Can you believe it?
I'm going to post again.....is the sky falling, Chicken Little? is it snowing in the desert? Has Sarah Palin become qualified to potentially govern our nation of 300 million people rather than a measly 650,000 citizens, predominantly oil workers and Inuits, in Alaska?
I have always not liked politics very much. Who could really get into it when you grow up watching multiple politically motivated assassinations within a decade, wars fought against an ideology (communism), money spent going to the moon rather than helping the disenfranchised at home?
In the recent past, the only politician who captured my attention was Bill Clinton. I am impressed by eloquent and articulate speakers like Bill, however, NOT without consideration for what they are saying. Mostly, like many boomers, I was attracted to Bill's youth and down-to-earth demeanor. Not an old fart, not a rich Ivy League blowhard, but a down-home guy with a silver tongue.
And on the edge of another reality, I liked the John McCain who used to be...the one who marched to the beat of his own drum. I sooooo respect his strength of conviction while a POW in Hanoi. An American hero he is and was, but our powers that be did not regale him in the ilk of an Eisenhower or Patton. While McCain sacrificed his health and physical being and was acknowledged with military honors for such, he was never elevated to the high priesthood of those whose intellectual abilities won wars.
I believe wars are the Achilles heel of mankind. We've got a wonderful planet to occupy and an omnipresent sun that allows plants to photosynthesize to support life. Why can't humans be content with what they have and leave other humans to cultivate their own gardens? Did God punk us with an innate desire to ultimate destroy all humanity in His name?
The Viet Nam years sculpted my "passive activism" toward the injustices that gov'ts impose upon their citizens when they justify "war".
During the escalation of VN, I watched as my male friends sweated the Federal number plucking that decided their fate. Low number, on the chopping block....high number, make a novena for the rest of your life.
My ex-husband enjoyed a deferment due to a heart murmur. One of my classmates in college got a deferment because he was allergic to wool. Another joined the Marine Corps band to blow on the baritone horn rather than wade thru the rice paddies. My brother-in-law joined the National Guard, at a time when those folks rarely served even one term of duty overseas. Others went and were never the same again. Had I had 'cojones' during the draft years, i'd have been shoveling manure on a farm in Saskatchewan.
Because of his tours in VN, one of my high school mates, a talented athlete, has not known even a nanosecond of the quality of life that I and other mates have experienced as we head into our 60s. He has resided for many years in a nursing home in PA after decades of wandering the streets of Wyoming Valley in a green military trench coat, regardless of ambient temperature and season, speaking in tongues that not even God could interpret.
None who went to Korea, VN, Iraq I, Iraq II and Afghanistan came or will come home to the hero's welcome that we recall watching on the news films made in NY City when WWII ended. Instead, today's military heroes (i.e., every one who serves) arrive home not to the resounding joy that characterized the end of WWII, but with limbs missing, brain cells addled, joy lost... and to date about 5000 who are silent forevermore. Something's VERY wrong with this picture.
Yes, Nancy Grace remembers a fallen hero during each of her broadcasts. (You go, girl.) And local morning, noon, and evening news shows across America pay isolated tribute to the fallen or incapacitated servicemen who are known among their audience. Don't our soldiers merit a much more impressive THANK YOU for their toils and sacrifice? Why hasn't our vacuous President, who is on a first-name basis with Christ, been more vocal and visible when our soldiers return to US soil. Is it because he knows that those of them who are still able to draw a breath and/or walk or hold a cup of coffee are going to be sent back to harm's way?
I believe that President Bush has a heart, and that he no doubt grieves personally for lives lost and disrupted by the Iraq war.
But I'm tired.
Tired of my leaders sending my homies to fight in distant lands whose names we often can't pronounce in order to "engage terrorists on their own turf". I respect Gov. Palin for her courageous support of her eldest son as he departed US soil for Iraq. Ditto for Senator Joe Biden. I pray their loved ones remain safe. But I honestly think they should never have had to go there in the first place.
And so, I've decide to support the candidate who wants to bring them home soon...the same candidate who wants to talk diplomatically rather than impulsively whack someone of a different religion, skin color, ideology, sexual orientation, etc. with the big stick he carries.
I wish i could feel better now that i've vented. Perhaps a dreamless nap will get me thru the next few hours. Thanks for listening.
Love and peace to all.
a
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Part Deux de New York
I promised to recount our visit to Rochester, NY, for my nephew Nicholas' wedding to Alison Schmitt. This is primarily for me to document things that have occurred in the recent past, as the storage sites in my brain are rapidly decreasing in number.
We'll start on the morning after our 3:30 a.m (Wed., 7/23) arrival at Rochester. Of course, we slept into the afternoon. Nick and Alison had a little gift basket in our hotel room....so nowwwwwww, isn't it? i didn't do a damn thing for the folks from outta town who attended my Wedding Numero Uno.
Late Wed p.m., Nick phoned and offered to dine with us at a bistro just across the parking lot from the hotel. It was not a college hangout, but was of the ilk that catered to youth. Lotsa tv's turned to sports and other stuff, huge bar, and the roar of lotsa folks chatting. We ate a lovely meal and toasted a few times to the groom. His bride arrived later, and we toasted her as well. Steven and I drank a bottle of wine toasting.
Our childhood friend and quasi-sistah, Kathleen, arrived on wheels from Wilkes-Barre that evening. We all decided it would be more comfortable to move across the parking lot in a different direction to the Residence Inn, which unlike the Courtyard Marriott, offered breakfast and dinnertime hot snaxxx. So David (aka Vern) scored us two rooms and we moved there asap. (Another reason I wanted to move was the non-compliant guest in the room next to ours who smoked like a chimney.) Steven took off with Nick and Alison, and I have no idea where they went.
Next day, Thurs, 7/24, my sister en familia arrived from Ithaca (about 100 miles southeast). The plan was that we would do a family dinner in Niagara Falls, Ontario, to relive the visit to NF that we did jointly 18 years prior. At the event in 1990, my sistah and I sang with the band playing by the pool (uninvited, there was no karaoke back then)at the hotel where we stayed. Song was "The Happy Wanderer", a German beergarden ditty.
Things have changed quite a bit among the attractions, hotels, etc., but the Canadian Falls remain brilliant. We dined at a posh restaurant overlooking the Falls (spitting distance) on which colored lights gaze at night. Dinner was good, but verrrry expensive. When we'd been to the same place 18 years prior, it was a seafood joint that had mediocre overpriced food and a great view. This time it had very good pricey food and a still-great view.
After dinner, we meandered to the outlook before heading back. Nick, his brothers Peter and Mike, and Steven headed out into the wild night to engage in traditional bachelor party activities. I won't repeat their antics here for fear of the NF, Ont., police reading this and issuing warrants for any or all of them. Suffice it to say, they each looked like crap the next day, all day, thru the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. They had a hotel room in NF, but probably didn't use it til morning thru early afternoon.
When they returned to Rochester, it was for the rehearsal at Alison and Nick's church. I can't recall the church's name, but it was a contemporary structure in a very nice middle class neighborhood with lotsa trees. Afterward, we headed down to the shores of Lake Ontario for a post-rehearsal dinner hosted by my sister and her husband, Mike.
The festivities were held in a Coast Guard Auxillary Bldg sitting aside one of the canals that serves the Port of Rochester. One of Alison's relatives had a power boat, and many of the younger kids in her family enjoyed several rides. Nick is in the auxillary and i think Alison's family is active in it as well.
Jo Anne (Jay), my sister, fed us Cajun chicken, rice, veggies, and shrimp kabobs. The chicken and fixin's were catered by a local restaurant. Her husband Mike and Alison's father (his name is no longer in my brain) cooked them on a couple onsite grills. Jay did a wonderful job of planning and executing the reception.
After the rehearsal dinner, we retreated to the comfort of our hotel.
The wedding was at 2:30 pm on Saturday, 7/26. As expected, it was simple and lovely. I was one of 3 lay readers....I read a responsorial Psalm. Damn near fell on my way to and from the lectern, cuz I was wearing these black velvet, open-toe stilletos that matched the sparkly black dress that my sister had bought for me to wear. Totally inappropriate for a plump old broad like me.
The music at the wedding ceremony was outstanding. Both Alison and her brother are seasoned musicians and vocalists. Her brother sang a hearty baritone rendition of Ave' Maria.
Reception was at 6 at the local Country Club....a sit down dinner with choice of entree following a free cocktail and hors d'oeuvres hour. They had a dj/karaoke in lieu of a live band. Needless to say, we made fools of ourselves singing and dancing til 12:30 a.m., when the dj ended the party with Frank Sinatra and all of us crooning New York, New York. Steven and his cousin Peter (my sister's youngest) rapped a version of Baby Got Back. My sister and her kids sang Crazy Little Thing Called Love. My niece Natalie soloed on Can't Help Falling in Love. Nat asked the dj to play a CD of Serbian gypsy music, to which the family danced a "kola". It was a great time. My sister feigned wonder during my wild dancing about how quickly I had "recovered" from my bout valley fever. I told her i wasn't recovered, but I had decided that i'd rather have a good time and die, then not party at all.
Next morning (Sunday), we went to a park on Lake Ontario after breakfast at a greasy spoon that Alison's family frequents. I was sooooooooooooooooooooo tired. I have not danced that much for over 25 years. After the park, we drove back to Jay's house in Ithaca. We stopped along the NY Thruway for a light repast at a Sbarro (pizza). Also stopped at a gas station somewhere on the east side of Cayuga Lake for some huge tasty muffins.
Stayed in Ithaca Sunday night and Monday night. I crashed as soon as we got there (8 p.m.....the partying caught up with me). Over the next few days, Jay and Mike hauled us around to various points of interest. We went to an Indian restaurant for lunch. All Vern had on his plate was lettuce and tomato. It was a buffet of mystery dishes, and he's not a very adventurous eater. Jay asked them to bring him some tandoori (spicy) roast chicken, which, thankfully, he ate.
Mike drove us back to Rochester on Tuesday afternoon for our connecting flight to JFK en route to PHX. It was not nearly as draining as the TO: ROC flight. Still, we learned that flying JETBLUE thru JFK suxxxx big time. Our flight from ROC was on time, but we circled over the tri-state area for awhile due to heavy traffic. Everything was cool with our next flight to PHX until we got in line on the runway. There we sat for a couple hours waiting on airport staff to clear a disabled plane from a runway. While we were waiting, i had to use the potty. Steven had moved from the center seat next to me to an aisle seat in front of me. As I passed his seat, he grumbled at me "I hate you for scheduling these flights." Thank you very much, my son.
The plane eventually took off, and despite a head wind, we flew at almost 600 mph to make it to PHX about 1/2 late at 11 pm. Steven's friend Alan picked us up and deposited us back at the condo where he lives. We, then, drove back to TUS, arriving around 2 a.m. Another exhausting trip.
Vern had to work the next day, but i stayed home to rest. I have no idea how he made it thru the day. Sometimes i think the man sleeps with his eyes open.
Anyway, that's the end of our story. Nick and Ali left the following Friday for a 2-week honeymoon in Germany. Someone in her family gave them a week at a German resort as a gift, and then they planned to stay with some of her kin in Germany.
They as well as we have since settled down to our normal routines.
Catching up on other non-events in my life, V and I drove to San Diego a few weeks ago for my biannual endocrinology appointment. Results of blood tests were unsurprising. My blood glucose is maintaining an average of 134, which is a bit higher than normal (doctor's words), but not noteworthy.
I had a chest x-ray as well to check on the valley fever. The radiologist reported the nodule in my right lung to be 1.1 cm x 0.9 cm, which is where it was back in June as I recovered from the valley fever. I need to follow up w/ the pulmonary specialist in TUS about whether or not a CT scan is necessary.
It was very warm and breezy in San Diego, and we enjoyed one night at our favorite haunt, the Pacific Terrace Hotel. We had a terrace room. Left the sliding door screen open all night (locked of course)so we could listen to the surf. Verrrry relaxing. I wish i was rich and could do this more often.
Speaking of rich, I'm $8K poorer thanks to the economy tanking. My gov't 401K dwindled with every fall of a bank or mortgage lender etc. Steven managed to get his mortgage completed by 9/30. Ended up not costing him a dime to buy his house!
Time for a nap-ki for me. V is already in la-la land.
Adios, mi amigos y amigas.
Vaya con Dios.
a
We'll start on the morning after our 3:30 a.m (Wed., 7/23) arrival at Rochester. Of course, we slept into the afternoon. Nick and Alison had a little gift basket in our hotel room....so nowwwwwww, isn't it? i didn't do a damn thing for the folks from outta town who attended my Wedding Numero Uno.
Late Wed p.m., Nick phoned and offered to dine with us at a bistro just across the parking lot from the hotel. It was not a college hangout, but was of the ilk that catered to youth. Lotsa tv's turned to sports and other stuff, huge bar, and the roar of lotsa folks chatting. We ate a lovely meal and toasted a few times to the groom. His bride arrived later, and we toasted her as well. Steven and I drank a bottle of wine toasting.
Our childhood friend and quasi-sistah, Kathleen, arrived on wheels from Wilkes-Barre that evening. We all decided it would be more comfortable to move across the parking lot in a different direction to the Residence Inn, which unlike the Courtyard Marriott, offered breakfast and dinnertime hot snaxxx. So David (aka Vern) scored us two rooms and we moved there asap. (Another reason I wanted to move was the non-compliant guest in the room next to ours who smoked like a chimney.) Steven took off with Nick and Alison, and I have no idea where they went.
Next day, Thurs, 7/24, my sister en familia arrived from Ithaca (about 100 miles southeast). The plan was that we would do a family dinner in Niagara Falls, Ontario, to relive the visit to NF that we did jointly 18 years prior. At the event in 1990, my sistah and I sang with the band playing by the pool (uninvited, there was no karaoke back then)at the hotel where we stayed. Song was "The Happy Wanderer", a German beergarden ditty.
Things have changed quite a bit among the attractions, hotels, etc., but the Canadian Falls remain brilliant. We dined at a posh restaurant overlooking the Falls (spitting distance) on which colored lights gaze at night. Dinner was good, but verrrry expensive. When we'd been to the same place 18 years prior, it was a seafood joint that had mediocre overpriced food and a great view. This time it had very good pricey food and a still-great view.
After dinner, we meandered to the outlook before heading back. Nick, his brothers Peter and Mike, and Steven headed out into the wild night to engage in traditional bachelor party activities. I won't repeat their antics here for fear of the NF, Ont., police reading this and issuing warrants for any or all of them. Suffice it to say, they each looked like crap the next day, all day, thru the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. They had a hotel room in NF, but probably didn't use it til morning thru early afternoon.
When they returned to Rochester, it was for the rehearsal at Alison and Nick's church. I can't recall the church's name, but it was a contemporary structure in a very nice middle class neighborhood with lotsa trees. Afterward, we headed down to the shores of Lake Ontario for a post-rehearsal dinner hosted by my sister and her husband, Mike.
The festivities were held in a Coast Guard Auxillary Bldg sitting aside one of the canals that serves the Port of Rochester. One of Alison's relatives had a power boat, and many of the younger kids in her family enjoyed several rides. Nick is in the auxillary and i think Alison's family is active in it as well.
Jo Anne (Jay), my sister, fed us Cajun chicken, rice, veggies, and shrimp kabobs. The chicken and fixin's were catered by a local restaurant. Her husband Mike and Alison's father (his name is no longer in my brain) cooked them on a couple onsite grills. Jay did a wonderful job of planning and executing the reception.
After the rehearsal dinner, we retreated to the comfort of our hotel.
The wedding was at 2:30 pm on Saturday, 7/26. As expected, it was simple and lovely. I was one of 3 lay readers....I read a responsorial Psalm. Damn near fell on my way to and from the lectern, cuz I was wearing these black velvet, open-toe stilletos that matched the sparkly black dress that my sister had bought for me to wear. Totally inappropriate for a plump old broad like me.
The music at the wedding ceremony was outstanding. Both Alison and her brother are seasoned musicians and vocalists. Her brother sang a hearty baritone rendition of Ave' Maria.
Reception was at 6 at the local Country Club....a sit down dinner with choice of entree following a free cocktail and hors d'oeuvres hour. They had a dj/karaoke in lieu of a live band. Needless to say, we made fools of ourselves singing and dancing til 12:30 a.m., when the dj ended the party with Frank Sinatra and all of us crooning New York, New York. Steven and his cousin Peter (my sister's youngest) rapped a version of Baby Got Back. My sister and her kids sang Crazy Little Thing Called Love. My niece Natalie soloed on Can't Help Falling in Love. Nat asked the dj to play a CD of Serbian gypsy music, to which the family danced a "kola". It was a great time. My sister feigned wonder during my wild dancing about how quickly I had "recovered" from my bout valley fever. I told her i wasn't recovered, but I had decided that i'd rather have a good time and die, then not party at all.
Next morning (Sunday), we went to a park on Lake Ontario after breakfast at a greasy spoon that Alison's family frequents. I was sooooooooooooooooooooo tired. I have not danced that much for over 25 years. After the park, we drove back to Jay's house in Ithaca. We stopped along the NY Thruway for a light repast at a Sbarro (pizza). Also stopped at a gas station somewhere on the east side of Cayuga Lake for some huge tasty muffins.
Stayed in Ithaca Sunday night and Monday night. I crashed as soon as we got there (8 p.m.....the partying caught up with me). Over the next few days, Jay and Mike hauled us around to various points of interest. We went to an Indian restaurant for lunch. All Vern had on his plate was lettuce and tomato. It was a buffet of mystery dishes, and he's not a very adventurous eater. Jay asked them to bring him some tandoori (spicy) roast chicken, which, thankfully, he ate.
Mike drove us back to Rochester on Tuesday afternoon for our connecting flight to JFK en route to PHX. It was not nearly as draining as the TO: ROC flight. Still, we learned that flying JETBLUE thru JFK suxxxx big time. Our flight from ROC was on time, but we circled over the tri-state area for awhile due to heavy traffic. Everything was cool with our next flight to PHX until we got in line on the runway. There we sat for a couple hours waiting on airport staff to clear a disabled plane from a runway. While we were waiting, i had to use the potty. Steven had moved from the center seat next to me to an aisle seat in front of me. As I passed his seat, he grumbled at me "I hate you for scheduling these flights." Thank you very much, my son.
The plane eventually took off, and despite a head wind, we flew at almost 600 mph to make it to PHX about 1/2 late at 11 pm. Steven's friend Alan picked us up and deposited us back at the condo where he lives. We, then, drove back to TUS, arriving around 2 a.m. Another exhausting trip.
Vern had to work the next day, but i stayed home to rest. I have no idea how he made it thru the day. Sometimes i think the man sleeps with his eyes open.
Anyway, that's the end of our story. Nick and Ali left the following Friday for a 2-week honeymoon in Germany. Someone in her family gave them a week at a German resort as a gift, and then they planned to stay with some of her kin in Germany.
They as well as we have since settled down to our normal routines.
Catching up on other non-events in my life, V and I drove to San Diego a few weeks ago for my biannual endocrinology appointment. Results of blood tests were unsurprising. My blood glucose is maintaining an average of 134, which is a bit higher than normal (doctor's words), but not noteworthy.
I had a chest x-ray as well to check on the valley fever. The radiologist reported the nodule in my right lung to be 1.1 cm x 0.9 cm, which is where it was back in June as I recovered from the valley fever. I need to follow up w/ the pulmonary specialist in TUS about whether or not a CT scan is necessary.
It was very warm and breezy in San Diego, and we enjoyed one night at our favorite haunt, the Pacific Terrace Hotel. We had a terrace room. Left the sliding door screen open all night (locked of course)so we could listen to the surf. Verrrry relaxing. I wish i was rich and could do this more often.
Speaking of rich, I'm $8K poorer thanks to the economy tanking. My gov't 401K dwindled with every fall of a bank or mortgage lender etc. Steven managed to get his mortgage completed by 9/30. Ended up not costing him a dime to buy his house!
Time for a nap-ki for me. V is already in la-la land.
Adios, mi amigos y amigas.
Vaya con Dios.
a
Monday, September 29, 2008
Gwammy Wants Ta Know
in response to Aunt Gwammy Woobie's tag:
1. What were you doing 10 years ago? Sending out resumes in anticipation of the Department of Energy giving us newbies a pink slip. Word was that a Reduction in Force (RIF) was imminent, and I was 6th from the bottom on a list of environmental scientists. Paved the pathway to Arizona!
2. What is on my to-do list today? R&R at the Pacific Terrace Hotel in San Diego....sun, pool, surf....good for the heart, soul and mind. Also curls/frizzes my hair to the max.
3. What if I were a millionaire? Yeah, right....if i had a million, i'd subsidize all the pet shelters in America for as long as possible, pay off the house, help my Auntie Ann move into the best senior digs wherever she chose, quit my job, invest and travel travel travel. And respond to friends and family in need at their request.
4. Places I have lived? Wilkes-Barre, PA; West Pittston, PA; Oak Ridge, TN; Houston, TX; Knoxville, TN; Lenoir City, TN; Yuma, AZ; and Tucson, AZ.
5. Bad Habits? Impatient, impulsive, impetuous, bossy, demanding, and like to pick at zits.
6. Snacks I Like: DARK CHOCOLATE, SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE CHIPS, i could survive on chocolate alone.
1. What were you doing 10 years ago? Sending out resumes in anticipation of the Department of Energy giving us newbies a pink slip. Word was that a Reduction in Force (RIF) was imminent, and I was 6th from the bottom on a list of environmental scientists. Paved the pathway to Arizona!
2. What is on my to-do list today? R&R at the Pacific Terrace Hotel in San Diego....sun, pool, surf....good for the heart, soul and mind. Also curls/frizzes my hair to the max.
3. What if I were a millionaire? Yeah, right....if i had a million, i'd subsidize all the pet shelters in America for as long as possible, pay off the house, help my Auntie Ann move into the best senior digs wherever she chose, quit my job, invest and travel travel travel. And respond to friends and family in need at their request.
4. Places I have lived? Wilkes-Barre, PA; West Pittston, PA; Oak Ridge, TN; Houston, TX; Knoxville, TN; Lenoir City, TN; Yuma, AZ; and Tucson, AZ.
5. Bad Habits? Impatient, impulsive, impetuous, bossy, demanding, and like to pick at zits.
6. Snacks I Like: DARK CHOCOLATE, SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE CHIPS, i could survive on chocolate alone.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Part I: Flight to Hell and Back
Yeah, yeah....i know that i'm a real slacker when it comes to blogging. I spend most of my work days in front of the computer screen reviewing environmental documents. Makes me reluctant to create yet another document (and i review IT before I post). And sometimes (like this entry) the details of certain activities are painful to report.
I promised to write about the trip to Rochester, NY, for Nick's wedding.
We flew JETBLUE RT from PHX to ROC via JFK on Tuesday, July 22.
A doozy of a mistake.
Reason for selecting JB was that it has nice, soft, comfy leather seats, lotsa leg room (and I paid $30 each for us to have the luxury of even more), free snaxxx, free movie, and in general, good service. For a 4.5 to 5 hr flight cross country, it seemed like an excellent plan.
It was not.
Yes, all the amenities were there. What was not there was an on time arrival at JFK for a connecting flight to ROC. We were ahead of schedule, thanks to a great tail wind, when we began our descent to JFK. Then, folks began to notice that our speed had decreased a good deal and we seemed to by flying in circles. Yes, we were indeed flying in circles for what seemed like an eternity (actually, maybe an hour and a half). It was dark, so most of what we could identify on land were the lights of the NY metro area and the lights of ships at sea. It got old looking at the same lights for that length of time. Flight attendants were buckled in, so there were no goodies flowing our way to quiet our nerves. Then, a ding, and the PA system was activated.
"Well, folks....from the flight deck...this is First Officer So and So. You've probably noticed that we've been put into a holding pattern over JFK for a while now. We've been advised by Ground Control that an American Airlines flight made an emergency landing just before our arrival, and all incoming and outgoing traffic was placed on hold. Now, we have a nasty thunderstorm pounding JFK that is adversely affecting an already big queue of arrivals and departures."
"We're getting low on fuel, and we've been diverted to land at the Newburgh, NY, Airport to refuel and await further instruction on when we might be able to return to JFK."
Large groans and consternation.
In about 20 minutes we had landed at an Air Nat'l Guard facility near Newburgh. It was after 11 pm. Our scheduled arrival at JFK was 8 p.m. We'd already missed our departure to ROC. Lovely.
Except for the capability to refuel our plane, this airport had pulled up its sidewalks for the night. We were held captive on the plane, since there were no services open, including rental car desks, which many residents of communities surrounding NYC thought they might use in lieu of returning on the plane to JFK.
The flight deck resumed chatting with us on the PA system. We were told that no one could "deplane" (one of Geo Carlin's favorite made-up words) except the 4 parties who had pups in carriers onboard. That was nice....for the pups and the rest of us. The pups got off to poop, others of us also relieved ourselves many times until we were given the okay to return to JFK over an hour later.
While waiting in Newburgh, some passengers negotiated with the powers that be to leave the plane for good, as they had phoned home and obtained rides to wherever they resided. About 25 passengers chose to split in Newburgh, knowing that their luggage was not going with them. If they had checked luggage, they would have to travel to JFK the next day to fetch it.
When we got into JFK, it was about 1 a.m. The terminal was CRAZEE. We of course were not the only flight that was delayed, and it was total chaos. To relieve you of the pain of reading about what we endured at a foodless, drinkless terminal trying to get on the last flight to ROC, let me just say it was a preview of hell.
We arrived in ROC at 3:30 a.m. to an empty terminal with some very very very unhappy ground crew personnel who either had to come in to service our flight or had to stay put for several hours to service our flight. Lucky for us, our luggage made it, and we headed for a Marriott in a town where none of us had ever been.
God sped us to our destination, the check-in was quick and we fell into comas til mid-day on Wed.
Marriotts are by design all non-smoking hotels. However, someone with complete disdain for rules and regulations puffed incessantly in the room adjacent to ours. Just next door was a different Marriott, a Residence Inn. We moved there the next day, after i dragged the desk attendant back to our room to inhale deeply and complain that this did not suit us at all.
To add insult to injury, they charged us for the first night (4 am arrival) at the first hotel. Royally pissed me off.
The other Marriott was WONDERFUL! Gorgeous spacious rooms with full kitchen, just lovely.
Will continue with the saga in a subsequent post. I've only described our ordeal in arriving in ROC. Need to discuss what we did there, the rehearsal, the wedding and our visit to my sister's 90 miles away in Ithaca, NY.
Later (i'm wasted).
a
I promised to write about the trip to Rochester, NY, for Nick's wedding.
We flew JETBLUE RT from PHX to ROC via JFK on Tuesday, July 22.
A doozy of a mistake.
Reason for selecting JB was that it has nice, soft, comfy leather seats, lotsa leg room (and I paid $30 each for us to have the luxury of even more), free snaxxx, free movie, and in general, good service. For a 4.5 to 5 hr flight cross country, it seemed like an excellent plan.
It was not.
Yes, all the amenities were there. What was not there was an on time arrival at JFK for a connecting flight to ROC. We were ahead of schedule, thanks to a great tail wind, when we began our descent to JFK. Then, folks began to notice that our speed had decreased a good deal and we seemed to by flying in circles. Yes, we were indeed flying in circles for what seemed like an eternity (actually, maybe an hour and a half). It was dark, so most of what we could identify on land were the lights of the NY metro area and the lights of ships at sea. It got old looking at the same lights for that length of time. Flight attendants were buckled in, so there were no goodies flowing our way to quiet our nerves. Then, a ding, and the PA system was activated.
"Well, folks....from the flight deck...this is First Officer So and So. You've probably noticed that we've been put into a holding pattern over JFK for a while now. We've been advised by Ground Control that an American Airlines flight made an emergency landing just before our arrival, and all incoming and outgoing traffic was placed on hold. Now, we have a nasty thunderstorm pounding JFK that is adversely affecting an already big queue of arrivals and departures."
"We're getting low on fuel, and we've been diverted to land at the Newburgh, NY, Airport to refuel and await further instruction on when we might be able to return to JFK."
Large groans and consternation.
In about 20 minutes we had landed at an Air Nat'l Guard facility near Newburgh. It was after 11 pm. Our scheduled arrival at JFK was 8 p.m. We'd already missed our departure to ROC. Lovely.
Except for the capability to refuel our plane, this airport had pulled up its sidewalks for the night. We were held captive on the plane, since there were no services open, including rental car desks, which many residents of communities surrounding NYC thought they might use in lieu of returning on the plane to JFK.
The flight deck resumed chatting with us on the PA system. We were told that no one could "deplane" (one of Geo Carlin's favorite made-up words) except the 4 parties who had pups in carriers onboard. That was nice....for the pups and the rest of us. The pups got off to poop, others of us also relieved ourselves many times until we were given the okay to return to JFK over an hour later.
While waiting in Newburgh, some passengers negotiated with the powers that be to leave the plane for good, as they had phoned home and obtained rides to wherever they resided. About 25 passengers chose to split in Newburgh, knowing that their luggage was not going with them. If they had checked luggage, they would have to travel to JFK the next day to fetch it.
When we got into JFK, it was about 1 a.m. The terminal was CRAZEE. We of course were not the only flight that was delayed, and it was total chaos. To relieve you of the pain of reading about what we endured at a foodless, drinkless terminal trying to get on the last flight to ROC, let me just say it was a preview of hell.
We arrived in ROC at 3:30 a.m. to an empty terminal with some very very very unhappy ground crew personnel who either had to come in to service our flight or had to stay put for several hours to service our flight. Lucky for us, our luggage made it, and we headed for a Marriott in a town where none of us had ever been.
God sped us to our destination, the check-in was quick and we fell into comas til mid-day on Wed.
Marriotts are by design all non-smoking hotels. However, someone with complete disdain for rules and regulations puffed incessantly in the room adjacent to ours. Just next door was a different Marriott, a Residence Inn. We moved there the next day, after i dragged the desk attendant back to our room to inhale deeply and complain that this did not suit us at all.
To add insult to injury, they charged us for the first night (4 am arrival) at the first hotel. Royally pissed me off.
The other Marriott was WONDERFUL! Gorgeous spacious rooms with full kitchen, just lovely.
Will continue with the saga in a subsequent post. I've only described our ordeal in arriving in ROC. Need to discuss what we did there, the rehearsal, the wedding and our visit to my sister's 90 miles away in Ithaca, NY.
Later (i'm wasted).
a
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Going Green: East and West!
Gazing into the Sonoran desert these days you see nothing but green green green. Been raining almost daily for 2 months now. Not that it seriously compromises one's sunning, swimming and other outside activities, cuz for the most part, the rain happens after 3 pm until late in the evening. We need to be careful to not venture in a vehicle across flowing washes (they'll take you to Yuma if you aren't), but otherwise, it's great to have a few months of lush green vegetation, wildflowers, and happy hydrated critters. For an East Coast transplant like me, this is all the green (and humidity) I need on an annual basis to remind me of both the good and the bad back yonder.
Since I've last been on the blog, we've lost 2 Colorado river toads to the elements in our pool. These brazen toadies believe that we put in the pool just for their personal use. When we got back from trip #1 to PA, we found one floating and one in the skimmer basket, eroded to skin and bones. YUK!
While I cleaned the pool after trip #2 (Rochester and Ithaca, NY), a third toad did a backflip off the skimmer flap into the pool right next to me! I quickly lifted Sir/Mdme Toad out with the net and deposited him/her on the pool deck. This booger was HUGE....glared at me with huge bugged out eyes for interfering with its plans....eventually hopped thru the fence to its burrow. These monster amphibians are poisonous (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado_River_Toad)....they present a deadly curiosity to predators and playful house pets. White sacs on the side of the head contain venom. Wouldn't ya know it....tweakers and other dopers out there "milk" these sacs, then dry the venom and smoke or inject it for kicks...bizarre.
Re: Trip #1, Wilkes-Barre, PA, and Paramus, NJ
7/3/08: Flew Delta thru Atlanta to W-B...no issues, nice flights. Vern watched a movie without headphones...even laughed at stuff...i dunno how he does it, good lipreader i guess.
Spent 7/3 and 7/4 nites at Comfort Inn, W-B...not prime real estate but in a convenient location to surf my old haunts.
7/4/08: Friday, slept late, lunch at Perkins, visited Uncle Beetle (George), my mom's youngest brother, then off to Exeter, PA, for the world's BEST pizza at Sabatini's....mmmm, salivating thinking of it.
As part of this excursion, we drove to West Pittston, where I lived for 6 years (early '70s) in the LaPorte family home. It was a lovely Victorian mansion built in 1870. My ex-husband and I lived on the second floor on the left side of the home. Had floor-to-ceiling bay windows in all rooms, hardwood floors, huge pedestal sink, fireplace (non-working). I still dream about this apartment, as it holds some great memories of a very active period of my life. When i visited W-B in 04, the house was under some sort of construction. I was puzzled, but hesitated to inquire of the laborers the nature of their work. I thought maybe someone had purchased the house and was remodelling. I left pondering its future.
During July's visit, I was shocked and awed to see the house transformed into a full stacked-stone castle! The new owners retained the buggy stair-step and the hitching post, which pleased me, but what a change!
We circled to the back of the house, which sits on its own acre-island on Susquehanna Avenue, and had to stop for some folks shooting off fireworks. After we stopped, I noticed a swimming pool in the back yard and a young woman and an older one descending the back porch and walking toward us, where the group was doing the fireworks.
I said hello, and asked if these folks were related to the owner. The young woman said, "I am the owner!" I then told her how I had lived there for many years and how wonderful my landlord and her daughters treated me. Told her about every Sunday afternoon, when Mrs. LaPorte (the mom) would send one of her adult daughters up the back porch with a plate of spaghetti w/ chicken livers for me. Also about how I scared them many times when one of my hamsters got loose. She told me she knew the LaPortes and that Julie was the only one still alive. Said after the home was completed, she gave Julie a tour. Julie is probably close to 80, but managed to make it to the 3rd floor of the home on her own.
The lady introduced herself as Pam Minichello and said that she'd bought the home at a Sheriff's auction for the price of the land (a terrific steal). Apparently, after Mrs. LP and 2 of the 3 daughters had died, the home became too much of a burden for Julie. Her brother Gaetano (Guy) then sold it for $550K to a pulmonary doctor. The Dr. planned to renovate and live there, but never got around to it (family problems, divorce etc.) and split town without paying the note. Eventually, the property went up for Sheriff's sale and the Minichellos purchased it. I told Pam to say hello from me to Julie should she run into her at the supermarket, which she said happens occasionally. She offered for us to tour the remodelled house, but I couldn't bring myself to see it different than I remembered. Am I a wuss or what....
This experience left me in shock most of the night; i didn't sleep well at all.
7/5/08: Off to the reunion at Centre Inn in Sheatown (Newport Twp)....the backwoods of Nanticoke, PA. Got there about 1 pm. The Inn was closed and the parking lot had but 2 cars meandering about. Who should walk up the hill as we were pondering where the hell the clambake was but Bobby Brittain, my homie from Lee Park. We grew up together, really. His family's home and mom&pop grocery store were but 3 houses away on Wyoming and Oxford Sts. A woman was with him; I assumed it was his wife Linda and introduced myself. Was I ever embarrassed to learn that it wasn't his wife, but one of our home room classmates (for 5 years no less), whom I did not recognize because she was heavier, had glasses and had lightened her once very dark hair.
After Bobby, Vern and I parked our cars, I asked him where Linda went. He said, "Linda's at home painting." I said, "Well, who was that woman with you?". And then he told me it was our classmate since 8th grade, Mary (Marion) Boyle. Immediately, I found Mary in the pavilion and apologized profusely. She said she was confused, because she thought it was me, but the tags on my car were from New Jersey and she knew I lived in AZ.
Overall, the reunion was soooo much fun. Except for the fact that this was an unconventional 42nd reunion of the class of '66, it was a warm, loving gathering of 60-year old 'kids' who had many stories to tell. Beetle warned me that i wouldn't recognize many and they me, and he was dead-on. Generally, the men lost hair and the women gained weight and dyed theirs......most of us wore glasses and those men who had hair were white, silver, and grey. I don't remember any of the women in my class going grey...such vanity, but after all, we are baby-boomers and wanna stay young 4-ever.
A really nice surprise at the reunion was my longtime friend from PA Gas and Water Company, Rick Wilkes. He biked to the Inn from his home many miles away in the far reaches of Nanticoke backcountry, Wapwallopen. I was sitting at a picnic table in the pavilion delighting in greeting old mates when I glanced at someone sitting quietly at a picnic table across from me. It was Ricky, decked out in full bicyclist regalia! I was delighted to see him, but sooooo taken aback.
Unfortunately, our visit was brief....i was totally overwhelmed by the reunion experience and was unable to focus for longer than 30 seconds of conversation. Rick said that one of these days he's going to bike cross-country and stop in Tucson. He visited our home in Yuma several years ago on a road trip to CA to pan for gold. It was great seeing him hale and healthy (looks really lean from all the bicycling), despite his heavy consumption of kielbasa and beer. If you read this, Rick, keep in mind that i am expecting you to visit us and i promise to be more attentive....you'll be my captive audience!
The night before the reunion, Vern asked me "just what is a clambake", as this type of party is unheard of in the South, where he grew up. I said it was not really easy to paint a visual of one with words, then attempted by saying, "well, there's a grove or pavilion with benches and picnic tables, and a kitchen at one end. Folks are served breakfast, lunch, and dinner there. There's always one or more brews on tap, soda, and plenty of ice. At some point during the day, all are served a generous portion of steamed clams. Some clambakes have a live band, but today djs are popular."
And thus, Vern attended his first clambake. He only ate a couple clams, declared they were too "chewy" and gave his to me (i was NOT disappointed).
The day ended for us around 7 pm. We drove to a city about 20 miles from W-B (Hazleton) and checked into a Fairfield Marriott. I wanted some place that was non-smoking. PA legislature is trying to pass a non-smoking law, but at present, it has more holes than Swiss cheese. We stayed there Sat and Sun nights.
7/6/08: Picked up my childhood friend, Kathleen Reiss (president of club 7), and we drove to Tunkhannock to meet with my sister, Jo Anne, and her husband, Mike. We met at what used to be a country dairy and ice cream bar near Lake Carey, PA. My family (2 aunts/1 uncle) owned a cottage at the lake, where J and I had a childhood full of great times. The former Shadowbrook Diner was now a Perkins, but we ate there for old times sake, overlooking the resort and golf course. Then we drove out to the lake and circled it, checking out the changes that have occurred since we were teenagers. A tornado hit the lake several years ago, but its effects were not very evident on the small lake (there are 2), where our cottage was located. Nevertheless, the cottage retained none of its previous charm. It looks like it was remodelled to become a year-round home. No more screened-in back and front porches, no more outhouse. Looked like any other city home. After our goodbyes with J and Mike, we drove back to W-B the back way along the Susquehanna River. This route brings you to West Pittston, so we drove K to the LaPorte house to show her the changes. Then, we stopped for another Sabatini's to take home with us.
Went to K's house, where Vern set up her VCR/DVD and rearranged furniture. I helped her navigate her word processing software on a computer she inherited from her deceased cousin. After eating more pizza (i'll never get sick of Sabatini's pies), we drove back to Hazleton.
7/7/08: Went back into town to say goodbye to Beetle and to visit my Aunt Rose Wargo (age 85) and my mother's cousin Mikey's widow, Helen Sirak. It rained most of the day. The humidity about killed me.
Late in the day, we had supper at Abe's, famous for its hot dogs (unlike anything in TN or AZ). I had some homemade pierogies too (they paled compared to my mom's). Then we drove 2 hr to NJ to my mother's brother Dick's house. We stayed at another Marriott about 1 mile from his house, cuz he doesn't believe in air-conditioning and I don't believe in dying of heatstroke.
Visited with him the next day and part of Wednesday. We got some goodies at his favorite deli to take back with us. Unfortunately, our visit was extended, though not at our choosing. Delta cancelled our return flight from Newark on Wed, 7/9, because of bad weather. Had to stay near the Newark airport overnight and catch a 6 a.m. flight. That meant we had to arise at 4 a.m. to catch a hotel shuttle. THIS SUKKED BIG TIME.
My tail dragged heavily behind me all day. Could not wait to get home to my own bed. On a positive note, DL placed us in first class for the 2 hr flight to Atlanta, so we got some free headphones and extra legroom. We arrived in Tucson late in the a.m. and spent the rest of the day at home doing nada.
I'm going to save my recollection of Trip #2 for another day. I'm fairly certain that this long-winded post has less than captivated yer all's attention. But i need to keep the blog alive as i age so that i'll be able to "jog down mem'ry lane" as Steven so often reminds me.
Blessings to all,
a
Since I've last been on the blog, we've lost 2 Colorado river toads to the elements in our pool. These brazen toadies believe that we put in the pool just for their personal use. When we got back from trip #1 to PA, we found one floating and one in the skimmer basket, eroded to skin and bones. YUK!
While I cleaned the pool after trip #2 (Rochester and Ithaca, NY), a third toad did a backflip off the skimmer flap into the pool right next to me! I quickly lifted Sir/Mdme Toad out with the net and deposited him/her on the pool deck. This booger was HUGE....glared at me with huge bugged out eyes for interfering with its plans....eventually hopped thru the fence to its burrow. These monster amphibians are poisonous (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado_River_Toad)....they present a deadly curiosity to predators and playful house pets. White sacs on the side of the head contain venom. Wouldn't ya know it....tweakers and other dopers out there "milk" these sacs, then dry the venom and smoke or inject it for kicks...bizarre.
Re: Trip #1, Wilkes-Barre, PA, and Paramus, NJ
7/3/08: Flew Delta thru Atlanta to W-B...no issues, nice flights. Vern watched a movie without headphones...even laughed at stuff...i dunno how he does it, good lipreader i guess.
Spent 7/3 and 7/4 nites at Comfort Inn, W-B...not prime real estate but in a convenient location to surf my old haunts.
7/4/08: Friday, slept late, lunch at Perkins, visited Uncle Beetle (George), my mom's youngest brother, then off to Exeter, PA, for the world's BEST pizza at Sabatini's....mmmm, salivating thinking of it.
As part of this excursion, we drove to West Pittston, where I lived for 6 years (early '70s) in the LaPorte family home. It was a lovely Victorian mansion built in 1870. My ex-husband and I lived on the second floor on the left side of the home. Had floor-to-ceiling bay windows in all rooms, hardwood floors, huge pedestal sink, fireplace (non-working). I still dream about this apartment, as it holds some great memories of a very active period of my life. When i visited W-B in 04, the house was under some sort of construction. I was puzzled, but hesitated to inquire of the laborers the nature of their work. I thought maybe someone had purchased the house and was remodelling. I left pondering its future.
During July's visit, I was shocked and awed to see the house transformed into a full stacked-stone castle! The new owners retained the buggy stair-step and the hitching post, which pleased me, but what a change!
We circled to the back of the house, which sits on its own acre-island on Susquehanna Avenue, and had to stop for some folks shooting off fireworks. After we stopped, I noticed a swimming pool in the back yard and a young woman and an older one descending the back porch and walking toward us, where the group was doing the fireworks.
I said hello, and asked if these folks were related to the owner. The young woman said, "I am the owner!" I then told her how I had lived there for many years and how wonderful my landlord and her daughters treated me. Told her about every Sunday afternoon, when Mrs. LaPorte (the mom) would send one of her adult daughters up the back porch with a plate of spaghetti w/ chicken livers for me. Also about how I scared them many times when one of my hamsters got loose. She told me she knew the LaPortes and that Julie was the only one still alive. Said after the home was completed, she gave Julie a tour. Julie is probably close to 80, but managed to make it to the 3rd floor of the home on her own.
The lady introduced herself as Pam Minichello and said that she'd bought the home at a Sheriff's auction for the price of the land (a terrific steal). Apparently, after Mrs. LP and 2 of the 3 daughters had died, the home became too much of a burden for Julie. Her brother Gaetano (Guy) then sold it for $550K to a pulmonary doctor. The Dr. planned to renovate and live there, but never got around to it (family problems, divorce etc.) and split town without paying the note. Eventually, the property went up for Sheriff's sale and the Minichellos purchased it. I told Pam to say hello from me to Julie should she run into her at the supermarket, which she said happens occasionally. She offered for us to tour the remodelled house, but I couldn't bring myself to see it different than I remembered. Am I a wuss or what....
This experience left me in shock most of the night; i didn't sleep well at all.
7/5/08: Off to the reunion at Centre Inn in Sheatown (Newport Twp)....the backwoods of Nanticoke, PA. Got there about 1 pm. The Inn was closed and the parking lot had but 2 cars meandering about. Who should walk up the hill as we were pondering where the hell the clambake was but Bobby Brittain, my homie from Lee Park. We grew up together, really. His family's home and mom&pop grocery store were but 3 houses away on Wyoming and Oxford Sts. A woman was with him; I assumed it was his wife Linda and introduced myself. Was I ever embarrassed to learn that it wasn't his wife, but one of our home room classmates (for 5 years no less), whom I did not recognize because she was heavier, had glasses and had lightened her once very dark hair.
After Bobby, Vern and I parked our cars, I asked him where Linda went. He said, "Linda's at home painting." I said, "Well, who was that woman with you?". And then he told me it was our classmate since 8th grade, Mary (Marion) Boyle. Immediately, I found Mary in the pavilion and apologized profusely. She said she was confused, because she thought it was me, but the tags on my car were from New Jersey and she knew I lived in AZ.
Overall, the reunion was soooo much fun. Except for the fact that this was an unconventional 42nd reunion of the class of '66, it was a warm, loving gathering of 60-year old 'kids' who had many stories to tell. Beetle warned me that i wouldn't recognize many and they me, and he was dead-on. Generally, the men lost hair and the women gained weight and dyed theirs......most of us wore glasses and those men who had hair were white, silver, and grey. I don't remember any of the women in my class going grey...such vanity, but after all, we are baby-boomers and wanna stay young 4-ever.
A really nice surprise at the reunion was my longtime friend from PA Gas and Water Company, Rick Wilkes. He biked to the Inn from his home many miles away in the far reaches of Nanticoke backcountry, Wapwallopen. I was sitting at a picnic table in the pavilion delighting in greeting old mates when I glanced at someone sitting quietly at a picnic table across from me. It was Ricky, decked out in full bicyclist regalia! I was delighted to see him, but sooooo taken aback.
Unfortunately, our visit was brief....i was totally overwhelmed by the reunion experience and was unable to focus for longer than 30 seconds of conversation. Rick said that one of these days he's going to bike cross-country and stop in Tucson. He visited our home in Yuma several years ago on a road trip to CA to pan for gold. It was great seeing him hale and healthy (looks really lean from all the bicycling), despite his heavy consumption of kielbasa and beer. If you read this, Rick, keep in mind that i am expecting you to visit us and i promise to be more attentive....you'll be my captive audience!
The night before the reunion, Vern asked me "just what is a clambake", as this type of party is unheard of in the South, where he grew up. I said it was not really easy to paint a visual of one with words, then attempted by saying, "well, there's a grove or pavilion with benches and picnic tables, and a kitchen at one end. Folks are served breakfast, lunch, and dinner there. There's always one or more brews on tap, soda, and plenty of ice. At some point during the day, all are served a generous portion of steamed clams. Some clambakes have a live band, but today djs are popular."
And thus, Vern attended his first clambake. He only ate a couple clams, declared they were too "chewy" and gave his to me (i was NOT disappointed).
The day ended for us around 7 pm. We drove to a city about 20 miles from W-B (Hazleton) and checked into a Fairfield Marriott. I wanted some place that was non-smoking. PA legislature is trying to pass a non-smoking law, but at present, it has more holes than Swiss cheese. We stayed there Sat and Sun nights.
7/6/08: Picked up my childhood friend, Kathleen Reiss (president of club 7), and we drove to Tunkhannock to meet with my sister, Jo Anne, and her husband, Mike. We met at what used to be a country dairy and ice cream bar near Lake Carey, PA. My family (2 aunts/1 uncle) owned a cottage at the lake, where J and I had a childhood full of great times. The former Shadowbrook Diner was now a Perkins, but we ate there for old times sake, overlooking the resort and golf course. Then we drove out to the lake and circled it, checking out the changes that have occurred since we were teenagers. A tornado hit the lake several years ago, but its effects were not very evident on the small lake (there are 2), where our cottage was located. Nevertheless, the cottage retained none of its previous charm. It looks like it was remodelled to become a year-round home. No more screened-in back and front porches, no more outhouse. Looked like any other city home. After our goodbyes with J and Mike, we drove back to W-B the back way along the Susquehanna River. This route brings you to West Pittston, so we drove K to the LaPorte house to show her the changes. Then, we stopped for another Sabatini's to take home with us.
Went to K's house, where Vern set up her VCR/DVD and rearranged furniture. I helped her navigate her word processing software on a computer she inherited from her deceased cousin. After eating more pizza (i'll never get sick of Sabatini's pies), we drove back to Hazleton.
7/7/08: Went back into town to say goodbye to Beetle and to visit my Aunt Rose Wargo (age 85) and my mother's cousin Mikey's widow, Helen Sirak. It rained most of the day. The humidity about killed me.
Late in the day, we had supper at Abe's, famous for its hot dogs (unlike anything in TN or AZ). I had some homemade pierogies too (they paled compared to my mom's). Then we drove 2 hr to NJ to my mother's brother Dick's house. We stayed at another Marriott about 1 mile from his house, cuz he doesn't believe in air-conditioning and I don't believe in dying of heatstroke.
Visited with him the next day and part of Wednesday. We got some goodies at his favorite deli to take back with us. Unfortunately, our visit was extended, though not at our choosing. Delta cancelled our return flight from Newark on Wed, 7/9, because of bad weather. Had to stay near the Newark airport overnight and catch a 6 a.m. flight. That meant we had to arise at 4 a.m. to catch a hotel shuttle. THIS SUKKED BIG TIME.
My tail dragged heavily behind me all day. Could not wait to get home to my own bed. On a positive note, DL placed us in first class for the 2 hr flight to Atlanta, so we got some free headphones and extra legroom. We arrived in Tucson late in the a.m. and spent the rest of the day at home doing nada.
I'm going to save my recollection of Trip #2 for another day. I'm fairly certain that this long-winded post has less than captivated yer all's attention. But i need to keep the blog alive as i age so that i'll be able to "jog down mem'ry lane" as Steven so often reminds me.
Blessings to all,
a
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Monsoon Magikk
Greetings from monsoon world!
The clouds have begun to burst, and the desert vegetation is responding admirably!
The onset of the monsoon season is early this year....though not earlier than the window that the Weather Service has designated---June 15 thru July 15---for the winds to shift from southwest to southeast, and the moisture from the Gulf of Mexico to settle in over southeastern AZ. Helping the early start this year was a week or two of 105+ temperatures. "Monsoon" is an Arabic word that applies to the wind shift itself. They have monsoons in Asia (e.g., Burma/Myanmar) every year, so why not AZ too!
It is fun to watch distant lightning shows from our patio, even though we may be high and dry. Our friend, the Colorado river toad (google it, it's humongous), has found his way from an underground burrow to my swimming pool. He/she shares lap time with me. I'm inclined to think it's a he, since he's not got anything better to do......I lifted him up and out a few times only to find him back in the drink doing the frog kick (rather well, i must say) and deep dives.
This week we are flying to Wilkes-Barre (PA), my hometown, for my 42nd class reunion. Leave it to the class of '66 to do things a bit unconventionally. The only reunion we've had to date was a 10th, in which I did not partake. Heck, we were barely out of college for that one, and many of my classmates in high school also attended college with me. It wasn't as if we were old and chubby and grey in 1976, as many of us who don't dye (or die, regrettably) will be at the 42nd. We're flying to W-B on July 3rd, staying locally at a Comfort Suites on my uncle's dime (we were going to stay at his townhouse, but he's very uncomfortable being a host after 20 years living alone). The clambake is being held in an outdoor grove in a nearby rural area on Saturday, the 5th.
We'll have a rental car, so on the 4th and 6th we'll be travelling to my old haunts for nostalgic reasons. My sister may drive down from Ithaca, NY, to Lake Carey, where my family had a cottage for a decade. We might even swim there for old times' sake.
On Monday, we're going to drive to Paramus, NJ, to visit with another uncle, Dick. He's blind and 81, but still lives alone in his home of 40+ years. We'll take him to dinner a few times, one of them at Legal Seafood (yummmm), and maybe to Home Depot or the supermarket. He relies on neighbors and a "lady friend" to help him run errands and do odd jobs at home that he cannot accomplish himself. Still does his own laundry and fixes meals. I'm amazed at his tenacity.
On Wednesday, the 9th, we're flying back to Tucson from Newark.
Two weeks later, we're off again, this time to Rochester for my nephew's wedding. We're staying in a Courtyard Marriott there....I like them cuz they're all non-smoking. In the northeast, smoking is a well-preserved vice, not quite as bad as in Europe, but still nauseating. PA passed an anti-smoking ban that pales in comparison to those in more progressive states. It won't yet be in effect when we are there; we'll have to hold our noses most of the time.
There's not much new to speak of with Steven. We drove to Phx on Father's Day and had sushi with him at his place of employment. He made me an awesome rainbow roll! He finished up a summer class on Friday and is free (except for a 40-hr work week) til classes resume in mid-August.
Chest x-ray in mid-June revealed the fungal infection in my lungs to be less than an inch in diameter, which the doc says is about as small as it will get. The valley fever should remain dormant unless my immune system is weakened by whatever. I feel stronger, though sleep is still my best friend. I wanted to swim laps today, but the skies are an ominous purple and the wind is blowing fiercely. I'll get the swim done later under the lights if it clears up.
My Aunt Grammy (Ruby) is now a blogger and I want to say I'm soooo totally proud of her chutzpah (she won't know what that is....no, it's not a Jewish delicacy). She's a great-grandmother who has mastered the navigation of cyberspace, fiercely unafraid of the dreaded empty blue screens that occur and the illegible encryption that suddenly appears when you least expect it! Hooray for grey power!!
Love and best regards to all readers.
a
The clouds have begun to burst, and the desert vegetation is responding admirably!
The onset of the monsoon season is early this year....though not earlier than the window that the Weather Service has designated---June 15 thru July 15---for the winds to shift from southwest to southeast, and the moisture from the Gulf of Mexico to settle in over southeastern AZ. Helping the early start this year was a week or two of 105+ temperatures. "Monsoon" is an Arabic word that applies to the wind shift itself. They have monsoons in Asia (e.g., Burma/Myanmar) every year, so why not AZ too!
It is fun to watch distant lightning shows from our patio, even though we may be high and dry. Our friend, the Colorado river toad (google it, it's humongous), has found his way from an underground burrow to my swimming pool. He/she shares lap time with me. I'm inclined to think it's a he, since he's not got anything better to do......I lifted him up and out a few times only to find him back in the drink doing the frog kick (rather well, i must say) and deep dives.
This week we are flying to Wilkes-Barre (PA), my hometown, for my 42nd class reunion. Leave it to the class of '66 to do things a bit unconventionally. The only reunion we've had to date was a 10th, in which I did not partake. Heck, we were barely out of college for that one, and many of my classmates in high school also attended college with me. It wasn't as if we were old and chubby and grey in 1976, as many of us who don't dye (or die, regrettably) will be at the 42nd. We're flying to W-B on July 3rd, staying locally at a Comfort Suites on my uncle's dime (we were going to stay at his townhouse, but he's very uncomfortable being a host after 20 years living alone). The clambake is being held in an outdoor grove in a nearby rural area on Saturday, the 5th.
We'll have a rental car, so on the 4th and 6th we'll be travelling to my old haunts for nostalgic reasons. My sister may drive down from Ithaca, NY, to Lake Carey, where my family had a cottage for a decade. We might even swim there for old times' sake.
On Monday, we're going to drive to Paramus, NJ, to visit with another uncle, Dick. He's blind and 81, but still lives alone in his home of 40+ years. We'll take him to dinner a few times, one of them at Legal Seafood (yummmm), and maybe to Home Depot or the supermarket. He relies on neighbors and a "lady friend" to help him run errands and do odd jobs at home that he cannot accomplish himself. Still does his own laundry and fixes meals. I'm amazed at his tenacity.
On Wednesday, the 9th, we're flying back to Tucson from Newark.
Two weeks later, we're off again, this time to Rochester for my nephew's wedding. We're staying in a Courtyard Marriott there....I like them cuz they're all non-smoking. In the northeast, smoking is a well-preserved vice, not quite as bad as in Europe, but still nauseating. PA passed an anti-smoking ban that pales in comparison to those in more progressive states. It won't yet be in effect when we are there; we'll have to hold our noses most of the time.
There's not much new to speak of with Steven. We drove to Phx on Father's Day and had sushi with him at his place of employment. He made me an awesome rainbow roll! He finished up a summer class on Friday and is free (except for a 40-hr work week) til classes resume in mid-August.
Chest x-ray in mid-June revealed the fungal infection in my lungs to be less than an inch in diameter, which the doc says is about as small as it will get. The valley fever should remain dormant unless my immune system is weakened by whatever. I feel stronger, though sleep is still my best friend. I wanted to swim laps today, but the skies are an ominous purple and the wind is blowing fiercely. I'll get the swim done later under the lights if it clears up.
My Aunt Grammy (Ruby) is now a blogger and I want to say I'm soooo totally proud of her chutzpah (she won't know what that is....no, it's not a Jewish delicacy). She's a great-grandmother who has mastered the navigation of cyberspace, fiercely unafraid of the dreaded empty blue screens that occur and the illegible encryption that suddenly appears when you least expect it! Hooray for grey power!!
Love and best regards to all readers.
a
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Mending and Spending
Another month has passed since my last boring update.
Healthwise, I'm on the mend....chest x-ray next week will tell the story.
Continuing to work from home with some annual leave thrown in to cover those times when I'm too pooped to produce. I expect to start going to the office one or two days a week beginning next week.
Vern spent a week and 2 days in Yuma doing an audit at the prison where he used to work. It was 113 degrees while he was there....103 here in Tucson one day during his absence.
Steven is busy working...he's progressed to the level in the sushi business where a chef is entrusted with cutting up whole fish into sections of different quality sushi (raw or cooked rolls) and sashimi (raw only). He will take the remainder of his degree classes next fall and spring.
Weather here is glorious....90's with <10% humidity....too dry for much of the flowering vegetation (except the cacti), but we'll surely make up for the lack of rain during the monsoon season, which begins in July and lasts into September.
We're enjoying the lack of rain because it affords us an opportunity to get outside DIY projects completed. At the moment, Vern is cutting up a few remaining pieces of porcelain tile for me to glue down on the patio. Then we'll clean out the cracks and put down grout to finish the job.
Also have one and a half unpainted trim areas on outside windows to finish and the trim at the top of the house, which V couldn't reach without endangering his well-being. we need to find a ladder that will give him some measure of safety in that regard.
he's also been working on cleaning up the mess that comprises our garage. i've kept nagging him because he has a bad habit of dropping tools and other stuff on piles and then having a helluva time recalling where he dropped it when he needs something.
We bought new kitchen tile from Lowes. The fellow who did our hardwood said he would come back to put it down, but i have my doubts, since he does not return our calls, as he promised. It may not be worth the drive out here for the labor estimate he gave us ($300). We may have to do-it-ourselves. Whewwwwwww.... it's not a straightforward job like the patio...this tile has little painted insets (it's Mexican style). Going to require a return to one's knowledge of geometry...YIKES!
My nephew Nick is getting married in Rochester on July 26. Steven is an usher. I found JetBlue tickets for $348 RT....decent for this gruesome period of high fuel prices in which we are now living. we're going to go to Niagara Falls if the weather is good, since Steven was only 5 last time we were there. also going to drive down to my sister's in Ithaca (about 90 miles from Roch)for a few nights after the wedding. Her husband Mike is going to take us back to Roch to catch our flight.
I was planning on attending my high school reunion in Wilkes-Barre during the week of July 4th, but it's up in the air depending on the progress of my recovery from the fungus. Going to check flights and fare before I confirm any travel.
I hope all of you who may read this are hale, healthy, and hearty.
a
Healthwise, I'm on the mend....chest x-ray next week will tell the story.
Continuing to work from home with some annual leave thrown in to cover those times when I'm too pooped to produce. I expect to start going to the office one or two days a week beginning next week.
Vern spent a week and 2 days in Yuma doing an audit at the prison where he used to work. It was 113 degrees while he was there....103 here in Tucson one day during his absence.
Steven is busy working...he's progressed to the level in the sushi business where a chef is entrusted with cutting up whole fish into sections of different quality sushi (raw or cooked rolls) and sashimi (raw only). He will take the remainder of his degree classes next fall and spring.
Weather here is glorious....90's with <10% humidity....too dry for much of the flowering vegetation (except the cacti), but we'll surely make up for the lack of rain during the monsoon season, which begins in July and lasts into September.
We're enjoying the lack of rain because it affords us an opportunity to get outside DIY projects completed. At the moment, Vern is cutting up a few remaining pieces of porcelain tile for me to glue down on the patio. Then we'll clean out the cracks and put down grout to finish the job.
Also have one and a half unpainted trim areas on outside windows to finish and the trim at the top of the house, which V couldn't reach without endangering his well-being. we need to find a ladder that will give him some measure of safety in that regard.
he's also been working on cleaning up the mess that comprises our garage. i've kept nagging him because he has a bad habit of dropping tools and other stuff on piles and then having a helluva time recalling where he dropped it when he needs something.
We bought new kitchen tile from Lowes. The fellow who did our hardwood said he would come back to put it down, but i have my doubts, since he does not return our calls, as he promised. It may not be worth the drive out here for the labor estimate he gave us ($300). We may have to do-it-ourselves. Whewwwwwww.... it's not a straightforward job like the patio...this tile has little painted insets (it's Mexican style). Going to require a return to one's knowledge of geometry...YIKES!
My nephew Nick is getting married in Rochester on July 26. Steven is an usher. I found JetBlue tickets for $348 RT....decent for this gruesome period of high fuel prices in which we are now living. we're going to go to Niagara Falls if the weather is good, since Steven was only 5 last time we were there. also going to drive down to my sister's in Ithaca (about 90 miles from Roch)for a few nights after the wedding. Her husband Mike is going to take us back to Roch to catch our flight.
I was planning on attending my high school reunion in Wilkes-Barre during the week of July 4th, but it's up in the air depending on the progress of my recovery from the fungus. Going to check flights and fare before I confirm any travel.
I hope all of you who may read this are hale, healthy, and hearty.
a
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