another rainy sunday

Yep, it's Sunday and typical of Portland the wind is whipping the spruce tree in a frenzy and rain is pouring out of the sky like water out of a janitor's bucket. Water drips off the eaves, runs down the windows, splatters on the pavement and trickles off the powerlines outside the porch. Cars swish through the street and the squirrels are not out today. It's probably cold as well, but I sure ain't gonna be the one to go outside and find out for myself. Sitting here on the couch is about my speed for the day.

Last night was our end of season party/going away party and after driving around lost around 185th (note to self: this is exactly why I hate the suburbs, it's hard as shit to find anything) we got to OSF and it was packed to the gills. I haven't seen so many white people in one building since the last gun show I went to. Oh yeah. The crowd of shiny dresses and corsages and awkward looking teenage boys would be the victims of winter formal. The only consolation was that it wasn't the aftermath of a junior high dance or those squealing girls would be much worse. 8th grade girls shriek like nothing else you've ever heard. There was still plenty of giggling and camera flashes.
It kinda hit home for me while we were sitting around shootin' the shit, that this was it, and I'm actually gonna miss kickin' it with these guys. It's a weird feeling. My last Saturday was pretty uneventful--there was only a steady trickle of postal customers, a few drop offs, some copy jobs and boxholders checking their mail. It never got busy at all. I only had one packing job that was even remotely interesting and it went into a normal box without much intervention. The only weird thing that happened all day is some ladies paid for a $16 job with nickels and dimes...every cashier's nightmare. We were gonna go next door and watch the Colts/Dallas game but they were watching a soccer game...I went over to Sunrise and discovered I could still get an eggnog latte...for the same price as my usual coffee. Then 3pm rose up fast and I gathered up all my stuff and headed for the barn.

Today is interesting in that I don't feel all frantic like usual. The only challenge I have is to pick up something off the wire for tomorrow that doesn't involve having to drive anywhere. After all my car is hopelessly barricaded in the driveway by sarah's subaru, whose alarm cannot be disabled by any normal means. I made this pleasant discovery when I tried to go to Highland Park on Friday and woke up the whole damn neighborhood. I had the keys and the alarm control in hand, but could not turn the damn thing off, much less get the car to move. Fortunately I barely drive anywhere under normal circumstances, but this means that I definitely won't be driving anything anywhere until sarah gets back from Europe.

I guess the other project today is looking through the benefits packet. And maybe organizing my various school folders. They're a bit unruly after the aftermath of December and I haven't bothered to organize them for the new quarter. Later I'll get motivated to make some stuffed shells. I'm stuffing them with chard which is growing happily out in the garden...which I would imagine is a rather wet place right now. Maybe I should reconsider this idea in favor of staying dry.

So another week comes and goes. New things are on the horizon for next week. This is one of those years that probably won't be quiet...but it oughta be rather interesting.