April 30, 2015

Yesteryear
One year ago today: April 30, 2014, many topics.
Five years ago today: April 30, 2010, the evil Theresa.
Six years ago today: April 30, 2009, women talking.

MORNING
           Call it back to routine, I was at the clinic all morning. I successfully walked the mile. I’d say the entire event was blah, but thank goodness I took along my Grisham. Sorry, fat lady in the waiting room, that I ignored your entire cell phone conversation, but I’m sure all the others found it just fascinating. That you would do that, I mean. Once the staff had determined that I’d waited long enough, they stuck a needle this big in my arm.

           Meet my new lady friend’s boat. I’m assuming it has sentimental value because this is way too much boat for one person. I told how this cabin cruiser narrowly escaped the marina fire. Look down into this maw of an engine pit to see what I mean. Each propeller has a private motor, the control panel looks like a small airplane.
           I learned a lesson in Deland. Knowing I was not to eat before the test, I had a sumptuous breakfast. Then, smart guy that I am, I didn’t eat all afternoon, night, and morning. The lesson is, don’t take a pretty lady down by the St. Johns River for an hour the day before you need to fast fast. Let me tell you, by the time I got out at noon today, I could have eaten that boat.
           The craft had been sitting unused for quite a while. I didn’t ask a lot of questions. It has a monstrous air conditioning unit. The kind you see on a New York City bus. She also drove us around the area and I saw all the abandoned “railroad” houses. Those are the places the railroads built along the lines for their administrative personnel. It is sad to see them fall into decay. I suspect some are, under a few layers, Sears kit houses.
           Don’t think too hard of acquiring one. They are on Amtrak property and the railroad is not known for letting go of any property or rights of way.

NOON

           “I don’t need more friends. You got friends and all they do is ask you to help them move.” --Sam Halpern.

           Here’s another pretty view of the St. Johns River, this time a drawbridge. I said navigable by steamboat to this point, smaller craft can no doubt go considerably further. The year is still young, but Deland, picked off an Amtrak schedule, already rates as one of my best holidays yet, albeit an awfully short one. I returned home to ponder that fact that my difficulty walking may be serious. But what do you expect from a guy that used to go walking for eight hours for something to do?
           Now I’ll let you down easy from the Deland trip, because I’m pooped tired. The kind of tired set right by a good night in the sack, which I’ll get started on ere long. I’m boiling some chicken and onions because my blog script says time to mention food. Water, chicken parts, and a lot of spices from the cupboard above the stove. Great eats.
           The likelihood of finding a suitable property to buy has slipped away. If I say maybe next year, that means I’ll be here four long years and that is such a waste. Or is it? Anyway, I looked at properties in Deland and was not impressed, but again, I wish it was not so far away. Outsiders, used to looking at Mercator projections, tend to no realize how big Florida really is.

EVENING
           Further study shows that the very area I was looking at those Deland “railway” houses is the exact spot there are future plans for a SunRail type system. Corporate logic, as usual, for the area is nowhere near the people center. Short term, I mean. Look what the freeways did to small downtowns all over America. If I knew I’d live that long, sure, I’d speculate.

           Another unexpected sight for me was an Amtrak repair yard up in that area. I already forget where, but I’ve never seen one before. I said I’d find a picture of Elizabeth Hall and here it is. That’s pretty blurry. Maybe the bricklayer wasn’t wearing his glasses that week. Sorry, but this is the best picture that turned out.
           The contrast between this and my college is incredible. Some of my lectures were held in mobile prefabs. It does rather make you wonder who got the better education. Still, what is it like to go to a school that at least looks nice? Mine had no ivy and not one brick. I know it is cosmetics, but what is it like? Another aspect of this campus is that most of the buildings were matched. All in this brick and the masonry was absolutely perfect. I did not have any time to visit the school other than aforesaid drive-through.
           In all these last few days were both a trip and an adventure, though I’m beginning to have second thoughts about the behavior of Amtrak on some issues like assigned seating. If there is a window seat available, and I’m first in line, well you know how that goes. Let me tell you, I am tanned and rested now. It’s nice to have core energy again. Let’s see what the upcoming month brings. No word yet on the Honda alternator, but the full financing is already in place and the funds for another trip are set aside and waiting.


Last Laugh

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