Hey! I found “the one!”
Steven browsing the fraser 10 footers at Pound Ridge Nurseries.

Hmmm? Which one of these will do? Here I am standing underneath the Pound Ridge Nurseries’ selection of fraser firs. The problem is, just like we trouble ourselves every year, which is “the one?” The one to take home, i.e. Too tall, too short, has a bald spot, is a little dry and frayed, but nevertheless, one is eventually chosen.

Burr! It’s cold outside. Welcome Home and come inside.

Here stands our 2007 Christmas tree, taken just after watering – has been drinking at least 2 liters per day – the fraser fir is a thirsty one. Notice it’s in a new corner this year. Look forward to all our gatherings together…soon! 6Dec07

From the main floor hallway, I found this view quite artistic while the mid-day light highlights the living room features, especially the tree.

Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas!

TODAY’S MUSINGS

Yes! Indeed. It has been a while since my last post, but life (even Facebook is addictive) gets in the way. So, Happy belated Halloween, Thanksgiving and oh-my-gosh Channukah already and whew-Christmas just around the corner, plus anyone’s birthday I’ve missed. Hope they were all GRAND!

So for today’s musings, I thought why not post a post from the ever-sarcastic NYTimes’ columnist David Pogue. I was just browsing the comments from today’s feature, “Suessical-Sounding Web Site Names,” when this list of actual web sites caught my eye. Most are funny, others. Well, GET YOUR MIND OUTTA’ the gutter! Heeeheheh! FUN! FUN!

6DEC07 2007
12:09 EST

Check these…(read the www titles very, very carefully)

1. A site called ‘Who Represents‘ where you can find the name of the agent that represents prominent, high profile people.

www.whorepresents.com

2. Experts Exchange, a knowledge base where programmers can exchange advice and views at

www.expertsexchange.com

3. Looking for a pen?

www.penisland.net

4. Need a therapist?

www.therapistfinder.com

5. Italian Power Generator company

www.powergenitalia.com

6. Mole Station Native Nursery, based in New South Wales:

www.molestationnursery.com

7. Computer software, etc

www.ipanywhere.com

8. The First Cumming Methodist Church.

www.cummingfirst.com

9. Art designers:

www.speedofart.com

10. Want to vacation at Lake Tahoe?

www.gotahoe.com

— Posted by Michael

After another round of day long meetings, we finally meet at the Duomo and get a fill of the city on foot. 25Oct07.

Inside Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, we search for the “bull” only to find it underneath a concert pianist entertaining the gaggle of tourists/visitors/passersby all strangely searching together. 25Oct07

Ah! Just as I’d predicted. “SOLD OUT,” it says at the empty queue for tickets at the British Museum’s Terracotta Warrior’s exhibit, taken last week while in town. Why? Well, to start only 500 tickets are given to the first entrants of the museum – of course a line wraps around the museum grounds, then stretches onto Great Russell Street long before opening – so why would I subject myself to such disappointment?

Well. It’s true. As a museum donor, you can get first dibs on ticket sales, but not are always available on the same day. Was it worth negotiating, giving them my sob story of traveling from New York via London and Milano just to gain entry? Yes. Indeed. It’s typically our first stop to see what’s on view when the hubby’s in town, finishing meetings on The Strand or farther afield in Canary Wharf, but mostly it’s the best one-stop-museum-hopping virtually on the planet.

No matter, I didn’t grovel, but alas, it was too humiliating to stand there and offer my reasons for allowing me an extra ticket when others had traveled even farther that day. So, I missed out on this exhibit, but intend to return again next Spring for hopefully a better reception and with guaranteed tickets, preferably purchased online as a member instead. In the words of one of the BM’s attendant’s, “We are sold out until March 2008!” I can’t help but wonder, uh. Do you intend to extend the show any further due to overwhelming demand?

More on my visit to the British Museum, Oct 2007

At the South-facing Loggia of Basilica San Marco, this shot was taken with the self-timer overlooking the Adriatic and the piazza San Marco. 27Oct07.

Travel Journal: Venezia, Italia, Oct07 continues here

Looking EAST toward the East River on 44th St/2nd Ave at the United Nations grounds.

Oh just another typical evening in the City en route to dinner South on 2nd Avenue where traffic patterns change by the last-second – lead by that moving motorbike (above) followed by an additional 7 motorbikes – allow for yet another police-escorted motorcade to make its way toward 42nd Street while our taxi quickly maneuvers away from the blaring sirens. When will things be back to normal? 42nd St, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and Lex are pretty much off-limits this week. Must roadways be so crippled? Bush AND Ahmadinejad plus the entire general assembly of the UN and their motorcades are wreaking havoc throughout the City. Rest assured, there’s only 4 more days to normalcy when the City returns to its own traffic mess. Is Metro-North really a better alternative? Is there a more efficient way to traverse cross-town?

Really. I don’t mind. Thanks to our family and friends of the UN, we’ll soon be thankful given their global presence and the chance to meet w/some delegates for work and social obligations, until September 2008. 24Sept07

Literally “hungry” for nostalgia, we made our way without reservations on a… hiccup…Saturday night to Turkish Kitchen in Murray Hill for an old favorite jaunt. 22Sept07

Hmm…which of these – pre-picked already-transported from patch to open field – pumpkins should I choose? There’s Steven looking for the “perfect” pumpkin(s) to bring home at the Blue Jay Orchards/Farm, Bethel, CT. Sunday, 23 Sept 07

More on MUSINGS: Apple & Pumpkin Picking @ Blue Jay Orchards, Bethel, CT

Standing in front of the Met museum, Steven gives a smile while we catch the last-hour of public viewing for the evening late Saturday to view the Met’s recent opening – “Age of Rembrandt” last week – Benjamin Altman’s latest bequeathment from his private collection of 17th century Dutch paintings, including Vermeer and others. We were trying to avoid the Fall-rush to this much anticipated exhibit, which we would normally view during their pre-opening for Met donors.

More silly fun on a Saturday night MUSINGS: “Age of Rembrandt,” Metropolitan Museum of Art

En route to work – like any typical work day – Tuesday, 11 September 2007 we make our way south on Greenwich Street in preparation for a number of 9/11 Memorials downtown, only to see low, gray clouds looming over the former World Trade Center site – a bit eerie – given the gaping, obvious absence of the twin towers, while the black Deutsche Bank buliding to far left and World Financial Center sit exactly as they stood on that fateful day.

We join others in silence in remembrance.

It’s a sea of pink as walkers prepare to gather at the Upper West Side entrance to Central Park (W. 77th St bet Columbus and CPW) for the 2007 Race for the Cure, Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Research 5K Walk in Central Park, Sunday, 9 September 2007. Over 22,000 participants; the strongest concentration of walkers (for NYC chapter) to date. We look forward to 2008 when we “mark” the 25th Anniversary of such walks. Keep it up!

In quiet reflection and saddened that Summer 2007 was another seemingly too-brief a season, there stands Steven beyond our infinity pool at North Rock cottage, Cambridge Beaches last week while the sun sets over the Atlantic. Thursday, 30 August 2007.

Shortened days are more evident as the sun sets closer to 20:00, 19:00, 18:00 until Fall arrives.

Here are more detailed MUSINGS: SUMMER 2007 END