Hand and Foot at the Saratoga Rose Inn

On Tuesday night my friend Russ (who I work with) was invited to some friends' place for a 'game night'. He asked me to go along, and since my dance card is always full, I immediately said yes. Turns out his friends run the Saratoga Rose Inn & Restaurant in Hadley, NY. The plans were that we were to bring our own drinks and we'd all chip in for pizza. So, on our lunch hour we ran to our friendly local Price Chopper and picked up some soda. When we got back to the office, we put it in the fridge so that it would be cold by the time we left work.

We zipped out of work as quick as we could, only to wait in rush hour traffic. I parked my car at the Latham Mall and rode up with Russ. He lives in Troy, so we figured that was a good plan. By about the time we got to Saratoga, we rememberd the soda sitting back in the fridge. Luckily, the printed directions we had gotten, had us turning at a T-intersection where there was a Stewart's on the corner. Good ole Stewart's in a pinch!

We arrived at the Inn just before 6:30 pm. What a pleasant surprise! The Saratoga Rose is an 1885 Queen Anne Victorian mansion set on a wooded hilltop at the convergence of the Hudson River and Sacandaga River, between Saratoga Springs and Lake George. Six others had already gathered in the library and were playing a board game. Russ and I were given a tour of the grounds and the Inn and then joined the group. After introductions, we sat about a plan for dinner. Instead of pizza, we decided to order Chinese.


After feasting on about six different dishes we divided into four teams of two each to play a game of Hand and Foot. They said it was similiar to Canasta. I replied, "Is that the game with the board and the little pegs?" "No, that's Cribbage." I guess my card playing experience was beginning to show. I guess Pinocle, Old Maid, Slap Happy and Birds was the extent of my card playing. We used 8 decks of cards because there were 8 of us playing. It's a fun game and I've brought home a set of instructions. Anyone for some Hand and Foot?

Here's the library where we played. It struck me that the Inn would be a good place to play 'Clue'. There were lots of candlesticks around that could be used as weapons. And one of the guys did remind me of Professor Plum.

OUCH!!!

A bunch of us local bloggers went to the Albany Tulip Festival this past Saturday. I think we all left our thinking caps at home. With such beautiful weather finally here who was thinking about sun block? Heck! Bring on that sun! Now should I wear white to highlight my stupidity or red to try and hide it? Decisions. Decisions.

Albany Tulip Festival

It was a gorgeous day for the Tulip Festival this year . . . I've never seen Washington Park so crowded! At one point, I heard Mayor Jennings say from the main stage that this was a record breaking crowd. I was impressed by the number of food vendors and the choices available. I was also impressed by the number of arts and crafts vendors and the quality of the merchandise offered.

I walked from my apartment and met Sean and Jeffrey and Gavin in the ampitheater at the Lake House. We were soon joined by a bunch of other friends and new friends. It was relaxing, just sitting there, but the sun was getting hotter and I knew the top of my head would not be happy later! So off we went to check out the food vendors and work the crowd.



One of the things that amazed me was the difference in the trees from my last post from last Sunday. This time of year, it always happens....buds on the trees and then *POOF* covered in leaves!








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Here's Sean. I think he's confused me with Helmut, the photographer from GQ.

Here's Gavin. He looks right at home in that sun!

Sean and Jeffrey, shades in the shade. And yours truly . . . adding some more redness to my head.

The main headliner on the main stage was Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. We made sure we hung around for "I Love Rock n Roll". Buddahead and They Might be Giants were the other bands that I was familiar with.

The crowd kept growing . . .

I figured I'd give some of the tulips out of Washington Park some exposure too! I snapped these on my walk home.

Sunshine, Harry Potter and Tulips

It was such a beautiful day that I thought maybe I ought to get out in it! With blanket, water bottle, camera, iPod and Harry Potter 5, I ventured out to Washington Park in Albany. I figured that with a warm week coming up and rain predicted by Friday, maybe the tulips wouldn't look so good for the annual Albany Tulip Festival on Mother's Day weekend.

So I spent about 3 hours soaking up the sun and reading. It took me about three or four tries to get into that 5th book, The Order of the Phoenix, but I did it. I am a little over the half way mark. I want to finish it before the movie comes out this summer, so I bring it with me to the laundramat every time I go. With the nice weather finally here, I'm hoping to read and get some sun at the same time. This is my favorite time of year, not humid yet, and not a lot of bugs.












So.......here is my tulip gallery for 2007! I got carried away!

Look at that rebel!

And, I actually cooked tonight! And I've got leftovers for lunches! My old standby, chicken and peppers in the oven...this time with a raspberry pineapple sauce. YUMMY!

Karaoke Dreaming

Sometimes when I'm out with some friends at a karaoke night, some of my friends ask me, "Why don't you sing a song?" I've just never found one that though I could do justice to. Well, I used to joke that I'd like to do "Baby Got Back" but I think if I did that Sir Mix A Lot may hunt me down and kill me. Recently a friend sent me this rendition and I think it may be the perfect vehicle! Some of my friends have offered to be backup singers and dancers. After some rehearsals, I think I just may be ready!!!

On The Town!

Once upon a time, some friends decided to take a road trip to the Big Apple. Dangerous, you say? For us or for NYC?

Our friend "B" brought an article to group one night, about a gay themed play in NYC Some Men running for a short, limited engagement. It had received very good reviews and we thought it might be fun to take a train, have a nice dinner and see a play. So, off we went. Unfortunately, "B" had thrown his knee out and the doctor told him to limit his standing and walking, so we had to leave him behind.


We wanted the day be as relaxing as it could be, so we built in a lot of cushion around our activities. We took the 8:10 am train and arrived at Penn Station around 10:30 am. The weather was beautiful...hard to believe we had a Nor'easter just a couple of posts ago.










After a leisurely stroll up 7th Avenue, we arrived at Carmine's on 44th just a few minutes after it opened. Our reservations weren't until noon, but we were ready to chow down.

I was the only one who had been there before, so I gave my 2 cents about how to go about this. We ordered three entrees: chicken parmigiana, veal scallopine marsala, and the daily special, 4 Italian pastas. We also ordered what we thought was the typical antipasti, and were served with this big oval dish with a variety of cold appetizers, scrimp, scungilli, provolone, roasted peppers with fresh mozzarella finger sandwiches, and more. Not what we expected, but we devoured it anyway.

The food is served in big platters, and you'd think that six guys could finish it off? We sent a lot a food back to the kitchen and we were all stuffed! Naturally, I always leave room for dessert. I asked if anyone planned on ordering dessert, and was greeted with....no! I suggested the Titantic anyway....it's a huge dish of brownie covered ice cream with sliced strawberries, banana and pineapple, lots of whipped cream and four pirorette cookies as the smoke stacks. Only John said, he'd have a little. After a few minutes, the waiter brought 6 plates and 6 spoons. A minute later the Titanic arrived and it was every man for himself! Women and children were trampled as each man grabbed for a spoon and dove into the mountain of whipped cream and ice cream!



Not hungry for dessert? Who said that? I think this Titanic was sunk in just under 30 seconds!

We decided to work some of this off, so next was a stroll up to Central Park. It must have been in the mid seventies or so, and it seemed like everyone was in the park. It was one of those sunny Sunday afternoons in the park with George. (Sorry, I couldn't resist.)

Our play started at 3:00 pm at the 2econd Stage Theatre (2ST)and it was the last performance in the run. The play covered issues and periods and relationships over a period of about 80 years. It begins as men gather for a wedding ceremony, and ends at that same ceremony. To quote the Playbill, "in between is the play proper--flashbacks of how the nine males in the room got there. Each has a story related to the gay life, be it AIDS, or Stonewall."

It was the type of play where you are laughing out loud one minute and your eyes are filling with tears the next. Of course, for us, one of our favorite scenes was the one set at the group support meeting. We swear someone was evesdropping on our meetings!

After the show we headed down to the Penn Station area where we were being joined by my son Joe and my daughter-in-law Joy for bite to eat before we boarded the 7:45 pm train for home. We ate at the Stage Door diner (I guess that's what you'd call it). When you are seated they bring you a dish of pickles and dishes of cole slaw. Forget the bread sticks! It was fun conversation, but the day was drawing too quickly to a close. It was fun for Joe and Joy to meet some of my friends, and my friends loved meeting them!

Next road trip? Montreal? Toronto? Bora Bora?

Happy Birthday!

Today my oldest daughter, Adele, celebrates her 25th Birthday! Ya Hoo!!! This photo was taken at her 5th Birthday Party. Where did the 20 years go? I got an email from her today. She had a great day of celebrating...4 cakes! She always knows how to party!

I love you Adele!

What is Wrong With This Picture?

ANSWER: It was taken TODAY!

And we're being told to brace ourselves for a Nor'easter. Oh, joy! Oh, rapture! And yesterday was a nice sunny, pleasant day!

I finally took a good portion of yesterday to clean my apartment. Not that it was dirty, I mean how dirty can it get in a couple months? Only kidding. But I dusted and vacuumed. I guess many experts say to dust first (brush the crap to the floor) and then vacuum. My grandmother's words echoed in my brain, however. She was a firm believer in "Dust last because vacuuming raises dust." This was from a woman who every week had every piece of furniture moved out of place to dust and vacuum behind it. I remember seeing her end table lamps moved to the dining room table while she tackled the living room. I didn't do that good a job, but I think I'm good now until October.

Just as I was finishing up and about to take a shower, my friend Y-OH-Y called me to see if I had plans for the evening. I had mentioned to him a short while ago that Lisa Lampanelli would be coming to the Palace and tonight was the night! So we decided to take a trip to the box office to see about tickets and seating. Online told us that 2 seats together would be way at the top of the balcony, or near the back of the orchestra seating. We ended up getting 2 single seats, one behind the other, orchestra right, rows GG and A. Nice seats! Close, but far enough back so as not to be in her target range!

She came out with both barrels smokin'! Pow! Pow! Pow! She spared no one within her sights and some not within her sights....(those in the balcony). I won't attempt to review the show; I'll leave that to Y-OH-Y's expertise. She's not known as the Queen of Mean for nothing! I don't think I laughed much and so loud at a live show! It was nice to relax after my fourth week back to full time work. I guess I'll save that for another post.

Well, I'm going to go dig out my boots again.

Happy Easter! or is it Merry Christmas?

When I opened my front door to get my newspaper I thought maybe I was dreaming of a white Christmas!

I'm going to brunch this morning with some friends and then to my brother's and sister-in-law's (I know, I think it's supposed to be sister's-in-law!) for dinner this afternoon. I'm bringing this dish of dark chocolate covered strawberries, yogurt covered blueberries and dark chocolate espresso covered hazelnuts. I'm a regular Marcus Stewart! Thank you Target!

Have a Happy Easter and a Happy Spring!

I'm alive and well and NOT living in Paris

My, time flies when one is having so much fun! I've been at my new full time job for two weeks now. Things are going really well. I'm used to getting up early every weekday morning now. (I lie like a dog.) I feel like I'm getting into the swing of things there.

This past couple of weekends have been busy ones...and with each day Spring seems to be more and more with us.

I decided to jump start my return to the gym by switching gyms. Seems that Gold's is not honoring their "guaranteed" renewal rate, that I have in my contract, so I joined Best Fitness, which is closer to my apartment. So far, I've gone seven out of the last nine days. People on the street are pausing and whispering, "There's Hercules!" I never knew the treadmill could get you all buff like that!

Friday night I went to dinner and a movie with my ex-manager and the member service rep from the credit union branch that I left two weeks ago. We managed to get seated and fed and on our way within a half hour at Houlihans! Go figure! And on a Friday night! The gods were with us. We made it in time to see the previews.

It was nice to see some of the managers and staff that I worked with when I was one of the assistant managers at the theater just over a year ago. Got me a free movie pass! And I just couldn't wipe the grin from my face knowing that I didn't have to work the weekend! And one of the ushers came running up to me when we entered the theatre to say hello. The theater was just about full, so I asked him if he could find us 3 seats together....he promptly asked several patrons to slide over so that we could sit. It's so nice to feel connected! LOL!

So, the movie . . . 300. Anyone see it? Very stylized, but little substance, I thought. I mean, how many times was Leonidas going to bellow out, "Sparrrrrrtans!" But some of the body hacking became funny after a while. And I mean, c'mon! All these warriors just watching that guy ride up on the horse with his sword, and no one threw their spear? Or at least yell, "Duck Astinos!!!" Hellllloooooo!!! Didn't see that decapitation coming, eh?

And last night our credit union had their annual dinner meeting at the Hall of Springs in Saratoga. Very nice. The credit union is celebrating it's 70th anniversary so each table had a model of an auto or truck from 1937, which one lucky person at each table got to take home. I didn't get the model, but I did get the floral centerpiece. Lucky me!

So, spring has sprung, work goes well, I've run a little over 25 miles and I managed to mail out my Easter goody packages last week. Now all I have to do is wait for the Easter Bunny.

A New Home Sweet Home?

Well, here is my cubie at my new job. It was decorated for me and I got a new plant out of the deal! Day three is done and so far, so good. My commute is about 4 times the distance and twice the time of the commute to my part time position. Oh, and the office temperature is about 20 degrees warmer!

Right now my head is spinning, but I know that in time, all will be second nature.

A Journey Back in Time...An Eerie Familiarity

This morning Russ and I were scheduled to take a three hour class instructing on the proper things to do if you're being robbed while working in the bank. The course is given by the Colonie PD and held in the Town of Colonie Community Center. This building used to be the Colonie Village Elementary School. I went to kindergarten and first grade there.

It was a bit eerie walking into the building. I pointed out to Russ my kindergarten room as we passed it. And I quickly did the math....53 years ago! A flood of memories coursed through my brain: the first day of school when that girl looked up at me as I was standing on a stool to get some drawing supplies and said, "I hate you." And seeing the little tables with six of us sitting around each of them. Asking Mrs. Baker, my teacher, my voice quivering, "What's the nurse going to do?" after finding out that we were going to have a medical examination. (Future post: Good-bye Tonsils!) A memory of my mother sitting over near the windows on the day that parents came to visit. Seeing Mr. Rich sitting on the table and talking to us about the plane crash that afternoon, just up the street.

The hallway seemed much shorter today than it did back then. Our class was in the room next door. And if memory serves me correctly, that was my first grade class with Miss King. Although I had not had thought of my time in first grade in YEARS, on entering the room, I was overwhelmed with a feeling of familiarity. The wooden doors over the coat racks and the supplies looked unchanged. The counter and sink area also looked as if it was the same. Even the windows and the three rows of hanging florescent lights were so familiar, and rightly so since my eyes had beheld them many times before on a daily basis.

Before the class started, I figured I'd better take care of some business because I didn't know how long it would be before we would get a break. As I walked back into the hallway and headed towards the boys/mens room another memory smacked me right upside the head!

We used to have "bathroom period" back then. We would all line up...boys in one line, girls in the other and we would parade down the hall to the lavatories. One day during this process, I didn't have to go. I went in and came right out. No problem. Shortly after we returned to our classroom and began the next lesson, uh oh....I now had to go! I was too embarrassed to go up to Miss King and ask her if I could go...and I thought she would be mad at me. I remember standing at the desks of a couple of classmates....asking them what I should do. Well, nature couldn't wait. The front of my pants were all wet! The next thing I remember was Miss King holding me by the arm and rushing with me down the hall to the boys room. A phone call was made to my Aunt Mary's house (we didn't have a phone back then) and my cousin Eugene drove my mother to the school with a clean and dry pair of pants!

But I didn't feel all that bad though. There was a set of twin boys in my class and one of them pooped in his pants on several occasions. I have a big black and white photograph of my first grade classroom, with all of the kids sitting at their desks. But, I'll be darned if I can find it to include in this post!!! But....if it does turn up, I will re-post this!

The Feast Day of St. Joseph!

What a surprise I had when I got home tonight! Today was my first day at my new position at the credit union. The day went super fast. I met a lot of nice new co-workers and was welcomed with my cubie decorated with balloons and streamers and stars and a schefflera plant! (Pic to be added.) I think I'm going to like it there!


The day started out sunny and bright. But by the time work let out, it was snowing and gray. I came home and was eating my dinner (leftover pizza) when the door bell rang. It was my good friend Joe. He was celebrating St. Joseph's Day and in his family tradition, was delivering gifts to close friends. He brought me a rose and a box of Italian pastries from Villa Italia! My favorite! Included in the box was a vanilla pudding a zeppola and a canolli cream a zeppola and two chocolate mice...filled with chocolate mousse! Needless to say, I'm in heaven!

He brought a card and a story that a friend had sent to him. I like it a lot and am including it here.

Sand and Stone

Two friends were walking through the desert.
During some point of the journey, they had an argument,
and one friend slapped the other one in the face.

The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything
wrote in the sand:
"Today my best friend slapped me in the face."

They kept on walking until they found an oasis where they
decided to take a bath. The one who had been slapped
got stuck in the mire and started drowning.
But the friend saved him.

After he recovered from the near drowning,
He wrote on a stone:
"Today my best friend saved my life."

The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend
asked him, "After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand
and now, you write on a stone. Why?"

The friend replied,
"When someone hurts us we should
write it down in sand, where winds of forgiveness
can erase it away.
But, when someone does something good for us,
we must engrave it in stone where no wind
can ever erase it."

Learn to write your hurts in the sand
and to carve your benefits in stone.

They say it takes a minute to find a special person,
an hour to appreciate them,
a day to love them,
but then an entire life to forget them.

Take the time to live!
Do not value the things you have in your life,
but value who you have in your life!

You are valued!!!

So, to my friend Joe, and to my son Joe and to all the Joe's out there:
Happy St. Joseph's Day!