A Hair Fix

So after a day of kid pickup, grocery shopping, delivery of dog stuff to Katey, an afternoon nap and lunch, I did my normal Thursday routine and took Elijah for his hair cut and styling at BA Barbershop in Madison Heights. His hair is a two step process in that he has a styling session and then a cut.  I greeted the lovely lady that performs her magic on him and she looked at me longer than usual.  Anyway, I sat down, playing games on my phone.  

Andrew arrived and he looked at me somewhat askance.  He said who did that to your head.  He pointed out the problems with my last recent haircut and Satayria, the lady doing Eli chimed in.  He insisted that I sit in Scott's chair and get it fixed.  Scott the master, clipped and cut the offending foliage and I came out looking much better than I did when I entered.  I have always felt like this place was a home away from home for me.  These guys really liked and accepted me, despite our differences in background.  

My balance is on the wane.  I was losing it coming out from the chair.  Both of these guys leaped to my aid and righted my footing.  Feeling their strong hands holding me up was a complete reversal of roles.  Still a dad but now on the receiving end of assistance instead of providing it.  I am not thrilled with this but accepting.

Breakfasting with my friend Bob this morning.  We haven't seen each other in a while.  I know he has been traveling in Oregon most recently.  I have been here.

These smoky skies seem unrelenting.  I opened up the doorway a little this morning to hear the birds singing and the sounds of the rest of the world.  Hope some rain arrives and washes some of it from the sir. 

I have strong feelings about the recent SCOTUS ruling on affirmative action but won't share them now.

all for now 

stay safe
 

A Surprise Visit from Amani

Yesterday we had a surprise visit from someone we really never thought we'd see again.  Back when we lived on Orchard View in Royal Oak we took in a mother and son that had lost their home to a fire providing temporary housing.  The mom was a friend of Carla's, my son's then wife.  This kid was a special young man determined to make his way in the world.  He elected to use the schools of choice system to attend Farmington Harrison High School taking multiple busses on a daily basis to make the journey.  He was 16 years old at the time.  

He was wonderful and kind to our other kids and especially towards Shannon.

Life took an unexpected turn for him before his high school career had completed and he left to join his mom in North Carolina.  It has been probably 14 years since we've seen each other.  He is 30 now.  His life has been a journey with plenty of ups and downs with a healthy dose of self discovery.  He is as wonderful and loving as we remember and I still can't get over how he popped up.

Sometimes you get gifts that are unexpected and maybe undeserved. This visit was one of those. Seeing someone you care about when you never thought you would see them again is quite remarkable. And me, I'm shorter than ever.

We are dealing with the unprecedented poor air quality from Canadian wild fires that seems to be unrelenting.  They are telling us to keep the windows closed and only go outside when absolutely necessary.  I checked northern Michigan cities like Traverse City and they are fine.  The wind patterns are directing the smoke to the Detroit area and we are stuck.

Watched the miserable Tigers last night with a neighbor on TV.  Their showing was not good and we departed after 5 innings. 

thats it for today

stay safe

all for now

Where Do I Begin?

Yes, where do I begin?  Like many, we had a power outage from 6:45pm Sunday till last night at 9:30.  Our building has an emergency generator that provides power to the elevators, so no fragile seniors are left stranded.  You know when one of these happens, you think yeah it's gonna come right back.  The clock on your diminishing phone clicks on and you realize thats not going to happen.

Needless to say, no TV with 15 minutes to go on the evening news.  Sat there for a few moments and assessed the situation.  boredom set in and we went downstairs to see what was going on.  The lobby was filled with neighbors watching the sun sink down and there was a non resident guy playing the piano in the sitting room, quite well actually, mostly classical pieces.  The crowd listened.  

Upon retreating to our rooms, the evening was cool and we tried to sleep with the background of generators running and dogs barking.  Some woman above us screamed QUIET!!  out her balcony sounding quite shrewish.  I don't want to meet her.

Went to Planet Fitness early after a bagel from across the street.  Returned to find that our wonderful office staff had set up coffee and donuts for us all in the lobby and later followed with lunch and a pizza dinner.  They cannot be commended enough for thinking of us.  Later went to take care of Apollo and to Renshaws for lunch.  

We had some laundry to do, about one load.  Found a laundromat In Oak Park that was clean and lovely.  Met a man with Asperger's that that regained us with his encyclopedic knowledge of college football.  Every thing was going fine.  The load was complete in the washer. It was my job to dump it in the dryer.  Neglecting to notice that there was an extra Tide Pod in the basket, you guessed it, it got thrown in the dryer with the wet clothes.  The outcome was not good.  The pod burst and there was blue laundry detergent on all the clean clothes.  To say Judy was displeased is an understatement.  Only her decorum in a public place protected me from her tirade (now under her breath).  There was a torrent of rain going on outside and I had water on my cloth shoes up to my ankles.  So, things aren't going so good at this point.

Now back to the powerless building and more conversation with neighbors.  I retreated up stairs at about 8:30 and the power returned at 9:30.  And now, things are back to normal and again I'm taking electricity for granted.

Have to include this little grand son of our former neighbors on Millard. Too cute not to mention

Got to love the red hair.

All for now

stay safe and dry.

An Old Job

 This is more a personal history today of my past life. When I was about 19, I took a job in the warehouse where my father worked in Detroit at Garrick Photo Supply.  This was a company that was the biggest supplier of photographic and processing equipment in Michigan in its day.  So those of you that have only taken pictures with your phone would know nothing about how photographs were made from the time of George Eastman till the advent of the digital camera.  There were smelly developer chemicals (which I can still remember), a darkroom where the acetate film was developed and a drum dryer that the paper photos were dried on after they came out of the development solution.  These guys sold all that stuff, the chemicals, the machinery and the photosensitive paper hat the images were printed on.  

Somehow as a student at Wayne State, I got a job there filling orders and unloading trucks from Eastman Kodak and others.  One anecdote I can recall with specific details is the unloading of the long van from Rochester NY,  the home of the famed manufacturer and camera maker.  Those of us old enough remember the "Brownie Camera" which was our initiation to taking pictures.  It was in fact brown and probably made from the precursor to plastic.  Back to the truck, In order to expedite the unloading process, the driver erected a set of wheeled rollers that looked like a ladder laying on its side on a steep decline.  The boxes would roll down the this conveyor at an increasing speed till the back of the trailer where we would catch them before they went sailing off.  This process was not problematic with lighter boxes.  However, always near the end, boxes of liquid developer were placed on the conveyor.  These small, cubes weighed 104 lbs and when they came down that chute it seemed like they were falling off a cliff.  It was a tough catch.

The firm was owned and operated by a father and his two sons.  Sam Garrick and sons Marvin and Harris.  At the point of my employment, the old man had little to do besides check waste baskets for merchandise that had been broken and discarded.  The sons ran the business which ultimately failed due to bad decisions and the changing times.    Eddie, my father sold and installed some of the development equipment from Pako Corporation of Minneapolis.  He had a company car that had placard in the station wagon window that said Pako Partsmobile. I do remember that car in some detail. It was a 1961 blue Chevy wagon that we took on vacations with us kids rolling around the back of the wagon, pre seat belts.  Part of my dad's reputation was that he did not leave the site until the machine was running.  He took great pride in that fact.

I found this picture in old archives from Detroit.  This old story just came up in my head.  

It's raining today, we need it.

all for now

stay safe

Back to Beard again

Today is Wednesday and I am up early as usual. Breakfast is completed. And now it's the next day.  We had an action packed one yesterday with Marie's fitness class, an IEP for Shannon at her home, Apollo duties, lunch at Renshaws, and finally a walk at the Troy Nature center.  I makes me tired just writing it down.  Have more of a free day today with the only agenda item being dinner with friends at Green Lantern.  

Maybe it's because of my age and my various clicks, but all this Beatle stuff and info shows up on my feed.  Don't get me wrong, I loved them in my day.  I was 14 when they played on Ed Sullivan in 1964.  So let's put that into historical perspective.  That appearance was 59 years ago.  George and John have passed and Paul just turned 81. I think Ringo is 82 or 83.  Ir might be time to retire these memories and move on.  Mick has had his 8th kid and Keith looks embalmed at best with his arthritic fingers clutching the neck of his guitar.  There are new tunes bein

g written and performed.  Some are pretty good both lyrically and instrumentally. 

Need to find some of these and get away from embracing the past.  Most of the music I listen to now is from dead guys.

So we have Marie with her mean face, Eli posing on the bench and a couple of jive turkeys looking menacing from yesterdays adventure. 

We have a reluctant return to Planet Fitness this morning.  So much for today's monologue.

all for now

stay safe.

  

fathers day festivities

 Well it was Fathers Day 2023 yesterday.  It was a Shannon day as well.  She held court with all of her buddies at the building making them all smile.  Katey, Andrew and I went to Unexpected Craft Brewery for an afternoon libation and Jon caught a fish from his backyard river in Middleville.  No drama today just a few pictures shown below.

Today back to the normal activities with grand kids now working out a the gym with us.  We will see how long they find this intersting

Today is my sister's birthday.  Happy Birthday Joan Marie!!!!!  Hope you have a wonderful day.

Thats is 

all for now

stay safe and enjoy this lovely day

A day in the perk

 

It was a lovely afternoon yesterday and after a successful trip to eastern market, we decided to venture forth to the Troy Nature Center for a short hike.  The greenery was on full display.  Took a few shots of some of the wild flowers in bloom. 

Today is Fathers Day.  I wish all the dads out there a happy day especially my two terrific sons Andrew and Jon.  They are both better dads than I could ever hope to be.  Of all the things 

they've accomplished, their fatherhood makes me the most proud.

 

I miss my own dad Edward Kocsis on this day also.  I hope he was proud of me.  I wish I could remember more of the details of our lives together.  Time has faded many of my memories.

Happy Fathers day to all the dads I know.

hope it is a wonderful day for you.

all for now.

Last Day Adventures

 

Do you remember the last day of school? Especially in Jr High (now middle school).  There were no more tests to study for, no  more books that were assigned reading. There was no more drama in the lunchroom with who you sat with or in gym with respect to you lack of ability in rope climb, long jump or sprints (which I was always last).  These two are moving into 7th and 8th grade respectively.  Judy and another mom are taking them on a walking adventure in downtown Royal Oak after they are let out.  Eli was most pleased with the outfit he chose for himself 

Our schedule will adjust as well with less leaving a 

a time before the bell and more relaxed timing.  We are looking forward to more time at Kensington and maybe the Riverwalk with them.  

Our young citizens attending Rogers Elementary at the end of our street are having their annual fun run thru the neighborhood today as well.  Streets are blocked off for safety. 

I love the sound of all the noise these little guys make.  It is life in all its beautiful chaos.

all for now

stay safe

The Morning is Quiet

The morning is quiet.  Harry is crunching his food behind me.  Judy is making her breakfast to my right.  Went to dinner last evening with Andrew and Stephanie at Zeoli's and saw friend Sean Costales behind the bar.  Food was good as always.  The day is bright and sunny.  It's a good day for a Harry photo.  At our dinner Judy and Andrew told nursing stories about a variety of patient personalities.  Steph and I were the quiet pair with the two of them being the loudest as per usual.  She is an extremely sweet and caring woman an I am glad they have each other.  

School is almost our.  Thursday is the last day and summer officially begins.  These kids are teenagers now and life is different.  People will get up later and will have intermittent eating habits.  They are starting to find themselves.  As grandparents, you guide and point but not stifle their thoughts and aspirations.  It should be an interesting time of growth for them and us.  Eli can join us at Planet Fitness for the summer and Mari will be going to T3 Fitness with Katey.  Nanny and Poppy are not nearly as entertaining as before, so we will be including some friends of both in the mix.  

Dear friend Kathy Smith got the all clear from her illness.  This is a really sweet person that used to be my girlfriend about 100 years ago now residing with her longtime partner Dave in the UP.  She comes to visit about once a year and I look forward to her next time.  

We had a meet and greet this week with the new staff introducing themselves officially and having face to face interactions with all that attended.  They are both nice and professional with great people skills and patience with residents that need it.  Really glad they are here. 

On my way to Katey's to care for Apollo I have been passing a small eatery called Munchies on my way.  The sign says Mexi-casion food.  Ever curious and hungry,  I tried it out for a couple of tacos.  Good but not cheap ($4) a taco.  Had one chicken and one beef both corn tortillas.  Good flavor and consistency but the tortilla on the beef one fell apart and had to be picked up with a fork.  One of the lovely things about tacos is that they are "hand food" which for some reason, I find really positive.  So, I would give it a solid 70 as a rating.

Off to Planet Fitness

thats it

stay safe

all for now

 

An Old White Guy

Yes, that's me.  Old (the first definition) pale skinned, straight, of male gender.  People that look like me, sound like me and feel like me have lost their significance in our society.  We are shrugged off and passed by.  Attractiveness has long ago departed.  Basically me and folks of my ilk have become furniture.

That being said, I watched the brilliantly disquieting film, The Whale yesterday after noon and when it was completed, I could not speak.  I was sucked in, dragged off and consumed by all the emotions put forth on the screen.  Brendan Frasier was amazing as was the supporting cast.  It was a film with great sadness and great redemption at its close.  if you are a person that can handle all the emotional upheaval that this movie delivers, see it.  If you can't, skip it.

Last night's Tony Awards were completely unscripted with all in full support of the Writers Guild of America and their contract struggles.   There were no long speeches only recipients reading from note cards they carried to the stage.  While I enjoyed it, was not enamored of the offerings I guess because I could not recognize the songs. Only Camelot with the lead actor voicing If Ever I Would Leave You had any familiarity.  And not to be too picky, but some of the singers were a little "pitchy" with notes not right on the money.  

The rain finally came yesterday and washed some of the smoke and particulate from our air.  As of 6:36am we are at a Good Rating of 18.  This will come as some relief for those with respiratory issues. 

All of this probably too truthful for me.

all for now

stay safe

Early Morning Wash (I know, exciting)

So it's early, about 6:30 am.  It's a good time to do laundry.  No one is around but the rules say 8am is the earliest you can do this task.  I don't care and proceed anyway.  There is a pile of wrinkled and tattered mens clothes and towels on the folding table.  They have been there for over two days and are still quite wet in that the garments have been sitting in a pile.  Some guy has forgot them or maybe he died.  Death follows us around here like someone who's pulled the chair out from beneath you.

I like to portray myself as a compassionate person with real empathy for my fellow human beings.  I looked at that pile and threw it in the dryer on my dime.  It just seemed like the right thing to do.  Took the stuff out when it was done, folded it and put it into bags.  Hell it was before 6, really had nothing better to do.  The stuff was old and stained.  Maybe this is all he had.  I hope he finds it.

Did a couple of social things recently.  Went to Unexpected Craft Brewery on 11 Mile Rd in Oak Park Friday with a couple of fellow residents.  What a hidden gem this is.  The place is a converted industrial building cleaned out and spruced up with a painted concrete floor and lots of seating.  Very spacious inside with a clear view of the sparkling  brewing kettles of stainless steel and all the equipment that goes with it.  Proper brewing is a more complicate process than wine making with many steps, temperatures and added ingredients.  Anyway it was a good time.  The beers were 7 bucks for a large glass and tastes of all the products were offered before the purchase.   

Had lunch with friend Dickman yesterday.  The place (Golden Grill) was busy in that the two spots on 12 mile road  would be inaccessible due to the Berkley Art Bash.  Food was good and we had occasion to speak with a guy at the next table about the care at the VA hospital downtown.  I told him how pleased we were and he concurred.  He too used their services.  I probably over tipped the waitstaff but they were working their asses off.  

We are finally getting some rain to wash the smokey air that has been plaguing us.  We are still at an 83 which is not great only moderate. Gotta get the stuff from the dryer.

all for now

stay safe
 

Big game

As you probably know, I live in a senior (55 and up) apartment building.  There are a wide variety of residents.  Some stay in their apartments and are never seen.  Others are sociable mostly retelling stories of their past, their families and health issues they are experiencing.  All talk about their next doctors appointment in great detail.  Then their seat mate will tell their doctor story and how much the medication costs.  All will complain about all the doctor visits they must make. 

Occasionally there is an activity that someone comes up with for a group gathering.  In this case there is a game called Left Right Center There is a little money involved (9 quarters) and you can win as much as 9 bucks.  I observed them having a helluva good time playing this yesterday. These are some of the participants raging in age from 96 to 75 all yucking it up.  

These folks put this on their calendar and really look forward do it, saving up their quarters.  It is great fun to see them all having such a good time.  Had to include the walker corral  that always accompanies the group. Gave some of the photos to our new rental agent Alissa and she is going to put on the Oxford FB page. 

As you probably know by now, the former president has been indicted on the federal level for mishandling controlled documents at his Florida estate.  It's been called a violation of the Espionage Act (which I know nothing about, maybe some guys in trench coats).  I have not been a fan of this guy since the beginning of his reign of terror over our democracy.  But I believe even with all the charges he faces with more to come, he will suffer no pain other than financial.  His ardent supporters will stand with him and he will be the Republican standard bearer in the next election which will be sad for our country.  The real question is can Joe survive?

all for now

stay safe

Greenery instead of grass

 

Traveling thru town with Harry,  I walked on Harvard Road viewing a nice home with a large porch to sit on.  I have seen a women seated in the sun reading a book at times exchanging a morning hello.  On this day the porch was empty only a small table with an ashtray filled with cigarette butts When I passed, I heard a man coughing loudly at the window behind the porch.  I imagined that he was the smoker.  Quitting smoking is one of the most positive steps you can take in your life to take control of your existence. 

On the same street I photoed a front yard with no lawn, only the lovely greenery and flowers shown above.  Grassed lawns In general seem to be a vestige of the past when the quality of a yard was measured by the quality of the lawn, how it was cut, trimmed and its green hue.  To be truthful, it serves little purpose.  In my homeowner days, I was a yardsman always clipping, edging, and feeding with a variety of chemicals from hardware stores made to improve the color, and density of the plants.  One could not know what is was doing to the soil and the ground water.  With the little wisdom I now have, my choices may have been different.

Our skies filled with particulate from the wild fires in Canada traveling south with the normal air current, are bothering some folks,  with the air becoming difficult to breathe.  New York City has a pronounced orange atmosphere.  Sporting events and other outside activities have been postponed.  Frankly it is difficult to describe, and pretty disquieting. 

This is an unexpected development due to the state of our global climate.  For us at this point, the skies aren't blue but white with smoke residue.  We may be wearing masks for a different purpose should these conditions continue.

thats it

all for now

stay safe

A Game

Amidst a sunny day that had Shannon outside enjoying the day with her pal Dickman, and lots of running around for me,  we attended a soccer game in Auburn Hills.  The teams were comprised of women over thirty all of which had been playing this game since childhood with great skills.  There were single, married, some moms all out there playing the game they loved.  Only a few spectators for this event.  Katey has joined this team with her friend since they were toddlers, Christina.  Even though she is extremely fit running classes for women at T3 Fitness in Royal Oak,  she hadn't hit the pitch in 10 years.  She did fine with no injuries.  Her dad was glad of that. 

Now I have been watching this game as a parent and grand parent for the better part of 30 years.  It always starts out as fun watching kids chase the ball and each other up and down the field.  We had laughs and joys, then worried sighs when one of them got hurt.  Sat thru rain and freezing spring temperatures huddled over rapidly cooling cups of coffee and  sweltered in the blazing sun when the summer approached.  We cheered the great plays and goals, were pleased when each team learned to work together and talk to each other on the field.  

This was something different.  These full grown adult women played with such intensity and skill that even as an observer, one could not help get caught up in the game.  It was physical, with checking and elbows being thrown.  Headers were not uncommon and players being slapped in the abdomen from a ball just off the foot were so loud you could hear from the sidelines.   These women were not playing for a crowd or for their parents, only for the love of the game and the fierce desire to win at all costs.    It was one of the most exciting sporting events I have seen in a long time, really with few watching.  I came off completely enthused and looking forward to to the next contest.

I was starved after this 90 minute match, stopped for Marie to get some McDonalds, dropped off Judy, and drove her back to her dads.  Thank goodness he had prepared delicious Pot Roast and had saved me some.  I was revived.  

After watching the Michigan Panthers phone it in at their last game (hence the photo) that I attended,  this was thrilling.

thats it 

all for now

stay safe

 

Out Walking

Out walking Harry early to beat the heat today.  Took one of my longer walks west on Catalpa, then to Phillips and back to Twelve Mile to head toward Coolidge.  Was completely heartened to see all the Rainbow Flags and signage for Gay Pride in the windows of the shops and restaurants.  I am so pleased that I live in an inclusive community that welcomes all and embraces diversity.  I am proud to reside in this small and caring town.  There is not much fanfare and everyone gets along.  The city has down its usual wonderful job with planters of Angel Wing begonias and other species seen on my journey. There  are well watered hanging baskets of annuals along the walkways greeting passersby.  

Its a great place to spend my time

all for

stay cool and safe

 

Harry doing ok

Was heartbroken that Ted Lasso ended last night.  This program has become a happy little friend to many.  The character's clueless optimism was a bright spot in the otherwise tumultuous times we live in.  Most of the characters stories were resolved, and the team went on.  If you have Apple TV and the opportunity to see this one, do it.  There are 3 seasons.

Fortunately, Harry is better.  Our canine lodger has gone back home and things are again getting right with the world. Back to the gym this morning.  Had friend Joyce over for dinner of lemon/mushroom pasta last night.  She consumed two bowls of pasta with a side of coleslaw.  Needless to say, there were no left overs.  She is 92 and a tiny woman probably not ever one hundred #s.  But she is always moving marking all the UPS packages with large room numbers,  making the first pot of coffee and delivering mail for the office.  She has her moments but in some ways is a wonder.  Happy to haver her as my friend.

Judy's balcony garden is planted and doing well.  The hummingbird feeder is up but no visitors yet.

Kids today, haircut for Eli and making dinner for them both. Bought all my supplies yesterday.

That's it

stay cool (hopefully you didn't lose power this morning)

all for now

stay safe