Thursday 1.21.10

I had trouble waking up this morning. I way overdid it yesterday. When I finally rolled out of bed, it was 10am. It was 11 before I got on the water. I'm in my kayak today, using an entirely different set of muscles. They feel terribly similar to the muscles I used yesterday to row one-oared though.

I spent an hour on the blue line today, then worked with Laura in the library to search for information on the neighboring brick buildings. The buildings, now a historic site, once housed the Richmond Laundry. This area of South Lake Union was once filled with laundries. Laura was extremely helpful and turned me on to History Link, The University of Washington Libraries Digital Collections and the Lake Union Cybertour. I printed the info out and continued searching online until after 8pm for laundry-related arts and performance projects.

When I row home, it is dark outside, which is both peaceful and romantic. Little red lights line the lake, on dock-ends and houseboats, showing its contour. I have a headlamp, which I secure around my torso so I'm visible. Sometimes I forget it though and am a dark thing on the water, just part of the night. Legally, a rowboat isn't required to have lights, but all the crew boats have pinpoints of white light on their bows. This evening, I had two boats and a broken oarlock to contend with. Happily, I was able to swap out my broken oarlock for the new stainless one without much difficulty. So silvery! I think the moonlight will befriend me. I had to roll a 10” rubber sleeve up and off the oar to get the old lock off. It took a little wheedling, but I was eventually successful. Then I tied my kayak to the stern of my rowboat and towed my little red teardrop home. When I made the red nun #2, she scolded me. Look up, you fool! O the stars. O the quarter moon. O the white contrails! I could easily see Orion, Sirius, Taurus, Gemini, Pleides, The Big Dipper and Cassiopeia. Ah, I needed scolding. I did a lot of head-back rowing with my face to the sky. What a night!