Making Braciole 2025

Today Becky got an early start on her annual Christmas Eve dinner braciole. Usually she does most of the work preparing the braciole on the morning of the dinner but not this year. This time she worked on them this evening and they are all put together, rolled and in the fridge to be cooked tomorrow.

Downtown Hanukkah Dinner Party

This evening Becky and I went downtown to Dick and Iris' apartment for a last day of Hanukkah dinner. It was also our first chance to see Katie, Todd and the kids since they arrived in town Saturday evening at the downtown hotel. This was a special gathering of Todd's family as his brother and his family also came into town late Saturday night from California to spend some time with his parents. So yesterday our grandkids got to play with their cousins all day at the hotel where they were all staying. It was all very special for Todd's family.

So tonight we got to hang out with the their family and enjoy a wonder dinner. It was also fun to hang out with all the kids including Ruby and Hannah who love spending time with Henry, Clara and Violet. I had a nice time talking with Jeremy and Rachel along with our usual good time with Dick and Iris. The weather held up too with none of the snow that had been predicted earlier for this night.

Buttermilk Falls 1976

Here is another photo from that old box of "stuff" on the third floor that I've been going through recently. Me standing at Buttermilk Falls in August 1976. This was my first time in the Adirondacks. There was a group of us who spent a week there that year including me and Becky, Karen and Ed and Dave. We stayed at what was left of the old Sagamore site in one of the cabins. 

The Sagamore Hotel burned down in the early 1960's and the remains were still there. It was kind of a creepy site. Becky's family had stayed there several times when she was growing up. 

That week in August was very chilly. Later when Becky and I would vacation in Long Lake we would always book a week in July. The weather was much better.

Cookie Time 2025

Becky has been making her annual Christmas cookies over the past couple of days. Not quite as many as other years but still a lot and they are delicious. I helped with the cookie decorating. The cookies will be very popular with our house full of kids in the coming days.

Another Old Pic - 1970

Another pic from the old box of "stuff". Me in front of my locker in a barracks at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station. The date on the photo was August 22, 1970. I was just back to the base after an emergency leave to bury my father following his sudden ruptured fatal brain aneurysm. I was 18, probably still in shock and never the same.

Dinner @ Romeo & Juliet's Cafe

After decorating the Christmas tree and the house, wrapping presents and putting the lights up on the porch... pizza and panini with some montepulciano wine and limonata at a favorite nearby restaurants... Romeo & Juliet's Cafe & Bakery. Brought home some of their delicious panettone too.

We always have a wonderful dinner there and the service is always great. This place reminds us of a cafe in Rome or Florence.

Old Family Photo Collage

This old photo collage was found by Marisa when she was cleaning out the attic in the Evergreen Avenue house when Dan was selling it. The photo then went into a storage unit until recently. The other day Dan sent me a copy of the photo and asking about the people in the pictures. 

The framed picture featured photos of our parent's wedding and focused on Mom's side of the family. The lady in the center of the photo was Mom's grandmother Agnes McDevitt Keegan who had passed away earlier in 1948. 

The upper photo on the left is Mom, Mom-Mom (Elizabeth Keegan Morris Casey), Mart (Martin Casey) and Dad. Upper center is Mom-Mom, Dad, Mom, Nana Morris (Ada Meehan Morris) and Grandpop Morris (Thomas Morris). Upper right is Mom and Dad. Lower right is Mom-Mom and Mart. Lower center is our Grandfather Emery, Nana Emery (Clara Smith Emery), Dad, Mom and Mom-Mom. Lower left is Mom-Mom and Mart.

Many of these pictures I hadn't seen before.

Play With Fire Again - Songs 2005 FV

Play With Fire Again. This mix was a lot of fun to put together. It starts out with an interesting set of cover songs then gets a little funky before getting into some nice live cuts. All the songs here are from albums in my collection released in 2005 FV. This is the second mix in my Final Version series using Play With Fire in the title thus the Again. 

Damien Rice in the pic.

Play With Fire Again - Songs 2005 FV

1. Play With Fire - Cobra Verde
2. When Doves Cry - Damien Rice
3. Thunder Road - Bonnie Prince Billy & Tortoise
4. White Wedding - Whip
5. I Can See For Miles - Petra Haden
6. While My Guitar Gently Weeps - Damon & Naomi
7. Oh Well - Leo Kottke & Mike Gordon
8. You Keep Me Hangin' On - Madness
9. Crawling From The Wreckage / Queen Of Hearts (Live) - Dave Edmunds
10. Marcus Garvey - Sinead O'Connor
11. Picking Up - John Brown's Body
12. We Gonna Make You - Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
13. Monkey See, Monkey Do - The Budos Band
14. How Do You Let A Good Man Down - Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings
15. Teasin' Brown - North Mississippi Allstars
16. Whole Lotta Love (Live) - Beth Hart
17. Essence (Live) - Lucinda Williams
18. Handshake Drugs (Live) - Wilco
19. Squares (Live) - The Beta Band
20. The Golden Age - The Flaming Lips

The Drowned - A Novel

The Drowned - John Banville, 2024. Just finished this incredible crime mystery novel by the Irish writer John Banville. This was the fifth book in his Dublin detective Strafford series and the tenth book of his Dublin pathologist Quirke series. This is the third novel of these two characters working together again.

I enjoyed this very much like all of Banville's novels.

This is the 13th John Banville novel I've read.

Bills Epic Comeback

Watched the Bills vs Patriots game today. It was a little unusual in that it started at the regular 1 pm time. So many of the Bills games this season have been prime time, late afternoon, Sunday nights, Monday nights, etc.

I watched the game on the couch while reading a book on my tablet waiting for the furnace repairman who didn't come BTW during the game. At halftime the Bills were losing the game 21-0. I was a little bored with the game and was reading more.

Then came the second half and the Bills came alive. It was a completely different game and very exciting for fans of both teams. The Bills fought hard for a comeback and the Patriots scored again to keep their lead. But the Bills prevailed. Bills 35 Patriots 31. It was another classic game.