Dave is back from Dubai, bearing tales of driving over sand dunes in SUVs and trying to survive in a hotel with no bar. His pictures and stories make me think my vision of what it's like is pretty close to correct -- shiny and glassy and a bit tacky, like a big mall. Or like Vegas with no gambling and no alcohol. He said there really is no urban grit. I couldn't stand that.
It's good to have him home. Last night we did take-away curry and watched the Mystery Science Theater 3000 version of "Attack of the Giant Leeches." I have been on an MST3K kick ever since I watched "Eegah" last week. So far I've seen "Manos: The Hands of Fate," which was truly terrible, and "I Accuse My Parents," in which a young man contends with disinterested parents who drink too much and offer him no guidance. Of course, he winds up arrested for some crime or other, because isn't that what happens when you don't have a neat, nuclear family in the model of Ward Cleaver?
Yesterday was the epitome of London dreariness, a steady gray rain. I tried to take Olga out a couple of times, and she'd be vibrating with excitement until we walked out the door, at which point she would stop uncertainly in the drizzle and look up at me with an expression that said, "Make it STOP." And then we'd go back inside. The poor dog didn't get a decent walk until late afternoon.
I had several hours of work to do, anyway, so from my perspective, being locked up inside wasn't altogether a bad thing. I also made some headway in "Jubilee Hitchhiker," the huge biography of Richard Brautigan I am currently reading. I suspect I'll be working my way through this book for weeks. It's ironic that a writer known for spare, poetic work should inspire such a tome, but at least it's interesting.
(Photo: East Ham, on March 2.)
Dubai sounds sort of like hell to me. I'm glad you got your Dave back.
ReplyDeleteSo yes, I want to hear what you think about that biography. I do miss Richard Brautigan. He was like no other.
Hope the rain has cleared and you and Olga can get some good walks in.
We've got rain today & I know I sure don't want to be taking any walks in it! Olga & I are in solidarity.
ReplyDeleteI miss Mystery Science Theater 3000 - I haven't seen it in YEARS. I should see if Mike's interested. It would be fun :)
overcast here after 5 days of beautiful weather. probably won't get any rain out of it though.
ReplyDeleteMy mind is still trying to take in Vegas minus the gambling and alcohol! Dubai sounds shiny but dull.
ReplyDeleteI hear you about the weather. For sure. We are supposed to get snow tonight. Will winter never end?
Lots of color in that photo ... blue, yellow, green, purple. I like!
There's a consistency of style to this series of photographs which links them neatly.
ReplyDeleteHmmmm, I think I'd take the rain over what we have here right now in central NJ...rain/sleet/snow mix that's coating the walks and roads making for some interesting walking and driving. There is supposed to be some fantastic shopping in Dubai IF you have the money...just like a lot of other places!
ReplyDeleteMystery Science inspired my son and his friends to do their own, hilarious! They find the worst movies, have a movie night and make stuff up as it goes along- they are all very funny and very clever! You would fit right in! Poor Olga girl, Dexter does the same thing but usually Mom knows best and I take him out anyway, once he gets used to it he is pretty happy. Dubai, always been curious...thanks for fixing that for me.
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