vaneramos | Politics

This afternoon I made eye contact with a man in a driveway on King Street, recognized him a moment later as Bob Bell, newly elected Councillor of Ward 1. I hadn't noticed in the photo on his website, but in person was startled by his woof factor. He's taller than expected. I swear I voted for him not knowing this. I feel tarnished somehow, feeling the hots for a politician.

Back room politics has been going on in my mind, but at least the drugs hit me last night and I slept like a stone.

It was such a lovely afternoon, I needed to get outdoors with my camera. No destination in mind when I turned the keys in the ignition, but ended up on Queen Street Hill. I parked on Prospect Street, which gives way to the best view overlooking downtown Guelph. From there I wandered for an hour, admiring rich light and lengthening shadows. Three young men carried rocks, one in each hand, out to the middle of Heffernan Street Footbridge. One said, "Mine is going to make a big splash today." I passed a cubbish fellow and his female friend twice, once on the bridge then again atop the hill, where they were apparently wandering and gawking at mansions, like me.

One place is big enough to be a private school, with rambling wings and formal gardens. Its front drive is torn up. An army of construction workers swarmed over the grounds, operating machinery, standing and pointing, ducking around the corner for a smoke break. I see no indication it is anything besides a private home.

Two workers were repairing the chimney on another house, one calling down from the top of a scaffold three storeys high. From the ground nearby, a black and yellow stereo belted classic rock music down the quiet street.

From the footbridge: gulls over the Speed River.