I Knew It Had Seen Better Days, Part 3

The building I've been watching break open and  fall down received some help.

First there were some folks sorting through the bricks. It looked like hard work. And, this day was warm.

Then a couple of weeks later in came some bigger equipment.

For a few days this is how it stood. And, then....

the really big equipment was brought in.

It seemed strange to see the imprint of where the stairs had been.

It was a little eerie to see the layers of old paint and wallpaper. It was like being a peeping Tom and catching a glimpse of this old dwellings underthings.

I had thought they were about half done. That those tearing down the building were taking a break and any day I would see the progress of the destruction reach all the way to the building that is still occupied. But, I was mistaken. The hole where the basement had been dug out has been filled in. The area has been seeded and covered with straw.

I wonder what is going to happen next. Could they really be through?

When I first observed the cracking of the building I took this picture from the other street. I guess this is the before picture.

And this would be the after picture.

There are people living in the townhouse where the car is parked.

And, now there are cats happily roaming the ruins. I suspect they are enjoying good hunting.

I'm interested to see if there is more to this story. One of the joys I've found in urban commuting is the way the neighborhoods I travel through are constantly changing character. It is never the same from day to day.

Life is good.

Drive-Throughs (or is it drive-thrus?)

The local St. Louis Bread Company, known in other markets as Panera's, is adding a drive-through window. This prompted me to wonder how many barrels of oil we would save a year if people weren't sitting in their idling cars waiting on this product or that. I shared this thought with Heather as I ate my bagel and she sipped her iced mocha. She pointed out to me that if we did away with all the drive-throughs people would just burn up whatever savings there might be by driving around the parking lot waiting for a parking place to open up next to the door.

Sometimes I Still Get Upset

Sometimes I still get upset about my head not working the way I want it to, the way it did before the accident. Last March when I bought Billie, my SYM Symba, I planned to do some of the maintenance myself. I couldn't see any reason I wouldn't be able to. Of course, there is no real good reason I don't work with wood anymore, but I don't. My last big project was a wood and lace room divider. That was years ago and not long before I injured my brain. Now, it seems I've lost the starting place for such projects. Occasionally I'll see one in my minds eye. A few times I have even thought through a project, but it leads no where. I can't find the place to begin. It is a little like when I have words in my mind but I can't get them to my mouth. Thankfully, this happens much less now then it did in the early days of my recovery. It is so very frustrating to begin to speak and the words are ready and waiting but can't get out.

I'm sharing this because I'm finding I can not find the the starting place to even so much as change Billie's oil. I can tell you how it is done. I know what size wrenches to use. I know how to take the filter out with needle nose pliers. I know how to do all of this, nonetheless I can't begin. I can't find the place to begin. Had I'd known this six months ago, I suspect I would have bought a bike with longer service intervals than every six hundred miles. But, then if I had bought a different bike, I wouldn't have had the pleasure of the last five thousand miles with Billie. So, I guess things do work out...sort of.

Not being able to find the place to begin has left me far more dependent on others than I once was. I've found people are mostly kind and will do those things I can not begin. The problem comes when I trust people to do for me things they aren't able to do or just plain don't do. Fortunately this has happened seldom. But, it seems to have happened with those I found myself trusting to care for Billie. It seems they didn't lube the chain nor check its tension at each oil change. I thought they were. I should of checked, but I didn't. And, when it became obvious I needed a new chain even though they said they ordered it. It seems they did not. And, I'm left to wonder what else has been neglected.

Last night I met with a new mechanic. He has been hired to, "Reinvent" the service department at the dealership where I purchased Billie. I was impressed. I'm hoping this relationship will go better. I have reason to believe it will. Obtaining parts for Billie is challenging right now. The distributor of SYM in the USA is still recovering from a disastrous fire. So, I suppose, this will be a good test.

I will not be quite so trusting of this new service person which is probably good, but is also a little sad.

Billie and I Found Another Turtle

This fellow was hanging out behind the Barr Branch of the St. Louis Public Library

And, we found some rare Black Flamingos:

I think they get their color from eating licorice

Sacred Circles

Sacred Circles are found in nearly all the great spiritual traditions. They are used to draw us into numinous space and to help us recognize we are standing on holy ground. I'm always on the look out for Sacred Circles. Here are some I've found so far this Fall.

First from Nature:

Bee Tree Park

Castlewood State Park

And sometimes a Sacred Circle finds me and I bring it to paper and color:

But enjoying a good sunset always reminds me of my place in the great Circle of Life:

The Sun setting over Creve Couer Lake.

Life is good.

Fish Tacos

Whenever my Aunt Phyllis (my Dad's twin sister) and my Grandma Raske would go shopping in Saginaw they would go to Long John Silver's to eat. That was my Grandma's choice. It was a most favorite place of hers. At times in the past whenever I was missing my Grandma particularly much I'd find myself sitting in a Long John Silver's.

A couple of years or so ago, the Long John's in Kirkwood closed. And, I didn't know where there was another. When I moved, as luck would have it, there was a Long John's in the neighborhood. I kept saying to myself, "I should stop by and get some fish and chips." But, I didn't seem to get around to it. Then I bought a scooter.

Right after I bought Lil' Blue I began noticing a 50cc scooter parked in front of Long John's. Since it was there nearly every day, I guessed it might belong to an employee. And so, one Saturday afternoon I stopped in.

The scooter belonged to Chuck. I have met other scooter riders like him since. His scooter is his transportation. If he can't ride it, he either walks or takes the bus. Rain or shine, warm or cold he rides. He bought it because it was cheap and he thought reliable..and it has been for him. The only time he doesn't ride is when it snows or when his scoot won't start. It doesn't like the cold very much and when it's cold it doesn't like to start. His scooter isn't a fashion accessory. He wouldn't know a Rocker from a Mod. It gets him from here to there and back again.

 Here's Chuck's scoot. Notice the top case. This is his third one. Each one has been a little bigger. If he goes any bigger he may need to add ballast to the front.

When I used to go to Long John's I would get fish and chips. But now they've introduced fish tacos. They aren't all that healthy but seem a better choice than fish and chips and they are cheap, much cheaper than the grilled salmon which would be definitely a healthier choice. The fish tacos are nothing special, soft tortilla, fried fish, lettuce and a mild creamy spicey sauce (Baja).

Two fish tacos...two bucks.

And now, because it is on my way home from work I drop in every Friday. It has become a tradition--dinner with Grandma and a chat with Chuck.

Lil' Blue in the parking lot at Long John Silver's

Life is good.

The First Weekend in October

I took the MSF Basic Rider Course last year during the first weekend of October. I just had to go by the Community College and check out the range. And, sure enough there was a class going on. Heather was with me and we watched for a while and I took a few photos.

The weekend I took the course I rode one of the yellow dual sports. There was only one on the Range today. I was happy to see it.

They have added a couple of Suzuki TU250s. I was glad to see this. We think there was a couple taking the class together. There was a guy and a gal with matching helmets. This got Heather and me talking. I've been thinking about repeating the beginner course since there isn't an advanced class for us scooter folks. She is beginning to try on the idea of us taking the course together. Could be interesting. But no matching helmets, please.