It was retail mania in Oklahoma at Wall's Bargain Center and the two "crazy shopping ladies" (= my friend Ulli and I as described by her two daughters) were at it again. Whenever my travels lead me to visit the Schoenknecht family in the Sooner State, a trip to this Mecca of consumerism is part of the program, and quite necessary so as to beef up my wardrobe every year. Most of you know about Wall's - located in a semi-abandoned shopping mall on the outskirts of town, it is kind of like a Marshall's on steroids - the place is jam-packed with stuff, from clothes to mattresses, household items, garbage cans, carpets, pillows - you name it. Of course we were not there for the garbage cans, but for the fancy schmancy clothes at rock bottom prices. One has to dig a path through the piles of not so nice clothes to get to the good loot, but it is soooo worth it. Once you purchase a satin skirt fit to be worn for the opera for 1 dollar or a Ralph Lauren Sweater for less than ten bucks, there is no going back. The frenzy we found ourselves in was heightened by the fact that Wall's was having a "bucket sale" - one could stuff all the goodies collected into a 5-gallon bucket and that entitled the happy shopper to an additional 15% off. The bucket size, as we learned later, was not restricted to a five-gallon specimen, and as one of the cashier's told us "if you can drag a 55-gallon bucket in here, that would work for us too". Ulli and I contemplated finding a trailer and declaring it a bucket, and I think the very liberal staff at Wall's would have given us the discount on a trailer full of clothes accompanied by a big smile.
I had traveled out west this past Thursday and after experiencing the first signs of fall in Boston, I was welcomed in Tulsa with some roasty-toasty temps of 99 degrees. We managed to stay cool inside and divert ourselves quite nicely over the holiday weekend. Among the highlights was a trip to Tulsa to the Gilcrease Museum (http://www.gilcrease.org/) to see an Ansel Adams exhibit and the museum's vast collection of American art and history. The Adams exhibit featured about 140 prints of America's favorite nature photographer, and a whole slew of his cameras. The Osage Restaurant (http://www.gilcrease.org/osage.aspx) in the museum, aptly named after the Osage Hills surrounding the site, provided a stellar brunch buffet, and we all moved a little slower post-gluttony ( I remember going for refills on whipped cream.... everything else is a blur).
Labor Day was spent in the town of Guthrie, a Midwestern town established in the late 19th century following the Oklahoma Land Run (Wikipedia says it grew from nothing to 10,000 inhabitants in a day) - with its wonderfully preserved Victorian architecture (http://www.guthrieok.com/) it certainly is a favorite of mine. It was Oklahoma's first state capital and is now a Historic Landmark. The downtown area features quite a few antique shops, a Victorian tea room, a drug store museum - and the city has several claims to movie fame - among them the movie "Rain Man" - the scene were Dustin Hoffman crosses the road but stops because the sign says "Don't Walk" - you guessed right, it is Guthrie!! The movie "Twister" with Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton also features some street scenes from Guthrie.
What else did we do? Oh yes, we went to the Payne County Fair and did us some shootin' - nothing real, just shooting little cork bits at plastic cups, but we had quite a fun time and brought home some nice stuffed animals for the kids. We went to Shake's for their delicious frozen custard ice cream (http://www.shakesfrozencustard.com/) and to the newly minted Texas Road House (http://www.texasroadhouse.com/) where we enjoyed some Grade A fillet mignon, threw peanuts on the floor and watched the wait staff do some line dancin". Yiihaah!
Overall it was a wonderful visit and I had a stellar time; very relaxing and enjoyable. The pace of life is so much less hectic, the skies are vast and blue, and the people are friendly - so what's not to like?
I got back Tuesday, and after one day in Boston fell back into crazy-busy mode - everyone is back from their summer vacation, ready to get crackin', and hence it was a bit of a stressful week. The weather has been very summery, we enjoyed (or not) 87 degrees today, but fall is definitely in the air, and starting tomorrow temperatures will (hopefully) drop back into a more moderate range.
My first social outing this week took place last night, when yours truly had cashed in a gift certificate and attended a "sushi and sake" pairing at Gordon's Fine Wine and Liquors" in Waltham (http://www.gordonswine.com/). Not only do they have an exquisite wine and spirit selection, but their classes are fabulous (and affordable). The Asian-infused evening featured a presentation by Sake expert and imported Michael John Simkin (www.mjssakeselections.com) who brought with him a series of five sakes from the Ichishima Sake Brewery in the Niigata province of Japan (these sakes are not going to be available in the US until October, so we were the first US audience to try them). This guy was quite on top of it, knew everything there was to know about Sake, and the very educated audience certainly appreciated his efforts. Now the food, people, OHMYGOD - sushi chef Kenji Alt, a chef on America's Test Kitchen (http://www.americastestkitchen.com/) , writes for Cooks Illustrated (http://www.cooksillustrated.com/) and for several other magazines around Boston, together with his sous-chef Paco, dished up some of the best Japanese food I have ever tasted - here is the menu:
**diver scallop sashimi with fresh wasabi, myoga and mustard see caviar
**hamachi sashimi with ginger-watermelon juice, basil seeds and shiso chips
**salmon sashimi with fermented soy beans, scallions and liquid nori
**simmered duck breast with yu choy and onions
**miso-glazed eggplant with charred sea urchin
I have never ever had scallops this good, safe to say - every dish was an amazing combination of flavors and presented to perfection. The sakes were wonderful, except for the Koshu, which had aged for five years, and (to me) smelled a bit too much like old cheese. My favorites were the Junmai Genshu and the Silk Deluxe Junmai, a desert sake. The organizers meant well and filled our glasses quite nicely, which meant we all left Gordon's in a very good mood. I have been pretty abstinent from alcohol over the past few months, and as you can imagine, my head was a little fuzzy this morning after all that tasting and such. Things moved a little slower than usual....
It's late, gotta go, the weekend is upon us. I spent the evening with my friend Hillary and her charming son Atticus, who I am so in love with!!! At 7 weeks, he is quite the charmer, and kept smiling at me, which I hope is true affection and not something related to his digestive tract. We enjoyed a nice evening out at 1369 Coffee House at Central Square (http://www.1369coffeehouse.com/), browsed the book shelves at Rodney's book store (http://www.rodneysbookstore.com/) - where the Little A seemed mesmerized by a calendar from Cape Cod - and had a nice evening overall.
Tomorrow I am heading to Southern New Hampshire to find a final and lovely resting place to spread the ashes of my beloved avian companion Oscar - may his spirit enjoy the mountains as much as I do.
Until soon my friends,
pet:)
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
Caution: Rain Causes Puddles - August 22, 2008
The citizens of Vermont, or actually the officials up there must think we are all idiots, and maybe we are, but this sign in Ascutney, Vermont took the cake - "Caution: Rain Causes Puddles". Well, somebody call the press!!! Not that we don't appreciate a little friendly advice, but I feel now thrown into the same group of bright citizens that needs to be told not to microwave your poodle, because that just may harm the dog.
My friend Rick and I decided to disrupt our hiking pattern and for once head to Vermont instead of exploring every corner of New Hampshire. Not that we went too far into Vermont, the area around Mt Ascutney borders precariously close to the granite state. The weather promised to be reasonably decent if we got there early - thunderstorms were forecast for the afternoon. I have to insert a quick note about the weather here - this must be the suckiest summer in a long time. For a while it seemed we had one t-storm per day, and the only good thing resulting out of this sorry and soggy excuse of a summer is that it will lead Massachusetts to have a record cranberry harvest this fall.
Back to the hike - http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=Mt%20Ascutney&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi - Mt Ascutney is a wonderful mountain to hike, it offers such a great variety in terrain and some excellent views. The summit itself is less spectacular, but the West Ridge affords stunning vistas, and a platform for hang gliding enthusiasts (http://www.vhga.org/images/AscutneySetup.jpg). We managed to stay ahead of the storm, and also miss a bear, that, according to some hikers we met, scared them pretty good by traipsing across the trail about 20 feet away from them. The most amazing thing to see in the woods were the gazillion mushrooms who were out there - (thanks to the record amounts of rain this summer) - all shapes, sizes and colors were represented. Unfortunately some of them were in an advanced stage of decay, and filled certain parts of the forest with a seriously nauseating smell. Yuck!!
We did pretty good in terms of time, and my foot did not complain at all. I have been doing somewhat better; the plantar fasciitis is not completely healed, but the foot recovers quickly after exercising, and for the past three weeks I have been able to get in some short and sweet morning jogs - about 1-2 miles. You cannot imagine how much I missed running, and just to have a little of it is wonderful. I also immediately dropped six pounds in three weeks - my previously snug clothes appreciated the newfound flexibility.
The summer, crappy as it is, has been zipping by and I have barely an evening to myself. Not sure how that always happens, but there are so many things to do in Boston, the fun never ends. Speaking of fun - just a word of advice - stay off the Valium!!! My wonderful doctors put me on the little happy pills a while ago to get rid of some chronic pains I had, and while it was fun for a couple of days, the drug confused that already slightly disordered brain of mine even more and there were some moments that seemed much more funny to others than they were to me. Now I know the docs all mean well and try to help you, but these days they hand out pills as if it was candy, and no one tells you that when you are on a friggin' sedative, you may have withdrawal symptoms once you stop - boy, did I have a strange and scary week after coming off the stuff! Shaking, rubber-legged, weak, dizzy spells, palpitations - the first couple of days I was convinced I was either having a stroke or multiple sclerosis, both scenarios that would have not made me particularly happy. I am well now and feeling reasonably normal (as normal as I'll ever feel), so no worries.
In order to get the good health juju flowing and improve my life in general, I had asked my friend Sonya to come and Feng Shui the little home in Cambridge. What a fun thing to do and so therapeutic! I have been de-clutterizing the home, we are re-doing the bedroom completely with some nice earthy colors and the paint process will start soon. In addition to the good vibes, I have picked up and old habit of mine, and started cooking again on the weekends - last Sunday it was five hours straight, and I had such a good time. I made a chicken dish with a leek-mushroom-goat-cheese sauce, whole wheat pasta with a four-cheese sauce; cream of leek soup, Indonesian Bami Goreng, banana bread, waffles..... there was no stopping me. Anything that could be turned into food, was turned into food. Wonderful smells filled the house and the freezer is so full, that you could not even fit a single popsicle in. Life is good.
Aside from the home-bound activities, I have been quite busy. The weekend of August 9th, I headed out to the lovely town of Concord, Mass (http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=Concord+MA&gbv=2) with a walking group (through www.meetup.com ) - our little outing was supposed to get us to Great Meadows, but our slightly addled guide had not checked out the route beforehand. There were constructions sites and numerous other obstacles, so we did a lot of backtracking, never made it to Great Meadows (http://www.fws.gov/northeast/greatmeadows/), but ended up taking a tour of Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord. Not the famous cemetery from the movie (that one is in NY state) - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleepy_Hollow_Cemetery,_Concord - this one is a lovely place nevertheless and quite a few famous people are buried here, including Ralph Waldo Emerson, Louisa May Alcott, Henry David Thoreau and of course most famously, Nathaniel Hawthorne - all of them with their final resting place on "Author's Ridge". The evening was spent much less confused and in lovely company at a farewell party of my running mate John Warren and his wife Ginny, who moved to Los Angeles and threw a nice little shindig to day goodbye.
The rest in short form - last Wednesday - dinner at Panificio on Charles Street (http://www.panificioboston.com/); Thursday a Red Sox Game with my friend Holly courtesy of the Suffolk University Alumni group (what a great game - the Sox clobbered the Texas Rangers - 9 runs in the second inning alone). Monday this week - dinner at S&S Restaurant in Cambridge (http://www.sandsrestaurant.com/); Tuesday night - enjoyed a free concert at Christopher Columbus Park with my German friend Dorothee (http://www.bostonharborwalk.com/placestogo/location.php?nid=3&sid=18) - music (From Sibelius to John Williams) by the Orchestra Symphonique des Jeunes de Strasbourg (turns out Boston's sister city is Strasbourg, France - about an hour from my home town in Germany) - fabulous, albeit windy performance (the score sheets kept flying away, which provided some enjoyable and confusing moments) - followed by dinner at Quincy Market (http://www.faneuilhallmarketplace.com/); Wednesday Lunch with German friend Ulrich at Quincy Market (again); business dinner at a French-Cambodian place , The Elephant Walk (http://www.elephantwalk.com/) on Beacon Street; Thursday night - volunteered at the telethon of our public television station, WGBH (http://main.wgbh.org/wgbh/about/) - this time I got four calls!!!! It was a fun experience this time, I sat with a hysterical group of people and we kept each other entertained during the "staged" portions of the broadcast. The organizers provided us with a yummy dinner, courtesy of Somerville favorite, Red Bones Barbecue (http://www.redbones.com/) - hmmmh.....
Upcoming (if you are not dizzy yet): Tonight I am meeting a colleague and friend at the Cambridge Brewing Company (http://www.cambrew.com/) for a drink; tomorrow is a cookout in Marblehead with my colleagues from the translational research lab and Sunday I am heading to the Cape to meet up with my cousins from upstate New York. Monday I have a date with little Atticus (we're staying in for a movie) and Thursday I am hopping on a plane and go visit my friends Ulli, Gerald, and their charming daughters Louise and Siri in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
I'll leave you to digest this lengthy diatribe, but not before boasting a little about my latest photographic accomplishments - some of my photographs were accepted for the next MGH Cancer Center art exhibit "Illuminations" - 7 this time, and I placed third in a photography contest at the Boston Public Library's West End Branch. Very exciting news indeed.
Enjoy these last days of summer.
pet:)
My friend Rick and I decided to disrupt our hiking pattern and for once head to Vermont instead of exploring every corner of New Hampshire. Not that we went too far into Vermont, the area around Mt Ascutney borders precariously close to the granite state. The weather promised to be reasonably decent if we got there early - thunderstorms were forecast for the afternoon. I have to insert a quick note about the weather here - this must be the suckiest summer in a long time. For a while it seemed we had one t-storm per day, and the only good thing resulting out of this sorry and soggy excuse of a summer is that it will lead Massachusetts to have a record cranberry harvest this fall.
Back to the hike - http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=Mt%20Ascutney&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi - Mt Ascutney is a wonderful mountain to hike, it offers such a great variety in terrain and some excellent views. The summit itself is less spectacular, but the West Ridge affords stunning vistas, and a platform for hang gliding enthusiasts (http://www.vhga.org/images/AscutneySetup.jpg). We managed to stay ahead of the storm, and also miss a bear, that, according to some hikers we met, scared them pretty good by traipsing across the trail about 20 feet away from them. The most amazing thing to see in the woods were the gazillion mushrooms who were out there - (thanks to the record amounts of rain this summer) - all shapes, sizes and colors were represented. Unfortunately some of them were in an advanced stage of decay, and filled certain parts of the forest with a seriously nauseating smell. Yuck!!
We did pretty good in terms of time, and my foot did not complain at all. I have been doing somewhat better; the plantar fasciitis is not completely healed, but the foot recovers quickly after exercising, and for the past three weeks I have been able to get in some short and sweet morning jogs - about 1-2 miles. You cannot imagine how much I missed running, and just to have a little of it is wonderful. I also immediately dropped six pounds in three weeks - my previously snug clothes appreciated the newfound flexibility.
The summer, crappy as it is, has been zipping by and I have barely an evening to myself. Not sure how that always happens, but there are so many things to do in Boston, the fun never ends. Speaking of fun - just a word of advice - stay off the Valium!!! My wonderful doctors put me on the little happy pills a while ago to get rid of some chronic pains I had, and while it was fun for a couple of days, the drug confused that already slightly disordered brain of mine even more and there were some moments that seemed much more funny to others than they were to me. Now I know the docs all mean well and try to help you, but these days they hand out pills as if it was candy, and no one tells you that when you are on a friggin' sedative, you may have withdrawal symptoms once you stop - boy, did I have a strange and scary week after coming off the stuff! Shaking, rubber-legged, weak, dizzy spells, palpitations - the first couple of days I was convinced I was either having a stroke or multiple sclerosis, both scenarios that would have not made me particularly happy. I am well now and feeling reasonably normal (as normal as I'll ever feel), so no worries.
In order to get the good health juju flowing and improve my life in general, I had asked my friend Sonya to come and Feng Shui the little home in Cambridge. What a fun thing to do and so therapeutic! I have been de-clutterizing the home, we are re-doing the bedroom completely with some nice earthy colors and the paint process will start soon. In addition to the good vibes, I have picked up and old habit of mine, and started cooking again on the weekends - last Sunday it was five hours straight, and I had such a good time. I made a chicken dish with a leek-mushroom-goat-cheese sauce, whole wheat pasta with a four-cheese sauce; cream of leek soup, Indonesian Bami Goreng, banana bread, waffles..... there was no stopping me. Anything that could be turned into food, was turned into food. Wonderful smells filled the house and the freezer is so full, that you could not even fit a single popsicle in. Life is good.
Aside from the home-bound activities, I have been quite busy. The weekend of August 9th, I headed out to the lovely town of Concord, Mass (http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=Concord+MA&gbv=2) with a walking group (through www.meetup.com ) - our little outing was supposed to get us to Great Meadows, but our slightly addled guide had not checked out the route beforehand. There were constructions sites and numerous other obstacles, so we did a lot of backtracking, never made it to Great Meadows (http://www.fws.gov/northeast/greatmeadows/), but ended up taking a tour of Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord. Not the famous cemetery from the movie (that one is in NY state) - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleepy_Hollow_Cemetery,_Concord - this one is a lovely place nevertheless and quite a few famous people are buried here, including Ralph Waldo Emerson, Louisa May Alcott, Henry David Thoreau and of course most famously, Nathaniel Hawthorne - all of them with their final resting place on "Author's Ridge". The evening was spent much less confused and in lovely company at a farewell party of my running mate John Warren and his wife Ginny, who moved to Los Angeles and threw a nice little shindig to day goodbye.
The rest in short form - last Wednesday - dinner at Panificio on Charles Street (http://www.panificioboston.com/); Thursday a Red Sox Game with my friend Holly courtesy of the Suffolk University Alumni group (what a great game - the Sox clobbered the Texas Rangers - 9 runs in the second inning alone). Monday this week - dinner at S&S Restaurant in Cambridge (http://www.sandsrestaurant.com/); Tuesday night - enjoyed a free concert at Christopher Columbus Park with my German friend Dorothee (http://www.bostonharborwalk.com/placestogo/location.php?nid=3&sid=18) - music (From Sibelius to John Williams) by the Orchestra Symphonique des Jeunes de Strasbourg (turns out Boston's sister city is Strasbourg, France - about an hour from my home town in Germany) - fabulous, albeit windy performance (the score sheets kept flying away, which provided some enjoyable and confusing moments) - followed by dinner at Quincy Market (http://www.faneuilhallmarketplace.com/); Wednesday Lunch with German friend Ulrich at Quincy Market (again); business dinner at a French-Cambodian place , The Elephant Walk (http://www.elephantwalk.com/) on Beacon Street; Thursday night - volunteered at the telethon of our public television station, WGBH (http://main.wgbh.org/wgbh/about/) - this time I got four calls!!!! It was a fun experience this time, I sat with a hysterical group of people and we kept each other entertained during the "staged" portions of the broadcast. The organizers provided us with a yummy dinner, courtesy of Somerville favorite, Red Bones Barbecue (http://www.redbones.com/) - hmmmh.....
Upcoming (if you are not dizzy yet): Tonight I am meeting a colleague and friend at the Cambridge Brewing Company (http://www.cambrew.com/) for a drink; tomorrow is a cookout in Marblehead with my colleagues from the translational research lab and Sunday I am heading to the Cape to meet up with my cousins from upstate New York. Monday I have a date with little Atticus (we're staying in for a movie) and Thursday I am hopping on a plane and go visit my friends Ulli, Gerald, and their charming daughters Louise and Siri in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
I'll leave you to digest this lengthy diatribe, but not before boasting a little about my latest photographic accomplishments - some of my photographs were accepted for the next MGH Cancer Center art exhibit "Illuminations" - 7 this time, and I placed third in a photography contest at the Boston Public Library's West End Branch. Very exciting news indeed.
Enjoy these last days of summer.
pet:)
Monday, August 4, 2008
Fenway Paaaaaak - August 4 2008
Yes, I have finally gotten the letter from the US Immigration Service, and the ceremony is indeed on September 17th in Fenway Park!!! Yeah! My friend Mike is going to be sworn in as well, and hopefully my friend Carol as well. It will be a fun day (unless it's raining, which would definitely suck). Stephanie is going to be with me and I can bring up to three people, so I will reach out to a few of you, and see if you are itching to get away from work and spend a day with me and the Green Monstah. The letter said I have to be there at 10 AM and that I should eat a healthy breakfast, as the whole hoopla will take five hours. Concession stands are going to be open, so one can get some good American ballpark food while being sworn in. This is definitely as good as it gets.
Gosh, it feels like such a long time since I have written, and so many things I want to talk about. I'll backtrack, which is best. This past weekend was one of the busiest I have had in a while, and it is always good if you start by taking Friday off. Makes the weekend so much more pleasant. I got up, hopped in the car and drove to Shrewsbury, Mass to pick up my friend Linda Deschenes for a day of fun. (I am mentioning her last name because I have four friends named Linda, one of them with a y - hi Lynda B!). Our first stop on the way was the Northampton Bike Trail (http://www.fntg.net/), where we stretched out legs a little and walked for a mile or so, before some serious hunger befell us and we just had to go for lunch. So we headed to downtown Northampton, which is a fabulous place with lots of ethnic restaurants, nice galleries and tons of places to stretch your credit card balance. Our choice for a meal was Zen (http://www.zennorthampton.com/), a wonderful Pan-Asian restaurant, which featured some lovely lunch selections, courteous wait staff and delightful atmosphere. Once we were pretty stuffed, we shopped a little and then headed to the town of Stockbridge to visit the Normal Rockwell Museum (http://www.nrm.org/), a wonderful place honoring America's most hardworking and prolific painter and illustrator (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Rockwell). He painted the covers of the Saturday Evening Post for more than forty years, and passionately and accurately captured the essence of daily life in America. I love his work - it is so easily accessible, and my favorite picture is "The Rookie" (http://www.art.com/asp/sp-asp/_/PD--12549499/SP--A/IGID--1917220/The_Rookie.htm?sOrig=CRT&sOrigId=32&ui=8C8CE914E4784760866BA9DEF65ACCF3), which features five Red Sox players, including Ted Williams. We toured the Museum, visited Rockwell's studio, and also enjoyed a couple of other exhibits of art - "Raw Nerve! The Political Art of Steve Brodner" (http://www.nrm.org/page283), and "In Full Bloom - Design Garden Gates" (http://www.nrm.org/page305).
We left the museum, and headed to Stockbridge, which is your quintessential quaint and cute town in an area called The Berkshires, one of Massachusetts' true gems - located in the Western part of the state, if provides stunning landscapes, cozy little towns and villages, and tons of cultural opportunities - and is not only home to Tanglewood (more on that later), but also several theater festivals and museums. (http://www.berkshires.org/). We toured the town of Stockbridge just a wee bit, and stopped at the famous Red Lion Inn (http://www.redlioninn.com/) - a beautiful old inn that has been around for two centuries and whose front porch invites for some Class A relaxing, and whose two restaurants promise some very delectable fare and great ambience.
We grabbed dinner, and then headed off to Lenox, Mass to Tanglewood, a park and music venue, which is not only home to a music and a jazz festival, but it is also the summer home for the Boston Symphony Orchestra (since 1937) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanglewood. Situated in the stunning green hills of the Berkshires, this is definitely a little slice of heaven - one can experience top notch classical music in an outdoor setting, either purchase lawn tickets for $19 or pay some more dollars for a sit underneath the rainproof Music Shed (which is what we did). It was my first time visiting and Linda and I first headed for the Seiji Ozawa Hall (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Seiji_Ozawa_Hall_%28exterior%29%2C_Tanglewood%2C_Lenox%2C_Massachusetts.JPG) to listen to the Preconcert with members of the BSO - we sat on a blanket, ate our food and enjoyed some fab classical tunes.
The main event, and our purpose for making a whole day of it, was the Boston Symphony Orchestra and its featured guest for the evening, Joshua Bell, one of the world's leading violinists (http://www.joshuabell.com/). You may know him if you saw the movie "The Red Violin." I can honestly say that seeing him in concert was one of the most beautiful experiences I have had in my life - it was simply stunning. Tears were running down my face, the music was so beautiful and so was he (Mr. Bell is definitely easy on the eyes, if you know what I mean). The BSO of course, was exquisite as well and Linda and I were quite entertained by the harp and percussion sections which were kept very busy during Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition". (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modest_Mussorgsky). While his first name is Modest, his music was anything but, and the orchestra definitely infused the piece with the passion it required.
And that was just Friday!!! No worries, I'll wrap up the rest of the past two weeks as quickly as I can...... Thursday night, yet another concert, and in this case a repeat offense - Joshua Radin (remember my friend Josh? http://www.joshuaradin.com/) played at the Middle East, accompanied by two very talented female singer/ songwriters, Alexa Wilkinson (http://www.alexawilkinson.com/) and Vanessa Carlton ( http://www.vanessacarlton.com/). Well, what can I say about this evening? Loved the ladies, did not get to see Josh. Reason: Stupid Middle East place; 500+ people packed in a basement with literally no air-conditioning. Concert started an hour late (9PM), the bouncers again had it in for me, and one of them actually slapped me on the arm. No place to sit. Standing in a stuffy basement for 4 hours in 90 degree temps - naaah. So I left early, did not see Josh and was grumpy indeed. I did have a nice dinner though with Rick, Denise and her brother Eric at the Tavern in the Square (http://www.taverninthesquare.com/).
Wednesday - visit to my friends Hillary and Brian to meet their two-week old son, Atticus. I brought Chinese food, we ate tons, chatted away and Atticus and I became instant friends. Tuesday, birthday dinner for my friend Ken at the swanky Capital Grille (http://www.thecapitalgrille.com/Locations/Boston/Main.asp) - Halibut dish was too die for. Mashed Potatoes contained large amounts of butter, which is why they were the BEST ever!!! Saturday (after returning from Shrewsbury) - BBQ in Arlington at my friend Melanie and Cory's house, which was so nice and pleasant that I scrapped the plans for the rest of my day (apologies to the dinner group who had to go and see the new Batman movie without me......) and on Sunday I attended my friend Jo's birthday brunch, where we consumed large amounts of French Crepes, piled fruit on top and had a grand old time.
Well, what else did I do - the weekend prior I joined the Boston Walking Group in Wakefield for a walk around Lake Quannapowitt (http://www.visitingnewengland.com/wakefield.html) and because we were such good little walkers rewarded ourselves with the best muffins in the universe, courtesy of the Gingerbread Construction Company - http://www.gingerbreadusa.com/muffins.php. Those not-so little suckers are so good, I would drive to Wakefield any time just to buy muffins (it's a 30 minute drive without traffic). After I purchased a whole box of them, I headed off to meet Rick and Denise for a quick hike in the Middlesex Fells (http://www.fells.org/) and then headed home in this godforsaken heat we've been having. Next on the agenda was a performance by the Boston Opera Collaborative (http://www.bostonoperacollaborative.org/) who performed my favorite Opera "The Magic Flute" at the Boston Latin Auditorium . Boston Latin is famous you know, being the first public school in this country (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Latin_School), and the auditorium is very stately. However, yet again, NO AIR CONDITIONING (Petra does not like) and I was busy during the entire performance fanning myself with the program so that I would not pass out. Accompanying me were my friends Austin and Carol, and we warmed up beforehand with a dinner at The Brown Sugar Cafe, a wonderful Thai place, not far from Fenway Park.
Somewhere in that past two weeks, I also went to Jacob Wirth's to attend the German Stammtisch (http://www.toytowngermany.com/wiki/Stammtisch) and get a foot massage at the gym. And yes, I do sleep at night, 7 hours (unless my neighbors start packing again at 9 PM, like they did yesterday).
This is my update - hope this finds all of you well.
pet:)
Sunday, July 20, 2008
All American - July 20 2008
Over the past couple of weeks, I had my citizenship test and interview, attended a Red Sox Game and met Sally Struthers - can I get more American than that?
Becoming a Citizen
Well, I am sure most of you are glad this is over (so am I), and I am no longer entertaining those of you around me with every little detail about the American Revolution. The day before the big interview I went to a Red Sox game with my colleague and friend Renee and every 15 minutes or so I threw in a detail or two about the history of this country. Being the total geek that I am, I could not help telling her on which day exactly the Star-Spangled Banner was written and what happened during the War of 1812. I did calm down eventually and ended up enjoying the game – the Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles by a score of 2:1 which we appreciated especially after a shaky outing by our relief pitcher Jonathan Papelbon, who was not his usual dominating self.
The big day started early, my appointment was at 8:30 AM and needless to say I did not get a lot of rest the night before. I had dolled myself up for the occasion figuring looking professional was definitely in my favor, and was seen as a better choice than the guy sitting next to me in the waiting room with jeans hanging down his waist and a t-shirt that said “Hustle”. It’s your citizenship interview, dude – you think you could make an effort?
The whole ordeal took place in the Federal Building at Government Center and while it was not the most cheerful of places, everyone was friendly and courteous. You check in, then wait to be called in for the test, where you are asked six out of the 100 sample questions you have been reviewing. Of course, the nerd in me had taken studying to new heights (there were Excel spreadsheets involved) and I was hoping for the real tough questions, such as listing the four voting amendments in the constitution or naming the 13 original colonies. My friend Ram, who recently along with my friends and colleagues Georges, Mike and Carol has undergone the citizenship procedure as well, had called the day before and after asking me a few test questions warned me not to answer as comprehensively as I did and risk being kicked out of the country for being a wise-ass.
I think most of you, my friends, could have passed the citizenship test (or so I hope) Here are the questions I had to answer:
How many stars are there on our flag?
Who becomes president if both the president and the vice president die?
Who was Martin Luther King Jr.?
Who was the main writer of the declaration of independence?
Who meets in the US Capitol building?
Name one benefits of being a citizen of the United States?
After answering them all very quickly and accurately, I was handed a green slip of paper and then sent to waiting room #2 where Mr Hustle and I watched CNN until we were called in. The interview itself was very relaxed and not stressful at all (maybe the raising your hand and swearing to tell the truth, nothing but the truth was a bit on the serious side). We talked about all kinds of things, US history and then briefly cruised through my application, and then we were finished.
I got a nice heartfelt handshake, words of congratulations and that was it. The swearing in ceremony, which is the next official step, will take place in mid-September, most likely on the 17th, and the best part is- it is in Fenway Park. How cool is hat??? I was hoping for Fanneuil Hall, but Fenway, our most beloved baseball park – it can’t get better than that!! I will have to inquire and see if I can bring guests and maybe we can have a little “Go Petra” cheering section somewhere near home plate. (Banners are appreciated).
Thanks for all your congratulatory wishes, hip hip hoorays, real and e-hugs!! You guys are pals!
Dropkick Murphys
If you are a Red Sox fan, you inadvertently also become a fan of the Dropkick Murphys, our cherished Boston band who sings the Red Songs anthem, Tessie. Just thought I add that in this time. Here are a couple of you tube links for your entertainment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKJxgxS-aQk&feature=related - Tessie " the Red Sox anthem....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-64CaD8GXw&feature=related - "I'm shipping up to Boston"
When Petra Met Sally
Thanks to my friend Stan I recently had the distinct pleasure to meet Emmy winning actress Sally Struthers (http://sallystruthers.tripod.com/ ) a couple of weeks ago. Stan, who is a violinist and performs for many plays, musicals and with various orchestras in New England, met her during a 4-week stint of Fiddler on the Roof at the Ogunquit Play House in Maine, and when she was in Waltham for a performance as Miss Hannigan in the musical “Annie”, we just had to go and see her. It was so worth it, she was hysterically funny and totally stole the show, and in person was as gracious as can be. I’ll send a picture of our encounter soon, I promise.
El Greco, Velasquez and Gang
Considering it was about 200 degrees outside yesterday (well not quite that bad, but anything over 80 degrees feels like 200 to me), and I have only a small fan to keep me cool, I decided to head for a place featuring the benefits of air conditioning, so I ventured out to the Museum of Fine Arts for their latest Special Exhibit –“ El Greco to Velázquez: Art during the Reign of Philip III” – which was absolutely wonderful. When it comes to art, I most appreciate paintings, and even though the subject matter may not always be something I appreciate, the skill displayed by some of the artists of the early 17th century was just stunning. http://www.mfa.org/exhibitions/sub.asp?key=15&subkey=2145
Hooking up with the Germans
I have to leave the house once in a while, so I decided to go to the German Language Meetup, a lovely group that gets together every two weeks at the Asgard Irish Pub in Cambridge (http://www.classicirish.com/asgard_about.html) where we all congregate around a big wooden table and talk German until the cows come home. Actually, most of the time we leave around 10 or 10:30 when the music starts at the pub, and venture across the street to Cambridge’s own Toscanini’s ice cream, labeled by the New York Times as “the best ice cream in the world”. http://www.tosci.com/
I am going to wrap up right now, it looks like a thunderstorm may break loose any time now, and the Hitchock movie “Saboteur” is waiting in the DVD player to be watched.
I am adding a celebratory bit about my friend Jennifer Duran, who is not only as charming as they come, but an amazing person and devoted athlete. Most of you know her story of having two kidney transplants, the second of which was a revolutionary medical procedure where the transplant was combined with a bone marrow transplant. She is now past the 5-year mark, takes no medications and just ran her first marathon in October of 2007. She recently took part in the US Transplant Games in Pittsburgh (http://www.kidney.org/news/tgames/index.cfm) and here are her results (Go Jen!):
“I ended up winning 4 golds (500yd freestyle, 5k road race, 1500m run, and 50m breaststroke), 1 silver (50m back), and 1 bronze (4x100 team relay). You can only enter 4 events, but the 5k and relays don't count. I was already quite excited, because my 5k time was faster than my goal time, and the 1500m run was also really good. But things just got better... At closing ceremonies, I was named the Outstanding Female Athlete of the 2008 US Transplant Games. This means that, along with the Outstanding Male, I light the torch at the opening ceremonies at the 2010 US Games. The best part though..... the NKF pays my way to represent the US at the World Games next summer on the Gold Coast of Australia!!!!!
Talk to you soon.
pet:)
Sunday, July 6, 2008
I'm Swimming in the Rain - July 6 2008
I'm swimming in the rain!
Greetings from Cape Cod where a whole group of us is spending the 4th of July weekend and where the weather changes every hour or so. Mainly it has been switching between rain and no-rain today, that is as best as I can describe it, grey skies, humid, not too cold, but kind of blah. I actually got here Thursday by myself, spent an afternoon of cooking like a banshee so that the contingent arriving on Friday morning would be welcomed by some tasty dishes (I must recommend the Sweet Potato Bread Pudding which has whiskey as one of the ingredients.....). I also studied for my citizenship test before the crowds plowed in here, and then proceeded to ask my fellow vacationers bizarre and unusual questions about US history. Who wrote "America The Beautiful?", huh, huh? When did they built the White House? What was the name of Paul Revere's horse?"
We have been incredibly active since we got here, I think we covered most of the Cape Cod Bike Trail yesterday and today, went for a hike (and almost got lost in a conservation area across the road) and hopped in the pond whenever possible. I love swimming in the pond, and armed with goggles one can actually see what's on the ground and this makes the lake less scary. I don't know what I am expecting - a dead body maybe, a monster lurking below?? I also discovered that I love swimming in the rain!! We came back after the bike ride and the hike today, and I could not wait to hop in the water and go swimming. I just loved the way the rain drops pelted the water when it rained - very cool. Among the group of visitors this weekend are a bird (Marge, who has the sun room to herself and seems to enjoy herself) and four dogs, Phoebe, her mom Annie, her half sister Addy and Addy's daughter Sidney, who is a nine-month old puppy. It was so much fun yesterday to have the dogs jump in the pond, chasing after sticks and trying to out-swim each other. My colleague Steven, who just bought a house on the next pond over, also paddled by and visited with some friends, and the big floating turtle was used to make a little boy very happy floating on the lake. Not a dull or boring moment around here.
We have been to at least one ice cream place ("Short and Sweet" on the bike trail near Chatham) and may go to the Sundae School in Orleans tonight (http://www.sundaeschoolicecream.com/ ), there are some fireworks there as well, and there is also the option of seeing Dave's brother in law (who is in an Irish band) play at a pub. Not quite sure what the plan is, right now we are waiting for the Spaghetti to finish, and then we'll take it from there.
Rick wants to kill me
Of course, the mosquitoes got me today, and now that the plate-size welts don my neck and arms, the group sitting here with me, especially the lovely Joanna, encouraged me whole-heartedly to take Benadryl. I am a little miffed that Rick enthusiastically supported this action, knowing well that combined with Valium I may ever wake up again. I must discuss this with him some time, most likely in a dark alley.
Tapas! Tapas!
A little while ago we had a dinner that I forgot to tell you about - at the most wonderful Spanish Bar and Tapas Place in Somerville, Dali ( http://www.dalirestaurant.com/), where one can comsume some delectable food, white and red Sangria, and is greeted by a very enthusiastic wait staff. Georgiana, you see, is getting married and so got a whole gang of girls to go out and start the celebrations. We then moved on to Christina's Ice Cream (http://christinasicecream.com/) where we met the groom-to-be, Will, and then the ladies headed over to the Bukowski Tavern to wash down the dairy treats with some exotic beers (http://boston.citysearch.com/profile/36411553/). What a lovely evening that was (and all right in my neighborhood)!
Where the Hell is Matt?
This is just cute and great to watch - http://www.vimeo.com/1211060
The Hike that Broke Petra
This last weekend I spent in Peterborough, New Hampshire with the Maclaurin family, who hosted family member and author Roxana Robinson for a reading of her newest book "Cost" (http://www.roxanarobinson.com/), which you all must read (just as you have to buy my cousin Rebecca Barry's book which is now in paperback (http://rebeccabarry.net/). The event at the Toadstool Bookstore (http://www.toadbooks.com/NASApp/store/IndexJsp) was wonderful and after some lolling around, a reception took place at the Maclaurin house with some exquisitely delectable food and spirited conversation. Well, Sunday came along, and with it the invitation for hike that I certainly was not prepared for. There were four of us to start with, Rob, Kathy, Ken and I, and we attacked North and South Pack, both mountains along the Wapack Trail. Well, let's just say Ken and Kathy attacked the mountain with speed and as if it was a stroll in the park, and I was huffing and puffing along and giving them well-deserved breaks while I was trying to catch up. At some point, we scaled down a cliff, and I was coached by the two of them on where to exactly place my foot. I held up through the hike, but during the lunch afterwards, I was in serious danger of keeling over with my face in the soup bowl, I was that knackered. This was the first time I had hiked a distance that long (7 or 8 miles) and I was a pile of sweat, and exhausted as can be. For the next three days I could not go down stairs without saying "ow, ow, ow, ow, ow....". (Note to self: Work out, for cryin' out loud!). Of course the drive home did nothing to help me relax, as I got into the biggest thunderstorm of all times - I was driving 35 mph with the emergency flash lights - there was so much rain, it was like driving through a swimming pool and I was so glad when I was back at home in Cambridge. Phew!
Permanent Vacation Needed
Working in a hospital, in particular a cancer center, turns you into a total hypochondriac, and I am the queen of that club, so whenever I have a test done, even a fairly innocent ultrasound conducted recently, I worry like crazy (yes, I admit it) and call my poor girlfriends, because I am now convinced I have several diseases at once, and feel like I am heading down the plank ready to be pushed in the ocean. Of course, the test came out well, and I am not required to go postal, haywire or fall into a deep depression. Why do we, myself in particular, worry so much about things we absolutely have no control over? I am the wrong person to ask that question, that is for sure. Interestingly enough, I never worry when I am out in the mountains or on vacation - which makes me think that I should just be on permanent vacation, and I think the donation of large sums of money may help me reach that goal. So, if you have some extra cash lying around, feel free to direct it my way. I will use it wisely. Swimming in the rain and such! Actually, according to recent news report, Americans (and I am pretty close to being one, soon), are pretty darned happy, and rank 15th on the happy-ness scale of a group of nations surveyed. Denmark was the front runner, but there were 80 nations behind us, so we did not do too bad I say. http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=111725&org=NSF.
On that note, I am going to bed now, it was an evening with a very animated discussion around the living room table, we did not go to the Sundae School or the Irish Pub, but it was just as lively here, especially with the demonstration of certain hand signals that only Princeton graduates seem to understand.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
pet:)
Congrats to my friends Mat and Christelle in Bath, UK on the birth of their son William Philip!!!
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Bill with his Head in the Pan - June 22 2008
Bill With His Had in the Pan - "Emergency" Swimming Lessons
I don't even know Bill, but as my friend and expert swimmer, the most lovely Stephanie Cooper, was teaching me to breathe under water (correctly) in order to make a decent swimmer out of me, she related the story of her friend Bill, who went to Immersion Swim Training, and who had to start out learning how to breath by putting a pot of water in the sink, dip his head in and then practice blowing out under water. I am glad I went straight to the pool for the blowing bubbles and bobbing-up-and-down part of the training program. My sink is right next to the window and who knows what the neighbors would have thought what I was doing. But then again my street is full of octogenarians and their eye sight may be compromised.
There was no "emergency" really to the swimming lessons, the term actually stems from my friend Brad and Chris' son Marvon who is enrolled in a Spanish immersion class, but proudly proclaims he is in Spanish emergency class.
Stephanie said that I did good, and to remember that "breathing is important", which I will certainly keep in mind for other activities as well, not just to prevent myself from drowning.
Pennsylvania - Land of Interesting City Names
Last weekend I drove to Pennsylvania and back to attend my Uncle Coop's memorial service. It was a long haul back and forth, but I was more than entertained by the variety in city names, which were just so much fun. There was Kutztown (big festival there this weekend) and Klumsville, Virginville, Bethlehem next to Hellertown, Bird in Hand, and course the most famous of them all, Intercourse, located right between Blue Ball and Paradise. Pennsylvania to me is always like stepping back in time, it has a lot of history, but unlike Boston and vicinity it is very rural. It is beautiful and reminds me that this is the first place I ever visited in the United States as a teenager many many years ago, and how different this place was from the small town in Germany I came from.
The Big Black Bear
Well, on the way back from Pennsylvania, heading up I-84, a huge black bear ran across the freeway, and fortunately for all of us, he was about 15 seconds before we were in that spot, and so no one got hurt. It was an impressive animal and outside of a zoo, this was the closest I had ever seen a bear. Wow!
My new friend Nuvi
I have a new toy, a Gamin Nuvi GPS (http://shop.vendio.com/targetrm/item/970850779/?s=1h214044404) which guides Ella and me to the destination of our or its choice. It is a great tool, in particular locally - you just type in an address and off you go. A friendly voice tells you when and where to take a left or right turn, and pretty soon you're there. Long-distance is a little trickier at times, and I have to figure out how to tell it to avoid certain areas. It tends to pick the most direct route possible, and on the way down to Pennsylvania it decided to send me down I-95, which goes directly through New York City. Boy, was that fun, stuck on I-95 in the Bronx with one big rig after the other surrounding me. For some reason, the Nuvi also got a little confused (may have been the tunnels), and wanted me to take a U-turn right on I-95, in the Bronx. This is when I started talking back to the gadget, informing it that I was on an interstate with a center divider, and even if there was no center divider, there was no way that I would take a U-turn on 176th street in the Bronx. I got through it alright, and can proudly say that I made it across the George Washington Bridge and ended up in Pennsylvania after all.
The return trip was much more delightful (including the bear sighting), heading up I-84 and I-87 with a little Nuvi-induced detour and only one getting lost episode near the Berkshires, but I did make it home without being in one single traffic jam and that does count for something.
Celtics
The Celtics won the MBA Championship this week with a demonstrative victory over the LA Lakers. What can I say, we are a kick-ass sports town!! There was a big parade on Thursday and everyone was running around in bright green outfits, it was a delight to see. Now all we need to do is to win the World Series again and the Superbowl and all will be well in the hub.
Post-Eulogy
Thanks to all of you who send me your thoughts and support on the passing of my little bird Oscar this week. Thanks to the special friends who came by to help me what needed to be done immediately, thanks to the special friends who let me stay overnight, because I could not bear to be in my place without the little chirper around, thanks to the special friends who called, who brought chocolate chip cookies the size of my head, who sent cards and helped with whatever else needed to be done. There were so many memories that came with your emails - I thank you for that. I will keep that little bird forever in my heart because he truly was special.
Saturday
Saturday started out with the sad task of bringing Oscar to Angelview Pet Cemetery to be cremated (his ashes will be scattered in both New Hampshire and Cambridge, places he both loved), and knowing that this would be an emotional day, my friends made sure that I was distracted and kept me busy and going. I met up with my friend Denise for lunch at Stephanie's on Newbury Street (http://www.stephaniesonnewbury.com/) and a visit to the Boston Health and Fitness Expo. The Expo was not that good of an experience for a crowd-phobe like me, plus I think it was really designed to scare people into going to the doctor for every little pinch they feel anywhere. We lasted about 1 1/2 hours, but then I had to hoof it out of there.
The evening was spent with my fire-displaced friends Ruth and Georges, who invited me and their friend Laura to a most delicious dinner which featured a brisket made in the oven with beets, rutabagas, turnips and carrots, fresh pasta, a tasty salad, olives from Georges' family's orchard in Lebanon, tasty cheese (supplemented with fig jam - courtesy again of Georges' mom) and a yummy desert with angel food cake, fresh berries and vanilla ice cream. Truly a wonderful evening, and not just because of the food, but the stellar company. Good friends you are.
The Bionic Woman
I am officially declaring my friend Stephanie the bionic woman - she ran the Mt Washington Road Race yesterday - http://www.mountwashingtonroadrace.com/ - Motto: "Only One Hill. 6288 ft. The actual running distance is 7.6 miles, but the elevation gain is 5000 feet, so this is an unbelievable accomplishment. The winner, Eric Blake of Connecticut ran the race in 1:00:39, with a pace of 7:59, which is something I could not even do on a flat surface even if ran my little heart out. Congratulations Steph - you rock!!! (She is of course also doing a Half-Ironman, just in case if you wondered). I meanwhile have signed up for the sofa Olympics, at least for today, where the weather promises rain and T-storms. Movies it is!
Hope this email finds you well!
pet:)
I don't even know Bill, but as my friend and expert swimmer, the most lovely Stephanie Cooper, was teaching me to breathe under water (correctly) in order to make a decent swimmer out of me, she related the story of her friend Bill, who went to Immersion Swim Training, and who had to start out learning how to breath by putting a pot of water in the sink, dip his head in and then practice blowing out under water. I am glad I went straight to the pool for the blowing bubbles and bobbing-up-and-down part of the training program. My sink is right next to the window and who knows what the neighbors would have thought what I was doing. But then again my street is full of octogenarians and their eye sight may be compromised.
There was no "emergency" really to the swimming lessons, the term actually stems from my friend Brad and Chris' son Marvon who is enrolled in a Spanish immersion class, but proudly proclaims he is in Spanish emergency class.
Stephanie said that I did good, and to remember that "breathing is important", which I will certainly keep in mind for other activities as well, not just to prevent myself from drowning.
Pennsylvania - Land of Interesting City Names
Last weekend I drove to Pennsylvania and back to attend my Uncle Coop's memorial service. It was a long haul back and forth, but I was more than entertained by the variety in city names, which were just so much fun. There was Kutztown (big festival there this weekend) and Klumsville, Virginville, Bethlehem next to Hellertown, Bird in Hand, and course the most famous of them all, Intercourse, located right between Blue Ball and Paradise. Pennsylvania to me is always like stepping back in time, it has a lot of history, but unlike Boston and vicinity it is very rural. It is beautiful and reminds me that this is the first place I ever visited in the United States as a teenager many many years ago, and how different this place was from the small town in Germany I came from.
The Big Black Bear
Well, on the way back from Pennsylvania, heading up I-84, a huge black bear ran across the freeway, and fortunately for all of us, he was about 15 seconds before we were in that spot, and so no one got hurt. It was an impressive animal and outside of a zoo, this was the closest I had ever seen a bear. Wow!
My new friend Nuvi
I have a new toy, a Gamin Nuvi GPS (http://shop.vendio.com/targetrm/item/970850779/?s=1h214044404) which guides Ella and me to the destination of our or its choice. It is a great tool, in particular locally - you just type in an address and off you go. A friendly voice tells you when and where to take a left or right turn, and pretty soon you're there. Long-distance is a little trickier at times, and I have to figure out how to tell it to avoid certain areas. It tends to pick the most direct route possible, and on the way down to Pennsylvania it decided to send me down I-95, which goes directly through New York City. Boy, was that fun, stuck on I-95 in the Bronx with one big rig after the other surrounding me. For some reason, the Nuvi also got a little confused (may have been the tunnels), and wanted me to take a U-turn right on I-95, in the Bronx. This is when I started talking back to the gadget, informing it that I was on an interstate with a center divider, and even if there was no center divider, there was no way that I would take a U-turn on 176th street in the Bronx. I got through it alright, and can proudly say that I made it across the George Washington Bridge and ended up in Pennsylvania after all.
The return trip was much more delightful (including the bear sighting), heading up I-84 and I-87 with a little Nuvi-induced detour and only one getting lost episode near the Berkshires, but I did make it home without being in one single traffic jam and that does count for something.
Celtics
The Celtics won the MBA Championship this week with a demonstrative victory over the LA Lakers. What can I say, we are a kick-ass sports town!! There was a big parade on Thursday and everyone was running around in bright green outfits, it was a delight to see. Now all we need to do is to win the World Series again and the Superbowl and all will be well in the hub.
Post-Eulogy
Thanks to all of you who send me your thoughts and support on the passing of my little bird Oscar this week. Thanks to the special friends who came by to help me what needed to be done immediately, thanks to the special friends who let me stay overnight, because I could not bear to be in my place without the little chirper around, thanks to the special friends who called, who brought chocolate chip cookies the size of my head, who sent cards and helped with whatever else needed to be done. There were so many memories that came with your emails - I thank you for that. I will keep that little bird forever in my heart because he truly was special.
Saturday
Saturday started out with the sad task of bringing Oscar to Angelview Pet Cemetery to be cremated (his ashes will be scattered in both New Hampshire and Cambridge, places he both loved), and knowing that this would be an emotional day, my friends made sure that I was distracted and kept me busy and going. I met up with my friend Denise for lunch at Stephanie's on Newbury Street (http://www.stephaniesonnewbury.com/) and a visit to the Boston Health and Fitness Expo. The Expo was not that good of an experience for a crowd-phobe like me, plus I think it was really designed to scare people into going to the doctor for every little pinch they feel anywhere. We lasted about 1 1/2 hours, but then I had to hoof it out of there.
The evening was spent with my fire-displaced friends Ruth and Georges, who invited me and their friend Laura to a most delicious dinner which featured a brisket made in the oven with beets, rutabagas, turnips and carrots, fresh pasta, a tasty salad, olives from Georges' family's orchard in Lebanon, tasty cheese (supplemented with fig jam - courtesy again of Georges' mom) and a yummy desert with angel food cake, fresh berries and vanilla ice cream. Truly a wonderful evening, and not just because of the food, but the stellar company. Good friends you are.
The Bionic Woman
I am officially declaring my friend Stephanie the bionic woman - she ran the Mt Washington Road Race yesterday - http://www.mountwashingtonroadrace.com/ - Motto: "Only One Hill. 6288 ft. The actual running distance is 7.6 miles, but the elevation gain is 5000 feet, so this is an unbelievable accomplishment. The winner, Eric Blake of Connecticut ran the race in 1:00:39, with a pace of 7:59, which is something I could not even do on a flat surface even if ran my little heart out. Congratulations Steph - you rock!!! (She is of course also doing a Half-Ironman, just in case if you wondered). I meanwhile have signed up for the sofa Olympics, at least for today, where the weather promises rain and T-storms. Movies it is!
Hope this email finds you well!
pet:)
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Eulogy for a Little Friend - June 18 2008
My dear friends,
This morning my beloved avian companion, Oscar, passed away. I was there with him when he took his last breath and chirped his last chirp. He would have been 12 years old in a couple of week's time and I was fortunate to have him as a pet and friend. He helped me through some pretty difficult times in my life, and even though he never answered, he listened - tilted his head to the side as if to say, I understand.
He had quite a wonderful life, from his early beginnings in California to our exciting life here in Boston. He flew in a plane all across the country (can't say he liked it very much), took frequent weekend trips to New Hampshire and Cape Cod and even upstate New York, and when I was out of town, happily spend time with his foster families, the Coopers in Salem and the Cooleys in Watertown. He had many human friends, some of whom became his caretakers while I was away from him - Denise, Rick, Ruth, Renee, Ken, Sally, Claire, Joanne, Ben, Kaitlin, Martin, Lucy, Glennys and Patrick, Beverly - he loved you all. He had many nicknames - "Little O", "Banana Boy", "Mr Meyer" or as I called him lovingly in German, "mein kleiner dicker gelber Vogel" (my chubby little yellow bird).
I will miss him terribly, that little yellow rascal, he was a special bird. He spoke German (mostly about himself, how cute he was, what a good kisser he was etc - he may have been just a wee bit vain), loved making kissing sounds, and sit on my shoulder, nibble on my earrings and constantly had a project going in his cage, usually involving the destruction of one of his toys. He loved the beeping sound the phone made, was very fond of keyboards, and had his favorite foods - corn flakes, orange juice, oats, yoghurt, celery greens and parsley. He disliked the color red and once in a while during one of his moods (we all have them, don't we?) he flew around like a madman just to show me who was the boss in the house. He loved his bird friend Marge, and taught her how to fly around the house and land safely back on the cage, and he loved his friend Phoebe, who always treated him special.
My favorite sound in the world was his first chirp in the morning, very quiet, very faint, as if to say, I am not quite up yet, give me a minute.
My friend Rick said something very nice today about having pets - they are part of your family, loyal companions who are always chipper, who never judge you, and are always happy to see you. That was true for Oscar - when I came home, he hopped to the front of the cage to welcome me, and he never cared if I looked my best that day, or if my hair was a total mess (at least he kept it to himself). He was my first pet as an adult and definitely set the bar high.
He was a good bird.
Very sadly,
pet:)
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