February 5, 2019

Yesteryear
One year ago today: February 5, 2018, Mitsubishi Pencil Company.
Five years ago today: February 5, 2014, my dating club results.
Nine years ago today: February 5, 2010, requires 29 punctuation marks.
Random years ago today: February 5, 2008, they go spinny.

           Finally, a little Miami weather. Any mild winter day in the USA is a treat to me. I've never been in Tennessee in the winter, or really any state except Florida because that is where you want to be all winter. Compared to when I breezed through here in the autumn, the terrain is bleak and colorless. It's been so long since I've seen the skeletons of trees by the acre. In Florida, there are always enough evergreens to give the forest a little color. I took the boys for both walks today. It was shirtsleeve warm and I got a few closeups of the scenery, like this Tennessee Pinecone.

           I'm thinking rather than visit more, I need things done at home and I don't mind the commute. Nothing is agreed but we chatted on the option. I know the drill for the pets and the concensus is letting the neighbor walk them means they are alone in the house 22 hours a day. I was careful to not how much space and time I needed to work. The bottom line is it is easy to work here without distractions or interruptions. And the cost drops to half that of staying home. I'm thinking.

           There is a Panera (legendary slow cashier lines) up on Central Pike I've taken to like, but it abuts a green zone. That's a fancy term for a stretch of wild bush where the homeless hang out. During my second refill, they lit a bonfire that go away and vacated the shopping mall. See, now I have something against the homeless. Folks, I've lived under bridges and slept in cardboard boxes, but I still had more sense than to light unsafe fires.
           Having an extra hour, I finally got inside that Bargain Hunt store near Kroger's. I can assure you, there are not many bargains there. I was looking for electrical cords and such and found the prices to be 80% of Home Depot. Which is just up the street. For that price, pay retail and at least you have a warrantee and the option to return things. On returning, I spent another three hours raking and dragging leaves. I would be surprised if the yard had ever been raked. Well, after more than two years in the cabin, at least I find most yard work a relaxing event.

Picture of the day.
John Deeres en route.
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           By late afternoon, it was movie time. Robynette doesn't do movies, well I mean at least as far as I know, only with me. And we had a specially good time at Clint Eastwood's latest, "The Mule". The theme is time-worn and he didn't actually shoot anybody, yet the story flows well and it's a lot more something-for-everyone that his older style. There was one scene at the druglord's house with gratuitous nudity, but like in a lot of Eastwood numbers, he choses older, big-butt type women with long torsos and short legs. They remind me of skid road in Seattle on welfare week.

           The theater was up at the new Grand Ole Opry site, kind of northeast of the old downtown. It's a healthier location, apparently the hotel is a tour in itself. Instead we opted for the dry hour-old popcorn and some photo strips from the little booth kiosk. Have not had my picture in one of those, if I recall, since 1969, in the bus depot in Yakima, WA.

           This map full of pins is from the car museum y'day. It is made 3D by the sheer number of pins, I think it is a great effect. I've never personally seen this on a map before, so I'm impressed. Myself, this is the second time I've been in Nashville without going downtown, which is odd because it is one of the few downtowns that I like. My shoulder is complaining after dragging eight tarp-loads of leaves into the canyon.

           I've made up my mind to return here in a couple of months. I have the time and money and it will give the town a better chance at a decent impression. It's up to Robynette, I'mve got lots of work to do either way. While you are here, help us unravel this mystery. Look at this handle in the middle of the dashboard on this antique car. It's rather ornate for a handbrake. It appears to slide in and out rather than turn. So is it a gear shift? Nothing on the information plaque gives a clue. It is an early model middle or eastern European design. The auto itself was nothing fancy, so I doubt it is anything but functional.

           We need a nickname for the Robynette. I can't keep typing that out every time. Anyway, we went over my most famous trip to this area, and it was the sojurn to Savannah, the trip of 2013. I don't go wild spending on holidays, nor do I skrimp and she was alerted to how even traveling alone back then, the few days in that city cost me $935. And I stayed at a budget motel 11 miles from city center.

Last Laugh