Raincharm’s Weblog

Not only is it August – it is my Father’s birthday. Which means it is my Uncle’s birthday too. Happy Birthday to all.

August has been – well hectic is probably the word. Hectic everywhere. When home is reminding me of work and there never seems to be enough time, and I am always behind. Well, that is how it has been. I just need to keep moving forward for a bit more. And then a big bit more.

Almost feeling ready for step 1 of tomorrow.
So now to check that I really am ready. – And then get ready by sleeping some (what I would really like to do for a long time, but hectic days do not allow such leisure).

The day started relatively relaxed.
I had prepared for today by packing some food and sunscreen etc. so in the morning I would be ready to go.
Slept in past normal work wake-up, but still should have time for coffee, yogurt and banana.

Then recalled kitty care duty – no problem.
Took the coffee with me, into the house no problem.
Then I noticed the ants -little ones, lots of little ones – crawling over a piece of cat food on the floor.

Feed the cats and then go about killing ants.
The skittish cat really wants out and hasn’t eaten much, but I let her out and after a few moments take her food out to her. She actually finished most of it outside, so I am happy. And the ants have been dispatched.

Back home where Carl is ready to drive me to the starting location.
Except after 20 feet we know we have a flat tire!
Knock on a neighbor (who I know is up and already busy) and beg a ride.
Carl left to duke it out with the car.

16 miles, more or less, through several parks, some good hills and steps, saw the Blue Angels 3 times and they roared over once while I was powdering my nose as well. About 88 degrees at the end of the walk.

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

Time to relax, and then time to play with the kitties and ants again.
(I have a feeling that if you took out the cats, ants and Blue Angels this would look like almost every post for the last few weeks or months)

At least for the moment.
Our 2nd story is actually cooler than the first story this morning. Although the basement still is the coldest.
And to think I actually spent my first sleeping hours on the couch. Finally could not face the sweltering temps in the bedroom. But in the 3 AM hour my neck said move, and it was at least reasonable upstairs.
This morning I actually pulled the sheet up!
It is in the low 60s. So much more appropriate for morning temperatures.
We feel like we can breathe again. (Not sure if the air is any cleaner really yet)
It is supposed to get into the 80’s.

Who in Seattle would have thought a few months ago that 80’s would be considered “cool”
And it is Seafair weekend – Blue Angels, Hydros.

My plans – to walk, of course.
Last big training weekend.
Then it all turns to packing. (after the laundry is done of course)

Ahhh, breathe.

The heat is becoming too much a “normal” way of life.
The one box fan we have moves around the house with us.
The question of whether we will be able to weather the heat upstairs each night continues to be asked.
I choose where to sit on the bus based on where I think the sun will be.
I almost missed a bus (or the bus almost missed me, well missed stopping for me) because I had to stand in the shade. (It was 106 degrees at the top of our tank at the time. The bus stop is right out front. I am not sure what the temperature difference is between the weather station 100 feet in the air and the cement/asphalt bus stop)
A neighbor with 2 year old twins has evacuated to the coast (parents house) and we are now house sitting kitties.

On the other hand, most of my day was in an air-conditioned building. Not cold, but certainly not hot. Just stuffy.

Carl was out it in most of the day. Ashlan had air conditioning at work in the morning, and is extremely grateful that her soccer game was not until 9 tonight.

I just participated in my own personal sweat lodge.

I think part of a sweat lodge is to spend time alone with your thoughts in a hot environment that sweats out impurities, both physical and mental. [I really don’t know, but that is what I imagine.] The last 1-1/2 hours was hot, I was sweating, and I only had one person say hello to me (although a few drivers did acknowledge it was OK to cross in front of them, so I got to think. I guess I am not sure I got rid of many impure thoughts, however.

Dropped the car off at the dealership for the normal 5000 service stuff.
Everyone else was busy, and this will save a second trip later tonight or early tomorrow.
So I walked home. It is about 5 miles – probably a bit more as my ability to remember road names was just a bit off sometimes. Seattle has a very rectangular road pattern and I always knew where I was in relation to home. But Seattle also has ravines, and most of the roads stop at the sides of the ravines, picking up on the other side. The trick is knowing which ones cross.

Anyway, hottest day of the year, with tomorrow expected to exceed today by a few degrees. When I left the car it said 97 degrees. I did see it saying 100 degrees on the way, but 97 was the most common reading.

This is my training for Michigan, otherwise I probably would have taken the bus.

[Perfect numbers has to wait for me to stop sweating.]

Hold that thought – unless you are a math persona and want to comment further.

The first thought (OK, so I am not holding back entirely) I had when reading about perfect numbers yesterday, is why did Pooh focus on Prime Numbers when Perfect Numbers are so, well, perfect!

[Seattle’s perfect number is 100. As in it has never “officially” registered a 100 degree day. The forecast is for that perfect number to be reached tomorrow.]

The garbage trucks are massing.
That is my impression almost every Monday morning now.

Our garbage/recycle/yardwaste day used to be Tuesday.
Now it is Monday.

Monday’s are soo much harder to remember.
Just trying to get it all together to go to work after whatever different actions were taking place over the weekend. And now they want us to remember it is the day – get the garbage corralled and out and…
I have actually seen the trucks and pulled over to call Carl and remind him to get it to the curb.

We were on top of it this morning. That is getting it out this morning, around 6:30. Some put it out the night before, but you never know when a bear is going to show up, and the garbage is only an attractant. [Whoops, we don’t live in the fringe suburbs, although there have been bears in our neighborhood this year – when they are coming out of hibernation and moving about.]

So driving out of the neighborhood about 6:50 and the trucks are rumbling off the freeway and onto the side streets, and they are waiting. Waiting for their 7 AM start time to pounce.

That is the other thing about our Monday new day. We are the start of the route. We have maybe 5 minutes grace time after 7 AM for our house. And I am not sure the garbage people were really going to wait the entire 10 minutes to start!

So far that is.
Yesterday I walked around 9 miles and was quite hot and tired at the end.
Today I walked 13 miles and was in much better shape at the end. (Hot, but not so tired)

Yesterdays walk started at 10:30 Am and ended at 4 PM, (with a meeting in the middle)
Today’s walk started at 7 AM and ended a bit after noon. But I think it might be hotter today.

All good training for the potential Michigan weather, although it seems to be a cooler than usual summer from my hit and miss weather watching. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

Ashlan and I are now settling in for a movie on the small screen.
Batman – whatever the latest one was/is.

Service – I heard a definition this morning = Helping with no expectation of being thanked.

I had never thought about the difference. Helping and being of service had been more of a spontaneous vs planned. But the addition of this bit feels right.

I walked to and from today.
To and from a dentist appointment (all of us to and from) – about 5 blocks each way.
To and from a meeting – just under 5 miles each way.

I noticed that older folk (lets define old as over 30 years) are much more likely to acknowledge you and return a pleasantry between walkers. This includes individuals, couples, groups, homeless individuals and buskers. The younger are not as likely to even visibly note your presence. In the hustle and bustler or quiet morning, this noticing of others keeps us human.

Busy day in the city today.  Soccer Match at one stadium at noon. Baseball game at the adjacent stadium at one. Torchlight parade tonight. Many years ago (about 16) Ashlan and I were in the Torchlight parade, Ashlan as the Potty Princess, riding her throne with a plunger scepter. I only mention this because it is worth remembering. Princess Ashlan!

I usually don’t shop.
I don’t like to shop.
I don’t enjoy the shopping experience.

I have been to Costco 3 times this week.

I can’t quite recall what was so important that I had to go the first time.
Oh yeah – Toilet Paper.
And while I was there – Kleenex (yes the brand – I think), ground turkey, and some other assorted items.
And I looked at a suitcase, and being an over-analyzing green – did not buy it.

So – trip number 2 because $40 is really cheap for a suitcase and maybe it will hold up for a few years, and Ashlan really wants one with wheels.

And – Ashlan really likes it and doesn’t want to have to share it with me.
And – the bungee cord things on the outside really don’t look correct.

So – trip number 3 to get a few assorted items and suitcase #2, check out the display bungees to see whether suitcase #1 is a dud, (and it is). So after purchase of suitcase #2, deposit new purchases in the car, grab suitcase #1 from said car, take it to returns, get cash, stuff cash in right pocket, back into store for suitcase #3 (#1b?), purchase with said cash from the right pocket, and back out to the car.

Not too bad, and both suitcase #2 and #3(1b) appear to have good bungees.
I think I will have Ashlan test the zippers when she gets home from work.

A2 3-Day walk update.