The last weekend of the summer. Saturday morning, my daughter is home for the weekend. Here college is close to the city and we spend whenever possible the weekends together. Muffy, our dog, is on cloud nine when I tell her on Friday afternoons: "Let's go pick up your sweetheart!..." The love that sparkles in her eyes cannot be described in words, except maybe as eternal unconditional love if that makes sense. Our cat Miss Minnie, plays the indifferent selfish Queen of mean role for the untrained eye. All I can say is, she too turns to mush the minute we come home.
This is the last summer weekend, and we decided to spend the day doing what we like the best-- traveling. I prepared breakfast, pancakes today topped with an Italian plum sauce (they are in season now), with a glass of cold milk to wash them down, and out we go! We are leaving Miss Minnie in charge of home security matters. As usual we made no plans, once in a car we flip a coin as to what bridge we'll exit the city. Today it's the RFK bridge, that means we'll travel up the Hudson valley to the Catskills. The day is crisp, one can feel the Lady Fall trying to settle in, and the skies are dressed with windswept clouds, kind of in an impressionistic style if you asked me.
Crossing the Tappen Zee Bridge over the Hudson River the sun began to play hide-and-seek as to remind us that summer is really over and done with. To cheer up, no offense we do love the fall as well, we choose Riverdance music as background entertainment. I stopped at the Platekill Rest Station for a cup of Starbucks and the latest festival programs in the area, such as Garlic Festivals, and most importantly the Octoberfest dates. Waiting in line I couldn't help hearing the discussions of the people around me: "Where are we going to?" They were not discussing the trip of the day. No it was about the living standards in our country, and believe me their words expressed more than actual concern, it was FEAR. FEAR of what tomorrow will bring.
The recent weather that played such a destructive number on our east coast, the deplorable economy, recession, taxes, the nonexistent job growth, just name it. The list went on and on. The Starbuck line included loads of people from four tour buses, bound for a pilgrimage to a religious site up north. I just held my daughter's hand tight and I really felt like screaming: "Ok that's enough. Stop complaining, it is what it is. Take it with a grain of salt, and think about how you can help-- YES HELP. Stop whining and come up with good practical ideas to reconstruct our lives. " Politicians are just people that we elected to represent us, and if they fail to do so, we have the power to say: "Thank you--- you are fired! As simple as American Pie."
However I did something really naughty, (I have to admit) I played the Devil's Advocate, and I added fuel to the fire. I said loudly, "You know, last night I read a tweet from NYT Science: 'World Briefing/Science Satellite to land, SOMEWHERE'. And you know it is as big as your bus." A little lady with a cute flower on her hat turns to her group, brought her hands up in the air and screamed: The end of the world is coming!!....Pray to the Lord!"
Delicious Pancakes topped with a tangy Italian Plum sauce.
