It's Fall

click on image for full splendour ......

I'm pleased to say that everything is pretty much back to normal after the "landscaping" accident. I've got my car back as good as new and we have a cheque in the bank for Robs. (although I'm not sure that's the best place for money these days) We haven't found a replacement yet but hope to pick up a bargain soon. The rental company provided a couple of different trucks for Rob to try. They were a breeze to drive even if they were the size of a small house. Oh well I'm sure he'll find something soon. ....... then I won't have to keep adjusting the seat and mirrors on mine!

One of North America's big tourist attractions is the Autumn (Fall as they say here) colours. It's usually associated with New England but it's just as spectacular where we are on the Southern edge of the Catskills. What was really interesting was driving north into Canada and seeing the countryside changing from green to red. By the time I returned at the end of the week, it had spread all the way home.







We've had glorious weather with temperatures into the low 70's (all changed now though). We took advantage of the blue skies to go for a bike ride in our local state park. Quite a few other New Yorkers had the same idea and we had to join the line to get parked. It wasn't bad once we got away from the car park ....... it's a big place.







We did something over 15 miles around the lakes of Miniwaska and Awosting. There were some difficult uphill sections that we walked but the paths are well maintained and ideal for mountain bikes. One of the rules for bike riders is the use of a crash hat. Of course, "grumpy old granddad" objects to wearing a crash hat on a push bike ...... "I've been riding a bike for 50 years with out one" ........ "They look silly" ....... etc. Anyway, after the third time of being told off by park rangers, he has decided that it's easier to wear one. It doesn't make sense to me. The "buffy old bloke" has no problem using a helmet when he's flying or when riding a motorbike. It's funny really, he's just becoming Victor Meldrew.







We've just got back from a short trip to Las Vegas. The company holds a convention there for customers and though it would be nice to see some of the surrounding country this time. The flight in passed over some spectacular mountain/desert scenery and over the Hoover Dam and it looked too good to miss. Our stay was right in the heart of the strip at the Caesars Palace Hotel. Las Vegas is like Blackpool on steroids or perhaps like Disney World for big kids. I'm not sure that Rob was really comfortable in the town but it was a fun place to be working for the week.





We hooked up with our friends Paul and Robyn to make the most of it. It was great to catch up and enjoy dinner(s), the Jersey Boys (amazing show) and a road trip to the Hoover Dam. The Dam Tour (endless fun) started and ended with a top down ride along the strip in the "American icon" Ford Mustang.......... well that's what Rob said. I just kept thinking CSI! It's only about 20 miles to the dam but wow, what a change in scenery. That mountain come desert look is something I remember from old westerns.






The dam is a remarkable structure and is a national monument. It gets a lot of visitors but we were pleased to find that it's all well organised and the people seem very proud of the whole thing. We had a lot of fun with the staff and the "Dam Tour" ...... how many times must they hear that! We had a top quality guided tour of the whole place including a trip into the heart of the dam and the turbine hall. At one point we were able to walk along a 6ft tall tube to see the view from a grating half way down the dam wall ............. and this is where Bob (buffy old bloke) excelled himself. What is he like! Well I'll tell you. If he's not being a grumpy old man, he's reverting to child hood. Just imagine what an eight year old boy would do if he's asked to go down a long 6ft diameter tube like tunnel .............. yes that's it ...... think skateboard pipe. He only starts running up the walls........ big kid. And yes it all ended in tears. Not being a kid any more, he lost his footing and landed on his elbow ....... chaos ensued with calls from the deep to alert medical staff at the surface.






Still, the tour went ahead and we were met at the surface by a bemused first aider ........ what more can I say! We continued on our way back to Vegas via lunch beside lake Mead. The fish were taking advantage of the no fishing rule and looking for offerings.





Apart from the weekend, I actually had to work so Rob looked after himself and walked the strip form one end to the other. Thank you to our friend Jayne who took time out and join Rob for lunch. I'll try to meet up next time.










































Getting back home after a week away was a bit of a shock. Leaves covered the garden and the first night went below freezing. It's been time for logs on the fire and wrap up. I'm suddenly realising that I've been over here very nearly a whole year. So while I caught up with being away from the office, Rob busied himself in the garden in an attempt to keep on top of the falling leaves. They are everywhere. Rob was up a ladder clearing the gutters yesterday.
The wild life is also getting ready for winter. The squirrels are busy burying nuts all over the place and the deer are coming around more often again. One surprise though is that the Mantis is still praying in the fountain grass ....... perhaps he's praying for warmer weather.

A quiet Sunday ......... after the excitement

I've been having a quiet Sunday with my quilting and generally relaxing after another busy week. Rob is pottering about in a wet garden after the heavy rainfall last night. We didn't sleep enough last night following the evening excitement, but I'll get back to that later.




My lovely little friend, Toni, came to see us last weekend. She flew in on Thursday and took the train ride up the Hudson. Rob did his taxi bit from Beacon station and then turned around again to come and collect me from Newark airport. After a short nights sleep we had a noisy pancake breakfast reunion. It was so good to see her again and be able to get some girly time together. I think the buffy old bloke was pleased that I had someone else to go shopping with.
The weather Saturday might have been better but we didn't let it stop us. We took a tour through the back roads into the Catskills. The mist and clouds were hanging low over the forested mountains and we managed to get a lunch break just as the heavens opened again. The traditional Diner we stopped at was run by a Greek lady who instantly recognised our ascents. She had lived in southern England for some years. There were some interesting photos on the walls. Pictures of locally spotted bears (not bears with spots!), hunters with their "kill" and a whole bunch of the cast from a 2006 film "the night listener", staring Robin Wiliams. The Diner had been used as a location. Our route home took us via the quilt shop in Woodstock and the college town of New Paltz.

Sunday brought sunshine and another pancake breakfast........ Rob insisted! As Toni was due to fly back that evening, we stayed close to home and took a walk in the grounds of Mohonk Mountain House. I was in charge this time and we avoided the scramble and the Lemon Squeeze .... much to Toni's relief. It was a beautiful day with blue skys and sunshine. The temperature was in the mid 70's (23c ish). As an added bonus Toni and I had the distraction of seeing lots of tri-athletes completing their event with a swim across the lake (last of 3) and a run to the skytop lookout. The winner was 7 mins ahead. Anyway, following that excitement we needed a sit down so had lunch at the Picnic Lodge ....... very nice too! Rob wouldn't let me come to the station to drop off Toni. He said that we didn't have enough tissues. It was sad to say goodbye as the next time I see her it will be at her new home in New Zealand.
Bird watch continues. Rob has been trying to get some close up shots of the humming bird (the ones that he said would never live here) I selected a couple of the MANY that he has taken. I'm pleased that digital photography was invented ........ we'd be keeping Kodak in business otherwise. I'm not sure what the other bird is but there seem to be lots circling around here.
So now to the excitement I mentioned at the beginning. The landscaping work is almost finished at the back of the house now. We've added a stone patio, sorted the drainage issues and built planting beds that include the big rocks that were dug out, on the way.



It's relaxing to sit in the hot tub and imagine what it's going to look like next spring. Ok, you have to look beyond the muddy patches and the straw protecting the grass seed but it's really taking shape now. We've had a couple of big downpours and the run-off no longer streams across the drive way.




Talking about driveways; ours is totally empty since last night. We are carless. It all happened with a big bang. Resulting in a pile of mangled vehicles. Tony (the landscaper) was loading his tractor onto it's trailer, attached to his pickup truck, at the top of the drive. All of a sudden the whole train started rolling down the hill ..... with Tony still sat in the tractor cab. The pickup, trailer and tractor slewed across the grass and hit both our cars which we had parked away from the house for safety! Rob's is a write off and mine is extensively damaged. Tony was, thankfully, unhurt. It's amazing that the tractor didn't topple off the trailer as it wasn't yet strapped down. Still, it's only metal and not a body that we were clearing up. The next couple of hours had the driveway fill with police patrol cars and tow trucks. We couldn't sleep very well last night and Tony was here first thing to clean up the dive and lawn. This will keep the insurance companies busy for a little while.

Another month, invasion and trip across USA

Wow, it's been almost a month since my last post. I can hardly believe that we are coming to the end of summer. Some of our trees are turning an autumnal red and the nights are decidedly chilly. Day time is still very warm though at 70/80s (25 -30c).
I'm writing this from my hotel room in Montreal before I fly off to California on Wednesday. I'll be back home on the east coast on Friday night so it's another hectic work schedule.
A lot has happened in the last month. I got very close to packing the old boy's bags after he took me on a Sunday afternoon stroll on our back yard mountain. It all started nicely with a pleasant walk through the trees at the Mohonk Preserve, on the old carriage road that follows the base of the cliffs. We continued on towards the Mohonk House Hotel on our way up to the sky top look. What the buffy old bloke didn't tell me was that we were taking the direct route. It starts as a scramble over big boulders and ends with a verticle climb up a a crack in the cliffs, called "the Lemon queeze".
Ok, there are ladders to help but ...........
Great views from up there though.












I was speaking to Rob this morning and he tells me that it seems very quiet around the house now that Georgia, Indya, Claire and Lee have gone home. He's been busy sorting out the place out and looking for all the bits and pieces that were left behind. It was lovely to see them all and I think they enjoyed their holiday. ....... especially the splash pool, the hot tub and the icecream parlour. The funniest moment, for me, was Indya brushing Rob's hair and pointing to the top and saying "granddad's hair's poorly". From the mouths of babes.




We had trips to the city and to the Ulster County Fair to see the bull riding.







Granddad did have fun teaching Georgia to use the lawn tractor. I think grumpy grandad is a little greyer now.











The latest wild life.

Work, rest and play (well, mainly work!)

It's been a little while since I wrote to the blog and I can report that we are fully recovered from the excitement of the Welsh invasion! All enjoyed the cruise back across the Atlantic into Southampton. I hope to get some photos soon.

Thankfully I was able to arrange another playmate to come over to keep Rob out of trouble. Sister Sue and Malcolm sent Patrick over for a week. I'm not entirely sure what he expected but I think he had a good time ............ and I think Patrick enjoyed it too!

The three of us took a picturesque Sunday train ride down the Hudson river into Manhattan. We walked and walked ....... and walked. From Grand Central Station, through Time Sq, up through Central Park to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and back to Grand Central Station. It was a lovely walk but very hot. At least Patrick was able to tick off a few things on his extensive list.


For the rest of the week I had heavy work commitments and so Patrick was left to keep Rob amused all by himself. I think he did a pretty good job. Especially the whole day spent at Woodbury Common outlet centre. I know how much Rob secretly enjoys our visits there and is never happier than when he is carrying my bags allowing me to flit from rack to rack; store to store. Patrick was able to stock up for all those College essentials.


A second trip into NYC was abandoned due to a lack of parking at the station. Instead the boys did some local sightseeing including the new HQ for Orange County Choppers.


The following day I dropped them off at the train station for an early ride into the city. It was another marathon walk to take in the sights from mid town to down town.

No, this isn't a scene from the new series of CSI NY, but Patrick walking back down the steps of the Supreme Court building, having gallantly helped a mother with a buggy. Doesn't it just restore your faith in young people?

Following the exertion of "Manhattan in a day", I think Rob needed a rest so Patrick spent pretty much the whole of the next day immersing himself in the cultural experience that is American comedy TV. He tried several times to explain "Friends" to Rob but I'm not sure that he succeeded at any level.

I think Rob found the excuse he needed to exercise his inner child. He took Patrick for a day trip into the Catskills, not to see the beautiful forested hills but to float down a mountain river on lorry inner tubes. There were no photos but you can get an idea from the web site www.towntinker.com

We had the opportunity to go see the local baseball team. It's a big family thing with lots for the kids to get into.

Now that Patrick has gone home I have to dream up lists of jobs to keep Rob amused. Thanks for for giving me a week of Patrick.

Things have been hectic at work as usual. I did give the office a little light relief at my expense the other day. I was explaining that I was having to go visit a client and asked where in the US "Ar-can-sus" is. The office fell about and explained that Arkansas is pronounced "ar-can-saw". I felt a little bit of a plonker but it's ok. I'm going to send them all to Wales .... Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch

I'm writing this from my hotel room in sunny California. A little bit south of Los Angeles. I'm here for the rest of the week after hops between Newburgh (home), Atlanta, Little Rock and Huston. I can't say that I'm a fan of air transport in the US. It's not a very customer friendly experience. I just hope they get me back home to my own bed on Friday.

So here I am, 3000 miles to the West of home and only a couple of weeks ago I was 3000 miles away in the UK. I was in a rush as always with customer visits. The highlight was being able to be grandma for the day. I was able to spend a whole day with Sarah and Alana which was very precious. It's lovely to see them together and share their time. Alana is growing fast and is a very happy and contented little girl and I'm so proud of Sarah for the care gives. It was so nice to hug them both.

Apart from bringing back memories of a lovely day out I was able to scratch a long standing itch. I found a Nintendo Wii calling me from Dixons. I've been trying to persuade Rob that it's a good idea for ages. Anyway, I'm sure that Georgia will have fun with me when she comes over in a couple of weeks time.

We have another new addition to family ....... a hot tub. It's fabby and a great way for us to relax together at the end of the day. Rob wired up the TV system so we can enjoy a soak in the tub, a glass of something cold and catch up on CSI ........ perfect.

We have been trying to get out to music events since we have been here. The latest was last friday night at the performing arts centre in Saratoga, about 120 miles north from home. We went to see The Police supported by Elvis Costello. We arrived really early and had to wait to get in. We still didn't manage to get a good space on the lawn (well there wasn't much lawn left anyhow) But, in the end we found a space behind the camera stand. The operators kindly moved their stools and gave us a perfect view. Elvis was in the best voice and gave a great performance. Sting came on and sang on "Alison". Not all of the 20,000 crowd were in place to see this part of the show but those that were there got a real treat.

After a short break, The Police took to the stage accompanied by the full lighting and video support. They were greeted enthusiastically by the 20,000 strong crowd (in a way that only Americans can). We were treated to a really good run through their popular songs with plenty of opportunity for audience participation. Lots of clips on You Tube. It was a very good night out ...... even if we were both knackered when we got home.

Oldies - further adventures

I'm sitting up in Montreal reflecting on and resting after a packed fortnight. It's been wonderful to have a house full. Thanks to both Mums, Tom, Gill, Liff and Gill2 for the pleasant company. We both hope you come back soon. Here is the gang under the watchful gaze of Christopher Columbus. We were waiting for the boat to take us up the Hudson as far as West Point.



In the second week we took a trip to visit West Point. They were getting ready for the next intake. The Bus carried us around the various buildings and locations of interest. I hadn't realised the emphasis placed on engineering skills. The place is really a military university although our tour guide seemed mainly interested in the sports achievements.


It's a lovely setting with gorgeous views of the Hudson. You can see why the location was so sort after during the War of Independence. The view is looking North.





Evenings were a study in outdoor living. Dinner on the rear deck after drinks on the front porch. Of course there were more drinks with dinner ......... the local wine shop know us well now!

Mum and Gill sample the Margaritas.







Of course no visit would be complete without a trip to the outlet centre (unless you are Rob). A good shopper can do it in one day. A really good shopper needs two!!

Niagara Falls is only 350 odd miles away and I let Rob take the oldies out for a trip. They arrived in time to see it at night and went back for a daylight view. By all accounts, the road trip was very scenic.

The weather behaved very nicely to give two rainbows.

The excitement was a little too much...........









So ..... at the end of the week, Rob drove the oldies down to the city for the a weekend of sight seeing before cruising back on the Queen Mary (the oldies, not Rob). Rob dropped off the rental and journeyed back on the train and I met him at Beacon station. We went off on our own trip to Connecticut and Rhode Island. Friday night was a gig with the Doobie Bros and Chicago. Well we are getting on a bit. They were very good especially the last 20 mins when they all came on stage together to do a medley of their best numbers.

On Saturday we visited an old mill site that is supposed to be the birth place of the industrial revolution in America. Rob said it was really interesting to see all that pirated textile machinery (yawn). He took lots and lots of pictures...........

On Sunday we took a leisurely drive down to an area called Mystic Seaport. It's a site devoted to remembering boat building and life on the coast. Rob was in charge of the camera again but took no useful photos ......... what's he like?