A Massachusetts Interlude

Friday was a very low-key day in Douglas. While I read and worked on the computer, the rest of the group worked outside, prepping various parts of D & D's garden for the summer. Susie spent quite a bit of time cleaning up the hydrangea bushes with Dick stacking his five cords of wood in their shed and Dorothy supervising all.

That evening we drove south to Warren, RI, for dinner with Andrea and Barbara at Metacom Kitchen. Susie and I had last eaten here in 2015 for my birthday (and what a wonderful experience that was); we were not disappointed this evening either.

The place looks small and nondescript but here as in much of life looks can be deceiving:

Everything was incredibly well-prepared and very tasty, from the opening cocktails to the apps of burrata, charred octopus, edamame and hummus to the various pastas and scrumptious desserts spoke to all of us. We have shared many meals together with the Feldmans when we lived in Providence and have rarely been disappointed. This evening remains one of the most culinary stellar experiences to be sure.

Saturday was leisurely for all of us, well for me at any rate. We're on vacation so there are no daily chores and it's nice to see Susie able to just enjoy a bit of peace and quiet. 

D & D had put together a lovely little picnic basket of coffee and banana bread for our meetup with Uncle Frank VH in Quincy. A little before 10am the four of us headed off into the greater Boston suburbs. Traffic was busy but not too bad for a Memorial Day weekend and we made good time driving to UF's place.

There were some open tables at the patio outside his building so we set up there while Dick tracked Frank down. It was good to see him again and that elfin smile was as bright as I remembered from past years and at times he seemed like his old self. He certainly enjoyed the house-brewed coffee and homemade treats and of course the company.

Our drive back home took us past Frank's house in Willow ave in Quincy before returning to the highway south. Although traffic was brisk, the drive went smoothly and we were back in Douglas, MA. After lunch and helping to set up the patio furniture Susie and I had our afternoon HB (thanks Sheldon!) followed by my taking a much-appreciated nap. . . For someone who has done very little these past couple of days my napping skills have grown immeasurably.

That evening we were joined for supper by former brother-in-law and stalwart human being Steele Shane. After sitting outside for an aperitif we moved indoors for a scrumptious dinner of grilled flank steak and lovely roasted baby potatoes. We all spent the remainder of the evening catching up with Steele and the journeys he has taken since last we saw him far too many years ago.

Warm conversation and good food have always been a hallmark at 51 Linden. Thanks to D & D for their hospitality and generosity!

Tomorrow it's off to Maine and then Nova Scotia on Monday morning.

To New York and Massachusetts

After a wonderful night's rest on the outskirts of Cazenovia we woke up to 36 degrees (F) Thursday morning -- but the sun was already high up in a lovely Robin's egg blue sky and it promised to be a gorgeous day for road tripping.

After coffee -- as you may recall we typically bring our own little Nespresso machine along on these lengthy jaunts cross country -- and just lounging in the room, we packed up and headed off to Prattsville, NY, for lunch with our friends Don and Gloria Archer. 

We headed east on US 20 to Richfield Springs where we turned south on to county road 80. After about 10 miles driving along the western shore of Otsego Lake we pulled into Cooperstown. We drove through the lovely downtown area but didn't stop to see the Baseball Hall of Fame. Nope, we turned back north on county 31, this time cruising back north up the eastern shore of the lake.

Meandering around one back road after another, climbing from valley to ridge and back, enjoying spectacular views of the countryside as we made our way some 140 miles to the home of Don and Gloria Archer outside of Prattsville.

Gloria had prepared a very nice spread of salads for lunch and the four of us spent a good hour and a half catching up on all the news. Their son David joined us -- he was up from NYC to help out with some chores -- and it had been probably at least five or six years since we had seen him. He's always got wonderful stories to share. . . 

We had still more miles to go before the end of today's journey and the time came to say goodbye. It's always a pleasure to stop in the Catskill mountains with such warm and generous folk. 

Back in the car we made our way to Rte 23 east and eventually the NY Thruway north before turning east on I-90 and the Mass Pike. 

With just a couple of short stops, to add oil to our car and switch drivers, we soon reached our exit for I-395 south and then off on to Rte 16 at Webster, MA. It wasn't long after before we pulled into D & D's driveway. A quick unload and unpack we soon had a glass of sparkling wine in hand ready for one of Dor's delicious meals.

It had been a full day to be sure but not a tiring one; some 328 miles of driving in fair weather. 

view looking northeast from Rte 23, in the direction of the Thruway

To New England and Nova Scotia

It was a chilly morning when we pulled out of our driveway at Eagle Ridge Court kicking off our two-week sojourn to New England and beyond. 

The plan is to visit friends in New York, family in Massachusetts and Maine and then cross over to Nova Scotia by ferry. After a night in Yarmouth we will drive to Halifax and pick up our friends Richard and Pauline at the airport. The four of us will spend a couple of nights in Halifax and then drive  north to Cape Breton where we have reserved a house for three nights. Returning to Halifax we will drop our friends off at the airport (they're heading way west to the wild west of Canada) and we will drive back home, taking a couple of days meandering as we we go.

We left home a little after 8am and some 9 hours and 560 miles later pulled into the Hampton Inn at Cazenovia, New York. Driving was fine, aside from lousy roads in Michigan, but the lack of billboards in Ontario and smooth road surfaces not to mention light traffic even around Hamilton, ONT and Buffalo, NY, made for a very smooth trip.

Susie spelled me twice which allowed me to stretch out and relax, collect my thoughts, such as they are. We took a break for for a lunch of homemade rollups at the Woodstock, ONT, service plaza. 

Traffic was light through Canada and we had to wait at the US border only about 10 minutes (no dedicated NEXUS lane) and soon zipping along I-190 to I-290 and then to I-90 east. One thing about the present state of the NY Thruway is the absence of several service plazas in  the midst of n ongoing project to complete build all of them. 

We left the Thruway at Syracuse and headed southeast via backroads to Cazenovia, our stop for the evening.

After check-in we dropped our bags and headed back into the lovely little village of Cazenovia to find the Lincklaen Inn, a recommended eatery. Located right on Main Street (but then so is everything else) we found a parking spot right across the street and headed inside in search of the pub.

Bottled wines ($100 or less) were all half price on Wednesdays so we came on the right night. Our food was OK: the opening act was a brace of popovers which were a bit doughy and not very flavorful, followed tasty Calamari; Susie had Salmon over rice and I had a rather unremarkable ramekin of Shepherd's Pie. But the service was fine and the space comfortable. 

Back to the hotel we turned in early, as we often do on these road trips.

Tomorrow it's cruising the back roads of upstate New York!

Salmon

Shepherd's Pie - doesn't look to good does it?

Three-quarters of a century

 Well, I turned 75 yesterday. Wall street reacted as expected: the Dow fell some 300 points, Joe Biden said if Steve Soper can make it this far by God he can run again for president, and my wife bought me flowers! What a day, eh?!

The really big news is Susie threw me a surprise party inviting our closest neighbors, the regular sit-out crew, and one of them, Jay, brought his accordion and played Happy Birthday to me -- followed by a pair of polka pieces, all of which were well-received as were the pastries and prosecco!

Remembering Marian June Van Halsema Ten Have