers map books. Ours was a few years old and the high school had moved, the building demolished and the beginnings of a park were evident. But there was no high school, and no baseball field with Carl’s team. I don’t remember how we eventually found the field. It probably involved a phone book at a phone booth to find the correct address for the school.

And Carl can work again. I think it will be a slow start, but he can pick up the kids. That was the big no-no until now.