home in n.y.

Hello everyone! I'm still here. I am getting a little homesick. Keeping busy helps alot. I stop each day and talk to two or three elderly people always sitting along the sidewalks. One old timer a heard him talking about baseball as I was walking by oneday. A couple of days later I stopped and mentioned the Mariners, wowee zowee..did I get it started. He now gives me some fishing advice. Another gentleman, a little ol hispanic guy, was sitting on his front porch as I was walking to the river to get some skyline photos. His hat was labeled U.S.Navy. I asked him about his military service. Once again..that got the ball rolling. I thought he was going to invide me in for dinner before I left. Really fun encounters. Of course there is the opposite side of N.Y., the subway. I've learned to conform early...no one talks to each other, don't look anyone in the eye, absolutely no smiling, and definitely no cellphones out..unless you want to get tackled. I've been taking pictures at the end of Java street..lots of couples, lovers, and great hangout to shoot the bull. I was talking to a couple the other nite and said I could get better pictures at the end of Huron street. I waited until 10pm last night and ventured down Huron street. Damn..I was a whole lot nervous trucking the last two blocks in a darkened street with nothing but gang graffitti. Not a soul in site. I took my pictures a got the hell out of there. It was good to get back into the light. I took a trip yesterday to MoMa. What a huge waste of time that was. Six floors of modern art. I enjoyed of couple of exhibits, biographys mostly. A canvass painted all red just doen't do it for me. Should of had some fish swimming on it anyway. ... .... I was in Union square in Manhattan the other day to get a new book and buy dinner at the farmers market. Standing on the curb..there was this yellow line about 6 inches off the curb. I was looking at the line when a taxi turned the corner. Of course I was standing next to several other people. The taxi runs over the yellow line....no one moves...the mirror missed us by inches..crazy. Damn. Lots of honking in N.Y.. Most people don't obey the crossing lights...lanes of taxi's and other vehicles honking. If the crosswalk is vacant and a taxi is approaching..they honk..I guess they know some idiot is going to cross.....Fishing . All I've caught is a sunburn. I've been talking to the Polish guy who owns the fishing shop. The strippers aren't running right now. The bluefish are set to come in soon.....I'm slowly recovering from my back episode..getting here. It still hurts. Forgot... I also took a trip to lower Manhattan to the Katz's deli. Had lunch there, of course. Didn't see Harry or Sally. Lots of photos on the wall of celebritys that have lunched there. ..I've got another 10 days here.. I want to do things..but N.Y. is expensive. Hangin out is O.K. too. Bye for now. Craig. attached are my Huron st. pics , one pic-I was fishing until 11pm..on the walk back a warehouse door was open..and this guy was in there sculpting....beautiful warm night.

N.Y. in June

Hi everyone. I've been in N.Y now for two weeks. Melanie and Steve are busy hiking across England. They spent the day in "Tebay" yesterday. Had a short conversation with Melanie and she said she took lots of pics. Will post later. I made it to the statue of liberty yesterday. It's spectacular. I waited until the weather report indicated a sunny day. It didn't happen. It was an all day affair. Leaving on the subway at 9am and making it home at 5 pm. I took a practice subway run a couple of days before. It is a 3 transfer ride. I only got lost once. I've got a good sense of direction..knowing which way is n,s,e,w really helps around here. I had a mini back meltdown just getting here. Forgot my board..pain pills had to suffice..which I hate to take..but they were necessary. I bought a ny fishing liscense and purchased some fishing gear to fill in for what I didn't bring. Talked with a couple of locals. I'm fishing for stripped bass in the saltwater of the east river. I hope to catch one..or two.. I also have been investigating the geology of N.Y. The east river banks are lined with younkers gneiss, manhattan schist, serpentine, grandorite, quartzite and inwood marble. The empire state building sits on a 500 foot thick gneiss. I'm trying to line up a geologic tour of central park. Also looking into a boat tour around Staten Island. I would like to go to a Broadway show...but it is expensive. maybe. Walking and investigating all of the local parks and restaurants. Walked about 5 miles today and located two new parks. I found rather strange Mexican restaurant a block from here. It has great food. They have decorated with pictures of skulls and other strange such. Carne asada tacos for buck/fifty each. I cant make them for that price.. Here are some pics. p.s. answer to Megans question is: The "Sound of Music", when Julie Andrews faces Christopher Plummer and they sing. That was romantic.

The Best Romantic Scene Ever

Craig is visiting Sam and I in Seattle and he just asked me a great question that we thought would be great to post on the blog. I don't have the answer to this question yet, but we wanted to know everyone's response to the following question: what is the best romantic scene you've ever seen?

Baby Mac is here....

I know everyone by now knows that Mac Cooper Tebay arrived on Tuesday, May 11, 2010, at 5:13 p.m. weighing 6 lbs and measuring 18 inches, BUT..... if not I thought it would be good to share a few pictures that Jeff took at the hospital so everyone can see his perfect little face. He is perfect in every way and Cal and Erin are enamored by their new little guy. To see the kids holding him makes us realize how quickly our kids are growing up. Campbell (10), Iva (9) and Emerson (5) look like giants compared to Mac, who is the perfect little package. Lastly, the thing that is most hard to believe is that Cooper would be 15 this June 12.. eek!! Where does the time go? He would have been so proud to know that Mac carries on his name. A special name for a very special baby!!

Ooops!

I'm already commenting on my post, but rereading Craig's question, I realize I didn't fully answer it. When I look in the mirror, I still see myself. I don't want growing old to blur who I am. I hope age enhances who I am. And, I am determined to move forward and not get mired in the superficiality of growing old. I think Rick and I are both grappling with how to do that. We are fortunate to be healthy and active still. Boy, does that sound geezer-ish, or what?! Just can't get around it.

AuntJenny'sTwoCentsWorth

I appreciate Craig's efforts to keep the book club alive, and I think interviewing the grandmas adds a valuable perspective, earned by simply having so many more years than the rest of us to accumulate experiences and garner wisdom. I hope Craig continues to extract information from Dottie and mom, and I hope they will share more of their stories with us, not just the amusing or mundane, but some of those closely held experiences that we all have and hesitate to openly share. Unfortunately, and fortunately, with age I think comes the lesson that it's better to just keep your mouth shut, so it might be difficult to draw this kind of information from them. But, I think it's worth the try, Craig!

As far as casting actors for the characters in the book, I'm torn between not really caring very much for this exercise to being totally awash in possibilities. It also makes me feel a little geezer-ish, because the actors I come up with, Kevin Spacey, Clint Eastwood, Jack Nicholson, Michelle Pfieffer, etc. are all OLD, and I'm sure the younger members of the family will come up with names I've never even heard of. On that note, looking in the mirror these days, I am coming to grips with seeing myself noticeably physically aging, which feels like a cruel joke played by Mother Nature, but enjoying the feeling of having accumulated a decent amount of experiences in my life to make me feel comfortable with myself and reasonably wise enough to at least give our kids sound advice when it is solicited from us. It also inspires me to take joy in the mundane, how my vegetable garden produces such abundant and varied produce from such tiny seeds and my caregiving, the tiny bird duo who have taken up residence in the little bird house nestled among my dahlias, photos that Kara sends us, etc. I could go on and on and on with "the little things" that make me smile. Anyway, my point is that I don't think I would have listed most of these little things as joyful in my youth. There, I've said it. I am no longer young. I can still be youthful though. That is what I find somewhat frightening: the thought of being 90 and looking in the mirror and wondering how the hell did 90 years disappear so fast. So, I guess when I look in the mirror, I'm coming to grips with the fact that I am no longer young and at the same time I am wrestling with the best way to gracefully make the most of being a geezer.

Craig's view

I know its been a long time..but its time...I read the book twice. My selections for "my" movie are: Jacob is played by Nicolas Cage..Marlena..Renee Zelwegger...August...Gerard Butler..and finally Big Al....Jeff Bridges...Kinko/Walter...a good character actor..with guts and a touch of empathy. Of course the second question is the hardest There are many way to approach this question. I've decided not to lay my soul out there, its just to vulnerable. I can adequately answer this question..anyway. Let me say, I can see how this question is going to be difficult for the young ones. My advice..have fun with it..spoof it. Now..for me being older and actually can relate to looking in the mirror and seeing sagging flesh...wow..the physical component..I'm defintely not in the physical shape... I used to be good or really good at a number of sports.. most with a ball involved: baseball , golf, basketball, pingpong..and my favorite..tennis.. I found I like competition..and learned to gracefully lose..even though I don't like losing. Physicallly still feel I have some fire inside. I hope to recover some of that past fire.. Healing my back and living the rest of my life with purpose is my goal. Past life..I can't say... its xxxxxxx psychiatric for sure!! Judgement day will take care of it all! With that positive note...I enjoyed the book and sharing with you all. HEY! THE NEW BOOK IS ENTITLED ...".HOPE ARISING..". selected by Grandma Tebay...the pregame was good. ENJOY. Craig.