Gray Sunday

Up early today, can't say I've made good use of my time.  I visited with the neighbors for a couple of hours, had a nice time with P&J + Bill.  All are well, Jim is 81 today.  Whew.  We celebrated last night with dinner at Plattsburgh's seafood restaurant.  It was a nice party, 11 of us and very festive.

I went to Burlington on Friday with Lin.  Back to the dealer where I bought my car for some basic servicing ($114) and identification of the sensor problem with the passenger side airbag (it's a sensor problem, duh).  I'll have to go back to have a new sensor installed, of course they had to order one. 

We had a good day but waited a long time for the car.  They have a nice enough waiting area with wifi but I can only read and entertain Lin for so long.  After that we were both really, really hungry and it was 3:00.  We went to The Shanty and had some clams, very tasty.  It was late--Lin likes to get home to Ralph pretty early, as a rule--but we made time for a quick stop at Trader Joe's.  Then we came home.  Uneventful ferry rides.  The lake is open this year, no ice in the ferry lane or even nearby.

Yesterday I had a really nice time with a friend at a coffee place in Keene.  We met, talked for 2 hours, then went home.  We covered plenty of things, as one would hope in 2 hours.  I came home and did what?  Boy I've not been very productive lately.  I did go to the dump, then I drove our team to dinner in Plattsburgh.

Last week I watched some episodes of both Homeland and The Americans.  It was good to see them, Homeland is far too graphically violent for me and The Americans is entertaining but kind of monotonous.  Good acting in both, and good entertainment.  This afternoon I think I'll watch The Newsroom, with Jeff Daniels.  I saw much of the series when it was on but missed the early episodes.

I'm reading the new Chris Bohjalian book, which is good and moving right along.  It's an unpleasant story but reads well, as most of his books do.  I've put aside The Martian, our book group book, and will pick that up soon enough.  I have 2 weeks before we meet again.

My big achievement for the week was assembling the inexpensive and simple exercise bicycle I bought.  Wow is it nice!  I'm only pedaling 20 minutes a day, will increase that next week.  It's in the middle of the living room and that's fine as long as no one else comes to my house.  It's pretty portable and light so I can move it if I ever have company.  Which I will soon enough, I have a pork shoulder roast that Linda left with me to cook for Bill and Fred.  That will happen sometime soon.

The dogs are great.  They take themselves for a walk most mornings when I get back from getting the paper, don't generally stay away long and get a treat when they come home.  What that means is that Tess wants to go outside 50 times a day so she can come back and have a treat.  Sorry, missy, it doesn't work that way.  I think what I'm really teaching them is to run away so they'll get a reward.

This week looks pretty good.  The weather is supposed to be more like winter.  That's a relief to me.  I fear that, since February has been more like March so far, then March will be February and that will be a drag.  It's supposed to snow this week, then get below zero and be appropriate weather.  That will be fine.

Joe comes for The Burn soon, then it will be March and my mother will be 90.  She doesn't want to be 90 but does want to see her family, who are gathering to celebrate with her.  That will be nice.