Potatoes in the Mist

Last night I had dinner with A and E. Both of them are teachers, and the strain of a new year was showing. I hope it gets easier for them. I liked the restaurant a lot. I got there a few minutes early so I busied myself by reading the review outside. It explained that everything -- the pale orange of the walls, the "banal" music -- was designed to soothe. There is even a box inside with a fortune for every diner. "Fortune, no cookie," the review explained. Mine said something like, "Life can only give you what you are willing to put into it." A's fortune was more convoluted, suggesting that "by being in the moment, your personality" will transform something. Neither of us could follow it. It was a bit of a sketchy neighborhood. Some guy offered to "show me something" and then said "You don't even have to get on," pointing to his skateboard. Then someone asked us for money, heavily slurring his words. A said, "Ther...

I went biking on the path today...and here's the crowning crazy biker of the day. Are you sitting down? I saw this guy weaving erratically all over the path. My first thought was: cell phone or drunk. But as I got closer, I saw that his head was tucked into his chest, with his eyes closed. You know, classic-male-relative-on-Thanksgiving pose. But not on a La-Z-Boy. On a bike. I said the obvious: "You shouldn't sleep on your bike!" His head jerked up and his eyes snapped open. Maybe he has narcolepsy.

It was a real pleasure to ride my bike today, because it was a grey and overcast day. This means there weren't many people on the path. Usually, the path is clogged with crazy/dangerous people. (D and I have another name for them, but I won't say it here.) To alleviate the situation, I've created a bike path license exam. This applies to bikers, pedestrians and skateboarders using the path. There is even a question for the mechanics who work on the streets leading to the path. Maybe the mayor will institute the exam when he's back from Bermuda. Some sample questions: 1) The bike path is divided into two lanes. Which lane do you choose? a) The right b) The left c) Both! I like variety. 2) You're a pedestrian. Where do you go? a) The pedestrian path. b) The bike path. I like company. 3) Put differently, what does the sign, "No Pedestrians on Bike Path", mean to you? a) Get off the path. b) I dunno, I'm still sounding out consonants. 4) What is an appropr...

So I ended up taking quite a few pictures during the weekend (Saturday through Monday, to be precise). Swampscott... Bearette and the fabulous, beautiful Iggy: Iggy and his brother: The sea: The beautiful bike we bought, to use when we go to MA (it rides like a dream): The super-cute pink camera my sister gave my mom: The hat I finished making for D:

So I was planning to go to the gym today. However, going to the gym would be a waste of a day like this. It was so warm, I couldn't even wear the homemade scarf and hat I've been stubbornly wearing every spring-like day out of pride. (By the way, I dropped the hat I made for Roxanne in the mail today...hopefully she will put up a picture!) So I decided to bike for the first time in '07. I was secretly wishing I'd be the only one to think of it. Unfortunately, all the other path people came out. Some of them should stay in. I'm thinking of the guy who whizzed past me at 80 mph and yelled, "ON YOUR LEFT!" in my ear. I almost jumped out of my skin. I took some pics of the river, but as I mentioned before, my camera is a diva. I couldn't see any image on the screen, but I took some snaps in blind faith anyway. If they come out, I'll post them. And my dream last night. My goodness. I was in a kind of detention center in Japan with D. The center was ver...