Where have I been this week? Mt Vernon for a nice walk last Wednesday, then home for the most part. On Saturday we took the subway to Crystal City and met a long time friend for a leisurely lunch at a nice French Restaurant. I have been walking on the treadmill as the weather turned cold on Thanksgiving. Monday evening in the Underground at the Community Center for the annual year end arts party.
Who have I talked with this week? We had a nice long talk with Kent over lunch on Saturday, he is a retired professor, living in New York, he has a lifetime of tales and a dry sense of humor. I talked with my middle brother briefly on Thanksgiving day, he was at Cousin Lysle's house in the midst of a bunch of rocket ranching bikers. It was a loud crowd and his phone was on speaker so we didn't get to talk much. Susan stopped to talk as I was walking back from the gym, they are about 3/4 of the way through a kitchen remodel. Monday evening at the Arts gathering, dozens of people.
What real mail did I send this week? I mailed a birthday card to my middle brother, whose birthday is sometime this week. And I mailed a Christmas card to a blogger who lives in Wales. When I saw the card, it was perfect for him.
What have I been up to in the kitchen? For Thanksgiving I roasted a 12.5 pound turkey (a little over a little under 6 kilos.) I baked bread and made dressing (stuffing cooked outside of the bird.) And green beans. Friday we grazed on left overs. Saturday we went out to lunch. Sunday I made Turkey Vegetable soup. I made french toast for breakfast and a Croque Monsieur for lunch. Steak and Baked Potato.
What is on the easel? I am finishing up a nighttime city landscape, and I have started a new canvas that will be an attempt at self-portraiture.
Who deserves a big THANK YOU this week? Austrian Airways sent me an email with a change of schedule on a reservation for next spring, it was a ten minute change, so I clicked on Yes Thank You. Then later I noticed that the departure airport had changed. Oh my, then I looked at the two airports. The flight had been changed from a regional airport that was 30 miles out of town (with a train connection) to the older city airport, on the edge of the city, a 15 minute subway ride from the city center. The change will save us at least 30 minutes of travel time going to the airport. Yes thank you very much.
What is coming up? Wednesday afternoon we install a new Showcase exhibit, Friday morning we install a new Gallery Show, Saturday afternoon is the opening reception for the new Gallery Art Show.
What reminded me that I live in a world capital? In a quiet moment at the arts festival I was talking with a dear neighbor as we watched and commented on the people in the room. She commented, "it feels like being a spy." I said, "in this town you never know who is or was." Her response was "I wanted to be, but they didn't hire me." Yes it is that kind of a town. I love it here.
Why is Gieves up on the sofa? We are breaking in a new robot vacuum cleaner.
How weird. My new robot vacuum cleaner was delivered today and we are having great fun watching it work, after it mapped the apartment. Our cat is also monitoring it closely but from a safe distance, lest it goes rogue. It is my Christmas present to myself and I am loving it.
ReplyDeleteThe previous one kept getting lost, boxing itself into a corner, or simply going to sleep in the middle of the floor, I know just how it feels, it was time to retire.
DeleteHow’s it going with the new vac? I wonder what our cats would do. You sure are busy!
ReplyDeleteThe cats would either be terrified, or ride it around like a chariot. Most likely hide until they decided to attack and conquer it.
DeleteI love that photo!
ReplyDeleteJust a typical day in our living room.
DeleteI thought the penguins were watching TV!!!
ReplyDeleteOur cats hide from knocks at the door and doorbells so a robot vacuum would push them over the edge!
I cannot wait to get the kitchen done so I can get in there and cook!! I miss that.
The house looked like a warehouse for a month before the work started on our kitchen, but everything was here so the install only took 3-4 weeks (well except the counter tops that couldn't be made until the cabinets were installed.)
DeleteThere is a lot going on at your house. I thought about you last night when I saw a piece on the PBS Newshour about a new art exhibit at the Virginia Museum of Fine Art in Richmond. It's all contemporary art but it looked interesting.
ReplyDeleteWe should go, the traffic between here and Richmond is terrible.
DeleteMmmm...now let me see. Who is the mysterious blogger in Wales to whom you have sent a Christmas card? My ESP tells me that it is John Gray from "Gray's Anatomy". He also wrote, "Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus".
ReplyDeleteCould be,
DeleteDid you do the pictures on the wall behind the large Penguin? They are terrific and look so good in your living room!
ReplyDeleteThank you, yes I did. If you come this way and want one or two, I have many.
Delete