Truthful Tuesday: May 18th, 2021

Welcome to Truthful Tuesday: the weekly counterpoint to all the fibbing that goes on around here each Friday. In case you’re new here or just need a quick refresher, the idea is to answer the question below as honestly as possible.

The Question

It’s often said that hindsight is 20/20, and it is also stated that “learning from experience” is just shorthand for “doing it the wrong way at least once”. With these two thoughts in mind, many well-meaning prompt writers ask us questions such as, “Are there things you wish you could go back in time and do differently?” or, “Would you jump at the chance to be a teenager again?“ Personally, I hate these kinds of questions, which is why I am asking this one:

Would you jump at the chance to go back and correct some of the errors you made in your youth, even if it meant fundamentally changing who you are now?

WHAT WOULD I CHANGE?

I do believe that today I am the sum total of all my parts, my triumphs, my tragedies, my good choices and my bad ones. I can’t think of any one that stands out more than all the others.

I think the thing I would do differently is that I would begin my travels to other countries sooner than I did. My first international trip was a month-long visit to my brother living in Sri Lanka at the time. Without pulling out the old passport my guess is that it was over 25 years ago. That should have been followed closely by more travel. I came back a changed person in many ways but just picked up on my life at that time and went back to the everyday.

I did pick up travel to other countries a bit more but let the practical world come into my life and keep me rooted at “home”. I was able to live in Mexico for a six month assignment but again did not pursue more of the same.

Photo by Jason Toevs on Pexels.com

At this point, I am just waiting for the world to open up again. By the way I do not have unlimited money but have found many ways to allow this to happen on a very restricted budget. Look out world, here I come.

Mother’s Day

Just a quick wish to all who are or had a mother. Have a wonderful day.

Photo by Godson Bright on Pexels.com

Jack – 99 words

Somehow I know this will be my year. Jack came into my life during the pandemic and I could not help but fall in love with all the time we spent together. This could be my second chance at fulfilling all my fondest wishes.

Registration rules require that I call him “Hit The Road Jack” instead of just the Jack that I wanted. I just know this is my year to win the Kentucky Derby and Jack will be the one. I see it now the roses draped across the neck.

Alarm rings, must get up for work now.

Thursday Doors – No Corner Store

At one time in my neighborhood in Chicago most blocks had at least one storefront building, in some cases it was a corner building to catch the travel from 2 directions but sometimes it was in the middle of a block and today they are mostly gone. My block had 4, on the left side as I looked out across the street was a small grocery store and the family lived on the second floor. Across the street almost directly in front of us was a neighborhood tavern with a pool room attached. Then on the right side corner across the street was another neighborhood tavern with 2 flats above it and one was occupied by the owner of the building.

On my side of the street on the right side was my favorite store, a small candy store and the owner lived in a small apartment in back of the store with her daughter and son-in-law living in a 2nd floor apartment. Here is where I spent my $.75 I earned by helping a neighbor keep an eye on her children while she was writing a book. Almost all of it was penny candy. WOW.

Today that is valuable real estate and the small stores did not survive. Here are a few examples of how the stores have been disguised to create another apartment in the buildings that survived the wrecking ball.

Part of old windows bricked up

Windows here are covered with wood.

These are framed to appear as 2 windows on each side.

Foux rock and wood siding around smaller windows

Thursday Doors – Poland

We visited Krakow Poland in 2019 and managed to capture a few doors in our wandering around the city. These are wood and at least 10 feet tall. Most of the buildings they are on were a couple hundred years old.

Many of the doors have graffiti on them but for my first grouping I chose these beauties. They are even more impressive in person.

Thursday Doors – Spring

Today I was wandering out in the suburbs in an area of nice but very repetitive doors, nothing to make one sit up and take notice. So my choice were a couple of doors that made me feel it was spring. We had some very cool days but a lot of sunshine.

An adorable bunny in the flowers.

Very attractive gray house and yellow door.

The sunshine really felt wonderful today and made the cool weather not as cold. Lots of spring flowers bursting into bloom really helps. Hope you have a sunny day.

Thursday Doors – French Style

A couple of years ago I was luckily traveling in France. Here are a couple of doors. I was not posting doors then but these captured me.

Whole doorway.

Close up of door.

Amazing work over the door.

Inside Doors

I have been sharing some doors from this interesting area and have a friend who lives in a fabulous house here. I thought it would be fun to see some of the doors inside the house. The doors that separate and exit to the outside are about 10 feet high with the trim. All are solid wood.

Both sections of this door open.

One of 2 interior doors with a transom.

Built-in from the dining room, bottom portion.

The fact that these are intact in a house that is well over 100 years old is such a bonus. Hope you enjoy as much as I do.

Challenge # 50 Beach Time

This challenge comes from a small writing group.  We have a large series of random questions that we answer and share.  The goal is to answer at least one per week.  My personal goal is to do this for one full year. I am so glad this is almost over, it has now reached the tedious level and I have no plans for after it’s over. I know the writing group is getting together but I have not been brave enough to attend a gathering of that sort yet.

Question: You’re barefoot in the sand on a beach, and the waves run over your toes. Describe what you are feeling.

Beach Time

Relaxed and peaceful, just watching the water come and go, listening to the sounds of the water and birds. Whenever I go on vacation by the beach I do the opposite of most of my friends. I love to be up before the sun and watch a sunrise over the water. Next once the sun is fully up I enjoy walking barefoot in the sand just to soak in everything.

My second favorite thing is to watch the sunset, like in Florida it depends on which side of the state I am on. If you look at my stored photos you will see endless sunrise and sunset photos.

I have also taken far too many photos of my own foot in the sand and water. Almost ashamed to admit that I have posted these pictures on line. It has been well over a year since I have been able to go to a beach and I can only hope it happens this year. I may have to stop up the bathtub so the water overflows and raid the kids sandbox so I can walk in the surf and sand soon!

Thursday Doors II

Last week in Doors my subjects were colorful and elegant and in some cases very unique. That portion of the city was built by industry leaders. Store and/or shop owners, manufacturers, attorneys and doctors.

This week I am only 6 blocks away but these are 2 or 3 or 4 apartments in each building. It’s where the workers lived who staffed the shop or factory. Most have 4 or 5 buildings per block with the corner buildings being mostly 12 flats or small shops. The neighborhood grocer or tavern or deli. Sometimes a small church. A very different feel only 6 blocks away.