Detroit I: The Gap-Toothed Smile

So many bad things are said about Detroit. Television programs show a city that appears to be abandoned and newspaper headlines focus on criminal proceedings against elected officials and a devastated economy. What I found was a place of broad straight avenues...

Ode to Joy

Monday was my third guitar lesson and the JazzMan, my teacher, introduced me to the third string and the notes G and A. The first week I had three notes: E, F and G. My assignment was an exercise that familiarized me with those notes, up and down and changing back and...

Up, Up and Away!

When the clock alarmed me at 5 in the morning, all I knew was exhaustion and the weight of darkness. I turned on the light and groped for the phone and the instruction sheet. They said I should call to confirm after 4:30 and to be sure to be there at 7. The voice on...

An English Wedding 11: A Very Good Night

How can something as large as a train station be so invisible? We confirmed the location of the Burnham train station and left with what we felt was plenty of time to get there, buy tickets and await the train. Problem was the station was nowhere to be found. We...

An English Wedding 10: Eating, Drinking and Navigating

We prefer not to be dependent on restaurants. They serve too much, they cost too much, and they simply are not convenient. Sunday night we got to the Bee at Burnham about half past five.  The kitchen was closed.  Sundays and holidays do tend to be a problem; we nearly...

An English Wedding 8: The English Wedding

It was not that we didn’t have a plan. Rooms at Grovefield House Hotel were booked a year ago. Everyone was up on time, bathed coffeed and nourished. The cars were loaded with wedding attire and other necessities. Only one run back in to close windows was necessary....