Saturday, September 29, 2012

Totally at random & a winner


Though Comerica Park was only 2/3 full on Thursday, I find it hard to believe that all the people attending a mid-afternoon weekday baseball game had the day off work.  I'm quite certain more than 1 of them was playing hooky.  Lots of kids were there, too, and I highly doubt it was a teacher inservice day, but who can blame them?  It was the last home game of the regular season and it was a glorious day for a ball game.   It was magical to watch Doug Fister pitch a game in which he set a new American League RecordThe Tigers did not disappoint and pulled a rabbit out the hat in the bottom of the 9th inning to save Doug's game.   I did not get to knit because while I had my remembered my knitting, I forgot the extra needle.  Duh.  That's OK, I was happy watching history get made.

I finally shook off my laziness and put some effort into my job this week.  In a no good deed goes unpunished sort of way, I've had my behind handed to me.  Late Friday afternoon, the triage nurse, who--praise be--is finally back to work, called and begged me to go see a patient in Detroit.  She was so desperate and pathetic, I caved.  The patient's home was in a rebuilt neighborhood near the river and was on a canal.  It was a beautiful setting, but the drive there was sad.  Most of the old homes are gone and either rebuilt homes have replaced them, or vacant lots take up the space where families used to live in modest Craftsman style homes.  The factories surrounding are seldom in use, but are instead abandoned, full of graffiti and scar the landscape horribly.  It bothers me that those businesses are allowed to make their fortunes and then close, abandoning the buildings and leaving the financially strapped city to figure it all out.  Who knows, I'm sure plenty of them left toxic substances behind, too.  Try as I may, I never see a city that can match Detroit in the scorched earth landscape type of way.

The above really bothered me.  So much so, that while stopped at a light, I scribbled 'scorched earth' on a notepad.  I got to thinking about those factories as soon as I got on the freeway ramp of my nightmares.  It's southbound Interstate 75 to the on ramp of eastbound Interstate 94.  I've had night terrors that I've driven off that ramp and soared through the sky right toward the bread factory that used to be there.  More than once I've awakened in a cold sweat from that dream right before impact. The building is of course still there, abandoned and full of graffiti, which is why I got to thinking about that in the first place.  I really need to give that hamster in my brain a break!

Still with me?  Finding Pam?  Random Number Generator selected your comment and you are the winner of a pair of Cloisonne mittens.  Just let me know your favorite colors, what size you'd like them to be and I'll get right to work on them!  I promise, your fingers will be toasty warm this winter.  Congratulations.



13 comments:

Gail said...

Congratulations, Pam. I own a fine pair of these wonderous mittens and nothing is warmer or prettier than these made by A Knitting Nurse.

Rositta said...

I've not seen Detroit other than what I've seen on the news from time to time but it sounds grim. I too have seen "scorched earth". When I visited the former east Germany a few years ago. Also lots of abandoned factories and ship works. I cousin told me that the moment the Berlin wall fell the Russians left taking everything of value with them. They also left toxic earth behind. One thing the left that Detroit doesn't have are mined forests and seashore. Those landlines are still killing people. I think Detroit has a chance to rebuild itself with time as long as people stop buying crap made in China...ciao

Brenda said...

Congrats to Pam! That is really sad about all the areas like you described.

Mimi said...

Poor Detroit, that is so sad. Whe I see abandoned buildings, and think of so many homeless people, or people who would love a bit more space, it makes me mad. Why can't City Councils think outside the box, and use these buildings? Why don't they scrap the red tape they're tied up in?
Congrats to Pam, delighted that she was the winner!

Empress Bee (of the high sea) said...

i hate that such a vibrant city is in that shape now. very sad indeed...

and lucky pam!

smiles, bee
xxoxoxoxox

Stephanie V said...

When I read your comments on Detroit, I wonder how we could turn it around. What would it take? Besides the many $$ that seem to be needed elsewhere.

Congratulations, Pam! I know that those mitts will be your favorites. I'm curious what colors you'll be knitting up.

The Bug said...

Yay to Pam! Boo to abandoned buildings. The other day I was at a Kroger that had been build beside its former (apparently inferior) building. That building is still not being used for anything & I wondered what the heck? It's not even falling down & it offended my sensibilities - I can't imagine how I'd feel driving through those areas of Detroit you describe.

Oh, & I-75? It's only the highway to hell, I swear. I used to have to drive the stretch in Cincinnati to work & I HATED it. In fact it influenced our move to Xenia - I'm able to take I-71 instead of I-75 to work now & it's a miracle!

Finding Pam said...

Rudee, I am so thrilled to be the winner of your mittens. Since I don't knit or crochet, you will never know how much I have coveted your beautiful work. As far as the colors, well you can knit me any colors you want. I did love the pair in the post. I would say that I have a medium hand size.

It is hard to see the downfall of a any city. I wish more people would use the abandoned buildings for the homeless, but that cost money.

Rudee, my email is tannehillp@yahoo.com.

Alice said...

Ah yes, know THAT ramp well. Try working a "flying car" into your dream.

When the IMAX theater was opened at the Boston Museum of Science, they introduced with a short film of Boston. It started in the underground parking garage of a Boston building, up the elevator, up the stairs to the roof, and right off the roof. I always will remember how that moment my stomach would drop! Later as you flew over the downtown area, you would catch sight of the helicopter's shadow.

Hooray "finding Pam"!
Hooray warm beautiful hands!

KnittySue said...

Love that view of the park, congrats on winning the tickets. I was there the night before with my dad and sisters. Dad was picked for Dreams Come True and we got to meet afew of the players. My finest moment was watching fielders Kids play and congratulating Fister on a great game last time he was up...then he went and did even better when you went. I have to say they are some of the nicest guys you'll ever meet.

Cheryl said...

Congratulations to Pam, a very lucky lady!

The baseball game sounded like a fantastic idea, good old fashion fun, perfect weather. I love seeing the game played live, so exciting.

Scorched earth is a good way to put it. I feel sick to my stomach when I see what use to be productive factories/businesses now sitting there falling apart. Such a waste, when so much could be done to use the space. Our city has revitalized a section that was run down and abandoned and transformed the buildings into beautiful Senior Apartments and some non-profit groups went in as well. It looks amazing. They are now doing this in some neighborhoods where these big beautiful Victorian houses sit, falling apart. I am thrilled because they don't make house with such character anymore, it makes sense to restore and preserve history.

Knitty said...

I wish there was an easy answer to fixing Detroit. The mindset of so many people is so negative, and that isn't unique to Detroit.

On a much brighter note, congratulations to Pam!

Rudee, do you know about the Baaad Girls Shop Hop on October 12 & 13? There are six stores participating this year. So far there are five of us going from my LYS, maybe three more so it looks like we'll need more than one car. Silly me, I thought only my sis-in-law was going to be interested. Here is the info from Sweet Pea's site:

$10.00 donation for the passport. Make your check out to TURNING POINTE, SHELTER & SERVICES FOR WOMEN & CHILDREN. Passports can be purchased at any of the shops below:
A KNITTERS HIDEAWAY – Armada
CITY KNITS – Harrison Twp
CRAFTY LADY TRIO – Macomb
LABOR OF LOVE YARN & FIBER ARTS – Romeo
PK YARN OVER KNIT – Clawson
SWEET PEA’S YARN & GIFTS – Saint Clair

Celia said...

I saw on a website all those beautiful old houses are abandoned and going to waste. So sad!