Raincharm’s Weblog

So today started out with a bunch of frustrations. All tech related. Signing up for a new place to get tickets, but despite setting up accounts, error messages abound. I both started and ended my day with this trial.

When I decided I really needed to get to work, my home second monitor was connected, but not to work. Work from home involves using a Surface with a slightly larger second monitor. The second monitor makes up for the diminutive size of the surface screen. IT was able to direct me to the setting to solve this situation, although I have no idea how it got changed.

The alternative would have been to go to the office. This is currently on the 2 days per week schedule, but this week has been disrupted by the carpet replacement.

I will be in on Friday and get to unpack.

Then I will be out of the office, remote remote starting Wednesday. I get to remember sleep disrupted nights and help with Elijah.

Although he’s sleeping in almost every picture, so how much work can he be?

Ballgame today. Day game. No rain.🤞

And it’s little league day.

Today has been great so far. Worked in the raspberry patch, added dirt cover, and weeded another area. 😁 Of course I saw so many other garden chores in the offing, including a place where a neighbor’s bamboo is starting to grow into our walkway.😐

As I was leaving to walk to light rail I took note of the walkway tulips, probably at their peak.

And of course

For the second time this month we get to welcome a grandson to our family!

Ashlan and Allen’s first, now joins Becca and Rey’s 2 boys.

Everyone is healthy. So we are happy. Ecstatic even.

And on the baseball front, Miguel Cabrera got his 3,000th hit in Detroit today. Mariners are currently leading the Royals, but it is only the 4th inning.

I went to a Mariners game today. That in itself is not unusual. What was unusual is that I went by myself. I sat in our seats, but none of the normal seatmates were in attendance.

I managed to get myself there because 1) it was a day game, 2) the sun was out (it was still cold), 3) using light rail meant no parking, 4) it was only my 2nd game of the year.

And they won! Got to see the starting pitcher’s (Brash – what an excellent name for a professional athlete) first win.

On the walk home from the light rail station I spotted fire trucks on the block before ours. A ladder truck to boot, with the ladder up in the air. There was no smoke in evidence, but there was the requisite group of neighbors gathered together. They all clapped when the ladder finished its descent. I wondered if they still rescued cats out of trees?! Continuing on to our block I crossed paths with a neighbor and her daughter and asked if she knew what was happening. She said that one of the houses was sponsoring an Easter party and invited the Fire department, and they came! What a fun time.

I’ll take today’s fire truck over the homeless man in the intersection any time.

As noted in my last post, I don’t do many of the tedious things that keep the house and home operating. I can however, realize when time is running short, and things just have to get done.

So the first thing I did on Wednesday was go get my second booster. I have had a down day after all of the other shots, so was reasonably expectant that I would be slow on Thursday. Maybe it was because I had so much to do that there was no time to be slow, but I had a much milder response and was able to get moving when the alarm sounded.

I was up, got my hair washed and went grocery shopping before work at 8. It wasn’t a huge shopping, but I am not a professional shopper and can spend precious minutes trying to find one thing. Luckily most of the items on my list were in the produce section. Two events stood out about this particular trip. 1. I had my mask, but didn’t put it on when I got out of the car. I realized it was not on when I passed a person wearing one. By this time my basket had enough in it to make juggling the mask a problem. Since there were only a few others in the store I soldiered on with my nose in view. When it came to checkout, there were no checkers manning any stations, so I headed with my load of produce to the u-scan. And figured out how to get them all coded to in correctly. Have I mentioned I don’t shop much? I only went shopping because a friend was going to be visiting and staying for 1 to who knows how many days.

Which is the real reason behind so much busyness. We have not had much company over the last two years. Straightening, dusting, clearing and cleaning. It’s important to have folks over from time to time.

Dennis was up for the Mariners Home Opener. We walked to light rail and took the train to the stadium. I was probably a bit anxious about Dennis’s walking speed (he uses a cane), but I over padded my estimates of time and we were first in line.

It was good to see a few folks we only see at ball games, and a bit of pomp. I am happy to say the Mariners beat the Astros 11 to 1! It was pretty good weather (no rain, hail or snow) but still chilly. I was five layers and could have used one more.

For the trip home Dennis and Jim and I snagged a ride with Kevin. It should have been uneventful. However, after dropping Jim at his car at Northgate we noticed a man lying in the road in the middle of an intersection. Kevin thought it was a blanket at first. With a fair amount of traffic including buses, and a lot of cars from folks arriving at the light rail station from the game. We stopped and I got out to see if he was ok. He said no, so Kevin kept the car in the intersection to provide some protection from other vehicles while I called 911. They said I was not the first call and they would dispatch someone when they were available…… Apparently this person had been walking around the intersection blocking traffic and then held onto a bus for a while before gently falling to the ground, where we happened upon him. I am fairly sure he was under the influence, and it was not alcohol. He said he needed help, but really wanted a cigarette, and was actually getting belligerent with people. Others stopped, a nurse among them. He wasn’t in obvious distress, although he must have been cold. After a bit I called 911 again. I was really cold and we couldn’t just leave. A Security person with one of the transit agencies did come over and helped to direct traffic. Finally after 20 or more minutes a police car arrived and we were able to leave. I don’t think we really did much to help him other than keep him from getting hit by a car. And if I had a cigarette I would have put it on the sidewalk to entice him out of the street. Hopefully the cops will get him someplace warm for the night. What he really needed was social services.

We are back to our warm houses, and ready for sleep.

Since Carl is busy being a grandfather, I am tasked with more chores than usual.

Thursday it was lovely outside. Instead of walking at lunch I did a little yard work. We have a camellia. It’s huge by my standards and needs to be pruned way back. But when it blooms the color is spectacular. Until it is carpeting the grass and beds. Then it really needs to be picked up.

This weekend I was outside a lot on Saturday and inside on Sunday. Weather dictated my plans. There was more sun on Sunday than predicted, but it was chilly. And raining even as the sun shines, so I am in a rainbow.

The chores? Shopping, mailing letters, cleaning and organizing. I went through my jewelry box and sorted out several pieces I know I won’t wear. And hanging pictures that have been lounging around the house for far too long.

On my Saturday sojourn to the farmer’s market I spied a new Henry artwork. It is only a few blocks from our house, over a new record store.

And the garden is continuing to bloom.

Baby, the older brother, Baubei, parents Mama and Baba, and grandpa Baba Carl are all doing well. The older folks are all a bit tired, but that is to be expected. And the baby attended his first baseball game today. The Nashville Sounds at 7 days old. That beats Rey who saw his first Mariner game at 8 days.

And now I must attend to the cooking chore.

Orginally written on Saturday. But it’s Monday now. Apparently I never finished or hit publish.

What has changed, hmmmm

WE HAVE A NEW GRANDSON

Other than that, Saturday’s news can stand. The baby arrived, quickly, but right on time. Carl said they left the house at 10:15 AM and the baby arrived at 11:31 AM. Baby and Mother and Father are doing well.

I was actually a bit giddy all day.

Back at the ranch Carl and Corwin are getting to know each other better. Corwin is feeling out how much he can push Carl around while wondering where his Mama and Baba have disappeared to. Tomorrow should be equally confusing when a new brother makes his appearance.

Saturday’s version, rather boring

Last week was busy for both Carl and I.

My busyness was primarily work related, but it was good to make progress through a few sub-projects.

Carl’s busyness was focused on getting his home projects to pausing points. He is now off for about 3 weeks. Hanging with his grandchild/ren. And Rey and Becca. He also prepped food for me. Frozen burgers, chili, chicken in the refrigerator. We’ll see how well I do.

Usually when we travel we leave in the morning. Today it was a late afternoon flight, so there was time for errands. And a walk.

We decided to go check out the cherry blossoms at the UW. It seems that a lot of folks had the same idea.

I’m surprisingly proud that someone stopped to take a picture of the tulips.

My final days errand after dropping Carl at the airport was to drop some old material objects at Goodwill. Most were beyond reuse, but they do threadcycle too. The correct location for our worn pillow top mattress pad.

Today is a very nice spring day. It has been nice off and on, but frequently with wind or rain hot on the sun’s heels. I drove home one day in sun and rain, together.

Work is back to one day a week in the office. Two days a week starting in April, and finally three days after May 7th. Three days is only partially a slow transition, and more waiting for the office carpet replacement project to be completed. About 25 years and it is time for an update. This also means sorting through 25 years of paperwork. Scanning, shredding, retaining and archiving. I filled a janitor sized recycle bin last Thursday. Much was plans from other utilities that had been updated. Previous cleaning had seen the last of several versions of daytimers from 1987 forward to the advent of my computer calendar. And decades of meeting notes. Copies of District Comprehensive Plans (I always retain at least one hard copy, and am making sure scanned versions are available. ) Requests for service were reviewed. If connected, to the log and destroy pile. If not, keep for scanning and reference when the next request is received. All of this sandwiched in with the current workload. But it is a good exercise. One of my coworkers refers to this as pre-retirement work.

And my peripheral interest in March Madness is waning as the St. Peter Peacocks have seen their Cinderella run ended. While the Peacocks run killed several brackets, our daughter-in-law Becca picked them to win it all. She traditionally bases her picks on the team mascots.

And finally, Nymph in 3 tries and 30 minutes. If you know you will understand. If not, let it go.

I worked, and walked occasionally.

Took care of a few tasks last weekend, like taxes. And paying bills. Today will be more of the same, except the taxes part, sort of.

We scored by getting out for a walk this morning between rain showers. I know it rained before, and since there is a 90% chance of rain today, am assuming there is more to come. I also scored with another Little Free Library selection. One of Maeve Binchey’s that I don’t think I’ve read.

Currently reading The Splendid and the Vile.

The focus of this morning’s walk was to acquire some Raisin Bran. This appears to be one item where supply ebbs and flows. The brand available changes, if it is available at all. This morning we found the store brand, which is fine, but no Kellogg or Post.

Happiness abounds. Books, raisin bran and some exercise. And Wordle in 3. Appreciate the mundane.

And back to work.

Okay, so Theo is a cat. Our grand-cat. But he’s the light of Ashlan and Allen’s life, that is until baby Brewington makes his debut. So let’s celebrate Theo while he’s still the king of his castle.