Who have I talked with this week? The Arts committee chairs, they are looking for a couple of new volunteers, I am in. The water aerobic gang, we are still using the inside pool, the water outside is still below 70 (f). My sweet bear. Rafael from upstairs, I was heading out for a long walk, and he was returning from an even longer walk. Several docents at Mt Vernon, there I go talking to strangers again.
Where have I been this week? I have done several long walks, into Old Town, Mt Vernon, around the neighborhood, King Street. I have been to the store a couple of times to pick things up. I just need to time my walks around the rain. The local farmers market. The Library. A long walk at Potomac Yard.
What have I been up to in the kitchen? Swiss steak, lamb tenderloin, a plethora of fresh vegetables. Homemade cream of tomato soup (Glen and Friends featured this a couple of weeks ago) and croque monsieur. Pot roast. Pickling - more on that on Friday.
What about the two photos at the top? Notice the little difference between the two of them, yes the white plastic pipes are gone in one. My new phone has an editing option to erase things from an image. I don't edit most photos, but I wanted to try this feature. It is dumb easy. But it creates a fake, and image that does not exist in reality. Fundamentally I am bothered by fake photos.
What made me sad this week? Frank, a high school friend and photography mentor died. Frank worked as a photojournalist for the local independent newspaper, until it was sold. I last time I talked with him was at my brother-in-laws funeral.
What made me smile this week? A dear friend received an unexpected inheritance.
What am I reading? Oh my, I have four books in progress at the same time. One on American Sheep, one on non-scientific writings of Einstein, one on artists and Joy, and a novel on my Kindle. I have a couple more books on the to read pile. And two more on order.
That's a nice photo of you.
ReplyDeleteWay off topic and dumbing it down, but I heard your streetcar is to be replaced by effectively, a trolley bus.
The DC Streetcar has been a disaster, caused by a series of bad choices and delays. It was poorly located, the tracks were poorly laid out, it was years behind schedule starting service. You can't get to it easily from other transit (the end of the line is several blocks and up a very steep hill from the nearest subway station.) They have had problems with the trains. They kind of did everything wrong that you could do wrong.
DeleteNice selfie. Wouldn’t you just live an unexpected inheritance. I can’t complain. Mine weren’t unexpected but still nice. However, I was not left independently wealthy, and that’s all I asked.
ReplyDeleteThis was not enough to retire on. But enough to do something special. When I settled out dad's estate, I paid off the condo.
DeleteA book on artists and joy sounds intriguing.
ReplyDeleteThe author fell our of love with art finishing a PhD at Juilliard and the book is about recovery and finding new joy in art. If it does not get better, I may not finish it.
DeleteWe could use more joy, and if we take the time to look for it we may actually find it.
ReplyDeleteI like to mess with photos from time to time and take out things that I think should be removed. Trouble is, once removed I still remember what was there so maybe it's best just to leave it be?
I did a rant one time about fake photos, landscape photos that have been edited, so that if you go where the photo was taken, it does not look anything like the photo that was published.
DeleteSorry to here your old friend passed away. 😥😘
ReplyDeleteMy sister let me know yesterday, his wife and son posted on FB late yesterday. Apparently he was in the hospital waiting for an organ transplant.
DeleteI lost a high school friend who died suddenly in April and it just made me realize how life can end at any moment. You are doing a wonderful job of living while you can, David. I don't like fake photos but I think that we can never really trust photos anymore now that they can be so easily changed.
ReplyDeleteFrank hadn't posted anything for a few weeks, and apparently was quite ill.
DeleteThe editing tools on phones are amazing. I love them.
ReplyDeleteThat is a lot of different reading all at once. I'm impressed.
I have finished two of them, and started another one.
DeleteAfter initially thinking that you had made a mistake, I did notice subtle differences between the two images David. As for juggling a few books at once - not for me I am afraid. Once I commit to a book, that is it - full focus even when I am not actually turning the pages.
ReplyDeleteTIme for me to make some mistakes.
DeleteYou're keeping up with your walking from your European adventure. Good for you!
ReplyDeleteI went into DC and walked for 2.5 hours today.
DeleteThose are interesting photos, even with the (very) subtle difference in the second one. Is it a path between two buildings? Maybe a good place to walk, eh? I may have to try that tomato soup recipe.
ReplyDeleteAn alley in old town Alexandria.
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