10/13/2014

weekly update 10/13/2014 (still in NY)

My adventure in NYS continued on Monday. Ishy and I met Donna J for breakfast. It was wonderful to see her, and we got caught up on what all her family is doing. I met Deb W for supper at The Cheesecake Factory - what's not to like about that? As I was driving back from there, I noticed a Trader Joe's. We don't have one in Savannah, so I stopped, thinking I'd get some wine to have in the evening at Ishy's house. Well, I'd forgotten - you can only buy wine at a liquor store in NY, not a grocery market, so that didn't go so well; and that gets old real fast. Ishy and I had also spend some time driving around during the day, looking for Bills stuff, and going to the cemetery to see the Wahl plot and leave some mums there. I also went to the Verizon store to get a new charger for my phone. 

Tuesday, before I met Marcia (with daughter Mandy and grandson Zack) at the Strong Museum of Play, I drove around Rochester a bit. It's sad to see the hole where Midtown Plaza used to be. Memories flooded back when I went to "the shop" near the Midtown site, my grandfather's offset print shop, which was taken over by my Uncle Jim and then his son, the current Uncle Jimmy.  Jimmy just sold it and retired, and what's to become of the building is in question.  Whatever. At the museum, it was much as I remembered it. We were disappointed that the doll and dollhouse exhibits were closed in order for them to make those collections more "interactive". Margaret Woodbury Strong was a Rochesterian who was very wealthy. She died in 1969 and left all her collections to be made into a museum.  She has thousands of dolls, from all over the world, and some very very old. I loved seeing those so it was too bad that I didn't get to on this trip. I'd spent many hours at this fantastic place when Sarah & Emily were little, and it's still a great place for kids. Ishy and I met counsin Jen C for supper that evening. Jen is really into geneology, so we talked about many old family stories.

McCurdy's, Forman's, and many other shops used to be a favorite place for me visit

Zack at the butterfly house at Strong Museum

Wednesday just happened to be the day that a group of retirees from City Hall were meeting for lunch. They get together once a month. Since I happened to be in Rochester, I joined them. Only seven were there, but I enjoyed visiting with the ones that were there. For the evening, I just sat around and tried to relax a little with Ishy, because it's been go-go-go for quite a while. I did some laundry and went to bed early.

Thursday I met Kathy F and Josie H, friends from City Hall. Kathy still works there, but Josie has been retired about as long as I have. I learned all the gossip about people I used to work with - all interesting. I spent the rest of the day with my good friend Roberta D. We drove out of the City to an apple farm, enjoying being together and seeing the leaves. I saw her grandsons, Louis & Joe, who used to go to the museum with Emily and I a long time ago - they are both taller than I am now! In the evening, I tagged along with Roberta to a lecture by author Colson Whitehead sponsored by Rochester Arts & Lectures and Nazareth College. It was very much like the Book Fest that I enjoy so much in Savannah, so that was a nice treat for me.

Hurd farms in Clarkson, NY

Ishy left early Friday morning with her friend Diane to drive to Massachuessts for a long weekend, so I was on my own for a few days. I drove along Lake Ontario for a bit in the morning, looking for colorful trees. The leaves are just beginning to turn, and most trees still show a lot of green. One of the few things I miss about Rochester is the colors in the fall, so I went looking. I met Mabel T and her daughter Vicki for lunch. They are in a new home, moving about two years ago, but this was my first chance to see it. It's very nice. But nicer still to visit with them.

driving thru Durand Park



along Lake Ontario

Then, I took my life in my hands and drove to Pultneyville, which is along the Lake about 25 miles east of Rochester. It was dusk, I wasn't sure where I was going, I was driving Ishy's car, there were roadsigns that warned to Watch for Deer - I was terrorized. But I found it without any bad incidents, and I was on time for a candleight tour of their historic town cemetery. Well, that's all very nice, but I am a guide at one of the best know cemeteries in the country, so this had little to impress me. I was impressed, however, when the tour ended and I looked at the next group to take the walk and saw friends Bob & Sandy Z! They were both part of the group that Ishy & I used to travel to Europe with, and we became friends years ago. What a grand surprise to run into these friends!

Pultneyville Cemetery after dark

Saturday, I visited Marcia & Andy again. We went to the Fairport Scarecrow Festival and it really was a nice day to walk around the picturesque village that is located along the Erie Canal, and people watch. We went back to their house to try to watch some college football, but SU was never in the game, and UGA had a runaway, even without Gurley. Marcia & I kept falling asleep, so I just went back to Ishy's and slept for 12 hours. I guess I was really tired.

the Canal in Fairport

two of the scariest old crows at the Fest

colorful trees at Marcia & Andy's house

Sunday I headed out for Syracuse to see Wayne, Robin, Rachel and Hannah. I took a leisurely drive and enjoyed the leaves and the small towns that I drove through. Robin had cooked a tasty ham dinner for us (we were also joined by Uncle Jimmy) and Hannah entertained us with games and dances. Poor Hannah even gave up her bed so I could spend the night in her room. I drove back on Monday morning, again taking the scenic route, but this time on the north side of the Erie Canal, and through different small towns.

Rachel, Robin, Hannah & Wayne