Raincharm’s Weblog

On my way to the Mariners game. It was pouring. To the point I took the bus for part of the 1/4 mile walk to the light rail station. I was still wet when I finally sat down on the train.

It was just raining during the walk from the train to the station. I had my rain jacket on, so was able to go down to the drier jacket underneath for the game. The stadium roof was closed. But my pants were damp. All the way through the game, and still when we got home.

The good part was that the Mariners won, again, sweeping the Angels. And now our family can return to our regular schedule.

Our yard in the wet spring. Weeds, moss, mushrooms, and a little grass.

Mariners to start, but not until 4:15. We made it through 6 innings before it was time to depart for game 2, Ballard FC.

The morning was spent doing the family arithmetic  and playing a few games on my phone. Lunch and then launch for the light rail.

Mariners vs. The Angels. A good crowd. It started with the roof open, but it closed around the 3rd. I’m not sure if it rained or not, but there were definitely clouds.

When the game started, we thought we might be able to watch most of the game, but the Angels pitchers insisted on throwing lots of pitches, and the game was meandering through the afternoon.  Not that we’re complaining, the Ms scored one early, and then JP Crawford hit a grand slam.  With a 5-0 lead, we left feeling that the game was safe. While walking to the light rail we heard the crowd roar as the Ms scored again.

Light rail to the monorail to the Seattle Center for game 2. Time enough to get some yummy steamed Nepalese chicken dumplings before the game started.

I was expecting it tight game as Ballard FC’s opponent, West Seattle, was also undefeated. It did start out with intense action back and forth, but was 3-0 in Ballard’s favor at halftime. After they improved to 4-0 in the second half we decided we could leave to get home a bit earlier.

Back to the monorail. Fun time as Carl explained to a family that they could ask the driver if the 6-year old or so could honk the horn. And they did.

On to the light rail, which was pretty crowded. Mostly young Ms fans. I guess it was a Saturday night, and they didn’t just go home after the game ended.

And the walk home.

Ready for bed.

I see strawberries that are surprisingly all over the place.

And that I really need to weed.

I have done my good deed for the day, and it’s not even 8:30.

Working from home today, and I have a peek-a-boo view through the bushes to the sidewalk. I noticed a young girl in a tutu on our parking strip. She was looking at the street, and I didn’t see an adult, but kids often run ahead. She continued down the sidewalk, and I asked Carl to look for an adult.

Carl stepped outside and did not see an adult. She was headed toward the busy road end of our block. Carl was barefoot, but I had slippers on, so I took off down the block. Thank goodness she just stopped at the end of the block and didn’t try to cross the street.

When I reached her I told her my name and asked hers. Her mother was taking her brother to his school and then would meet her? She said she was 6, and she didn’t live on our block. Another woman who was walking up the street did stop and listened to our conversation. Brooke was underdressed for our 50-degree weather, and I think it was clear this was not a normal situation.

I asked her where she was supposed to meet her Mom. When she pointed back down the block, I suggested we go there, and she took off at a 6-year old run. I followed at a 60+-year old jog. Carl appeared in sandals as we passed our house, and I asked him to get a phone. We stopped at the corner of the block, and I was trying to figure out the next move.

Brooke indicated the next two turns to the “meeting place,” which I suspect is her house. Carl arrived with the phone and put his vest over Brooke’s shoulders. She didn’t know her mother’s phone number, and I was trying to figure out whether to follow her lead further or call 911 or both.

And then her rather distraught mother pulled up. She didn’t yell but told her she shouldn’t leave the house, thanked us, and we all went home. Brooke did say it was her mother, so we didn’t hand her off to a stranger.

And now I am stuck trying to concentrate on work again.

Starting up slow again.

At the Mariner game. Hat of the day for Will Stacey. He’s our kids age, played baseball with both of them. Was killed by an IED in Afghanistan several years ago now. The R is for RUG little league.

The interesting thing happening at the ballpark today, besides the game, is there is a problem with some of the power in the stadium. Only the timers and the big screen are working. Nothing else. It is actually quite pleasant, with hardly any extra noises during the inning.

We are playing the hated Astros and currently leading 3-2, but they have a man on 2nd and 3rd with 2 outs in the 5th.

All for now.

So we’re watching the Super Bowl on Nickelodeon with SpongeBob. Because DirecTV likes to charge us for lots of channels and then cancel the local ones from time to time. With no refund for lack of channels.

The game is now in overtime, and the commentary aimed at kids may be better than the main commentary.

I have been rooting for KC. But with a potential final score of SF 22 to KC 19, I would win the office pool. $40 for my $5 investment. Since I don’t really have a dog in this fight, that would be okay by me.

I guess I win either way. And I am … poor but happy.

Just because, some scenes from yesterday.

Two trunks.

This tree is massive!

Why did the chicken cross the road?

After our walk today, I am up to 400 steps shy of 10,000. But no steps. Although there were some hills.

The chickens were early in the walk, about two blocks from our house. We saw two, and one did, in fact, cross the street. Carl said there are about 10 that hang out there.

The goal of today’s walk was a community center where Carl throws a ball against the wall. I stopped at a local bookstore near the park and bought a book to help me with my meager attempts to get acquainted with Mandarin Chinese.

When I inquired if they had language learning books, he asked if it was for me or a child. I replied, “Yes.” And the book I chose was from the children’s section.

Steps, that is. Not steps, but stairs. Our morning walk has taken me to 10,116 steps, and it’s not quite noon.

The walk route was built around two errands. A haircut for me. And returning some jeans that didn’t fit and picking up a pair that does.

The stairs were on the return trip and nearly did me in. I have not been consistent in getting walks in every day, and it showed. Not just in my legs, but some lightheadedness. I really felt the need for sustenance and the University Farmer’s Market happened to be between the stairs and our house. An apple turnover has helped replenish the calories burnt.

Recovery time watching some Premier League games. Inspiring me to keep moving through the rest of the day?

This colorful pot full of rainbow was on its way to becoming part of tomorrow’s dinner. (And the next day, and probably at least one more.)

Carl spent the early evening preparing stuffed peppers. It’s a meal that uses more pots and dishes than most to prepare but results in tastiness.

There were a few hiccups in tonight’s production. The first was mundane, the rice water just would not come to a boil. The second was much more, not mundane.

The peppers were parboiling, and Carl thought they were ready to come out of the water. He was using some implement to remove them, and then tip the pepper so the hot water would pour out. Whether he thought the water was all out or for some other reason, he handled the pepper, resulting in a “it’s HOT” reaction. He didn’t actually yell but reacted by tossing the pepper into the air. It landed on the floor. Meanwhile, the implement, probably a wooden spoon, also became airborne, landing in the pot with vegetables, ground turkey, and tomatoes/sauce/paste. This mixture was then propelled into the air landing on the counter, the stove, the floor, Carl’s pants, and in an open drawer.

Mind you, I didn’t see any of this. But I did end up cleaning all of said areas where stuff landed. It went into the compost, except the pepper that started it all. It was rinsed and put back into service. The pants didn’t go into the compost either.

That should give you a measure of how interesting our lives are at this moment.

Spring is sprung

Or almost.

Is it because I have started doing our taxes? Or have purchased tickets for the boys Spring Training trip?

Or because our walk today was sprinkled with exclamations of, “look what is sprouting.”