Rust

Rust, originally uploaded by lucienphoto.

Summer is winding on. We have had the beauty of a brilliant spring, the not-quite-so-hot, but very dry summer. We have had a couple of terrific storms, some occasional rain and some beautiful skies at sunset.

Our little corner of the world has visited the North Shore of Lake Superior; Dallas, TX; Lincoln, NE; Atlanta, GA; Chicago, IL; Hayward, WI; Detroit Lakes, MN; and a few shorter trips to the regular environs here around Minneapolis-St. Paul.

We will have seen almost all the family members that still count. Zoos, baseball and softball games. We have had a bonfire or two here with the visiting teens and pre-teens. We have had a basketball game or two, taken quite a few bike rides, visited DQ on a hot night; long for a fire on cooler nights, sweated when we chose not to use the air and pulled covers up to our chins on nights when the temperature seemed more like April or October rather than June or July.

We have frequented a couple of new local restaurants; Smash Burger (yuck); and the new deli (TU here). Marcus tried some new foods (salads and greens); and he spent a week being a vegetarian (don't know why, but he's a kid). Angel has a boyfriend (strong grip-plays football) and we are almost done with her braces.

Mary worked hard this summer. Struggling with a neck strain/back injury that plagued her most of the summer. I fought with the battle of bulge for the first real time in my life. It is harder to get on that tiny seat on my bike, but it is still just as fun. Wind in my face, sounds of birds and the slight hum of rubber tires on the blacktop.

Marcus took golf lessons through First Tee and loved it. He and Mary played a couple of 9 hole games. Angel fell really hard for softball and played on a championship team. She missed the final game though because of family vacation. Still, nothing like being a winner.

August is rust. Rust is tarnish. Tarnish is a covering. That covering starts to change things. What more changes might we see this year? Sometime in August the politcians are going to either make some decisions or continue with the nonsensical partisan ideologies about healthcare and economic recovery. They should have to shed the donkey and the elephant at the lawmaker's front steps and do simply what is right. Some of the best educated but little-boy-frightened-at-first-day-of-school people I have ever seen.

America is rusty herself. We can polish her up or let her decline. We have to decide. The status quo is no longer an option.

And my photography skills are a bit more polished. Trying hard to avoid rust and complacency. Where do we all go next?