listening after dark

More pain, or, I like rock climbing

Last night's (second) class was great. We had a few minutes of terms and then were set loose to climb. It was basically like what I imagine a school playground might have been, had I attended school and therefore experienced a school playground. We climbed around, helped each other, showed off, complained about sore arms, squinched toes—basically, we played.

I'm probably the oldest person in the class, which is a strange thing. All the others seem to be barely out of high school. One of the guys who was belaying me just turned 18. Which means he was born in 1990. !! That makes me feel old.

After biking home into the (20ish mph) wind last night, I was unbelievably tired and could hardly lift my arms, but today I feel better than expected. The weirdest things are hard, though, like dressing myself. Putting on pants especially. But I'm already looking forward to the next class on Monday, when the soreness is gone and the climbing will be just slightly easier. Maybe I'll even be able to grasp that one hold I couldn't quite reach...

The long wait is over

I survived the winter. Spring is come. The lilacs are in full bloom (I keep stealing little sprigs from alley bushes). It has been raining like Washington. I don't think Wyoming is usually this green.

Finally had a holiday from work—my first day off since Presidents' Day in February (and that day was spent house sitting with an enormous Great Dane puppy who tried to eat one of my shoes—because I wasn't family, I think). Now I have many summer things to look forward to: vacation to Montreal in a month, rock climbing classes starting in June, hanging out with some new friends (really, it's true), camping, hiking, fishing.

My great discovery of the weekend was made while going through some cabinets looking for things to give away or toss out. It's spring and I must declutter. If only a little. My first digital camera, the one I got as a Christmas gift at my first job, stopped working sometime in 2006. I couldn't bring myself to throw it out, and good thing. I put in some fresh batteries and it works just dandy. Now I can carry it with me again for those small moments when I feel the need to document something.

Sunday I went hiking for a couple of hours with a new friend (also Wes's co-worker; he's been trying to arrange a play date for us for some time). It was a perfect hiking day. Monday it rained nonstop and I made green chile chicken enchiladas, knitted and watched movies.

I've been reading a lot lately. Maisie Dobbs is my latest enjoyment, thanks to my friend Stephanie. I like the mixture of history, mystery, fiction and English geography.

It's also a good time for new music. Of course, my favorite is The Weepies' new album, Hideaway (only $7.99 from Amazon). They've also posted a "making of Hideaway" video on YouTube.

And, dangerously, I listened to lots of World Café this weekend. I always discover new musicians, which can lead down a path to more and more newly essential music. Much like browsing CD Baby. It's a path that should not be tread upon lightly. A couple of stand-out songs: "Asking for Flowers" by Kathleen Edwards; "Army Dreamers" by Kate Bush.

Oh, and I might be famous now. If not now, then maybe around 10 p.m. MDT. I happened to be wandering downtown at lunchtime today and was accosted interviewed by a reporter from one of the local news stations. He asked me some questions about Casper: what I like, what could be improved. You want to know what I said, don't you? Well, if I show up on the 10 p.m. newscast, it will also be online. Next to my all-too-brief childhood appearance on the TV news in Spokane as a patient at the dental school, this could be my big break.

Casper by the numbers

New Casper photo album here. More photos to come.

9 p.m., 62 degrees

I think spring might have finally arrived. Yesterday it was in the 60s and today was nearly 70. We spent a while at the park yesterday, flying kites and throwing a frisbee. There were people everywhere, playing like they'd been in hibernation for months (they have). Wes broke his kite and I lost mine to some power lines, and we both have sore arms from frisbee, but it was a wonderful afternoon. (I wish I had pictures. There were also the college-age kids who had a hula hoop, a guitar, a harmonica and very white winter legs.) Then, to make the day even better, we watched the first two (original) Star Wars movies and ate jalapeño poppers and shrimp. Did you know that cocktail sauce is ridiculously easy to make and tastes way better than the stuff in a jar? See the (sort of) recipe below.

[I have public radio jazz playing in the kitchen, and I just heard "fell down the stairs and died." Who fell and died, I do not know, but there you have it.]

This weekend has also been spent catching up with friends. I've probably been on the phone close to five hours since Friday night. I forget how much I miss girl talk and reminiscing about old times. Sounds like I need to do some serious traveling/visiting soon. Good thing I have a girls weekend planned for the end of April—Boulder, here I come!

To round off the strange assortment of details in this post, here are a few...recipes.

It must nearly be spring

Walking home from work today, I encountered my neighbor tracking his cat. We exchanged some lighthearted banter. I had already loosened my scarf and was wearing no gloves, no hat.

Later, some kids across the alley spent a while screaming in their backyard.

The birds continued their racket.

It almost rained today.

Things I don't like about walking to work in the snow

It's the last day of March. After my birthday. It has been snowing for months. Shouldn't it be done yet?

The weirdly excessive birdsong either means the birds are as frustrated with the snow as I am, or they're just trying to keep warm.

At least it isn't just Wyoming.

Things I like about walking to work in the snow

Seeing a group of little girls sledding down a hill from their house into the street, with a woman watching for cars and telling them, "Stop screaming!" Try telling that to little girls in the snow.

Tracking bunnies along the sidewalk.

Finding the blocks with the best snow-shoveling upkeep (and, thus, less treacherous sidewalks). So far, the Catholic church wins. The stove store loses.

Snowing again...flecks of glitter under the streetlights

New favorite pie: Pear cranberry.

Best Christmas song: "Silent Night" by Tom Waits.

Way to enjoy the snow: Walking home from work on a Friday night.

Relaxing weekend plans include: Brunch, knitting, many movies.

Winter is beginning...I think

Nearly 70 degrees today, gloriously sunny, perfect kite weather. However, there is a 100 percent chance of snow tomorrow, with a high of 33. The weather guessers usually aren't that adamant. My parents have made it to Bozeman so far, where it's already snowing. Here's hoping the roads are clear enough for a safe drive tomorrow.

I'm beginning to understand the weather patterns in Casper. "Windy" usually means at least 30 or 40 mph, whereas "breezy" encompasses the teens and 20s. When it's especially windy, it's usually warmer, because the strong winds come from the southwest. When it's calm, it's usually colder. Word is, after it snows, it just blows away. Along with everything else. For a week I've been tracking the progress of a pair of black, silly-printed boxers as I walk past on my way to work. They've moved half a block so far. The pair of pants I spotted last week, several blocks away, have disappeared completely.

Perhaps it wasn't the best idea to begin baking tonight. Now I have to live with the aroma of pecan pie all evening. As well as baked yams for the pie I'll make tomorrow evening. But when Thursday arrives and there are five pies to choose from, I think I'll be OK with the situation. Oh pie. I could sing in praise of pie.

Breakfast, music, wind

My favorite part of almost any week is sleeping in on Saturday morning (which means 8 if I'm lucky, or 7 if I'm not), reading in bed for an hour or so, then yawning and stretching, finally getting out of bed to listen to Car Talk and Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me while making something yummy for breakfast. This morning it was scones, using my favorite recipe. I didn't have any blueberries this time, so I added raisins and caraway seeds, a sort of soda bread adaptation. Best with orange marmalade and a cup of Empress blend tea (bought at the Fairmont Hotel on Lake Louise two years ago, and savored slowly since then).

This afternoon I took a two-hour hike that included some bushwhacking and rock climbing. Good, solid exercise. I bike to work every day, but it adds up to less than 4 miles each day. Must take more walks.

Oh, it snowed last weekend. Melted in a day or so, but still. It's only mid-October. The days have varied between sun/wind and clouds/calm and cold and warm and everything else. Not much rain. Today was one of those calm, mostly sunny, cool fall days, with most of the leaves blown off the trees and the remaining ones trying out new shades of gold.

Thanks to Shelly, I'm sharing the link to some new music by her friend Ben. I like his mellow mélange of melancholy and melody. (Sorry, too good to resist.) Seriously, it's some beautiful music.

And just for fun, by way of googlism.com:

april is my religion
april is national
april is in my mistress' face
april is the best in asheville
april is california
april is ibs
april is

szuch is the no
szuch is the 67
szuch is gearing up for a second "more somber" collection

wyoming is prepared to handle bioterrorism
wyoming is alive with aglow women spreading the love of jesus to the people in the cowboy state
wyoming is more than a suburb
wyoming is rebuffed in attempt to inoculate elk print
wyoming is somewhere out west
wyoming is more than just two twentysomethings feeling a bit alienated
wyoming is that mr
wyoming is een van de hoogst gelegen staten van de verenigde staten

This is also funny, thanks to a co-worker. Those ribbons bug me.

One more option for a smile.