Morning in Darien, Afternon on Long Island, Evening at My Nephew Scott's Wedding

Antiquing With Mitch and Marisa

A warm and quiet morning and up at 6:20.  It's difficult to see the sky from where I sit as the window is filled with ten foot rhododendrons.  I guess I ought to be sitting in Beth's sun room but habit is habit so I will stay put.  Rami just biked off to the train station, basically a slight down hill from here to the station,  five to ten minutes, so no sweat literally.

Mitch

We hung out with the grand kids yesterday, doing some shopping, taking walks with Cody, on an oppressive, late summer day.  Marisa had Irish Dancing Camp till noon, so Evie and I went off in the rain (just what we needed, more humidity) to REI, to look at hiking shoes, which I passed on, deciding the ones I had were good enough and cheaper.  And we went to Home Goods, just to browse, picked up a couple of things we don't need and by the time we finished shopping, we discovered we didn't want them so we bought nothing.  Shopping surfeit I suppose, a good thing in the long run.

When we got home, Marisa was back, Mitch and Tyler were both up, so we spent part of the afternoon cajoling them to get off their Ipads or video games.  I rarely if ever see any neighborhood kids and wonder if they too are inside on a device, rather than outside, like us when we were growing up, playing with others.  I sound like an old foggy, I know, but there is some truth in it.  You can spend a lot of time just watching a TV show on an Ipad or playing a video game and don't have to move.

Our New Buddha

Around 3:00 we had an reluctant family afternoon out, all of us but Tyler, and went off to this amazing Antique Store, United House Wrecking, with thousands of items both in side their store and sitting outside, marble fountains, statutes, outdoor furniture, and inside, windows, doors, whole mantels,  jewelery, couches, memorabilia, you name it, they might have it.  As fate would have it, a two foot cement Buddha got my eye, we bargained and now I am proud owner of it.  Now we have to figure out where to place it, in or near Evie's garden.  I cannot wait to see it in the snow.  Marisa and Mitch even seemed to enjoy browsing in this huge barn like show room, in Stamford by the way, not Darien.

Rigatoni with Sausage and Tomato Sauce

When we got home, I took Cody for his second walk of the day, the humidity was disgusting but we made it up the hill and back, about fifteen minutes.  About 5:30, we opened a bottle of wine, got out some brie and french bread, and Beth, Evie, Mitch and Marisa played a few hands of Telefunky, my Mom's famous card game, until it was time for Beth to make dinner.  She has what seems to be a simple, nothing special recipe for Rigatoni with a sausage, tomato, garlic and red peppers but when we sat down to eat it, we knew why it was Rami's favorite meal.  The rigatoni are huge compared to ziti or penne, but with this meaty tomato sauce, it works perfectly.  In fact, Evie put it in the cookbook she made for all the families at least ten years ago, but I don't remember ever making it.  Now we will for sure.

Want To Go For A Walk, Cody?

Around 9:30, before going to bed, Mitch and I took Cody for his final walk of the day, on their pitch black street.  Mitch had his skate board, me a flashlight, and it was great fun, watching Mitch do jumps and turns in the dark.  Though there was a full moon, the street is so tree filled, without street lights that it is hard to find your way.

We all went to bed by 10:30, us to get a good night's sleep so we are ready to rock and roll at the wedding this evening.