a big beautiful addition

 

It's not like you put on an attached garage at your house in Warren MI or other city in America. And there is an awning or breezeway connecting the new structure.  Be is known that The Peoples House operates under the auspices of the National Parks Service.  Changing the shape of the structure and more than doubling the size of the edifice of one of the most recognizable buildings in our country without permission of the Parks Service is wrong in my opinion,  I don't care if you want to put a bowling alley in the basement or tennis courts in the yard or a putting green in.  These don't bother me.  But when the East wing is demolished and there are holes in the structure, I am unhappy.  

Also we used to have a Rose Garden.  Countless ceremonies took place there.  There were lots of roses.  Some were probably decades old.  Roses restart every spring.  All gone, all ripped out replaced by a concrete slab with garden tables set up.  I think of all those gardeners that tended the roses.  Tending is the key word.  Gardens need to be tended, snipping off the dead stuff, feeding, watering allowing for more propagation and growth.  Not so much with a concrete slab, a quick spray down with a hose and you're done as there is nothing growing there.  I know that ladies in heels are better off on the concrete.  They could wear sneakers and no one would mind..

I have spoke my piece admittedly a bit rambling. Yes I know that FDR operated on the building in the thirties. It was wrong then as it is now.  

Locally, Ford could have ripped down Michigan Central Station, but they didn't. They cleaned it up, preserved the building and have repurposed it.  It is the neighborhood jewel again.

thats it

ATC

 When I was in my twenties and working the afternoon shift at Central Transport in the rate department, I first became acquainted with All Things Considered.  Because of my desk job seated in front of a computer screen, I could listen to the radio quietly.  At five o'clock, the familiar theme music came up from the speakers and "from. National Public Radio, it's All Things Considered".  One of the early hosts of that program, was Susan Stamberg.  Hers was a familiar voice that I looked forward to hearing each day, a smart friend that delivered information about the world.  Her tone was always comforting and assuring.  Not a pretty voice but a resonant one, she helped me complete my day and taught me a little.  I was always sad when the daily program was done.  She left us recently and was again another reminder that good things cannot last forever.

Big "No Kings" protests coming today, about 2500 around the country are planned.  Citizens will be streaming onto the main streets with signs and shouts.  The most fierce of the protesters are not the youngsters with tattoos and nose rings.  They are the grandmas with concerns for their grandchildren. Unlike those worried about the economy, they are furious for their precious grand babies futures.  Push them aside and push them down; these ladies remain undeterred and will not be silenced.   At a variety of advanced ages, these folks have little to lose and fewer cares about who they piss off. MAGA's, watch out for these furious old ladies!  

My driving is not what it used to be.  Venturing to new places makes me uneasy.  Driving at night with all the glares is somewhat unsettling.  I do it, but not happily.  It's another one of life's unpleasant realities.

We will have Shannon today and more Disney movies coming up.  Considering everything, it will be a good break

an old guy at the Riverwalk 

thats it

A passing

How could you not fall in love with Annie Hall?  She was pretty, cute and quirky and instantly attractive.  You just wanted to be with her and gaze into her eyes.  It  was not a sexual thing, but a closeness thing.  Diane Keaton will be and is missed already.  As a person, she seemed approachable which was one of her most enduring features.  I don't write about celebrities that passed on.  But for her, I made an exception.

thats it

 

programming

This is more on programming I have viewed recently. If you have no interest please move on.  Got both the flu shot and covid booster last Friday and felt lousy for the next two days.  Not perfect, but better today.  Every year this is the outcome of the vaccines, a necessary pitfall.  

Finding your Roots is a favorite program of mine.  Hosted by the mercurial Henry Lewis Gates, it provides me with insights and a historical record of the subjects.  Most recently viewed subjects Jose Andres (one of my hero) and Native American chef Sean Sherman.  I was most transfixed by Sean's history. His great-great grandmother was put in an industrial school, had her culture and customs ripped from her in order to make her appear a more proper young lady.  A grandfather became a Buffalo Soldier and fought his own people for a small income. Sean too had grown up on a reservation and had all those trappings to carry around.  All of this oppression going back centuries; and still he calmly faced it.  I had a difficult time wrapping my head around this history.  There was no rage in him, only a quiet resignation.

We completed a short series on Netflix, Doc.  As you might expect it's a medical show in hospital setting.  Molly Parker plays the lead character.  A different twist on this genre and I cannot reveal  without saying too much.  With ten episodes to completion, it's worth the watch.

Had a nice breakfast with my cronies Thursday at Martins Coney Island last Thursday. They don't make much money off us.  No one drinks coffee except me due to the cost (2.60/cup).  Most have oatmeal with raisins.  Everyone is pleasant and solicitous. 

that it 

Tired of facial hair

 I got tired of the constant facial irritation, the itching and the picking into my skin.  I know all the cool guys now wear some manner of beard, short or long, bushy or cut short regardless of age.  My face has gotten fuller like it was pre heart attack.  Weight is hovering around 140 lbs. and i'm getting shorter.  In America, the life expectancy for men is just short of 76 years, where I at this moment.  I don't feel like I am staring down at mortality yet.  Walking is still a pleasure and balance is at least ok (mostly). 

Our government is still shut down.  Air traffic has been disrupted due to a lack of ATC.  This issue is what caused the last shut down to end.  Daughter is working for free in her government job.  He is threatening to not pay the furloughed workers even though a law was passed in 2019 prohibiting such action. Under this administration, these laws are ignored due to the whims of the president.  This might be a definition of our times, governance by whim.

The weather has taken a turn for the cooler, back to sweater weather.  Shorts have been packed away.  

thats it , 

Changing times

 

I did protest the Viet Nam war in the sixties and early seventies.  It was allowed and deemed acceptable behavior.  We marched, held up signs and chanted, little else.  We were angry with Lyndon Johnson's carrying on of previous two administrations policies.  Nixon also felt the brunt of our collective anger.  It was an unwin-able war as spelled out in the Pentagon Papers.  No troops were deployed here except at Kent State University on May 4th, 1970, as the song goes.  Our voices were not silenced by the government.  Don't really know what was accomplished but, we could speak.  

Times have changed.   National Guard troops have been sent to LA  and Chicago  to scoop up immigrants; and now Portland (the current counter culture capital of America with its nose rings, man buns and numerous coffee shops and questions about the food sourcing on the plate.)  A very dangerous place where regular citizens no longer feel safe.  What bullshit!

Around here, we may finally get some rain today.  The lawns are completely browned out and flowers need to be watered 3 times a day.  I  just finished up my last homegrown tomatoes.  It was an adequate crop for an amateur grower like myself. 

I like to visit older music on occasion.  In the late forties and early fifties, an Italian trumpet player and singer, Louis Prima, emerged.  He san happy and heartfelt songs in English and Italian, in the jump blues style of music.  Being rooted in NOLA  jazz,  the music had a Louis Armstrong intonation.  The bands sax player, Sam Buttea, played in the raucous tone that was later popularized in rock and roll.  If you have Pandora, look it up, might be interesting.

that is

Birthday and more

My wonderful wife's birthday was yesterday.  I still question her judgment in putting up with me for all these years.  She's a terrific mom, grandma, aunt, sister, dog and cat mom as well.  Brilliant and focused, she keeps me on track even in our senior years.  

These are some recent shots from our trip to Middleville to spend time with Jon and his boys. Judy and I walked on the trail along the other side of the river.  It's lovely and quiet there.  One can hear the migrating geese and other water fowl in the river.  It's a good place to just sit on a bench and contemplate.  This is one of the gifts of retirement, the ability to take time.

Judy's party was yesterday afternoon and Katey made a delicious lemon cheesecake.  All the participants enjoyed  There was a plan announced that this would be the Thanksgiving dessert as it was that good.  Katey cares little for cooking, but baking is her forte.

I hate to advise that my lifelong love affair with pizza 

is coming to a close.  On Friday, I went for the lunch special at Green Lantern at their carryout location on Telegraph.  Pleased to announce that it only went up by a buck, from 5 to 6.  Still a pile of food for a small price.  As good as I remembered, but not magical.  Maybe it's me, but the passion for pizza is gone.  

We have Shannon with us for today.  Judy is going thru the cleaning and grooming process.  I watered the plants for their first drink.  With this extended warm and dry weather, they need about 3 shots to stay untitled.  Harry is on the couch in quiet repose waiting to go on another walk.

These are some phots of Jon and the boys and a birthday one of Judy and me.  Once and awhile you get a good photo by chance.  This is one of the JV football game at Hurley Stadium in Berkley as the sun was setting.  The game was a decent one, even though Berkley prevailed.

thats it.