Thoughts in Random Patterns

Parking Karma

I got lucky today.  I had a meeting that was supposed to last from 1:00 to 4:00, or one full parking meter worth of time -- but the meeting ran about 10 minutes long.  As I walked toward my car I could see the meter enforcement agent man standing behind my Rover entering my license plate into his infernal hand held device.  I was all friendly and nice as I said that it must not be my lucky day and he said that maybe it was since he hadn't entered the ticket yet, and then he didn't give me a ticket after all.  Wowza.  That never happens.  I guess all those random quarters I've put into the meters of cars parked next to me finally paid off.  Or maybe it was this guy's first day on the job and he doesn't know any better yet.  On a cold snowy wintry day it was really nice to have something good happen.  Thanks, Mr. Parking Enforcement Agent Man.

Rock Slide

It's never dull living here in the foothills of the Rockies.  After a lovely dinner with a friend last night, I drove home in the dark with a light rain falling.  I drove through the park and came to the last stretch of single lane dirt road before the gate into our neighborhood and the road was blocked by a rock slide.  Oops.  I backed down, turned around, and left Brad's rocketship parked at the visitor's center.  I hiked up a trail in the dark to our road and walked home.  It's very dark and quiet at night here.  I'm sure I heard several mountain lions and hungry bears coming out of hibernation.  At least the rain had stopped, so I could hear better.  I did get home safely and uneaten.  I called a bunch of neighbors to let them know the road was impassable, and this morning several of them took pickaxes and shovels and cleared the road.  Neighborly. 

Spring is Sprung

It's been a long ugly winter, but I think spring is finally here and I'm ready to come out of hiding.  Brad and I had a great vacation last week, full of tennis and first novels and together time and crazy amounts of sleep and the restorative beauty of the Pacific ocean.  I'm starting to get into a springtime rhythm of yoga and walks and writing at my Spruce Street office and connecting with friends, all of which are good. 

The way we are living,
timorous or bold,
will have been our life.

Seamus Heaney, Elegy for Robert Lowell

Iditarod

Today is the ceremonial start of the 1,100 mile Iditarod sled dog race.  The official race website has a nice interactive map and the Anchorage newspaper has extensive coverage.