House of Irony#2

Ok,
Cool house, no girl.
Two year lease, no driveabout.
Is that all, you ask?
No.
Some mid winter skunks fired a warning shot. Tolerable.
But then, mid April and Irony reared its head.
Something and a skunk tangled under the house.
It couldn’t have been worse even if you tossed in a dead cat.
My friends told me to quit coming around because my clothes stank.
I left for 3 weeks hoping my landlord could do something about it.
He had a lot of work done to seal off any entrances. I was told that it was pretty bad underneath but no dead bodies.

I came back and it still smelled pretty bad. The landlord assured me enzymes would finish off the reek any time now. I opened all the windows and doors and started fans up. Did I mention it continued to get down to the 30’s though May?
I had to turn the heating off and dress warmly, very warmly. I did catch a break. There was no rain or snow for the week I hauled everything out onto the decks. I had to wash everything. Not quite the right time for spring cleaning.

My older brother, who is always right, told me to leave.
I didn’t.

Photo#35

I love impressionist paintings. I enjoy how one of the guiding factors was to get away from the up and coming realism of that new fangled technology: photography. So, in a case of round robin I wondered if I could emulate impressionist art with my camera. Same rules would apply, same equipment. No post processing. I just sent this picture out to be mounted on canvas (yes, the things you can print photos on is terrific). I am really looking forward to getting it back.
IMG_2990a

House of Irony#1

Flash back to last year; I get a girlfriend.
I also had a broken foot and was slumming in my brother’s house awaiting its sale. My new GF lived 40 miles away and I had disposed of most of my possessions because, remember again, I was going on a Driveabout.

So, as soon as I was at all mobile, I could be and I wanted to be closer to my new heart, so I did. She liked this really cool part of town not far from her place so I targeted that area And since my Year of Therapy had not officially started yet, I made a mistake. I got a small furnished apartment on the third floor of an old converted mansion. Let’s just say it was the attic version of the basement. But it got me close to her; and also got me walking in an urban area.

But it did not get me a place she would visit. Awkward on the relationship.

With improvement in my self awareness came the realization of my mistake. After the expiration of my 6 month lease I started looking around for a new place. A place that would celebrate me, my soul and be a cool place to hang out. I was nearly overwhelmed with variations on how to pull this off. Rent, buy, where, how much, etc.

Then I found this cool little quirky bungalow on the river. It had lots of windows, light and wood. It should be great inspiration for a budding artist. It also cost a lot more than I was budgeting. But this was about feeding my soul and impressing my girlfriend. I signed a two year lease. (Irony alert: Driveabout, not happening now).

And before I was completely moved in, we broke up.

p.s. I now know why guys like basements. Not as many windows to clean.

Happy Birthday #3

Happily my daughter had another birthday and I wrote her present:

The day you were born,
Saddled with uncertainty.
Choices to be made,
Cloaked with possibility.

You grew, learned,
With some stumbling.
You tried again
With some fumbling.

Did you need help?
It was often not clear.
Many times wishing
For the aid of a seer.

But your story was building.
It was easy to listen.
To the added adventures.
Of a spirit that's risen.

Continue the effort.
Play it out loud.
Always remember
You make us proud.

 

philosophyon-line dating#11

Like a magnet, irony sticks to me.
The starting premise of this blog was that on-line dating mystified me (along with life) and I was going to start traveling and learning. So, just a little ahead of the times, I jettisoned most of my belongings (irony alert) and readied myself to AirBnB across the country.

And instead of that adventure, I broke my driving foot and found a girlfriend.

In my yearbook, I have now labeled 2018 as my Year of Therapy.
Yes, in my past, I had considered therapy as a sign of weakness.
That superior attitude certainly did not prevent my BM (Big Meltdown).
So, ironically, guess what my new found girlfriend does? Yes, she is a therapist.

One thing you can say about me is I’m honest and brave. And stupid.
Anything she asked me I tried to answer.
There were a lot of questions.
And a few tears.

When I started out our relationship I probably had the EQ of a snail. However, I was already writing poetry so let’s just call me an idiot savant. By the time we broke up at the end of the year (yes, on her birthday) I had raised my EQ a lot and you could now just call me an idiot.

Road Trip#1 – Part 4

Fine, for that I’ll be leaving California. We head back through Tonopah and turn south for Las Vegas. Neither of us cares to stay there so we turn north for a little distraction at Valley of Fire State Park. Passing Lost City Museum we decide to stop. These little museums, out in small towns, usually haven’t caught my attention. But that is unkind. There are always stories to tell, some are larger and some are smaller and all of them take the effort of people willing to share. This museum covers the history of the local peoples, which dates back further than I expected. We are impressed with the presentation. Highly recommended, but maybe not in July.

Into Valley of Fire. If you haven’t been rock hopping in southern Utah or Northern Arizona then this is an impressive park. And it is a very interesting park, until you throw in the tourists. I know, I know, they don’t speak English well so signs like “Stay on Path” and “Stay off rocks” don’t mean much to them but it hurts. The desert is actually quite fragile and does not recover quickly, if at all. I’m bummed and want to leave. She’s accepting and we start to head out. Then I notice the full moon and start looking for favorable compositions. Finding what I think will work we park and wait. We talk to a couple of ladies from Germany for a while with the conversation eventually coming around to why we are waiting there. They decide to wait longer. Finally the moon does rise enough to get the shots I want. I scramble around on some rocks (that have no signs) and eventually also in the road. No, no sex, but little traffic. With enough bytes recorded it is time to leave. While I was shooting I had noticed an older Asian gentleman stop and take some pictures of the ridge we were looking at. It was pretty with the setting sun, but I could tell he didn’t have the right angle to catch the moon rising (a much better shot). He then got in his car and starts to go past us. I (carefully) flag him down. I could tell he was flustered for a moment but I simply point to the sky, he looks, pulls over and was himself soon in the middle of the road. I felt better.

And possibly in apology, just before we hop back on the Interstate, there are fireworks going off behind us. We stop and watch.

It is back through Las Vegas for us, but no stops. Our choice of spending our hard earned money is not consistent with this town’s. No matter. We quickly come to the realization that our Rand McNally is aging and may not be the reliable partner it once was. I am driving on the I11. The I11? It isn’t on my map and wasn’t here the last time I was through. Ah, but progress marches on and leaves memories in its wake. I remember when you drove over the top of Hoover Dam. My dad remembers when it wasn’t even there. My kids, I wonder what they will remember?

It is time to find the next green dotted road. As we enter Kingman we could jump on the I40 and speed into our future. Instead we jump on Route 66 and speed into the past. What a hoot. Windows down, it would be a great time for a convertible, we cruise the 50’s and 60’s. Past year’s detritus is scattered endlessly along the shoulder of this road. And rummaging around in it are tour busses disgorging endless curious interlopers. We drift through.

We continue to follow the green dots. Seligman offers a chance to jump on the interstate, but not for long. At Williams we can turn north and we do. It is time to visit the South Rim. And if you have to ask, that means the Grand Canyon. And if you aren’t impressed then you are probably from Mars. This green dotted road ends in Tusayan, sort of. You can park in the park, but I don’t recommend it. Yes, it is crowded. It is far easier to park in town and catch one of the shuttle busses into the park. They have set up a really good system. Much easier. And it is easy to spend many hours wandering the rim, taking trails down and back up. I am also anticipating trying to catch the full moon in this wonderful setting. Finally, sitting, waiting, talking with the crowds; she rises. Very impressive to be there, but I’m not sure the pictures will do justice. Back to town; avoid the elk browsing, grab a bite to eat and we are again cruising.

To our final destination, Tucson. We did return, but that is another story.

Road Trip#1 – Part 3

Back to the highway, hang a right and south it is. One good thing about having someone ride shotgun is they can be studying the map, maybe planning the next stop. We approach the Lincoln Highway with a stretch to the west called the “loneliest road”. We pass it by.

My 2011 edition of the Rand McNally Road Atlas points out many points of interest. I greatly enjoy studying it. It specifically points out the Lewis & Clark Highway, Lincoln Highway and Route 66. Living and driving in the Northwest you crisscross the Lewis & Clark Highway all of the time because Lewis & Clark crisscrossed the Northwest a lot. And who hasn’t heard of Route 66? But the Lincoln Highway? Honestly, did Abe travel over any of this road? Certainly not in Nevada. We flipped over to the Illinois map and at least it is there also. So is Route 66 and the L&C is so close, like a stone’s throw across the Mississippi, that I’ll give it to them.

Nothing stops us before we enter Tonopah. Here we eat dinner but should we also sleep here? There is no town bigger between here and Las Vegas. Rand McNally points out a green dotted road turning off just south of town. So, raise your hands. Who would rather wake up in the morning staring at a green dotted road or Tonopah? Us too. It is getting dark as we leave town.

I find a dirt road leading away from our green dotted road. Driving a ways I then find a smaller one. And then a place to park for the night. Among the great things about being out in the middle of nowhere, especially in the desert, is the sky. It is huge. It is sprinkled with a multitude of lights, some dim, some bright, some colored, some twinkling. Some even move. We are moved.

In the morning we are greeted by a huge desert. Huge mountains with a threatening cover are all around. I spend some time capturing the local plants in celebration of spring. By the time we leave she and I agree we have found another spot that fits our meme. We wind our way back to the green dotted road and continue the adventure. We travel through a very picturesque little valley with one little problem. The road we are traveling on dips, for a very short way, into California. And this valley sits in that other state.

If you haven’t noticed, I have a few peculiarities. Some I was born with, some I create. One of my current ones is a near boycott of California, at least in my driving. Let’s just say that having been born and raised there I no longer feel it supports my soul. But this road laughs at me and takes me there anyway, for a few moments. The highest peak in Nevada waves at us as we climb out of this little valley. If your life isn’t ironic, then what’s the point? Our green dotted road is about to end. We quickly consult Rand and decide to go back into California. Having lived in LA I had drunk plenty of Mono Lake, but I have never visited. Time to remedy that.

First we pass through some Michelin man hills, you know those kinds of rolly polly rock formations that you are just waiting for the eyes to open and a huge rock guy to stand. Up into a beautiful high altitude pine forest and then we are looking down on Mono Lake. The sky, battling as it is with the clouds is deep blue. Those clouds vary between white puff balls and gray storms. The lake is green. Google, if you were to ask, would tell you the lake is highly alkaline and very salty. Not normal. But if it were normal then we wouldn’t be here to gaze at the tufa towers, which we are now viewing. Amazing.

Mr. McNally is telling us we are just a stone’s throw from Yosemite. I look to the west, see some of the mountains but the rest are being hidden by an ongoing snowstorm. I look at her and smile. Remember, we are still rolling on snow tires. Further, I’d bet we still have at least half the studs still with us, even if their service may be a bit lagging. I vote yes, she abstains and mutters something. You can’t be this close to Yosemite and not visit. And we are on another green dotted road! It is not very many miles before snow is batting at our windshield. It is not very many more before I have to stop. Much to my displeasure there is a barricade stretching in front of us with the news that Tioga Pass is closed for the winter. I yell at it that it is the end of April and Yosemite is just 11 miles further on. She tells me to get back in the car.