Tonight's the last night

.

(click on the image)

The LEOs have been working hard... and having fun, too!

almost too much fun

Busy weekend

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Halloween weekend... a long one because the main event is Sunday night. Grandma Skip and I find ourselves not only preparing for trick or treaters at our house, but assisting the LEOs at the haunted house over at the Factory Outlet stores. We missed the fun last weekend. If last night was any indication, it will get busier as the weekend progresses.

...may miss another Giants game

I was going to comment

.

Suldog posted about Halloween over here.
I have to say I remember it pretty much the same way he does... other than it wasn't 1965.

My first memory of Halloween has to be from when my mom and I lived in the apartment on the top floor at 301 Hugo Street in San Francisco... go ahead Google it. It's still there, just doesn't look the same. I must have been about four or five years old. It was late in the afternoon and getting dark. A bunch of older kids, probably six or seven year olds, were coming up [or down] the street all dressed up in homemade costumes and carry pillowcases [or flour sacks]. I had no idea what they were up to... and I have absolutely no idea why I was outside by myself. I asked the kids what they were doing and they told me all about trick or treating. They even showed me how to soap windows, which I thought was a grand idea. Of course I immediately went in and demanded to know why I hadn't been previously informed of and included in this Halloween stuff. I was in for a surprise
The surprise was that was that we were going to my grandparent's house over the hill, which could be almost anywhere in San Francisco. That's when they sprang another surprise... I had a costume and pillowcase, but no soap, and was joining a number of neighborhood kids to go trick or treating. It seemed to me that we were out forever that night, but probably not. Because that's when I was surprised again.
When we all returned to my grandparents, we were ushered into the dining room for a kid's Halloween party with hot chocolate and cake.
There were other Halloweens, but that one pretty much stands out.

there was probably
an adult present
during trick or treat,
just not in the
crowd of kids

For a good laugh look here

.

Outlook

This is the image I see on the NWS website today. My guess is that it's a pretty good day to stay indoors.


To the right is the infra-red image that explains the prediction of 100%. It is mostly to the west, but creeping in an east northeast direction.

It also has a bit of an eerie appearance... almost ghostly. It must be in honor of the upcoming Halloween?

I wouldn't want to be driving home from anywhere up north today.

how's the weather, Nana?

Maybe I already mentioned this

.

I am not enamored of going into the retail giants at the end of September and finding that they're already displaying Christmas merchandise. I want to savor the fact that back to school sales are done and it is time for the annual mattress sales. Then I want to see Halloween stuff about a week into October or around Columbus Day. Once Halloween is over we should be thinking about the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. The Brits call it Remembrance Day. We used to call it Armistice Day. Now it's Veterans Day. In any event it shouldn't have to share the limelight unless it is with Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving's a big deal. After that, then the merchants can go all in with their Christmas promotions. A month is plenty of time to get everyone into the spirit of buying. So yeah, Thanksgiving comes first... after Columbus Day, Halloween and Veterans Day.

I'd say there ought
to be a law, but we've
too many already

How about that

.

While we were away my favorite Major League Baseball team made their way to the World Series, which begins tomorrow. About a year ago I wrote a brief post about when I became a Giants fan.
I was actually looking for this post because, those of you who know me also know, I am too lazy to write new stuff when old stuff will marginally handle the job.
If I remember, I may post more about the Sweet Adelines and their fantastic harmonizing in Seattle.

Barbershop rocks... really!

So we finally made it home

.

Suldog's comment on yesterday's post has an even bigger meaning than he may think.
When we left Seattle at around ten o'clock Sunday morning it was raining a little... you know on and off, nothing serious. As we proceeded south we encountered more and more rain and it was steady when we passed through Portland, Oregon. Further south still, the wind increased and so did the amount of rainfall, such that the rear window and drivers side windows remained dry while the wipers couldn't even keep up. Fortunately for us, wed made arrangements to stopover to visit a friend who was visiting family in Springfield (about 110 miles south of Portland on the interstate) because the rain and wind only got worse.
It turns out that here at home new rainfall records were set yesterday.

"serendipity" indeed

Extra day on the road

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The original plan was to drive all the way home today. But an opportunity for a surprise visit has developed.
Someone we missed while in Michigan in August is visiting family in Springfield, Oregon, which is on our way. So our plan is to stop over and say hello.

the weather has turned

Bonus!

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There's not photography, video recording or taping allowed in the competition...



...but Friday morning the Sweet Adelines were outside for awhile.

sounds much better in person

Traveling

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I try to keep up with blogging when I'm away from home... at least by reading other blogs. This trip hasn't always allowed for that... or I'm possibly following way too many other blogs? Many times I get some ideas for posts from others... like today.

My friend Brian posed some thoughts about left and right handedness. That reminded me of a time about 45 years ago, when I first started out in the pizza business. Those were the days when everything was done from scratch and nothing was precooked. There was some discussion about my ever learning the proper placement of the ground Italian sausage atop the pizza before baking. It seemed to my two supervisors that I was all thumbs. Eventually I became even more proficient than either of them and was even put in charge of training for the company as it expanded. We eventually realized that I'd had been mimicking their moves and as I was not left-handed, like both of them, my coordination was lacking. Much later some co-workers found it amusing to bet others that I could build a pizza faster left-handed than they could using their dominant hand.

never learned to do it right-handed

Reputation

.

So, yesterday I made a comment about Seattle having a "damp" climate. I have to admit, though, that it hasn't necessarily been my experience. More times than not, the weather has been dry when I've been here.
That said, I have heard from folks who live heard, that the residents don't tan in the summer... they rust.

o0o

We have really enjoyed the music at the Sweet Adelines International competiton... yesterday was quartets. The shows are being broad cast online, if anyone is interested.
We did take a little break yesterday to visit the Experience Music Project/Science Fiction Museum.



A post I saw on another blog suggested I take the picture above.

even the Jetsons faced traffic congestion

No more hiccups

.

Other than the incident with the battery Monday morning, there have been no difficulties. If anything, it has been above and beyond expectations [which I've learned to downplay anyway].
Most anyone who thinks they know anything about Seattle will tell you that it has a "damp" climate... not so far this time around. True, it was foggy Sunday and Monday mornings, but it cleared out and the days have been fantastic.
We're here, ostensibly, to see the Sweet Adelines International competition. However, sightseeing has not been set aside.

gotta go

The ferry ride

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Everything went well until it was time to actually drive aboard the boat. Then, the car didn't start.



So after we got a jump from a really nice cable TV guy and it was determined that the car would restart, they let us aboard and strongly suggested that we stay in the car with the engine running for the entire trip. Hence the view in the picture above.

thought a battery should
be good for more than four
years and 70,000 miles

Oh boy!

.

We're going on a boat ride later today this morning.
We are moving across the Sound to Seattle for the rest of our stay.

wonder if the
sun will come
out again today

.

We made it. Actually got here at 4:20 Friday but we've been busy carving pumpkins and catching up with three busy grandkids and their even busier parents.

more... later

Bodes well

.The current report from the NWS claims we're in for decent travel weather today, with only an 20% chance of showers at Portland. In fact they're forecasting halfway decent stuff all the way through Thursday.

we'll see

I forgot to mention

.
Tomorrow morning Grandma Skip and I are making another road trip. This time it's only up the road to Seattle, with a brief stopover to visit grandkids, the granddog and the adult children.
Normally, I would probably be concerning myself with whether or not the place we're staying has free wireless for the laptop. Instead, I am hoping they have the stations showing the baseball playoffs. I am not certain I would have agreed to this trip last February had I known the Giants were so close to the World Series [yeah, I know it's pretentious].
This trip will provide me with one advantage. Lions Clubs are holding the International Convention in Seattle next Summer. So I will have learned what places to avoid.



Oh, yeah... we're going to Seattle because Sweet Adelines International is holding their convention and barbershop singing competition. Grandma Skip has a couple of friends who will be there. I'm sure it will prove quite entertaining... and less stressful than the baseball playoffs.

bet it rains

Change

.

A friend and my niece both posted, he on his blog, she on Facebook, about change. They've never met.
What struck me is just how constant change is, even when a great effort is made to preserve the moment. We have two choices when it comes to change. We can accept and embrace it, or resist it.
It's unfortunate a current world leader used change as part of his campaign because change was going to happen whether he was elected or not.

My friend also posted that he is old... nuh,uh! I've seen old. Old is stuff that needs to be replaced, like connectors for septic tanks.

o0o

BTW - until this morning I'd never heard of Andrew Marr. I hope his mother bites him when he gets home.

o0o

I thought about changing the appearance of this blog... maybe even making it a little more organized. Then determined that if I did that others might expect the same in other areas.

but don't rule it out

I guess that's it

Until Saturday.

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The one run, changing leads thing makes for an exciting game. But it sure is stressful... not to mention how it screws up the dinner hour.

the picture's from August

Today is

.

Well, yeah... it is Monday.

But that's not what I am getting at. No This is the Monday near enough to the anniversary of the day Christopher Columbus arrived in the Americas, thinking he'd arrived in the East Indies. The day is commemorated under many different names in different places. There is a certain irony that we celebrate Columbus Day closer to the actual date of discovery than Columbus came to finding his way to Asia.


This photo has absolutely nothing to do with Columbus, other than it is someone arriving at the beach from more or less the same direction as ol' Chris.
Click on the image for more information.

Monday holidays should
go the same way as
Daylight Savings ...away

Sojourn

.
In Sacramento... visiting three of my favorite people.

I may miss the Giants game and the 49er game... but I don't care.

o0o

As far as memorial services go, yesterday's was pretty much the top. You could tell the eulogies came from the heart and were meant to celebrate the life of the deceased.

sixty

That's one

.
Well, last night's game puts a damper on things. But then I suppose the mood should be somber for the memorial service we're attending this afternoon.

That's one

.The Giants won last night behind an excellently pitched game by Tim Lincecum. It's a good thing he pitched an excellent game because they only managed to score one run.
Matt Cain pitches tonight. Then it's on the road and a day game in Atlanta on Sunday with Jonathan Sanchez on the mound.

we'll be visiting
Hugh on Sunday

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Blogger does us a disservice. It allows bloggers to edit their posts at any time. Yet it doesn't allow us to edit our comments. At best we can delete them and rewrite them. It's no small wonder that many commenters choose to remain anonymous.

yeah, I screwed up again

Alternatives

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The #1 Nana posted about swearing. That got me to thinking, which in and of itself can be a dangerous enterprise.
I have, over the last few years, tried to refrain from using swearwords. Not because I want to sent a good example, but because it's a challenge to find other, more acceptable, words to use in their place. Don't tell me that gosh and golly are blasphemy. I haven't always been entirely successful. I'm fairly certain that asshole is still used occasionally. Although I have attempted to replace it with ass weasel.
I was reminded of some substitute words that I have attempted to use as replacements for some of the more common expletives. A few if you are aware that I have translated WTF to mean what in federation. It still means exactly the same thing... doesn't it?
On our August trip we started out by meeting my cousin and his wife in San
Francisco... don't say Frisco... where we attended a Giants game. Early in the game the Cubs went ahead when the right fielder, Kosuke Fukudome hit a home run. Now when things don't go exactly how I want, I can say "Fukudome," and now everyone will know I'm not a happy camper.
Later on the trip we were traveling eastward on I-80 and stayed the night in a small Nevada town city... Winnemucca. Go ahead, insert that anywhere you feel you may need an expletive with more than one syllable. Mumble it, and others might even misunderstand.
I remember the first time I heard an adult say "shit." Was I shocked? Not exactly, I took it as permission to use the word myself. Attempts to substitute sugar have proved ineffective and shoot hasn't done much better.
I remember a story about a fellow who strove to avoid expletives. On one occasion he was sorely tempted to call another guy a son of a bitch. He managed to avoid it by saying, "I hope your mother bites you when you get home."
Anyway, I'm not particularly shocked by the language of young folks today... just disappointed that they feel the necessity to resort to the lowest possible language.

it's been a long road

Clarification

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Yesterday, as an aside, I mentioned I hoped there would be rain along with the thunder. It was not necessarily because I want it to rain, but because everything is so dry that a simple lightning strike can wreak absolute havoc in the wildlands. We have been fortunate so far this year.

o0o

It did rain along with the thunder and lightning and we even had a few drops... very few... fall here in the valley, too.

today would be a good
day to have a widndmill

What's that noise?

.

I keep hearing thunder in the distance.

hope there's rain, too

Sunday filler

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saw it

Kids!

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Imagine a bunch of teens getting up early, for them, on a Saturday morning. Then spending most of the day laying out an indoor maze and then actually create it.
No arguments.
No bickering.
Just total concentration getting the work done.
Oh, yes, there were adults there. We were redundant for the most part. Only necessary when someone had to drive somewhere.
They had decided beforehand who was going to do what and when. Then they did it.
I'm pretty sure the three Saturdays they've allowed are plenty of time to completed their task.











There was no goofing off... except for the guy taking insect pictures

For Brian

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A little further research into White Cane Days find me with my foot in my mouth. Some clubs actually do sell the little white canes, which are similar to the one pictured in the illustration below.



The canes are roughly 2 inches long and the paper tag is adhesive backed so it will stick to clothing.