At one time society would be a brighter, smarter place because of the advancements of technology. People would learn Latin by watching television.
Here it is 2019 and I’m sending my husband a photograph from Jewels to make sure I am buying the proper potatoes.
When I was a kid it was tradition for the country side of the family to meet up at Gram and Gramps’ for Easter dinner. My grandmother was a wonderful “farm-wife” cook and we’d all crowd around one or two tables for a delicious meal. My grandmother always wanted us to be around one table if humanly possible, the “kids” table was not a certain part of the configuration.
Since we lived right next door, I would take the week or two before Easter to fix up some of the bikes left over from my Dad’s childhood that were scattered around the barn. I’d make sure the tires were pumped up and that the bikes were in road worthy condition. If the weather was right, we’d take a four or five mile ride, all of us in single file, along the country roads of the area. I always enjoyed this and I think my paternal cousins did as well.
My husband is working today (Go Cubs!) so I had a few hours to myself this morning. Since the weather is beautiful here in Chicago, I decided to go for a bike ride.
I’ve ridden the Chicago Lakefront Trail plenty of times since we’ve moved here, but the northern half of it was under construction for much of last year. The city has been focused on separating the pedestrian from the bike lanes along the 18 miles of lakefront trail, as well as fixing some of the congestion points near Navy Pier and other key tourist spots.
I rode through the north side to get to the very top of the trail today along my usual route and started heading south along the trail. I’d only ridden twice this year, so my body was a little stiff but I was feeling pretty good. I cruised along at 16 MPH or so. The trail improvements are wonderful and it really does help improve safety along this busy corridor.
About six or seven miles in I decided to see where the trail ended up. I knew the length of it (18 miles) but I had never ventured south of the museums. I decided to ride the length of the trail to its end on the South Side.
What a beautiful ride.
This trail is used daily by cycling commuters, fitness enthusiasts, and just folks out for a walk on a daily basis. As many as 70,000 people use the trail on a typical summer day.
All in all I rode over 38 miles today. I feel fantastic. My legs are little stiff but I feel such a wonderful sense of well being right now. I think I broke a spoke on the way home but I got home just fine. I know some folks worry about me riding in the city but it’s very rare that I feel any sense of worry or danger during my bike rides. Chicago has such a wonderful network of cycling trails in the city, both on and off streets, and we really know how to take advantage of them.
I’m looking forward to my next ride. A lot.
Shell Oil pioneered the “neighborhood service station” beginning in 1958 when they introduced their ranch style buildings. As part of what we now call the “Mid-Century Modern” era, this design has always reminded me of what I’ve read about the mid 50s and early 60s: it was an era of prosperity and the United States was reaching for the stars. If you were part of a middle-class, white American family with 2.45 children, a house in the suburbs, and a white picket fence around your carefully tended-to lawn, you had it good.
At least this is what I’ve read.
Societal analysis aside, I’ve always loved the architecture from this part of the 20th century. Here’s an original Shell station without 21st century improvements:
Shell stations like this were found all over the place near where I grew up in Upstate New York until Shell Oil left the area in the late 1970s. Many of the buildings still stand (at least the last time I was there), though they’ve been rebranded by another oil company or have been repurposed as something else. The Shell station of this design closest to my grandparents in the city was turned into a Jreck Sub shortly before I started driving in 1984. The chimney on that building remained, usually it’s removed as part of renovations, as seen in the top photo I took today on the corner of California and Fullerton here in Chicago.
While there’s nothing physically “space age” about Shell Oil or these ranch style buildings, I can’t help but think of the aforementioned space age prosperity of the time. Society seemed more hopeful.
Hope is a good thing.
I find living in the third largest city of the United States to be inspiring. I love taking little snapshots of where we are.
So a (redacted) version of the Mueller Report was released for public consumption today. Lots of people that know nothing have plenty to say about the report. No one reports facts, everyone spins an opinion. If I continue down this line of thought I’ll end up frothing at the mouth with anger so I’ll keep it light.
All I’m going to say is this. We all know that Trump constantly lies. Press Secretary Sarah Sanders admitted to lying when interviewed by Mueller and team. If this alone doesn’t bother you, there is nothing I can say that’s going to change your feelings or your mind or your allegiance to a “side” that is determined to destroy this country.
There is no moral compass. There are no standards. The bar cannot get any lower. There is no bar.
I will read the (redacted) report this weekend. I will not allow it to throw me over the edge.
We’re already there.
Our first evening of the season on the balcony. That’s the Sears Tower out there.
A YouTube video about a Poppy “Super Bloom” in California, and how Instagrammers (and the dreaded “Influencers”) are basically destroying them so they can get a “cool photo”.
Some people suck.
Pete Buttigieg announced his candidacy for President of the United States today. He is currently the mayor of South Bend, Indiana. He speaks seven languages, is a Rhodes Scholar, served in Afghanistan, is a devout Christian and married his husband Chasten in 2017, after coming out as gay in 2015. He was reelected as Mayor of South Bend after coming out of the closet.
I’m a fan and I find him inspiring. He is the “young blood” this country needs in Washington. If elected President, he will be the youngest person to serve in that office.
Critics worry about his experience, even though Trump had no political experience whatsoever (and still to this day doesn’t really). Mayor Pete has more military experience than the last half dozen Presidents. He is well spoken and articulate.
He is just what our country needs.
Just a guy with a husband. We’ve been together 28 years and he still makes me see fireworks on a daily basis. Hiker. Storm Chaser. Private Pilot. Tech Guy. Hackerish.
Weird? Eccentric!
