I rested today. Mr Moohoo was making it rain by entering and exiting his garage, so neither tennis nor biking was in the cards. Besides it was Grand Ol' Day and I had to protect the homestead from the hooligans. I ventured up to Grand a couple of times and witnessed a couple of drunk guys without shirts being ushered into police cars near Billy's on Grand. And I had a gyro sandwich for six bucks.
I watched Serena, Roger, and the grunting Maria win in Paris on the telly. I did three crossword puzzles and had a nap. Talk to you on Monday, I suspect.
Sunday, June 3, 2007
Saturday, June 2, 2007
A Half and Half Day
It is raining cats and dogs now. But I've had a reasonably active day. Unky Herb was up and off to Chicago by 5 am and I missed his departure, but by 8:15 I was sweeping a tennis court at Marie Park to clear last night's precipitation. Only two of the gang showed up today and so Curt and I hit tennis balls for an hour without the spice of competition. The sky was very blue and the day's forecast of rain seemed wrong. It was eventually and forcefully correct.
I came home and decided to ride to Como Park and search for the sculptures there. I found one, but the one on Midway Parkway and Hamline escaped my search and I'll have to go back for more thorough searching. It's purported to be close to the rain garden. I need to find the rain garden first, I suppose. The ride was 14+ miles including a side trip through the Hamline campus past the tennis courts and Klas Center.
This is Minnesota Rocks sculpture number 6 located on Lexington and Jessamine very near Como Park. "Paisley Perch" by Peter Morales, a native of Guatamala who lives and works in St Paul.
Mauresmo exited the tourney in Paris, so, of my predicted champions, I have only Nadal left. He won convincingly in three sets today against another Spaniard, Montanes, 6-1, 6-3, 6-2. Serena is the only American left in the singles competitions of either gender. In the men's draw there are 4 Spaniards, 3 Russians, and 3 Argentinians. In the women's draw there are 4 Russians left, but there is also a French woman still in contention - Marion Bartoli, seeded 18, who is Milagros Sequera's doubles partner.
Gas was $2.969 this morning. What causes such price gyration?
No poetry today. I'll be trying to come up with something to rhyme with July towards the end of this month.
Grand Ol' Day is tomorrow and the neighborhood will be filled with people attending the music and food festival. Unless it rains. There are some locally famous musical groups performing not far from here, so I may wander up and see what is playing at Kowalskis.
I came home and decided to ride to Como Park and search for the sculptures there. I found one, but the one on Midway Parkway and Hamline escaped my search and I'll have to go back for more thorough searching. It's purported to be close to the rain garden. I need to find the rain garden first, I suppose. The ride was 14+ miles including a side trip through the Hamline campus past the tennis courts and Klas Center.
This is Minnesota Rocks sculpture number 6 located on Lexington and Jessamine very near Como Park. "Paisley Perch" by Peter Morales, a native of Guatamala who lives and works in St Paul.
Mauresmo exited the tourney in Paris, so, of my predicted champions, I have only Nadal left. He won convincingly in three sets today against another Spaniard, Montanes, 6-1, 6-3, 6-2. Serena is the only American left in the singles competitions of either gender. In the men's draw there are 4 Spaniards, 3 Russians, and 3 Argentinians. In the women's draw there are 4 Russians left, but there is also a French woman still in contention - Marion Bartoli, seeded 18, who is Milagros Sequera's doubles partner.
Gas was $2.969 this morning. What causes such price gyration?
No poetry today. I'll be trying to come up with something to rhyme with July towards the end of this month.
Grand Ol' Day is tomorrow and the neighborhood will be filled with people attending the music and food festival. Unless it rains. There are some locally famous musical groups performing not far from here, so I may wander up and see what is playing at Kowalskis.
Friday, June 1, 2007
Theme-ish Day
It is theme day. This photo isn't exactly out my window and not exactly today, but it's some of what you'd see out my window, if it weren't raining. It was taken about two weeks ago when the flowers at Nancy's house were in full bloom.
I did ride this morning before the dripping started. I went down to Hidden Falls via the Mississippi River Road, through Crosby Farm Park, up along Shepherd Road to Otto, then home, including Benhill in my experience. 13+ miles.
With inclement weather here, I was able to watch Venus at Roland Garros lose in three sets to Jelena Jankovic, the four seed, on ESPN2. 6-4,4-6,6-1. Serena rolled, as did Federer and the bulk of the other faves.
Poetry Slam entry from the tousan:
Achtung, achtung,
The first of June
The first day of summer
is coming soon.
I did ride this morning before the dripping started. I went down to Hidden Falls via the Mississippi River Road, through Crosby Farm Park, up along Shepherd Road to Otto, then home, including Benhill in my experience. 13+ miles.
With inclement weather here, I was able to watch Venus at Roland Garros lose in three sets to Jelena Jankovic, the four seed, on ESPN2. 6-4,4-6,6-1. Serena rolled, as did Federer and the bulk of the other faves.
Poetry Slam entry from the tousan:
Achtung, achtung,
The first of June
The first day of summer
is coming soon.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Dinosaurs
The photo is St. Paul's figurine of the year - dinosaurs. This one is called "Twincitiesasaurus" and sits on Grand Avenue near Milton. After at least three years of "Peanuts" figures, we've gone to paleontology for this year.
I had a rest day from biking and from tennis. It was a beautiful day however, and I found time to mow the lawn and stroll the neighborhood.
Milagros means "miraculous" in Spanish but no miracles today. S. Williams defeats M. Sequera 6-0, 7-6 in Paris. My predicted favorites - Mauresmo and Nadal won and continue in the tournament.
I had a rest day from biking and from tennis. It was a beautiful day however, and I found time to mow the lawn and stroll the neighborhood.
Milagros means "miraculous" in Spanish but no miracles today. S. Williams defeats M. Sequera 6-0, 7-6 in Paris. My predicted favorites - Mauresmo and Nadal won and continue in the tournament.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Thunder
It was threatening to rain all day, and so it did, six games into a set at Marie Park, complete with thunder. So we quit and went home. The photo is of the courts at Marie Park across the pond, over the cat tails. Score was 3-3, then rain.
Roland Garros continues in Paris. All the US men are gone in the first round, including Roddick and Blake. The record 0-9, I think. The tourney has been rained on a lot, but they are used to rain and will likely finish on time. An interesting note, however. Today Venus Williams set a record for the fastest serve by a woman in a tournament - 128 mph - breaking Serena's record of 127 mph.
Serena will play Milagros tomorrow.
Roland Garros continues in Paris. All the US men are gone in the first round, including Roddick and Blake. The record 0-9, I think. The tourney has been rained on a lot, but they are used to rain and will likely finish on time. An interesting note, however. Today Venus Williams set a record for the fastest serve by a woman in a tournament - 128 mph - breaking Serena's record of 127 mph.
Serena will play Milagros tomorrow.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Wooden Art
It is raining as a most unsettled day comes to a close. No biking or tennis today. The photo is an elm tree that has been converted to a muscian playing a violin (or probably something else entirely). This one is on Holly Avenue, not far from Western. No title, no artist.
Herb and I went to a program of Tibetan dancers and singers, bookended by full throated Buddhist monks chanting in the language of Tibet. It was presented at the Children's Theater in Minneapolis. We went for the chanting. Stayed for the dumplings.
Milagros Sequera won her first round match 5-7, 6-3, 9-7 and will play the "bootylicious" Serena sometime after 11 am tomorrow on Phillipe Chatrier Stadium clay. It is probably the biggest match of her career.
Herb and I went to a program of Tibetan dancers and singers, bookended by full throated Buddhist monks chanting in the language of Tibet. It was presented at the Children's Theater in Minneapolis. We went for the chanting. Stayed for the dumplings.
Milagros Sequera won her first round match 5-7, 6-3, 9-7 and will play the "bootylicious" Serena sometime after 11 am tomorrow on Phillipe Chatrier Stadium clay. It is probably the biggest match of her career.
Monday, May 28, 2007
Twins Win! Twins Win!
A Memorial Day well spent. I went to see the Twins play at the baggie in downtown Minneapolis with the Moohoo family. The Twins beat the Chisox 10-4 in what was the best game I have seen in over ten years. Details and box score in the Strib. I ate at the game. I had a Top Dog for $5.50 and a diet coke for $4.00 - the best dog I have had in years, too. Thanks to Wireless for the free corporate tickets close enough to see the action and safely behind a protective screen.
Photo below of the Moohoo family - Wireless, G.Z., and B. Babe - in front of the Metrodome after the game:
After the game I was able to rally for a ride on the Trek to the Minnesota Capitol and a look at the new WWII Memorial, just finished this year. I stopped by at the Viet Nam Memorial and found the names of the two guys I knew on the roll of the dead - Renny Huerd, from high school (GHS tennis team), and Jerry Smith, a Hamline grad. Both died in 1968. There were this year, again, quite a number of bouquets of flowers, and individual carnations and roses.
I rode back up John Ireland Boulevard, past the Cathedral and St Paul College. The bike ride was about seven miles in all.
It has been raining at Roland Garros, but Serena Williams is through to the second round, as is Venus. Milagros Sequera has begun to play the French woman, Virginia Razzano, to get to a match with the "bootylicious" Serena. Rozzano won the first set 7-5 and play will continue tomorrow. It is scheduled for 11 am on Court 1.
Photo below of the Moohoo family - Wireless, G.Z., and B. Babe - in front of the Metrodome after the game:
After the game I was able to rally for a ride on the Trek to the Minnesota Capitol and a look at the new WWII Memorial, just finished this year. I stopped by at the Viet Nam Memorial and found the names of the two guys I knew on the roll of the dead - Renny Huerd, from high school (GHS tennis team), and Jerry Smith, a Hamline grad. Both died in 1968. There were this year, again, quite a number of bouquets of flowers, and individual carnations and roses.
I rode back up John Ireland Boulevard, past the Cathedral and St Paul College. The bike ride was about seven miles in all.
It has been raining at Roland Garros, but Serena Williams is through to the second round, as is Venus. Milagros Sequera has begun to play the French woman, Virginia Razzano, to get to a match with the "bootylicious" Serena. Rozzano won the first set 7-5 and play will continue tomorrow. It is scheduled for 11 am on Court 1.
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Sunday before Memorial Day
The Indianapolis 500 is history and my five picks in the race were wrong again, as usual. Apparently the closest I got was my fifth choice, Ashley Judd, who will likely be sleeping with the champion.
I was able to squeeze in a short ride on the Trek, down to the Minnesota state capitol, about three miles distant. It was clear, nearly windless and about 68 degrees. As close to perfect as ever a Sunday was. I meandered on the ride, while your Unky Herb was out blistering the paths down along Old Man River. We left home and returned within minutes of each other and compared mileage totals at the end. He had twice the miles, but I had these photos and enough energy for ninety minutes of crushing forehands at St Clair playground with Tennis Dennis. It was a reasonable exchange. There is a sculpture park just across the street from the Sears store on Rice Street. It is the home of several imaginative sculptures of a variety of materials. The park is next to some apartment buildings that house a number of immigrants from Somalia, I think. One of the kids talked at me in his language as I left, but as I did in Japan last May, I could only smile and nod. I took the first photo near where the conversation took place.
Large, long-legged creature looming over Trekkie.
On Memorial Day for the last few years, I have biked down to the Capitol grounds to see the Minnesota memorials to the various wars that we've been afflicted with, most of them in my lifetime. On Memorial Day there are always a bunch of Viet Nam veterans at the memorial to that conflict, guys about my age and their families. They'll be there tomorrow. I guess it was my war. I never served in the conflict. I was one of the lucky ones. I'd like to thank any and all who did serve for their sacrifices, including those with their name on the wall pictured below. I am forever grateful that the names on the wall do not include any of my family or close friends.
Minnesota's Viet Nam War Memorial and the words of Archibald MacLeish:
As John Lennon wrote many years ago "All I am asking, is give peace a chance."
I was able to squeeze in a short ride on the Trek, down to the Minnesota state capitol, about three miles distant. It was clear, nearly windless and about 68 degrees. As close to perfect as ever a Sunday was. I meandered on the ride, while your Unky Herb was out blistering the paths down along Old Man River. We left home and returned within minutes of each other and compared mileage totals at the end. He had twice the miles, but I had these photos and enough energy for ninety minutes of crushing forehands at St Clair playground with Tennis Dennis. It was a reasonable exchange. There is a sculpture park just across the street from the Sears store on Rice Street. It is the home of several imaginative sculptures of a variety of materials. The park is next to some apartment buildings that house a number of immigrants from Somalia, I think. One of the kids talked at me in his language as I left, but as I did in Japan last May, I could only smile and nod. I took the first photo near where the conversation took place.
Large, long-legged creature looming over Trekkie.
On Memorial Day for the last few years, I have biked down to the Capitol grounds to see the Minnesota memorials to the various wars that we've been afflicted with, most of them in my lifetime. On Memorial Day there are always a bunch of Viet Nam veterans at the memorial to that conflict, guys about my age and their families. They'll be there tomorrow. I guess it was my war. I never served in the conflict. I was one of the lucky ones. I'd like to thank any and all who did serve for their sacrifices, including those with their name on the wall pictured below. I am forever grateful that the names on the wall do not include any of my family or close friends.
Minnesota's Viet Nam War Memorial and the words of Archibald MacLeish:
As John Lennon wrote many years ago "All I am asking, is give peace a chance."
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Lady of Elm
When an elm tree dies in St Paul, and many have in the last few years, the trunk is often carved into a sculpture of some figure or another. Many are quite detailed and attractive. This one sits on Summit Avenue at the top Ramsey Hill. It's not titled and the artist is unknown.
Yesterday's photo was indeed Hidden Falls. The new car was won by lucky Unky Herb, who guessed where it was right away. I suggested that the car he won was the Corolla that I gave him about three years ago.
I played Saturday morning tennis at 8:45 at Saint Paul Academy. It consisted of several members of Eric Narvaez's USTA team and a couple of geezer stragglers. Tennis Dennis and me. It was a nice morning, some very brief sprinkles and 2+ sets of doubles. 3-6, 2-1, 6-0. I again learned that guys in their thirties have quicker reflexes than 60 somethings. And that slow and steady can often carry the day.
Unky Herb and I had a nice long hike down Summit to Western and back via Holly Avenue. The neighborhood is filled with 1900's charm and expensive properties. There were also several of those elm trees converted to sculpture.
The Roland Garros tournament main draw starts tomorrow in Paris. The excitement is palpable.
Yesterday's photo was indeed Hidden Falls. The new car was won by lucky Unky Herb, who guessed where it was right away. I suggested that the car he won was the Corolla that I gave him about three years ago.
I played Saturday morning tennis at 8:45 at Saint Paul Academy. It consisted of several members of Eric Narvaez's USTA team and a couple of geezer stragglers. Tennis Dennis and me. It was a nice morning, some very brief sprinkles and 2+ sets of doubles. 3-6, 2-1, 6-0. I again learned that guys in their thirties have quicker reflexes than 60 somethings. And that slow and steady can often carry the day.
Unky Herb and I had a nice long hike down Summit to Western and back via Holly Avenue. The neighborhood is filled with 1900's charm and expensive properties. There were also several of those elm trees converted to sculpture.
The Roland Garros tournament main draw starts tomorrow in Paris. The excitement is palpable.
Friday, May 25, 2007
New Car
Name this location and win a new car!
A very excellent day in May. I didn't have time to bike, but I got in my daily dose of tennis - today at St. Clair Playground tennis courts. There was no wind, the sun mainly obscured by clouds and a temp of 67. Nice.
The last time I talked to the assistant English teacher, she told me that this blog is not funny enough. I tried to retell the G.W. Bush story about the three Brazilians that were killed in Afghanistan, an event that George thought was a terrible tragedy, but was forced to ask "How many are a brazillion?" - but we started to talk about rumbas and other dances of Brazil and the moment was lost.
I visited the Japanese Garden at Como park with my Unky Herb. It's a very nice Japanese style garden, including rocks, and trees and a series of pools filled with large, colorful carp. It's dedicated to St Paul's sister city relationship with Nagasaki, Japan, the place where the second Atomic bomb was used in anger. Herb spent a year and a half just outside of Hiroshima - the other place. It was a peaceful day, but Como was full of kids on field trips, and there was significant hurly-burly. It reminded me of Vonnegut for some reason. Maybe because Memorial Day is Monday.
The draw has been done at Roland Garros and the regular part of the event starts Saturday, although the qualifiers have been hacking away for almost a week. Rafael Nadal is seeded number 2 (behind Federer), but has a tough clay courter in the first round, Juan Del Potro of Argentina. Amelie Mauresmo is seeded 5th and meets Laura Granville in the first round. She is judged to have a fairly easy draw for the first week. My girl, Milagros Sequera, is unseeded (68th in the world WTA rankings) and first plays Virginia Razzano of France (61st in WTA rankings). If Milagros wins she'll likely meet the "bootylicious" Serena Williams in the second round. Not an auspiciously good draw.
Rubber side down.
A very excellent day in May. I didn't have time to bike, but I got in my daily dose of tennis - today at St. Clair Playground tennis courts. There was no wind, the sun mainly obscured by clouds and a temp of 67. Nice.
The last time I talked to the assistant English teacher, she told me that this blog is not funny enough. I tried to retell the G.W. Bush story about the three Brazilians that were killed in Afghanistan, an event that George thought was a terrible tragedy, but was forced to ask "How many are a brazillion?" - but we started to talk about rumbas and other dances of Brazil and the moment was lost.
I visited the Japanese Garden at Como park with my Unky Herb. It's a very nice Japanese style garden, including rocks, and trees and a series of pools filled with large, colorful carp. It's dedicated to St Paul's sister city relationship with Nagasaki, Japan, the place where the second Atomic bomb was used in anger. Herb spent a year and a half just outside of Hiroshima - the other place. It was a peaceful day, but Como was full of kids on field trips, and there was significant hurly-burly. It reminded me of Vonnegut for some reason. Maybe because Memorial Day is Monday.
The draw has been done at Roland Garros and the regular part of the event starts Saturday, although the qualifiers have been hacking away for almost a week. Rafael Nadal is seeded number 2 (behind Federer), but has a tough clay courter in the first round, Juan Del Potro of Argentina. Amelie Mauresmo is seeded 5th and meets Laura Granville in the first round. She is judged to have a fairly easy draw for the first week. My girl, Milagros Sequera, is unseeded (68th in the world WTA rankings) and first plays Virginia Razzano of France (61st in WTA rankings). If Milagros wins she'll likely meet the "bootylicious" Serena Williams in the second round. Not an auspiciously good draw.
Rubber side down.
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