Best Laid Plans

February 28, 2025

The plan for the day, was for Scott to drop me off for a hike starting at the Gates Pass trail head and I would hike back to the Pima Community College west campus. I would then take the bus back to our place. Unfortunately, the trail was very steep and narrow and I didn’t feel safe hiking it! There were a couple of older men who decided the same thing. I was fortunate that I could get in touch with Scott to pick me up. Unfortunately, he couldn’t do his early morning birding outing he had planned. My hero!

When I got back to our place, I decided to hang around for a while. After lunch, I walked to REI (10 mile round trip). What a great decision! I ran into Tami Layton and Mike Fancher from Ballard Washington. What a pleasure to meet them! They follow our journals and recognized me. They were at REI with their bike Fridays. In addition, I made several purchases for our upcoming travels! Thanks Mike and Tami, you made my day!

Hey, Tami and Mike, sorry I missed you! We’ll be coming up to Seattle sometime in March to see dad, so if you’ve got time for a visit leave a comment or drop me (Scott) an email at scoandpdx at gmail.

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Rachael’s right, the day didn’t go as planned. The concept was that we’d get an early start and I’d drop her off at Gates Pass so she could walk west to the community college and catch a bus home while I dropped down to Silverbell Lake and Sweetwater for some early morning birding. A good plan, and we heroically got out the door by eight and by 8:30 I was dropping down from the pass.

I had just hobbled to the shore at Silverbell Lake and had the camera opened up staring at the usual cormorants, coots and the like when I looked up in the trees and was excited to see a night heron crowning it - one of the birds I was specifically hoping to spot by getting an early start.

I was just trying to locate it in the viewfinder when Rachael called needing a rescue. Rescue would happen of course, but while she’s briefing me on her situation I’m still trying to locate the heron without success. After we’re off the phone and I’ve told her I’ll be back up in twenty minutes or so I turn back to the non-bird, which sadly proves to be just a heron-shaped shadow on the tree line. So that’s it for the morning birding.

Which is fine. There are still two more mornings for me to get out early before we leave, so I rethink the day. In early afternoon I drive downtown for a last visit to the Cup Cafe for an omelet, potatoes, toast and coffee and then walk a few blocks to Danny’s Downtown Barbershop for a badly overdue clip job. I’ve been wavering between doing this here or waiting for a month and do it just before our hoped for departure to Europe, but finally decided on it because I was tired of looking at myself in the mirror - between the wild hair and my prednisone-bloated face I decided I’d at least do what I could control to improve things. So vain - I should just be thankful I can see myself at all.

Danny’s Downtown Barbershop, a place that gets my vote. I came at a good time. I’m next in line after the guy in the chair, but two more walk in shortly after me.

Later, I have at the bikes. Were both done riding so there’s no reason to not get started.

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Patrick O'HaraWow. So soon?
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1 week ago

Scott AndersonTo Patrick O'HaraHard to believe it’s been seven weeks alright. We’re ready though. Time to give Roddy some action before we leave the country. If we leave the country.
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1 week ago

Karen PoretTo Scott AndersonDon’t “go there”, Scott! You and Rachael WILL be leaving the ( not so good) ol’ USA for more fun !
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1 week ago

Scott AndersonTo Karen PoretThat’s definitely the plan. It will take some pretty heavy words of discouragement from the doctors back home to change our minds.
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1 week ago