What gives?

I just went to http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/v/voltaire.html to find one of Voltaire's quotes and found this gem, "An ideal form of government is democracy tempered with assassination." There are many others. Quite the wit! Perhaps I should read some of his writing too. Though at the moment I'm deep into two books. I'm about half-way through Broken Circle by Rodney Barker. And I've picked up a second book to catch up with the Intermediate English reading group at the library. It's a little book, The Circuit: stories from the life of a migrant child by Francisco Jimenez. Very straightforward telling of life. I'm always amazed by writers who can recapture that childhood experience without overlaying their adult mindset on it.

Grand Junction transit

I hopped on the bus yesterday and went downtown. A buzz by the library to pick up a hold then to the Main Street Diner for coffee and a cinnamon danish. Then I walked and took pictures like a tourist. I took pictures of the sculptures, the street scenes, the bus station. I rode the bus to Hobby Lobby on North Ave and bought some yarn, then back again. I watched people getting on and off and reflected that here public transportation is for the poor and that's partly why few will ride it for "green" purposes. It needs an image uplift. The buses are clean, the bus station is new. They only run hourly and only on the major routes but it's functional; one can get around. There were still significant stretches of walking between rides so I arrived home with sore feet and calves from all the pounding on the concrete. But it was fun. A soak in the spa fixed the soreness.

Today I guess I'll go back to the library to pick up a book on the Continental Divide in Colorado which I want to hike next summer, fill out a couple more job applications, then go for a long walk in that lovely country just outside of town. Now that it's finally cooling off - this has to have been the hottest October in Grand Junction in forever - walking in this "high desert" is a pleasure.

Downtown Grand Junction

Armenia

I sometimes strongly wish that I could have stayed in Armenia for 2 years. I drift back there in my memory and begin to re-settle in.

Then suddenly I remember all the challenges . . . .

But I met some wonderfully strong and beautiful people there who will remain in my heart forever. And if prayers and blessings have any power at all - Oh I hope they do! - then Armenia will prosper now and in the future. Sadness engulfs me when I think that I may never return there. And truly, who can know what the future brings?