March 28, 2020: Walk if You want TO!

TO READ PREVIOUS BLOGS: TERRYBAUM.BLOGSPOT.COM. ALSO, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO FORWARD THIS TO ANYONE WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED. March 28, 2020: WALK IF YOU WANT TO! There have been mixed messages floating around about whether it is good to go outside for a walk or not. The most recent recommendation from my District Supervisor says that the Vulnerables, a group to which I belong, should stay inside. I've been agonizing quite a bit about whether I should do this, as I have ALWAYS been a great walker. Not just a GOOD walker, but a GREAT walker. So great that I overused my feet and have a chronic problem (which is under control). And today, MANY are walking. So what should the Vulnerables do? The New Yorker Magazine, which is a consistently reliable, enlightened and progressive news source, has an interview on social distancing with a very hoo-hah prestigious doctor, and he says: WALK IF YOU WANT TO! (CLICK TO READ THE INTERVIEW) Of course, it goes without saying that you must stay at least six feet from everyone else. And that's what I did yesterday. I walked and here are a few of the things I saw: I'm noticing lots of really lovely plantings in front of houses. (Loulou in the corner)  Very rare to see this kind of portrait bust. Nikki gazing adoringly at Loulou. You will never find Loulou more than glancing at Nikki. He's fine with that. He's a dog. Thank goodness she's the Alpha. I don't know what I would do otherwise, being a lesbian feminist. The Mouse House. It's been there longer than I have, which is 43 years. I was so upset when they repainted. It was originally turquoise. But as long as they kept Micky, I can deal. I hate change, don't you? I think it's because I love WHAT IS. My sense of beauty is very strong, which is why I could NEVER have worn those socks with that red vest, despite the continuing controversy over that choice. How impossibly adorable. I didn't mean to cut off Dad's head. But I think it's really a better photo without it. This is the first tent in the Castro, as far as I know. The hotels are empty! Take one over! What is the problem with the City of Saint Francis???? Everyone needs a home! Truly, I don't get it. How about trailers in a parking lot? Tiny houses? SOMETHING. When the 1906 earthquake happened, they built tiny houses in Golden Gate Park. When the 1989 earthquake happened, they opened nice housing shelters. We referred to the people made homeless in 1989 as "The Nouveau Homeless." JUST DO SOMETHING! This is my personal market, Mollie Stone's in the Castro. Pre pandemic, they had a shuttle van. So I could walk down the hill, do a big shopping and get a ride home with Dennis. I miss Dennis. He always asked about the pups. He called them Fifi and Pierre. Now I order food online to be delivered. My hill is too steep to walk up with groceries. As you can see from the sign, the new shopping distance is two shopping carts. People wait outside and are allowed in one at a time. This was the second serious mask I saw. The first one, identical to this one, was on someone who was talking to my neighbor. It really freaked me out. I don't know if they're wearing the masks because they have symptoms but still need to go out or this is just the absolute 100% guaranteed way to escape the coronavirus. Of course I could have asked, but I was too freaked out. Shit shit shit shit shit... Yarn art! Yes! This inspir-ational knit-bombing is on the fence of the Harvey Milk Civil Rights Academy. This is the public elementary school in the Castro. Originally, this was named Douglass School. You would not believe the furor in 1996 when the school district decided to rename it in memory of Harvey Milk. And no, the school was not named after the great Frederick Douglass. It was named after some long-forgotten California official. There were raucous community meetings where the homophobic parents claimed to be passionate about California history. Tom Ammiano, the witty fairy of politician, stood to speak after a particularly noxious man left the podium. "Love your shoes," he said to the departing bigot. "Hate your politics but LOVE your shoes!" Ah, San Francisco!