Outside my window, the din is a cross between thunderstorm and battle. Somewhere close by, but probably further away than it sounds, fireworks! But wait -- tonight is July 2nd. What??? Good grief - I will have to endure this racket for several nights running. Each town seems to have a different schedule, I have no idea why. It used to be that the fireworks were the night of July 4th, after the barbecues and the parades and all that other stuff people do on this holiday. But NOW - July 4th is on July 2nd and 3rd. Why not?? George Washington's birthday is on whatever Monday is convenient for the banks.
My grandson David (#42 on both his head and his uniform) hit a home run today and I was there to see it. Umpteen sets of parents had to cancel their plans to go down the shore for the weekend because the little league travel teams chose to hold their tournaments today and tomorrow. It was HOT at the field, but Jeremy provided me with a very large bloody mary and plenty of ice, which certainly made the afternoon even more enjoyable.
Since I had no idea where this ball field was, I decided to actually USE the GPS I had bought a few weeks ago.
First, it took me 1/2 hour to program the damn thing. Then, while I was driving, it froze and not only did the voice stop, the screen did not respond to my touch. So I had to stop the car and shut the thing off and on and put in the address stuff all over again.
Since I was familiar with a good part of the route, I was very annoyed when the Lady told me to go a different way that made no sense. I ignored her and she gave in and recalculated. I didn't need her for most of the trip but she got me there at the end, where I would not have known where to turn. And she did give me a better exit off the Garden State Parkway than my iPhone would have given me. I think. Who knows?
As annoying as she is, she does provide some opportunity for conversation.
She: turn right at X Street.
Me: WHY?? She: recalculating. Me: good!. She: turn left at Y street. Me: "WHAT?? Are you kidding?"
She: (silence) Me: are you going to recalculate?" She: recalculating. Me: what took you so long?
And so on. On the way home I deliberately ignored her and took a random route and had no idea where I was. She got me home, so she passed the test. And I had somebody to talk to.
Thursday, I went to New York to have lunch with Marty's favorite client who lives on Riverside Drive. This is the view from one of her windows.
We had a delicious home cooked Indian lunch and a delightful afternoon. All the years, she used to call Marty at home and I always answered the phone but she and I had never met although she and Marty had met a few times. She was his client for 35 years - and now, finally, it was like seeing an old friend.
This is the bridge from the street vantage point: you can see Martha just below George.
Enough of a travelogue. All that sun wore me out and I am done in. Since the commotion has stopped outside, I can probably go to sleep. Enjoy your weekend - I shall enjoy mine, since I am seeing my children.
6 comments:
I finally made friends with the GPS when I could import an address off a garage sale sign and it took me directly to it! I was thrilled.
No fireworks around here--drought conditions have changed the holiday celebration to a laser light show.
That yogurt looks good! maybe I should learn to use my yogurt maker. It's been in the box 5 years or so.
Ah, the stentorian Mrs. G - that's what we call The Lady in the Garmin! It's a love/hate thing between me & Mrs. G. On the one hand, she does inevitably get you there, although I find the cling-blindly-to-the wheel-and-follow-directions extremely unnerving in strange cities (which of course is why you need her in the first place); on the other hand, I apparently have an unnaturally strong resistance to authority that causes me to resist and resent and rebut her flat assertions. And that unruffled "recalculating" - why doesn't she ever get aggravated and shout "you stupid ninnypin, I TOLD you to turn left back there! What am I here for if you're just going to argue with me at every bleepin' turn!?" Not as satisfactory a conversational companion as, say, NPR news or a good mixed tape. But I do have to admit, ultimately a fabulous invention.
But don't you ever start to worry that you're being followed by the CIA, or the KGB, or Martians? There's something creepy about the whole business.
My GPS is called Garmin Girl. She gets angry at me when I don't do what she wants. I can hear it in her tone of voice. DH thinks I'm crazy because Garmin Girl NEVER yells at him. I think she has a favorite! LOL
Hey Rayna,
The Garmin lady in our motorhome was replaced by the G-man, because I so hated her annoyed voice!!! However, I like the program/system, it surely helps us, non-Americans, to drive around in the various states. Good to read that you are finding your way around, in this new period of your life. Have a wonderful time with your grandchildren and have a great 4th of July,
Regina, SXM
Hi sweetie! The very first time I used my GPS (Tomas the Tom-Tom, funny that we all name them, lol) I was heading from my house in CT to Paramus for a gig. Now, I know how to get to Paramus but not to the exact venue and decided to listen to Tomas. Who took me over the GW Bridge. At rush hour. When I realized it it was too late and I had no choice but to follow his instructions. After we got off the bridge on the Jersey side he stopped talking to me. So there I am, begging this silly piece of equipment to tell me what to do, near tears because I didn't know how to get to where I needed to be from where I was and worried that I would be late. He did start talking to me again, I did get there on time and we're still friends. But there's a map under the seat, jic...
Rayna, You are a hoot! Your conversations give me a laugh when I really need one.
The GPS conversation is priceless - because it's funny and we all do it!
We have also had many, many t'storms and fireworks (postponed and rescheduled because of said t'storms) this past few days. My little companion, Charlie, is sooo afraid of both and any other loud, unexplainable noise that I am most anxious for it all to stop.
Take care, Suzanne G in NC
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