Happy Splody Day!

[annathepiper]

Happy 4th of July to all, and a welcome to wisewoman and technosage, now tuning in to my journal!

As I write, I'm listening to the echo of fireworks explosions bouncing back and forth through the hills all over the northern shore of Lake Washington. It's pretty cool-sounding, actually, and if I go upstairs I can see fireworks in the distance in multiple directions--shot off by Bothell, Woodinville, and either Bellevue or Kirkland, I'm not sure which. This is the first year that we haven't actually headed down to Lake Union to watch fireworks being shot off, but I'm okay with that; I've had plenty of good things happen this weekend, things that help contribute to the various reasons I'm thankful for the country I live in. I get cranky at my government sometimes, to be sure--but by and large I'm still pretty happy to be here.

And hey, fireworks are cool. In the meantime, here are some other reasons why the holiday weekend has been cool too:

Friday: jessicac, her sister Sadie, kathrynt, and llachglin joined us for video games with spazzkat and solarbird on Friday night. Kathryn and I writergeeked while the video game stuff was going on, which was extra special cool as it was more two-way writergeeking, just as much about her work as it was mine.

Saturday: As previously posted, we had the viewing of The Day After Tomorrow. And oh the silly badness. And I finished Chapter 12 of Lament, which was very satisfying. Need to figure out how to start off Chapter 13 now, though.

Sunday: In the afternoon, Dara and I went to go meet technoshaman and jenkitty at the Lake Forest Park Farmer's Market. Lunch, pleasant conversation, and ambling around the market was had by one and all, and shave ice by Dara and me. In the evening, Kathryn and Erik joined us for the second time this weekend for the grilling of hamburgers and hot dogs, and for the playing of more video games. Sunday evening would have been cooler for me if I hadn't twisted my neck out of sync badly enough to put me into teary pain, but after two Mike's and extensive neck rubbing by Kathryn and Dara both, I eventually slogged off to bed and some decent rest. Also, I am totally songvirused by the lyrics that Paul wrote for the video game theme. They go like this: "Monkeys playing golf, monkeys playing golf, monkeys playing golf, monkeys playing golf..." Repeat ad infinitum.

Today: See previous post re: going to see Cinderella Man with mamishka! In addition to the fun of the movie, I actually got myself out into the sunshine and biked to and from MurkSouth--so I got in 16 miles' worth of exercise today along with a Russell Crowe flick. To prepare for the bike trip, I had Dara braid my hair. I have decided I really like having my hair braided, as it gets most of its weight off my neck and keeps it out of my face. I need to figure out how to do this myself, though.

The one downer note of the trip was that I came upon a couple of fire engines and a crowd gathered around a teenager on a stretcher--it seemed that the poor kid had slammed his knee into one of the separator poles along the trail, at one of the points where the trail intersects with one of the access roads that leads down to the houses around the edge of the lake. Everything was well in hand by the emergency folks who'd shown up to take care of the boy, so I walked my bike past them and called out "Hang in there" to him. I hope he'll be okay. I very much felt for him--my own accident on the trail is still vivid in my brain, two years after the fact.

On the other hand, on the way home I saw a bald eagle. I had stopped to take a swig of water out of my water bottle, and I looked up, and there was the bird soaring along the edge of the lake. NICE. And a very appropriate bird to have seen today, neh?

Sunday miles: 2.0
Monday miles: 16.0
Miles out of Hobbiton: 206.3
Miles to Rivendell: 251.7

Comments

[technoshaman.livejournal.com]

Poor kid with the knee! Lucky for him, they can basically put you back together from the hips down these days... although toes are problematic, much to poor unixronin's chagrin (six years now after a motorcycle accident, and he still doesn't walk well)... but knees are easy. The guy you saw will be OK, eventually, even if it means a teflon patella.

And tres cool on the eagle. Verra nice.

And, yes, good to meet you two. Perhaps we should get together someplace with a stereo and some comfy seating and share music?

[annathepiper]

He'll have been in good hands, if the same emergency response fire engine guys that came to deal with me two summers ago were the ones who helped him. They were really good to me.

Music could be fun, perhaps if accompanied by Mah Jongg or Scrabble or some other sort of game. We have periodic poker and video games at the Murkworks, though usually when those are happening, I'm busy working on my writing. :) Mah Jongg or Scrabble or something, though, I'd be playing.

Splody stuff

[(Anonymous)]

For three days,it's sounded like a war at night on my street. My neighbors must've spent a small fortune on fireworks..big stuff,window-rattling ones. Add to that,they were about half-drunk most of the time(I call the one woman Chubarella the Beer Pixie..she's the loudest-in voice and dress-of the crew.And the drunkest..beer and explosives are a bad combination, but it can be funny). Started about 9:00 P.M.,ends about 2:00A.M. Continuous. The street fogged in smoke.Spent cardboard casings everywhere..
Knees-and other moving parts- can be fixed,but never quite to original specs..but really close....Scott

Re: Splody stuff

[annathepiper]

I am pleased to not be living in your neighborhood.

And re: knees, yes, I know--been there, done that, still very vividly remember the cut-up T-shirts from breaking my arm. :)

[mamishka.livejournal.com]

As a total aside, inspired by the accident you passed, I'm really really impressed that despite your own accident you're riding your bike again. That's a pretty dang brave thing in my book. :)

[annathepiper]

Awww. Thank you, dearheart. :) It's still a little scary for me sometimes, mostly if I am going down a large hill and have to be constantly brake-brake-braking to make sure I don't get too fast. The big hill leading down from our house is an example!