Raincharm’s Weblog

Literally, and we hope, figuratively.

Yesterday it was grey well into the afternoon. Today looks like it will be much earlier.

On a more individual level, I have been dealing with inadequate computer issues this week. Specifically being forced to work on a mini laptop instead of my regular desktop with two large monitors. I am amazed at my drop in productivity.

Printing out hard copies to review.
Almost missing meetings because my calendar is hidden behind many other windows.
And all of those things that just are not quite the same.
Don’t get me started on the Edge. (Not all of our applications work with the Edge.)
And then there is the super-sensitive space bar. Multiple spaces everywhere, and I am not a heavy handed typer.

The laptop is supposed to be used during meetings, and other situations out of the office. For limited periods of time. It has been full time this week, and will continue until the parts arrive to cure my desktop’s ails.

The original diagnosis was bad memory. Now it appears that the motherboard has taken a powder.

In our neighborhood it is not uncommon to put items out on the parking strip for others to glean.

A few days ago an across the street neighbor put an add on Craig’s List for a gas powered lawnmower – to give away. And our next door neighbor was mowing her lawn with an electric mower. She must have walked away for a bit, and when she returned, her mower was gone.

She put out a sign requesting its return, at which point the across the street neighbor realizes what might have happened.

So he feels bad and puts another post on Craig’s List requesting whoever picked up the electric mower to please return it to our neighbor.

And the mower is returned.

It has been cleaned, and the gleaner had researched the mower, found there was a recall for an electrical short problem, and that the manufacturer was providing replacements. And even attached the required paperwork.

Now everyone is feeling good about the situation, and people in general.

The primary focus of our day away from home was the Greek Festival at St. Demetrious. On Boyer. This annual festival is just the right distance for an easy walk. You have enough energy to enjoy the festival, and feel like you may have worked off some of the food. Today we had gyros, souvlaki, Greek fries and loukoumades. There was more we did not have, but we weren’t trying to spend the entire afternoon.

The festival was quite crowded. I think this probably reflected a slow Saturday when it rained hard off and on. This contrasted with the roads that were empty. Everyone was watching the Seahawks. It was even on at the festival.

We did see the new pedestrian overpass from the UW stadium and new light rail station to the campus side of a major intersection.

And there was this (for all of my Michigan car buffs)

I could not figure out the make until we found this.

A lovely fall day. I hope yours was too.

I missed game 1, and Carl missed most of the game. Work. What are we on the west coast to do.

We are enjoying game two with the Handleys. At least we are trying. St. Louis just hit a home run. (I am the only one in the room that did not spend part of my youth in the Chicago area.)

And while it is not politically correct to have a favorite child. I guess today it would be Ashlan. Sorry Rey.

It’s a nice afternoon to watch a game inside as it’s pouring here. A very Seattle thing to happen in October.

Hoping for better weather tomorrow so we can walk to the Greek Festival.

We left for Safeco field at about 9:20 this morning. We should leave Century Link field at about 9:00 PM. A long day, but so far so good.

Mariners won their last game 3-2, over the Athletics. We did a fair amount of scoreboard watching during the game.
Before the game we wandered and said so long to seat hosts, alcohol enforcement, coaches and a few players. Carl got four more baseballs, for a season total of 197. Just a few shy of a milestone.
And ichiro pitched an inning for Miami. Makes me wonder whether he is ready to retire.
A few years ago Ashlan went to six Mariner and one Sounder game. All were wins, and one was Felix Hernandez’s perfect game.
This week I have been to six Mariner games and am awaiting the Sounders. My record is 2-4, so far. I guess I don’t have the touch.

Again the weather has been remarkably nice for October. And I have been able to spend time with Carl and friends.

Go Sounders. And don’t let 6 AM come too early tomorrow morning.

We are in the 13th inning of the second to last day of the season for the Mariners. It is not raining, and not too cold, although the marine layer has descended.
The As are winning by two runs, courtesy of a home run.
Now is the Mariners last chance to come back.
Do we want a 14th inning?

Remember when you listened to your grandparents or parents complain about their health and ailments? We should have listened a little closer – it was probably more about their healthcare provider and working the insurance maze/scams etc. I have officially become old this past half year.

Having a kidney stone out of state has made the jumping thru hoops to get payment ten-fold difficult. Doctors tell you they’re going to do something, and just don’t.

Is it the gray hair?

Is it just elder abuse and all the fun they get from that?

Are they just trying to find the worst HOLD music of all time?

Trying to not cover procedures or just making the process so drawn out that you forget must be the motive. Maybe my heart will rupture with stress while on hold and it’ll all be over.

Where’s the fun in that?

[This is a guest post. Or rather a guest rant.]

Baseball season is drawing to a close. At least here in Seattle. And because the only thing Seattle can do is spoil another teams playoff dreams, we have tickets to all of the games ( nobody else wants them ).

I don’t know whether I have been to a full home stand all year. It is work.in addition to work.

That said, the weather has been remarkably nice for many days in a row. High in the 60s, lower by the end of the game – requiring a warm jacket. Unless you are Carl of course. And the others attending the game tend to be interested in baseball rather than just making the scene. The guys have been hauling in the balls during batting practice, and making friends giving their prizes away.

Morning comes early.

And the moon has been bright enough to wake me up every night this week.

I am taking off Friday to celebrate fan appreciation day. And of course there is now a chance of rain.

Saturday we will be joined by friends from out of town for the final weekend, and Carl just pointed out that the Mariners game on Sunday is followed by a Sounders game that evening.

Perhaps I should have taken Monday off instead.

This is the Silver Foxes. Their season ended last Sunday with a double-header. They finished second in their division.

I am sitting on the couch, watching bits and pieces of movies. The end of my day and the weekend.

Yesterday Carl had a game. We were disappointed to miss the Mariners honoring Jamie Moyer, pitcher extraordinaire, but we were fine with missing the Mariners dissolving in the 11th inning, losing 11-3. Today several people told Carl they saw him on the big screen yesterday. It took us a few times to figure out they were showing a bit of an interview from a few days earlier, since he was not even at the stadium.

Today we did make the game, and sat in the K section for Felix.

And the Mariners won. Even with Rodney pitching the 8th inning. (And for those not familiar with all things baseball, Rodney is our cross to bear. No lead is safe when he is on the mound.)

Carl felt so good he suggested we walk home. This was after walking to the game as well. And sitting in the sun for nine innings.

The morning started with a short walk of about a mile for breakfast. We met Dan (nephew out of LA) and his friends Michael and Valerie (out of St. Louis) at the Portage Bay Cafe, home of steel cut oats and eggs benedict. Good food and stories.

Yes, pictures of food.

Then back on the road, or sidewalk, for the 5-1/2 miles to reach the stadium. We were entertained by counting bikes participating in the Obliteride fund raising ride. We saw almost 150 riders on the 10 mile route.

I was really not sure about the wisdom of the walk home. I had not taken a long walk for well over a month. Starting with a loonng version …. Well we did survive.

As I said earlier, I am sitting on the couch.

Bonus for today: picking up a new used baseball mitt for Carl to replace the one that blew out again yesterday. We were browsing in the Play it Again Sports store. I pointed out a Wilson A2000 model. Apparently it is a reasonably good glove, with the right price. I only mentioned it because it reminded me of the Nimbus 3000 of Harry Potter game.

That’s the new mitt.
And now it’s time to stand up.

We spent the last four days sleeping in a hotel. It was a good hotel. Close to the center of our activities, relatively roomy, and wi-fi enabled. There was a game room with foosball that provided a few moments of fun, frequently at my expense. And then there was the continental breakfast. Best I have experienced in quite a while. Between the breakfast and all of the other eateries we came up with a new scorecard. The Bacon Scale. There was bacon everywhere and in everything. Burgers, eggs, salads, and of course solo.
It really should be the Bacon and Sausage Scale, as we tried many different types of sausage to go with the bacon.

We managed to see a baseball game while out and about. Imagine that. And a Mariner win to boot. (I have no idea where that saying comes from, but it sounds right.) Felix Hernandez was good but not great. It was fun to be in a different ballpark and share some time with other fans of both teams. (And Carl got four baseballs.)

The main reason for visiting was to see Bob. The kids came too so it was a real family vacation.

three generations

Steve in his environment

And now it’s back to the grind. Coming home with no further plans over the next month it feels like summer is already passing into fall.

Please be kind. This was written on my phone on the plane.