NOT EXACTLY OC; MORE AN EXCUSE TO POST ANOTHER PICTURE

Fall in Michigan

Richard, Linda, Marion

It is a spectacularly rotten day here in Bellingham.  The wind has ripped my neighbor’s flag to ribbons.  The deciduous trees, which have shown exceptionally vivid colors for this part of the world, are suddenly almost bare.   What were piles of crisp leaves that would have tempted Linda to dive in – are now sloppy mounds of rapidly decaying vegetation.   What, you say, is so different?  Bellingham’s always that way.  Well, the problem is that we have had two months of dry, warm, sunny weather that – coupled with cool nights –  have given us a very promising early fall.  I should have known that things were going to return to normal when - last Thursday, our last nice day – I broke 50 in golf for the first time this year.  Whom the gods would punish they first make proud, or something like that. 

So, anyway, I need to prepare for my trip south, which will begin next Wednesday.  I will be driving my minimalist Jeep Wrangler down to Borrego Springs, stopping for a few days with Linda’s sister, Carolyn, in Eureka, CA.  Not long ago driving a Wrangler that far on highways would have been considered insane, or at least stupid, but they are more comfortable* now.  They also get better gas mileage – although I shudder at the prospect of filling the thing up in California, where gas is more expensive than whiskey.    Fortunately, I don’t have to haul much down there – I have ample shorts, t-shirts and hiking shoes stashed there already.  Oh, and underwear and socks, too.  We’re pretty informal in the desert.

Sometimes I get a little discouraged about cancer research.  It is so complicated, and so much about how things work is still unknown!  Heck, if geology was at the same state of knowledge about how the earth works as biologists are about how the human body works, we would still believe in a flat earth, and blame earthquakes on Atlas’s hiccups   But don’t get me wrong – biologists are neither dumber nor lazier than geologist, it’s just that their chosen problem is so much tougher to crack!  If you read these blog things semi-regularly you will remember that I have occasionally tut-tuted about how empirical cancer research often seems to be.  They look for things that will work – predict the likelihood of cancer in the future, predict its course, prevent it, cure it – without worrying overmuch about why they work.  Yes, there is plenty of pure biology going on – this new ENCODE program is a sparkling example – so maybe someday they will be able to base their inquiries on sound theory.  But in the meantime, I’m actually glad they are working so doggedly – even if empirically – and making progress.  A single woman saved from going through what Linda went through is worth a lot of research effort.  If you don’t believe me, ask Carolyn.  But, yeah, I’m getting lugubrious so I’d better stop.  It’s the rain and gloom outside. 

I started this as an excuse to post another picture of Linda.  I hope you like it.

*But see my comment.