Technically off my head
The cut was done in an inexpensive Covid concious location. Masks are mandatory, and they just requested you to hold it in place with your hand as they worked around the ears. Just in time for the HOT weekend.
And to complete our Crow-Watch, not the same as Ashlan’s goose watch of a few years ago, today’s choice of stuffed animals in the front window.
I decided to water early this morning, before the heat set in. I got to the edge of the back deck.
Then I saw the baby crow.
Unfortunately, it was in bits and pieces.
Carl had mentioned our 5 AM wake-up cacophony when we got up (at 6+ AM). We surmise this was when the deed was done. Likely one of the neighborhood cats.
It feels like we failed somehow.
Needless to say, there will be no pictures today.
Day whatever in the life of a baby crow.
I took a short break from work to drive Carl and Kevin to the Mariner’s game. I was not attending this day game because, somebody’s got to work. On my return I noted the baby crow sitting in the front yard. As I pulled the car into the driveway the baby made its move.
I got out of the car and the baby’s attendants started their squawking. I took the hint and went to the back door.
I wonder how long this process takes.
Day one was on the back deck. Day two was within a four house range, but in the front yard. Today is similar to Day two, but a little closer to our house.
At one point I was walking out of the side yard and baby was on the sidewalk. I held to the house side of the front yard and was only verbally hassled.
Baby spent time on top of garbage bins, in a small tree, and a lot of time on and around the street. And on the Prius.
Our neighbor had surmised we had a crow’s nest in our spruce tree. We had certainly heard smaller bird calls coming from the tree. And that idea was cemented with the arrival of a baby crow on the back deck.
It was alone, and yet not alone. I took a half step out of the back door for a better picture and received a sternly chirped warning from several adult crows to stay away. I actually witnessed an adult feeding this “baby” even though they are close to the same size.
The baby did manage to hop onto the deck railing and walk up and down its length. I will have to hose off everything because several calling cards were left. I also couldn’t get the watering of any plants completed, or weeded.
So we headed out to the ballpark.
The Mariners won, in extra innings, over the Rays.
The Rays were in first place in the American League East, before the four games against the Mariners. And this afternoon, the Mariners completed a 4-game sweep. Three of the four games went to extra innings.
Fun times at the ballpark. Nice weather, met several new folks who talked baseball, and had a generally good time.
It rained hard on Friday. It is raining this Sunday morning early, and is supposed to continue for much of the day. That left Saturday as the day to spend dryer times outside.
First up was mundane indoor activities, bills and balancing. Finally hit the pavement with a goal of reaching the 520 bridge path.
This took us through campus, and graduation. There were smatterings of graduates in caps and gowns with families in tow, but not the huge throngs around the stadium that we have seen other years. I assume they used smaller venues and groups.
As we crossed Red Square one group was popping champagne.
Another group was doing skateboard tricks.
We only ventured a short way onto the 520 bridge, then decided to dodge over to the Montlake Cut for a snack break.
Other sights.
The last part of the walk took us through the farmer’s market where we picked up two tomato starts. And because they were tired looking by the time we got home, they are now in their new home.
The raspberry patch is not pictured. I have been negligent and really need to spend some time there. Maybe between showers today? Or lunchtime diversions next week.
If the weather gods allow, Carl will have a baseball game this afternoon. Or we’ll all stay dry, and home, like last weekend.
Four pokes in under 6 months! I am done with vaccinations for a while. Our 2 shingrix bookended the Covid (Moderna), and we definitely felt the shingrix the most. Both times there was a down day following the shot. The second was the worst, but it’s all in the rearview mirror now.
Warning, there could be too much TMI in the next few paragraphs. Feel free to stop here.
I added a headache to the sore arm and general malaise by passing out in the middle of the night. Unfortunately I was standing up at the time, and Carl decided that hanging on to a pickle was more important than trying to break my fall.
The pickle was for me. A salt delivery system to try and counteract the extremely painful foot and shin cramps I was experiencing. The cramps were probably due to not enough fluids, but we’re never quite sure. I had given blood a few days earlier. While Carl was obtaining the pickle, I had set my mind on getting to the bathroom and was slowly making my way along the dresser. I reached the end and then it all went black.
In Carl’s defense, the lights were off and I didn’t announce my imminent swoon. I also don’t think it happened in slow motion.
After figuring out I was on the floor, really, that was a moment I remember and I think I stated it out loud, of course I ate the pickle. I continued my trek, or rather scoot, to the bathroom because I still wanted to get there and trying to stand just brought back the cramps. Water, pickle juice, another pickle, Carl rubbing my legs, eventually we got back to bed. Of course, now fully hydrated, I got up every hour, made it to the bathroom safely, and drank even more.
Needless to say the alarm went off a bit too early for my liking. I did make it to the computer for the start of the workday, through the first meeting, but by 10 AM I called my boss and told him I was done for the day.
And I was. Moved the 5 feet to the couch and spent the day watching old movies, some TV, and napping. And then I went to bed early.
Today has been close to normal. Just a lingering headache when touched, and stiff neck muscles.
Spending the early evening enjoying the warmth on the deck, and noting the rhodys are all falling apart. Sort of like me.
Sure looked like a Monday in Junuary this morning. Raining and a bit cold. And an ASAP request in my in-box to start the day. Carefully laid plans to get caught up on service requests were swept away. If I had only worked on the weekend…
Luckily the sun came out in time for our walk up to Bartells for our second Shingles shot. This human pincushion assignment had been put on hold in favor of the Covid shots, but we’re back on track now.
We also embarked on an empirical study to determine if chocolate counteracts the sore arm syndrome.
Early results suggest no.
I got through the Board presentation, commenting on a few other bits, to the final adjournment. Now I am exhausted and can’t tell if it is the vaccine or just work that has worn me out. I had a down day after the first shingles shot … history may be repeating itself.
On the bright side, Carl made Turkey Tacos for dinner, so I am well fed. And tired.
Kind of a lost weekend. Or just get a few things done. Filing, shredding and paying bills was the focus of Saturday. This included a drive north to the convergence zone for the shredding drop off, and lunch.
The convergence zone is not a specific fixed location. It is where the weather patterns converge, and then weather happens. This location is usually north of Seattle city limits. As it was on Saturday when we left a perfectly lovely, mostly sunny afternoon, and drove into the teeth of the dark storm clouds and rain.
We did part with two bags of shredding, one bag of food for the food bank. We gained two brisket sandwiches, corn bread and some water. All individually packaged, and eaten in a socially distanced, covered area, as is almost normal after the many months of Covid. We also parted with a Marcos Gonzalez bobblehead for our fellow baseball fan financial advisor.
It’s interesting that this turned out to be our big adventure for the weekend. Carl’s baseball game on Sunday, in Tacoma, was rained out.
In other achievements
This puzzle was fun. It was big, requiring a large cardboard box laid on top of a card table. And it took a while to complete. It was colorful and varied. The first color attacked was yellow. The last was brown.
Today, about two thousand miles east, Corwin attended his first major league baseball game.
The real celebrant here is Rey, turning 34 today. And the Cardinals game was his idea. Cardinals lost 8 to 7 to the Reds, although the Cards made a game of it after having been down 7-0.
Happy birthday Rey.
I seem to be taking breaks between posts. No excuses, just boring. Or busy.
Today has been soccer first, gardening second. The soccer was 2 games across the pond. 1. A play in game for next season’s premiere league. It is called the million dollar game, or maybe billion dollars is more appropriate, because the winning team really does get a big boost in revenue in the top league. 2. The final game in the UEFA Champions League to claim to be the best club team in Europe. They were both entertaining enough, although the second game was better. This will set us up nicely for actually attending a a Sounder’s game tomorrow.
Staying on the sporting track, I went to my first Mariner’s win last night. Skipping tonight’s game, but looking forward to warm day games in the next two days of the long weekend. (Yes, that’s both Mariners and Sounders tomorrow.)
Speaking of warm, I spent an hour in the garden this afternoon. The initial focus was weeding around my four strawberry plants. These are new spring transplants, so I am not sure we will see fruit this year. I did get to use my new garden stool. It is great! I tended to kneel on it. Carl christened it earlier this week, weeding in the front area. He chose the sitting option.
I did not attack the raspberry patch yet. It needs attention, but I was heating up, and plan to put some work into a work presentation, so didn’t want to go overboard.
And work continues to dominate. I had neglected to call back a customer I had spoken to in April. I had looked up information about his situation, and knew he would not be happy with what I could tell him. And then life intervened and he fell off my radar. Until he left a message. I called him back yesterday morning and we talked for 30 minutes or so. He wasn’t happy with everything I could tell him, but it was a cordial call through his frustration. Sometimes you just need to let them vent. And I am going to provide him some information on how he could possibly continue his idea of an RV/Tiny House rentable addition to his house. An interesting take on an Airbnb.
Most of my tasks are not so individually focused, but hopefully what I do will satisfy him, and avoid him moving his compliments up the chain of command.
In more mundane activity news, we are into a 2000 piece jigsaw puzzle. It is larger than our normal card table venue, and Carl didn’t want to take the dining room table out of commission. A large flattened box is extending the card table the required few inches.
And now maybe a few minutes on a crossword puzzle.
See ya.
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