Month: September 2026

I Was A Free Man In Paris

This CD did survive my widower down sizing. And I do love Paris. Because as Etta James sang, “my love is there”. And why I’ll never return – too hard on the heart. Empty without her.

We did stroll down Champs-Élysées. Dinner at Ladurée. Vacation apartment on Rue Ferdinand Duval in Le Marais. Grocery shopping at the Bastille Market & local MonoPrix. Sunday in the park at Place des Vosges. A Balanchine Ballet at the Palais Garnier in a box opposite “The Phantom’s”. Days wandering Musée d’Orsay. I felt, as Joni sang, “unfettered and alive”. It felt like home.

Songs To Aging Children

This CD arrived today, in time for a very welcome, open screen afternoon. It’s been a too long, too hot, summer. Recently, a middle of the night half-dream, a fragment of her poetry set to music, surfaced from memory. And persisted. And I found I’d been too zealous in downsizing. Bought a replacement copy on eBay. Listening now, 57 years after it’s release, I’m vividly reminded of just how good this was. And is. There is one more, must have CD on the way. “Aging Children, I Am One”.

Fragile

Made this image in April of 2009, opposite Pea Island Visitor Center. That little ribbon of road on the far right is NC 12, a highly dynamic roadway. Got washed out again this morning by a Nor’easter. Not as bad as Hurricane Irene in 2012 but the road has parts, missing. It’s why I live far, inland. Sailors know.

Below: After Hurricane Irene 2012

Below: Today, 24 September 2026

P.S.A.’s For Seniors On Medicare

Part 1 – 2026 Flu & Covid Vaccinations: Got both today. Signed up my on my providers site, same one since 2023. Filled out online forms. It’s good to keep hard copy records – they didn’t list the vaccinations I got last year !

All went mostly okay today, except the person who checked me in never asked for my Medicare card. Then the young lady who gives the shots presented me with a Point of Sale bill for $457, paused and asked “How are you paying for this?”. “Medicare” I replied, “same as the last 3 years”. She paused, asked for my Medicare card, got it, made data entries & changed my bill to $0. Same as the last 3 years. Keep your card handy!

Part 2 – Medicare Phone Scam: Back home, phone rang. No Caller ID, local number (likely spoofed). For fun, I answered the call on speaker and said nothing. Heard “Hello?” My dog toy/duck call noise maker was in another room so said “Hello”. Heard “This is Stephanie, calling about Direct Deposit Social Security new COLA Medicare Bonus of $220! You do have Medicare Part A & B?” I started to have fun with joke Bank Routing & SSN Numbers and Mother’s Maiden, “Myakinbut”, but just hung up.

It’s enough to drive you to drink – wait – great idea!

I’m Girly Man! With Dolphins?

In spite of the Presidents insistence yesterday that North Carolina Cities are “blood-soaked killing fields”, I went shopping , at Michael’s, channeling my inner Martha Stewart: Binder, Archival Binder Sleeves Mounting Paper and Photo Corners for organizing a dozen years of my photography at Cary Ballet Conservatory. Ballet! Worse, this afternoon, I finished putting up my homemade chicken stock, not 48 hours after making vegetable stock! And replaced Air Wick Room Fresheners! Listening to classical music on WCPE! And submitted my 2026 Cary Photographic Artists Open Juried Competition Entries – all images of Paris!

Which is way better than making a hole in the water with 120 other young bucks in a Lafayette Class Fleet Ballistic Submarine for months, standing watch in Missile Control Center, ready to obey lawful orders and incinerate a few million poor souls who lived too near Soviet Radar sites with ancient Polaris A-2 Missiles and unreliable , 100 times Hiroshima yield, W47-Y2 fusion bombs. 55+ plus years later, the current versions are still, indefensible. And still unavoidable, Madness aka, Mutual Assured Destruction Doctrine. No winners. C’est la guerre.

Tuesday Morning, 3 AM

There are apartments behind, beside and above me. All are quiet now. I’ve learned which awake at 0530, 0630 and 0730. A robust shower singer lives behind me. Later, footsteps on stairs, car door key fobs and engine noises announce the work day. My day begins with coffee and a croissant and wonderfully, no schedule. Then to the luxury of writing books. I am content, without a bucket list or complaint – “no would of, could of, should of” regret. Me and my Sweetheart Boss Lady didn’t wait for retirement – we went when we could. And spent hours on perfect Fall afternoons, vieux amants, at bistros in Paris. A widower now, it sustains me.

Place du Marché Sainte-Catherine, Le Marais

Sunday Reverie

Having used all my “Dress It Up Champagne Vinaigrette”, drove to my local, upscale “Fresh Market” for replenishment. Long ago, a teenage son worked there, on weekends. It moved, so a longer drive today from taking him to work then. And “Beer” on my shopping list was supplied by a long ago, hometown brewery. I wish it were, October. It’s been a long, long, hot Carolina Summer. Unlike the perfect weather for this weekends Cleveland Labor Day Air Show at Burke Lakefront Airport ! Which it was, long ago, when I watched very young sons climb out of the Cargo Bay of a USAF C5-A Galaxy. To watch the Blue Angels!

Grumpy Old Photographer

It’s unavoidable – I need an hour & coffee to come back to life in the (late) morning. I find the news no surprise and the politics ridiculous – just put a a big, striped tent over D.C., bring in the Circus Train and Peanut Vendors!

Later in the day, been slogging through a desktop publishing learning curve that’s nearly vertical!. Discovered that the issue with rough check print proofs from my utility printer was due to a clogged Yellow nozzle – read the frigging manual, dummy! Performed the mfr. recommended maintenance. Progress!

Fortunately, affordable Bourbon & Beer. Dinner at 8. Wine & Chocolate follow!

Love Letter To The Muse

Had lunch today with dear friends, ladies associated with Cary Ballet, my artistic home from 2010 to 2022. Told them a bit about this.

Writing a book about it. Metadata shows I uploaded this image to this blog media library on 13 Dec. 2012 – after midnight of the day I made it.

That was when I realized how much I didn’t know about light – deflating for a photographer! And realized, she was, my Muse. The book is in a very nascent stage. I do have a domain parked for it – “The Muse Provides”. Stay tuned!