And another one bites the dust

This morning, the newspaper said that they were finally going to take down the charred ruins of the baseball stadium, with special attention to air quality and asbestos remediation. So when I saw great plumes of acrid brown smoke rising from approximately that location, I wondered if something had gone badly wrong. No… this time it was the bowling alley, two or three blocks south of the stadium. The news said they weren’t able to save that building at all, but they were trying to protect the ones around it; I don’t know if they succeeded. The smoke was all headed south, towards my house, and we weren’t able to sit outside in the evening because of it.

The really odd part was when I went to the store – the errand I was on when I saw the smoke – there were at least a dozen people casually sitting around the outside tables, with not a care in the world, while this great mass of brown smoke moved in above, making the air not only nasty smelling but also visibly hazy, like a fog. I cannot imagine how people could just sit there. Even if you didn’t mind the smoke, you’d think you’d have a care for your lungs.

Track & field, here we come

D’s decided he probably wants to go out for track this year. It won’t be until spring, although he can start working out with the team in a few months if he wants. I really don’t know how he’s going to fit it all in, unless he gives up all recreation for three months, but we’ll see.

Tonight was the information night for all of the high school official sports (as opposed to the club sports, which have some formal distinction). It was strange – I’ve never had anything to do with high school sports, other than attending maybe one football game, and now we can get a taste of a whole different world. Eugene is a major world track center, and D’s high school is the one most associated with Eugene’s track history, so I think it’s pretty cool that he could get to be a part of it. I’ve never even been to a track meet, since 7th grade, other than being an extra in Personal Best. It’s one neat thing about having a kid, the entirely new things you do because of it, because you get to share what they decide to try.