Photography Lesson

Yesterday, my grand-dogs were anxious to go outside, and after opening the garage door at the lower level rear of our condo, I saw why. Horses! And, of course the little dogs were anxious to go bark at the horses and risk a kick into next week by these much larger animals.

Now, I figured this was not wise, allowing my daughter's dogs to be summarily brought to a tragic end, so I hauled their Terrier derrieres (go ahead, compliment me on using terrier and the French word for asses in the same sentence) back into the house and grabbed my camera.

Lesson learned - cameras sitting in air-conditioned homes do not immediately react well to 95 degree temperatures with attendant humidity. I was NOT going for an "artistic" hazy look - but eventually I got from condensation to clarity. Mostly by wiping the lens on my shirt tail. I post this because a dear friend told me that my blogs are more "slice of life". So, I'll slice that day into the significant events of June 21st.

It began as do most days in Wildwood with coffee at the Jack in the Box, with my friend Jim. Well, not exactly true - it began several hours earlier when Millie, my beagle, went "walkabout" around 04:30. So, from the third level to the lowest level we quietly went downstairs, and unleashed our sleepy selves upon the world. Millie to do her business, me to walk her next door to the BP station where I would purchase the newspaper and Millie would get a stale donut from Geoff, the overnight man. Then back to the house, and fall asleep in my reclining chair, so as not to climb those stairs again, nor wake the house. Three hours later, I was having coffee, and shooting the breeze till around 8:30.

Then back to the condo, picking up my wife for our joint dental appointments. Both of us had the six month checkup and NO cavities. I didn't even get the "flossing lecture" so I must be learning in my old age - or the dentist has given up on me.

At 1 PM we were out in the far western suburbs doing the inspection of my daughters new house - she didn't have much time, and frankly we older folks are more thorough. My daughter is so excited, she would have accepted flaws, but not us.

Back home, we were following her recipe for tortillas prepared in a crock pot, and when the children got home from their respective jobs, we dined. That was when the horses rode into view, although somehow the dogs sensed them first. After dinner, I downloaded 20 classical pieces that have found their way into movie themes, and then off to bed. A day in the life, pretty dull, huh? Well, the good news is that the Lord gave me the chance to experience it, and be surrounded by friends and family, and even two young girls on horseback in my back yard.

Egad - he's wearing plaid

In less than 24 hours, I'll be headed back to St. Louis where I've maintained a residence since 1982. When I moved to the area that was later to become Wildwood, Missouri, these two fine gentlemen were already firmly entrenched on the land. They became the "Mayor's Kitchen Cabinet" and we'd meet at various restaurants around town to drink coffee and swap stories.

That's Jerry on the left and Jim on the right, and me in the middle - that hat dates back to a business trip I took in 1980-81 out west, where I thought it would be neat to come back with boots and a Stetson. At the time, I was living in Iowa, and upon landing at the Des Moines airport, my wife and son greeted me. J.B. was perhaps all of three and a half years old and I still remember his words.........."silly Daddy, he's wearing a cowboy hat". I think the boots have gone to Goodwill, but the hat awaits me in the closet up north, along with the blue jeans, several plaid shirts, and a few denim shirts. With a little luck, I'll be seeing my buddies before the weekend is over, although in moving to sunny Florida full time this coming September, I have to wonder if wool shirts and blue jeans will have a place in my closet. Oh, none of my shirts are Pendelton wool - I bought them at the local farm supply store.I do have my thrifty (cheap) image to uphold, after all.

Several months ago, I wrote a blog entry about the R.O.M.E.O.'s, the Retired Old Men Eating Out. The daily breakfasts with the guys will be a nice change, and a good start of each day. My summer will be spent helping my daughter move into her new house (where possibly I'll have closet space for my northern duds), then getting our condo readied for sale. And, for the next two months at least, I'll again have a chance to be a little bit country while still thinking of myself as a little bit rock and roll.