Proving the Concept
Well, this morning I am the personification of the title of this blog. I had an espresso after dinner and I now find myself, at 2:45 AM, to be extremely alert. I should probably be working - it’d be my best work in a week, likely. Let’s keep this between us, ok? Because if Mrs. Perils finds out, she won’t let me make coffee again after dinner. Just for this post, I’m using a secret font that I’ve set the browsers on her computer to render as a butterfly love-making, which will distract her.
We’re playing host for a few days to a young woman from Australia. She’s the daughter of someone we met in our online book club, and is exploring the western states before heading east for a year of university study in Virginia. Her visit literally started off with a bang. She arrived Saturday evening and we took her out for a bite of sushi, followed by a stroll down the hill to Gasworks Park. I can hear my flatland relatives groaning already, as they recognize that activity as the start of what they not-so-fondly call “Camp Ph*lbin”, but it gets better.
As luck and/or the groveling money grubbiness of the Parks Department would have it, the park was the scene of a huge extravaganza of a private party, complete with a temporary band shell, substantial fenced-off area (where we usually meander on our evening walks to the park), gospel choir, off-duty-cop motorcycle escort and, lastly, an enormous barge on Lake Union which they used to launch a fireworks display.
That’s why I had gently nudged us down there, and we stood around for awhile waiting for the display and watching rich people nosh on rich-people food. Mrs. Perils started to get jumpy and, indeed, it seemed silly to arrange our evening around someone else’s entertainment schedule, so we started to leave. Just then, the fireworks began, and I have to say it was one of the best I’ve seen, short, but no blank spaces and refreshingly devoid of patriotic hoopla. Here’s a short video from the P-I. I inexplicably didn’t have my camera along.
While I’d get a kick out of hauling our guest around on hikes and kayak trips and beach walks and all the other stuff that elicits a collective shudder from my relatives, she seems to have picked out an agenda from friends’ advice and Lonely Planet, and I think it’s her first really independent away-from-home experience, and she wants to do her own navigation. Our place is pretty ideally located for that. Yesterday, she caught a bus to downtown and did the Underground Seattle Tour and wandered up to Capitol Hill and Volunteer Park, and seemed very pleased. We’ll just sit back and be B&B operators.
OK, still very alert here even though you’re probably stifling yawns or already snoring unattractively. I’ll show mercy on you and go play Spider Solitaire or something until sleep finds me.
Ah yes, the perils of caffeine in the evening. Well, you did use the awake time wisely and creatively. When I’m awake at 2:45, I write blog posts in my head, and in the morning I find it’s just gibberish.
From Allen Ginsberg’s Howl:
who scribbled all night rocking and rolling over lofty
incantations which in the yellow morning were
stanzas of gibberish…
You actually have something here. Well done.
Robin, that’s what’s scary - I was so wide-awake, I was coherent. That’s not even true of me during the day!
That was a great fireworks show. Sorry I missed you guys. It’s a great time of year to see the fish at the Ballard Locks.
Not saying it, not saying it…
Hi, Ken. Thanks for the reminder about the locks. May have to take our guest there.
Danger, danger. I played host to a frienf from New Zealand and the next thing I knew I went down there. Come to think of it that wasn’t a bad thing at all. Head down to Oz Phil!
Hi Phil: Is she coming to UVA, by any chance? Pllease tell her to
stop by the Ecol Sciences Lab in clark Hall, currently home of three
great aussie post-docs
From the Mother of intrepid Aussie. Mr and Mrs Perils were great hosts to our daughter, letting her do exactly what she wanted but providing the home comforts. What more could an indepedent young traveller ask. She had a ball and fell in love with Seattle it seems.
Mike, I keep telling the Perils to come downunder. Having now met one up close might have shifted the balance a bit I’m hoping.
Debra, yes she is going to UVA. Dare I say, though, that she saw her big achievement at college (years 11-12 here) as never sitting foot inside the Science Blocks (despite numerous million dollar bribes from friends!). A meeting in neutral spot might be just the thing though. (I’ll pass on your message)
Phil, do you play Forty Theives solitaire? That’s my particular delectation from a software package called “Solitaire till dawn”!!!
Oops THIEVES
OK, I’m hiring Sue to respond to all my blog comments.
I’d love to make that trip, Mike (and Sue). I just have to plan it, and execute it, neither of which plays to my strengths.
Debra, hope you get to meet her. She’s a delight.
Never seen Forty Thieves, Sue. Just what I need - another addiction.
Anyone notice what time this comment is posted? Sheesh.