Western Trip, Week 2, August 30- September 4 - S. Lee, MA

   We left the Bridgewater area after stopping to see the folks first. They were still basking in the light from their anniversary party.

    Then we drove to S. Lee, MA where we are in the Oak n'Spruce Holiday Inn time share. Timeshares are often disappointing, but this one is quite nice. We have a third floor, 2-bedroom apartment with a balcony off the back overlooking a babbling brook and a good place to sit. There is a big outdoor pool and 2 inside ones.

     On our first full day, we met Nan and Jim at High Lawn Farm where we had a picnic lunch. Nan was on a break from school. We also found a good farm stand (Taft) for corn. We sat around the pool and took a dip.

     On our second full day it rained all day as the remnants of Hurricane Ida went by. (This area was lucky) So, we had a day of reading, doing French lessons, writing, watching the U.S. Open. We picked up dinner at 51 Park Tavern in Lee and took it over to Nan and Jim's. We met their new dog, Breezy.

     On our third full day we played some mini golf. Mark took a dip in the pool even though it was about 64 degrees! Brave! A relaxing day.

    On our fourth full day we drove up to the summit of Mt Greylock, the highest mountain in Massachusetts. The weather was mostly cooperative, although there was fog that came and went. Afterwards, we sat by the side of the pool, but did not go in. Brrrr!

At 4:30 we met Nan at Shakespeare and Company where we are cheese, crackers and fruit. We saw a workshopped production of Measure for Measure. Jim was in Saratoga and missed most of it which was a shame as it was excellent! The play was set in the 1950’s and invoked the treatment of women and McCarthyism. The woman who played Isabella, the sister of a man condemned to die for getting his beloved pregnant, was excellent. She also played a rapping fool. Antonio, the unscrupulous and inflexible temporary rule, was also excellent. We wished there had been young people there as the topics are so relevant to them - sexuality and justice, for example. 

View from the summit of Mt Greylock

     On our fifth, and last full day here, we first went to Taft Farm in Great Barrington to get some more corn. (We've had delicious corn from them during the week.) Then we parked in downtown Great Barrington, a pretty town. We had coffee at a spot on Main Street, found a wonderful farmers' market and walked along the Hoosatonic River. Afterwards, we did a last laundry and had a nice afternoon by the pool which was crowded for Labor Day weekend. We packed and watched some of the U.S. Open.

Great Barrington

Along the Hoosatonic River

    

      

Starting a big trip to the West, Week One 8-24-8-29

     We left Nantucket on August 24. Hank was still working at the Juice Bar, so we waved goodbye to Hank, Willy and Maggie and set off. We are in the Honda Clarity and the miles when we started were 27,466 and the MPG were 87.6.

     First stop: Middlesex School in Concord where we stayed 2 nights. We went to Nashua to visit Barry and Celine for lunch on the 25th. Always great company and conversation.

Barbara, Celine, Barry

    Second stop: Westport, MA with Ted and Bev (and Owen) for a afternoon, evening, morning. We had a wonderful summer meal - corn on the cob, potato salad, fish and steak. 

    Third stop: Hampton Inn, Taunton MA. for 3 nights. The Clarity had to have a scheduled check up. We had breakfast with Matt and Maureen and Penelope. 

 

Penelope and Maureen

    On the 27th and 28th, we assisted in setting up for Cal and Alice's 75th Wedding Anniversary Party in the back yard. It was hot on the first day of set up, but then the weather cooled. Whew.

    The 75th Anniversary Party was a success. It started with Cal and Alice sitting under a tent with a huge helium 75 above it. They sat and waved as a parade of cars went by honking, led by John and Mark. People dropped off cards saying how they know them. Several dropped off cookies, flowers and baked goods. A representative from the State Senate stopped by to give them a citation. He said that they will also get a Resolution passed by the legislature which will go into the state's official history archives. They especially loved the one from the Vatican.

 

Waiting for the parade

  In mid-afternoon, there was a "tea party" in the garden for about 40 close friends and family. It all went smoothly and Cal and Alice were quite overwhelmed. They renewed their wedding vows with the local priest, too, which was touching.

    

Randall, Julia, Mark

Jecca and Grandma

Jecca came en route to picking up Willy, Hank and Maggie, plus a bike, at the boat. 

Otis just finished his first week of classes at Purdue and has already flown in a new plane.

Otis at Purdue

Cal and Mark

 July 18-23 Mark in Bridgewater

     Mark left Pittsfield and went up to New Hampshire to empty our storage unit. 

Then, he drove back to Concord where he spent the night. The next morning, he picked Jecca up from Hanscomb Field.

    He spent several nights in a motel near Bridgewater and spent time with his family - mostly cooking. Michael and Nancy arrived in their new Tesla, a happy coincidence. Michael and Mark took Cal to the foot doctor one afternoon.

    Mark and Barbara met up at the end of the trip at Ted and Bev's where Mark spent 2 nights and Barbara spent 1, having spent another night at Diane's before heading homeward. We got on two separate boats on the 25th. 

      

 July 18-23, 2021.  A week at Laurel Lake.

     Barbara drove from Pittsfield to Schenectady to visit Diane. What a surprise to find most of the Robusto-Smith families there, including Jerry from France. It was a wonderful, heart-warming family day.

Bob, Linda, Jerry

Diane, Mark, Maureen, Jerry

    The next day, Barbara and Diane drove to Binghamton, stopping at the food store first. Both bought an ample supply of Speidi marinade! Then - off to Laurel Lake.

    The weather this year was not as warm as other years and there has been a lot of rain, so the lawn was spongy.

     The Gerchman cottage undergoes improvements every year; this year it had a new roof and went from barn red to a more reserved grey. Inside, there was more sheetrocking upstairs.

      One day, Jerry kayaked over with Tina Smith which was very nice. Another day Cindy and Barbara circumnavigated the lake.

      On a day that was supposed to rain, we picked up Gail, Cindy's sister and we spent the day in museums. We started with Roberson which had some wonderful exhibits about Binghamton's history as well as art exhibits. We also toured the Roberson Mansion. 

     After that, we toured the Bundy Museum on Main Street. Bundy was an engineer who patented time machines for workers to punch in on; he later sold to Watson of IBM. The house is very interesting with amazing architecture. In the old carriage house is a coffee house, a blackbox theater, old barber shop chairs, a room of time clocks and also a room dedicated to Rod Serling who grew up in Binghamton and was encouraged by English and drama teacher, Helen Foley when she was young. (And, we had her many years later in high school!) After that, we went to the Garage, a hip bar and at nachos outside.

     One night Gail and Lynne came over for dinner which was also fun.

Lynne, Gail, Cindy, Diane

     On the day that we left, we met Jerry at the Park Diner in Binghamton.

     

 July 14 - 17, 2021

    We left on the early boat, Mark in the truck and Barbara in the Clarity. 

    First stop - Bridgewater to see the folks. 

   Second stop - Pittsfield to stay with Nan and Jim. We always have a great time and endless topics of conversation. They just lost their wonderful Great Pyrenees, Boo, who lived on island for several years.

    The first day, we visited the Chesterwood, the home of sculptor Daniel Chester French where Jim worked when they first moved to the area. We had a tour of French's studio, checked out the museum and walked the grounds. (The house is closed right now.) It was fascinating to see how cleverly designed the studio was in catching the light properly. He had a little rail system in the studio upon which he placed his sculptures to see how they looked in natural light.

  We spent one day going to Hudson, N.Y. to go to a Lowe's where Mark and I worked with a man about renovating our kitchen. Jim was a big help, of course. Then we went into Hudson for lunch and we walked along the river front on the river which was a place Nantucketers whalers settled, becoming a major whaling port. It is strange to think of a whaling port so far up river.

    Then, we went to lunch at the Red Lion in Lenox, eating in the back garden. The hostess shared that customers are so rude this year that every day one of them cries. (There is a shortage of wait staff and restaurant staff around the country.)

    We went to Shakespeare and Company in their outside, new Spruce Theatre to see King Lear with 84 year old Christopher Lloyd. Our seats were in the sun which was hot. (Mark moved to the shade for a bit.) But, then, just after intermission, there was a thunderstorm and we had to evacuate and wait to see what would happen. The show moved inside, but many people had already left, partly due to the wait. And, honestly, partly because the production was disappointing. Christopher Lloyd's voice was hard to hear, for one. We all agreed that it was not a great show, but were, I think, glad that we stayed.

     On the 17th, we went to a morning lecture and open rehearsal in the Shed at Tanglewood. The talk by BSO Director of Program Publications, Robert Kirzinger, was about Fanny and Felix Mendelssohn and Mozart. 

We did not know about the talent that Fanny Mendelssohn had and how she was discouraged by both her brother and her father. We heard her "Overture in C" which is her only extant orchestral work. We heard Felix Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 5 in D, Opus 107, known as "Reformation." The lecture explained the roots of the work, based on a Methodist hymn and what to listen for. Finally, we heard Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 3 in G with soloist Gil Shaham, an amazing soloist who plays all over the world. He was playing a Stradivarius. The BSO was conducted by Andris Nelson. It was interesting to have the conductor stop and start the orchestra, have them repeat portions of the pieces. It was also interesting to see the orchestra in their street clothes. It was a terrific morning.

   We went to a wonderful dairy farm for delicious ice cream. (I've forgotten the name.) But, we will visit it when we go back to Lee in early September, for sure.

    In the evening, we returned to Tanglewood, again in the Shed to hear the BSO play Prokofiev's Symphony No 1 in D, Op 25, known as "Classical" and Brahm's Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor, Op. 13. Of course, everyone in the orchestra was now all dressed up for the performance. It was greatly enhanced by the jumbotron so we could see the individual players. This was the first weekend for Tanglewood because of the pandemic and they did not sell all the seats, to keep with social distancing.

    The guest artist for the Brahm's was pianist Daniil Trifonov. He was very intense with hair over his eyes and little eye contact with the conductor. The concert notes included that he and Andris have worked together on other occasions, and you could feel that. We have never seen a performance like that. Trifonov's performance was incredibly physical with him up and off his seat and sweat dripping off his head. It was riveting. He got a lengthy standing ovation and came out and played again, a piece that Nan has played, so it meant a lot to her. W were all very blown away and felt privileged to be there.

     

Two Weeks Holiday, July 2021

    This summer we are mostly staying on the island. For one, we have two grandchildren here working and we want to savor these moments. Secondly, we sold the N.H. cottage and don't have that to visit any more.

     However, we took 2 weeks in July to go off island. We went in separate cars as we were together the first part of the holiday, went our separate ways for about a week, and then met back up.