Well, the time is getting close, and Barbara and I are excited. I‘ve taken your request for books to heart and you’ll get a bunch. You’ll have all of the ones I’ve been saving from my stash of recent readings, plus some of those you requested. I’m trying to complete my reading of a Karen Armstrong’s “Short History of Islam” and a history of “Greenwich Village from 1910 to 1960,” which is Hugh (600 pages) and interesting – John Reed, Mable Dodge, Gene O’Neill, the Provincetown Players, et al. I also went to the Strand twice and rummaged through their $1.00 book stacks, and got you a dozen more, a mixed bag of biographies, histories, etc. Susan on her recent Thanksgiving visit to New York contributed three of her cold war escapist trash, which she had read when she visited last, and I traded your paperback “D’Vinci Code” and “Angles and Demons” for three books from my building’s laundry room. There is also going to be an office used book sale to help defray the costs of the Christmas party with books running about $1.00, so I’ll see what I can pick up there. Thank goodness Barbara will be with me to help lug the stuff. Well have four suitcases, two of which will have your stuff on the way in, and all the loot we buy in Tonola on the way out.
We’re planning a day at Cosco for the coffee, cheese, ginger jam, lemon curd, and other sundries. So if you think of anything else, let me know. The early arrival is starting to worry Barbara, but I’m not concerned. She wanted to stay at the airport until the next day, but I don’t know that that’s feasible even. I just hope they have a regular taxi stand at the airport; it should be ok from there. The map I think is pretty easy to read. We should however have a backup plan in case I can’t find your house. Perhaps meet at a specific hotel lobby the next day if we don’t arrive as scheduled in the early morning hours on 12/23/06. I need to try that phone number of yours, which I will do this week. If anything comes up on the day of travel, I’ll email immediately, so keep checking it.
OK, New Report. Thanksgiving was great. Too much food as usual, prepared to the usual excessive attention to detail. Butternut squash soup, sweet potato pudding something or other, cranberry chutney, three types of onions roasted along with a side of roasted fennel, regular mashed potatoes and turkey of course. Barbara made three pies: coconut custard, apple, and I lost track of the third. We spent half of the time during this course fighting about whether my father put a layer of meringue on his coconut custard pies or only did that with the lemon pies. There was also a chocolate cake, cheese cake and fresh fruit and nuts, which my cousin bought. Coffee was had by most, except for the Irish (Lisa’s husband) who drank tea.
My uncle, afflicted by Parkinson’s as he is, still had the presence of mind to point out that we “didn’t do too well” this past election, which invited my cousin to proclaim her Democratic affiliation and her new husband (a retired Detective, turned electrician) to note his Republican. After which they both said they don’t talk politics – a real Mary Matlin, James Carville scene. One of the other guests was a Republican inspector, who told me home much she liked McCain, and didn’t think Giuliani would go far toward her party’s nomination. She also found it odd that her husband was a Democrat for years before he told her. They divorced, but she could still benefit with his SSI. We barely finished the cake and were out the door; with Barbara having at 7AM to lead a trip of her special needs group to Hershey Pennsylvania and me having to work the next day as well.
Dann had wanted to do Thanksgiving that weekend, since it looks like he sold his house to an investment banker with five kids. If it goes through, he’ll be out by March and he plans to quit his job and move back to PA. He’s also going on a trip to Brazil this Christmas, which apparently has his office up in arms. Anyway since I couldn’t commit because Susan was coming and wouldn’t be leaving until late Saturday, he went off to western PA and his family. Susan and I had a nice time, went to the Slope and walked around in a beautiful Fall day. We had Thai for lunch, and I got to keep the leftovers. We stopped at the Flea Market, and “yes,” I bought some postcards. Just a few and she spent some money buying some hand made agate jewelry for her business. All and all, a fruitful day. Susan left for the airport, and I the City for a night of drinking. Thanksgiving over.
