it's the middle of august already

my new computer is finally set up with my photo libraries and my email. we ordered it about two weeks ago and it came a week early, but it took time to back up the old computer, transfer all the photos to an external hard drive and sync my new gmail to the new mac's email program. i decided on a laptop as it seemed archaic to have a computer sit in one place all the time. i really like it! it's incredibly fun to work on. 

the photo above is of madison square park, this past wednesday, the 16th, when i was walking home from a check up at the dentist. it was a beautiful day, not too humid, and everyone was out enjoying summertime.

the new small dog run at the park . . 

and the large dog run.

milly and i took a walk to pet palace in soho where i bought treats for the cats.

and look who's here! pluto! chanda will be moving out of her apartment in another week, and she brought pluto over early as she plans on being away for a few days camping with a friend. pluto will be staying with us while she attends a special marine biology program for the fall semester at a different school.

cooking dinner with the three of them is certainly interesting! 

morgan directed a play (which a friend wrote) and it opened monday at the camden fringe festival. our good friend deychen flew in for the occasion. morgan was very excited about this visit and they've been having a fun time attending plays at the globe, taking tea at the wolseley, paddle boating on the serpentine in hyde park and swimming in the pond at hampstead heath.

i was happy that my friend marisa came down from vermont for a few weeks to check on her apartment and to visit her dentist for a check up - i guess it's just that time of year! i don't think we have seen each other since spring of '22.

and this photo is from chanda . . hiking and camping in the catskills.

oh! just a few more photos from aurélien . . 

enjoying his summer in a pond upstate . . 

picking blueberries . . 

and falling asleep over his naptime book.

oh! and in regard to korrina: she had covid for a week and was not at work! she was very hot with chills at the same time along with joint/body aches and had a terrible headache for several days. she's better and back at work now, but still feels very tired. hopefully as the days go by she will feel stronger.

and . . . . it's august

 morgan has been in cornwall . .

surfing . .

 and camping . .

it looks so beautiful . . . and i think the wet suit is definitely needed. tomorrow it's only supposed to go up to 65, 18 in celsius. i'm used to super hot summers where one can't wait to jump into the cold north atlantic to cool off.

 greg and i drove out to queens at 7:45 this morning, to help korrina move a couch into the apartment (acquired from a friend who was moving), and then dropped her off at work.

dinner was a caprese salad with fresh basil from the green market, cherry tomatoes and sunflower sprouts.

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today was the most pleasant day we've had in weeks. the temperature went up to 84 (about 29 celsius) as opposed to it being consistently between 91 and 94 with warm, humid nights. it's a nice 76 degrees right now, with a cool breeze coming from the north.

a post from the road: rocky ridge

at laura ingalls wilder's home in mansfield, missouri.

 in her apple orchard . . 

yes, we picked a few apples and ate them in the car. they were perfectly tart.

too many ants crawling around the table this evening.

nana, a new tent and finally . . veniero's!

 we took a trip to connecticut purposefully to see my mom. it served, also, as a time to set up the new tent and make sure everything was good with it.

 i'm really pleased with the tent. it went up easiy and has big windows and a door that is easy to zip open and closed. it's a little taller than i wanted, but that was a trade off for the windows (and the price). smaller tents with bigger windows (more dome like) were more than i wanted to spend. this tent was rated excellent for price, comfort and durability. it also packs up small and light. it's so different from the heavy canvas tents of my childhood (which i do love . . that canvas aroma!).

 of course toby inspected it . . 

 she seemed to give it her seal of approval, but deemed it beneath her cat status to actually stay inside.

 summer daisies in my sister's garden . .

and astilby . .

my mom had fallen on friday, but, thankfully, we averted a trip to the emergency room and the hospital. she was fine when we visited her today, albeit a little more confused than the last time we saw her, but that seems to be the path these days. we had a nice time together and ate lunch at whole foods. she had her favorite: roast beef on a buttered roll with a little salt and pepper.

the store was out of the haagen dazs chocolate dixie cups she likes, so she tried the new mochi ice cream which chanda loves (they're her favorite from a childhood spent in a local japanese restaurant - where they were offered as a special after dinner dessert on the house), but nana didn't care for them as much.

 we knew it wouldn't be easy getting home as the gay pride parade occurred today. however, greg had seen signs on our street that it would reopen at 6 pm.

 well, this was not the case. we were so close, yet so far. it was impossible to even get into our neighborhood. all streets were closed, even though this had not been posted on the city government's website (only the parade route streets were posted as closed).

we decided to go directly to the east village where we had plans to meet our friend clyde at veniero's.

after a few go rounds, a spot opened up in front of the restaurant and we were able to keep an eye on the car while having dessert (thankfully!!!).

two pignoli cookies and a rainbow cookie . . and decaf coffee . .

 a huge tart! they have so many different kinds and this was not what she meant to have, but settled for it anyway . . this was more of a cake.

 clyde with his beloved annual veniero's dessert choices: iced mocha with gelato and giant sized ricotta cheesecake (greg had my favorite: new york cheesecake).

 summer is here!

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(we didn't make it home until very late. the traffic was horrendous and we had to beg our way past a police barrier . . thankfully, a man with two little children pulled up behind us and added to our pleas and the officer guarding the street finally let us both through).

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pics from morgana . .

 nighttime pics of nice?

 and an early morning pic of the matisse chapel in vence . .

"neece!" and camping in triol

 

 morgana is visiting our neighbor, victoria, in nice for a few days. this morning i envy her! i remember nice being incredibly beautiful and sunny with happy, contented people walking about. i wouldn't mind being there right now.

 basil plant with tea and espresso cups: victoria's lovely china.

 oh, that beauiful provençal sunshine!

 i wonder what temperature the water was . . 

still life in victoria's apartment . .

morning breakfast: the roll looks delicious to me . . and the brilliant orange of the egg yolk too . .

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 this photo is from saturday night, when she camped at blindsee, an incredibly beautiful lake at the foot of the fernpass which connects austria to germany.

 these happy campers are lara and sia . .