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Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Laughing All The Way
Joan Chittister in her book "Gift Of Years", Brene Brown in her book "The Gifts Of Imperfection", and Barbra Brown Taylor in her book,"An Altar In The World" all talk about the importance of play in adults' lives. The business and busyness of adult life leeches play right out of most of us so by the time we have some discretionary time in our lives again we've forgotten how to. One of the ways retirement can be life-giving is if we can use it to help us re-learn how to play.
Well, today has been just one of those days. We only had about 70 miles to drive from the outskirts of Albany to Cooperstown, but Beverly was feeling very playful and routed us through fields of buttercups, hairpin turns, through the metropoli of Duanesville, Roseboom, Dorloo (which even had a street named Mesick) and more. Must have taken us 2-1/2 hours to go those 70 miles. We found ourselves laughing so hard at Beverly's choice of routes tears were streaming down our faces.
In Cobleskill we stopped at McDonald's. Mind you I have not eaten anything from a McDonalds in 25 years. But I was somewhat desperate. Being GFDF (Gluten Free/Dairy Free) it's not easy to find breakfast food. Not easy even at home, but on the road, well...
Apples with sunflower seed butter has been my morning fare the last 12 mornings, but I didn't have it in me for another nut-buttered apple. So, we stopped at McDonalds and I ate the sausage out of a couple of sausage biscuits. And these were two of the dining guests at MickeyD's today:
Sadly her large pink bow doesn't show up well that was decorating the front of her head while a black bow decorated the back of her head. I couldn't quite tell if her outfit was intimate wear or evening wear. Either way, it was not your typical McDonalds attire. In response to my comment that she was all dressed up, she smiled coyly, giggled, and denied she was dressed up for any special occasion.
And then this gentleman joined our section of the dining room. His hat has is decorated with powerful flames on either side while the front reads: Brotherhood of Three Wheels. Now that was a conversation starter for me, for sure. Turns out the Brotherhood is a motorcycle or-gan-i'-za-tion with a national membership of about 6,000. He became an active member after he took a spill on his two-wheeler and he decided it was time to make the switch.
Good fun en route to Cooperstown. I'll let Kirk write about Cooperstown, the museum, the town, and his life-long dream finally realized--to be here, to soak it all up which we did for 9 hours.
Well, today has been just one of those days. We only had about 70 miles to drive from the outskirts of Albany to Cooperstown, but Beverly was feeling very playful and routed us through fields of buttercups, hairpin turns, through the metropoli of Duanesville, Roseboom, Dorloo (which even had a street named Mesick) and more. Must have taken us 2-1/2 hours to go those 70 miles. We found ourselves laughing so hard at Beverly's choice of routes tears were streaming down our faces.
In Cobleskill we stopped at McDonald's. Mind you I have not eaten anything from a McDonalds in 25 years. But I was somewhat desperate. Being GFDF (Gluten Free/Dairy Free) it's not easy to find breakfast food. Not easy even at home, but on the road, well...
Apples with sunflower seed butter has been my morning fare the last 12 mornings, but I didn't have it in me for another nut-buttered apple. So, we stopped at McDonalds and I ate the sausage out of a couple of sausage biscuits. And these were two of the dining guests at MickeyD's today:
Sadly her large pink bow doesn't show up well that was decorating the front of her head while a black bow decorated the back of her head. I couldn't quite tell if her outfit was intimate wear or evening wear. Either way, it was not your typical McDonalds attire. In response to my comment that she was all dressed up, she smiled coyly, giggled, and denied she was dressed up for any special occasion.
And then this gentleman joined our section of the dining room. His hat has is decorated with powerful flames on either side while the front reads: Brotherhood of Three Wheels. Now that was a conversation starter for me, for sure. Turns out the Brotherhood is a motorcycle or-gan-i'-za-tion with a national membership of about 6,000. He became an active member after he took a spill on his two-wheeler and he decided it was time to make the switch.
Good fun en route to Cooperstown. I'll let Kirk write about Cooperstown, the museum, the town, and his life-long dream finally realized--to be here, to soak it all up which we did for 9 hours.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Barb, Fergus, NH, ME, and VT
Barb and I toured together in 2008: I rode solo to Chautauqua, NY; she drove solo to Chautauqua, NY. There we rendezvoused and toured from Chautauqua to Stoddard, NH, her home: she drove, I rode. We'd arrive at our destination about 2:00, have a late lunch and sight-see the jewel of a town we'd chosen. I hadn't seen Barb since that Tour.
Leaving Boston after breakfast on Saturday, July 2nd we headed to Stoddard by way of Hancock, NH, home of the most photographed church in New England and their Saturday Farmer's Market (that also sells clothes) held in the horse and buggy stalls behind the church. Barb bought a winter coat, 2 sweaters, and 3 pairs of pants for $7.50
Barb lives in what I call a doll house on the edge of 500 acres of wooded wilderness which she shares with her Labradoodle, Fergus, and her Maine Coon cat, GB (short for gray belly).
Barb made the ladder that runs from ground to deck for GB to come and go while keeping out the coons and fox. Seems the wild critters don't like with sway of the ladder; good thing because our bedroom was at the head of ladder.
Fergus sounded his alarm each night as bear, fox, and coons stalked around the house. Good thing Barb had instructed us which garbage to compost and which not so as not to further attract her ursine neighbors. Evidence they had, indeed, been there at some point was the "bear post" at woods-edge where they come to sharpen their claws.
We joined Barb and Fergus on a couple of their daily walks in the woods that can range from 20 minutes to 4 hours. Even saw a snake sunning on our path.
The 4th of July found us in Kittery, ME. Before sharing dinner with Elliott, Andrea, and Ella, friends from Trinity Wilmette, I was able to get in a short ride now being able to claim one more state for my "Ridden In" book.
Tuesday, July 5th I added Vermont to my "Ridden In" book which brings my newly ridden in states on this trip to 4. In the last 12 days our so-far-driven in State count is up to 10 and our slept-in-different bed count up to 8.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Lots Comin'; We're Goin'
Admiring our open road on West bound US Route 6 leaving Cape Cod Thursday mid-day as the East bound lane began its endless gridlock in anticipation of the Holiday Weekend. That sight made up for our gridlock on I-90 last Sunday outside of Erie: 3 miles in 1-1/2 hours. Never did know why.
I dropped Kirk off at Bally's in Brighton, MA for a mid-afternoon workout before we headed over to Bobby and Mary Etta's in Lexington, MA for dinner and an overnight. Kirk and Bobby went to Davidson College together; Bobby was in our wedding at Chautauqua, NY in 1969; they honeymooned at Chautauqua in 1970; we've been back to see them in the Boston area several times since as well as a couple of rendezvous' at Chautauqua over the last 42 years.
A screened-in porch, restful, waning warmth of the day, fish from the grill, reflections on 40+ years of marriage and hopes of living this next life stage both gracefully and graciously. Joan Chittister's book, The Gift Of Years, is a wise guide.
I dropped Kirk off at Bally's in Brighton, MA for a mid-afternoon workout before we headed over to Bobby and Mary Etta's in Lexington, MA for dinner and an overnight. Kirk and Bobby went to Davidson College together; Bobby was in our wedding at Chautauqua, NY in 1969; they honeymooned at Chautauqua in 1970; we've been back to see them in the Boston area several times since as well as a couple of rendezvous' at Chautauqua over the last 42 years.
A screened-in porch, restful, waning warmth of the day, fish from the grill, reflections on 40+ years of marriage and hopes of living this next life stage both gracefully and graciously. Joan Chittister's book, The Gift Of Years, is a wise guide.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Lots of Vitamin D in P-Town
Chatham Harbor
The weather, the planets, our schedule, and my body all aligned on June 30th for me to grab a century ride on Cape Cod. The Cape has a great Rails To Trails trail from Dennis-->Chatham-->Provincetown and back to Dennis. Actually, Wellsfleet-->Provincetown and back was on Route 6. The treat was that I didn't have to worry about Cape traffic or routing. The disappointment was that I could have been in Anywhere, USA. Nothing, save the Chatham Harbor gave my geography away.
One of several tunnels on Cape Cod Rails To Trails Trail
While I was riding Kirk visited the National Seashore Headquarters, and guess what? For $10 he bought a life-long pass for old-timers (62+) to any National Park Service property in the US!
He caught up on his reading, and hiked to his heart's content coming home that night with 30,000 steps, equivalent to about 15 miles. We met in Provincetown at the Townsend for lunch--delicious sea morsels fresh off the boat.
Townsend's For Lunch
Cape Cod has been a great respite for us. Lots of pressured commotion the last days in Wilmette--packers, movers, hotelling it while Kirk was still actively serving at the church. Lots of miles the first couple of days on the road and staying with friends. Cape Cod gave us a place to stop, regroup, reground, and get our new little rituals and rhythms down as to where all of our earthly possessions live in our car and our duffel bags.
Hyannis Kids Sharing A Gallon Of Ice Cream
Two New States
Voluntown must be where all the "teers" live
Never have needed any such worms. Wouldn't know what to do with them.
I so appreciate Kirk's support of my bicycle dreams. (BTW, if you haven't seen Bicycle Dreams, the moive, check out the trailer. You may decide you want to see the whole thing.)
One of those dreams is to ride in all 50 states. This 99-day trek will add 11 new states to my collection leaving only 5 to go by the time I get to Tucson: MT, ND, SD, NE, and AK.
Connecticut and Rhode Island are two currently missing states. So, we left AndyBev's in East Longmeadow, MA and drove to Hopeville, CT. 30 miles later Kirk picked me up in Coventry, RI.
Back in the car off we went to Cape Cod, West Yarmouth, to be exact. We honeymooned on the Cape in 1969. So young we were (21 and 22) we drove away with no money for our wedding trip. Didn't even own a credit card. As we left my grandmother slipped Kirk a $100 bill. We almost made it the whole week on our $100, but Kirk had to bribe a bank to cash a $30 check. Guess many of us started out that poor and equally naive.
The 1969 honeymoon cottage.
Re-connecting
This trek is about connecting and reconnecting: with ourselves, with friends of long-ago some not seen in over 50 years; it's about transitioning from more-than-full-time jobs to retirement; about looking forward to choosing new ways to serve, and building new relationships that are not defined by professional roles.
This first week on the road we rediscovered what it's like to have each other available for laughter over our silly word-play, sharing three meals a day, and lots of convos unencumbered by responsibilities and expectations.
And so, on Day 2 we rolled up to Provence, a restaurant in the Stuyvesant Plaza in Albany, NY to lunch with Andrea and Paul Lurie. Paul was an intern and my father his resident at Yale New Haven Hospital back in the early-mid 40's. They both came to the Indiana University Medical Center in Indianapolis as medical school faculty after completing their medical training. Andrea is about a year younger than I. I remember playing at her house in Indy a few times and she at mine. Had no clue she graduated from my HS--a clue I was really, really out of it back then. Andrea and I had not thought of each other for over 50 years till somehow we reconnected on FB and now at Provence. I'm sure there will be continuing conversations.
On to East Longmeadow, MA to see Bev Premo. Our first married year Bev and I taught together in a Practical Nursing Program in Springfield, MA; Kirk was a 1st Lieutenant in the Army at the Springfield Armed Forces Examining and Entrance Station. As a Personnel Psychologist he administered tests to all the draftees to determine if they were fit psychologically to go to Viet Nam. Makes one wonder what the criteria for "fit" were?
Andy and Bev, (AndyBev as we called them back then) and we were bonded for life back in 1971 when they stayed in our guest room for two weeks waiting for their new house construction to be finished. Our guest room was called "The Garden" wallpapered with garish pink, yellow, and green lilacs; the door made of strings of plastic pop beads.
We've had the pleasure of visiting AndyBev several times over these last 41 years. Looking forward to Bev checking out our new digs in Tucson real soon.
This first week on the road we rediscovered what it's like to have each other available for laughter over our silly word-play, sharing three meals a day, and lots of convos unencumbered by responsibilities and expectations.
And so, on Day 2 we rolled up to Provence, a restaurant in the Stuyvesant Plaza in Albany, NY to lunch with Andrea and Paul Lurie. Paul was an intern and my father his resident at Yale New Haven Hospital back in the early-mid 40's. They both came to the Indiana University Medical Center in Indianapolis as medical school faculty after completing their medical training. Andrea is about a year younger than I. I remember playing at her house in Indy a few times and she at mine. Had no clue she graduated from my HS--a clue I was really, really out of it back then. Andrea and I had not thought of each other for over 50 years till somehow we reconnected on FB and now at Provence. I'm sure there will be continuing conversations.
On to East Longmeadow, MA to see Bev Premo. Our first married year Bev and I taught together in a Practical Nursing Program in Springfield, MA; Kirk was a 1st Lieutenant in the Army at the Springfield Armed Forces Examining and Entrance Station. As a Personnel Psychologist he administered tests to all the draftees to determine if they were fit psychologically to go to Viet Nam. Makes one wonder what the criteria for "fit" were?
Andy and Bev, (AndyBev as we called them back then) and we were bonded for life back in 1971 when they stayed in our guest room for two weeks waiting for their new house construction to be finished. Our guest room was called "The Garden" wallpapered with garish pink, yellow, and green lilacs; the door made of strings of plastic pop beads.
We've had the pleasure of visiting AndyBev several times over these last 41 years. Looking forward to Bev checking out our new digs in Tucson real soon.
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