Off I Go

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

I guess it might be easier to pack to fly because all you have to do is keep saying, "No, no room." Driving, I just keep adding things because there is room. But it is OK because I figure I am going to leave half of it at Karen's anyway.

Making progress

October 21, 2008

The IKEA project from hell is moving right along now. The cabinet pieces are together and Liz started to put the glass doors on last night but I did hear some pretty strong mutterings, well, actually not mutterings, statements about .....never again, NEVER again, NEVER, NEVER again. Once all of the DVDs, photos, etc. are returned to their places and I get back from MI the next project will start-buying the TV.

Over the weekend I went to see the CITG's production of "The Dining Room" which Liz stage managed. I found it to be almost endearing, bringing back many memories of my childhood home as well as my home when the kids were young. The entire focus of the play was the dining room and all of the activities of many different people who had lived in the old house. The direction was wonderful and all of the actors were excellent. Some scenes were very touching (when Mother just didn't know where she was at Thanksgiving dinner and wanted to go home) and some were very funny (the children's birthday party that Mother was trying very hard to control every second while also trying to have a conversation with her lover whose wife has found out about their relationship). There were six actors in this play and I think something like 27 roles. I expected it to be confusing but once it started, it didn't matter who the character was or who was playing him or her. It was the sentiment that was making the play flow and provocative in its own way. After the play Liz took me backstage. It is a little surprising to me that with the involvement I have had with this group, I have actually never been backstage. It served to only increase my admiration for what they do about a hundredfold. The space is small and all of the costume changes take place there. The props are all there and there are sheets about different peoples' roles, the props list, etc., etc. It is amazing that the plays go as smoothly as they do. Kudos to all of those stage managers who make it seem effortless.

Way to go, Tampa Bay. Amazing. I would be delighted to see them go all the way. Sorry, Boston. Cannot feel an iota of sympathy for you. You are all of those things that everyone says about the Yankees and then some---dirty, unkempt, sloppy. You do have a lot of talent. Wish I could have a little more respect for you but it is difficult although Francona is an excellent manager.

Tomorrow I am leaving for MI, driving, actually. Am going to drive through Canada on the way there, staying overnight at St. Catharine's, ON on the way there and in Clarion, PA on the way back. For years I have heard about my brother and sister in-law's Halloween party and have never been there. For four years I have heard about my nephew and niece's pumpkin launch and have never been there. Well, this year I will be there for both. And in between will visit my sister and brother-in-law in the Lansing area. Also expect to meet up with a couple friends from high school for dinner one night. I am actually going to be there for over two weeks and Karen and Charlie will be putting up with me staying with them all of that time. Since I am driving I am taking lots of things to do-knitting, reading, crossword puzzles. It will be a good time.

Andrew

October 18, 2008

Looks so little compared to Big Daddy Dave until you really look and see how he fills the bassinet.

I think he will be walking out to the car from the hospital.

Finally finished the "Hmmmm" book. Am taking this one with me on my journey. It is big and fat and has very few pictures. Maybe it will last me the whole trip. Should I take another one, just in case? I am asking myself a million similar questions. When you fly, the answer is always-no, not enough room.

Timing is Everything

Saturday, October 18, 2008

I finished the baby blanket on Thursday night and Dave called yesterday to say that the baby was born. I am thinking that now I am going to dive into my "life" sweater again. There are a number of different cable patterns in the sweater and you are supposed to knit a test swatch of each pattern to figure out the needle size and gauge. I just went with what the designer used to make hers and I think it was OK but since I am redoing this I am going to see if I have the patience to do it "by the book".

The IKEA hell has eased. While I was gone Liz worked on it and when she looked at all of the pieces she realized that they had sent two of the main cabinet boxes. Fortunately they also sent two of the side cabinets like they were supposed to. It is together and in place except for the second side piece which hopefully will go up soon. Then the boxes can be unpacked and we'll see if we have a place for everything.

Time to buy the TV. Keeping the economy strong.

Misc

Friday, October 17, 2008

Liz received tickets to see Daniel Radcliffe in "Equus" as a birthday gift so we saw it last night. I had seen it with Al in about 1975 when Anthony Perkins was the lead role. I was either naive then or I have forgotten a lot about this play. At the end of the performance I was drained. It is such an intense drama that it is very exhausting. You could tell that the two main actors were also totally depleted and it makes you wonder how they can do this day after day after day. I think when I first saw it, it was the first Broadway play I had ever seen. I told Liz last night that it is probably in my top five favorites now and that is saying something at this point.

Am pretty close to finishing this book and I still say--"Hmmmmmmm".

Dave Kong called me to tell me that his wife Ji had given birth to a 9 lb 6 oz. baby boy this evening. Dave was Nick's roommate in college and has been around us for 16 years now. I had been chatting with him6on line yesterday so I knew it would be soon. But 9 lb. 6oz! My goodness-so big. Dave is a big guy but Ji is a pretty little lady and she ended up having a C-section as she was laboring and not making any progress.

My real point in sharing this is that it is wonderful to watch all these guys grow up, get grown up jobs, get married and now they are having babies. It is so amazing to me. I know, I know, that is the way the world works but when you see your kids and their friends doing it, it is pretty amazing.

The weather has turned cold here so it is time to start tucking in for the winter. The leaves haven't really changed yet. I am driving to Michigan and maybe I will see pretty foliage as I drive went and then north over towards Syracuse.

Nick called yesterday from Tokyo. It sounds like he and Janet are having a great time on their trip. He has taken over 1000 pictures so far and they are not even 1/3 into this trip. I am thrilled that he is enjoying his new camera so much.

Out of here

Saturday, October 11, 2008

I am waiting for Liz to get home from taking Nick and Janet to JFK and then getting her haircut. If I had my way I would be gone before she got here but she used my car to go to the airport and doesn't have enough time to come home in between. You can not imagine the hair cut situation. OK. I will give her this. When she went to get it cut six or seven weeks ago, she went from below her shoulders up to her ears. It was a radical change and we all know how we all do with change. The tears, the misery, the cursing, the drama. Went on for days but in the mean time everyone who saw her loved it. I think she got used to it because she made an appointment to get it cut again today, the picture looks like it may be even a little shorter. Oh, dear.

In the meantime, Liz has figured out that the drawers on the entertainment center will close if you take the front off of them. As soon as the front goes back on you are out of luck. This is how I am leaving it but I have all the faith in the world in Liz on this one.

IKEA hell

Friday, October 10, 2008

It has been a long, long time since I have written and although it feels like a lot is going on nothing much seems to be happening. We are in the middle of the two step process of buying a new HD-TV. Of course, that means we need to get a bigger entertainment center first to put it in. I ordered it from IKEA a month ago or so and after a screw-up with the delivery it finally arrived today. We had to finish dismantling the old one and put it outside. Liz and Susan have been working with the hundreds of screws, dowels, etc, etc, etc. for about three hours now and it is looking like a piece of furniture but it is easy to tell that the enthusiasm has taken a hike. But they are definitely persevering although it seems that it is time to call it a day. BUT THE DRAWERS WON'T CLOSE!!!!! Nick can be ever so glad that he is flying off on his honeymoon for three weeks tomorrow. But in my heart of hearts, I know Liz will keep at this like a dog with a bone.

In the meantime, I am sitting with Ms. Kelli on the couch and trying very hard to teach a left handed person how to crochet. The mirrors don't work, sitting across from her doesn't work. But she is getting it and I think now all she has to do is practice, practice, practice. The baby is not due until the beginning of February so I think she will get a receiving blanket out of this, especially since she went and bought the yarn today.

My life sweater? I absolutely know that I am the only person in the world who would ever have noticed that there is a mistake in a cable on the back of it but I saw it every time I picked it up. So I didn't pick it up all summer to see how I felt about it. No different. Ripped it out I did.

Even reading has been pretty weak lately. I just finished Nora Robert's "Irish Born". It was long and predictable from the very first page. I am guessing that she is probably classified as a romance writer and that usually isn't my style. What I did realize and the reason I probably kept reading it is that it did make me want to go back to Ireland again.

Book chat book. Hmmmm.

Last night was the first meeting of five of us from the neighborhood to knit/crochet or whatever. We didn't accomplish much last night but did a lot of talking, drinking wine and tea and eating. We are hoping to meet every month at my house and Vicki, who works at "The Wine Enthusiast" will bring the wine. Next month Rosa is bringing cheese and crackers. The hope is to keep it simple. We all had such a good time last night so hopefully that will continue and we will be more productive.

I was in Albany to meet my brother and his wife for dinner the beginning of the week. Stayed overnight, had breakfast with them and drove back home. It was a nice time. I had looked forward to the drive thinking the leaves would be beautiful but probably only about 30% of them had changed. Tomorrow I am headed for DC for five days and then I will be home to rest up for the drive to MI and the Halloween parties.

Be safe and enjoy your next three weeks, Nick and Janet.