Week of 2 seasons

Paul took this cool photo on his way to work Friday morning. Who knew my guy had an inner photo artsy guy inside that gruff deer killer exterior?

New mural at Metro Waste Authority (E. 3rd and Locust)

Yep, snow. A sharp contrast to the pics I took earlier in the week when I was biking, and it was near 80 degrees.

The bridge on the bike trail near our house - Monday, April 29

Tuesday Paul and I rode to Bike World to pick up a few more accessories for the biking season.

Paul with Albie and his bike (un-named) outside Bike World

Wednesday was when the weather took a turn. It was the day we got to see my old friend (from afar) Gordon Lightfoot, in concert. We went home a little early so Odie could have some "us" time before we left again. I knew if rain/snow hit, she wouldn't be going outside much in the next few days.

We decided to try out a new restaurant downtown - Americana for a drink and appetizers.

 

We still had some time before door opened at the venue - the historic Hoyt Sherman Auditorium, near Methodist Hospital. Hoyt Sherman So we dropped by our fave, the Standard. I had one of their dessert martinis. Yum! 

By now the temp had dropped a lot - the winds were swirling. We were lucky to find a parking spot right on the block with Hoyt Sherman. Inside, volunteers showed us where our seats would be, and told us we could look around the art gallery attached. Paul took my pic with the beautiful young woman.

I wanted to see just what she was looking at...

They had wine and beer for sale, but we didn't partake. We found our seats and watched the auditorium fill up. The seats are small - built for 1900's people. By the time the show started, the place was full.

Right on time Gordie and 4 musicians entered. Sentimental old woman that I am, I got choked up when he played some of my favorites from the Gord's Gold double album. Yes, his voice is not strong. He may have fumbled through some of the lyrics - the guy is 75 years old! And his songs tell a story - they don't consist of a few lines repeated over and over. Right before the break, they sang "Sundown".

During the break, I got together with my longtime pal Roger Underwood. Paul had spotted him before the show started, and I'd texted him. We snapped this photo.

AHS Class of '76, Roger asked if I was surprised to see a Repub at the concert. I said, heck - I was a Repub when I started listening to Gordon Lightfoot!

 Gordon even did a costume change during the break - bless his heart! I had asked Roger if Gordon had on Roger's FFA jacket during the first set. (I know...always the smart ass). Finally he did "If You Could Read My Mind" The first and second verses go like this - I especially the second because of the book references:

If you could read my mind, love,
What a tale my thoughts could tell.
Just like an old time movie,
'Bout a ghost from a wishing well.
In a castle dark or a fortress strong,
With chains upon my feet.
You know that ghost is me.
And I will never be set free
As long as I'm a ghost that you can't see.
                                       
If I could read your mind, love,
What a tale your thoughts could tell.
Just like a paperback novel,
The kind the drugstores sell.
Then you reached the part where the heartaches come,
The hero would be me.
But heroes often fail,
And you won't read that book again
Because the ending's just too hard to take!

The background lighting was cool

This concert was unlike any other I have been to. People didn't dance, and hoot and holler much. The other band members were very stoic. The crowd was very polite - though I think there were a few drunks in the group. I'm glad we went - he's a musician for the ages.

By Thursday morning the snow was flying, but it wasn't yet sticking. Much - until Thursday night and Friday morning. It was in the 30s. In May!

My tiny hair

Who remembers La Petite hair salon in Atlantic? Does the name mean "the little" in French? I'm just guessing...because of my petite knowledge of French...I wonder how a hair salon came to have that name? Did the owner think it sounded fancy?

I remember getting my hair cut there, surrounded by the ladies getting their hair done. Cut 'n curl ya know. Back in the day some ladies would get their hair done weekly! Another Chestnut Street hair salon was the Powder Puff. Remember what powder puffs smell like? I got a couple of those powder puff sets for my birthday when I was 10 or 12.

I don't know why I thought of those places this week. But that's how I roll.

Perhaps it's my date tomorrow night - with Gordon Lightfoot. I began my romance with the folk singer in the early 70s. I remember learning the Spanish version of "If You Could Read My Mind" in Senior Seufert's Espanol class. Oh how I loved it! So much that I would sing it to myself riding my horse Jack on the dirt road near Guttenfelder's place behind HyVee in Atlantic.

Eventually I purchased Gordie's albums, followed by, years later - his double CD.
Did She Mention My Name
Sundown
Canadian Railroad Trilogy
Get Out Old Dan's Records
Don Quixote

My fave is If You Could Read My Mind though - English version. One of my all time fave songs - played at our wedding (instrumental only - thanks Jean Fox and Pat McCauley on violin).

I enjoy Gordie's songs - they tell stories, are ballads. I'm looking forward to seeing him.

My sis Betsy saw him a couple years ago. She said he looks like Skeletor - skinny and skeleton like. I just hope he sounds okay at age 74. Deb saw Willie Nelson last year and said he didn't sound good at all. Go Gordie!

 I've been enjoying riding Albie (formerly known as Whitie - I love her) my bike. Yesterday I rode to 50th Street, to check out how long it takes to get to Saints bar. They have a patio right on the trail.

We may have to check this out for real soon...

There are a few bridges like these

 

Later that night I walked back along EP True to pick up litter along the walking/biking trail. I used to pick up litter all the time, as the manager of a solid waste facility. I can't drive or walk by it time and time again without doing something about it. I figure I'll just chip away at this little section over the next few weeks. Today more already blew in!

My task - mostly plastic/paper. One vodka bottle. A gallon water jug.

The people walking by and riding bikes on the path look at me with my black litter bag. I got the impression that most of them wondered if I had done some petty crime to deserve this "sentence". One nice woman asked me what I was up to as I walked back, bag in hand. When I explained, she thanked me!

Too bad rain and snow is expected in the next couple days...biking and litter picking is out. Oh well - spring will come again.

Tech enjoyment

I often find myself cursing electronics. Especially computers. The one at work has been especially slow lately, causing me to tap my toe, check my phone and do other things whilst I wait for it's tiny pea-brain to work.

So I'm happy to report this blog is about the good side of electronics! My smaller electronics are bonding together to make me smile this week. ;>)

First my phone is being quite silly. I use the texting method called SWYPE. You simply drag your finger over the keyboard and it must use some algorithm to predict what word you're trying to spell. Or, it's trying to make me laugh! Take last night. My sis Cindo texted that Paul and I shouldn't go to the movie Hunger Games here because she wants to go to that one when we're all on vacation together in April in Florida.

I tried to text her back something like "That's what I planned too!" but my phone had other ideas!
It came out:
Undress
I laughed at that one and tried again and it said
Tarts
So I left both those words on there and posted what I was trying to say - spelling the words out by tapping each letter - the old fashioned way.

She asked if I was alright, and said she did have her jammies on, wondering if instead of tarts I was asking about her large American tatas.
See - you gotta laugh at that whole conversation!

Now today, when I was taking my walk around the block - down 3rd Street to MLK west across the river, I listened to my iPod. I had it set on Shuffle. That's where it randomly selects songs from your playlist for you to listen to.

It made me so happy when it played a couple of my little listened to but very fave songs back-to-back. Elton John's "Your Song", brings back memories of Sally Rodgers and riding around in her black Mercury all over Atlantic, Iowa.

Gordon Lightfoot's "If You Could Read My Mind" always melts my heart.  I would ride my beautiful quarter horse Jack in rural Atlantic singing the song bilingually. We learned how to sing the song in Spanish class too - with Senior Seufert. (and that brings back lots more memories) That was one of the songs Paul and I chose for our wedding - played by Mrs. McCauley on her violin.

So the next time my electronics act up - and I know they will! I'll try to remember that they make me laugh and smile sometimes too.