Shot of a Lifetime

As predicted, Washington state now has a vaccine lottery.  4 weekly drawings for $250,000 plus one drawing for $1,000,000.  Plus I think there are prizes from some of the big local companies (think Amazon, Microsoft, Alaska Airlines, etc.) and sports tickets also up for grabs.  I think the first drawing is tomorrow.  Apparently we are automatically entered if we have a vaccination record on the state vaccine database.  That was something I checked after my first vaccination, so I should be good.  Though obviously I won't win.  Also, somewhat predictably, our state is now offering joints for jabs (one pre-rolled joint when you get vaccinated)....    

Water pressure

There's been a problem with my hot water tank pressure valve, so my landlord fitted a pressure regulator yesterday.  And it's a nightmare.  The water pressure in my home has now halved, and it's pitiful.  I can't have a decent shower (I've just ordered a high pressure shower head that should arrive tomorrow, so let's see if that makes a difference), but it's not just that.  The water coming out of the taps (faucets) has noticeably less pressure now - especially downstairs - and even the toilet flush seems different (though I don't think the actual flushing mechanism should be affected, just the time it takes to refill the tank).  I think I need to speak to my landlord to see if we can get the water pressure back to anywhere nearer the level it was before.  If not, then I don't know what to do - if I can make the shower at least half decent, then I could probably live with it.  My extensive plumbing knowledge (i.e. the internet) suggests that you can adjust the regulator to increase the pressure - so I am hopeful this is not a permanent issue.  But maybe I've just been spoiled with having high water pressure all this time, and now it's just been "normalized"...  

Rocky

So I was arriving back at my home yesterday morning, when I saw a flash of grey disappear into the undergrowth by the side of my driveway.  I didn't think anything of it, assuming it was just Nutkin - the neighborhood squirrel, who I frequently see and who isn't shy about scurrying across my patio (I guess it could also have been a rabbit, but I haven't seen any in my yard for the last few months so that didn't cross my mind).  But as I got out of the car, then I heard the chorus of chirruping by numerous birds.  There they were on various branches and on my power line, but their attention was not directed at me but at the same section of undergrowth where I had seem movement.  This was no squirrel, this was a predator.  So I went over for a closer look, and it didn't take me long to locate and lock eyes with the interloper:     

Again, apologies for the poor iPhone picture quality, but yes hopefully you can see that face looking back at me from up the tree.  Let's name him Rocky.  Perhaps being up the tree gave him a sense of security, because he held my gaze.  And even when I moved around a bit he mirrored my movements and maintained eye contact.  Only when I'd gone to retrieve the groceries from my car, and came back to see him descending the tree did he scuttle off.  Though not without making a load of noise, I hissed back at him and he was quiet after that - the only sound left being the loud chirruping of birds that had never stopped.  I wonder if I'll ever see him (or her) again?  

Annoying

During a Skype call yesterday, my webcam decided not to work properly.  It still shows video, but now I can't seem to add any background effects or anything to the image.  A very minor detail that I don't think I ever use, at least not on my personal computer, but I have become obsessed in trying to fix it.  And despite spending hours and hours on it last night, I can't for the life of me find a resolution.  So very frustrating, despite it being such a minor inconvenience.  But it's just one of a number of little issues that have started to add up on my laptop - from taking increasingly long to start up, to randomly shutting down, to having all kinds of different problems when I try to connect a device to it via USB.  So I think it might be time to get a new laptop (preferably not Dell this time, who I am increasingly fed up with).  I'm not entirely sure how long I've had this laptop for, but it doesn't seem like I got my money's worth.  However, it appears opportune that Prime Day is coming up in a few week's time, so hopefully I'll be able to get a decent laptop at a reduced price then.       

Lunchtime Walks

I realize I haven't posted photos from any walks/hikes I've done recently, and that's mainly because I haven't been anywhere new or worthy of taking any.  But that changed on a lunchtime walk I did this week, on a gorgeous late springtime day.  Just a couple of photos, but it's a start.  It was from a place called Evans Creek Preserve, about a 1/2 hour drive away - so definitely a bit more than just a one hour lunch break!  It's somewhere I've been to once before, but that was during winter when a lot of the trails were closed - they are all open now, and I really like it there.  Not too busy, a decent and attractive 4 to 5 mile loop with enough elevation change to make it a decent workout, and enough variety that I can choose some different routes if I go again (which I will).

Delays

This is not untypical in my industry, and certainly not untypical to me, but all the timelines for the study I'm supposed to be working on have been pushed back for a month, maybe 2.  So it appears that I'm going to be not busy for a while longer.  Which is kind of a mixed blessing.  I'd rather be not busy enough than being too busy, but it's been a long time since I've been in that sweet spot between the two extremes (and for most of the pandemic I haven't been busy at all, but I've had to be available in case something crops up - so it's not like I can just tune out totally).  Maybe I can take some more vacation time before the work really kicks in (we have a scheduled week off around 4th July, so maybe I can add another week to make a very nice 2 week break?).  Conversely, it probably means that I'm going to be even more busy and even more under pressure once the study actually starts - and I bet that will include during the time that I want to and am able to finally visit the UK again.  Because that's Sod's Law (or as the Americans call it, Murphy's Law).  I'm going to try to come back at the first viable opportunity (i.e. no quarantining) - and I don't care what that means for work and whatever timelines I might be working towards at that time.  I've already hinted as much to my manager, but I'm not sure it went down particularly well.  So be it.  Some things are more important than work.

Song of the Week #60

A very Beatles-esque song for you this week.  Enjoy!