A Few Dark Reflections in Everyday Ramblings

The ground is getting saturated enough after months of less than normal rainfall to bring trees down with the big wind. I am always sad when a tree comes down and grateful when they don’t take out power or hurt anyone.

We had a birch in our complex come down last weekend and this tree a few blocks away. I understand about the scouring effect of the wind as the land prepares for it’s annual renewal but this is sad. There is so much construction all over the city that trees are being cut down at an alarming rate already.

Speaking of other changes to the city these statistics are sticking with me this week about the homeless encampment cleanup process, which right now is on hold because our City Council is deciding on contract terms (and we had a much admired City Councilman die of cancer two days after resigning last week).

“The system has undergone significant changes since it was first implemented. In the last fiscal year, the program cleaned 3,122 campsites, removed 8,400 gallons of human waste, 1,300 tons of garbage, and removed 28,909 hypodermic syringes.”

When I was walking to the dentist on Tuesday I looked down from the big staircase the is attached to the pedestrian bridge that covers all our south facing freeways and on a patch of land there was garbage strewn all along the landscape.

That and the big American flag on a pole stuck in a storage locker in the back of a pickup truck that had just gone by, (reminiscent of the right wing activists that took over one of our extraordinary wildlife refuges a few year ago) that is a clear statement to me of xenophobic violent patriotism were disquieting.

The tone of the news lately has been profoundly disturbing and we find resonances in our local situations. The fact that so many precious young people were concerned about war with Iran and a reinstatement of the draft that they crashed the Selective Service website Saturday breaks my heart.

Walking home from class last night in the first intense downpour in months and months, I was all geared up so dry but it was not an enjoyable experience and I kept thinking about those that are living rough under these circumstances.

When I got about 2/3rds the way home there was a guy in a safety vest and jeans walking in front of me. He had a flashlight, a long broken off branch and he was not just walking, he would dance, and stop and walk and was clearly high. I hung back; he was blissfully oblivious to my presence. When he got to the corner he walked into traffic and crossed the street. A few cars had to stop not to hit him. Then he did it a block on, and then a third time crossing mid street.

By this time he was on a different trajectory than me and I was able to relax a bit.

What kind of world are we living in? How did we get here with all this crazy stuff going on?

It is like we have been cocooned in this consumer bubble producing waste and trash while a certain few profit from us. I include myself here.

I enjoyed the school lunch type meeting yesterday midday at the church. I found a table that had just one solitary older guy sitting at it and sat down next to him. I am sure later some of the other women who came by or joined us later were thinking, “Man Stealer” as about 5 people asked him “Where’s S???” as we were chatting.

It turns out S. is a former student of mine who has experienced a number of small stokes and used to come to my class with a lovely health aid that would read on the phone during class. Apparently she and the fellow I was talking to, who has to be close to 90, have hooked up. He was a junior high teacher for 40 years. Wow.

I am not even slightly interested in man stealing but I enjoyed talking to him and eventually we broadened the conversation out to the whole table. So Miss Social Anxiety did well.

After the business meeting of the group I was participating in I went to the presentation on Senior Living options they had in the chapel. Even though I am not considering a move, (the drugged out guy out on the street was not encouraging for my future safety) it was interesting to find out what was involved.

The cheapest option for moving into one of these high-end care facilities with a range of activities and levels of care was $348,000. 00. There was a chortle at that from this well-heeled audience. The consultant talked about foster home care, and Medicaid and at home care options. It was all a stark example of the profound income inequality in our country right now.

Mrs. Sherlock joined me about half way through. She’d been to Costco yesterday and picked up a couple of bags of nuts for me so we had a walnut/pecan exchange and she brought me home. She is organizing a memorial service for a beloved retired minister in our congregation this Saturday and the whole thing is turning into an overwhelming amount of work.

I got a chance to hug, tease and chat with a few other former students so that was great. I miss my students when circumstances change and they move on.

Today is a solo day for me and I am grateful for it.

I need to get ready for our trip to the mountain tomorrow. If for some weather related reason we are unable to go tomorrow, not to worry, it is looking like snow on the valley floor next week.

Bleh.

Last updated January 10, 2020