Garages go better with Coke

Spotted while driving down an alley at twilight in TGS.

Is this the hoosier version of an outdoor refrigerator?

What's the fate of this building?

I've adored this little stone building in McDonald Park ever since I was a child. My grade school, Holy Family, had lunch recess in this park during nice weather. The concession stand and restrooms were open.

Now the paint is peeling along the top canopy and the front is partially covered with graffiti.

One of my neighbors suggested that this building be demolished.

I've suggested a different use: renting it to a student (or anyone) in exchange for being a presence and picking up litter. The cost of adding a shower to one of the bathrooms and turning the other bathroom into added living space would provide a small efficiency and cost less than a demo to the building.

Plumbing and electrical currently exist on site.
Can it be saved and put to use?

I'm going to FWD this post to my 10th ward alderman, Joe Vollmer who has been wonderfully supportive with Marti's Memorial garden which will be located 100 feet away.


Concession stand window.

Side view.
Note the chewed bottom of the door.

The graceful curve of the back of the building.

Standing water under the sprinkler:

My Neighbor's Hands

Presto Chango!

How it looked two years ago:

Recently repainted. Subtle yet stunning.
What I've always loved about this house is that the sidewalk doesn't cut through the front yard.
I figure I've walked by this house 7,776 times as a child walking to grade school every day. This figure includes the walk home and back for lunch.

Beau goes to the Pride Pet Parade on MGF

Gitty up!

Butt sniffing: Canine version of hand shaking.

Here's a challenge:

Ashpit greenhouse

I was excited to discover this ashpit repurposed into a green house. I peeked, that's asparagus.

Pointless

Click on the title above.

My friend Pat emailed to say This is pretty neat. Just move your cursor slowly around and you will get the feeling you are flying over mountains.


It's the visual equivalent of a Philip Glass score.
Bleak and redundant.

How to embarrass your neighbors and draw ridicule

The Horror.

Little Sadie says Good-bye

Chris has been in town the last few days packing up his partner and her children to move them to the West coast with him. He called a few times, we missed each other then finally today I was able to drive over to say good-bye. Again. We've been in the good-bye business for the last year.

The Red Diamond Inn was jumping with friends and family helping with the packing. I made my brief appearance and headed out to the street where I saw five year old Sadie sitting alone on the stoop with her head lowered to her fists.

What's wrong Little Sadie, I asked sitting down beside her.
I miss my friends, she wailed.
I pulled her onto my lap.
You'll make new friends in Seattle and it's beautiful there.

She said, I don't care about seaddle! No one asked me if I wanted to go, I was told. I wasn't given a choice!

I was astounded by her self awareness, eloquence, and understanding of choice.

I realized telling her about Seattle was only dismissing her grief.

Why will you miss your friends, I asked. Because I know the power of separation and how poorly I had just handled it with Chris. I was practically indifferent not wanting to become emotional and distract him from packing and the time line.

They are nice to me and fun to play with. They like me.
She then told me about one of the older boy she would miss as I admired the part of her hand where she has dimples and I have knuckles.

What else will you miss?
This house. My bike, I don't get to take it, my Mom is donating it (this was said with a bit of despair). I want to stay here!

We dawdled a bit as I talked about the mountains and flying in an airplane. The people will look this big she said as she jumped off my lap and showed me a small rock.

I took her plump hand, and we crossed the street so she could take a good look at the Red Diamond Inn. To say good-bye to it I guess.

I see something you don't see she announced.
I remembered the game and asked about the color. She grinned. We played the gane for ten minutes.

Eventually she pushed her bike back into the yard, hugged me and waved good-bye. A good-bye much more graceful and poignant than I had managed.

Chris, I forgot to tell you I love you.
Of course you know that...I just needed to say it.