18 December 2009 Yo, ho, ho, and a bottle of rheum

I took Loki out at 0710 this morning. The deck was wet but there was no apparent rain in the air. I debated calling off the morning’s hike with Mike based on a large area of rain moving our way on the radar displays. Since there were two pre-emptions this week already, I gauged the approach rate, layered up and covered my upper body with Gore-tex, and cranked out the distance. What was a light mist when I got to Mike’s house became a light rain by the time we were half-way back up the valley. Between Mike’s driveway and our door, the rate increased sharply.


It has been raining at a light to moderate rate since then. At 1402 the rain gauge indicates 0.29 inches of rainfall today. I suppose we’ll be watching the creek by nightfall. By 1500 the rain total has reached 0.42 inches and the radar shows freezing precipitation within ten miles of our door. Even if there were no good forecasts, no national weather service, it would be fairly evident that the weather system moving in is a serious storm. The turkey made a morning appearance and ate greedily before heading back up valley and under cover. The two squirrels that believe the bird feeders are intended for them were particularly insistent this morning. The birds that normally feed and then rotate feeding access with other birds have remained on station today.

The mountain tops and the high ridge lines were cloud covered this morning. It is possible to vary our morning walk route just a bit so as to gain a view of the upper valley just after leaving Mike’s drive. For some reason we never do. The first glimpse of the upper valley normally comes as we reach the lower end of our route and head back up the gradual but definite slope.

This is a good day for winter meals and comfort foods. We’re planning on toasted cheese sandwiches for dinner tonight and halibut steaks tomorrow night. Weather allowing, we plan on dining out Sunday evening. If the roads are clear enough we will try for Outback. There are better restaurants but there is some tradition involved.

It was on a day much like this that I first met Gloria. It was gray and cloudy when I stepped off the plane and recognized her waiting for me. Her smile lit up the terminal and I’ve been enjoying that smile for 17 years now.

In addition to being the “holiday season,” this is also “cold and flu season,” and, no doubt, two or three other seasons defined by ad agencies, Congressional declarations, or traditions imported from half a hundred other nations by immigrants who could bring little but memories. The universities have either ended their fall semesters or will do so rapidly. Students will flood the airlines in order to return home for the winter holidays. Also standing in apparently endless lines to board commercial flights are singles going somewhere for the holidays, families flying to visit other family members, families flooding resorts and theme parks during high season periods. Add to that mix international students, singles, and families. Each aircraft becomes a high altitude infection system for any organism spread by hand-to-eye or hand-to-mouth transfer.

We have both received our seasonal and H1N1 vaccinations and they should be effective now. We’re pretty cautious about keeping our hands away from our faces while shopping or out in public buildings.

Still, there is something (there’s always something – I have a strong immune response) bothering my eyes and sinuses. I spend the later parts of the day sniffling and blinking, trying to keep my nose from dripping and my eyes from being quite so painfully dry.

This brings us to the end word in the title. It’s pronounced like the alcoholic beverage and comes from the ancient Greek. The chorus you are familiar with sounds unchanged. Should you feel piratical in nature, feel free to use the line with immunity. But be advised, the nom de guerre Cap’n Yid is mine.

Loki, on inside sentry detail.