Summer, for real.

Nothing like 104-degree heat to get the Seattlites to quit squawking about 83 degrees.

For the first time since I moved to the Seattle on the day after Christmas in 2001, I have never felt like I have experienced a proper summer or winter. Growing up in Idaho there was always a week or two in the middle of summer when you would get roasted in temperatures approaching the triple digits, and usually a bit of time with a few feet of snow on the ground. Spring and fall are reasonably similar, but summer and winter pass and something biologically never clicked with me that summer or winter actually happened. This week may have done the trick on the summer problem. We've been above 90 all week and an all-time record was set at 103 degrees measured at the SeaTac airport (the official recording location).

A little further east and inland the temperatures were a few degrees higher yet, reaching 106 degrees in Bellevue where I work. Just to experience it I went out for a mellow ride around a familiar loop at lunch. When I started it was 96 degrees and 65% humidity, but I didn't know the numbers at the time; I just knew it was hot. It was tolerable if you were moving at a steady pace, but going up hill (reduced breeze) the feeling was beyond uncomfortable to "I've got to get out of this". It was still fun and as I often tell myself when the conditions are rough (usually cold and/or windy), you know you are alive when you are out in it.

Today cooled down substantially to a rather comfortable 94 degrees. A week ago everyone around would walk to lunch when it was 85 degrees out and return reporting on how "hot" it was and that it was too much for them. Today the streets were busy w/ people walking around and commenting on the comfortable the 90 degrees felt.

Meanwhile, we've kept cool in our basement, which stayed in the mid-70s. I also heard on the elevator that PSE set a new summer peak load record yesterday. This summer peak is a relatively new phenomenon for the company, due to all the air conditioning that everyone has in their houses. I am curious how many people that cry to conserve for the sake of global warming and point at this event as further evidence for it are making these statements while sitting comfortable at home with their houses cooled by air conditioning units powered by fossil fuel generated electricity...even here in the hydropower dominated Pacific Northwest.

Looking forward

It least I, spend much of our lives 'looking forward' to what comes next and not enough enjoying what is happening at the moment. Since about this very day last year when the Tour de France ended I was anxious for the start of it again in early July, and only a couple of weeks later my sister left our house to begin their school year at an international school in Kazakhstan. With all the anticipation, both came and past with incredible quickness.

Jess and Dan left yesterday for Idaho. For about a year we had been anticipating their return from Kazakhstan to visit. They arrived at our house on July 8 and stayed with us for 2.5 weeks. How quickly it flew. There were so many things to fit in this time that we can't share the rest of the year - farmer's market, Indian food, thai food, watching the Tour de France together, friday night races at the bike track, long bike rides in the sun (largely derailed by a summer time cold for me), and most importantly Molly.


I think that I have come to a time in my life that I have realized that I could climb a mountain, travel to a distant paradise, catch fish in the tropics, or any other magnificent activity; but it is experiencing life with those I love that really makes it wonderful. For this, I spent the time between the snowy February 26th when Molly was born and July 8 anxious for Jess and Dan's arrival to to share what is the biggest thing in my life. In the two and a half weeks they were here we shared watching her grow and change, see her tired and screaming, happy and giggling, trying to shove both fists in her mouth, grabbing her feet, and all the cute things babies do. When they arrived, Molly was just starting to get the hang of eating baby food and starting to show some interest; now she is grabbing the spoon and helping shove it in her mouth and nearly holding a bottle on her own. Her first 'rollover' was shortly before they got here; now rolling over is old hat and she is showing signs that crawling isn't that far away. Those are the measurable achievements, and there were countless other moments throughout.

There isn't anyone that I want to share the joy of Molly with more than my sister. It was wonderful to share these events and milestones the last couple of weeks. I'll continue to do my best to bridge the half-a-world distance between us for the next year with all the media available. It will be fun to watch them experience all this on on our heels. I only wish they were an easily traveled distance away so that we could regularly share these experiences.

Hot! Hot! Hot!

The last 2 months have been the driest in recorded history in Seattle with 0.18 inches of rain. That is essentially nill.

As I sit here at 8:30 it is 83 degrees and 50% humidity. Not over the top, but definitely sticky. However, this week is supposed to be stupid hot as indicated by the NOAA forecast below. Cliff Mass, the weather expert from UW reported on his blog (link provided to the right) that these hot spells are common, but only lasting a day or two. This one is expected to last about a week. Atypical for sure.

I will be curious to see if PSE sets a new summer peak load effort due to all the people turning on their incredibly inefficient air conditioners powered by CO2 emitting power sources. I recall two summers ago that PSE shut down the power in the buildings to help save everything they could to preserve 'the grid' which was on it's limit. That heat wave was about 3 days long and represented a new phenomenon to NW power production - the summer peak - all due to air conditioners.

Perhaps you'll find us down at Juanita Beach one of the next few nights.

NWS Seattle, WA Point Forecast: Kirkland WA 47.68°N 122.22°W (Elev. 16 ft)

Mobile Weather Information | En Español Last Update: 5:02 pm PDT Jul 26, 2009 Forecast Valid: 9pm PDT Jul 26, 2009-6pm PDT Aug 2, 2009

Tonight Mostly Clear Lo 65 °F

Monday Sunny Hi 93 °F

Monday Night Mostly Clear Lo 65 °F

Tuesday Sunny Hi 94 °F

Tuesday Night Clear Lo 67 °F

Wednesday Hot Hi 98 °F

Wednesday Night Clear Lo 66 °F

Thursday Hot Hi 96 °F

Thursday Night Mostly Clear Lo 61 °F

Hazardous weather condition(s):

Heat Advisory
Air Stagnation Advisory

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 65. North wind between 4 and 7 mph becoming calm.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 93. Calm wind becoming north northwest around 5 mph.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 65. North northeast wind between 3 and 8 mph.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 94. Calm wind becoming north northwest around 6 mph.

Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 67. North wind between 3 and 6 mph.

Wednesday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 98.

Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 66.

Thursday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 96.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 61.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 87.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 60.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 86.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 59.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 80.

Chowin' Down

We've started giving Molly some solid food - rice cereal mixed with baby pears or apple sauce.

She hasn't quite got the hand of it yet.

If in doubt, stick it in your mouth!!!

That's right. If you are not sure what something is, Molly recommends testing it with your mouth.

On Thursday, Molly turned four months old. We have entered the time of counting her age in months rather than weeks. Tell someone that she is 17 weeks and there is a little pause as they are calculating in their heads: "Hmmm, 17 divided by 4 weeks is about 4 months." Much easier to do months.

She is starting to act and feel more like a person or a baby than an infant. Infants have no body control or strength, their heads flop around, and interactions occur sparingly (if you don't count feeding, soothing crying, and diaper changes).


She is ever more aware of her surroundings and it is apparent that every day is a whole new world to her. When we take her for a walk, she is watching everything go by. The television is ever captivating and is now a tool for us to free all four adult hands for a few minutes around the house. Music and sounds are great positive stimuli for her and she loves it when we talk to her and make funny sounds. We can call to her from across the room and she will turn to look at us.


And furthermore, the mobility has begun. This week she rolled over in both directions (back-to-belly and belly-to-back). This was an entertaining event for all three of us. I was in the kitchen grilling up some dinner and I could hear Trina encouraging Molly to roll towards her, as well as Trina requesting me to 'come look' every couple of minutes. Then all the sudden there was great celebration when she did it. I drank another beer to celebrate.

In addition to all this she is gaining much strength. We still swaddle her to put her to sleep, but she busts out of that if she wants. Last night I had swaddled and bounced her on the balance ball until she fell asleep, then laid her in her crib 'for the night'. A half an hour later she was awake and crying. There she was, completely unwrapped and uncovered and turned 90 degrees in her crib. That was a first. Perhaps I'll try the sleeping sack tonight.

Food? Diaper? Sleep?

Food? Diaper? Sleep?

Those are the questions. As long as she has those, she is happy. I guess that goes for all of us, except the diaper part, although that could be handy, especially a couple beers into a Mariners game at Safeco Field.


Last weekend took us on another road trip. This time to Vancouver, WA for Trina's grandmother's 90th birthday party. There was plenty of anxiety for both of us after the screamer of a trip to those parts just 2 weeks ago. Since then, she has been taking the bottle quite well, thanks to day care (either that or nothing honey). That enabled Trina to feed her while on the road, even sitting in the back seat pumping up a new batch of baby chow, an feeding here right there. This seemed to help her, rather both Molly and Trina, a lot. There was not nearly the crying. Had this been the case on the trip to the Oregon Coast we would not only have enjoyed the driving more, but saw more of it. I guess that leaves us an excuse to go back.

The birthday party went well. Lots of food (could have used some hollow-legged teenage boys there to clean up). We'd all be surprise if grandma remembers it today. Oh well.


"Since you was up, you wanna fetch me a bottle?"

Last night was a reminder that keeping a baby happy is like fishing: just because it worked yesterday don't mean it will work today. She has been sleeping like a champ - goes to sleep easily and doesn't wake except for the 4 a.m.-ish feeding, then back to sleep. However, she didn't fall asleep until midnight, for which Trina was up with her, then woke at 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. Not sure what the deal is. If her feeding patterns are an indication of anything, I'd think she's either in a growth spurt or trying to catch up with her buddy Rowen and get up near the 100th percentile for weight.

Next weekend takes me to Lansing, Michigan for Ty's wedding. Thursday Ty, his dad, and I are going small mouth fishing for the day with a guide. It was that or spend the day watching coeds. We chose fishing, naturally. I think Friday is rehearsal and rehearsal dinner, and a full mass Catholic wedding on Saturday. I hope I am not the guy that passes out from standing in one spot too long.

Question: How do you like being a dad?



Answer: It's the coolist shit in the world.