This and that

[bunrab]

Thursday: we got our passport photos, filled out applications, and sent them off with our expired-but-not-more-than-15-years-old passports in order to get new passports for the Baltimore Symphonic Band's trip to eastern Europe this summer. We got the passport photos at Walgreens, which is 2 blocks away, and I used my new travel scooter to get there, as an experiment (S walked; I can't walk that far). Well, it opened my eyes to just how much sidewalk STILL doesn't have curb cuts. A lot of backing up was done; our route wound up involving having to cross to the other side of Ingleside, then still needing S to pull the scooter up a curb, then crossing Rt 40 from that side of Ingleside and crossing Ingleside back to the other side to get to Walgreen's - which did have a nice friendly ramp into their parking lot from the sidewalk. The travel scooter does inclines quite adequately. That red recreational scooter I had gotten last year can go much faster, but can't climb inclines worth a damn - quite a difference in torque.

Friday: we and Cindythelibrarian went to the Baltimore Museum of Industry. Plusses: it's all on one level, no stairs. Lots of variety. Lots of real stuff. Free parking. Minuses: inadequate or nonexistent signage on several things. Apparently one staff person on duty for the whole museum. But apparently they are working on upgrades - there were people in the replica diner (which did not, alas, serve any real food) with blueprints and stuff spread out on the table, and they are apparently going to use more space for some exhibits, and whole new areas, and stuff.

The exhibit on WW2 War Bond posters was interesting - it goes away soonly - conveyed as much about the roles of the sexes in the 40's as it did about the war effort. The cannery is probably the single largest and most interactive area - but the clothing factory (read: sweatshop) fascinated me. Stuff we didn't know before: at one time, the largest umbrella maker in the country was in Baltimore. And the power drill was invented here.

Overall, worth the $10. They close at 4 pm every day, rather earlyish, so don't put it off till too long after lunch.

Today: the sun was shining and it was over 50 degrees. We rode. We ate lunch with the old farts Mature Mensans, then rode some more, including going by the house we're offering on (haggling on the details of which is still ongoing; our offer has not yet been officially accepted, as they are quibbling on ridiculous details) and checking to see if the width of the dead end street is wide enough for easy U-turns. It would be if it weren't so crowned; the steep crown makes doing the U-turn weird, as one is going uphill and then downhill at the same time as making the U-turn. Will need practice.

Time to start thinking about supper.

ET fix the link

Comments

[crustycurmudgeo.livejournal.com]

That scooter is a nice design. Folds really compact and the range spec on a charge is pretty good too. Just don't turn sharp and goose the throttle, I think it would dump you then. :)

Good review of the Industrial Museum. Wish we had one here.

Good luck on your bid for the house.