BUS STOPS

AS A PASSENGER I thrived (or did I throve?) on taking pictures of people at bus stops as we drove past. No more, now that I occupy the driver's seat. These are just a few from my collection, nothing to brag about, but a slice of life that I find interesting.

I've not used public transportation much myself and when I have, it's always accompanied by worry that I won't have the right change and the driver might have to bark at me. I've seen it happen.

We've ridden atop a double-decker bus in the heart of London and on various tour buses in our travels, which doesn't quite count. 

This stop is on an island in Montrose. Beyond the bridge you can see the hospital we've been frequenting.

I find the structures interesting and the benches and even the ads, and of course the people waiting for their rides.

I find it a poignant sight to see someone running for a bus that has just pulled away from the curb. It's a good test of how compassionate the driver is.

Sedentary soul that I am, I guess I just like to see people on the move or in the midst of going somewhere.

From our apartment windows, if I look far, far away I can see 2 different freeways against a background of the mountains and the ant-like stream of  cars and trucks signify travel even if it may simply be a routine commute.

"I'd rather go by bus." 

                         Prince Charles 

IRENE

PRETEND this is tomorrow's post. Found this as a facebook entry and was quite taken with the coverage of the recent hurricane. You know, if there's anything I love in life it's sharing things I like with other people. I think that's why I lasted 37 years at Once Upon a Time. It provided the ultimate opportunity to share.

"DO WE WHAT?"

ONE OF MY FOND MEMORIES from our travels is this pair who made a habit of traveling together. They lived in two different states and rarely did they see each other between trips. As different as their approaches to life were, it worked to be on the road together. The lady on the right was small, wiry, energetic, ready to pound the pavement early in the morning, whereas the woman on the left was a late riser, enjoying her mealtimes; she was utterly laid back.

On a different trip we experienced another sort of alternative travel arrangement. Three seniors had traveled the world together, sharing a room. One was an African-American gentleman and the other two, Caucasian women. They appeared to have the time of their lives, experiencing travel in an affordable manner, in that case, cruising the Mississippi River learning about the music of the area in an Elderhostel program.

I also knew a married couple, both people with successful careers, who lived in two totally separate households, but they enjoyed going to foreign countries together.

Many of you have heard this personal story and I promise I won't repeat it in print ever again. Back in the 1970s I made the largest purchase of my life when I bought two cruise tickets to go to Mexico as a surprise anniversary gift for Mr. Bob. I countered my buyer's remorse by determining to become a good conversationalist before we sailed. My practice area was in doctors' waiting rooms, for young Tim was needing medical attention several days a week. I polished the practice of drawing people out and became so proficient at it that it appeared to be with regret that people pulled themselves away to go in to see their doctor.

Mr. Bob knew nothing of this, not even realizing that he would be leaving the country in the near future. When the departure time arrived friends gathered in our stateroom for a bon voyage celebration (which security no longer allows, more's the pity), after which they disembarked and off we sailed into the sunset. The first night at sea was open seating at dinnertime and we found ourselves with a couple from Barstow, California. I could write a whole piece on my reaction to that town, but won't. Suffice it to say I hope God never puts me there for any length of time.....say, no more that ten minutes. At any rate, we entered into conversation with enthusiasm and I practiced my newly discovered art with gusto, showing honest interest and being just witty enough to keep the laughter and gaiety going. It was a lovely start to our journey or so I thought until the next day, when the Barstow wife approached me after a game of Bingo and in a low voice (surely she didn't really say it out of the side of her mouth, although that's how I remember her words) she whispered, "Do you and Bob trade?"

It was, after all, the Seventies, when something called open marriage was the rage in some sets, but not in our circle. My response was, "Do we what?" And we never saw them again the rest of the voyage. It proved that in conversation, it might be possible to be TOO scintillating. Moderation in all things, was the lesson.

CROWDS

We watched history unfold on television this morning as Egypt celebrated the possibility of becoming a democracy. From Alaska came Susan's text message: "Wow!". Mr. Bob was in the shower and I called to him to hurry and come watch. I called, but of course he couldn't hear.......due to our carpeted, soundproofed rooms and his loss of hearing, so I went in and shouted through the shower enclosure.

Of course there was plenty of opportunity throughout the day to see the crowd's reaction to the announcement that Mubarak had stepped down, so my sense of urgency was unnecessary. 

My antennae are always searching for a blog topic and I thought of some of the crowd scenes from our own collection of photos. 

Post-Christmas crowds along San Francisco's waterfront

Sunday's Farmers' Market in Montrose

As well organized a picnic as we've seen in the park below our window.

A class walking from the school, past our house on a field trip to Montrose.

When the Americana opened, people used the free parking across the street at the Glendale Galleria and walked over to the new outdoor shopping center.

After school...note the smiles. Not at all the scene in the morning en route to school when the kids look sleepy and not at all happy.

"The only certainty about following the crowd is that you will all get there together."

                                                                               ~ Mychal Wynn

Don Meike

To set the scene, we need to introduce you to our friends, Nadine and Mickey. Longtime Glendale residents, they moved in to the Manor just a few months after we did. 

 As sometimes happens, the 4 of us resonated. I'm the only one of us who drives which is handy if we get the urge to eat Mexican food or if Mickey needs some items from the market. 

Came the day when a new librarian was needed. Neither Nadine nor I wanted to take on the full responsibilities, so we agreed to co-chair the position. It's working very well. 


These are
people who are very generous about
sharing their family and friends. I know
the feeling of wanting my loved ones
to get acquainted with one another.
Not everyone feels that way. To each
his own. We've met and dined with the daughter and son-in-law of these friends........on their way between Portland, Oregon and New Zealand.......they travel endlessly back
and forth. We've been introduced to
some of their former neighbors, one of whom assisted Mr. Bob in contacting the right person at the Department of Motor Vehicles to help in the process of regaining his driver license. Special people, all.

This week Nadine had a telephone conversation with a longtime friend of theirs in Wyoming, who seemingly on the spur of the moment decided to fly down to visit. Too much time had gone by since they were last together. Two days later he appeared at the Manor. We were invited to join them at dinner yesterday.

The friend's name is Don Meike and he's a sheep rancher in Wyoming. His brother had to stay home this time to oversee the 4500 sheep.

As usual I was full of questions. Did the sheepdogs arrive as trained animals? (No.....most of the tendencies are inherent, the training hones the skill of how it's to be done) Does a dog ever fail the test? (Yes, they have one right now that is too friendly to herd sheep) How big is the town of Kaycee? (250 people) Would you mind terribly if I photographed your belt buckle? (Go right ahead)

Mr. Bob, just the other evening, had watched a documentary on wolves, so that provided a subject of conversation and produced a story that made me want to share our experience with you. He told us that wolves had not always been the problem that they are now for livestock and that somehow the government had been involved (just how, I don't recall......perhaps in naming the wolf as an endangered species.) And Don told the story about the time he was addressing Congress and trying to get across a point. In trying to convince the legislative assembly that a national plan doesn't necessarily work for all states, he used the following example. In his small town of Kaycee, WY when a traffic problem arose, it was solved by putting in a 4 way STOP sign. He questioned whether the same solution would work in Washington DC's traffic congestion. Not one Congressman "got" it, not even enough to smile at the absurdity of the idea. Politics.

I wish I'd asked to take a picture of his boots. He leaves for home tomorrow.