After not going to Washington since May, we have now been twice since the end of October. We drove back to Washington this past weekend, just two weeks after the big party. We went to drop off our visa applications for Gabon, but also to check in with Joe, Margaret and Andrew. It was a short trip but we packed it in, with side visits to see friends from Peru, South Africa and Arlington, all of whom were at the wedding reception. So it was nice to revisit the party with them.
We stayed with Margaret and Andrew and (Dee) which was nice and comfortable. We also went to Joe's new apartment and helped him hang pictures. He had a friend from St. Andrews visiting, a Tanzanian named Omar, who was in the U.S. on a year-long fellowship (through the State Department.) He joined us for dinner on Saturday night, and found he knew more about the NBA than anyone else around the table. Joe, by the way, is getting ready to go to Hong Kong later this month, so he has been in touch with my college roommate who used to live there.
Since Margaret's new apartment is near the Marriott, I took a couple of walks around the neighborhood, looking for everyone - the Marriott, Glen's Garden Market, Ruth's Chris Steak House. We didn't make it back to Recessions, which is probably where everyone was. Karaoke and the cheapest beer in town.
Besides the wedding reception, we spent a fair amount of time talking about the elections. Lots of disappointment with Obama, from his own supporters. I am still not there, and posted on Facebook today a nice article about all that has been accomplished these past years. Enough politics.
Enjoying my second retirement since my class ended and the Herman Melville season is over, I joined Johnny for a kayak trip down the Housatonic. Beautiful, meandering stretch of the river and the hills in the near distance. Johnny who has been canoeing on the river for over 20 years has a story for every bend, when floods washed out trees, how the river has changed course and a fair number of unforeseen canoe flips in frigid water. It was my first time in a kayak on a river, and it went well. Even though the water was gently flowing, it was still a workout going back upstream.
John and Marilyn had just come back from Florida, as Marilyn is going to have a knee operation. We joined them for a Kelly's Diner brunch - another sign of retirement!!
What else? We are almost caught up on our Homeland viewing, so we need a new show. We did go to the movies recently to see Gone Girl, which was good, but had a very unsatisfying ending. I think we were the only people in America who did not read the book. Our Halloween adventure was going to a play on Edgar Allen Poe's last days in Baltimore. Two other cultural activities included a concert in Great Barrington by a guy who lives in Barcelona, named Sam Lardner. We learned he had played in Princeton two nights earlier.
We also attended a "summit" on historic preservation in Pittsfield, because of concern over a plan by Dunkin Donuts to tear down an old church for one of their stores. Now I admit I like Dunkin Donuts, but that comes as close to Joni Mitchell's song about paving paradise as anything I've seen. I was the moderator of the meeting, that included our mayor. Fortunately, the donut chain has scrapped their plans due to community outrage, but no one is sure what comes next.
We spoke with Annie who has accepted a job with General Electric, starting next July, Congrats!!
And, it is getting cold up here. We've had our first fire. And, even though we miss summer, this fall has been pretty wonderful.
What's new with you? Got a photo to share?
Love from up here.
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