dolphins_log

-{So I'm going to edit this up.  Still no exclamation point in the header, but I'll capitalize it.  There is snow on the trees and grass, and slush on the roads.}-

It's the first snow of the season.

I followed all of the pre-forecast discussions,

The National Weather Service discussion for our area found on the Weather Underground for Port Orchard page.

And UW Meteorologist Cliff Mass' Weather Blog.

By checking all of those out last weekend I decided to get the roof line Christmas lights up then.  I would not want to be out on the roof in the snow.  Turned out to be a good call.

 I put up the rest of the lights in the trees and shrubs, on on our porch today.

( In Other News. I am and New Uncle! Twice! )

Washington State is getting its Coastal Doppler Radar for the West side of the Olympics!!! President Obama signed a finance bill that includes the remaining funding for the radar construction. The stimulus package included 2 million a while ago and site research has already been underway.

News release by Senator Cantwell

and

Cliff Mass, UW Meteorologist, blog spot.

Yay!

For some reason the walking challenge from work has kept me form doing things... like yard work and posting to LJ. Don't ask me why, or try to tell me why. It just is.

In any case, the challenge ended yesterday. I've walked 294 miles. I had the average miles per day up around 6.5. The average per day dropped off near the end to 5.5 miles per day. I burned 61,200 calories and lost ... 4 pounds. Yes, there are still a few changes to make. However I have far more energy to do things then I've had recently. I can work in the yard for the day rather then burning out after an hour and a half. Walking to the bank, 4 mile round trip, doesn't seem like a big accomplishment. And I can run about taking photos at my brother-in-laws wedding and not feel exhausted.

Speaking of which, that was a cool wedding. It was a Wiccan ceremony. The bride was dressed in a traditional wedding gown while the groom and his attendants were in kilts with the Colquhoun [Cowan] tartan. Bagpipes provided the music.

We had a little bit of trouble getting the very Catholic older brother and his family to come, but they did, and were happy to have done so. They had a good time. The food was just enough to get people fed once and then send them on there way. The DJ's music was old school 80's with a brush of current tunes.

Chris has himself a good wife I think.

And how about this weather?!

Friday was the last sunny Friday of the step challenge. There was a power in the air as the cold front started to give notice that it was coming. The air felt warm with a few circulating puffs of cold. I put in 9 miles that day.

There was a Tornado in South King / North Pierce that destroyed an old barn, took a roof off, and tried to make a water spout on Lake Tapps.

We had a Cougar in Discovery Park. They suspect that he was living off house cats. **whimper** But they caught him, got him good and scared of humans, and then released him in the Cascade foothills.

Tomorrow the are expecting a very busy day at work, but I don't know... The last few after holiday weekend days have been less then expected.

I'm getting my "Fall creative push" on. It happens every year. Something about "Back To School" conditioning that we all get while were growing up that will likely be with me for the rest of my life. I've got a Christmas Card to design, and time to manage, so that I can make it happen.

...and then there is this new addiction to walking.........

Spent the day painting the rest of the laundry room.  Juli chose the colors though I helped with changing the yellow.   ....a little.
There is some artwork we are going to hang in here.   Juli is thinking about which pieces.   [that bottom half is deep blue, not black.]

     

I managed to get a work out in at the gym.   I really Really REALLY need to find a way to get something in over the week.  By Thursday I start to feel a little run down.  Actually I should find a way to get something in every day.   It's still difficult with the 9 hour shift.

It's a little cooler now then it was with the sun out a few days ago, but it feels more like Spring is on the way.  Lot's more spring birds on making a raucous ruckus.  There's a smell in the air that just FEELS like spring.

Juli and I are trying to find a way to get to the Ocean this month.   Right now it looks like the last weekend, so I may be missing a Tai Pan Edd Board meeting.   But we get three days at the Ocean and a bag full of Powell's Books out of the deal.  [I'll work on some story while I'm there.]

Tonight.   Home made Hamburgers.

Day.

{and I'm REALLY looking forward to NorWesCon!]

My Super cam back to me mid day and said, "Now that you are one of us... We get to torture you."  And she put me in the walk in.   She was going to have me observe but I shot back "I think I'm ready.  Give me a till."  Then we got crazy busy.   Eeep!   I think I did okay.

But that's work.

I just downloaded my first bit of music ever.  "Life in a Northern Town" by Dream Academy.   Scary.

But now I don't need to buy the rest of the album.

I love the song.  I just read the lyrics though...and I won't know what they are singing about.

( Lyrics behind cut. )

Bit of a quote from a pin ball machine.

I managed to shop for Juli today.   I haven't ever "Last Minute Shopped" before.  It's both frustrating and simplifying.  I think I've got her some good stuff.

I also managed to scrape our driveway so I could get out to work tomorrow morning.

We're due for 4 to 8 inches of snow starting tomorrow night that may be followed up by a crust of freezing rain.  It's beginning to look like Juli and I wont make the party, but will keep the possibility open.  If there is a big storm we would rather be trapped at home.

I left for work yesterday a 1/2 hour early.  My direct route turned out to be closed.  I had to choose between the second direct route through hilly rural roads or the third indirect route the back tracks North through Port Orchard.  I took the third route as it was well lit and a little better prepared by road crews.

Work has been Very slow.  Few calls, but long and complicated.   Then the snow hit and it was like the phones were turned off.  Work sent me home one hour early yesterday.  I got some shopping done in Gig Harbor and then worked my way West [more North realy] on 16.  16 was in the news last night for being very slow.  Yes.  2 miles an hour.  I checked.  I managed to get home a half hour later then I would have on a normal day, let go at the normal time.

The Weather Outside Is Delightful.  Traveling In It Is Rather Frightful.

We lost power for about 20 minutes earlier tonight.  The wind has not yet picked up into the "Wind Advisory" category that we will be under in about 2 hours.

When the power came back on it killed Juli's little alarm clock.  I ran out to get her a new one.  As it turns out, our little neighborhood and the one across the street seem to be the only ones with power.  I'm sure there are a string of neighborhoods from us to the substation though.  It's just that one block west on the highway and Port Orchard is dark.  I stopped into a very dark Fred Meyer parking lot to get Juli her new clock.  I suppose I should have picked up a backup battery for it.

I did prepare for the storms earlier today though.  I have  a cooler in the garage with food in it, so we don't need to open the fridge.  I picked up some oil for our lanterns.  I even found some neato wind up flashlights. We broke them out when we had our brief power outage.  It's a cold blue light, not warm like candle light.  It's great to read by though.

The cable is out, so we can't watch Amazing Race.  I went online to find out who got eliminated.  I'll tell Juli after there is no hope left for watching it.

I seem to be thinking with a certain acuity that I seem to have been lacking for the past half year [or more]. Perhaps it’s the weather. Perhaps it’s that I’ve been forcing myself back to drinking the quantity of water that I should be. [I’ve been down that realization before]. Perhaps it’s because work is finally achieving the shutdown goal that we set for ourselves last August.

Has it almost been a full year? That’s amazing. We thought December 31, 2005. I never dreamed it would take this long. Suzanne did. We tried to convince her otherwise.


What ever the reason, I feel alive again. Let me think about that….. Did I not feel alive? Even as I sit here and type my fingers are flying over the keys. That hasn’t been the case for a while. I have direction. I know what my next few weeks are going to be like. Knowing where I’m going is a key to acuity.

( Saturday, a day of less hair and more tasks complete )

( The ed meeting )

( 80th birthday brick )
Speaking of hot, I’ve loved the heat since our trip to San Diego in 1987!!! Remember that HOT people? 117 degrees in the valley and two cars without air conditioning? Juli and I got home at around 4:30… and fell asleep. At 6 I got up and started some yard work. I jet hosed the dirt and weeds out of the expansion joints in the driveway. Next I fed the important plants with a watering can, giving each some personal attention.


And here I am.

What a difference a couple of extra hours of sleep make. because today is our shop party I get to delay going in by two hours. While everyone else is showing up at noon I have to show up early to get payroll done.

It does mean I got those two extra hours of sleep. For the first time in months I feel alert and relaxed. I could get used to this.

There is a thick, thick layer of ice outside. It looks zhivago-esc outside. The news says we have a freezing fog alert until noon today. Cool.