Sleep (Lack of)

If you don't include some napping I was doing in front of the telly this afternoon/evening (I was hardly able to get any shuteye on a very full and very noisy flight back), I haven't slept since about 6 am Seattle time.  On Tuesday.  And as I write this it is currently 11.15 pm in the UK.  On Wednesday.  That is -if my math(s) is correct - over 33 hours without sleep.  And I don't feel particularly tired right now, so I don't expect I'm going to get to sleep anytime soon.  I think it's fair to say that my general sleeping patterns haven't been good for quite some time, but I fear this trip could make things even worse.         

Rumo(u)rs

A quick, and early, post from the airport since I didn't have time to write something before I set off this morning.  But there are rumo(u)rs that Lego are releasing a Star Wars Death Star set next year.  Now they've already released plenty of these before, and indeed I already own one.  But this time is different.  We are talking about potentially the biggest (>10,000 bricks) and definitely the most expensive ($1000+) release ever.  And even that price point doesn't scare me off, which is rather worrying.       

A Trail Cam Update

A disappointing lack of action captured on my trail cam over the last month.  I hope this isn't indicative of a general decrease in wildlife in the neighbo(u)rhood.  This wouldn't come as a total surprise given the amount of new construction and urbanization round here, and the gradual destruction of native habitat.  But maybe it is also a consequence of the bad weather we've been having.  Something to keep an eye on.

Casualty

Well I might have survived a couple of windstorms relatively unscathed. but I experienced my first indirect casualty today.  My leaf blower went kaput.  And I was only halfway through using it - so half of my driveway and my back patio remains covered with tree debris.  Frustrating.  I thought about going out to buy a new leaf blower - but there is no hurry, the forecast is for rain so I won't get to use it before I'm back in the UK.  I'll get one when I'm back - though it would have been nice if it had broken a few weeks ago because then I could have got one in the Black Friday sales.  Even more frustrating.       

Another Windstorm

It wasn't another "bomb cyclone", but we had a wind advisory in effect today as we were hit by another windstorm.  And, again, thousands upon thousands of people were affected by power outages.  And, again, somehow I managed to avoid losing power.  Well, it did go out once and I feared the worst, but then it came back on about 15 seconds later.  What a relief.  I thought about getting a generator in the Black Friday sales, but never did in the end.  I still think I need to get one - I'm not going to spend thousands and thousands of dollars on one that will power everything in my house, but just something portable I can use in emergencies.  It was unsettling being outside today and watching the trees around my house swaying in the wind, fearing the worst.  Plus not fun having to deal with yet more tree debris coming down everywhere.  But this was nowhere near as bad as what we experienced a few weeks ago.       

Peeping Tom

When I open my curtains in the morning, sometimes just in my underwear, I'm often greeted by this pervert staring at me.

Perhaps this isn't clear - here's a closer look when I employ the zoom on my iPhone (which isn't very good, which is why I need to get a new iPhone):

Yes, this hummingbird is a Peeping Tom.  And definitely not just overlooking the bird feeders on my back patio, and aggressively chasing off any other hummingbirds who try to feed from them.  And also hovering just feet from me and chirping loudly at me when I refill the feeders.

Streak

The streak continues.  I've now bought a copy of Time's The Year in Review for every year since I returned to the US in 2008.

Not sure why I do this.  Maybe as some kind of historical record.  I think it's difficult to really appreciate history as you're living through it.  And I always wonder how future generations will look back at these times.