Showing posts with label Architectural humor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Architectural humor. Show all posts

Thursday, January 12, 2012

DIVORCE AND OTHER ODDITIES.

Little tales from my walking  journals begun in the 1950′s  need this preface.  A person wishing to divorce  in the 50′s  had to give a reason for it. The petitioner had to show hardship of some type for the divorce to be granted by a divorce court. The usual reason given was “mental cruelty”  if you were  incompatible with your spouse.

In Chicago, Mrs. Rum charged her husband with drunkeness-won her divorce and resumed her maiden name of Miss Cork.  (March 10th, 1968)

These snippets are name related, as you shall see.

A women in Los Angeles charged her husband nagged her when she refused to drink with him. She was granted the divorce and resumed her maiden name of Selma Sober.
At one time,  Mrs. Ashe was in charge of the barbeque pits at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.

Donald C. Crooks was a probate judge in Redwood Falls, Minnesota in 1952.

William C. Wolf  was voted President of the Lions Club in Duluth, Minnesota, also in 1952.

Dr. Michael Fox is an animal psychologist.  (1976.)

I think Dr. Fox is still practicing, but it made more sense to treat the pet owners than the pets, in my opinion. Hmm!  In a sense he did.

Morris Fisher is president of the Wisconsin Fish Company, Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Harlan Apple used to be a foreman for the Skoman Apple Corporation of Wenatchee, Washington.

Cardinal Sin has been the archbishop of Manila for 12 years.

Patience Scales has been a piano teacher in San Francisco for 30 years.

Jack Swallows has been hearing puns about his name ever since he moved to San Juan Capistrano. Swallows says:  “I do fly away from time to time, but I always come back.” The radio stations call him every March and October, when the swallows normally  arrive and leave the Mission San Juan Capistrano. They usually ask if he has packed his bags.

Whoo boy. That must get tiresome.
And, from this sign in Pittsfield, Massachusetts:

Ice Cream Cones, Sundaes, and Malts- J. Freeze Proprietor.

My walking journals have taken several phases. I readied six of them and thought I should launch them into the world that they might gather little stories wherever they landed. I placed my name and address in them to be returned. None has come back. I left one at a bus station, another in a doorway of someone who was moving to Texas. I passed one to a friend who sent  it around with members of  his writer’s workshop. I kept one journal, intent on collecting those trivial little stories from the lives of  friends, family and people I meet. For instance, my friend Pam, after a painful second divorce, had the words Never Again  tattooed on her ring finger.
On-line, they never disappear.

Sunday, October 2, 2011

PORTLAND, OREGON, VIBRANT CITY

I’ve been escorted into very active, interesting neighborhoods in Portland during my real estate search.  The street art alone is a reason to visit this city. Portland reminds me of Berkeley on College Ave. Ethnic restaurants, book stores, sidewalk cafes, coffee houses, students with back packs, bicyclers, walkers, green space.  Recycling receptacles at every park and grocer. A wonderful sense of community. Besides, they have
Jakes Resturant.
I didn’t get to take pictures while condo shopping, but I did when I visited in 2009.  These pictures were taken around the old Courthouse Square.

The sign was in the trash. Guess he gave up or got enough money to get on the bus.

Fountains, water fall, sculpture.

One of several beautiful old churches around town.

Beautiful buildings, but no too many.

An architect with a sense of humor and history.

A famous rose garden.

And a city surrounded by green space. What more can you ask?
I got it. A competent, honest, efficient Real Estate Agent in Jessica Christopherson of Soldera Properties. Solid.