February 2015 -- Bad Beginning -- Good Ending

February 2015

Here I am late already with doing a monthy blog post!

The month started with me recuperating from that horrendous viral infection that attacked me at the end of January. I was into at least the second week before I started to feel better, but some of the effects still linger with me as of today (March 11th). I have a cough several times a day, and I sneeze a few times each day, which I have not done in the past. I am left to assume that the virus has caused some imbalances that continue through my body.

Speaking of imbalances -- I am working with my trusted PT/rehab person, Daniel, to get my body re-balanced and strengthened to help with all the sciatica and back issues I have been having. I worked with him in the past (to train for the cross country tour that I ended up not being able to do) and feel some encouragement from the exercises and stretches he has given me. (This part isn't bad, but is working on a bad issue that I have had for over a year).

The other bad thing about February is -- our beloved Seahawks did not win the Super Bowl. But they remain our heroes and the streets were lined with 12s for their return home.

Bad stuff done -- let's move on to the better part of the month.

I enjoyed some fine times with friends -- breakfast with my friend JPD; the movie with Pat ("Imitation Game" which was great); and the theatre with Bill (August Wilson's "Piano". August Wilson's plays are very interesting and I have now seen at least four of the ten he has done that depict life of the African Americans in each decade through 2000. You must look at them.)

And there were several bike rides during February as well. One was Gery's "Donut Ride" that he does a couple of times a month. I was glad to have the time available to do one this month, and here is a poem I wrote that sums it up:

Poem for MIke

(February 15, 2015)

• Mike said "write a poem about us"
  
• 
  
• OK Mike, it came out thus...
  
• The sun is out the sky is blue
  
• We meet our leader who is here on cue
  
• Around some corners and up a hill
  
• More miles would pass for sure until
  
• We find our spot in Mill Creek Town
  
• 
  
• Join tables together to gather round
  
• Bikes are locked or leaned about
  
• Gery's falls over by a lock of doubt
  
• We giggle and chat as we eat al fresco
  
• Happy to live out here on the westco
  
• No snow to bother this gorgeous outing
  
• No shivering, bundling or need for pouting
  
• 
  
• Too soon it is time to remount up
  
• Drink the last drops from our empty cup
  
• Meandering through the town square streets
  
• Our thoughts meander to future meets
  
• Thank you Gery for being our guide
  
• On this your famous Donut Ride
  

(I have never claimed to be a poet ;'-)))))

Among several other rides, one took me with friends on our Centennial Trail on a nice day and good time together.

At a junction of the trail is the sign reminding us of the Railroad that was here

On the way back we stopped at the library and each of the three of us found a book for borrow

Then there was a Rainbow Ride that took us along Alki on a gorgeous sunny day with views of Seatlle.

Some Seattle skyline from Alki (West Seattle)

Two ferries pass by each other from Seattle to, I'm thinking Bremerton

SCUBA diving is a very popular activity along the shore of Alki

I ended my month with a trip to San Diego to visit Sheri and Alexis and had a grand time. They both work so I had a good amount of time alone which I used wisely to take walks, linger in the outdoor hot tub and swim in the adjacent pool. The trip was a "sunrise to sunset" kind of thing. I had views of an absolute gorgeous sunrise over the mountains while riding on the bus through Lynnwood. Bright bright red with some orange streaking through. So sorry I could not get a photo but it was peeking in and out of the neighborhood houses so we got only fairly short glimpses of it. Had I not been on a bus I would have stopped for emergency photo op. Simply beautiful.

At the end of the day at Sheri's we enjoyed a beautiful purple and pink sunset from her patio. What a way to start and end a day!

To give the right impression about southern Cal, I had to snap a few southern Cal-type photos:

Cactus on one of my walks

Lemons along the way

 

On Sheri's days off we did a some tourist kind of stuff (since I am a tourist) and took a Segway tour of downtown. Great fun as Sheri had not done one before, and I had done it only once with Susan in Tucson, AZ.

We got to ride through the Padres Baseball Stadium

And along the Embarcadero

Stopped for a well deserved stretch

Our leader Josh. We were his only group for this trip. Made it nice for us!

The next day we took a little drive to Ocean Beach for views and for lunch.

Known as OB (Oh Bee) to the locals

At the end of the pier is the cafe

Had a nice walk and enjoyed seeing the fisherpeople, strollers and lurkers

A wonderful funky cafe with great food

We watched the surfers from out window side table

After lunch we made our way back to the beach. With the temperate weather of San Diego, many homeless or aimless people find a place to hang out (or live). They move from place to place depending on how diligent the police are about moving them along. Right now, OB is the place, but I chose to not take photos of the groups. I did get a couple more pictures though:

After I took this one, the artist appeared to want some money

Musicians practicing for something? Or perhaps just jammin'

I took some from-the-airplane shots going and coming home -- they speak for them selves:

On the way to San Diego

Arriving Seattle. On the flight home I had wonders of wonders -- NO seat mates!!

Freighters from the sky

Ferry sure looks small

Seattle archipelago

I was pleased to have used strictly public transit to get from home to the airport and from the airport to home.

The public transit choice takes time which one needs to do it this way, but it sure is nice to not use a car for even one block! #113 bus, a block from my house, dropped me at Lynnwood Transit Center in time to immediately hop on the #512 that took me to Jackson Street, right in front of the stairs down to the bus tunnel to hop on the Link in three minutes from when I got there. To get from my house to the Link stop at SeaTac takes about 2.25 hours. Seems long when I write it, but for some reason it didn't feel at all bad during it. Then about a 5-8 minute walk to the terminal to check in bags. Sweet! The constraints are 1) your plane reservations have to be at the right time to fit in the bus options, and 2) you need to travel with only one bag as more would make it unwieldy to get on the transit and to maneuver on your own.

I picked up a breakfast sandwich and tea for the wait. Airport WiFi is MUCH better than it has been in the past. Our dollars at work!

Thus ends the bad to the good of February 2015.

 

 

 

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