MEETING

       Some of your comments made me think about how and why I started talking to the homeless guys. I had to think about it for a minute and then I remembered what I did.

       They both had scooters. One was a very nice scooter. As I walked by I said that I always wanted to try a scooter but it was too late now. So that got them talking about scooters. From there the conversation just went on like any normal conversation.

     A few years ago the same thing happened with skate boarders. Skate boarders seem to be a rough bunch who don't seem to care about anything or anybody. I had seen these kids on my regular walk. One day as I went by they were stopped. 

    I just told them that I admired their skill. That gave them an opportunity. They wanted to talk about skate boards. I heard about the length and shape of skate boards. I heard about the proper place to put your foot for a certain maneuver. 

   I was very surprised at how technical skate boarding was. So I learned a few things about skate boarding but most of it went over my head. 

   I also learned about a group of people and some of them were not like I thought they were. 

   There are some groups of people who get some bad press. One of those groups is the elderly.

HOMELESS

      I walk every evening when the weather is suitable and I don't have obligations. I'm a bit obsessed as I take the same route 90% of the time. It's a pleasant walk of 3 to 4 km through a heavily forested area. There are many other walkers so from time to time you meet someone who likes to visit. So I've got to know some people quite well. 

     As with any forested urban area, there can be undesirables in the area. This area is quite well known for homeless camps. It's right across from a large shopping mall. It's usually you leave me alone and I'll leave you alone. 

     Occasionally you will meet a homeless person who makes sense. Last night I met one of those people who made sense so I had a good visit. There were actually two people and the other guy wasn't homeless. 

    We talked in general about homeless needing support. The one guy was 57 and the other guy around 40. Somehow we got onto schools, and teachers. They knew many of my buddies so we had a good laugh about that. They seemed to have had a positive time in school. 

    The one guy had much hearing loss so he was showing me the hi tech hearing aides he had. My biggest problem with hearing aides is that I sometimes hear more noise than voice. 

    So it was difficult to continue my walk as we kept finding interesting things to talk about. 

    These two guys were approachable and interesting to talk too. Some of them you just know that you're better to stay away. 

   So having a positive interaction with a homeless person makes me think that some things could be done to help homeless people. 

MURALS

     Our small city has a few murals. As with all murals some are good some are bad and a lot are in between. 

    I have been looking at one of these murals for five years or more. I can see it from a parking lot that I use when I wait for the micro manager to do some business. Usually  I forget to take my camera. Sometimes it's too cold or wet or poor light! What a long list of poor excuses. When I'm in this parking lot I'm parked illegally to some extent. The parking lot is provided by the business so it wouldn't be cool to park and then walk away to take photos.

     Well, the other day I did get my act together. 

     This mural is rather small and is at the end of an alley. It's kind of roughly done but you are drawn to the rather wild expression. 

    Now I thought there might be another mural two or three doors up the alley so I continued. Yes there was another mural on the back of an old hotel that has been remodeled to provide housing to homeless who qualify. This mural had a much more complex idea.

    On my way back from photographing the second mural I found a third mural that was on  a wall beside the first one. You can see the first mural on the right.Again it is rather simple. 

     So here you are. I got three murals in one day.

     The area has a large homeless population as some of their friends have accommodation so there is visiting.

     I know there are more murals in the city. I just have to find them and get over all my weak excuses.