Chilly and sunny, still

Two babes and two beers

I spent a wonderful afternoon with my friend Lily on Sunday this past weekend. It is her last day off for a couple of weeks, so I was very happy she decided to spend it with me. She asked me where I wanted to have lunch, and since it had been a long time since I went to Greene's Corner, she agreed. The important part (for me) was the opportunity to have a good craft beer. She likes porter, which she enjoyed, and I had a Hazy IPA, which I also enjoyed. After we had our beer and pizza, we went out for a walk at Boulevard Park, where I had walked the previous day with Steve. 

It was still very cold, and that continues today. After so many days of sunshine and clear weather, I am ready to return to our usual overcast skies and much warmer temperatures. I think by the end of the week, we will be returning to warmth and rain. I hope I can remember to keep myself upright if it gets slippery. I'll be carrying my shoe spikes, which do no good at all in my pack, but they are there if I need them. I am able to walk and do my exercises much easier these days. It's been almost a year now since that disastrous fall on the ice, and I tend to slow way down when I think it might be slippery at all.

I have a favorite beer that I keep stocked here at home, and I am no longer feeling bad about having a single 12-ounce beer every day. That is one aspect of growing older; what is wrong with enjoying something like that, if it gives me pleasure (it does). My numbers are good, quite good for an elderly person, and I have already lived a full life and deserve to enjoy a bit of the bubbly, right?

Yesterday I got my chills and thrills by driving less than a mile from my home to the home of my hairdresser. It has been a long time since I felt confident enough to drive that far, and it reminded me of the days when I was a skydiver, and I'd be excited and a little scared as I drove to the Drop Zone, knowing I'd be jumping out of airplanes soon. Now, just getting behind the wheel of a car and driving somewhere gives me quite a thrill. I am safe and slow and feel a little sorry for any drivers who get behind me, because I am driving well below the speed limit, scanning to the left and right and making sense of what I am seeing. It must be sunny and clear, with minimal traffic, for me to venture out. I did forget about the sun setting so early, but I made it home without having to deal with the brilliant sunshine in my eyes as it sets. 

I will take a yoga class again tomorrow, but I will get there and home via bus. At some point in the near future, I will be giving up my car, hopefully without any incidents making that day come earlier than I am ready for. I am feeling pretty confident, as I watch my sweet partner recover from his elbow injury and spend his days going to places using the Para-Transit system. Then Thursday and Friday I will enjoy my volunteer duties (now that I am no longer employed). They seem to come around way faster. Hope you're having good weather wherever you are and whatever that means to you.

(smile)

Curious number indeed

What's in a number?

The other day I began to wonder if there is anything special about the number "83," since I recently began my 84th trip around the sun when I turned 83. I asked SG (who has always been clued in to mathematics) if he knows of anything special about the number 83. "Well, it's a prime number, for one." I know that prime numbers are only divisible by 1, or themselves, but that was the extent of my knowledge. Years ago, however, I read a novel that sparked my interest in autism and prime numbers, The_Curious_Incident_of_the_Dog_in_the_Night-Time is a book (now also a play) very much, and I read it twice. It was subsequently turned into a play. (Sorry I cannot make that link work. Check it out on Amazon.)

It also sparked my interest in autism, since the protagonist is a teenage boy with high-functioning autism. The author (Mark Haddon) ended up writing the book from the boy's perspective (Christopher) and I was immediately curious myself about this condition. I'm pretty sure I have known people who are "on the spectrum," as they say, and I think I have at times been a little envious of someone having the possibility to evoke such incredible focus.

I have since learned that most cases of autism are genetically caused, but lately there has been much controversy about it. I think in a few more years, we will know much more about the condition. But back to the main focus of this post, that number. From an AI Overvuew link:

The number 83 is the 23rd prime number, a Sophie Germain prime, and the atomic number for bismuth; it signifies creativity in numerology, appears in biblical contexts (like Moses at age 83), and is used in sports jerseys, with its Roman numeral being LXXXIII.

It is also a "Super-Prime" becaused it is the 23rd prime number, which is also a prime. And there is plenty of places that the number appears in religious texts and stories. I don't think of this will make a difference in my experience of it, but gosh, it's fascinating, don't you think?

A new day is upon us

 You are just going to have to imagine the picture that I have spent most of the day trying to get from my iPhone to my laptop, since they are not just cooperating. But here's the story: today SG took the Paratransit bus (a mini sort of bus, part of the WTA transit system) to his doctor's appointment to decide what they would be doing with his broken elbow. It turned out extremely well: once he got there, via the bus, he saw the orthopedic surgeon, thinking he would be having to endure an operation. But the doctor said he can resume baby pushups like he did before the accident in just a few more weeks. So, that was wonderful news. And he can use the system for trips to and from doctor's appointments for the next three years, no charge! That is, other than the $60 annual fee to belong to the Senior Center.

So, as you can imagine, we are thrilled that we are coming along with our various and sundry problems, hoping for a happier time in our immediate future. Sorry this post is so short, but I am wanting to climb into bed and start a new, better day tomorrow.

I might try just a little longer to get a picture for you. But if I don't succeed, you can use your imagination until sometime later. 

(smile)

The New Year is a-comin

Elegant frozen posie (posey)

When I logged on here for my monthly FaceTime post with my sister Norma Jean, just a short time ago, I realized that it has been a month, enough time to start the healing process of losing a beloved pet. But in many ways I realize that it's just begun. I didn't see him every day, but I knew that sweet soul very well, having visited many times over the years. His presence was constant and taken for granted in so many ways. But, inevitably, as happens with our furry friends, they leave before we are ready to say goodbye.

During the holidays, our losses compound themselves and join with the dark skies and short days, with the light seeming distant. Those of us who have been around long enough to know that it's just part of the cycle of life and death, still feel it very strongly and look forward to the light and love returning.

Norma Jean seems to be doing very well, all thing considered, and I think I am also doing quite well, all things considered. Tomorrow is the final day of this year, with another one being born and, hopefully, bringing us lots of delightful surprises, of the good kind. Feeling happy to be a part of the universe right now.

Christmas week

Goodies at the food bar

I went looking for some goodies in my pictures and found this one, taken at the place we were staying while in Istanbul a decade ago. I can almost remember the taste of a few of them. They were definitely "Turkish delights" and exceedingly abundant and fattening. I was on vacation, though, and allowed myself some latitude in my food choices. Just for a little while, though: I can also remember how I felt afterwards: not good. My desire for sweets is modified by how they just don't agree with me, once they are out of my mouth and movenational national cent4er into my stomach.

I am devastatded by what is happening to my old place of employment, the National Center for Atmospheric Research. From AI overview:

The Trump administration plans to dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado, citing "climate alarmism" and "Green New Scam" research, intending to move vital functions like weather modeling and supercomputing elsewhere, sparking widespread scientific and political backlash over risks to weather forecasting, disaster preparedness, and climate research. The National Science Foundation (NSF) announced a restructuring, focusing on severe storms and space weather, while exploring transfers for its supercomputer and research aircraft, a move scientists warn will set back U.S. science. 

I worked there for thirty years and was a part of the most wonderful and exciting science that I could even imagine. I never thought this might happen, and yes I am incredibly saddened by much of what is happening in the world today. 

I was in Istanbul, along with scientists from all over the world, to examine how climate change is altering our environment. NCAR paid for us to be there, and all I can say is that I am glad I got to be there and experience the best and the brightest scientists in their natural settings. Soon it will be gone. It's simply heartbreaking.

💔💔💔💔💔

More awful weather, another hard week

Mushrooms galore

One thing that happens when it gets this wet in the Pacific Northwest is a bonanza of mushrooms, of many kinds. They are everywhere out in the forests, and we get to enjoy seeing many varieties pop up, almost like magic. They are there, all the time, and all they need is a little (or even a lot) of moisture.

We have been having an incredible amount of rain. After four inches last week with the atmospheric river, this week we are having yet another one. We expect at least two more inches of rain to fall today and tomorrow. Plus tonight we are expecting very strong winds that will continue for hours, probably producing power outages. SG has filled many jugs and pails of water for drinking in case we lose power and cannot get any clean water from our faucets for any length of time. 

SG has been doing extremely well with just using one arm, as his broken elbow has become somewhat usable, if he holds it carefully next to his body and doesn't put any external pressure on it. If I didn't know better, I'd think he was out of the woods. But his doctor now wants him to get another x-ray, which is problematic, since he can't drive and I shouldn't, since I can't see very well any more. In full sunlight in the middle of the day, I can navigate in familiar places, but I don't try unless it's truly needed. He will probably need surgery, but we won't know that for awhile.

My friend John has offered to drive him to the imaging center, and he has been helping us get groceries as we need them. We will get through this, I know we will, but it's been so hard. We are no longer young and strong, so everything takes longer and becomes difficult at times. My tolerance for this kind of stress has diminished considerably.

However, because of all the rain, we are surrounded by communities that have been evacuated. The entire Skagit Valley is underwater, and I fear for the tulip festival we enjoy every April. But we have some time between now and then, and I'm hoping for the best. At least we are not needing to evacuate and probably will be able to weather this period with the help of friends and having each other. And I will be able to get to my volunteer work at the Senior Center this week, which always raises my spirits. I will keep you posted.

(smile)

Staying above water

A winter view of Bellingham Bay

We, here in the Pacific Northwest, are in the midst of a strong atmospheric river, coming up from Hawaii, sometimes called a "Pineapple Express" because of it. We have had several inches of rain already, but we here are not getting the worst of it. Many places south of us have gotten much more rain, with subsequent mudslides and rivers overflowing their banks. Right now we are having a short respite, but tomorrow we are supposed to get many more inches of rain, right here in Bellingham (I started to say, "right here in River City," but considering our wet situation, it didn't seem appropriate.

But mainly I am managing to take everything in stride. Yesterday I got my first massage in six weeks, and it was really helpful. I slept for over nine hours last night, restful and dreamless sleep. Tomorrow I will take a bus to the new Senior Center for a yoga class, which also helps me immeasurably. Both my guy and I signed up again for the same health coverage we had last year; it covers the new medication his doctor will be putting him on, so we are happy about that. Hopefully he will tolerate it with few side effects. It's a monthly shot, rather than daily pills. (It's more expensive, but what isn't?)

A long-time friend has gifted me with a Jacque Lawson Advent Calendar that I access daily and enjoy it tremendously. I spend hours every day with it, playing games, puzzles, and looking for a different elf every day hiding in the landscape. It portrays a winter wonderland in England and is filled with delights.

I still have to get all my bills paid and spend some time doing useful stuff online, but I tend to put that off in order to play on the laptop. I have two blogs I write each week, this one and the Sunday one, so here it is, my Tuesday ruminations. Hope you're having a good time wherever you are living. I think I've almost had my fill of rain, but at least it's warm.

(smile)