Book Board Chat

A very early Good Morning from Penn's Woods where the rains have not yet started.

And yes, another long one so scroll if you don't like long ones. Except for a short post recently that received no comment, haven't posted since not much to say one way or the other.

We were planning on going to see Swifty in New York City today but changed our plans in light of Sandy. We went yesterday instead. Overcast the entire way and then just before we crossed the bridge into NYC, the sun was shinning and the skyline was glowing. DH put shelves in a very narrow broom closet in Swifty's kitchen. Truly a broom closet as that is about all that fits, a broom, a mop, and a bucket. It is a good thing that DH is slender because he never would have fit otherwise. Not even wide enough to turn around in. The shelves turn it into a mini-pantry instead of an ugly broom closet. Gives Swifty a place to store canned goods and the like. We told him that just the addition of the shelves should increase the value of his place by $5,000! LOL DH also cut off the closet doors in the hallway so that they would clear the rug runner. That floor must be sloped because one cleared nicely while the other didn't quite open the whole way. Something else on the 'not quite' finished list now. Still some other projects to do.

We took along the beautiful slab walnut coffee table that DH made for him. DH worked for many hours on it. Still some of the slab walnut left for a coffee table for LLB. Also took some large plants and plant stands. Swifty wanted some plants but a lot cheaper to buy here. He is really settling in and making this truly a home. No more moving every year or two.

Swifty was funny when I called him an hour before we were to arrive. Usually we call him about 1/2 before to make sure he is up, but he wanted an hour notice this time. When I asked if I woke him, he said no, that ConEd had already called much earlier to say if there was flooding the electric would be turned off. I am afraid that New Yorkers might be a bit jaded about the storm. The doorman sounded exactly like my son! "Oh, they said all of this last year and nothing happened." Since Swifty's place is a block or so from the East River there might be some flooding along the river, but the ground then goes up hill a little bit to where he is on the 9th floor. Swifty's flashlight doesn't work but he was unconcerned. He has a candle and said that in a place as small as his, it is not hard to find his way to the bathroom even in dark! When I mentioned reading by flashlight, he said that if he had no power he would just go to bed or if he wanted to read, he had a kindle and other tech things that don't need electric. Oh what a different world when reading by flashlight is in the dark ages! LOL

He did mention that if the power does go out for an extended period of time it will really put a crimp in the economy. While many places do have back-up generators, that doesn't mean everything would be business as usual. Heck, if the subways are shut down, people couldn't even get to work. He had received an email from the company where his company's servers are located outlining measures they are taking should 'the lights go out.' He forwarded it to the upstate company (guy he knows) asking why he had not received a similar email about where his personal servers are located. Within minutes, his friend shot him back the identical email with only the company name changed!

We ate 'brunch' at what is fast becoming our favorite place which @bookleaves (Ellen) had recommended on our first trip to Swifty's new place. It is only about 2 blocks from him and a nice Irish bar/restaurant. Once of those place where "George Washington" ate here, but only on the site. The original building burned down a long time ago. Swifty has gone back several times since he really likes the beer they brew there. DH was going to order the Shepard's Pie but when the Irish waitress (from Galway) said that the Number 1 favorite was the Colonial Chicken Pot pie, he switched. Next time we go, I am ordering that! Such a light flaky crust and so tasty. Very different and much better imo than the traditional PA Dutch Chicken Pot Pie that is common around here. Interestingly, the waitress (who also had spent one summer during college working in Chicago) had recently been to Hershey and Lancaster with her aunt and uncle. She was disappointed in the whole hyped "Amish" stuff. Many, many years ago when I was visiting Maine and talking to the waitress she said that she was planning on a trip to Lancaster the next month to see the Amish.

This trip we had the easiest time in traveling both ways - in and out, but esp. out. Usually it takes awhile but this was so smooth. We must have hit it at the right time. When we were leaving we saw that the signs for "State of Emergency" were already lit up.

@bookbase ~ Sandy On the way home just as we were crossing the state line from NJ into PA, there was a convoy of power company trucks on the other side of the road. Thought of you and how prepared the power companies are and helping each other out. When we got to Hershey saw another convoy of about 20 power company trucks heading in the opposite direction. One crew might be going to NJ and the other to NYC. Seeing them reminded me of my youngest uncle who retired from a power company several years ago. He had been sent to help out in New England when that brutal ice storm blanketed the East Coast and Canada. I think that was sometime in the '90s. He had remarked that he hoped he would never be sent on such a mission again. While I have always appreciated the work that is done by linemen and similar, but it did give me pause yesterday. People sit at home moaning and groaning about the lack of power and/or heat and/or water, but at least they are inside...or if summer heat, at least they are not out in the elements. Not only was I thankful that he was retired, but I really hoped that the 'younger guys' were the ones being sent and the older ones were left at home manning their own power company's needs.

@lovetohike ~ Irene Is Curt planning a trip back home to his old stompping grounds this week? He might need a canoe again! 😉

Well took me forever to write this and still no raindrops falling on my head...