Our first time back since the pandemic…
It’s nice to be back. It is a small joint. They survived the pandemic. We have not been here since 2019. Crazy. Yes, the food is as good as we remember.
I find it easier with a point and shoot camera, or any camera. iPhone is fine. But… I do not facebook, Instagram or tik tok. We all have our preferences. I prefer a camera.
Drive by. Of course, we did not stop. I was headed south and this was a drive by shot. It’s slightly blurred. Shutter speed too slow. Ah! I let the camera choose once again. Shhhh… the dirty secret – the camera does quite alright on “program” setting. It – the camera – chooses shutter, f-stop, and ISO all by itself. And then it autofocuses itself, all by itself. Wonderful! I get to concentrate on my driving much to Colleen’s relief. And….it works at night!!
Red’s. Iconic eatery off the side of the road in Maine. It is busy morning till night. The food? Special? Good? We have passed it multiple times. We’ve never tried it. I don’t wait on lines….
Wow! A lot has happened since 2016. The very nice ladies on the plane coughed around me the entire flight. I got the worst cold of my life that lasted for weeks. The worst until now. My California grandkids gave me the second worst – cold. (Colleen too!!)
I had just escaped Saudi – they tried to blow me up – slightly exaggerated but true nonetheless. Colleen was ecstatic as I started retirement slightly ahead of schedule. Retirement? Priceless!
I have seen life and death since then. The grands have been born and grown. It’s a short period. Trump came and went. It’s been a turbulent exuberant time between colds. Covid! As I sit and cough, Colleen has joined me – coughing. Yes, the grandkids shared with her too.
The photo of the ladies on the plane was airplane version of street photography. The ladies were part of a large group many of whom freely coughed all around me. Near the end of the flight they got up from their seats to the cramped lavatories to change out of their black abayas. The transformation was like butterflies being set free from their cocoons. No one cared that I took the pictures. Of course! I always have a camera at hand!
Need I say? Timing is everything.
I am wracked with guilt. Stupid. I have made dumb decisions in the past. I lived with them. I made one with Dave and have to live with it. Dave was ready to embark on cross country bike ride. He searched for and bought a bike – Schwinn from Target. Remember this is strictly amateur. Neither of us had any experience with long distance bike riding. In the lead up to his departure we passed a bike shop. Outside were a stack of used bikes on sale. Aha! A Trek! This was a known respected brand that I have had and Dave has ridden. I bought it for him. Better name brand, but used – would it indeed prove to be a better bike? I have my doubts now. But… Dave did ride it to California where he arrived at his sister’s home. We have never seen the bike again. It was thoroughly beaten up by the journey.
Criticism? Ha ha! On many levels… but photographically? The idea is to document. Wide angle gets you the bike but not the boy and his dad. You trade one thing for another. There is no right answer. So, just take one of each – wide angle and close-up – to cover all the bases. Composition? It ain’t fine art. But yes, the subject is more or less dead center. Boring. Move the subject to the side a little. No need to fuss. It was the story not the pics.
Cheers! Colleen adores Jessop’s Tavern. We have not been back in over a year. The last time we ate there service was dismal. We were abused. I swore to never return. So, we did it for Lee. She’ never been and the Shepard’s pie is legendary. We had a good experience. Every one of the wait staff has been replaced. Good or bad? It’s been tough during Covid. It’s still a nice place. There are others. We will never go back with frequency. …Colleen likes dark beer.
End? Toast? No, it is about the last event. All the summer guests are gone now. Peace reigns in the house. The cats are back in their routine. It’s quiet. The cooking is easy. Onward… to the next event.
PhotoCritical 