25 November 2012

Sunday Skyping with Rosie

Rosie was feeling much better today than she was last Sunday.  Today she was far from subdued.

She started out quietly enough sitting with Gus.

Gus and Rosie showed me these 2 towers that she built earlier today.  Each tower is of equal height and each block is placed so that each side of the towers is a single matching color from top to bottom.   

After showing me her block towers Rosie rested a brief moment.  Right after this she became very silly.

This is Rosie walking backwards.

In this and the next picture Rosie is walking in circles; spinning her way closer and closer to me.

This is Rosie, still spinning, and now laughing very hard because she is just having a lot of fun being silly.

Gus had to catch her because she was making herself dizzy.

What a great visit.  Lots of fun for everyone.

23 November 2012

Arlo

Yesterday morning while driving north to Chestertown the radio station that was playing gave its listeners a truly wonderful Thanksgiving Day gift -- they played the complete 18 minute version of Arlo Guthrie singing and telling his story of Alice's Restaurant Massacree.  There was no shortage of videos to access on YouTube; it is indeed a Thanksgiving tradition.  So if you haven't heard this in awhile, here is a version from the 90's that provides good, clear sound.  And if you have never heard this than you really should take the time to listen.



I especially love listening to this because I have a really nice memory of Arlo from maybe 3 years after Alice's Restaurant was released (1967). On August 29, 1970 my best friend Patience and I went to see Arlo (and Judy Collins) at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. While at the concert we met a friend who knew someone in Arlo's band, and he knew that the band would be going to Caffe Lena in Saratoga after the concert, so that's where the three of us headed.  Sure enough Arlo and his band got to Lena's an hour or so after we did.  They played a lot more music and it was amazing.  So we stayed and we stayed and sometime around 3 in the morning it was just the band and Lena and us sitting at a big table talking.  Lena made everyone a huge breakfast and we all talked some more.  I think we finally drove back to Delmar around 5 that morning.  Our parents were furious but even they understood when we told them we had breakfast with Arlo Gutherie.  I mean how cool is that.

22 November 2012

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving 1960 


I wish you all a Thanksgiving that is as much as fun as sitting at the kids' table.

18 November 2012

Sunday Skyping with Rosie

Rosie is not feeling great again so she is a bit subdued but so very sweet.


Rosie showed me all of the dogs on her pretty new dress.

Then she decided to bring a book into the big chair so she could read to me for most of our visit.



She took a brief break to show me her nose.






I didn't get a wave today but she did say 'Bye' which was even better.

12 November 2012

Sunday Skyping with Rosie on Monday

Last Sunday Rosie was sick so we couldn't Skype.  This week she is feeling healthy and happy again.  It was a busy weekend (Happy Birthday, Mary Ann!) and today is a holiday for Gus, so a nice relaxed day for Skyping.      



 



Dad proves to be the perfect bouncy-bounce for Rosie.  I wish you could hear her laughing as she jumps.


Bye everyone.  (I got another wave goodbye today but I wasn't fast enough to catch it on camera.)  Can't wait for next week.

11 November 2012

My Mom

My Mom died on November 11, 2003.

For many years our family spent every July at Cossayuna Lake.  We all loved it but I think maybe Mom loved it best of all.  It was the one place where she completely relaxed.  And that is how I like to remember her.

July 1959.  Mom could float for hours - it was like her secret power.

July 1962

July 1966

I'm sure there is a lake in Mom's part of Heaven.

04 November 2012

Busy, Talkative Rosie

Gus let me know yesterday that Rosie is sick so there will be no Skyping today.  Fortunately a short time later Meara sent this video which is almost as good as 'being there'.  Actually better because it comes complete with sound so that I can now enjoy her chatter whenever I want.  Don't you just love the fish on her butt!