Thoughts from the Road

One of the things I've learned is that summer is hotter in Oregon than in Washington.  I can watch the temperature fall as I drive home.  Granted I depart at 4:30 and arrive home at 9:30, and this is the time when the temperature falls anyway, but yesterday I departed Salem in 91 degree heat and arrived in Snohomish in 64 degree coolness. 

And another thing I should have taken into consideration when I worked out this arrangement: The Mariners don't play baseball on Thursdays!  That is their one night off per week.  So, as I drive home and could be listening to the play by play action on the radio, it is all talk radio crap on ESPN.  Or Pittsburgh is playing Detroit - who cares!

So, after 4 weeks of making the commute it is still working for me.  My costs have been less than I anticipated.  I need to develop better eating habits - I've gained 3 pounds over these 4 weeks that I didn't want to gain.  I haven't figured out how to work in an exercise program yet.  One evening a week playing 9 holes of golf is not an exercise program, even though I do walk the course and don't get a cart (I've done this two times in 4 weeks).  B and B living is OK, and I like having breakfast and dinner on a deck where I can also work on my iPad, write blogs, Skype with Judy, and so forth.  The Prius is getting 47-50 mpg on each tank of gas, and I'm driving 625 to 1000 miles per week, depending on where I stay (when I stay with Chief and Rose it adds up as they live 60+ miles from Salem).  Work travel is about to pick up - I have 2 day trips this next week, then off for a vacation week, then a 3 day conference in Eugene, then off to Bangkok for 2 weeks.

I will say that the sunny weather is absolutely great.  I am very happy about that.  I know it will not last, but I love it as long as it does.

I am listening to the Narnia Series, and I am down to the Last Battle, the last of the books.  I'll be sad when it is finished.  I've enjoyed them very much.  I wish my cat could talk...