Winter Wish

Because last year was such a dud, PLEASE let this winter bring lots and lots of SNOW!!

Yes!

He won!!   I will treasure my now threadbare Obama t-shirts forever...

Go Ahead, Pick Some Apples

 New York in the Fall produces some of the best apples you'll get all year.  Sure, the ones in the grocery are good, but there's nothing like a fresh-picked Macoun, or Red Delicious, or Macintosh, or any of the seemingly endless variations of the doctor-defying fruit that are ripening as I write.

It's fun to raid the orchards, and gather your own produce.  We usually pick way too much, and end up with a refrigerator full of fruit.  Oh well - sauce, pie, out-of-hand - whatever.

Oh, and while you're busy choosing which apples to pick, don't forget to choose your presidential candidate!  Time's running out!  

It's That Time of Year

Fall is perhaps my favorite season.  Things slow down, cool off -- everyone prepares to hunker down for the winter.  It's like preparing to hibernate, in a way.  Get out those down comforters and warm socks.  

Yes, it's fun to toss those leaves, but the most important thing we all have to do this fall is VOTE!   Don't toss away your chance to make a difference!!

The Old Ballpark

           It's the final season for old Yankee Stadium,  a place that's filled with a sense of baseball history, and populated by fans of all makes and models.  Many New Yorkers seem to have a love/hate relationship with the Yankees.  And who can blame them?  I can't believe they're going to tear it down -- I guess nothing is sacred.

  The new stadium has that look of yesteryear on the outside, but will it have "heart" on the inside?

Turning the Corner

Yes, we're turning the corner on summer -- August is underway and there's that feeling that all too soon, these gloriously long, lazy days will gradually  come to an end.  In the same way we notice the lengthening of daylight in spring with happy anticipation, now we realize that nightfall is creeping up ever earlier with sad resignation.   Oh summer, please don't go yet!

It's Happening Again

I was never a particularly political person until the 2000 election.  That year, because Clinton was out and two new candidates were running, I started to read and pay attention to their experience and qualifications. Neither Bush nor Gore really thrilled me,  but Gore's experience and knowledge tipped me in his favor.  It really seemed like a  no-brainer. 

Surprise - the 2000 election gave us George Bush.  Those days and weeks of counting chads were unbearable.  What the hell was going on?  But in the end, Bush won.   It was devastating to me.  Who voted for this guy?  How could you possibly?  Cut to 2004.  Here's John Kerry, war hero, senator, experience. Looking at Bush's 4 years, to me the choice was obvious.   Alas, no - Bush again!  Was there something about politics I was missing?  

Now it's 2008 - two more fresh candidates, each with his own unique background.  Which to choose?  In 2000 I remember considering McCain - he seemed to be OK.  Not today.  No  more Republicans, thank you.  I'm not thrilled with how they've governed the last 8 years...not happy with the way things are now in this country...and I hate the way they campaign.  To me - yet again - it seems like a total no-brainer: Obama.  I like him.  I like his positions.  He's smart, a hard worker, not afraid to reach out to others.  He can actually string words together to form coherent thoughts and ideas (a trait which is currently being used against him).  He has a position paper on developing support systems for people with autism, a cause  very near and dear to my heart.  I think he'd do a good job.  So he'll get my vote.  And if this country again falls for another character assassination campaign, and votes for the guy they'd like to BBQ with, then we'll have to deal with more of what we've already been served.  No thanks.  I'll take the BLUE plate special, please! 

Random Shots from Tallman State Park

Looking across the Hudson River

Think Cool Thoughts

Ah - the joy of air-conditioning.  You never really appreciate it until you don't have it.  We did not have it this weekend when temps were 90 and above, and the humidity was swimmable.  It was pretty bad.  Fortunately the basement was comfortable, and we threw in a small window unit in a bedroom, so we were able to sleep.  But the rest of the house was a blast furnace.  I think I lost about 3 pounds in sweat, however, so there was an upside to the situation.

  How people used to live without this wonderful modern convenience is beyond me.  It was figuratively and literally hell!

Dog Days of Summer

What's a dog to do in the sweltering heat of July?

Shed, baby, shed!!

Water as Art

As part of an unusual art exhibit around Manhattan, there are (I think) four waterfalls set up that take you by surprise when you stumble upon them, as this one did.    

This is the Brooklyn Bridge, with a twist, I guess.  Just snapped it going by in the car.  The water cascades into a special sunken trough of some kind and is recycled up into the water tower, to prevent disruption of aquatic life (!) in the East River.  

The exhibits are set to run through the summer.  

Now Don't Take This Seriously

When I started this blog I had all sorts of ideas for things I wanted to talk about:  Autism, and how it's affected my life and my family; how I came lately to politics, and that whole unfathomable scene - I'm still trying to figure it all out, and it's a losing battle, my friends; my wonderful turn with breast cancer and how THAT'S changed things right around in many ways.  Serious stuff.  But I find I'm not feeling too serious right now.  It's the time of year, I think.  Who wants to be serious in summer?  

Relax.  Enjoy.  Breathe In.  Breathe Out.  Let the Machine Get It.  

We Gave Our Regards To Broadway

For the big finale on our week-long family "staycation", we went to see  Young Frankenstein on Broadway.  It was a fantastic show -- two thumbs up all around.  The original stars were still in it, which is always a plus, and because it was the July 4th weekend,  Jeff was able to score some most excellent seats - balcony box seats!!   We felt so cool.  We also cruised Times Square, which is Zac's most favorite place on the planet, I think.  All those bright lights, giant video screens and miles of neon.  And don't forget the thousands upon thousands of people!!

No pictures...just wanted to enjoy the evening without snapping away.  

More Coney

You can't leave Coney Island without stopping for a dog at Nathan's Famous.  The best hot dogs around.  

Coney Island

                                                                                                          
The next stop on our week-long "stay-cation" was Coney Island.  It kind of feels like The Land That Time Forgot:   a real honest-to-goodness boardwalk,  vintage, old-fashioned stalls and signs,  rides that look alarmingly antique, and all the great smells of a seaside amusement park.  

Our first stop: the infamous Cyclone!  One of the oldest, scariest, and most famous wooden roller coasters around.  (Strangely enough, and for whatever lost reason, my better half and myself rode this coaster the day after we were married.  Symbolic?  Prophetic?  We're not sure.)  It took Zoe a couple of hours to work up the courage to take a ride.  She was terrified and thrilled at the same time.

A beautiful view of the beach from the very tippy-top of the Wonder Wheel!  Yikes!!

Oddly enough, as we were getting on, we noticed one car go by that had a dog sleeping on it, all by himself.  Only in New York.  

The boardwalk is very pretty, right there beside the ocean.  There's a definite old-fashioned feeling.  It must have been great at the height of its popularity.  Although it has gone downhill some, it's been cleaned up quite a bit from earlier treks we've taken.  As we went during the week,  there were no crowds, which was wonderful.

                                                                                                             

No Photos, Please!

A few photos from the museum, before we were told photography wasn't allowed.

 Remember transistor radios?  I used to have one!  

  Yeah, a lot of artifacts here. 

 Concert ticket stubs, posters, old letters, anti-war buttons,  album covers.

Leftover scraps of hippy-dippy heaven.  

Peace!

Woodstock

The road trip ended in Bethel, NY - site of the Woodstock Festival.  This is country up here.  Max Yasgur's field is still there, along with a monument that commemorates the festivities that took place on these most hallowed of rock and roll grounds.

There is also a beautiful music venue and museum.  The Bethel Woods Center for the Arts  is a wonderful open-air setting for all kinds of musical performers, as well as having a funky museum that takes you back to the good old days.  It was great.  There are interactive exhibits, all sorts of video presentations, memorabilia,  everything to kind of "wash" you in the way of life in 1969.  You could spend a lot of time there.  The best was a psychedelic bus that had footage projected on the windshield as you sat inside the bus, showing how everyone traveled to the concert.  

Zac is a big fan of sixties music, so he was loving it. He was into all the old album covers.   And I can proudly report that Zoe was totally blown away by Jimi Hendrix' rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner.  That's my girl!  

Damn You, Modern Electronics!

Went on a road trip today and stopped by a beautiful stream with waterfalls, beautiful rocks, clear bubbling water, etc., etc.  Bucolic.  We got out and climbed around and I took what I was hoping were some nice shots of the surroundings.

Alas, no.  I had hit the "video" button on the camera, so I ended up with weird on and off shots of blurry bubbles and my feet.  In clogs.  

Summer Nostalgia

Summer --  at last!  Having been born and raised in Illinois, I still can't get used to these New York school schedules.  Having to go to school through June seems so cruel.  When I was a kid (yes, I'm plenty old enough to be able to utter those hoary old words with impunity), we were out of school by Memorial Day.  Summer stretched before us - - an impossibly long stretch of leisurely days with nothing but 24/7 play on our minds.  Now, my daughter's last day was this past Friday, June 27th.  You turn around and - oh my god - it's the 4th of July already!  What the hell happened to June??

It just shortens the summer, somehow.  June should be a get-out-of-school-free month.  No one should have to sit at desks and pay attention in June.   It's too hot.  The weather's too nice.  June, to me, is the premier summer month before the hazy, hot and humid days of July set in.  The month to savor and enjoy for all ages.  Not a month for homework and final projects and sweaty band concerts.  

Summertime

At last -- the field days, ceremonies, good-by parties and all the rest of the end-of-the-school-year hullabaloo are over.  Summer Is Now Officially On!  

Field Day!

It's the annual Cottage Lane Field Day Extravaganza!  I think every school has something along these lines - a morning of relays and races,  and in the end, everyone gets some award of some kind.  Zoe's class got the "Good Attitude" Award.  Hmmmmmm

Anyway, a great time was had by all, especially me because after 6 Field Days, I'm ready for something completely different.  

The Ceremonies Continue...

Another momentous occasion - - the "Moving Up" Ceremony commemorating the end of 5th grade, and the beginning of those wild and wacky middle school years.  (Hold on to your hat, dear - I think we're in for a bumpy ride!)  

Zoe was given the honor of reciting her classmates names as they received their certificates.  Although she was a little nervous beforehand, she did a most excellent job.  We were so proud of our little girl!

At Last - My Son the Graduate!

Did I mention how proud we are? Well, we are.  Really.   Extremely.  

O Happy Day

Happy.  Sad.  Proud.  Really proud.  Relieved.  Elated. Overjoyed.  (Exhale)

Mission Accomplished!

       He made it. 

Chinatown

Zoe found many wonderful things she couldn't live without.     A golden mouse bank was high on the list.  Unfortunately,  she has no money.   Sweet irony.  

I Know - Let's Have Chinese!!

If it's Sunday at our house, it's Chinese for dinner.  We usually do take-out from our favorite take-out place, the honorable and delicious  Joy Food Kitchen.  

But on this particular occasion, we decided to brave it and head into the city (it was Memorial Day, so the city was,  for all intents and purposes, empty).  A trip to Chinatown was a logistical possibility, and a chance for the kids (and us) to try something new and different.  

69 Bayard is the place to go.  A small, bustling restaurant that serves anything you want, any way you want, and unlike take-out, it's 10 steps from the kitchen to your table. We were all satisfied customers.    

My Buddy

Look into those big  brown eyes!

One hundred pounds of friendship, loyalty, companionship, and love...

Our walks together are the best part of my day. 

My Son the Graduate!

I can't believe it's here.  The day I knew would come at last has come at last!  Well, almost.  Next Saturday, my baby boy will graduate from high school!  Whew!  He (we?) made it!   The finish line is in sight!!  

This particular day will be particularly sweet because it's been quite a trip through the educational system.   And not just your generic educational system, but the "special" educational system.  My son, the almost-graduate, is autistic.  Zachary was diagnosed at 3, and ever since then we have been working the system:  looking for the best programs to fit his needs,  getting additional help in the form of occupational therapy, speech therapy, social skills classes.  Doing whatever we could find to do to help him overcome, or at least learn to deal with, some of his disabilities.  And he has come a long way, baby.  To be sure, he still has his "issues".  There is work still to be done.  But I am so very proud of him.   I will savor this graduation day and dare to believe that anything is possible.  Just like millions of other parents this time of year.

Movie Choices

Every once in a while a friend of mine calls wanting to see a movie.  Trouble invariably ensues over which movie it will be.  She favors the serious, sober, thought-provoking, intense genre, while I gravitate towards comedies, adventure, or suspense.  I confess, I often feel like a lightweight -- wanting only to sit and be drawn into some silly story that will hold my attention for an hour-and-a-half to two hours (after that, I have sitting still issues).  I feel I should be more interested in broadening my horizons with a documentary, or perhaps a foreign film that has received good reviews.  Or how about a highly acclaimed drama?  Something that will stimulate serious adult reflection and conversation.  

Alas, no.  It comes down to this:  at this particular point in time, I feel I have enough drama in my real life.  I don't need to schlep to the cinema for someone else's.  

Email Alert - It's Father's Day! Put down the phone!!

Go Hug A Dad

Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there.  

And yes, today you can have the couch and rest your eyes all you want...

Turn up the volume on that golf too, while you're at it.

Happy Birthday

Went to a surprise party tonight for a good friend - her 50th!  And she really didn't have any idea what was going on.  That's hard to pull off. 

 Anyway, we go back about 16 years, to when both our sons were in a therapeutic nursery together.  Yes, "therapeutic".  Both our boys are autistic.  We met when we were both at about the lowest point we've ever been at in our lives.  Totally devastated, absolutely no idea what to do or think or how to go on living.  She lived in New Jersey, I in New York, and if not for the fact that both our babies were behaving like raving lunatics, we never would have met.  

And it wasn't just one friend-for-life made at this nursery.  Three other of the best people I've ever met were also moms trying to come to grips with this mysterious disability that would be a part of all of our lives for the rest of our lives.  Mothers-in-arms. 

Friday the 13th

How can we go ahead with a presidential campaign season and election without Tim Russert?  Yes, there are an awful lot of talking heads on practically every channel, but Mr. Russert was different.  He knew his stuff.  And you could tell he really, truly enjoyed what he did.  How many people can say that?   

Testing, testing, 123...

At last - a blog all my own!