Raincharm’s Weblog

T-minus 3 weekends until the Seattle 3-day Breast Cancer Walk. (60 miles)

Training is now getting serious
(as is last minute fundraising – if you want to know more go to http://www.the3day.org, click Donate Now, and search for your favorite? Regenstreif or e-mail me)

Last night after work my work/walk buddy and I did 10 miles, ending in the dusk around 8:45 PM
Up this AM to walk 18 (maybe 19 as it turns out) miles through some beautiful parks and gardens in Bellevue (Seattle suburb)
Tomorrow AM the plan is another 8 mile walk.

If I can complete tomorrows walk I will feel like I am in line for completion. Probably one more long walk next weekend and then scale it back until the 12th (Day 1).

Funny story from today’s walk (funny from a hilly Seattle point of view).
Two of the women walking today had just finished last weekend’s walk in Boston. They live and train in Seattle, and after a while got bored with the generally flatter terrain of Boston. But other walkers assured them that they would get their fill of vertical gain with the “STEPS” on day 3. The steps finally arrived, all 46 of them. They said they just started laughing, but felt guilty for diminishing this major accomplishment for the Boston walkers. I know we went up  more than 46 steps today, and then I think of Taquahmenon (100+?).

Time to go soak my dogs.

Watching the men’s marathon right now – they should surpass my day’s total in a much shorter time.

………………

It’s just like the northwest here!
Oh wait – this is the northwest.
By the end of summer, when it is relatively dry, you tend to forget about the rain.

Today is like fall – showers, rain, downpours, drizzle. All viable terms describing different varieties of water falling out of the sky. It took me a while to figure the difference between showers (intermittent) and rain (continuous).

We had a walk planned, and took the 4 mile walk, although we did dawdle through a downpour until it was just raining. The forcast for our Friday and Saturday and Sunday walks is mixed, so the ponchos will be in the pack, and maybe actually put on. Today’s walk was short enough that we just got wet.

I do feel like today was a glimpse into fall.

I voted today, Washington Primary.
We now have a top 2 primary, and you don’t have to choose a party – YEAH.
But in our County, there is only one more election where you will be able to stroll up to your neighborhood polling place and cast your vote in person.
Come February 2009 they are going to all mail.
I am not in favor of this move.
I like the voting Event. Especially presidential elections where there is a buzz in the air.
I think voting by mail is ripe for undue persuasion away from the prying eyes of the poll workers.
My two cents.
But 70% of our count already votes by mail (I don’t know if that is how people are registered, or if that is the percentage of those actually voting). We’ll see how it goes.

Monday, Monday, Monday

Not as bad as they can be, but still not what I wanted to accomplish.
Why don’t people understand I want to work on what I want to work on (and NEED to work on).
Now, to be fair, I had some timing (payroll) requirements, customer questions (those pesky customers), and only a few requests. The biggest time taker was a project that has some time frame needs, was easy to do (except for a pesky circular reference – due to hidden columns I forgot about), and more fun than the NEED to work on project. Tomorrow for sure. I may need to make tomorrow a “closed door day” if possible.

Other things today – 5.5 mile walk, and a new pair of shoes (at 5 mile point).
Turkey burgers at 9 PM – yummy.
Olympics to close the day out. (How come we never played beach volleyball?)

The autographed ball (by Kevin Eichhorn) was won during Launch-a-Ball game after the real game.
You try and land your ball in different color hoops for different prizes.
Kevin Eichhorn is the son of former Major Leaguer Mark Eichhorn,  and a third round draft pick of the Diamondbacks.

Oh – the team lost 4-3, and the Osprey were hanging out in their nest.

Rey in his roost

5.5 miles so far, probably another 1.5 a bit later.
Took a walk down the river today, around the mountain instead of the usual walk up to the M
The back side of Mt. Sentinel

Mt Sentinel

 The front side of Mt. Sentinel

Mt. Sentinel with the M

Some other back sides

The Boy

Not The Boy

The Boy

Still Not The Boy

Osprey both win tonight
Baseball Osprey win 12-3
Avian Osprey seen with fish in talons

Anatomy of a Baseball

Game 1 in Missoula at the Osprey.
Rey pointed out they were the only team with a live volunteer mascot.
(This is not counting the Traverse City Beach Bums, which certainly had some BB there, especially the day we attended – so this is for non-human mascots)

We sat in the outfield beyond the fence area, at the base of the Osprey nest area.
The osprey made several appearances, including a few flights over the field during the game.

Osprey nest just beyond the center field fence

Osprey perched on outfield light standard

Perspective

The Osprey team lost 9-3. Did not see if the Osprey caught anything (we spotted two of them)

All of the puzzles worked out with the addition of a bus or two.

A&R played soccer with a 7-0 win. R scored number 6.

5:30 AM is going to come early tomorrow morning