Not so "Cool-Hand" Luke...

2130 hours
Sick Bay
Patient: Luke
Diagnosis: Kennel Cough (new strain/patient 0)
Prognosis:  Iffy
Treatment: rest & med's, lay off the "friendly" licking

Happy's First Responder training kicks in:  the 911 call

Johnny Law, Chesapeake style

Today's "Unfolding Life" submission arrives courtesy of Leila Esty, who provides much home-office support to our dauntless drivers, our saucy saunterers, our... scampering scofflaws?  

Leila's version of the "unfolding" tends most typically toward Hap and Pete's mail, which today included something Peter's been suspiciously mum about ...

By our estimate, our quiet Quixote goosed his racing Rocinante up to a 50% excess of the marked limit.

Good thing Petey's got competent legal representation in Chestertown...

I'm off to view the "full color pictures" at https://secure.SpeedViolation.com

Easter, 2014

WAREHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, April 21, 2014

Hello All:

If you arrived at this blog site, you used the access word "interlude."  That was Happy's invention and such a good one.  The source of an interlude seems to be a brief entertainment between acts of a performance, originally medieval.  It works for us...and likely someday we'll refer to the timing of an experience as BRT or ART (Before or After our Road Trip.)

Significant is that prior to these rolling 9 months, we lived in, rented, or owned homes; now we do not; in November we will again.  We usually owned, drove, and maintained one or two cars; now we own none.  We used to have and use bureaus, closets, desks, drawers, and cupboards; now we have sparse and tiny replicas.  We certainly had, on a daily basis, feelings of roots, routines, personal and professional obligations, doctor appointments, immediate friends to see or call, calendars often full of events, meetings, and other dates.  Our homes and grounds meant attention and maintenance, even with occasional help; we had scads of monthly bills to pay (newspapers, trash collection, real estate taxes, other taxes, gas and electricity, water, cable TV, magazine and subscriptions, etc.)  We would often muse over possible trips and even their timing, or possible upcoming entertainment venues.  We created time for visiting out-of-towners, or planned dinner parties.

Now all of those are on hold until we return and settle in our Sonoma County retirement community late in this 2014 year.  Some, like taxes and utility bills, will never return as such or will be redefined or disguised.

It's funny, in our first weeks on the road, one of us would say "when we get home, we must...." and then we'd laugh and remember we didn't have a home.  All of our "home concept" was behind us, as we drove/sat in front and all our accessible belongings and needed records were rolling along behind us. A mass of belongings, many not necessary, were now in storage. Needless to add, we are living through a great and healthy and daily dose of not taking things for granted.

So, the term "interlude" is apt. We are in a brief performance between life's acts called middle age and old age. It has been and will likely continue to be extraordinarily fun and illuminating. Obviously we cast new lights on ourselves and what we are, what we like, miss, want, and really can do without.

So too we have had new opportunities to see and feel passage of time. For example, as we traversed the southwestern states of CA, AZ, NM, then southern states of TX, MS, AL, FL, GA, TN, NC, KY, and slowly rolled through middle and northeastern states, DC, MD, PA, NJ, NY, CT, and now MA, we have seen marks of history and time -- visual landscapes passing, like multiple stages of springtime... still-dormant trees in the south, now recovering from polar vortexes, then pink-tinged budding trees, then sprightly roadside daffodils, then awakening magnolias and dogwoods in western NC, VA, and PA, and now, somewhat wintery MA, but with a few daffodils.

No pictures this time, yet ahead is the beginning of many visits with family, immediate and otherwise, friends going way back (our 55th Smith and Amherst reunions in late May) and the warmer coming months. In September we travel to Turkey, without RV and dog Luke, and then in October we commence our westward return "home" to Northern California.

Please stay tuned even as you tolerate a few gaps. Warmest wishes.  Happy and Peter

Asheville, NC

April 2, 2014...Reflection

Dear Friends and Relatives,

We pause in Asheville, NC for many reasons relating to the beauty of the mountains and far-reaching valleys, pleasures of a fine, small, and beckoning city, the incredible Biltmore Estate, created in the 1890s by George Washington Vanderbilt , and really for us a time to literally pause and reflect on what we have been up to since our February 19 departure from the Bay Area of CA.

We have been gone nearly 7 weeks.  We have driven 7295 miles; have been in 11 states.  We have spent 24 nights in RV parks, and 23 in real beds in real homes of real friends.

Some of these put us up for 1, 2, or 3 nights, some we met only for morning coffee, lunch, or afternoon tea or lemonade. In this reflective pause, may we publicly thank these generous people:

* Amanda Nyce McIntyre, Carpinteria, CA, Smith classmate of Happy, a second day coastal CA stop for afternoon tea.

*  John Ogden (cousin of Happy) and wife Patti in Los Angeles, first to guide us through the LA County Museum, and later in the week to meet and guide us for two days through their favorite Anza Borrega Desert State Park.

*  Former close colleague, Wayne Taylor, CFO of the Branson School (CA) now in Palm Springs where he and his partner, Ron Rodgers, have retired.

*  Cynthia Lang (another Smith classmate) and husband, John Culp, beautifully settled in Tucson and quick to show us their favorite parts of their city.

*  Mary Ellen Thompson, former classmate of Peter in Amherst Junior High School, last seen about 60 years ago.

*  Barbara Colt Kincaid, Tucson, another junior high classmate, perhaps Peter's first real girlfriend, last seen 30 years ago.

*  Eileen Powers, who once again unwrapped for us today's New Orleans, beloved by her, and braced us for the wild partying mobs on St. Patrick's Day.

*  Robin and Bob Bolan, Amelia Island, north of Jacksonville, friends going back to NYC right after college where a large group, still close today, worked and played together.

*  Marilyn and Don (Amherst classmate) Hicks, deeply rooted in Coral Gables, who took us out for a day on Biscayne Bay, on their son's luxurious yacht, cruising among the eastern Keys.

*  Heather White (Happy's former cousin-in-law) and husband Richard Hurwitz, took us to a serious lunch in Delray Beach.... seeing Heather for first time in 40+ years.

* Hoby and Sally Kreitler, Jupiter, FL, friends since our days at Greens Farms Academy (CT) where they were the founders and funders (yet today) and leaders of the summer program Horizons, still a booming success for underserved kids.

*  Jayne and Nat Huggins, Vero Beach, friends for decades, married same day as we, with whom we have celebrated our 1st, 10th,  25th,  40th,  and last year 50th anniversaries.

*  Kay (former sister-in-law) and Jim Donovan, long time Naples residents, who gave us royal tours of their expansive and polished city that I first saw as a small village when I lived in east coast Pompano for many winters in the late 1940s.

*  Maryilou and Georges Krivobok;  a Naples seaside lunch, not having seen them since 1977, when we worked together in Rennes, Brittany, for the School Year Abroad program. What memories, enhanced by delicious food and scores of nosey pelicans.

*  Craig and Mary Jane Schopf;  lunch nearby their beautiful Bonita Springs home.  Craig and Peter were Amherst classmates who will be together again in May for their 55th reunion.

*  And then leaving Florida, on to Atlanta for two nights with Adrianne and Mal Hill (she another old girlfriend of Peter's) and where we saw Atlanta through their eyes....and where we heard them sing together in a glorious concert.

*  And then on to Chattanooga TN for a night with Bruce Stewart and Andra Jurist.  Andra guided us through their neighborhood's small parks, pathways, outdoor art, beautifully tended gardens, all overlooking their stunning city and the grand Tennessee River out of their windows.  Bruce was longtime Head of Sidwell Friends in DC, and preceded Peter as Board Chair of School Year Abroad.

*  The next day, a Kentucky detour to Berea KY for a night with our niece, Lisa Abbott, husband Justin Maxson and young lads Miles and Hollis....all doing good works for the people of Kentucky, especially  Mitch McConnell, who can use a large dose of their vision.

I would love to tell you more about the Biltmore Estate, but you have read enough.  It is so worth visiting someday if you have not.  It is certainly right up there with the Loire chateaux and other European castles, and the hefty admission charge (from millions of tourists) assures it's permanence and meticulous upkeep.  The 4-5 mile drive through a glorious park is the astounding starter.  The home itself, call it mansion, castle, stuns upon first sighting.  You only get to see about 45 of the 250 rooms, and the windows look out on unimaginable gardens and a mere 12,000 acres of distant mountains and rolling countryside. My Blogmaster son, Jay, will scatter pictures here that will give a sense.

We are so well and loving this trip.  Now we will soon be off from the Shenandoah Valley to Chestertown MD, home of Happy's sister Peggy and husband John for a few days before heading up into the familiar northeast for many weeks.

With love and cheer.    Peter and Happy

Breaking the Silence...

Monday, March 17, 2014

Moving at 70mph  across northern Florida, Tallahassee to Jacksonville.

Dear Friends, Relatives, readers:

It seems we have not had the reflective writing time since March 8, northern New Mexico, especially Abiquiu.

After escaping the lovely snow fall up there, we drove the 6 hours to the southeast corner of New Mexico to Carlsbad. The passing land became increasingly arid and flat.  Gone were the ubiquitous mountain ranges in all directions, and evidence everywhere supporting the state's license plate motto:  New Mexico - Land of Enchantment.

Carlsbad NM presented two remarkable attractions. First was the Living Desert State Park, creating with stunning authenticity their collection of Chihuahua desert animals, plants, and reptiles. We agreed we had never seen such displays, making it our first among zoos that aim to please the captives. All the animals have been wounded or abandoned and, following their rehabilitation, are released back to their natural environment.

The next morning we entered the vast Carlsbad Caverns National Park....partially open to the public, ever-growing since the caves opened in early 20th C., yet still hundreds of miles of "cave ways" still to explore and uncover. Once underground via a 76-story elevator one is immediately struck by the first room, dimly and theatrically lit, a preface of things to come. This room, the Hall of Giants, big enough to hold 14 football fields, had a 255-foot ceiling. I'll mention only one other fact: in summer evenings at bat flight time visitors watch the 300,000 member bat colony speed out at the rate of 5,000 bats a minute in search of their evening meal, 3 tons of insects!

 

We were often gasping! We could only think of our privilege in seeing the Grand Canyon and Carlsbad Caverns within the same week. First, there is really no easy way of describing these phenomenons of nature (though I just tried!) and second, we can take such pride in our government's assiduous attention in making them at once visitor friendly and also strictly preserved. So words here will cease. See some underground pictures Happy took below, but mostly we say, add BOTH national parks to your "bucket list."

Onward into Texas and our one destination being the famous Hill Country, known principally for two things: LBJ and the vast countryside of spring wild flowers.  Paramount are the glorious blue bonnets, known everywhere to carpet and make indigo the open rolling land west of Austin and San Antonio.  Yet for us, as with the Southern California spring "flowering" deserts, we missed the wildflowers.  We were too early, and the dry winter would be curtailing 2014 blooms. Even Lady Bird, with all her passions for wildflowers and environmental preservation, could not have changed a thing for us!

Staying in the lovely small city of Fredericksburg we did explore a few local, state, and national parks dedicated to LBJ and his life and heritage, and everywhere his signature river, the Perdenales wove around us. Whatever one thinks of him, LBJ certainly left major impacts on his local and larger world. Also in Fredericksburg was an extraordinary and even overwhelming Museum of the WW2 Pacific, named for native son Admiral Chester Nimitz; Happy does not agree, but I felt the creators simply poured too much in every gallery, pictures and text and artifacts, on and on, that I became over-saturated. I sorely missed some calm and quiet reverence for the untold victims of the horrors, whatever their side.

For our three nights at the excellent RV park, we had outstanding meals at two of the best restaurants we've ever experienced, one with Bavarian food reflecting the town's profound German heritage. BTW, when we spend nights in RV parks, we generally feed ourselves from our tiny kitchen, morning and midday, and eat half our dinners out.  Then when visiting friends, the sky opens up!

And speaking of food, New Orleans was the next stop.  We left the hill country, zipped across remaining Texas, eastward, spent an undistinguished night in Beaumont, and thus entered Louisiana with great expectations.

And they were met.  We had three days and nights in New Orleans as guests of Eileen Powers, a former faculty colleague of Peter's at his first headship school, Packer Collegiate Institute in Brooklyn. Eileen's distinguished career has led her to be head of the Louise Mcgehee School for girls in New Orleans. She told us she would treat us like royalty and she did. A favorite of ours in years past, New Orleans today, post Katrina, emanates a vitality exceeding what we knew. The people (or most it seems) adore their city.  The Saint Patrick's day parade and intense partyingon Saturday was wilder, more joyful, and later more raucous than one can imagine. And Mardi Gras, king of all celebrations, was only 2 weeks ago.  Eileen says there's a parade almost every weekend.  One half drunk man biked wobbily by us, smiled and said "I love my city." Clear to us was that it will take more than Katrina to put down New Orleans forever.  And the French Quarter's Cafe du Monde will never stop serving its beignets and French Market coffee to the daily throngs.

Leaving New Orleans and heading toward Florida, we passed through a small part of coastline Mississippi, stopping in a highly recommended rough and tumble BBQ spot called The Shed.  Their signature item is pulled pork and we had 4"thick sandwiches of the glorious stuff. All lived up to the advance billing.  Note the hefty bluegrass banjo player is the pix below....he never stopped playing all during our great lunch, and he was terrific. Most parked vehicles were rusty pickups with gun racks; it was certainly red-neck city.  Can you see perky and preppy Happy and Peter fitting right in?  You betcha!

Today, after an RV park night along the western tip of the Florida panhandle, we begin our next ten days in that state, tracking many old friends.  We'll come back to you in a week or so.

With the sunshine state's warmest greetings.    H and P

Northern New Mexico

Dear Viewers 

Tonight is our last night of three in a beautiful Santa Fe RV  park high on this hill overlooking the city and vast open country spreading out for miles to surrounding distant mountain ranges, many snow-capped, and forever present.  Yesterday we sprawled over our old friend Santa Fe, and today we went up to rediscover Taos, now grown from simple and authentic 20 years ago to greatly developed and congested.

Best of today was the indescribably beautiful drive up to Abiquiu and Ghost Ranch. Nestled into painted and sculpted mountains, one winds one's way into the valley of well-known Ghost Ranch, a frequent site for Georgia O'Keefe to create her stirring New Mexico landscape 

paintings, many in the 1930s. She also drew many other artists to join her at this hideaway.

The pictures below are all taken in and around Ghost Ranch which today is an Educational and Retreat Center, for school and other groups, beyond whatever their central purpose, to be elevated and transported by the amazing natural beauty.

Thanks for your eyes on these postings.  It pleases us to share all this, especially due to our neophyte status in this blog phenomenon.

Love, Happy and Peter

All this hiking wears out legs that are only 4" long!

I beat my chest a few posts ago about my photog prowess.  I promise level horizons henceforth!  (Rookie!)

Hard to say whom of us has the coziest digs...