Return Engagement

We’re experiencing the first big winter storm of the season, with what are quite literally hurricane-force winds.  My neighbor appears to have lost part of his roof.  The 0nly damage we’ve sustained so far is that the cover to the hot tub tore off, flinging aside the heavy water-filled weights that we’d placed on it to prevent that very thing.

The only objects we could find heavy enough to weight the cover down were plastic containers filled with books and manuscripts.   We used strapping tape to hold the lids on, but the wind laughed at the strapping tape and tore the lids off anyway.  So we put the lids back on, then turned the containers upside-down on top of the hot tub cover. If the cover is torn off again, I get to take some deductions for water-damage to inventory.

The weather is only going to get worse, with 4-5 inches of snow predicted for the Rio Grande Valley on Saturday morning.  Which is going to make my karate event even more interesting than it might be otherwise.

Yes, this weekend is our biannual black belt testing event.  Part of which will be out of doors.  In the snow, apparently.

I’ll be testing myself, though because I’m Special, I get to test by myself, indoors.  (It’s because I’m the only person testing at my level.  Which means it’s just going to be me facing the judging board, with no one else to distract them from my mistakes.  But the fact I’ll have a roof over my head more than makes up for this.)

I haven’t tested since 1997, which is when I got my last promotion.  Nothing’s changed in the years since except for some surgery, bad knees, arthritis, presbyopia, and declining muscle mass.

At least I still have my teeth.

And I have a mucking great Central Asian two-handed sword that I’ve devised a kata for.

The black belt candidates are putting on a public performance Saturday night, 6:30 at the Bernalillo Midschool gym.  Cost of admission is $1 or a can of food for the local food bank.

I don’t know whether I’ll be doing any performing myself, or acting as a judge for the other candidates, but there will be plenty to entertain you, including taiko drumming, a lion dance, and an incredibly athletic performance by the International Demo Team.

If you’re not snowed in, you might want to attend.