On The Right Track
Hello World,
Well, the new year is really chugging right along, and doesn't seem to slow down for complaints or criticism, and you can believe it, because I've tried plenty of both so far to no avail. I suppose we have our old nemesis Comrade Mischka to thank for the sub-Siberian temperatures that have been unleashed on us lately, and thank you so very much not, from all of us except the utility companies and the Burlington Coat Factory. Every week there seems to be another bunch of snow dumped on us, sometimes more and sometimes less, but always a nuisance, especially on top of the snow that is already here and hasn't melted yet because it's been too cold. All of the cats are hunkered down on the radiators, or cosseted under the blankets on the beds, but when they called up to order a bunch of those handmade Amish electric portable fireplaces, I thought that was just way too much.
So far, the cold appears to have no effect on the football juggernaut that is the New York Jets, as Gang Green has rolled over the most unlikely of opponents, in unlikely fashion, the last two weeks, to the surprise of just about everyone, and that sound you hear is the multitude of bookies and odds-makers jumping out of windows all over the country. Incredibly, they demolished the mighty Indianapolis Colts and then the vaunted New England Patriots one after another, and now find themselves one game away from a return to the Super Bowl for the first time in decades. Rex Ryan may be no Broadway Joe as a media darling, but he's certainly got everyone's attention, and gave the home-town faithful something to cheer about, long after all hope is usually gone. Next up is the Pittsburgh Steelers, and they predict the game-time temperatures will be negative numbers usually reserved for the likes of liquid nitrogen. I understand the Jets front office called our cats to borrow some of those handmade Amish electric portable fireplaces, but of course, our dastardly felines pretended that they couldn't understand English. They may be disloyal, but they're not stupid.
Speaking of stupid, fans of the other football franchise in the local area had to be wondering what was going through the minds of the New York Giants management, after their miserable season limped to a close, and with nothing to show for it once again. Except for the New York Yankees, it is generally understood that the same team doesn't win all of the time, and fans usually appreciate a sincere effort, even if the results fall short of the top prize. But for the second year in a row, the Giants had a good start, followed by a late-season collapse that was painful to live through and ugly to watch, being eliminated from the playoffs almost ridiculously early in inverse proportion to the size of their enormous payroll, thanks not. All of this is bad enough, heaven knows, but on the very day that their playoff hopes are unceremoniously scuttled, and the body isn't even cold yet as they say in political circles, along trots the ownership with the announcement that they are going to keep the same coach for the next year. Now, I'm not blaming the coach for the team stinking up the joint, but at that particular moment, it's no kind of time to be making that announcement, because it just makes the fans even madder than just losing, which they just did. You don't have to fire the coach, and you don't even have to say that you're thinking of firing the coach - at a highly-charged, emotional time like that, you don't have to say anything about the coach whatsoever, and let the media pundits wonder what they will. What the ownership doesn't understand (and believe me, the New York Mets are the poster child of this) is that when the playoff dreams of the fans have just been dashed, is not the time to champion the status quo, because right at that moment, the average fan thinks the status quo is about the biggest disaster that has ever happened in the history of sports. After a suitable period, when the wailing and gnashing of teeth has died down, there's plenty of time to give a vote of confidence to the coach, without being offensive or insensitive to the fans' feelings. After all, if the fans wanted to be insulted, they would be following the Islanders instead, for heaven's sake.
Of course, last weekend was the time to honor the memory and contributions of the great civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., which makes for a handy three-day weekend in places where it is celebrated as a holiday. Bill and I always take the opportunity to visit our friends around Albany, only this time around, we found a way to toss a new wrinkle into the proceedings. As much as we love the Buick, and wouldn't want to replace it, the fact is that it's now 25 years old, and some parts of it are showing their age, notably the transmission. We thought this might be a good time for it to skip driving 200 miles north in the dead of winter, and back again, and Bill could use a break too, although he's never one to complain. So we scouted about for someone else to take us all the way to Albany on Friday and then back again on Sunday, and discovered that Amtrak was more than able to fit the bill. We have Amtrak service right here in New Rochelle, which unfortunately skirts the coast going eastward and on to Boston, far away from our destination. So it was necessary for us to first drive to Yonkers, and avail ourselves of their municipal parking garage near the train station, in order to board the Amtrak Empire Service that hugs the Hudson River all the way up to Albany and beyond. This was actually a big challenge for us, since we usually bring everything we own, everywhere we go, and packing light is not something that comes naturally. But we somehow managed to narrow it down to a manageable amount, and headed off on the first leg of our adventure. We found out later that after the snowstorm on Tuesday, there was no Amtrak service on Wednesday or Thursday, which may have accounted for the crowded conditions on the Friday train coming out of Penn Station, and we were lucky to get two seats together when we got on at Yonkers, although as Bill likes to point out, we had to walk the train all the way from Yonkers to Croton-Harmon to get to them. The train also stops in Rhinecliff and Hudson before pulling into Albany in a scant two hours, which were not only smooth and comfortable but scenic as well. What they call the Albany train station is actually across the river in Rensselaer, and we hopped in a cab that took us to the Comfort Inn at East Greenbush, where we have stayed before, rather than staying at an unfamiliar hotel in the city, just for the sake of their shuttle service to the train station. It wasn't long before we were joined by our friends at the hotel, and on our way to dinner at the nearby Schodack Diner, where I can recommend the fried ravioli very highly. Fortunately, this diner is new, and had no reason to have our pictures posted in the lobby to prevent us from entering, although they might have reconsidered after our six-part impromptu rendition of "Schodack," which we just made up on the spot, but sounded suspiciously like George Gershwin's "Swanee" (with apologies to Stephen Foster and the old folks at home) although not an imrprovement, I can tell you that.
In the morning, we helped ourselves to the complimentary breakfast buffet at the hotel, and glad of it, since we didn't carry any food with us from home like we normally would. Then it was time for a late mini-Christmas with our friends, which we considered a great success, because the presents actually made it through the 2-hour train ride in one piece and none the worse for wear, especially for being stuffed in a duffel bag the whole way. Next it was off to our other friends, who have a new high-definition 3-D television, and we had some entertaining times watching all the things that it can do. Our next stop would have been Hewitt's, but they were already closed, so we headed instead to Cracker Barrel, where they had so many trinkets we wanted to buy, but didn't because we couldn't fit them in our luggage. As it was, we had to leave some of our bulkier treasures with our friends to bring down on our next get-together, or they never would have let us back on the train to go home. Another disadvantage of the train scenario is that we can't stop at Denny's on the way home as we like to, so we made sure to get to Denny's while we were there, and it did not disappoint. We thought we were too full for dessert, but decided to take a drive to check out O'Kenny's Express and have ice cream, in spite of the fact that it was frigid and snowing at the time. We had never been there before, but apparently they are locally famous for their garage full of vintage cars, all beautifully restored, and it was a real treat that even the cold couldn't spoil. We capped off the evening with a swim in the hotel pool, and a soak in the hot tub, and after a long and busy day, looked forward to a good night's sleep.
Not so fast! Some revelers from a shindig at the hotel were having a boisterous time of it in our hallway, making sleep impossible, in spite of the late hour and calls to the front desk for help. The security guards were no match for them, and eventually the State troopers showed up to get things under control. And I know what everyone is thinking, because usually it's the six of us who cause a ruckus at the hotels, but our friends were staying at home, and it was just the two of us trying to sleep this time around, so we had nothing to do with the brouhaha in question. In the morning, we discovered the hotel had given us a discount "due to noise," which is a polite way to describe what was basically a riot that needed the troopers to come out and quell. But the breakfast buffet was just as good, even if we were a little bleary-eyed by then, and we headed out early to Hewitt's and Ocean State Job Lot, and snapped up some great bargains, most of which we were able to stuff into our luggage. It turned out that Hewitt's was conveniently close to the train station, so we got there way ahead of time, giving us a chance to have some lunch in the cafe and print our tickets for the ride home. Once again, the train was right on time, smooth and comfortable, and got us back to Yonkers right on the dot. We had no trouble springing the Buick from the parking garage after two days, and just like always, the cats greeted our return with their signature disdain, so at least we knew we were in the right house. As an experiment, we thought the whole trip was very successful, and had a lot of advantages, and we were glad we tried it. As another stop on the Christmas caravan, it would be hard to beat, and that's not just a lot of Swanee River, believe me.
Elle
Well, the new year is really chugging right along, and doesn't seem to slow down for complaints or criticism, and you can believe it, because I've tried plenty of both so far to no avail. I suppose we have our old nemesis Comrade Mischka to thank for the sub-Siberian temperatures that have been unleashed on us lately, and thank you so very much not, from all of us except the utility companies and the Burlington Coat Factory. Every week there seems to be another bunch of snow dumped on us, sometimes more and sometimes less, but always a nuisance, especially on top of the snow that is already here and hasn't melted yet because it's been too cold. All of the cats are hunkered down on the radiators, or cosseted under the blankets on the beds, but when they called up to order a bunch of those handmade Amish electric portable fireplaces, I thought that was just way too much.
So far, the cold appears to have no effect on the football juggernaut that is the New York Jets, as Gang Green has rolled over the most unlikely of opponents, in unlikely fashion, the last two weeks, to the surprise of just about everyone, and that sound you hear is the multitude of bookies and odds-makers jumping out of windows all over the country. Incredibly, they demolished the mighty Indianapolis Colts and then the vaunted New England Patriots one after another, and now find themselves one game away from a return to the Super Bowl for the first time in decades. Rex Ryan may be no Broadway Joe as a media darling, but he's certainly got everyone's attention, and gave the home-town faithful something to cheer about, long after all hope is usually gone. Next up is the Pittsburgh Steelers, and they predict the game-time temperatures will be negative numbers usually reserved for the likes of liquid nitrogen. I understand the Jets front office called our cats to borrow some of those handmade Amish electric portable fireplaces, but of course, our dastardly felines pretended that they couldn't understand English. They may be disloyal, but they're not stupid.
Speaking of stupid, fans of the other football franchise in the local area had to be wondering what was going through the minds of the New York Giants management, after their miserable season limped to a close, and with nothing to show for it once again. Except for the New York Yankees, it is generally understood that the same team doesn't win all of the time, and fans usually appreciate a sincere effort, even if the results fall short of the top prize. But for the second year in a row, the Giants had a good start, followed by a late-season collapse that was painful to live through and ugly to watch, being eliminated from the playoffs almost ridiculously early in inverse proportion to the size of their enormous payroll, thanks not. All of this is bad enough, heaven knows, but on the very day that their playoff hopes are unceremoniously scuttled, and the body isn't even cold yet as they say in political circles, along trots the ownership with the announcement that they are going to keep the same coach for the next year. Now, I'm not blaming the coach for the team stinking up the joint, but at that particular moment, it's no kind of time to be making that announcement, because it just makes the fans even madder than just losing, which they just did. You don't have to fire the coach, and you don't even have to say that you're thinking of firing the coach - at a highly-charged, emotional time like that, you don't have to say anything about the coach whatsoever, and let the media pundits wonder what they will. What the ownership doesn't understand (and believe me, the New York Mets are the poster child of this) is that when the playoff dreams of the fans have just been dashed, is not the time to champion the status quo, because right at that moment, the average fan thinks the status quo is about the biggest disaster that has ever happened in the history of sports. After a suitable period, when the wailing and gnashing of teeth has died down, there's plenty of time to give a vote of confidence to the coach, without being offensive or insensitive to the fans' feelings. After all, if the fans wanted to be insulted, they would be following the Islanders instead, for heaven's sake.
Of course, last weekend was the time to honor the memory and contributions of the great civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., which makes for a handy three-day weekend in places where it is celebrated as a holiday. Bill and I always take the opportunity to visit our friends around Albany, only this time around, we found a way to toss a new wrinkle into the proceedings. As much as we love the Buick, and wouldn't want to replace it, the fact is that it's now 25 years old, and some parts of it are showing their age, notably the transmission. We thought this might be a good time for it to skip driving 200 miles north in the dead of winter, and back again, and Bill could use a break too, although he's never one to complain. So we scouted about for someone else to take us all the way to Albany on Friday and then back again on Sunday, and discovered that Amtrak was more than able to fit the bill. We have Amtrak service right here in New Rochelle, which unfortunately skirts the coast going eastward and on to Boston, far away from our destination. So it was necessary for us to first drive to Yonkers, and avail ourselves of their municipal parking garage near the train station, in order to board the Amtrak Empire Service that hugs the Hudson River all the way up to Albany and beyond. This was actually a big challenge for us, since we usually bring everything we own, everywhere we go, and packing light is not something that comes naturally. But we somehow managed to narrow it down to a manageable amount, and headed off on the first leg of our adventure. We found out later that after the snowstorm on Tuesday, there was no Amtrak service on Wednesday or Thursday, which may have accounted for the crowded conditions on the Friday train coming out of Penn Station, and we were lucky to get two seats together when we got on at Yonkers, although as Bill likes to point out, we had to walk the train all the way from Yonkers to Croton-Harmon to get to them. The train also stops in Rhinecliff and Hudson before pulling into Albany in a scant two hours, which were not only smooth and comfortable but scenic as well. What they call the Albany train station is actually across the river in Rensselaer, and we hopped in a cab that took us to the Comfort Inn at East Greenbush, where we have stayed before, rather than staying at an unfamiliar hotel in the city, just for the sake of their shuttle service to the train station. It wasn't long before we were joined by our friends at the hotel, and on our way to dinner at the nearby Schodack Diner, where I can recommend the fried ravioli very highly. Fortunately, this diner is new, and had no reason to have our pictures posted in the lobby to prevent us from entering, although they might have reconsidered after our six-part impromptu rendition of "Schodack," which we just made up on the spot, but sounded suspiciously like George Gershwin's "Swanee" (with apologies to Stephen Foster and the old folks at home) although not an imrprovement, I can tell you that.
In the morning, we helped ourselves to the complimentary breakfast buffet at the hotel, and glad of it, since we didn't carry any food with us from home like we normally would. Then it was time for a late mini-Christmas with our friends, which we considered a great success, because the presents actually made it through the 2-hour train ride in one piece and none the worse for wear, especially for being stuffed in a duffel bag the whole way. Next it was off to our other friends, who have a new high-definition 3-D television, and we had some entertaining times watching all the things that it can do. Our next stop would have been Hewitt's, but they were already closed, so we headed instead to Cracker Barrel, where they had so many trinkets we wanted to buy, but didn't because we couldn't fit them in our luggage. As it was, we had to leave some of our bulkier treasures with our friends to bring down on our next get-together, or they never would have let us back on the train to go home. Another disadvantage of the train scenario is that we can't stop at Denny's on the way home as we like to, so we made sure to get to Denny's while we were there, and it did not disappoint. We thought we were too full for dessert, but decided to take a drive to check out O'Kenny's Express and have ice cream, in spite of the fact that it was frigid and snowing at the time. We had never been there before, but apparently they are locally famous for their garage full of vintage cars, all beautifully restored, and it was a real treat that even the cold couldn't spoil. We capped off the evening with a swim in the hotel pool, and a soak in the hot tub, and after a long and busy day, looked forward to a good night's sleep.
Not so fast! Some revelers from a shindig at the hotel were having a boisterous time of it in our hallway, making sleep impossible, in spite of the late hour and calls to the front desk for help. The security guards were no match for them, and eventually the State troopers showed up to get things under control. And I know what everyone is thinking, because usually it's the six of us who cause a ruckus at the hotels, but our friends were staying at home, and it was just the two of us trying to sleep this time around, so we had nothing to do with the brouhaha in question. In the morning, we discovered the hotel had given us a discount "due to noise," which is a polite way to describe what was basically a riot that needed the troopers to come out and quell. But the breakfast buffet was just as good, even if we were a little bleary-eyed by then, and we headed out early to Hewitt's and Ocean State Job Lot, and snapped up some great bargains, most of which we were able to stuff into our luggage. It turned out that Hewitt's was conveniently close to the train station, so we got there way ahead of time, giving us a chance to have some lunch in the cafe and print our tickets for the ride home. Once again, the train was right on time, smooth and comfortable, and got us back to Yonkers right on the dot. We had no trouble springing the Buick from the parking garage after two days, and just like always, the cats greeted our return with their signature disdain, so at least we knew we were in the right house. As an experiment, we thought the whole trip was very successful, and had a lot of advantages, and we were glad we tried it. As another stop on the Christmas caravan, it would be hard to beat, and that's not just a lot of Swanee River, believe me.
Elle
posted by El Tango Fandango @ 3:19 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home