Time for Reflection

Photo
Reflections. I love this picture. The reflection of the stark branches is so beautiful. Taken behind Loomis-Chaffee school in Windsor where the combined Farmington and Connecticut Rivers regularly encroach on the athletic fields during spring floods.

I have a cold
You might say “So what!” This is significant because I can’t remember the last time I had a cold. I’m not whining; I’m just trying to cope. I don’t know how to have a cold. It probably isn’t a very bad one, but to me it sure feels bad.

This cold tried to catch me three times…the third time was the charm. First it tried to give me a sore throat and I started taking Cold Calm®. It went away. A few days later it tried to be a head cold. Again Cold Calm®, and bye bye cold. It’s last assault, the current one, became a chest cold with sore throat and Cold Calm® did absolutely nothing. So I stopped the Cold Calm® and started a cough syrup to clear chest congestion.

This morning I awoke to a very sore throat, but as the morning moves along, it seems to be getting better.

I was supposed to join friends for breakfast this morning, but for their ongoing good health, I’m staying home. No sense infecting them, too.

I have cancelled most of my weekend plans because of the cold and will spend most of the time with vats of herbal tea with honey and lemon and the two-volume book, Le Morte D’Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory.

Looks like I’ll have a lot of time for “reflections.”

Major Catch Up

Photo
This is the new logo for our poetry series. Riverwood will be hosting a poetry festival from June 24 through 28. More info and a web address will be posted here as soon as available.

The name represents the two main venues for the series is Wood Memorial Library (South Windsor) and The Buttonwood Tree (Middletown). Both venues have "wood" in their name and both are close to the Connecticut River.

Avon Mountain
In the process of car buying, I had to drive over Avon Mountain several times. There is one stretch, west bound, that is downhill, but any car I have ever driven on that stretch seems to lose speed. That doesn’t make sense…going downhill and can’t maintain speed. Even pressing hard on the gas pedal doesn’t do anything. Has anyone else experienced this? I’ve heard it is caused by reverse magnetism. Is there such a thing? Whatever it is, it’s spooky.

Naming cars
I have been asked if I name all of my cars. Yes, I pretty much name my cars. It started with my 1980 yellow Pinto that I named Buttercup and in her dowager years became The Lady Buttercup. Next my Chevy Nova was named Nova. How original. Then my Saturn was named Celeste (for celestial). Now I have my Fit and Hissy just seemed right. I want to get her name painted right above the word “FIT” on the rear lid. Between that and the Cape Cod Canal Tunnel Permit bumper sticker I have to replace (I had one on my Saturn), I hope to cause a few people to smile.

On the home front
Things at home are very quiet because my mother has been in the nursing home since January 26th. When she went in she couldn’t walk…she was that weak. After a week she was taking a few steps. Now she is able to take her walker out of her room and do a little hall walking. She is determined to come home and continues to amaze us, especially when you consider we didn’t think she was going to live after her surgery.

Next Wednesday she will come home for about an hour, under the watchful eye of a physical therapist, to see how she functions in her home space. We’ll see how that goes. We need to be certain she is strong enough to manage daily activities. I need to be confident that she will be OK if I leave her for a couple hours or more in order to go grocery shopping, a doctor's appointment, or attend a poetry event.

Poetry
Poetry readings have been going well. In addition to Wood Memorial Library and Buttonwood Tree, I recently read at the West Hartford Art League.

During the month of March, the Riverwood Poetry Series board of directors have been invited to read poetry in conjunction with the 9th Annual Women composers Festival of Hartford (presented by The Friends of Women Composers Society). We will be reading at three different venues: Konover Hall, University of Hartford; Tisane’s Restaurant, Farmington Ave., Hartford; and the Unitarian Meeting House, Bloomfield Ave. in Hartford. For more information on the Entire Festival, go to www.heatherhouseproductions.com or call (860) 389-4884.

Taste as you go
I have added a new link (under Other Blogs Worth Reading) to the website www.tasteasyougo.com. I worked with Michelle’s dad at Connecticut Natural Gas before I retired. I think you will like her site. Check it out.

MY NEW FIT!

Isn’t she sweet? Meet Hissy. My 2008, Certified, Honda Fit Sport. Can you see me driving anything other than a Sport (of any kind)? She looks smaller than my Saturn (Celeste) but on the inside, she seems a lot roomier.

And she is a dream to drive. She would much rather be humming along an Interstate than a town or city street. She doesn’t like stop signs or lights...although she abides by the law.

I bought her at Hoffman Honda in West Simsbury, CT. There I met Nick Hanna (nickhanna@hoffmanauto.com), a great guy and salesman. From South Windsor to West Simsbury is a schlep and a half, but it was worth it. If you are looking for a new or used car, now you know where to go and who to ask for.

Below are some photos my daughter Kathy took to mark this special occasion.

Click on photos to enlarge...they're worth it!

I Christen thee, HISSY!

Not one to miss an opportunity to bond with my family of Hondas, I sit and read FITness magazine to Little Red (lawn mower), Big Red (snow blower) and Hissy. Kathy's Honda Ridgeline turned his back on us...not the least bit interested in joining our group.

Always the teacher, I wait for the class to quiet down before I begin a brief lecture.

Jessica’s New Apartment

Unfortunately I forgot my camera. Oh, well.

On Saturday I went down to New London to visit my granddaughter, Jessica, in her new apartment. She and her pet bunny, SNAFU, are having a good time…especially SNAFU. The bunny recently escaped from her cage and spent an entire day chewing on everything in sight. That will never happen again.

Jess and I cooked together, and after lunch went to scope out downtown New London. Our mission was to find the library. Mission accomplished! We went down to the water front where the ferry boats are docked. Saw where the Nathan Hale school used to be and where they moved it to. I think the last time I was in New London, I was in college and a bunch of us went down hoping the fleet was in. It wasn't.

Met a nice New London policeman who pulled me over to inform me I had stopped... then proceeded...through a red light (with him right behind me). Huh? I thought I stopped for a stop sign. He didn’t ticket me. Just shook his head in response to the vacant (rather stupid?) look on my face. I really didn’t see any light. Jess didn't see the light either. I knew the cop was right behind me though. I’m not stupid enough to deliberately run a red light with a cop on my tail.

It’s a long schlep from South Windsor to New London, but I’d like to go down again in the spring. There’s a café called Bean and Leaf that hosts open mic poetry every Sunday and Thursday.

And I got royally lost trying to leave the city. Next time I’ll Google reverse directions too! ☺