Walking in the dark and wet...

Just when I think I am up to speed, I slow down...

Yesterday was the big celebration, you know the one working folks do for it being FRIDAY! After four days of grinding out the labor and putting in the time they are ready to go home in about nine hours and party! So Happy Friday, and TGIF, and all are cried and laughed about. Surviving another week and two days of one's own time, no supervisors, no work, no way!

I was on my second motorcycle riding day of the week, the weathermen tried to make me believe it was going to rain - but I was betting the other way, and I had such a smile on my face from Thursday that I had to ride, rain or shine, on Friday - after all what is life about if it isn't about when one rides the Trusty Triumph? Well, my life anyway. For sure it was ten degrees warmer on Friday and I didn't lose my fingers to the wind chill like I had Thursday. On the way home I would cut through Spanaway Lake Park and at twenty miles per hour lean into the gentle curves and roll out, one doesn't really have to go too fast to enjoy being an old man on a bike.

I have lost one inmate worker, he is off to another level of custody, didn't obey the rules well enough so next week's chain will take him to the joint at the end of this world - Clallam Bay Corrections Center. The other three are in great form, although one is preparing for transition back into the world outside the fence and guards, I have requested six new candidates to test and interview for the position, I have about four new kites asking for the position only the Sikh seems a best possibility. His name may not even get on the callout. I will work with what is offered. Look, it is the end of another month, and I haven't finished most of the things I wanted to, but then I do have today and tomorrow and too long work days (Monday and Tuesday 11:3o to 20:00).

In my personal life, that I seem to share with a family and my two friends, I seem to have rippled the fabric of harmony and togetherness. I am like that. I am singing badly again with the choir, but the director understands she won't have all my attention and attendance, I have things to do and promises to keep. Even my wife has convinced me to consider seeing my doctor again, but he might not like me when I tell him what I think, but he might.

Well, the rains have returned, just for me so I can get out of doing the lawn and the daffodils droop a bit, still their bright yellow is uplifting, the Winter may really be over... it is just the cooler type of Spring - unless skiing is your passion, the slopes are open and working. Must be time for a nap - I come home on Friday and after dinner have the worst time trying to keep my eyes open - I missed the Diva match on Smackdown - and my wife didn't even wake me but we were heading for bed early (9:30 PM!), it had been a trying week and nine straight hours of sleep seems a fine reward for the weary.

Take care out there.

Ah it is raining, really Northwest Coast Raining...

It is constant, it is heavy and there is more on the way, the streets are wet, when the drains plug up with fallen leaves the roads become little rivers flowing to find escape from the cars spraying and splashing large fans of water. The large umbrellas come out, the rain coats and rubber boots, it is darker, and the rain falls heavy drumming upon the roofs and roads. The Sound absorbs the rain from the Pacific but the trees and ground want to shed it, and can't. Since the ground is already soaked, the rivers start to rise flooding in the near future, warnings on the television to clean the drains of leaves, watch driving across slick wet leaves and an example of a car that went over the embankment when it slid out of control.

In the library today my crew and I worked on steadily, the primary shelver was on a mission to find all the books I would withdraw because of pages and pictures missing. They are torn or cut out because there are so many stupid people in prison, ones that still believe their wants out weigh that of the many, and if they don't get it first some other guy would steal it anyway. Always remember that these inmates will be released back to your neighborhood one day. As I say that I remember putting about forty-two donated books into the collection, many brand new donated by inmates that do care and will share. When I put the newspapers out about Senator Obama's victory with his speech and pictures of his family and Senator McCain it was a pretty good set of coverage. In an hour they were all stolen and the local bookie couldn't get his NFL spread for this weekend's betting. Do remember that I am not here to provide targets and opportunity for more crime, I do circulate real fine information and reading material.

Bikers Against Statewide Hunger BASH, of course

Okay, we did it. U know that I am old and cold and beaten, we gathered pledged and rode out to do good things for the needy of the community - okay, just an excuse to look mean and tough and go fast on our motorcycles. It is the Great Northwest and the Autumn rains are here - just for us, just for today. My wife told me it was raining when she woke, just in case I hadn't looked outside. So I put my leather coat on, and then added the rain suit on top of that. I greased the chain for Trusty's day in the slop and street soup.

In small groups of five we hit the highways and charged up through Seattle - three times I have visited that city, the remainder of the time I drive-by, one rest stop for coffee, one fuel stop for trail mix and beer for the horses (okay, but that is a great song - thanks, Willie and Toby).
About a hundred and some miles into the Sound and the forests to the house that would host the picnic. I parked my motorcycle in the treeline, and helped set up and took lots of pictures - and kept moving trying to warm up and dry out. Good food, great trial of a ride, talk and food and more riders coming in as they found their way - some adventures are bigger than others when they make an unexpected and totally undirected turn. Yep, that is Canada to the North, don't go that way. We did get a real bonfire built. When the last of the food was served and the final riders started warming up the raffle and silent auctions were held, after a brief thank you from the Bikers Against Statewide Hunger as he explained his work and where the donations were going to go. Worked out well for a cold and rainy day, they may not allow Tougher than Thou stuff much any more, but the hard core rain riders had beaten themselves well at seventy miles per hour (or there about) and that made this the highest grossing fund raising activity of the season so far. Next years might be bigger and better, and on a Sunny day the wimp riders will join - and maybe I will have Trusty shining and my wife riding with me.

I did find my way to the ferry, hadn't done getting on and off a ferry with the motorcycle, just walking, and that was new and interesting. More rain on the way home, completely lost contact with the other riders but made it safely. Time for that really hot shower, and deep sleep, did talk to my mother on Skype.com, and my wife has returned from her dinner. Another great day.

Commuting

Just another day, I decide the weather man doesn't know what he is talking about, he has lied to me before, so I take the motorcycle out to ride to work. I have the rain jacket on, and leave off the pants. Ah, a mile from home the skies beat water upon fools, and I am, wet from jacket to toes and heels. Ah, the ride is great, in the dark and the totally wet, large puddles hiding pot holes, and adventure with the four wheeled folks on cell phones or with attitudes. It is never bad enough to stop and go home and more adventure waits just around the next corner, lay it over and roll on the throttle. One wet puppy reports into the depot after parking the bike, well, a damp ol' hound. I will dry out, and I notice the tide is especially high this morning as we load the ferries, I opt for sitting in front of the heater and steaming a bit. Inside the library I call Tacoma Public Library and find I have an interview for a position. I have one inmate with flu and one having interviews for housing in another state, our prison population overflows so we rent services and space. We knock out overdue notices, restrict patrons with over three weeks worth, do ILLs and fix the almost brand new Book Return box. The patrons are noisier than usual, the Sound is cold and wet, ravens pretend they can soar like the eagles and seagulls, but they can't. My boss is watching as she works and tells me a couple of things to correct, we have lunch together and I talk about other things and the Spanish collection and how the Germans do so well in a country we (and our allies) destroyed so well in the War. Finally it is time to go home, the library has been well used. I think, since the rains have almost stopped that I might get home without getting soaked, but then realize it is waiting for me. I get on the ferry and take a seat and plan the return home. Suddenly, after riding these boats for almost nine and a half years, someone spots an Orca in the water (WOW!!!) the normal tourist attraction pods are up North above Seattle and below Vancouver, BC. This is too cool and getting a glimpse of the large fin coming up and cutting back down is great, something to write home about. Then we get cast off and start across the water and the rains start to come down harder, yep. It was waiting for me, I get dressed in rain gear in the depot and ride home, much better prepared for the water and only my boots and socks will be soaked, since I have a hot dinner with a spicy noodle soup waiting my day is perfect. Tomorrow the minivan, the weather man says it will get drier after the Seahawks play Greenbay Saturday, but he has been wrong before.