Monday, July 11, 2011

I want what I want and I want it now! I am a S-E-N-I-O-R!

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Today’s Blog Post


I want what I want and I want it now! I am a S-E-N-I-O-R!

Yesterday I was scheduled to Volunteer at Lang Pioneer Village and Museum. It was to be a mere 20 minute drive to the Village which is just east of our city of Peterborough. But it didn’t turn out to be a mere 20 minutes but rather 45 minutes to get there. Yikes – I was almost late getting to my post.

What happened?

Well all our roads and streets were closed and blocked off by what seemed to be an eternal series Police road closures. Worse yet there was no directions as to how to get out of the city to the east with the road closures. It was the Triathlon with Tri-athletes invading our city. You know the Bicycle race that includes the swimming and running as well as the grueling cycling that goes a huge distance all over the country.

And wherever it goes the streets and roads will be interrupted severely. That was the case in Peterborough for sure on Sunday morning.

Now some of you have never been to our fair city before. Almost down the middle of our city runs a large river north to south. The forefathers allowed the building of our city to happen on both sides of the river.

Whenever you go east from our city you need to go over the river – if you live on the west side of it like we do.

I crossed the bridge over the river to find the road blocked – and all traffic being sent south – somewhere.

I knew of another road that would take me east through the community. It circled and wound through homes that are just east of the river. Nope that didn’t work either – that road was also blocked by the Police and I could see cyclists swishing by that road’s exit.

Now how do you get east of our city at that point?

No hints from anyone. No help from police or race organizers either. You are on your own. The thought of driving further south on winding and sometimes confusing streets in unknown housing was not there. But in fact after winding back and forth looking for a way out I found a familiar street and headed for the main highway - #115 eats bound. At this point I am way south of where I had to be before leaving the city, completely frustrated and could care even less about Tri-athletes and their stupid race… WORSE Yet I was going to be late for my post in volunteering.

I am not just a volunteer at this point, I am now a cranky old senior that is totally frustrated with what I see and have gone through. This is one big pain in the senior butt of mine.

I arrived at my Volunteer station, hot, late and frustrated. I have never tried so hard to do any job yet.

The day at Lang wasn’t good for the Village that had planned one of its best and biggest days of the year. At the Village the “15TH ANNUAL ANTIQUE & CLASSIC CAR SHOW” took place. This has drawn hundreds in years past. But not this year – everyone seemed to stay away. The attendance was way down from what I witnessed. It was nothing at all like last year.

I am sure that there were still thousands of people wondering around in Peterborough thoroughly frustrated with the hot and sweaty Tri-athletes.

But it was not just Peterborough, it was also the side roads and country roads of all the areas south and around Lang Village. The cyclists were zooming and buzzing everywhere. The fast ones were out front and the slow ones and wounded ones were way behind… or maybe dead in the ditch.

Now it wasn’t just the tri-athletes and their fun day… it was also the fun day downtown in Peterborough where the huge Ribfest was taking place. Fat people eating fat food and having a ball in our downtown area. The downtown business folk had planned this for ages.

Further to that another small community just north of our city carried out their super Jazz celebration on the waterfront in Lakefield. It was there that hundreds upon hundreds gathered for a cool time beside the lake.

Yikes! The hot and old Hastie Carpenter Shop in Lang Pioneer Village and Museum could not really hold a candle to all that stuff taking place on Sunday, July 10th, 2011.

Fortunate for me I was outside with my Spring Pole Lathe, under a huge shade tree and talking to dozens upon dozens of people about the old days. But back in Peterborough there were many of my potential clients that were still wondering how to get out of the city let alone back home again.

Did you need to know all that? Not likely. But you should notice one important fact. What matters to me is all that matters in the whole world. I am a Senior and I am not interested in nothing but my world! Tri-athletes or Ribfesters or Jazzers don’t matter – only what I want and need is all that matters now. I have earned my right to be cantankerous – I AM A SENIOR and I want what I want and I want it now!

Hokey Mokey – I am old! And it is likely good that the Police shut down the roads for the sake of the Tri-athletes – some might have been run over with the seniors on the road yesterday.

~ Murray Lincoln ~
http://www.murraylincoln.com/ 

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