On Saturday K and I took the NJ Safe Boating course at Husted’s Landing. The Coast Guard Auxiliary gave the course in a marina garage. The room was cold and the seating was less than comfortable but it was exciting to be around boaters talking about boats at this time of year when we’re contemplating taking the shrink wrap off and getting back in the water.
Last year NJ implemented new legislation that says if you were born before 1959 that you have through June 2008 to become certified. Because of our advanced years we could have waited till then except for the clause that PWC operators must be certified immediately.
$40 covered 7 hours of power point narration peppered with stories from old salts about the calamities they’d been witness to. Emphasis on there being a price for not following the rules.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
What was in that Glass?
Last Sunday we were invited over to Vic & Susan's for dinner. They had previously planned a get together with Jim and Sharon Scanlan so it was the six of us plus all the boys.
Vic, Jim, and I took the kids to the local sledding spot and they had a blast while the 3 of us stood at the bottom of the hill and talked. I wish I had a place to sled like this when I was a kid. It was about 70 ft up a steep incline so you can gather a lot of speed but have to be mindful about your angle/approach to the road.
When we got back to the house K and S were 3 sheets to the wind and having a grand time. It was a good release for K who had spent the day with homework, etc. all the time watching the clock so that we would make it to Chatham at 2. I consumed my share of wine and at some point Vic brought out the long island iced tea.
Jim had some definite ideas on broiling and took over cooking in the Milones newly renovated kitchen producing nicely seared steaks for dinner. Shortly after dinner I noticed that K was missing and Susan let me know that she had retired to the car.
I detached C from sledding in the Milone's back yard and drove home. It was a fun time. Too much alcohol but sometimes...
Vic, Jim, and I took the kids to the local sledding spot and they had a blast while the 3 of us stood at the bottom of the hill and talked. I wish I had a place to sled like this when I was a kid. It was about 70 ft up a steep incline so you can gather a lot of speed but have to be mindful about your angle/approach to the road.
When we got back to the house K and S were 3 sheets to the wind and having a grand time. It was a good release for K who had spent the day with homework, etc. all the time watching the clock so that we would make it to Chatham at 2. I consumed my share of wine and at some point Vic brought out the long island iced tea.
Jim had some definite ideas on broiling and took over cooking in the Milones newly renovated kitchen producing nicely seared steaks for dinner. Shortly after dinner I noticed that K was missing and Susan let me know that she had retired to the car.
I detached C from sledding in the Milone's back yard and drove home. It was a fun time. Too much alcohol but sometimes...
Thursday, March 15, 2007
First warm day
We had a 70 degree day yesterday and I convinced the family to go for a walk after dinner. We made a 20 minute trek down to Exchange Place and stopped into a hotel bar for refreshments before turning around. Beautiful night but today they’re talking snow.
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
Mike & Jack
Visited my Cousin Mike and his partner Jack over the weekend of 2/24. It was great to connect again. We picked up right where we left off some 17 years ago! I was only there from Friday to Sunday but I got caught up on family news and thawed out in the warm sun after some bitter New York weather.
When we got to the house I met their 2 Maltese Harley and Smokey who can become insistent that the ball be thrown for an endless game of fetch.
Mike works in Ft. Lauderdale and maintains an apartment there but spends his down time in Hobe Sound.
He had never come out to me though I had suspected he was gay. Before the end of the weekend we casually talked about it as though I’d always known. I’m glad there’s no more pretense.
Jack and I are both early risers and so got to spend both mornings together. Loved the Army stories. His latest avocation has been to head the neighborhood community board so I got the dish on the neighbor’s bad behavior and what it takes to keep flora and fauna at bay in a tropical environment.
I had expected to do some drinking and I did but, Mike has given up booze because of prescription meds that he was taking. There was a beer or 2 just to be social and we ate at some great places like Shrimpers and Flanigans.
Saturday night we went to the Vari Asian Crazy Buffet in West Palm with their friend Robert. Mike knew one of the waitresses and was able to get us a seat ahead of others who were waiting in a long line. It pays to have connections.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Frank’s Latest
After a lot of missed calls from Frank we connected last night and began to talk about his availability via telephone. I was surprised to learn that he spends days and nights in the lobby of his apartment building close to the phone. He doesn’t have a phone in his room.
One thing led to another so I asked him about the practicality of waiting for a call from his family that probably wasn’t going to come. That irked him a little but then I asked if he thought that Kelly, Jon, or Lise might be pissed at him for anything and he answered, “yes.” I said that patching things up with someone who is angry with you starts with an apology and that changed the tone of the conversation. He became pugnacious and I’m not sure what would have happened if we’d been in the same room but it could have become physical.
Today he left a message saying, “If I’m so wrong then you should send me a priest.”
One thing led to another so I asked him about the practicality of waiting for a call from his family that probably wasn’t going to come. That irked him a little but then I asked if he thought that Kelly, Jon, or Lise might be pissed at him for anything and he answered, “yes.” I said that patching things up with someone who is angry with you starts with an apology and that changed the tone of the conversation. He became pugnacious and I’m not sure what would have happened if we’d been in the same room but it could have become physical.
Today he left a message saying, “If I’m so wrong then you should send me a priest.”
Monday, February 19, 2007
Astoria
Saturday we took the N train all the way to Ditmars Blvd and walked around Astoria. It was fun to walk down 31st St and see the taverna’s and all the Greek names.
We stopped at a record store and K bought a CD of a contemporary pop star whose music was playing on the store’s sound system. Then we stopped at Titan Foods and were overwhelmed with Goodies that K remembers from childhood. We got olives and diples and taramousalata. The taramousalata was made with potatoes and not much garlic. A far cry from what I’ve come to expect.
We stopped at a coffee bar and K ordered Greek coffee while I went for expresso. The pastries were sweet and the atmosphere comfortable. We sat next to an exhaust fan that was kicking up a breeze and a man in back of the room lit a cigarette. No one seemed to care. I think Greeks have a different perspective on smoking.
We cut over to Steinway and walked for a long block. It was kind of boring. Lot’s of women’s clothing and shoes. Nothing Greek there so we cut back to 31st and wondered how people lived so close to the elevated train.
We got down to Broadway and used the Not For Tourist Guide to find a restaurant called Uncle George's. It was a diner atmosphere with all the expected Hellenic cuisine on the menu.
The Sunday project was to consolidate both of Mom’s storage bins into one. It is done and it seems like a landmark achievement.
Gia had arthroscopy on her right knee a week ago last Friday 2/9 and is still in a lot of pain. This after being told that she should be up and around the following Monday. The doctor didn’t declare success after the surgery saying that there was so much inflammation that it was hard to tell the state of the joint. I’m concerned.
We stopped at a record store and K bought a CD of a contemporary pop star whose music was playing on the store’s sound system. Then we stopped at Titan Foods and were overwhelmed with Goodies that K remembers from childhood. We got olives and diples and taramousalata. The taramousalata was made with potatoes and not much garlic. A far cry from what I’ve come to expect.
We stopped at a coffee bar and K ordered Greek coffee while I went for expresso. The pastries were sweet and the atmosphere comfortable. We sat next to an exhaust fan that was kicking up a breeze and a man in back of the room lit a cigarette. No one seemed to care. I think Greeks have a different perspective on smoking.
We cut over to Steinway and walked for a long block. It was kind of boring. Lot’s of women’s clothing and shoes. Nothing Greek there so we cut back to 31st and wondered how people lived so close to the elevated train.
We got down to Broadway and used the Not For Tourist Guide to find a restaurant called Uncle George's. It was a diner atmosphere with all the expected Hellenic cuisine on the menu.
The Sunday project was to consolidate both of Mom’s storage bins into one. It is done and it seems like a landmark achievement.
Gia had arthroscopy on her right knee a week ago last Friday 2/9 and is still in a lot of pain. This after being told that she should be up and around the following Monday. The doctor didn’t declare success after the surgery saying that there was so much inflammation that it was hard to tell the state of the joint. I’m concerned.
Thursday, February 1, 2007
Friends and Food
K, C, and I have spent the last 3 Thursdays at Keepers just clearing stuff out of my Mom’s storage lockers. Progress has been slow but soon we’ll have cleared enough space to consolidate the remaining stuff into one locker.
On Tuesday I went out with Richard T for cheap Guinness Stout at a college bar close to Cooper Union and afterward went for kebob’s at The Olive Tree Cafe on MacDougal. Richard said it’s popular in the Russian community. The food was good and the company entertaining.
This was a second try at getting together. We set off together on Monday but got separated in the Subway.
Wednesday was Vic and my every other “Thursday” get together. We started at his place where he showed me some of the finer points of kitchen cabinet installation. Vic pointed at a seam between cabinets and even after he showed it to me I wasn’t really sure it was there. So close to invisible.
We ate at Pop’s, the Cajun place we’d ordered from at Halloween. I had a sandwich that was so huge I didn’t feel like breakfast in the morning. We ended at The Hunt Club in The Grand Summit Hotel. They’d advertised dancing and it’s a candidate for taking the girls (and maybe the men) dancing. Seemed like a fine place.
On Tuesday I went out with Richard T for cheap Guinness Stout at a college bar close to Cooper Union and afterward went for kebob’s at The Olive Tree Cafe on MacDougal. Richard said it’s popular in the Russian community. The food was good and the company entertaining.
This was a second try at getting together. We set off together on Monday but got separated in the Subway.
Wednesday was Vic and my every other “Thursday” get together. We started at his place where he showed me some of the finer points of kitchen cabinet installation. Vic pointed at a seam between cabinets and even after he showed it to me I wasn’t really sure it was there. So close to invisible.
We ate at Pop’s, the Cajun place we’d ordered from at Halloween. I had a sandwich that was so huge I didn’t feel like breakfast in the morning. We ended at The Hunt Club in The Grand Summit Hotel. They’d advertised dancing and it’s a candidate for taking the girls (and maybe the men) dancing. Seemed like a fine place.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
