Culinary Ninja Skills: Create Your Contingency Plan 4

Are you a floater? By that I mean do you go through the motions, succumb to the monotony of life, not really worrying about the future - just the things that cause irritation on a daily basis ? If you answered yes  to this question - you just might be a floater.  Are you alone? No, there are millions, maybe billions of floaters out there living, working and surviving.  

Unfortunately, in your little bubble, floater - padded with extra goodness no doubt, there is a small margin for error.  Maybe you love your job, and have been there for 3 years. Maybe you have moved up the chain of command for a higher upper echelon title. When disaster strikes, it rarely differentiates between job status, age or saving-up-for-that-really-cool-phone.  Life milestones are somewhat plan-able,  but natural disasters, sudden health crisis and plummeting stock prices are not.

Now some of you are probably thinking - Hey, author, wait a minute - you can prepare for and sometimes help curb the effects of those unexpected things. Yes, I agree, you can have a disaster checklist, a cache of emergency supplies or take a CPR / First Aide class. And for those really bad events, you can  draft up a contingency plan.  

 But honestly - have you thought about the on-the-job "what if" scenario? Do you know what to do when the unwarranted situation strikes your employer? Corporate restructuring, bankruptcy, or hell, being caught on the job, with your unwashed hands , in the food, shoveling edibles into your mouth (cringe!).

Caught white-handed by Johan Rd

If you admit to being a doer of that last offense, well you have bigger problems, and probably shouldn't be working in the food industry. Please see Safe Food Handling: Food Preparation. You are not a floater, you are a walking Food Born Pathogenic Time Bomb!




“A man who works with his hands is a laborer; a man who works with his hands and his brain is a craftsman; but a man who works with his hands and his brain and his heart is an artist.” ― Louis Nizer

Family Stroll and Tow: When Eating Out Requires Tools 452

Imagine yourself on a crisp winter day - the sun streams through the half sleeping trees bathing everything above earth in a golden, unearthly webbing of light. The air is alive with a slight chill, but the sun warms where it's beams have haphazardly landed.

Photo ©2011. Renaissance Culinaire. All Rights Res.

The first bulbs have bravely climbed out of their loamy tombs, careening their paper white heads toward the sky.

You are on your way to a local eatery, with your family. You are enjoying the sun, having spent many days enduring the gray, often times rainy blah weather that comes with winter. You want to eat food which doesn't require sullying your kitchen and a load of dishes. You are aching for an evening outside of the house - you and the family have cabin fever.

This friends is not a fairy tale - this was my sentiment, this was my afternoon.

I got the extreme honor to review a Inglesina 'Avio' stroller. And this transport was perfect for having my 3yr old boy in tow, especially when taking him to a local eatery. For any parent who has ever ventured with children out into the public, there is a allot of preparation. More so when you are on foot, and parenting a 3yr old child.

What's In the Box:

When I received the Inglesina Avio Stroller in the color black, it arrived  in several parts - the seating area, harness, stroller hood and storage basket all had to be attached to the main base/ frame of the stroller. The product Manual included comes in every language imaginable. There is a rain shield included. There is also an included adapter, for those of you that have babies and want to use the Inglesina Avio Bassinet (a.k.a "Carrycot"), which is sold separately, or clip on infant car seats (brands that work: Graco, Peg Perego and Britax) .

I was very impressed with the quality of the materials used to make this stroller. Everything is solid and durable.


Handling:

The Inglesina Avio Stroller is touted as 'the perfect stroller for on the go urbanites'. Translation - this stroller is best for strolling on sidewalks and smooth developed indoor or paved outdoor surfaces.

What I have discovered is that the Inglesina Avio stroller is different than allot of less-expensive non-jogging strollers in that it's wheels actually have ball bearings. This gives the stroller the ability to roll very smoothly with hardly any vibration within the stroller seat, with minimal pushing. The wheels are fixed in position, so the turn radius is not that sharp - it will make a smooth turn however, within a 5 foot radius.

Standing at 5'5", I am very conscience of handle placement. The Avio stroller's handle is in a position comfortable enough to hold, but I really wished the handle had an adjustment option.

My husband however is nearly 6 foot tall and said "This stroller is perfect for dads who are 5'11" - 6'2", very smooth ride and will put the toddler to sleep on a rough night within 10 minutes". He experimented with the Avio while taking the evening walk when our son was over-tired and fighting sleep.

Stow-ability:

Let me say that I have owned at-least 5 strollers between the years 2003-2011, starting with my first child. 4 out of 5 had the capability to be folded for stowing. The latest being a Jeep Overland Limited 'Music on the Move' Jogging Stroller.

Of all the strollers I have owned, though, the Inglesina Avio Stroller is able to fold into the most space saving compact shape of all (I am not including those cheap umbrella strollers, that are a dime-a-dozen, in this category.).

The mechanism to fold this stroller is great (see photo at left, demonstrated by my husband) - It is reminiscent of a crossbow, when pulled back it creates tension and gathers enough backward force so you can lock it into place.

Think of it like the pulling motion when starting a lawn mower, instead of a "pull cord", you are pulling a designated handle located on the back of the stroller.

If you press down sternly on the middle of the main handle (the one you use to push the stroller) with one hand, and press the red button (to unlock) on the handle base, gently, yet firmly pull at an outward-upward motion - making sure that the harness or other parts of the stroller do not become entangled into the folding parts, it will fold very compactly.



Key Points of Inglesina Avio when folded:

Cool Features:

The Inglesina Avio stroller has some very nice options.

• Seating: The stroller seat  is washable. And very adjustable, with the harness straps position, and can recline to several lower positions, so that your child is comfortable - my son loved being able to lay down in the lowest position when he was tired.  
• Storage: The included fabric under-stroller basket is very accommodating. I was able to fit 2 full fabric grocery bags in there, with no further adjustments. There is also a expandable drink holder located on the lower left back of the stroller frame - I really appreciate this placement. ( Most strollers with a drink holder place them above the child's seat area, which is totally illogical - what if there was a spill?).
• For Weather: The Avio hood is constructed to be very durable, I liked the surface area it covers, the bill (like on a baseball cap) is a great feature which is nice for keeping sun out of sensitive eyes.  The included 'L'Inglesina Baby S.p.a' rain cover clips to the hood and bottom foot pad. 
• Optional Accessories: There are a host of  accessories to buy for the Inglesina Avio Stroller. Including a mesh 'summer cover' to keep the bugs at bay; 'Winter Muff' for bundling up your lil ones; Carrying case for the stroller; 'Carry Cot Bassinet'; 'Full Rain Cover', etc.

Closing Thoughts:

My 3yr old boy is right at the cusp of saying goodbye to motherly pushes via the stroller, all together. So this year and the arrival of the Avio marks the 'coup de grâce' of strollerdom , so to speak.

My families experience with the Inglesina Avio Stroller has been pleasant, which makes the parting with strollers, all together that much more bittersweet.

The Inglesina Avio Stroller is a good fit for parents in search of a higher-end, stylish, non-jogging stroller, for either infant or toddler, with a host of options and great compact-ability, that can be used for around-the-town jaunts.

For more product info you can download the Inglesina Avio Product & Accessories Spec Sheet below in pdf format.

Download
| Inglesina Avio Product & Accessories Spec Sheet
Find

 Inglesina Avio Strollers - via amazon

The view expressed here are mine & mone alone. I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Inglesina USA. I received an Inglesina Avio Stroller in exchange for my honest feedback.Please read more about Renaissance Culinaire's Disclosure Policy.

Baking is Poetry 401

What is Baking mean to You? Here is a poem I just jotted down in an effort to get back to food blogging again.  I want to hear from my readers --- is baking a smell, a sight or sound? A memory?

Baking

It is patience

It is understanding 

the
ebb
and
flow 

 Of ingredients
Of Environmental factors 

It is flirting

with formulations

to achieve

the ultimate

in taste combination -

Whether 

that result achieved

is

simplistic

or 

quite complicated.

Baking is 

the warmth of a stack oven
Of the freshly
de-panned product.

Baking is

 the satisfaction
Of creation.
 Of the tears 

which 

well in their eyes

when a taste, a smell

invokes 

memories
of home,

Of a loved one

that 

has
passed on.

Baking is
the alcoholic fumes

permeating

from a container

that
housed 

your starter -

your poolish -

your biga -

or 

your mix.

Baking is intoxication.

 Amber ©2010. All Rights Reserved

I also experimented with a new add-on  for GIMP called "Polar Inversion" - so I used it on the pic below. I think it encapsulates production quite well, you know, the total process seems full circle.

Directory Of Poetry 24

This is a listing of all my poetry. These poems are all original, written by me at different times within the last 15 years. The food poems are the most recent. Please read them and if you enjoyed them - please comment. Your comments encourage me to keep creating.

This page will continue to be updated with new poems added.

• Baking is Poetry
• Chef
• Spun Sugar
• Dessert Plating
• Cyber World
• Bonds
• The Long Ferment
• Entertaining Glances
• Once The Whistle Blows
• Autumn's Curse
  
• Ice
• Phlebotomy
• These Soulless Times!
• Grandfather
• Death of a Flower
• Fallen & Forelorn
• Lost In The '90's
• Senior Citizen
• To the Survivors
• Lonely asphalt
• Truck Stop
  

These poems are NOT to be reproduced in any form - without my permission in writing.
Thanks,

My Photographic Mind 4

Here are some of my pictures. Bits and pieces of what I see. These are shots I have taken, using nothing more than a little digital point and shoot. I like to recall in certain instances, pictures from my photographic mind.

Please Remember to Vote for Renaissance Culinaire Best Hobby Blog at the BOBs awards by following the link below and selecting "Abstract2collective" and clicking vote on the voting widget. Voting ends June 2nd 2008

http://www.thebestofblogs .com/2008/05/12/best-hobby -blogvote-here/


Please bookmark the link - you can vote once a day in each category. Support your favorite blogs.

On Taste Memories and The Economy 2

When I experience something of taste worth noting, I archive it within the catacombs of my taste memories. There it is tagged and filed away - until there is new life breathed into it again, on some chance encounter with my taste buds.

My palate has slowly matured. I wasn't always one to remark on how great a microbrew was. But now I appreciate the bold, earthy and spicy undertones contained in the hoppy liquid. I appreciate the complexities of each type of brew. And every now and again these same taste memories resurface like amber ghosts haunting me with unequaled sweetness. I begin to ache for another chance - another dance with this foamy goodness.

My palate of course has not singled out microbrews exclusively, in it's maturity. I have taken on all types of complex tastes and textures not attractive to me in my younger years. This point is my life is very enlightening and I have entered a culinary awareness that rivals anything else I have experienced.

As humans we are drawn toward things we have noted in our brains - things which have left a good impression on our psyche. We cherish the taste memories stored there. And in bad times or discontent we call upon them again to boost our spirits, to remind us of comfort and joy.

A persons palate can only exceed his grasp, and for me living on a family budget means that not all my culinary whims are satisfied. For people who are also attending school this can mean even more cost saving measures. And as the economy becomes more and more disheveled, many of our budgets will continue to grow tighter.

This is a hard reality for me as a food blogger. Mainly from two different perspectives A.) I love food and I am very passionate about the actions leading up to the final product - it pains me to not be able to create more artistic creations at home, due to cost restrictions. B.) Once your blog enters the realm of "foodie-o-sphere" there is an unwritten expectation from readers and foodie peers to create and post pictures of your latest food masterpieces. Also I am unable to participate in all the food community challenges, which leaves me feeling isolated from my foodie peers.

The cost aspect that doesn't affect me however , is that I am not worried about having "trendy" kitchen gadgetry or appliances, I have always been thrifty in that way. I love to thrift shop for tools. I have found high end tools for a few dollars a piece. It is a great feeling to find a $60 tool for that price. The great thing about thrift stores is that people donate kitchen ware they bought on a whim / got as a gift , and never used. So most things are in great shape. I have a source that restaurants donate to, so you get high quality stock pots and stainless tools.

The Culinary School of Thought : Why Food Blogs should not "tickle-me-emo" 1

Should food blog authors talk about drama in their personal life , in their posts ? What separates a foodie post from an average blog post? Is it the willingness to obsess over food? Or is it the absence of teenage angst?

Something keeps me from describing my year. A year I will never forget. I could divulge the sketchy details...let them consume the page until your eyes grow watery and strained --- but something tells me to move on to less polluted and more food oriented subject matter.

I am really torn on posting events of my private life on this blog. Especially since in 2008, I have committed to being a better food blog author. It is kind of like I've taken an oath to blog food - and nothing but the food.

2007 was a year that did not slip quietly into the realms of ordinary. Not a chance, there was no meager repose. Topsy-turvy. Not only for the rest of the world, these indeed are strange times. Elections. World in Crisis. Fashion disasters. Inventions aimed at making people more lazy. Uncertain economy. Dollar value plummeting.


So I digress. This is a food blog after all, not a "tickle-me-emo ^w" teenager-on-Myspace sob-fest. As Jim Rome ^w would say:

"That IS NOT a reason to GO!" --- Jim Rome

So on a lighter , more nostalgic note - I have had a lot of time to think about blogging and what I am wanting to do with my food blog in the future. I have had this blog since Dec. of 2004 (WOW!) and in that time the blog has gone through many stages of metamorphosis - from template design - as I discover new info on html design ; to advertisements; to the content its self.

The readership has grown (THANKS!) and I think the blog template has become a more mature version of former ones . I have always tried to distance myself from blogging the same content as food blogs that fellow foodie Mahanandi says are:

"....traditional "always-all things-all-purpose flour" corporate promoted cooking..."

and in a way that suits my style of writing very well.

The thing that stays constant is my love of writing and the insatiable passion of learning everything I can about culinary : whether that means food / technique / history.

Merriam Webster lists the term Disciple as :

Main Entry:
dis·ci·ple
Pronunciation:
\di-ˈsī-pəl\
Function:
noun
1: one who accepts and assists in spreading the doctrines ^MW of another: as b: a convinced adherent of a school or individual.

That is one reason I leave "student" in my blog description --- I will and continue to be a life long disciple of the culinary school of thought.

I author this blog not only to give me an outlet for my writing, but also to make note of things maybe other foodies can relate to, or to offer some info on certain techniques or info that may be more in depth than say that page on "recipes-gone-wild.com", all the while documenting and archiving my school notes for reference at a later date.

I do interlace my love of photography and music throughout this blog and can't help throwing in a smidgen of sarcasm or poetry or irony, it's my nature.

I am here to let you know my food blog is here for the long haul. I will be introducing more content, more frequently in 2008 and hope this is a year to awaken more creativity and foodie fabulous.

Happy New Year!

The Foodie Manifesto 0

What is this thing that drives us to savor the cooking or baking practices? Is it cultural traditions - handed down through the ages, surpassing technological advances - famine, war, natural disaster?

OR does our soul manifest it's self into the gentle rhythms; The pungent aromas; The melding of hands into ingredients, that in turn evolved from soil & wildness?

Do we as a race feel a longing , not shaped, but materialized into our relationship with the products we make, which will not be satisfied until we can impart the very essence of emotions into our cooking or baking?

Are we lost - our connections to each other vast and fettered across shallow electronic landscape, lacking personable warmth, which has us chasing a kindred dreamscape of tended dishes & ovens?

It is not an uncomplicated mess, this revelry we weave. Our hearts , minds and bodies, echo the sentiments we have unearthed in our kitchens; our bakeries; our restaurants.

We are not fashionable - with our apron strings and bleached towels. Nor are we trendy wearing our food stained hearts on our sleeves. But the tasting --- that is where the poetry awakens.




--- By Amber © March 06,2005 .All Rights Reserved

Poetry : The Long Ferment 0

My thoughts are a cloudy mess
gluten like epiphanies,
that meld into a thick opaqueness.

A forever state of
complex biochemical changes
slowly dampen my sweetness.

A rough life
my emotions inflate
leaching into alcoholic fumes.

I am stretched
into delicate webbing,
threatening to break.

A formula of years
tears moist yet salty
friction makes for uniformity.

Lay me down
let the realizations
multiply and engulf me.

Stowed internally
eventually I peak,
overflowing.

Constant reshaping
proofing the layers
which precede me.

I am thick skinned
yet vulnerable to
each harsh action.

Watch my color
fade,

the sheen ---
the splendor---

a dull reflection.


Amber © May 05, 2005. All Rights Reserved.

Poetry: Once The Whistle Blows 1

All these men.
I see their faces,
in these crowded streets.

As if fallen birds -
their hearts like broken bone,
disfigured and misshapen.

Egos are like feathers
concealing the transparent flesh,
which hides the confusion within.

Away from the roughnecks,
jobs keep them civilized.

Once the whistle blows,
Find them clocking out.

from under their bosses'
or fathers' thumbs.

They watch the liquor poured,
throwing caution to the wind.

Their debts and duties---
as if the foaming head
of a lager,
--- to be blown off,
'till morning comes.

---Amber © Jan 02, 2000

Culinary survivalists, money means big business... 0

Hard times. Industries are suffering - layoffs are abounding. Poverty is increasing, people are losing the comfortable lives they so took for granted. But not everyone is feeling the strain.

Like everything else there is a facet to this story that stays constant. Big business, and the women & men who parade these lucrative waters. The sharks are mere transactions, and the billions or trillions of dollars traded and cycled through hands & bank rolls remains in abundance.

For the industries which feed on these illusive corporations & individuals - Hospitality in the forms of 5 star hotels ; Private resorts & spas; Seams to be thriving. Hotels are springing up so rapidly that the urban sprawl is no longer, it is a wide expanse. But where would these meccas of amenities be with out wineries, caviar suppliers, & personal chefs etc - These industries seem to be tailing a never ending cash bonanza. A feeding frenzy - we are all apart of the existential monetary food chain. From the doorman to the Head chef or the organic produce peddler. There is no end to the cycle. Or is there?

Along with the able bodied men and women, comes advances in technology. If technology advances, will the links in this chain diminish? Many of the most luxurious and modern hotels are already turning to computer automated systems. Although technology in the past has proved to be costly & with it's bugs and failures - the switch from man power to machine seems almost natural. Why stick to old methods? When computer capabilities far more exemplify the image of the future.

Where does the human element fit in ? We as a society sift through the pieces of news, radio, magazines - in search of an element, which seems all too lacking. Filling the void has become a dangerous pursuit. We hide in our work, in our vices - connections are skewed. The promise of an honest human effort only appear when the sky is falling or some kind of peril is in our lives. We look to strangers for minute glimpses - of pain, of joy. Hoping to relate or feel a connection.

Maybe that is why people are the driving force in The Culinary & Hospitality industries. The most successful establishments are built on solid business knowledge, granted, but didn't these places start as an idea - a fantasy, built up in the minds or hearts of their owners and patrons? Did their sweat and toil burn off, a vain attempt at greatness? No. Because of individuals who savored foods; the sounds, sights of the kitchen; The anticipation of pleasing a crowd.

Yes, the crowd. People from all walks of life; cultures. Each searching for the perfect atmosphere, palate, and service. What do you expect from an establishment? It varies. There are many levels - fast food to gourmet. But the underlying , main expectation is service. How the customer is treated is of utmost concern.

Amber © 2005. All rights Reserved.

Tommorow is my birthday...At 4:10 A.M Feb. 8 th 0

So I am a quarter of a century. Yet I still feel like a kid. Time is a very unusual thing. I have no plans just survive another day. Hopefully no one makes a big deal.

There is a point in your life when birthdays lose their "specialness", and the thought of another birthday makes you shrug.

But when you have a child all things "you" are pushed aside. The child becomes first priority. And celebration of your birthday wanes in comparison --- because everything is so new for the child.

Not that I mind this. But there is still a yearning sometimes for things that scream "ME"!

Bread or Dead 0

Warning: This post definitely falls into the category 'singular obsessions!'

Like most people, I've gone through life unable to identify very many activities of which I could say that I was a bit of a dab hand and that I actually pursue, but weirdly enough baking is one of them. I can't recall when I started, but I did, and I've continued to this day. Generally, if I feel like eating bread, I'll bake it. --- quote by Ciarán O'Kelly from the post Bread or Dead

I stumbled upon this blog Neither Indifferent nor Sceptical blogged by Ciarán O'Kelly
Location:Belfast, United Kingdom

It is a simple yet honest quote. It makes me want to tap into my literary reserves and write blog material that is good...real good. Maybe I have been letting things slide? I eat sleep - Bakery. But that is the catch 22 -- finding something you love. Something that makes you ache inside and yearn for the whole truth [ALL the ins & outs] , that pushes your intellectual and creative side, and not letting it consume you to the point of neglecting your other duties. Your other life.

But when you have several "somethings", then what? Do you lose yourself in a scrambled frenzy? When Do you make time in between your creative interests & pursuits? The Internet can be a breeding ground for such as this --- you find newer nests, prettier hatchlings. Your old nest feels quite boring. So you go searching & get pulled in. Sites/blogs/stores/chatrooms ---all advertising , all different , all specialized in your field/interest. Oops , where did the time go?

Before you know it, the time you had set out for productive means - is gone.

Poetry : These Soulless Times! 0

This poem is a nod to some of my favorite poets. A bit old fashioned in it's stanzas.

PLNTS by SAM DA PLANT

Past and future stand -
mirror like images
on a vast plateau.


Trip the light fantasy -
ethereal profusion
and transcriptions.


Far from the falsehoods
and these soul-less times.


Numb to the pinprick counter action,
and calculated dreams.


I find sanctuary without any grounds.

The peace I seek
has no conventions,
like the countless nothings
without any visions.


I seek and find -
my ebbing...
deep patterned thoughts
and rhyme less conjectures.

My moods are forever roaming.
dipping like pools,
seeping into the countless cracks ---
which form in our crooked streets.

----Amber ©All Rights Reserved.Aug. 24.1999

Poetry : Grandfather 0

"Grandfather" was written on the day of my grandfather's death. I had a seat in my uncles vineyard looking out across the grapevines and the towering blues beyond..this inspired me.

Where are you?


Among the dust and vines scattered below my feet,

keeping what little warmth to nurture the roots?


Are you amongst the wings of the prairie chickens,
whimpering in content like a silent flute?


Are you the breeze who shelters us from the unwanted heat,
shivering under the soft spoken branches ---


these who nod their lonely solitude?


Or,
are you growing amongst the vines,
helping to guide your grieving wife, daughters and sons?


If I stood among the hills, rubbed the soil on me,
would you rise through my veins---


your spirit radiating to those who know?


Do you float on the tides in murky river water?


Could you take shape as the iridescence dew on the newly harvested fruit?


Or ,
do you linger amongst the barrels only hesitating in fermented fumes,


Or,
is your spirit just with us all,
piece
by unspoken
piece?



Amber © All Rights Reserved. May 28, 1995

Poetry : Death of a Flower 0

I wrote this poem within a year of losing my aunt to cancer and my cousin to an aneurysm. It is about mourning and grief.

the mourning by onkel_wart

What heals these wounds?

Like
one endless funeral procession.

The owls
are forever screeching
in our trees ---

---Calling out
the names.

Now lost
to the
infinite blackness,
akin to the night sky.

---Predicting our losses
which loom so large.

As if
each soul
were as nameless
as a star,
or
a million rosary beads.

At this hour
counting seems
futile
to the
billions
who feel lost,

here
wearing their mourning

like
owls wear their feathers.

---July 23, 1999 Amber © All Rights Reserved.

I have written new Poetry!!! 0

A poem about nightmares.

Nightmare by Kaptain Kobold

Bloody mess
broken and torn.


Wipe the barren nonsense away,
Shake off the bad dreams
and illicit pict-o-grams.



Why do you fret?


Your morbid facade`disrobed
A softness made unaware,
innocent, yet dismayed.



No longer a bitter core.



---All rights reserved © Amber Jan.11,2005

Poetry: Lost In The '90's 0

DSCF4350 By mattbuck4950

I seem to always find
the oddest things at
garage sales...

Treasured lava lamps,
and the velvet pictures...
Orange Naugahyde chairs
with cigarette burns...,

old vinyl records,
cracked of course!

How 'bout that avocado colored Formica ?

I seem to know
disco beats...Those retro fads---
crimped hair; Afros;

don't forget Charlie's Angels ®
Queen Farrah
Oh that stupid Fawcett!

The pipes froze with degrees in the '80's...

But that hustle
of platform heels
surfaced again --
In 1990.

along with that vinyl craze;
For after "you spin me 'round, 'round Baby"
We're still left dizzy!

FLASHBACK! to the '60's

The Fashion Forecaster
calls for more nostalgia...
dropping to the lower '50's...

We wear confusion like a trend in these late 1990's

---Jan. 1999 Amber © All rights Reserved.



ESBN 33737-060223-254509-40

Poetry : Senior Citizen 0

This poem was written in response to the ever growing problem our elderly are facing. So many elderly are left to wither in apartments, houses or  senior citizen homes - they lack human contact and are ignored by the younger society. Volunteer your time - affect someone who is lonely or who has no family.

Senior Citizens by nicubunu.photo

He is old -
As if life itself was creaking,
Like one big porch swing.


So many years -
Like the rusty links of a chain
needing to be oiled,
From so much wear as time jolts
taking it's tole.


His bones lay -
weathered and splintering
like old boards.


His skin, missing the radiant glow
Of it's youthful shellac,
Now wrinkled, grayed
And aging.


If not left in corner somewhere
under a layer of dust;


If well oiled with respect-
He will glide,
Carrying you on many adventures.

Last Journey by  izahorsky

Memories will flow
like a welcomed breeze on a humid,
Summer night.


And he will bask in "usefulness"
Again.


Not ill and forgotten
in the darkened storage of loneliness.

Waiting 3 by sheilaz413

--- Amber© All rights reserved. Dec.12, 1995