Truly Autumn

Yes, I rode to work today.

And . . .

It was another nearly perfect weather day.

Sometime last night the window washer's crane moved to the other side of the street.

I must admit I very much enjoy having the structure work gives to my day. I do enjoy having time off. That said, there is relief in coming back to work. I'm grateful to have a job that fits me. A true blessing in this day and age.

A co-worker was going to a Blue's hockey game tonight. The leaves are beginning to change. And the homeless guy who sleeps near the motorcycle parking area during the summer, has migrated back down the street to his winter quarters on a metal grating. Yes, it is truly autumn.

Tomorrow is to be much like today. I hear Thursday Thunderstorms are likely.

• 61F/16C and clear for the ride to work.
• 84F/29C and some clouds for the ride home.

Getting Shorter

Yes, I rode to work today.

And . . .

The days are definitely getting shorter.

Last week the sun was above the horizon when I rode down this street. Today not.

The window washer's crane was parked near the motorcycle area. I had wondered if this project would be done by the time I got back. I'm still wondering. It didn't move during the day.

It was another postcard perfect weather day here in the heartland. I'm enjoying this. I'm not complaining. Yet, the longer it stays nice I notice an anxiety rising in my gut. There does always seem to be a payback.

• 60F/15.5C and stunning for the ride to work.
• 86F/30C and terrifyingly beautiful for the home ride.

Almost A New Year

Yes, I rode to work today.

And . . .

By the time I got to work my arm was tired from waving at all the motorcycles and scooters I passed on the way.

It was a little cooler than it has been, but the forecasters were talking a quick warm-up and a beautiful day. When I rode up and saw the Black Harley I knew the weather wouldn't dare disappoint.

The window washer had moved around the corner from where we park. He finished our side of the building last evening after I left. So far it has been pretty uneventful.

It is now officially Autumn and there are signs. Some of the trees aren't as green as they once were. Some leaves have fallen. Many plants are beginning to look tired.

And it seemed to me the sunset had a distinctive Autumn look, although I would be hard pressed to explain why I thought so. Nonetheless I did.

I'm taking the next few days off. Going to make some music with some friends, read some of my poetry, and help call in the New Year. It is the year 5775 as Jews reckon time. That's a while.

I had to buy a new suit. My old suit isn't worn out or out of style. It is simply way too big for me now. It was too big last year but I wore it anyway. This year there was no way. I was lucky to get the sales clerk I did. I would have bought too big for me. No more 46R or even 44L. I'm a 42R. No more 40" waist. I'm a 34". I don't know how much I weigh. My weight has never been a focus for me. It has been about my health. Ironically, I eating in ways I was told not to, yet I'm off both my cholesterol and my blood pressure medications.  My years of being nearly vegan saw both rise. Go figure.

Time off is challenging for me. That said, I'm looking forward to some rest. It has been a long 18 months as the Courts transitioned to e-filing. I'm tired.

• 49F/9C for the ride to work with enough clouds to make the sky interesting.
• 74F/23C and just plain gorgeous for the ride home.

Totally Gorgeous

Yes, I rode to work today.

And . . .

I'm hard pressed to think of a reason a person wouldn't have been riding today if they could.

It was totally gorgeous.

The Courthouse is getting its windows washed. I wondered if I would have to move Billie.

No problem. The crane body is in the street and the boom went over top of our rides. It is the cars who will have to move.

A few years back the windows were being washed the crane body was on the sidewalk and broke through into a sewer or some such underground cavity. It made for some excitement. As I ate my lunch at Subway I had a great view of the Fire Department rescuing the window washer. If the "bucket" at the end of the boom had been a few feet either way instead of being against the building he'd have plunged through a window and quite possibly into a courtroom. That would have been real exciting.

Tomorrow is the weather is supposed to be lovely again. September is usually a wonderful month in St.Louis. If the forecast for the week holds it seems September has remembered itself.

• 53F/12C and all clear for the ride to work.
• 75F/24C with a few clouds for the home ride.

A Lovely Day

Yes, I rode to work today.

And . . .

The day began with blue sky.

Gee, can you tell the temperature got up to 80F/27C with no rain in sight? I figured you could. It was just a lovely day.

• 56F/13C and a couple of stray clouds for the ride to work.
• 79F/26C with some clouds for the ride home.

Warmed Up

Yes, I rode to work today.

And . . .

Yesterday began with a lovely sunrise.

By 0900 CDT it was overcast and gray.

This morning began overcast and gray.

By afternoon it had cleared off and warmed up.

Tomorrow is supposed to be even nicer.

• 61F/16C and gray for the ride to work.
• 75F/24C and mostly sunny for the home ride.

A Pity

Yes, I rode to work today.

And . . .

While it rained mid-morning and was overcast all afternoon, the morning ride saw plenty of blue sky.

I had a meeting which kept me out late and meant a nice long ride after dark. Most of my riding in the dark comes during the winter months and is on the Symba. I was on the Kymco tonight. I'm always pleasantly surprised with the amount of light the headlights give off. It is ever much as bright as my Yaris. Quite a difference from the Symba.

I'll be late tomorrow night, too, but the meeting is a walk from the Condo ...  a pity.

• 54F12C and mostly blue sky for the ride to work.
• 63F/17C and dark by the time I got to ride home around 9pmCDT.

Such A Day

Yes, I rode to work today.

And . . .

The day was full of everyday things.

The longer I live the more grateful I am for days when nothing much happens, but everything that does brings a smile with it. Today was such a day.

I have meetings the next three nights. Busy.

• 57F/14C and mostly cloudy except in the East for the ride to work.
• 65F/18C and a silver sky for the ride home.

Another Gray Day

Yes, I rode to work today.

And . . .

Except for a time around lunch it was another gray day.

Nobody was complaining. Nothing like a near perfect weather weekend to make a gray Monday easy to take.

No riding on the weekend.

Heather is taking a photography class at the local community college. They had a field trip to the World Wild Bird Sanctuary. I was allowed to tag along.

These are my three favorite photos from the visit.

We had never been. We will go back.

I spent most of Sunday working on an art project I need to have finished by the Twenty-fourth.

My only complaint was the weekend was too short. But, they always seem to be.

I varied my route home tonight. I went by Colors of Spring. I'd say with the mums and the firewood it seems more dressed for autumn.

• 57F/14C and overcast for the ride to work.
• 71F/22C with an annoying mist for the home ride.

Gray Again

Yes, I rode to work today.

And . . .

It was another gray day. It was much as yesterday minus the mist.

Today traffic was different than usual. Some of the folks I'm used to seeing out and about doing morning things weren't. I began to wonder if I'd miss read the clock and had left the condo earlier than normal. With it being gray I couldn't tell. Unlike the Kymco the Symba doesn't have a clock. No help there. When I approached the Courthouse I saw Chieftain Rider parking his bike. This has never happened before. I was becoming sure I must be early.

"Am I early or are you late?" I asked as I pulled up.

He held up a white paper bag, "I stopped to get me some breakfast."

"Man, you're throwing me off."

"You know what I think?" he asked. "If your feeling discombobulated I think you should go home, take an hour nap, and then come back in."

"Sounds good to me," I said as I got off the bike and went inside. There are some ideas just to good to try.

• 55F/13C and overcast for the ride to work.
• 58F/14C and overcast for the ride home.

Fragile and Fleeting

Yes, I rode to work today.

And . . .

It was a gray day. All day it was gray. Yet, it also was one of those mornings when the Symba seemed to hover above the street rather than roll over the bumps and rough edges. I don't know why some times the ride is so smooth it is like flying. Today with the cooler temperatures and a fine mist wouldn't have been a likely candidate in my mind, yet there it was. I didn't want it to end. After I got to work I had to share my experience with a friend of mine, a rider. She offered to call work saying I had an emergency. I appreciated her care. But, I knew from past experience it was too late. This feeling is fragile and fleeting. One can only appreciate it while it's happening and hope it will come again.

The ride home was fine. The temperature was sweet. There was no mist. Traffic was light. And, the spell had dispersed.

• 59F/15C with a light mist, almost a drizzle, for the ride to work.
• 61F/16C and overcast for the ride home.

Could It Be?

Yes, I rode to work today.

And . . .

The day started off dark and ominous. I checked the radar before I left the condo and thought I would be fine, still I put on the raingear. I didn't need the raingear.

Not long after I got to work it rained plenty.

By afternoon, we had sunshine.

At quitting time the skies were growing darker by the minute. I had my phone stored in my waterproof backpack so no photos. My Fuji XP isn't holding a charge. I suspect it needs a new battery. I'm glad it made it through last evening's rain. Today really was a nonevent as far as my riding. I rode to work in dry and home in dry.

The meeting I was suppose to have this evening was canceled. The storms were much heavier north of me. I think perhaps canceling the meeting was a little bit of an over reaction, but I'm grateful to have the evening at home.

As I was making my dinner I heard a crash. I have a cat. I don't rush to see what has been toppled.

Eventually, I did investigate. I'd say Leo's feeling better. He fought the chair and won by a pin.

Tonight the rain moves out. Temperatures will be back down. The forecast high for tomorrow is only 69F/20.5C. Could it be the Autumn weather roller-coaster is here already?

• 81F/27C and overcast for the ride to work.
• 85F/29C and overcast for the home ride.

Heavy At Times

Yes, I rode to work today.

And . . .

Heather got her clouds.

Actually, I was concerned she might have too much of a good thing.

But, the day tamed down.

Until it was time for me to ride home.

It thundered. There was lightning. And there was rain.

The rain was quite heavy at times. It did occur to me parts of Oregon could use this rain much more than we.

There wasn't much wind and it was a warm rain. It was rather fun if you had the sense to stay out in the rain.

Tomorrow the forecast is for 80% chance of rain. We'll see. My raingear will be dry by then.

• 73F/23C and mostly cloudy for the ride to work.
• 73F/23C with thunder and lightning some of the way; and rain all the way home.

Whimp

Yes, I rode to work today.

And . . .

Gone was the humidity. It was almost chilly on the ride in this morning. I found myself turning on the heated grips. I've become such a wimp.

The sky was cloudless blue all day.

I took this photo after work as I walked out of the Courthouse. I would be facing East. The sky was like this all day. Heather had rented a wide angle lens to play with this evening. I'm afraid she didn't choose a day with much to offer in the sunset department.

Leo, is acting more himself. He still doesn't seem quite right, but as Heather pointed out, he never has been quite right. We're encouraged. Heaven knows his appetite is fine.

Tomorrow there is a slight chance of rain. We'll see.

• 57F/14C without a cloud in sight for the ride to work.
• 83F/38C and maybe one could find a wisp of a cloud if one looked hard enough, but it would be a challenge.

Goodbye Gus

Yes, I rode to work today.

And . . .

The storms held off until long after I was home.

I did stop by Mike's on the way home. We have a mutual friend who is leaving tomorrow or Monday. I wanted to wish him well on his journey.

While I was there I noticed this Stella owner had come up with novel way of adding some horsepower. I'm dubious it works.

• 77F/25C with some clouds for the ride to work.
• 94F/34C with a HI of 102F/39C and becoming mostly cloudy for the ride home.

Meetings.

Yes, I rode to work today.

And . . .

Yesterday, too.

Yesterday it was foggy.

Today it was not.

Yesterday I took photos.

Today I did not.

Last night I had a meeting.

Tonight I ended up having another.

I'm tired.

• 75F/24C with a few clouds for the ride to work today.
• 91F/33C with a heat index of 102F/39C and mostly cloudy for the ride home.

Dry

Yes, I rode to work today.

And, the storms in the forecast for today rumbled through last night. This made for dry rides both ways today. When I went to bed the forecast was holding out a 90% chance of rain.

I figured it would just be Billie and and the Chieftain, but there was a Versys in the house. I don't know who it belongs to and this is only the second time I've seen it. I'm guessing it is a police officer who had business with the Grand Jury, but who knows.

On the Leo front, we aren't out of the woods yet. A little history, which will be a repeat for many of you. When Leo was a kitten he was found next to a road. He'd been hit by a car. It had broke his pelvis. A good Samaritan brought him into a Vet and they put him back together, but he still has nerve damage in his hindquarters. When Heather adopted him his name was Mr. Weebles. Yes, he was wobbly, but I'm very glad she changed his name. He's come a long way in the years we've had him. Last weekend he was really really wobbly and even more disconcerting was his left pupil seemed to be stuck wide open. As much as we disliked the thought, it seemed best for him to go back to the Vet today. He had a complete blood workup done. Everything was normal. There was no extra pressure on his eye and we're hoping it will right itself. If not, then it may be neurological. Heather already has my broken brain to deal with, lets hope Leo doesn't have one, too. Even though he was anesthetized again today, he is acting much better this evening. He is still wobbly, but acting more himself. We're hopeful.

Tomorrow I have a meeting after work. It may run rather late. If I don't post don't worry. It is all good.

And, here's a bonus. Heather performing with the Community Group before the Performance Group's show at the Japanese Festival last Saturday. She loves Taiko.

• 71F/22C and overcast for the ride to work.
• 83F/28C and mostly cloudy for the home ride.