new bridge

So we have a new bridge between Canada and the United States.  It's being named after a legendary Hockey player from Ottawa Ontario that made his name in Detroit playing for the Red Wings.  its a fitting name for an international bridge between our two countries that have had friendly and compatible relations for about 100 years.  We have always gotten along, Detroiters going to Windsor ON and vice versa.  We travel to their more cosmopolitan cities like Toronto to eat the food and see the sights.  Judy and I did our honeymoon trip there.  It's fitting that an international bridge should be named after an international guy playing a sport both countries embrace, at least in this region.

On the eve of its opening, our dear leader is imposing 50 percent tariffs on Canadian goods stating that their trade policies treat our country unfairly.  The owner and operator of the competing bridge, the Ambassador,  contributed handsomely to this administration's last campaign.  The new span will cost them revenue. 

In my younger days, I worked for his dad Matty at Central Transport and was around when the purchase was made. Matt Moroun, the current company president was a toddler wandering around the office when I worked there.  It was the seventies.  Hair was long and music was loud.  We had closeted gay men in our department that became my close friends.  

I hope this edifice opens as planned later this month. The region needs this crossing for ease of trade

Slightly cooler today.  Off for a walk and Trader Joes for supplies. 

Clyde Ohio

Thanks to the kindness of my sister and her husband John, we took delivery of a vehicle yesterday.  I am still trying to wrap my head around the enormity of this act.  

This is us on the front approach of their home in Clyde, OH, John's boyhood home.  This little town is the sister city to Fremont OH which is the home of Rutherford B. Hayes the 19th president of the US in the post Reconstruction phase of history.  The impact of this gift is overwhelming.  It gives us back our freedom which was really altered by the loss of the other car.  

So we go to these little towns in the sunshine and the calmness of the outdoors. It smells good. People are friendly. There are no sirens blaring up and down the streets.  Everybody knows everyone else.  Generations intertwine.  You buy the corn from this stand rather than the other because the soil is better on one side of the road.  They have these large. onions called candy onions.  The prices for the produce might be a little higher than at Meijers, but these folks need to make a living.  Their hands planted and harvested the crops and put them in the boxes.  

It's a place where you can understand that folks come back to.  Offspring go off to college, make a living and return.

Son Jonathan did an ad for Grand Rapids Community College promoting work in the trades, his being HVAC.  A pretty snappy photo I think.  Got the surprise this this morning.  He has his mother's good looks.

try this again

Out walking before the heat comes in today, listening to the Beach Boys and thinking of my mis spent youth.  We all wanted to be on the sunny sands and to be attractive to girls with long flowing blonde hair.  Before sunscreen, we were all working on our tans in backyards listening to Fun,Fun, Fun and She Loves You on our transistor radios.  Music of our day reminds us we were young once and had aspirations.  The music still sounds good.  Every generation I think  has a similar experience.

We lost Joyce a few days ago. She is seated second from the left. A woman with NYC origins, as tough as nails, never holding back on her opinions.  She was Judy's favorite sparing partner.  Neither would shy away, each always ready to throw it back in each others face and then laugh like hell.  Joyce loved Harry our dog and he loved her. We all lived together at Oxford Towers for about 3 years. 

Bea from somewhere in Mass, was cut from the same cloth, not suffering fools kindly.  98 lbs. soaking wet supported by a fancy walker, she and Joyce were full of routines, always looking put together.  She left us a couple of months back,  reaching 97.

Heat is building up for the day moving to almost 100 degrees.  Us old people need to stay hydrated and drink even when not thirsty.  

Do your best to stay cool today.

 

Early walk

Out walking before the heat comes in today, listening to the Beach Boys and thinking of my mis spent youth.  We all wanted to be on the sunny sands and to be attractive to girls with long flowing blonde hair.  Before sunscreen, we were all working on our tans in backyards listening to Fun,Fun, Fun and She Loves You on our transistor radios.  Music of our day reminds us we were young once and had aspirations.  The music still sounds good.  Every generation I think  has a similar experience.

We lost Joyce a few days ago. She is seated second from the left. A woman with NYC origins, as tough as nails, never holding back on her opinions.  She was Judy's favorite sparing partner.  Neither would shy away, each always ready to throw it back in each others face and then laugh like hell.  Joyce loved Harry our dog and he loved her. We all lived together at Oxford Towers for about 3 years. 

Bea from somewhere in Mass, was cut from the same cloth, not suffering fools kindly.  98 lbs. soaking wet supported by a fancy walker, she and Joyce were full of routines, always looking put together.  She left us a couple of months back,  reaching 97.

Heat is building up for the day moving to almost 100 degrees.  Us old people need to stay hydrated and drink even when not thirsty.  

Do your best to stay cool today.

 

Tomatoes are doing fine

 

Lacking a better word, I say that weather has improved and we are normalizing our summer.  Just got watering the tomatoes and the other foliage not having rain for the last day or so.  Going to the gym to beat off some of the inner hostility and try to brighten my mood. Spoke to my new 50 year old friend Lamont down the street yesterday.  Learned of his aspirations for his home.  He and his wife have married for about 2 years.  The recent storm took the tree in front of their house.  The branches and trunk were chopped up and are on the city property to be picked up.  

We have had a frequent visitor, a doe and her baby dining on our plants. Somehow thats ok because it is a family gathering nourishment.  I am fine with that and see it as a natural part of life that I still try to understand and comprehend. Sadly, the momma deer was hit by some driver.  Her remains sit in the pile of tree debris waiting to be collected by the city. Whereabouts of the baby are unknown. Its survival is questionable. 

Even though this event comes as no surprise,  hoping for a more perfect world,  I am crushed that this mom is no more.  What about the baby?  There is nothing to be done but carry on.  

Our planet fitness has updated some of their equipment.  I was very satisfied with the old  equipment knowing how it operated and felt on my body.  The new stuff has rep counters that I don't need.  But ii is again something new for me to learn,  probably a good thing. 

About to make some lunch.

power restored

So on Friday July 3rd the power went out at 6:47 pm and was off till yesterday (Sunday) at 7:08pm.  With no power, lights, air conditioning and battery power on devices waining, life was somewhat challenging.  We bought supplies for a cookout for the 4th and ultimately made it even though we had no place to store the leftovers.  I gave some of it to an appreciative neighbor and the rest was gone.  The refrigerator has been cleaned out and this. morning, we are shopping to restock.  Laundry is being done finally.  

We have lots of power outages in this neighborhood.  Many folks have gas powered generators which run all day and all night.  There is no escaping the whirring sound of these machines.  Frankly it's like living in a machine shop that runs 24 hours a day.  

I have expended far too much energy with anger and annoyance over the power, the loss of the vehicle and the loss of freedom.  We have a vehicle to use but it's not the same as having your own.  This will become the new normal.  We will not have a car period and will have to move forward and I will have to resign myself to that fact.  

We take a lot for granted with the modern conveniences.    Not pissing by flashlight or washing dishes in the dark to name a few.  Also realize how much time is spent viewing screens and sponging up the content is very evident when that option is gone.  

We went to our historic National Coney Island in Royal Oak for lunch amongst a large crowd of folks in the same dilemma with no clear picture as to when the power would be restored.  Tried out a new ice cream shop in town as well.  They made Italian Ice, one of Judy's favorites.  Was shocked in disbelief with the juice suddenly came back.  Everything worked and all devices got charged up.  

My crop of tomatoes is bursting forth this season.  I look after the plants like they are my children every morning.   I have a wide variety and am looking forward to the results.  First tomato of the year.

 

 

Shaver??

So my wife bought me the new Harrys shaver.  Lots of online hoopla on this one.  They are saying that this is the best shave of your life, good around the neck, less nicks, yada, yada, yada.  My verdict is good by not magical as advertised.  I was swallowed up by all the hype, but the then air escaped from the balloon. It's still just shaving.

I was raised in the Roman Catholic Church.  My parents, Dorothy and Ed were founding members of the their parish in Warren.  I attended mass regularly, received all the sacraments and believed in God and the church.  That all being said, as teenagers, do got bored with the whole thing and left.  Parents did not object too much and they continued to attend and participate in all the activities and made many life long friends.  In many ways that place became their home and they were in the tight knit community of faith.  It is a story of their generation regardless of faith or ethnicity. 

Many years have passed.  Dorothy and Ed are gone. I miss them both mainly my mom.  Raised my. kids in a secular household, wrong or right, that is what happened.  Now I am old and my offspring are in their forties.  My eldest Andrew has been searching for some manner of faith since his teenage years.  He married a couple of years ago and as part of the natural course, found a church to attend.  They are of different backgrounds, she being African and he looking like me.  This is a truly wonderful woman and he is fortunate to have found her.  They absolutely love each other.  They complete each other.  

I don't go into churches often, only for weddings and funerals.  When it is a Catholic service, my heart strings get pulled a little with the liturgy and the songs. But yesterday,  I had an enlightening experience.  I was invited to and attended the 10am service at Life Application Ministries. (LAM).  It was astounding with loud unapologetic voices.  Oh my god, lots of singing and emotions that swept you up.  The Pastor, all 5"3" of him delivered his message in a loud clear voice that made him sound like he was a foot taller.  I love a good speaker that can carry any message.  This Pastor delivered.  I am glad I went and still hear those songs in my head and heart.

My friend and sorta daughter and her fierce teammates won the over 30 women's state championship in soccer.  I am so proud of these ladies and their accomplishments.  Their opponents were twenty year olds that accused them of being too old.......wrong move. They became enraged and more proficient, and defeated them 6 nil.  I have watched a couple of their games, it is a pleasure to see.