rajafacesbothways

U-Turn--Return

Back from a terrific trip to Chicago. The dentist was just an excuse to see friends and rub the Chicago cultural scene in my pores. More on that later--after I wade through the mail, laundry, bills, etc. and stash the wines, cheeses, coffee, Trader Joes, REI, and Costcos goodies; big city survival shopping that filled the Norse Horse trunk.

The car ran fine, although Karen commented its interior looks like a teen-age boy's bedroom. Overall impression of the drive:  many many more potholes and cracked pavement everywhere. And far less trucks on the road. Usually highways 65 and 80-90, the major roads I take to Chicago, are filled with streams of trucks. Not now. The crumbling streets and highways echo the crumbling economy.

On to Chicago

Am preparing to drive to Chicago for the rest of the month and am forced to bring more than the usual jeans in a backpack. Along with the variety of that city's weather, many plans await me, including a weekend trip to a lake log home in WI, the Chicago Symphony, the Arts Club, luncheon and speaker at the Union League of Chicago and possibly a stop at the Art Institute, plus visiting with Karen and friends. My real purpose of seeing the dentist seems almost incidental.

It's a chance to rub big city culture into my pores, enough to last for maybe a year or more. I used to return 5-6 times a year. Now that the Norse Horse has accumulated a lot of miles, it's becoming interesting to see when it will cross the finish line.

However, I have thought that for the past 100,000 miles.

Shuffle, Shuffle, Trash, Trash

Have been looking for ways to cut back on expenses and still live the good life. Since I've lost the money from my house, don't have a job, and my kids are educated, I'm at a definite advantage in this economy. "Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose," does ring true in my life.

Last year I was in limbo wondering if I'd have to move--now there is so much space available on Main Street, my landlord is lucky to have me. Today was spent condensing the possessions I have, mostly functional or art related. I rented a large storage locker when I left the farm--am now eliminating things by half and plan to share expenses for half of that space with friends.

In the meantime, drinking cheap wine on the next rooftop and watching the birds is a good way to ignore the recession. The advantage of a long life is that you have seen it all over, and over, and over, etc.

The Times They Are A Changin'

Here's the latest Georgetown news-- (for the few people who care)

Five months after the initial proposal and a month of debating, the Georgetown City Council passed an ordinance allowing restaurant sales by the drink on Sunday. "Y'all want a Bloody Mary with them grits? You got 'em."
 Many people are upset; the same ones who used to have overnight prayer meetings to keep alcohol from ever being served in Scott County. And they were successful until just a couple of years ago.
"It's a sad day for Georgetown," lamented Willow H. at the news.

And the other news: The BWAP used bookstore across the street from me is closing at the end of May. The sisters who have given it a good run are going to retire--the economy is a big factor here as elsewhere and their decision is sound. BWAP provided me with employment for a couple of years, is filled with choice books and has been a great place to hang out with interesting people. The departure is sad news on Main Street.

Remarkable Creatures--A Review

Sean Carroll, University of WI Evolutionary Biologist, is the author of Remarkable Creatures (2009). Carroll turns original myths of the origins of the species into a dramatic exploration of life on this planet. He replaces the fairy tales of existence of just 150 years ago with the discoveries by real individuals who defied danger, disease and hardships to explore and unearth a deeper meaning of how species evolved.

Charles Darwin, Charles Walcott, Henry Bates, Louis and Mary Leakey and others explored remote areas of the world to solve mysteries of ancient existence; Carroll tells their stories in compelling fascinating disclosures.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book; the true stories of absorbing adventure left me in awe of the remarkable obsessively dedicated lives.

Riding the Rails

The Great Recession has left me with half my money and canceled travel plans--a dear nephew's Florida spring wedding and getting a Canadian rail pass and drifting through Canada this fall with friend Ruthe for a few weeks.They have been replaced by 2 weeks in Chicago, enriching a dentist.

However today's article on rail travel in the New York Times has spurred me on to not give up permanently. The idea of riding the rails for a few months still entices me; the Norse Horse is chancy for cross country trips and air travel has lost all its charms. Won't rule it out, anyway. At this age, I'm in the checkout line of life so risk taking is no big deal.

Not this year. But it sure is fun to think about.

It's Where You Are Coming From

Have heard from several old friends lately who have done extremely well; Lexus cars, large homes (often two), a couple of cruises a year, etc. I really admire their success; none started out that way and I feel no envy--I've made different choices.

What is fascinating to hear is their moaning about the economy and how that "upstart" in the White House is not doing anything good about it. "Of course there were a few problems when he took over."

My standard reply is when you are living above an abandoned store in a small Kentucky town and driving a 20 year old car we can talk seriously about the economy. In the meantime, my lifestyle just keeps rolling along and I'm having a great time  observing life, enjoying good health, drinking wine and watching the sunset from my rooftop--just like the prairie dogs, who don't have the advantage of cheap wine.

Sometimes I wonder if I'm not a very deep person.

Economy Musings

I am fortunate to know well a cross section of people across the country; some are the "haves", most are the "have enoughs" and a few are the "have little". Now many are slip-sliding into the lower financial categories. Conversations often center around the effects of the economy and family members are facing lost jobs, cutbacks and fear of losing their houses. Hopefully Obama's programs can pull us out of the mess of greed he inherited, but there is no certainty. And if the Republicans can only offer Rush Limp-bird, Bobby and Sarah, they have their own problems.

The advantage of living several decades is seeing this all before--my parents dealt with the depression, Dad worked for the WPA and I wore feed sack dresses. Joy of living is an attitude and any day you have more than you need you have enough.

And I've noticed once you think you have hit bottom, you still have to drop another 10 feet, then things do turn around. Maybe we only have another 10 feet to go!

Across the Ohio

Saturday the "Bricolettes" --the three who had the Bricolage exhibit at Georgetown College--went to New Albany, IN across the Ohio River from Louisville for a delicious lasagna lunch at the home of the former gallery director. Later we toured the Carnegie Center for Arts and History where she now works.

It's a beautiful old building housing a temporary exhibit on Quilt Art submitted from all over the U.S. and two outstanding permanent exhibits: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Courage: Men and Women of the Underground Railroad and Yenawine Dioramas, multiple intricately carved tableaus of small town life around the turn of the 1900's, whittled by Merle Yenawine. The exhibit contains more than 50 scenes with hundreds of movable parts. All exhibits were excellent.

Driving back to Georgetown, the weather turned nasty, with sleet and black ice, another famous quality of Kentucky's weather. Being a borderline state, it gets a lot of borderline weather, seldom deciding  between rain and snow.

Barbie Turns 50

So Barbie--the first trend setter for plastic boobs and referred to as a stimulus package for young boys-- is now fifty. How time does fly. I grew up with paper dolls (fun) and baby dolls (stupid) which we used as pretend outlaws when playing cowboys and Indians, hanging them by the neck from trees. (honestly, I turned out to be a good mother)

My daughter was Barbie deprived, finally receiving one from my sis as a student at Northwestern. I understand Barbie attended sorority meetings there, raising her delicate hand to vote in protest against Barbie-type pledges.

With the advantage of botax, liposuction and implants, Barbie will sail through menopause and will remain a role model for women who want to keep a Ken doll in their life.