Back to Normal

Well, looks like summer's probably over...for the next week at least...the forecast for the foreseeable future is of the rain and fog variety. And we've got both of those things this morning.

I didn't undertake any outdoor recreation this weekend - was back to the normal routine - visit the elders in the morning, then a long workout, then some cooking in the afternoon followed by supper and a little tube watching. I made a couple loaves of orange/pecan bread on Saturday and yesterday white bean, pepper, and sausage soup. I'm curious whether or not the soup will be appreciated or deemed too exotic by the elders. I now need to replenish the homemade chicken stock supply.

Last night I picked Leah up at the airport after her whirlwind trip to the Northwest. She and Chris attended a Phish concert at The Gorge in Eastern Washington and a wedding on the Oregon Coast. Lots of driving. Lots of partying too, I expect. She looked a mite tired last night.

Phish is a jam-band that is to 30-somethings (Chris and his brother Dave) what the Grateful Dead was to a previous generation. As Leah described it the concert sounded like a weird mash-up of Woodstock and a stadium tailgate party. I'm sure that had I been present in person I would have been required, out of parental duty, to strenuously object to many of the aspects of the festivities. But since I wasn't there I am glad she enjoyed herself (and wasn't arrested or maimed or killed on the highway). Hah! Actually, I'm probably just jealous.

And speaking of vacations, I spoke to an old friend on Saturday, JP Holbrook, whom I haven't seen and hadn't spoken to in a couple of decades although we have been exchanging emails of late. JP and I shared a house in Douglas back in the early 80's (said experience also resembling a mash-up of Woodstock and a stadium tailgate party). JP lives in Hornell, New York and I am going to visit him next month when I'm back east. Hornell is in upstate New York southeast of Buffalo. It's about a nine hour drive from Cape Cod; but since this is basically a driving trip and fall foliage is no respector of state boundaries I figure a side-trip to Hornell is a legitimate element in my fall leaf-peeping extravaganza.

The upcoming week should be quite tranquil. Today I need to pick-up David and Cathy Bohna at the airport (Leah has been dog sitting for them the past two weeks with me as doggy day care back-up). And maybe tomorrow I will see if I can borrow Dougie's pick-up and get a couple of loads of gravel for the elder's back yard. Exciting stuff, no?

But right now I'm going to pay the monthly bills....