We celebrated Meeko’s 21st birthday today.

A gala celebration doesn’t mean you have to forego the afternoon cat-nap.

Meeko, our beloved cat, celebrated her 21^st birthday today.  She’s doing remarkably well for her age (aided by several expensive prescriptions). She’s not as spry as she once was: no more feats of leaping or deadly hunts. But she still runs up and down the stairs a couple dozen times a day and spends much of her waking hours howling recommendations on how we can improve our service to her. Her favorite present today was the cork from her celebratory bottle of Prosecco–she merrily batted the cork all over until it rocketed under a sofa.

We estimate she’s now on the 14th of her nine lives. Quite the little role model, that one. Happy Birthday Meeko.

Our Friday evening tradition of enjoying a martini continues unabated through these trying times. We’re studiously observing shelter-in-place, social distancing, and wearing face masks. A martini (or quarantini) interferes with none of that but can take the edge off the pandemic, if only briefly.

Meanwhile, Mother Nature keeps things interesting: this morning we woke to four inches of a fresh frosty coating of snow on everything. As our winter of discontent melts away, we are drawn back to the stress and despair visited on the world by the virus. We’re doing fine for now but are deeply concerned about the plight of so many others, now and for years to come.

Our quarantini toast was to you last evening: Buona salute!

Lori and I had a wonderful overnight-er in Aurora NY at the Aurora Inn to celebrate our anniversary. It wasn’t quite as spectacular as last year’s anniversary in Venice but we thoroughly enjoyed our stay, a fabulous dinner, and then a wonderful walking tour of the town to learn about Aurora and its evolution, particularly its transformation under the singular vision of Pleasant Rowland.  We will be back.

Our room at the Aurora Inn

A view of Cayuga Lake from our room a the Inn

Site of our first toast of the evening in our room

This piece of furniture called to Lori

Lori in sunset light.

Lori’s shot of sunset from our room

One of the dining rooms at the Aurora Inn

A replaced staircase at the Zabriskie House

Looking up 3 stories of a staircase in Zabriskie House

Tasteful and eclectic defines distinctive styles in each inn, as here in the Zabriskie House.

A dining room in the Zabriskie House

The most modern style of restoration is here in Wallcourt Hall

A combination of restoration and renewal at Wallcourt Hall

It’s official: I am now retired from my (brief) 2-year career as a court clerk. It’s been fun and interesting working in our town’s court and seeing the New York State justice machinery working on the front lines. I leave with a deep respect for the fine people working for our town–they’re uniformly devoted to doing the best for the community and are a pleasure to “rub elbows” with.

I’m sure I’ll be seeing them again when I stop in to pay taxes, tweak some court software, or appear for a speeding ticket.  Meanwhile, I’m having a blast continuing my education at the Corning Museum of Glass and readying for my next career as a “Glass Guide” (docent).

Our 2019 Christmas card features three snowflakes Lori crafted from borax and pipe cleaners, a test for a craft project she brought to the grandkids recently.

There’s no disputing it at this point: Newfield has started deploying Winter. We hope it’s at least a proper job of it–useful for snowshoeing, skiing, etc.–and none of that wimpy cold dreary gray eternity we sometimes get.

Our neighbors down the hill put up their Christmas lights just in time for the first substantial snow of the season.

Lori was experimenting with an air-dry clay craft she could work on with the grand-kids. Everything went smoothly with the colorfully-painted cupped hand until Lori tried to pack it up. A finger broke off and Lori tried to repair it with glue and a band aid.  Unfortunately the glue didn’t take and the finger fell off.  It did so in a revealing way.

The resulting gesture created with the failed repair made the piece more, um, Lori-esque. More than likely she herself made the same gesture when she discovered the flawed repair.  (Or at least robustly vocalized a similar sentiment.)

Life imitates Art far more than Art imitates Life

– Oscar Wilde

Lori and I enjoyed a long-weekend visit with Naomi and Rich (Lori’s brother) and their children and grandchildren (all above average) in North Wales, PA (a little north of Philadelphia).

Among the highlights, we spent a day at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, particularly enjoying the featured The Impressionist’s Eye exhibit and the Yoshitoshi Japanese woodblock print exhibit.

Elsewhere in the museum, I was very pleased to see several well-known Thomas Eakins paintings–he was a favorite since my childhood. And of course there were other numerous immediately-recognizable masterpieces from all over on view.  We didn’t have time to take it all in but that’s why we apparently can return for more another time.

Lori and I enjoyed our annual long-weekend jaunt down-state where we visited with Stella who expertly (and fearlessly) drove us in to Manhattan on a couple days for touring, museum-watching, eating and drinking. New York City seems to be in a frenzied building boom every time we visit. We explored some of the more recent projects including The Shed, The Vessel, The Oculus, and the World Trade Center 9/11 Memorial.  Then it was off to old-favorite museums and new-discovery restaurants.  What an amazing place.

The Vessel nesteled between high-rises as seen from Hudson Yards.

The Oculus, replacing the PATH station destroyed on 9/11.

The Oculus viewed from the 9/11 north tower Memorial.

The Oculus interior.

Lori and Stella at South Street Seaport in front of the Wavertree. Built in 1885, it was the last sailing ship built of wrought iron.

Rembrandt self portrait at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, displayed as part of the Dutch Masters exhibit.

The American Wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Stella poses with “Reaching Jaguar” by Anna Hyatt Huntington. Señor Lopez of the Bronx Zoo was the real-life jaguar model for this sculpture.

Stella emerges from shopping at Zabar’s, a must-do on the West Side.

Lori dodges the paparazzi on Riverside Drive.

Lori and I had the great pleasure and privilege to visit Venice for a week. We thoroughly enjoyed the extraordinary city and learning about its history, art, and culture.

Basilica of St. Mark at night

Approaching Santa Maria Della Salute

Vivaldi concert by The Interpreti Veneziani in the Church of San Vidal.

Basilica of St. Mark

View from Ponte dell’Accademia looking toward Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute along the Grand Canal

View along the Grand Canal from the Rialto Bridge at night.

Water taxi ride from our hotel back to Marco Polo airport included lovely neighborhood views from the canals.