Flora Purim

Flora Purim still has a beautiful voice at 80 years old. Unfortunately I had really forgotten about her until the other day I saw that she had just released a new album which is her first in seventeen years. I had to listen to it on Spotify but first I put on a couple of her albums that I loved in the early 1970's. 

I saw her live in 1974 in a small club in downtown Phily and then again later in the year with Chick Corea's Return To Forever band. I found out about this Brazilian singer through my friend John who convinced me to go with him to see her perform that first time. She was fantastic. John was living with us in our house on Seymour Street at the time and he had a couple of her solo albums which he played a lot. I soon found out she was singing on the early Return To Forever records Return to Forever and Light as a Feather. She also sang on two of my favorite Santana albums; Welcome, 1973 and Borboletta, 1974.

Her solo music sound was Brazilian Latin Jazz music blended with the new electric jazz. She was also married to the jazz percussionist Airto Moreira.

So today I listened to her 1973 album Butterfly Dreams and then her 1976 album Open Your Eyes You Can Fly. I really liked both of these records back in the day. Then I played her new album If You Will.

There have been some nice articles about her recently in the New York Times - The Brazilian Jazz Great Flora Purim Has Many Stories to Tell and from NPR - Her Voice is in the Air. 

Update: Of course today I had to listen to those two Santana albums from 1973 and 1974 with Flora Purim on them. 

Sea of Tranquility

Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel, 2022. This is the new novel from the Canadian author of Station Eleven which I read in early 2015 shortly after it was published. I recently also watched the HBO Max television miniseries of the book which was released in December 2021. I loved the book and thought the show was very well done. I was excited when I heard she had a new book being released in early April. I checked the public library and when it became available I placed a hold. I was surprised when I was able to download the ebook within a week after it's release. I saw that there were six people waiting for my copy so I read it quickly since I knew I wouldn't have another chance anytime soon.

However, this new novel was so good and so interesting I had no problem reading it in a few days even though part of that time we were still in Philly with Katie and the kids. It was a great thought provoking science fiction story about time travel and the fascinating experiences of a group of people. 

This novel was written during the outbreak of Covid-19 and the theme of pandemics their effects on humanity over the centuries runs throughout the book. I've have recently read several books that have a pandemic as part of the plot but they were written before the current pandemic. This book was written while the author was in lockdown and I wonder how many novels we will be seeing that takes place during this pandemic either as the main driving plot or in the background as a new way of life. It also makes me wonder about the literature of the 1918-1920 pandemic. I don't recall it being a theme of novels written at the time. Since I've been lately doing the family history research I've been wondering about how my grandparents and great-grandparents dealt with their pandemic.

Station Eleven TV Series  

Station Eleven Novel

Spring Cold

We had a really wonderful time in Philadelphia visiting with family. The weather was great up until the last few days when winter seemed to return. Then those last four days were marred somewhat with me getting a spring cold.

I first felt a tickle in my throat on Friday. Then we went out and had a few beers which didn't help. Whatever bug that got my sick I had before we went out that night so it wasn't something I picked up in a bar or restaurant but the next day I knew I had a bad cold.

For the past two years we have been living in a pandemic bubble for most of the time. Becky and I had not been in crowds and most of the time we went out for dinner it would be at an outside patio or a spacious restaurant with access to open air. We have spent time with family both here in Buffalo and in Philadelphia, Glenville and Long Lake. Mostly it wasn't cold season. This time was different. We had some very warm weather in Philly that suddenly went cold. My immune system was probably not working as usual because of the lack of exposure over the past two years. I got sick.

Being around kids in daycare and school probably didn't help. I remember all the times I got sick from something brought home by the kids from their schools and daycare centers. Then later from both of us working on college campuses with students.

The worst part of getting sick this time was not being able to hold that little baby Violet. We had bonded so much over the first few days that it really hurt not to be able to hold her those last few days. I really missed that but it was important not to take chances with that little one.

Becky was great in going out and getting me cold medicine. It was not a very severe cold but annoying. Then we stayed an extra day because of the weather and not wanting to travel across New York State in a snowstorm. The next day was wonderful weather and we had a nice trip home although I was still sick with the spring cold.

It felt very good to lay down and sleep after we got home. I went to bed early and very tired from driving and not feeling well. I was taking medicine and trying to take care of myself. It was cold in Buffalo so I wasn't going outside. I just wanted to get over this illness. I'm still feeling it but slowly getting better.

We are looking forward to some warm weather here in a couple of days.

The Electric Minivan

I got my first ride in the front seat of Katie and Todd's electric minivan. I was in it a few days earlier but sat in the very back row with Katie and Violet where I didn't get to see much or experience some of the unique features of this vehicle other than the quiet ride. It was also very nice to fit everyone in the car at the same time. Katie, Todd, Henry, Clara, Violet, Becky and me.

Their old car which was a hand-me-down from Todd's mom was just too small for their growing family. They needed a car that could handle three children's car seats of various sizes. They also wanted an electric car. They had to go with a hybrid because the car companies were not making full electric only minivans yet. They went with a 2022 Chrysler Pacifica Plug-in Hybrid. 

They had to order the car from the manufacturer because of supply problems there weren't any vehicles available anywhere. They had to wait for their car to be built and the dealer kept them updated on the progress. They tried to get the car before the baby was due but Chrysler kept putting off the availability date. The baby came early and the car wasn't ready yet. We were there with them when the car shipped to Philadelphia and Todd was able to pick it up. They had planned to sell their old car themselves because the dealer would not give them a decent price for it but that was a whole other 2 am hit and run story told here.

They also had to get an electrician to run a line from their house across the yard to their parking pad where a post and charging station were installed. Todd had to dig a trench across the backyard where the electric line was buried and then cover it back up. A lot of work. 

Today I sat in the front seat with Kate when we went to pick up Henry from his school. She gave me a rundown on the features which were very cool. I was especially surprised to see the push button transmission. I hadn't seen one of those since Mart's Chrysler back in the early 1960's. I also liked all the safety bells and whistles and the way the car's system integrated with her phone.

The front seat was very comfortable. They drive around the city using electric power and the only time they use gas is on the highway. They have gone over two months on the same tank of gas. They will be driving to Buffalo in a few weeks and they will get a better idea of their gas mileage then.

Travel Plans

Yesterday was supposed to be our last day in Philadelphia. Our travel plans had us driving back to Buffalo this morning. Then yesterday we checked our weather apps and also saw the national news which was broadcasting travel warnings on the East Coast and particularly New York and Pennsylvania concerning a storm coming through the area on Monday night and all day Tuesday that would dump 3 to 6 inches of snow in it's path. That path included, according to my weather app, Scranton, Binghamton, Syracuse and Rochester. There would also be some snow in Buffalo but not as much. I posted the map from my phone weather app which shows the storm in the morning. As the day goes on it shifts west along our travel route and the Syracuse to Rochester to Buffalo thruway fills in with snow.

Needless to say we changed our travel plans and decided to drive back to Buffalo on Wednesday when it the forecast for our entire travel route is sunny and temperatures in the 50's. Big difference. 

We began this trip on April 7th when we drove to Sean and Ashley's house for Andrew's first birthday. We stayed there for four days and left for Philadelphia on the 11th for Easter Week. We then planned to leave for home after Easter but the Monday after Easter is one of the busiest travel days of the year and we really didn't want to drive for nearly eight hours at that time. So we made plans to drive back home on Tuesday and now we have changed those plans to go home on Wednesday. It really doesn't matter to us as we luckily are retired with no special reason to be in Buffalo any time other than when we want to be there. We had so much wonderful weather on the Philly part of our trip. It felt like summer. It's too bad that storm came along. It's been cold in Philly the past couple of days but nothing like what we would have seen in NY State and upper PA.

We will now have an extra day with our grandchildren and we will drive back home on a beautiful sunny spring day rather than the previous day of a cold wintery snow storm. 

Good Friday

It was Good Friday. We were always told growing up that you had to eat fish on Good Friday so I ordered Catfish Tacos. Well, nice thought but I wasn't thinking about Catholic traditions when I ate that fish. It was just a Friday night out having dinner and beers with my wife, my brother, my sister and her husband. At the dinner table I brought up the old family tradition of not talking during the three hours that Christ was dying on the cross. Yep, a three hour moment of silence when we were kids. I remember we were always trying new ways to break the silence.

Then I was in the church choir. Those three hours were then spent singing Gregorian chants and slow sad dirges in church. Then there was the Stations of the Cross. I sang for that too on Good Friday. Of course all of Holy Week was full of singing in church for me. It started on Palm Sunday and the mass on Holy Thursday. After the Good Friday services there were several hours of chanting on Holy Saturday. The highlight of the week was then the Easter Sunday high mass and services. None of this would have happened without the events of Good Friday.

Port Mahon

Fifty years ago in April 1972 I had a five day port visit to the Spanish Balearic Islands where we tied up to a pier at Port Mahon on the island of Menorca. We were there April 11 - 15. We were surprised at the time to have another port visit so soon after our recent week in Athens. 

Port Mahon was a very fascinating place that is steeped in history. It has one of the largest natural harbors in the world that had been conquered by many different empires over the centuries. It was an important navy base for the British Empire throughout the 18th Century and included a shipyard and Navy hospital. It has been part of Spain since 1802. 

During the 20th Century the island and particularly the city of Mahon has become a tourist destination especially for the British. I was very impressed and fascinated by the restaurants, pubs, shops and tourist attractions in the town that catered to the English people. There were many ruins of structures from this former British possession and military base.

We spent five days in Port Mahon. There were fantastic beaches and wonderful seaside cafes, restaurants and establishments. The beach and port areas were surrounded by the old town which stretched up into the hills and were filled with narrow streets and congested old buildings. We were surprised to find one area that had several British style pubs located along the winding street that was full of people and serving English beers with soccer on the televisions. They also had very English sounding pub names. We had a great time there.

There were many great restaurants and clubs along the waterfront that catered to the many tourists on the island and the cruise ships that were always coming and going. One of the most popular night clubs in the town was closed the day we arrived which was a Tuesday. When they realized a US Navy ship had just arrived in port with a crew of about 350 sailors they opened the club that night. We would be better off hanging out in the pubs.

During my time in the Navy I would visit two other Spanish islands with some fun and interesting ports including Ibiza and Palma on the island of Mallorca. 

Chestnut Hill Grill and Brewery

Two places. One night. We made arrangements to see Betsy and Joe for dinner. First they came down to Katie and Todd's house to see the grandchildren. Because of Covid this was actually the first time they had seen Violet. We hung around the house with the kids for a couple of hours and then decided to head up to Chestnut Hill for dinner.

I had talked with Dan and he wanted to meet us for dinner too. I made reservations at the Chestnut Hill Grill that's located in the Chestnut Hill Hotel. We've had dinner there several times in recent years and it is always good. Our dinner was for 5:30 pm. A little after 4 we got into our separate cars and drove up Germantown Avenue. We thought it would be easier for Betsy and Joe to drive home directly from the restaurant rather than taking us back or vice versa. It was hard getting a parking space in the lot but Betsy and Joe lucked out as someone was pulling out as they arrived. We parked around the corner on the street near the Water Tower Park.

We left Mt Airy a little after four because Joe wanted to first stop by the Chestnut Hill Brewery to see his nephew who recently took a job as a chef there. The Brewery is located next to the Hotel and is in a market area with several restaurants and shops. It is sort of like a little Reading Terminal Market with an enclosed patio eating area shared by all of the food places including the Brewery which has a good pizza and pub food business besides making beers. We have been to that market a few times with Katie and Todd but had never actually gone into the Chestnut Hill Brewery taproom which is in an adjacent building and has a very nice bar.

We sat at the bar in the taproom and hung out for awhile with Joe's nephew Dan who made us a snack with our beers. I had their new IPA that celebrates their five years in business brewing... Five Years of Beer IPA. They had a very nice selection of beers and a good menu too.

At about 5:25 we headed over to the Chestnut Hill Grill & Sidewalk Cafe. They seated us in a booth near the bar. Dan was sitting at the bar when we came in and immediately joined us in the booth We ordered another round of beers. I was surprised they had Flower Power IPA from Ithaca Brewery on tap and couldn't resist ordering one. It had been a while since I had a draft of this old favorite.

The dinner and the service was wonderful. Becky had a grilled chicken salad and I had catfish tacos. I also had a Big Wave Golden Ale draft from Kona Brewing. The five of us had a great time in our booth. Afterwards we had wanted to go back to the Brewery because Joe wanted to see his nephew again. We thought we would have one more before heading home. It was around 7 pm but the taproom was overflowing crowded as was all of the outdoor seating in the area too. It certainly did look like the Friday

night on a holiday weekend that it was. People were everywhere. We tried a couple of nearby places but then headed back to the Chestnut Hill Grill where three of us got a seat at the bar. Me and Dan were standing but that was OK. That place soon filled up too. We had one beer, mine was a Blood Money IPA from Conshohocken Brewing, and then we went home. Betsy and Joe drove back to Palm, PA and Dan walked down to another bar. Me and Becky went back to Katie's house where we had soda waters before going to bed early. It was a long but not late night.

Stella Getting Comfortable

Staying at Katie and Todd's house always give us a chance to hang out with their dog Stella. She is a wonderful little thing and we both enjoy taking her for walks in the Mt. Airy neighborhood. She especially loves walking down Germantown Avenue where she will stop and inspect every tree, pole, and vertical object along the route. She always gets lots of comments from people we pass by.

In a few weeks they will all be visiting us in Buffalo and staying at our home for a few days. Stella loves our house too and feels very much at home. She also loves going on walks around our Parkside neighborhood and will strongly insist on heading towards Delaware Park where she loves walking alongside the zoo. I'll never forget the time she barked lustily at a rhino off in the distance as we walked by the zoo along Parkside Avenue. That was a hoot. 

Whenever we are around her she insist that Becky and I should each give her a mealtime scoop of her food even after she has been fed by Katie or Todd. She loves her meals and treats. She is also very good with the children.

The Parkway and the Splash Pad

It was a beautiful April spring day in downtown Philadelphia and we were enjoying the sun as we left the science museum and walked across the street to the Logan Square fountain. We walked further down along the Parkway which was full of people and headed over to the splash pad in Sister Cities Park across the street from the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul. I haven't been in that church in well over fifty years. I thought about taking a peek but it was closing as I pondered going over there.

Henry and Clara played in the splash pad and got wet while we sat and watched them. Violet was enjoying herself looking around and also discovered her feet which kept her busy for awhile. The kids played for about an hour and then we headed through the park and over to the car. Fortunately there were some clothes for the kids to change out of their wet clothes and into something dry. I was very impressed with the park and the little restaurant there.

Todd was fortunate to find a close parking space just outside the park on Vine street just off the square. He knew about that potential parking area and had parked there before on other occasions. 

We went back up the Parkway to Kelly Drive and on to Lincoln Drive up to Mt Airy. It was a very pleasant day between the museum and the park.