Holiday comes to town

old photo, old friends . . . young them (1987) older now (2009).

and then there were three

and then two (counting the guy with the camera, me)

oh, and tony makes three for a lunch of Mexican food in Redondo Beach

Mike and i had a nice day of walking and talking and a little eating. after lunch in Redondo Beach we took my car (public bus) up to Hermosa Beach and walked back down to the beach. we stopped by another old friend Bryce's new shop called Curious which is on Pier Avenue near the beach. i had not been in the store. back in March i met Bryce outside his new shop painting. he had recently returned from living for 4 years in Kauai. at that time the shop was not open so today was the first day to see it. very nice. very eclectic, cards, picture frames, candles, jewelry. and i was happily surprised to see some of my photos in his shop. Mike and i continued on down to the beach and took a rest out on the pier, watching the surf, surfers and other things that caught are eye ... pelicans, seagulls, etc. from there we walked back along the bike/walking/skating path and eventually ended up at Redondo Pier, Redondo Beach and then finally back at his hotel. as you can see from the above photos the June Gloom returned around 5pm which actually made it cool and comfortable. much different than Mike's Florida weather. i left him to watch America's Got Talent as i caught the bus back home around 915p. nice day with an old friend. he has a 530am van to catch. i will be sleeping in until at least 6 or 630.

view from Hermosa Pier of the surfers and that almost florescent green algae i mentioned last week

thoughts as 1:07pm became 1:53pm, as 1987 becomes 2008

this could have been me almost 20 year ago (but no Tony back then)

as i was laying on the beach, early afternoon, mid-week, i thought this is the same thing i was doing 19 year and half years ago when i first moved to the South Bay. Steve and i moved from Pittsburgh to Redondo Beach in late March, 1989.  his life is a little different nowadays (understated for effect) which is why he wasn't on the beach with me (and Tony) this afternoon. my life is almost the same as it was almost 20 years ago. and as i was thinking upon that i realized that we started training in Pittsburgh on the 18th of October (i think), so we actually met on the 17th.  i thought i had the hotel room to myself until Steve knocked on the door and said he was to be my roommate for the duration of training.  little did we know we would live together for the next 6 years and still be friends over 21 years later.  and it was on the 18th where we met our classmates Mike and Jimmy.  Mike (previous blog entries) is still in my life.  his life has greatly changed also. Jimmy is still in Mike's life. so one could say Jimmy is still on the outer edges of my life.  those are a few of my thoughts while trying not to get too much sun on this mid-October summer-like thursday afternoon.  it felt good to fall asleep in the sun listening to the ocean after a short three and half mile walk to get to this part, my favorite part of the beach.  i did "play" in the water enough to get my shorts wet (and my camera wet) (another story for another day).

 

about a size 10 and a half and one sand dollar.  correct change, please.

i thought my footprints reminded me of something.

a two umbrella day for her

that's what i'm talking about

Mike and Steve.  i think the first time the three of us played tennis was about 21 years ago.

temperature around 90F.  blue sky.  no clouds. 

Mike's last PHL-based trip.  Steve's first day of his New Year.

it was a summer's day for the last day of September.  and i am tired.  but, it was a very fun day spending most of the day with Mike after playing tennis with Steve and Mike.  but, i am tired.  it is almost 10pm and i need to find my small fan (senpuki).  the temperature is 82F/28C at almost 10pm.  

more tomorrow.

maybe Jonathan

a wonderful day, a wonderful place for reflection

                                                           

on the beach. (Mia and Chris Rea).

down but not out

tomorrow i have an appointment at 940a with the Apple technicians at the Apple Store in Manhattan Beach because . . . my computer is/was broken.  perhaps it needed some "down time".  so, just in case it feels the need for another break, i will let you know that is where we will be in the morning.  i think it has something to do with the addition of the new external hard drive.  perhaps, i will keep the appointment in the morning even if it doesn't "crash" again.  i do have a question or two for those "geniuses".  however, i am not too excited about carrying my computer on the bus.

i had a good two hours with my friend Mike this morning before he had to get ready for work.  i walked down to his hotel near the beach around 7am and went to Starbucks for some coffee and a slice of "pumpkin roll".  i highly recommend this seasonal delight.  of course, i am not a coffee drinker so water was fine for me.

Mike had some kind of special "once a year" anniversary blend of coffee.  we caught up on a little work stuff, looked at some stuff on my iPod . . . i downloaded some Debbie Gibson music videos (circa 1987) for him.  he did a little shopping in Trader Joe's and then we headed back to the hotel.  he had a 955s airport van pickup.  i walked to Redondo Beach library (more Morse) and then to the farmer's market near the Redondo Beach Pier.  the marine layer was still keeping the sun away but it was warm despite the gray sky.

memorial for 9-11. . . to be revealed on 9-13 .   perhaps because it is more convenient on saturday, that's why.

Redondo Beach farmer's market (every thursday)

i picked out a few avocados ( and thought of Tozy's fun song), some peaches (thought of the Allmost Brothers) and a few tomatoes (thought of a nice sandwich).  from there i walked along the beach back to the dog park where i took a break overlooking the ocean and ate one of the peaches.  and then it was back up and over and down and around back to my place.  i am writing more than usual because i am so happy to have my computer working.  now i will see if my iPhoto works.

Mike saying "hello" and "byebye" to his son back in Florida.

~Don't forget:  Meiko is on Conan tonite (actually around 130a tomorrow).