OKLAHOMA

There's some irony there in that line about "...the wind comes sweepin' down the plain..."

TAKE THE A TRAIN

There's a lengthy and interesting article in the Sunday edition of the New York Times about the decaying railroad lines in Pakistan.  The problem seems to be one of funding disappearing as more and more shipping went to different modes of transportation.  That coupled with a country rent by militias and warlords and the Taliban and the tracks are rusting and trains are running later and later and passengers are leaving in droves to ride buses.  The last time the railroad, which was created by the British in the days of the Raj, made a profit was 1974.  That's nearly 40 years ago!  The destruction of the rail industry seems to echo much that has gone wrong in Pakistan.  

The wealthy and the military center around Lahore, on the Indian border, but their lavish social events have to be held in secure compounds even there.

But the railroads.  I remember reading Paul Theroux' wondrous tales of traveling to mysterious corners of the world on some of those trains that used to run from the Khyber Pass all the way to the former capital and largest city of Karachi, on the Arabian Sea.  But now the railcars are hot and dirty and less used and always late.

I couldn't help wondering if this is the future of Amtrak in the United States.  Much of the freight shipping business has left the trains here for trucks.  We hear of a crumbling infrastructure here, too.  Can Amtrak be far behind the wasting railroads of Pakistan?

I have ridden Amtrak trains . . . up the California coastline, from New York to Washington, D.C. on the Metroliner, and even before it was Amtrak, taking to the rails between Minneapolis and Bismarck, North Dakota.  When I was a very young lad, the train still stopped at the depot in Stanley, my very small home town, and occasionally I would ride it to Minot, a mere 60 mile trek.

I have ridden trains in Mexico (decidedly NOT a good experience) and through Europe (a grand experience).  I remember a wonderful meal served on a white table cloth covered table between Innsbruck, Austria, and Florence, Italy.  My memory seems to tell me there was even a flower in a vase on the table and I'm sure wine was served.  Somewhere I have a photo of SWMBO and I standing outside a railcar with a sign proclaiming it "The Orient Express".  It wasn't the train of fame but one of many that have borrowed that title.

All of which is to say that I would hate to see Amtrak go the fate of the Pakistani trains.

NEW FRIENDS AND A NEW WORLD

I'd like to start today's post with a musical selection.  Feel free to sing along.

Now what, you may ask, possessed me to play the national anthem of Canada today?  Well I'll tell you.

As you know we have fairly recently moved to Phoenix, Arizona from our previous home about 100 miles to the northwest.  We moved to a community that has homes both rented and lived in by their owners.  We're renters but one of our next door neighbors lives in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and only comes to this home half a dozen or so times a year for a week or two at a time.  The second time I met him we had a nice conversation which culminated in him giving me a key to his house and asking if I'd mind keeping an eye on it for him when he's back in Canada.  I was somewhat stunned but readily agreed to do that.  

He was heading back north that day and I've done walk-throughs a couple of times, just checking to make sure everything is all right.

He and his wife arrived back again yesterday and last evening invited us over for a "nightcap".  Well, sure.

So SWMBO and I went over and were surprised to be presented with gifts for watching over their property.

That is a nice jug of 100 percent pure Canadian maple syrup!  The lady of the house presented it in a familiar purple and gold bag which she described as Canadian wrapping paper.

Crown Royal Canadian whisky is a favorite of SWMBO so she was doubly pleased.

And there was MORE!

A bottle of red wine - a four grape blend of California wines.  Red wine is my favorite so I'll appreciate that.

So, to our new friends D and C, we say thank you!  Now, you may wish to play that sound clip again.  Or you can go on to the next little surprise.

That took place at our nearby grocery store this afternoon.  I stopped for a couple of things and was flabbergasted by a huge crowd just inside the door.  Then I recognized Arizona's newest sports star, Brittney Griner, at a table signing autographs.

The 22 year old woman was the first overall pick in the WNBA women's basketball draft this year, going to the Phoenix Mercury.  Brittney is 6 feet 8 inches tall.  With an arm span of 86 inches she was the first NCAA basketball player to score 2,000 points and block 500 shots in her college career.

Just last month she acknowledged that she was gay.  But judging by the throng of people lined up to get her autograph today that won't hurt her popularity in Phoenix.

I hope you're all having as good a weekend as I am.

RUN-AROUND THURSDAY

SWMBO had a doctor appointment in Chandler this morning.  I was the chauffer.  Afterwards we visited Mimi's Cafe . . .

. . . where we each enjoyed Eggs Benedict.

SWMBO said it felt special to have Eggs Benedict in a restaurant on a Thursday morning!

Then we came home and I dropped her to put her feet up and relax while I ran out to do some errands.

By the way, I WON THE POWERBALL last night!

Well . . . not the big one.  But I did get three numbers which earned me seven dollars.  I cashed my ticket, got one more set of numbers for the next game and pocketed a five-spot.  Now for that big one on Saturday night!  I definitely have a use for that half a billion dollars.  Well, I guess it's only around 350 million if you take a one-time cash payment.  But still.

While out and about I found a correct digital cable for my computer monitor today so I'm back in business, full screen.

And I stopped in at Arizona Mills . . a huge outlet mall in Tempe.  Here's an overhead view.

You can get an idea of the size of it if you compare it with the cars parked all around it or on the adjacent streets.  I went inside at Entry Seven, which is where a multiple screen theatre complex is located, right next to an IMAX theatre which advertises a six-story tall screen.  Just past the theatres is a huge food court with many restaurants AND a full-scale carousel.

If you're looking for a nice quiet meal, this is NOT the place.  But it's fun to watch the kids enjoying themselves at full volume.

There are at least 185 stores and many restaurants in the mall.  I only covered a very small part of it but the legs weren't having any more today.

And if you were wondering after yesterday's post, it's still hot today.  But the weatherman says tomorrow the mercury will peak at only 96 degrees and Saturday will be positively cool at 93!  If you're around Lake Tahoe, in California or Nevada, today, it's snowing!  Eat your heart out!

HELLO OUT THERE

Yes, I've been missing.  Computer problems again.  After some difficulty and various try and fail, try and succeed, try and fail again, I think I have narrowed down my problems to a faulty digital cable running between my computer and my monitor.  So I'm using an analog cable right now which is less than perfect but it works.  My screen is narrowed by about an inch and a quarter on each side and the fonts are a little fuzzy but it works.  So here I am.

It has been warm here.  At a little after 5 p.m., it's 98 outside right now.  The high was 101 earlier.  It's been hovering right around 100 degrees every day for about a week.  And this is only May.  There will come a slight monsoon season sometime this summer, as I recall, but I can't tell you when.  And it may be more dust storms than actual rain.

So the heat is on and we put up with it.  It is still pleasant to sit out on the patio in the mornings and so I do.  We've had another problem with tiny red ants.  But our gardener says they don't damage the plants but SWMBO has been waging war with them with Spectracide, Triazicide and I have contributed Andron.  They seemed to be largely defeated this morning though there were still some wandering in confused circles.

A Gila woodpecker has been hammering away at our tallest palm tree and appears to have built a nest.  I can hear him (hell, the whole neighborhood can hear him) screaming from time to time.  I'm not sure if that's a call to a prospective mate or just frustration on his part.

And yesterday morning one of the several mockingbirds who seem to have taken possession of our neighborhood was going through his entire litany of song atop a neighbor's roof.  They have an amazing number of different calls and songs.  

Then there are sparrows and finches and the monotonous mourning doves.  And a starling or two and who knows what else.  Perhaps I'll name this residence Birdland!  I wonder what the birds would think if I began blasting out some Dizzy Gillespie tunes at them.  I wonder what our neighbors would think.  Perhaps that's not such a good idea.

Best leave the entertainment to the birds.

As mundane as this post is . . it's good to be back.

DREAMING AND SINGING

I was out staring at the clouds the other evening as the sun set.

It may have been my cocktail but the more I looked, the more I saw.

If you look closely, and let your mind wander a bit, there's a face up there.  I swear it!

But then I saw this one, which really blew my mind.  It's a dead ringer for that drawing of a face with puffed out cheeks, blowing the clouds ahead of it, perhaps even blowing up some rain.

Am I crazy?

If you think I am, you've got to look at this video.  Just follow this link.  Enjoy and have a good weekend!

BRACE YOURSELVES!

You are about to see something you've never seen before.  At least not if you've known me for less than 50 years and I suspect all of you fit in that category.  SWMBO and I were discussing my long hair the other night and joked a bit about getting a buzz cut.  I haven't had one of those since about 1958 or 1959, I'd say.  But yesterday I went to a barber shop (oh, excuse me, a tonsorial salon) and told my "stylist", Ruby, to take it off.  Here are the brutal results.

SWMBO's first comment was "your dad just came out of you!"  She also said "I didn't think you would cut it that short!"  She thinks it will look better when it's grown out a bit.

As for the rest of you, you may now voice your opinions.  But take it easy.  I'm a sensitive guy.