Pumpkins

It's Albuq; not much to say.

A followup visit today with Doc Wilder, age 31, to reassess my right ear. He's puzzled by why he can't see my right eardrum; something's in the way...not wax. No chance of being seen in the Ear, Nose & Throat clinic anytime soon, but I'm on the list in case they get a cancellation.

Michele only has two cat-sits a day and we've continued to "knock out" errands. Despite the mundanity of it all, we enjoy each other's company. Even after 33 years we hold hands, exchange ideas and laugh alot.

The increase in isosorbide has provided a modicum of more energy. But I'm noticing twinges of angina again, a symptom that's been kept at bay for the past eight months by a religious adherence to a dosing schedule. 

I dreamt of keeling over like a falling tree. There was the briefest of moments, as I hit the ground, when I heard Michelle calling for help, then I was dead. It was blackness; a void; nothing. Hopefully it'll be that quick.

In the meantime the weather's been perfect.

The terra-cotta figure in the background was a gift to my father from the mayor of Munich; one of six made of his daughter, age 16, she was killed in a car accident that year.

Las Puertas Amarillas

Michelle arrived Sunday afternoon, the 26th. We're at the same Airbnb Kristen and I stayed in a few weeks earlier. It's a few blocks from downtown in a gentrified "barrio."

Parking is by permit and the prevalence of BMWs, Mercedeses and Porsches means Phoebe gets parked in the back of a nearby lot while the 2015 Honda FIT gets pride-of-place on the street.

Since Michelle made the reservation, the lighted poster welcomes her. I prefer to travel incognito, though Chris & Sally, the proprietors, remembered me.

Morning Light

It was melted by the time we emerged.

Birthday Pie

Around age 5, my grandmother coached me on the art of biscuits. Later, Mom spent time teaching about scrambled eggs and cake so I could help out in the mornings & at least once a month when she would bake.

I cooked in the commune in Boulder when I was 16 and did the heavy-lifting for holidays after I married at age 22; it became a tradition that has carried through the decades.

Now that we have every THING we want, I gift Michelle with pies

This is for her 65th. 

Apple

Perfectly done

A Squidgeworld "Slice"

Michelle's Sourdough

From deep in the bowels of Phoebe's library I heard the long-overdue birthday present shout, "The Minersville (Utah) post office parking lot is empty!" 

I made a u-ee and screeched in.   

No one was in line behind me so when Michelle, the Postmaster, asked where I was from I blamed Nurnberg and tacked on the bits about an early childhood in Japan & some formative years in Germany.  

By way of excusing my lack of accent (and lend cachet to my Chicago twang), I 'splained my first language was English, 2nd was Japanese and that it wasn't until age 7, late in life, that I began learning German.

Suddenly bidding me stay where I was she said, "I have something for you."

This has, at least on one occasion, prefaced my being on the wrong end of a pistol. But my fears were unfounded as, turning quickly, she took two steps away and returned with a beautiful loaf of home-made bread.

Ardent sentimentalist that I am, I immediately began to tear up. And then, whilst wrangling the emotional storm of gratitude, I did my best to pay attention as she told how it was sourdough, her favorite.

Michelles are AMAZING! 

And it only barely survived through the night!

Cat Lackey

We're enjoying having time together. Bonsai, a.k.a. Trixie, is seen here making sure Michelle's body-heat doesn't go to waste.

I have a phone consult on Monday with a cardiologist. Unless he has something besides bypass surgery to offer, afterward I'll head north.

I was up at 11:30 last night being amazed by the roar of the traffic; everyone must be coming out at night. Between the neighbor's music and the occasional "woof" from the dog next door, I put in ear plugs....and look forward to being somewhere quiet. But I miss her when we're apart.

Road Trip

Every few years Ms. Cook (see: Vince's Birthday)takes a couple of weeks off and we meetup somewhere. She's grown tired of flying so we decided to do a road trip... to the redwoods in northern California. 

We stopped at the Sinclair station in Bluff, Utah where she imagined lovers meeting in the parking lot able to have all their needs met from a vending machine.

         Climax Control Lotion
         
          Swedish Massage Oil

            Erotic Condom

               Oriental Exciter


A complete kit for only $3.00! ( 4 x $0.75)

At the main overlook on the Dugway, she found this sticker of Mokimunk. (There was sunshine and clouds and the view was spectacular!)

In Sierraville, Nevada she spied Godzilla's Pomeranian.

I'm so used to wandering that my navigating skills have atrophied. But it's been "all good" as we've stumbled upon some great places we'd have missed. (I missed the turn in Hanksville and it wasn't until I saw the mileage-to-Torrey sign that I had a clue. Highway 24 West from Hanksville, UT looked veeeerrry in-ter-esting -- even in the dark.) 


Robbers Roost, in Green River, Utah, has high marks on Tripadvisor. At only $43.00 it was a bargain.

Besides the spectacular scenery, a highpoint has been the Churchill County Museum in Fallon, Nevada. They have an amazing Native American collection (after 40 years in the SW my opinion isn't the least humble) and several unusual vehicles including a bonafide, steam-powered steamroller, a 1930s school bus, which, according to Gwen, our tour guide, was driven, by default, by the eldest child. She began driving tractor at age four and said in those days ten-year-olds were quite capable. There's also a 1920s Paige touring car...

         and this incredible music box (video below).

          (Assistance from staff is required to operate.)