I love to get outside and enjoy the fruits of our urban backyard. Some days it can be a major accomplishment to make it outside our flat door. Today was one of those days. Yea! Dressed and ambulatory as a twosome!

It’s starting to feel like I spend a disproportionate amount of time shaking my head disapprovingly at drivers while I’m out walking though. I want to enjoy the city, but I want to feel safe!

Seriously?

I often say out loud. Today I watched incredulously as a driver shouted back to a pedestrian whom he had nearly run over after the pedestrian made a gesture like

What was that?

Okay the pedestrian didn’t exactly have the walk signal, but the drivers lane was also backed up so as soon as the driver made it through the light he had to stop for the next light.

Lake and I cross, luckily without incident. I’m only a few steps along, however, when I hear behind me a telltale

Pop!

Motor vehicle accident. Someone was turning left across traffic. Someone was going straight. I don’t know who had the light. I’m starting to feel like that part is irrelevant anyways.

It recalls a salient saying regarding driving in Italy.

Green means go! Amber means go faster! And red? Red is just a suggestion.

Meanwhile I have become a paranoid pedestrian. Today’s adventure was taking me in search of the Whole Foods organic strawberry sale, and after that intersection I took to exploring the quiet alleys. It was great! The most congestion I experienced was when I walked along with a free range chicken.

Yep, we had a bucolic foray up north. It was almost like we ended up at a farm stand. My prize! Yum!