The Years To Remember

 On my first day back from Corning, I was intent on improving my fitness. I was just finishing a yoga session when I moved my head in the exactly wrong way and the room spun madly. Vertigo! I haven't had an episode in three years and forgot how awful it is. I was out of commission for three days, and had to postpone my MRI as that would have been a nightmare. I did the Epley Manuever twice, which helps get the runaway crystals back where they belong, but the mad spinning it unleashes is just awful. Nausea and just feeling bad for three days was not great.  By Thursday I felt OK enough to take a long walk with a friend even though the low grade dizziness doesn't leave me.  Vischer Ferry Nature Preserve for a walk. The snow is gone. Walk with daughter to see the lights. More lights! A back yard visitor, an Eastern Bluebird. I picked up my daughter at the airport Friday, and we had a nice few days catching up and enjoying each others company. Then I went to the dentist for m...

 I've had my eye on today as the likely day to get my second December ride in to finish my 2023 biking challenge. The weather did not disappoint as it got up to 52 F which was plenty warm. I had to stop and take off one jacket, my hat, and even the gloves came off. I'm at mom's house, so I headed along the quietest roads since I forgot to pack my bike helmet. I survived just fine, relying on my high visibility jacket and rear strobe light. The Cohocton River flowing along peacefully. I have passed this helicopter before and finally stopped for a closer look. For display only. This house looks so stately among all the other ramshackle farmhouses. I really liked the mix of textures and winter hues here. Last night I stopped downtown to admire the holiday lights with no crowds in the way. The clock tower all lit up. The city Christmas tree. Earlier, I suggested to Mom that we go through her huge trove of Christmas ornaments in order to fill a basket as a nice display. She has ...

 The week started off with an outdoor walk and holiday party with the hiking group. The new venue this year was Saratoga Spa State Park. The turnout was great, so George mentioned that this would be the new site of the party. I guess we're getting older because the original site was at the top of a short but steep mountain hike in Lake George, which made it a bit challenging for some. It was great to catch up with some of the members I haven't seen in a while and I met a few new people as well. I stopped off to say hello to Susan on my way home as she wrenched her back and wasn't able to come to the party. Most of the group by the fire pit. The food table. Enjoying the company, outdoors of course! A wedding party at the Hall Of Springs. The Gideon Putnam Hotel looked closed. One of many resting places at the Gideon. The rest of the week has been very quiet as I worked on house projects, went line dancing, and jumped into my physical fitness with a little more effort. I'...

 I'm trying to change my attitude. December and the holidays are not my favorite, so I'm trying to flip the script and embrace this time in a way that's meaningful to me, rather than buying into the traditional expectations that have not brought me joy. Enjoying the company of friends is a great way to spend my time, so to start things off, I went to the Victorian Street Walk in Saratoga with a group of 10. We met up at Peggy's apartment for mulled cider and a quick catch up before walking downtown. It was quite a festive scene. The foyer in Peggy's apartment building - it's a converted mansion. We just missed the tree lighting ceremony, but the result was pretty. The beautiful  and historic Adelphi Hotel Live models in some of the store fronts were impressive. Another shop window display. Lots of musical performances. We stopped in Frankin Square Marketplace to listen to live music with a glass of wine. It's a grocery store, a deli, and a bar all in one ven...

 November 17, 2023 I offered to host this month's dinner with teacher friends by cooking an Italian dinner of lasagna, meatballs, salad, and home made bread. In a misguided attempt to include a seasonal selection, I baked a pumpkin cake using The Pioneer Woman's recipe. Big mistake - it was bland, dry, and only redeemed by the cream cheese frosting. Lesson learned - buy a fancy dessert next time.  Just buying myself flowers again! Vegetable lasagna infused with goat cheese on the left; pesto infused on the right. Grandma Stella's meatballs. The wine. A truly underwhelming pumpkin cake. I should have bought cannoli from the grocery store. November 23, 2023 So, at the last minute, I accepted my sister's invitation to Thanksgiving which I turned into a 4 day stay with mom. It turned out to be a good decision as I gained reassurance that mom is doing well on her own (w/ assistance) and everyone is pitching in. A perfectly roasted turkey. Rhona, the border collie/Aussie shep...

Walks in the neighborhood are getting a bit dull, but I was delighted by a few sights this week. Milkweed seeds taking flight. This made me long for a summer day. I have never seen it on the lake before - it's a great idea. The cloud sculptures. Whatever day this was (joy of retirement), I felt I barely started the day by running a couple errands, and making some phone calls. I realized I could probably get a walk in, yet I was surprised that the sun was setting on my way back. These short days are challenging. Thursday turned out very differently than I planned. I was supposed to get a tooth crowned, but the nice weather forecast caused me to cancel it in favor of a group bike ride. Then, almost everyone on the bike ride cancelled so I scratched that plan. I texted a few friends, got some free passes from the library and three of us headed over to Vermont to see Hildene , the summer home of Robert Lincoln, Abe's only son to make it to adulthood. This is the back of the house a...