Sorting Cookie Cutters

Ryn teases us that we live in a house with extraordinarily low entropy. She means our house is clean and orderly, in the extreme. It seems that it’s often true for us retired folks. For one thing, there’s no kids to move things around, so things tend to stay where they were put. For another, retired folks have some extra time on their hands. Here’s a picture of Danita bringing our entropy to new lows, sorting cookie cutters.

We are having unusually cool and rainy weather. Last Saturday, after 18 days in a row of cool, rainy weather, the afternoon turned warm and sunny. I got a nice ride in. I found lots of people mowing their lawn. There was so much stuff kicked up into the air that in spots, my eyes hurt and I had trouble breathing. It was almost as if neighborhoods were preparing for synchronized mowing events. But it was a good ride.

This is Preakness week, which means it’s time for balloon ascensions. We have been attending Preakness balloon ascensions for years. We went when they were held in Druid Hill Park. We went to some more when they were held at Oregon Ridge. And we went to still more when they moved to Turf Valley Country Club (which, fortunately, is conveniently close to where we live now.) Every time we went, the balloons inflated but didn’t go up because the wind was blowing too hard, or it was in the wrong direction, or whatever.

The ascensions are early in the morning. In spite of the early hour, they are always popular. And their fun, even when the balloons stay firmly tethered to the earth. The weather got warm and sunny today. We decided to give it another go. We were rewarded with actually getting to see the balloons ascend. Don’t worry. We won’t get spoiled by two days of great weather. Tomorrow, for the actual running of the Preakness race, the forecast is — temperatures in the 50s with rain all day.

We have lots of activities scheduled for the next week. Tonight is neighborhood Casino night. I usually eat the food and give my chips to Danita. Saturday we have Burgers and Beer at the church. Sunday we’re meeting Mark for breakfast and eating a neighborhood pot-luck dinner in the evening. Monday is picking up our Russian Visas (with a stop at the patisserie!). Yoga is Tuesday. That puts us up to Wednesday, when we have absolutely nothing scheduled. That’s too bad, because the cookie cutters are already in great order. Danita’s book club meets Thursday. I’m supposed to count people on a spot of Columbia trails Saturday. And that brings us up to Ed and Lynne’s Parkton Open a week from Sunday.

I get tired just thinking about all this activity. I hope this finds everybody doing well. Here’s a few more balloon pics. Click on them if you want to see them bigger.

Indications are that the evening Balloon Glow is much more popular than the early morning Balloon Ascension