harley davidson
been so long since i wrote anything here, or even turned on my computer, that my computer is basically dead. at a minimum, it needs a new power button. better half will fix it when he has time, and/or will have to build me a new one at some point.
i know i took this pic of a very blue on blue cycle in west covina, at manny’s el loco. (i think they closed down not too long ago). i really can’t remember if this was a fundraiser for something, or a memorial show. i’d have to look through pics from that day, which i can’t, since as i said, my computer isn’t working. I vaguely think someone had died, and the show was in his honor.
pretty bike. there’s some good airbrushing going on all over the fenders and tank, as well as some elaborate chromework etching.
this past year sucked massively.
do i need to state the most obvious reason? pesky virus.
car shows cancelled.
office closed. job got really stressful.
restaurants closed.
mother-in-law died in june.
better half allows me to visit him in whittier as long as i wear a mask.
my computer is not working.
ex mother-in-law died new year’s eve.
let me explain a few of those bullets, since a few sound pretty sketch when typed.
the virus did a trickle down to several of those points:
my ex mother-in-law topped off the year, by checking out new year’s eve. in spite of living in a house with people that did have the virus, and being in direct contact, she did not get it, and died age ninety-six.
we’ll miss you, guadalupe
my office closed, as did most every office. i have worked from home—the front room at my mom’s house—since march. mom loves it; the dog beast loves it; better half doesn’t love it so much, but believes it’s best i stay with her.
with the work computer sitting here 24/7, i sometimes find myself easily working into the evening sometimes, just to meet deadlines, or when there’s nothing better to do. they’re hiring more people, so it’s getting more manageable. i do miss seeing my coworkers everyday, but dammit, i do love rolling out of bed five minutes before start time, and working in my jammies all day. i can probably count on one hand the number of times i’ve bothered wearing a bra, dressing in “work” clothes, and wearing real shoes. flip flops are my daily footwear anymore.
i’d taken several months off from going to car shows before this mess sent everyone into hiding. just when i got out of my doldrums and wanted to head out, they evaporated. sure there are cruises now, but they aren’t really conducive to my photography. i did manage to make it out to one show at xmas time, in between shut downs, so there’s that.
my computer not working, makes it a wee bit difficult to put up new pics. i wanted to work on one this past weekend, but it refuses to power on. even if i kick it, or whisper sweet cuss words in it’s fan vent, not entirely under my breath.
sort of miss being able to go dine in at restaurants. as it is, i bring the food home, and the stupid dog sits nearby, staring at my meal and drooling, waiting for any scraps. he’s as tall as the table, so you can’t really hide anything from his view. he’s getting better, and laying down until invited over, but he still has his moments when he’s all up in your food, at your elbow. drooling on the table. really gross.
with my kid that lives here, out and about, hanging with her friends, my better half thinks it’s safer for him if i mostly stay here with my mom. it’s good for her, as she is never alone in the house. good for him, as he can get things done at home. i do visit him once a week if i can manage it, just to keep him sane.
better half’s mother died. not from the virus; she was just old. almost made it to ninety-four. it was during an ease in visitor restrictions at the hospital, so she was not alone, he and his niece were there with her. now he fills his days with work, and evenings following her directions in getting rid of her things and shredding paperwork.
the year wasn’t all bad.
got my first grandkid on valentines day. they changed her middle name to valentina.
took an amtrak trip across the country with my better half, picked up and drove home with my younger brother, along route sixty-six.
son and his family are buying their first home, so yay, i’ll finally get my condo back.
better half and i will be moving to said condo. i don’t think he’s ever lived behind the orange curtain. it’s going to be too small for both of us, so no doubt, we’ll have to look for something else eventually. that, or we won’t be able to climb stairs as we get older and fatter, and probably not wiser.
so, looking forward to this new year, and being able to get back to whatever normal will be now.