Fall Goings-On

It's been quite a while since I have laid down a blog post. I guess I just haven't felt creative, descriptive, angry, poetic, or any other of the number of reasons that usually fuel my blog. Actually, I still don't. I just thought that maybe--if I put something down--it just might actually turn into a blog post. Hey, it's happened before.

Ahh, where to start...

I recently started another blog that is geared toward the usual goings-on where I work, but that hasn't really taken anything away from this blog. At least I don't think so. It's more of a bland, descriptive record of things that take place there, occasionally peppered with a little comic relief or a picture or two. I created it for the amusement of a fellow worker that just retired recently. And for myself.

I could start with the weather I guess. After all, people talk about the weather at gas stations, bus stops, work, and everywhere else where they feel that they need to make conversation. We're in the full throes of fall here. Everything is happening to us much later than usual here this year. We finally have lots of trees with blazing yellow leaves intermixed with the usual green, but there is still an inordinate amount of trees with nothing but full green clothing on. We have been out and about here and there with the hope and intention of capturing some blazing yellows and reds of fall trees with our cameras but haven't experienced much. I think part of it (as Suzie mentioned the other day) is that we just don't have many of the trees that turn vivid colors as part of our native species. Everywhere that there are amazingly colorful leaves on trees they are either in housing developments, shopping areas, or business parks. In other words: planted by man.

This last Sunday we put the canoe in the truck and drove up to Seattle. It's getting harder and harder to make drives that direction without seriously considering routes these days. Between a toll on the 520 bridge (which I found starts this December) and now the Alaskan Way Viaduct being demolished, a person has to consider the route they drive very carefully. Anyway, our destination was the University of Washington/Arboretum area. The day was beautiful, and the water was very placid (sorry Suz... I know I overused that word already). There was lots of ducks, lots of geese, and a few turtles soaking up the last rays of the seasonal sun. There were some trees turning color, but even there, where there are so many varieties--not so much.

Sunday a week ago was work day. I rented a pressure washer from Home Depot and cleaned 12 years of moss from our roof. Normally, pressure washing is somewhat fun--probably because of the immediate results and gratification you get as you clean things. What I did, however, was not fun. I started at about 10am and finished at about 6pm with only a short break at one point. It should have been a two-day job, but when you rent something you're driven to completion. Nothing else matters but completing the task so you can return the thing to the store on time. By the time I finished, I was literally falling-down tired. My hands, my arms, and my lower back were screaming at me. Even though the day was cold and wet (but not raining), I had no problem with collapsing on the grass when I was finished. I didn't care if it was wet or not. The carnage when I was finished was unbelievable. There was moss and dirt on everything everywhere for 20 or 30 feet around the house. Suzie spent several hours the next day doing demoliton cleanup. I think she said she filled 3 wheelbarrows with moss. She worked as hard as I did the day before--no doubt about it.

So there you have it--A blog post. I guess it wasn't so hard. It's just like walking--you start off by putting one foot in front of the other, and before you know it you look behind you and realize you've covered some ground