Hands Free High Beams

As I left a meeting at church last night, it seemed uncharacteristically dark outside. Henly doesn’t have a reputation for having dark skies. If you live in Henly, you know what I mean. If you don’t, it doesn’t matter.

The Miata was the only vehicle in the parking lot in front of the church.  The top was down. The evening was cool.  I wanted to get in the car and drive just for the fun of driving. It was a perfect evening for doing so.

Alas, ours is not a perfect world. I had already looked at the time and recognized I would be late in giving Snickers his insulin injection for the evening. I needed to hurry! The General is a “play it by the book” strict constructionist. That is one of the areas in which we differ. 

The morning before, at 8:00, I couldn’t find the insulin bottle in the refrigerator.  I had to call in the big guns.  The General couldn’t find the bottle either. So, had I tossed the bottle in the trash the evening before?  Of course not!

The General opened the cabinet door to look in the place where we keep the insulin needles and alcohol pads. With a sense of disbelief, I immediately realized I had placed the insulin bottle there instead of the refrigerator. That is not an easy mistake the make. The refrigerator and the kitchen cabinet look nothing alike.

Consequently, I hurried to the veterinarian’s office for more insulin. That morning, the 8:00 injection didn’t take place until 9:00. It did not signal the end of the world. 

Getting back to the dark sky, I momentarily sat at the stop sign, as I looked both directions at the intersection of Henly Loop and Hwy. 290.  It was dark in both directions. There were no car lights even in the distance.

It seems a little eerie. It is not uncommon for there to be a steady flow of traffic. Last night, there was nothing.  I can’t remember if it was then or if it was after I turned in the direction of Dripping Springs, but the bright blue high-beam headlight indicator came on. The high beams definitely increased the visibility.  

I remember thinking, how did that happen? I had not used my hand to active the high beams. So did I have the Miata set for auto-lights?  Obviously, that had to be it.

At the same time I was having those thoughts, the lights of an approaching car could be seen. With accurate precision, the bright blue light was gone and the low-beams we now in place. 

Sometimes it is the little things that catch my attention. As I drove to Dripping Springs, I marveled with the accuracy of the auto-light function. They were flawless. Why would anyone not take advantage of having that feature?

The General, the strict constructionist, prefers to manage the lights herself rather than rely on the auto-light function. I won’t say she is in error, but why is the question?  It is mostly a moot issue because it is rare that she drives at night. Her night vision isn’t all that good. At least, that is her report. 

As for me, I am grateful for the auto-light feature. It is simply one thing I don’t have to worry about. It is rare that I drive the Miata in the dark, and normally the flow of traffic in the greater Dripping Springs area is generally filled with cars in both directions. Consequently, the high beams may never come on.

All My Best!

Don

The Film Has Merit

As an alternative to HGTV, last night the General and I watched “Woman In Gold” on Netflix. It is the story of Maria Altmann, who as a newlywed escaped Austria along with her husband amid the Nazi take-over and heightened oppression and persecution of the Jews.

Her family of origin, including an uncle and his family, were the cultured elite of their society. Her aunt, Adele Bloch-Baurer was a wealthy patron of the arts and served as a model for some of Gustav Klimt’s most famous paintings including “Woman in Gold”

The Nazis confiscated the family’s coveted possessions. Many of the works of art by Klimt subsequently found their way into the Belvedere Museum, and the Austrian government claimed rightful ownership of them. Reportedly, “Woman in Gold” was regarded as the Mona Lisa of the Austrian people.

The movie deals with Maria Altmann’s quest to reclaim what rightfully belonged to her family. She did so with the aid of a young lawyer whose family origins were woven together with her family.

According “The Guardian review”, the movie is a fake. Of course, the criticism may be the film’s absence of the harsh reality and brutality rendered to Jewish people in Austria.

I’m sticking with my recommendation that the film has merit. Whether the movie is gold or fool’s gold, we found the film thought provoking. In addition, much about Maria Altmann can be found on Wikipedia.

All My Best!

Don