Hi, Bye & Triplets. Random Musings #6

Gus!

     Say Hello to my buddy Gus. He's an Airedale Terrier who I frequently bump into while exercising.  We have much in common, Gus and I: We love walking along the Swan River. We prefer a 'slow and steady' pace. Sometimes our knees creak. We're both really cute. And we love the occasional cookie--especially the expensive kind. Gus' (nameless) owner shocked me the other day by stating that this former abused shelter dog from Sydney is only seven years old. That's 49 in human years.  Gus' slow speed can be attributed to being a bit overweight.  Ummm, another thing Gus and I have in common.  Not much of a dog person, Gus has waddled right into my heart. Occasionally, a collie named Vincent and his (also nameless--as if it mattered) owner come across my path and I say hello to him also.  In fact, my four-legged friend Gus is a great motivator for me to get out there every morning. I look forward to saying hello to him. And both of us ever earlier with a faster step as the days get warmer and warmer.  The sooner finished, the sooner in front of a fan.  We are so smart, Gus and I.

Old at 8 years

     Saying Goodbye to my trusty old cellphone. It served me faithfully for eight years. It fit into my hand and my bag quite easily.  And it also fit into my leather cover from my first cellphone. Technology is making it obsolete.  I'm obliged to buy a new phone that fits only into a child's lost sock and has more bells and whistles than I want.  I am not a technophobe. Those slick smartphones can really come in handy with maps, gps, internet access and the like. Easy to see how people get so glued to and reliant upon them.  And that is where I balk at the idea of getting one (besides being a cheapskate  thrifty.)  Phones are a great tool but not my best friend, social crutch or cleaner of fridge, as handy as that would be.  I would also be a bit nervous about putting my entire life-private and professional-on a single device so easily damaged or lost. And even more wary of turning into one of those phone gawking drones you see on the bus every morning--long rendered by technology incapable of carrying on a conversation with others or even the desire to do so. So hello low tech phone and hello to to all I meet. Lovely to communicate with you.

Twin & Triplet Bananas

     I have Triplets! I've only had twins before so this is really exciting.  OK, maybe just amusing to my eight year-old nephew Nathan and myself. At the Canning Markets lately, I've been finding Siamese twin bananas-two separate bananas side by side under one peel.  These are quite fun but no one seems to want them.  So I get a special deal on them and then pass them out to kids at church the next day and to my nephew. We think these are a hoot.  Yesterday I found Triplets. Way cool.  Nathan is out of town and cannot enjoy it in person so I will turn it into Banana Butter, a happy spread I won second place for at this year's fair.  Alright, I may be amused  by things of little consequence but you have to admit: Twin and Triplet bananas are really cute.


  Author's Note: Found December 24, 2016 at the Canning Markets. QUADRUPLET banana. Yes, all four are connected top to bottom under the same undulating peel. Will be making Banana Butter very soon.

Quadruplet  Banana!

 

A Walk Along The Foreshore

    I have really stepped up my exercise routine from whenever to one and a half hours, five days a week. I power walk along the Swan River southside foreshore and use some of  the community fitness equipment along the way. In the last four months I have lost not a single ounce [grrrrrrrrrr] but early every morning I am treated to some great visuals.  Get your sneakers on and walk with me:

    Wildlife : The animal kind.  There are a million white cockatoos walking around--yes, walking.  They wattle to feed before terrorizing the innocent from the sky. You have to work at not stepping on them.  I never see the cormorants feed. They usually just stand on the retaining wall with their wings open hoping to warm up in the early morning sun. Look almost like pterodactyls posing for a movie still.   Now, the pelicans can be fun to watch. They scoop their long bills into the water and take in a few gallons of water. Slowly they squeeze the water out of that big, fleshy pouch and then gulp, gulp, gulp the remaining fish. This always attracts seagulls looking for some quick chum or escaping fish for breakfast. There is the usual  game of black swans, the very signature of Perth, gracefully swimming in pairs and confident of their place in the sun. Finally, on a noteworthy day, a pod of dolphins will make their presence known. Sometimes just their fin shows and sometimes they happily breach the water. Everyone likes to see dolphins although those hardcore exercisers will only stare as they zoom past instead of slowing down to admire.

    Humans : The wildlife kind. Surprisingly many of these for so early in the morning. Most are the garden variety walkers, joggers and runners  accompanied by friends, dogs or their own thoughts. There is no shortage of Lycra-clad cyclists zooming along on the parallel bike path. The other day I saw a dad taking his daughter to school...on a tandem bicycle! On weekends you'll see the Over 30s Road Runners taking the weekly foot race that rotates between the parks in the metro area.  These folks are actually mostly over 50 and enjoy field events once a month also. Just watching them exhausts me.
    Early morning (and lunchtime and after work) are good times for personal trainers and fitness instructors to meet their clients. The year-round moderate weather in this region really encourages fitness sessions anytime, anywhere. It is becoming ever more common to see small groups of people led in exercise by a trainer who

Lunchtime fitness in the Park

sees no reason to buy or rent premises when congregating on public property is absolutely free and nicer to look at. But some municipalities are starting to have a problem with this.  There are so many private classes conducted on public lands that city officials are worried about liability. These communities are now looking to license these exercise 'businesses' with a further requirement of carrying insurance. Tough break for the folks who get paid to watch others sweat.
    And finally the vision that reminds me once again that I am in a different place.  We are all familiar with the image of corporate executives staying lean, mean, shrewd business decision making machines in their thrice weekly, early morning squash sessions with other corporate colleagues. Save the sweatbands, small rackets, and tiny spaces for there is a whole different image for those same high flyers here in OZ.     At six o'clock in the morning, the Aussie executive is out water skiing with his cronies. You can't miss them--very middle-aged men with sturdy legs and (ahem) solid stomachs clad in neoprene suits take turns skimming the top of the water behind an expensive speedboat. I suppose that if they lived on the ocean, these same captains of industry would be surfing the waves at the same hour.  Totally cracks me up.
    O.K., exercise time is over. Let's get some breakfast.