Some days are like this

Today has been one of those days everyone has, no matter where they live...well, except that it was here, which is not quite like any other place I know.

For me, it started out almost chilly (77 degrees F) in the dark of pre-dawn, stars going ballistic in the sky, then breaking into incredible color, while the wind was blowin' like stink (a sailor saying). It had howled through the night, loud and cool and wonderful. And different. We like different, since we don't get much of different around here (what am I talking about? oh, THAT sort of different, not weird, - just different - we get lots of weird).

We talk about the weather a lot, which is probably like any other place, for all the different reasons people talk about the weather. Except never the reason of just making conversation; weather is a very real topic and people here are remarkably tuned in to it, which I like a lot.

We talk about the wind if it blows hard, and how it affects the seas. Sailors living on anchorages (there are, ever so thankfully, no marinas here) talk about how soundly they are anchored in a big wind, or how they had to toss out another anchor. Land people talk about their outdoor furniture and / or plants blowing over. Or just the sound of the wind... We talk about stillness if there is no wind. We talk about cloudiness and can spend a good bit of time walking around craning our necks looking at the sky, at which way the clouds are blowing, how dark they are, are they filled with rain, will it rain for long, what did the radar look like this morning... I think it is because many of us spend much of our time outdoors, in huge appreciation that we can, year round.

I, for instance, work outdoors, so weather means, will I be open or closed, because of rain, because of heat, because of wind. Some have restaurant/bars that are mainly outdoors, business affected by weather. Some people do yards, or construction or work with wood, all weather related. The people who work indoors play outdoors as much and as soon after being indoors as they can. Or go home to sit on decks or balconies, for drinks and meals and just to watch the sea and sky.

After I got to town it started to rain. I wandered around, getting a coffee, talking with a few people who advised me to go home and call it a good effort day (which was tempting - cool, cloudy, rainy, a book, tea...that Sunday morning feeling minus the NYT's). But after awhile the rain stopped, I opened and it felt delicious, cool and breezy, windchimes chiming away.

Dreadlock Carlos came by (bartender at the pizza place) and mentioned when I had a chance, I might want to pay for my pizza from the other night...bits of gossip tossed around with others like debris in the street...a family that I really enjoy (even the kids are great) who come down a few times a year showed up...a couple of guys who do the same thing came as a surprise, hugging on the bridge - in the middle of the bridge...we can do that here too, and cars wait. And over all of that, this frission of something in the air, the still very windy air. Like something was going to happen, but who knew what? Maybe it's just the wind.

The only thing I know that is going to happen is Thanksgiving in a few days. And deciding what I'll bring to the dinner. Wondering how my daughter Sarah's pre-moving to Oregon yard sale went. Weighty thoughts. I think that will be enough for now.