Australia, New Zealand, & Tahiti

Waltzing Down Under

November 2017

          It’s a long way to Australia & New Zealand! But surviving flights to Vietnam last Spring encouraged us to think about another long trip. Coincidentally during dinner at the home of Aussie colleague Peter, wife Ellen, and sons Conor & Quinn we learned Peter would have a Fall sabbatical at Australian Nat’l U in Canberra. Couldn’t pass up a chance to see some of Australia with a native. Then discovered a Qantas airfare sale  ̶  “dirt cheap” said Peter. Seemed like travel karma. So I did the fastest trip planning ever! Multiple flights across time zones & date lines, several destinations (Auckland NZ, Sydney AUS, Papeete Tahiti to decompress on the way home), plus hotel arrangements via booking.com. Then Qantas kept making changes, mostly in flight times. Whew!! I’m back to my “travel agent” persona, making all the trip arrangements myself. And had to arrange “Electronic Travel Authority” docs on-line for Australia. (And who knows, with the way Trump is going, can we get back into the US? Peter says if we ask for asylum they’ll welcome us right in.) As in some other trips, we’ll have to handle 3 different currencies: Australian & New Zealand dollars are similar (1 AUD = $.77, 1 NZD = $.69) but Tahiti’s Pacific Franc is more complicated (1 CFP = $.01).

          More recently, we’ve been busy since returning from a trip to KC and Branson on 10/25. Marjorie creating another Grandma Halloween costume requested by grandson Miles  ̶  he’ll be a Box of Popcorn! I wading thru 300+ pages of a dissertation  ̶  not quite done with academia. Friday up to Glens Falls for a reception at artist Tom Myott’s studio in “The Shirt Factory,” celebrating his segment on WMHT’s program “AHA” (A House for Arts). Tom’s paintings include beautiful images around the Saratoga track. Marjorie was instrumental in connecting him with WMHT, where she used to work; she also provided a cake for the reception. 

Tom very thoughtfully arranged a room for us at the classic Queensbury Hotel, and we enjoyed the late peak Fall colors in and around Glens Falls. Saturday afternoon off to a play at Curtain Call: “The Legend of Georgia McBride,” a comedy featuring an Elvis impersonator and drag queens. That night to a Halloween costume party hosted by the President of my Mendelssohn Club singing group. 

Sunday a rendezvous with son Matt & family at friend Marlene’s in Poughkeepsie to deliver Miles’ costume and see William’s last-minute decision to be a hot dog. And we fill out our 1^st absentee ballots for the 11/7 election. Whew! We need a vacation.

Kansas City & Branson

Branson Bound

October 2017

          Branson? Really? Not exactly on our bucket list, it morphed out of a generous invitation from Marjorie’s sister Mary & hubbie Jeff to join them for a getaway using their Marriot Vacation Club points. First choice Hilton Head unavailable, also Washington and NYC. Then Mary advised that everyone age 65+ should visit Branson MO. Hadn’t heard of that gerontological pilgrimage , but M & J have enjoyed a couple of stays there, so we’ll trust their judgment. The guys can play some golf, the ladies explore shopping, plus many shows and other tourist fun from which to choose. We can fly to their home in Kansas City using our frequent credit-card United miles, then drive south to Branson. Not much Fall color around Albany yet, maybe we’ll see some in Missouri.

Vermont Inn 2017

Vermont Inn

September 2017

          Another of our online voucher B & B getaways, taking us back to Vermont. Some end-of-summer relaxation after Marjorie’s 7^th year at the Stockade Art Show on Saturday 9/9, joined by artist friends Betty and George & Mary. A lovely day, and Marjorie sells a personal-best 12 pieces. 

That night we get to see the nice new digs for our nearby Curtain Call Theater. Producers Carol & Peter Max are so deservedly proud of the beautiful new space  ̶  theater, lounge, ample parking  ̶  and some of our favorite actors (Jack Fallon, Barbara Richards) are helping out for the evening reception.

Chihuly at NYBG

Chihuly Night at NYBG

August 2017

          A brief report of our “Chihuly Night” at New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx with friends Marlene & Lydia. Dale Chihuly “has led the avant-garde in the development of glass as a fine art.” He’s installed major exhibitions from Boston and Seattle to Venice and Jerusalem. 

We’ve been to NYBG a number of times, including the Spring Orchid Festivals and Fall Mum Festivals; see my "Gardens" post. 

And seen Chihuly glass there (2006) and at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London (2004). So we were very interested to see promotions for “Chihuly Nights,” April to October on select nights 6:30-10:30.  More than 20 installations, many with multiple sculptures, thruout the gardens. Plus lighting at night. This reminds us of our visit to a Chinese lantern festival in the Montreal Botanical Garden (2010), when we enjoyed the colorful displays in both sunlight and night lighting. In addition to the flowers and glasswork, there are musicians in a few locations and panels of poetry about the sculptures written by elementary school children. But 2 disappointments: the tram around the gardens (a Marjorie favorite) isn’t running and the Children’s Adventure Garden is closed when we get to it (no sculptures).

Cruising the Seine

Cruisin’ on the Seine:

Paris to Normandy

June 2017

  

        We do love our river cruises! Add some very substantial discounts and it didn’t take much pondering to sign up for Viking River Cruise’s “Paris and the Heart of Normandy.” This is my 4^th Viking trip, Marjorie’s 5^th. M in particular is ready for some cruisin’ after lots of creative hard work getting ready for a joint art show with her mentor Betty, plus organizing the Colonie Art League Summer Art Camp. Not so much pre-trip studying to do this time: We spent 3 nights in Paris at the end of a mostly Switzerland trip in 2000, so don’t need to see everything. Plus Viking provides good tours and on-your-own info at stops along the way.

Scenic Driving for the Red Cross

Scenic Driving for the Red Cross

          Heading toward retirement in 2015, I thought about what to do next. Added a few more frivolous activities, including creating this blog and taking up golf after 30-some years away from the game. More usefully, attended a Volunteer Fair where the Red Cross seemed a natural fit; Marjorie used to work for them and I’ve been a long-time blood donor. So I’ve become a “Blood Services Transportation Specialist.” That fancy title means I drive their vans to deliver boxes containing blood products to regional hospitals. 

In addition to filling in as needed, I’ve settled into a Tuesday morning slot that rotates among 3 routes: South (usually including Kingston, Rhinebeck, and Poughkeepsie, plus sometimes Hudson and Ellenville), 

Far South (to Carmel), and West (Amsterdam, Gloversville, and Cobleskill). Southern routes entail as many as 7 hospitals, 3 for the West, plus some trips to local hospitals in Albany, Schenectady, and Troy, and north to Saratoga and Glens Falls. Pictured are Northern Duchess in Rhinebeck and Vassar in Poughkeepsie (with fellow volunteer Matt on my “training” drive). 

In 2018-19 my Tuesday schedule meant I drove both Christmas and New Year's mornings. 

I continued my driving during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, past signs for health care "heroes."