Sun Day On A Saturday!

Glory be! Sun, sun, sun! It was a GLORIOUS sunny day! Just when you think it's never, ever going to happen, God gives us this beautiful day! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

Lest you think I'm nuts, it's just been so long since I've spent the day in capris and a t-shirt. With the windows open, no less. I'm not pathetic, just jubilant.

On days like these, I tend to go a little bonkers. What do we do with such a day? It seems a shame to stay inside and do chores, even if they need to be done. And Todd had to work so we had to stay close to home. So the kids and I went for a walk on the river walk in town. O.k., so I had to put on jeans and wear a fleece for most of it (it's nearly always windy on the river) but it felt so good to be warm. Warm! Even the wind was mostly warm. I changed back into my capris when we got home.

The railroad track runs along the river walk even though a train hasn't been out our way in several years. (Joke: How do you know a railroad has been here? Because it left tracks.) We do have a trolley that runs up and down the river, the length of our town and when it passes by, one feels compelled to wave. I appreciate the kindly tourists who wave back. We ride it once a year or so, it's fun to hear the conductor talk about the town, etc. But not today, no, today was for being outside. We heard chirping along part of the track where it split into three rails. We found some adolescent sparrows hiding down under the unused track, calling for their mom. We walked among a large flock of pigeons. Then we spotted an enormous container ship entering the river under the big bridge that spans across to Washington. The pilot boat zipped across to sidle up to the ship. We knew we were in for a treat. The river pilot shimmied up the ladder hanging on the side of the container ship (these guys are nuts!!) While we waited for the hand off, a raccoon scampered up from the river bank and ran across the tracks in front of us. After several minutes, we spotted the bar pilot walking on the deck, then making his way down the side of the ship on the ladder. From there he safely made it to the pilot boat. Whew! This happens several times every day but we don't get to witness it very often. From our living room at home, we see the helicopter take off that takes the bar pilot out to the ship in the ocean that needs to enter the river at the "bar". It's dangerous work. The bar pilot is deposited by cable down on the ship. He pilots the ship through the bar and into the river. That's where the pilot boat comes in and delivers the river pilot to the ship. Greetings are exchanged, as well as information. Then the bar pilot climbs down the ladder and literally jumps on board the little pilot boat. One false step ...

It's always amazing to watch, it's never boring. I couldn't help but think that with all of today's technology, there are some things that are still done the same way they've been done for a long, long time. Brave men, these guys are. And it pays good money, too (anyone interested?)

Our walk back to the car was uneventful, everyone being hot and tired but we all had fun. We went home, I made dinner, Todd went to work. It was still beautiful out. Chad set up croquet and we played. He beat me, the scoundrel! Then Chad and I went for a walk around our neighborhood. We spotted a large flock of cedar wax wing birds. They flew down onto the sidewalk in front of us for a minute. They are such pretty birds and rare in these parts. We got home and still I wanted to be out. So, close to sunset, I took Chad and Carmen out to the river, this time at the end of the boat docks, to watch the sunset. A lovely ending to a warm, wonderful day!