Art On the Move


I was scooting in downtown Lake Oswego, waiting to cross the street.
Art Martin
"Hello Tammy", a fellow pedestrian said.  I was used to being recognized, but it's usually as the anonymous lady on the scooter.  I'm pretty hard to miss, but I rarely hear my name.  Looking up (it's always up), I recognized Art, even though it had been awhile since we spoke.  Even longer since he had rescued me*– 2011 to be precise.  I had naively referred to him then as "elderly" and worried about what my folly would cost him.  He goodnaturedly reminds me of that frequently.  Now here he was, nearly 10 years later, out for his daily walk, healthy, and unchanged by the years.  That'll teach me...There was only 13 years between us.
Old friends
Art invited me to join he and another friend from my early scooting years.  I met John Burns and his wife Audrey in 2011 as well**.  He and Audrey had moved to an Assisted Living facility and I lost contact, but thought about them frequently.  Audrey had died about four years ago and John moved to a facility closer. Art had lunch with him on a regular basis.  
Sharing technology
Art in Iceland.  Latin American architecture

 So, what did I learn from Art about longevity?  Plenty, as it turned out.  He walks the hills of Lake Oswego regularly, knows most of the neighbors by name, and keeps tabs on changes in the 'hood'. Travel is his drug of choice—Iceland, Hawaii, Cuba, Panama, Costa Rica...

 My adventure travel days may be over, but I could certainly make more of an effort to stay in touch with my old friends and new neighbors.  I just needed to learn to not be afraid of people I don't know.  What I considered intrusive, people may view as interest.  Most importantly with the help of Skeeter, I could keep moving.

 The lesson:  Don't be reluctant to reconnect with old friends, say hello to people you encounter, and keep moving!

 *Previous post: Out of Power--Adventure #3
Previous post: The Northwest Scootroute Garden Tour, 4th paragraph

Comments

  1. rv nellyMay 20, 2020 at 3:33 PM

    Good for you!! I have learned these past several months it's very easy to become a hermit!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownJune 1, 2020 at 6:59 PM

    Love you tam

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Life in the Time of COVID: Managing the Money Pit

Image
Who benefits when you're staying clo se to home–all the time?  Could be the home itself.  When you're out and about, it's easy to get distracted and ignore signs that the house needs some attention.  But when you spend the lion's share of your time at home, it becomes daunting. The most urgent task was determining the source of a significant water leak and then fixing it. Was it in the pool? The hot tub? The water feature?  Worst case (most expensive to repair) scenario, was it under the concrete?  Long story short, it took nearly 6 months to figure out that it wasn't the pool (yay) , it wasn't the water feature (yay) , and it wasn't something under the concrete (major yay, I hope) .  We still haven't found the source, but we're closing in with help of professional leak detectors  ( of course) .    Although the water feature wasn't the cause of the mystery leak, it did need to be revised before becoming a major problem.  The lining had t...
Read more

The Road Trip: Part 1 of 5

Image
In Travels With Charlie , John Steinbeck said, "You don't take a trip, it takes you."  This became a recurring theme and our philosophy for the month. The route Earl and I hit the road on May 4 and came home May 29, driving nearly 6000 miles.  Rather than one trip, it was more like three.  We had a great time, and discovered that while three weeks is fine, four is a bit too long.  That said, we have no 'we shouldn't have gone theres'. Preferring daily showers and electricity, I'm just not a good camper.  Motels along the way became our temporary home on the road.  Moving motels every other day had its pluses and minuses.  Come to think of it– primarily minuses.  However, we did discover what we really need in an 'Accessible' room.  I'll trade a roll-in shower for some space to move, and always travel with nightlights.  I had forgotten how noisy motels can be and how thin the walls are.  Some travelers get up at the cra...
Read more

The Flower Quest

Image
Obtaining flowers isn't usually much of a problem here.  I see them when scooting on my garden route*.  Earl has developed a green thumb and is cultivating some on his own.  Friends and neighbors are a good supply.  I have developed a reputation in that I never met a flower I didn't like.  Bottom line:  Flowers make me happy and I always have places for arrangements**.  But, when Earl suggested that we go to the Dahlia Festival in nearby Canby, we had decisions to make.  Nothing is simple these days.  Did I really want to go?  1.  Was this event worth the effort?  Answer: Yes 2.  What's the best vehicle***?  Answer:  Skeeter would allow me more unassisted mobility. 3.  Would my bladder last 3 hours?  Answer:  Probably Portland and surrounds, like many cities, holds one celebration or another for its flowers. From June through August, there's the Rose Festival, the Tulip festival, the Iri...
Read more