(43) Schpring has Schprung

The sun brought us out for a flaneur Saturday and Sunday. Thousands of others had the same idea and the sidewalks were full. We have to say the sunny skies and fresh air were a wonderful complement to breakfast. Our downstairs maid Miranda fixed us a stunner of a burrito. One of enormous proportions with organic refried beans and fresh guacamole. Her usual pleasant, solicitous demeanour appears to have fully returned. We like to be eating eggs, not walking on them, in front of the staff.

As we strolled, digesting our burrito, the gentle light and air caused our shoulders to relax and the search for POWcityblog imagery began in earnest. Even the feral cats of Poorkdale had an extra spring in their step! Setting off from the bunker we knew how they felt.

Firstly, we came across a lost robot. Then a lost cat poster took us aback, replaced our mirth with a small sadness.

Luckily a round of shorter skirts and a couple of tank tops took the edge off all this unexpected loss, as did a large cafe latte. Still, we could not help but observe that the abundant light which drew us forth so welcomingly had another side. The harshness of the city was not hidden beneath a bandage of snow or by dull skies and early darkness. It pains us that spring in the city is not prettier. Manumitted from the snow banks are hundreds of thousands of kilos of cigarette butts, dog shit and litter. The continued amateur tagging and random vandalizing of public property doesn't seem to abate under the influence of winter. We were tempered to a more sober level of appreciation for what was around us.

We felt strengthened upon securing a couple of images from beauty salons. Before the POWcityblog we never much noticed the salons. Now, it's like every second commercial establishment is a beauty salon. Below, from Dundas St, is an example. Look at those lashes! This portrait could almost be from a manga comic.

This image below had us thinking that perhaps the 80s were not so bad after all.

Even on the sunniest day in the city there is a danger of mixed feelings, mixed results. The answer is to press on with eyes open. The city shows no mercy. Neither do we.