Tacoma Aroma

So there was this rumor I heard about the "Tacoma Aroma". This less-than-affectionate terminology apparently came about in the 1930s when Tacoma's Sulfur-emitting paper mills began to stink up the city. By the 1990's sulfur emissions had been reduced by more than 90%. The aroma is still famous but rarely smelled. The wind has to be just right, you have to be in just the right place, in the right part of town. South of the Tacoma Dome, at La Quinta, my father and I got a whiff (I thought he farted, he thought I farted, it was all very amusing).

Since I've moved, I've smelled nothing but good stuff! Cut grass, pine needles, and best of all, today, I got a wonderful whiff of lilies. I went for a jog in Wright Park (old pic of a bandstand at right). The park is behind my house, about a 27 acres I think. It has statues, a lion and two "Greek maidens," Fannie and Annie. It has a cannon, a large pond, bridge, an Ibsen bust, basketball court, and enough homeless people to qualify as an urban green area. There's also a conservatory (left), built in 1890, opened in 1908, I haven't been in it yet (I was a bit sweaty) but running by its open doors I peered into to rows and rows of lilies, trees, other flowers. It smelled amazing! Each lap of the park (about a mile around) I was given a second and third wind by the smell!

Earlier in the park, as I was unpacking my LAST BOX (!) there was drumming. I could hear it from my open windows. It sounded like a marching band percussion line. I peer out my window and there was a procession of highschoolers graduating. Friday I caught a bride and groom posing for pictures. The water view is amazing but the park has yielded some great people watching, exercising, and flower smelling.

Unpacking has been going well. I finished all my boxes (see above) and have been organizing and reorganizing my closet space. The only storage I have for my bathroom is a small medicine cabinet so I had to arrange all my toiletries and such in milk crates in the hall closet. That was fun (note sarcasm).

Tomorrow, if I can get off my duff in time, I'll be heading to Olympia for Capital City Pride. I'm going to try and make the parade and some of the park activities and come back in time for dinner. Of course, there is a chance that I may sit on the couch and watch the endless run of Law and Order: SVU reruns and try to get my wireless security working. However, I will try and get out and go to pride. I even put out my rainbow belt and socks and wristband for the occasion.