It's not the leaving of Oaxaca that grieving me but that I must leave my true love behind. With my hands in my pockets and my coat collar high I will travel unnoticed and unknown. So...here I am in Snottsdale, running around to Doctor appointments and reassuring myself that I am in good health. Today I leave here for there...Buffalo, Rochester, Albany, Coxsackie, Batavia, and last but not least...ATTICA, my hometown.
It is now November 29th so I will try and piece together my Buffalo trip and what's happening in Snobsdale as I have 2 week before I am back in my beloved Oaxaca.
I had a direct Southwest flight to Buffalo, picked up my rental Prius and drove to Rochester to stay at Helen's home in the Park Ave area I used to live in. I arrived but no answer and I got panicky thinking she was not home. Packages were on the porch and not taken in the house. I called her and got no response. It was getting dark so I went to the neighbors where I had been before to a beer tasting...yes beer...this is Western N.Y. They greeted me with concern and tried to call also. Then she magically appeared at her front door from a slumbered sleep.
She had prepared a Hungarian dish that was similar to a goulash but with chicken and very delicious spices that gave it a unique and wonderful flavor.
We chatted a bit about the trip we would take the next day when I was to drive her to Albany to visit her daughter and I to Coxsackie to visit my Cousins Barbara and Helen, then retired early.
I woke to a Van Gogh breakfast. She saw the traveling exhibit that was in Phoenix but I hadn't. As a hobby painter she was getting very good at it and had some of her paintings framed and up in Helen's Gallery. Her new "puppy" dog shared my enthusiasm.
We departed in my rented Prius. Once I got on the Thruway and set the speed control , all I had to do was steer. The Prius would slow if I tailgated, speed up if I put on the directional to pass and maintain the speed the whole trip. Quite nice.
We arrived at her daughter's home and I got a brief tour and an invite to return an hour early for a brunch and to meet her daughter. I had just met the husband and knew her grandchild who I met in Oaxaca. Her granddaughter was an accomplished traveler also, thanks to Helen's tutoring.
I arrived in Coxsackie in time for David's , my cousin's husband, Roast Pork dinner. Barbara, her sister showed up and we all had a wonderful dinner. I was tired from driving and retired early .
David showed me the barn where he practiced basketball before the floorboard gave way and ended that. We had a nice day and Barbara took me to the village for breakfast at my favorite Coxsacki Deli.
We took a brief tour on the way home where one of the dogs greeted us.
I always enjoy my visits to see my cousins and their family. It was cold and rainy on this visit so we cozied up and watched Jeopardy. We went out to dinner the last night at "Max's". It had changed hands since my last visit but still kept up the standards. A fitting farewell until the next time.
Aunt Charlotte Helen and Barbara
Helen's First Communion
My Father Bernard Nelson Taylor and his sister Charlotte Taylor Brumell
Me and Helen
I returned to Albany for my brunch date with Helen and her daughter, Alice's family. Nice tour of a 1957 Retro home with original furniture and a remodeled basement for their daughter.
We had a wonderful lunch with Quiche that her daughter made from Scratch...they headed down the pike for Rochester.
Some of the Fall season on the way back.
...and the Streets and homes of Park Ave in Rochester, N.Y.
Where I had a Basement Apartment in 196?
We had dinner at the Park Avenue Grill
Yes Provimi Veal Liver and Onions...with Absinthe and Chocolate Cake at Roux
Breakfast at Jine's then off to the Red Roof Inn, Batavia N.Y.
I unpacked upon arrival and after playing on the computer, headed over to Alex's for Fryday Fish Fry.
It was raining when I came out...typical...it has been raining on off since I arrived.
The next day I was off to meet with my daughter's family for our photo session and dinner after. This was the biggy...with everyone except Roman there..he was back in Phoenix enjoying the weather. We did have Sun but very cold for me.
Dinner was trying for the waitress but we had a great time.
She knows how to get her picture taken....
...and so does her sister.😃
We left full and I drove back to Batavia in time to catch the Canadian Geese on the way to Arizona.
Jennifer and her daughter Latisha picked me up for Breakfast at the Miss Batavia diner and then to Buffalo for an afternoon Movie...the Adams Family..it was OK but I did fall asleep for a bit.
A Buffalo in the Movie's Lobby...he's got his "eye" on me.
Monday, Jennifer came to Batavia to pick me up and we went to Attica to visit the family grave, then have lunch at the downtown Prospector Restaurant located in the old Citizens bank where I opened my first bank account.
That evening we met at Tully's Restaurant for our last dinner and goodbyes until the next time we get together.
I returned to Batavia and got a good nights rest. I had breakfast at the Red Roof
then I met Bob and Harriet my friends for over 50 years. Bob and I were drafted in May of '66 , went to Basic Training at Ft Dix then ended up stationed in Ft Stewart Georgia where we cooked for our Company in the same Battalion that we later went with to Bien Hoa Vietnam for our 2nd year of service. I got sent to Saigon my second month to work for the Deputy Commander of the MACV forces in Vietnam at his home in a Villa near the Presidential Palace. I did that until he took over at the Commander of all Military Assistance forces in Vietnam when General Westmorland departed to take command as the Head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Washington. General Abrams was to move to Tan Son Nhut airbase for security reasons and I requested to stay on in the Villa to run the house for three other Generals,and a Colonel. General Abrams granted me permission and I stayed on at the Villa until our turn came to move into a BOQ near the Airbase. Bob Emmons, my cook, and friend managed to make it in to Saigon and stay over at the Villa while I still worked for General Abrams. After we got out of the service we met again in Western NY where I became a Chef at Alfred State College across from Alfred U , the school I flunked out of. I was married with 2 children and lived close to Bob so would visit him in Houghton where his parents ran the Food Service at Houghton College. Bob later went to cook in Brattleboro Vt where his sister worked. I was divorced then and stayed a week before returning to Rochester to pick up where I left off before being drafted. Bob and I continued to stay friends. He married Harriet about that time and they went to Alfred Maine and bought a farm they tried to make work but finally turned to selling Cookware for Revere and did well. They moved to Hanover Mass. I had left Rochester after 2 years and headed for Boston and was living in Plymouth Mass when Bob and Harriet sold my new wife Peggy and I a set of Cookware. One pot I still have and just burned my Oatmeal in it while doing this blog.
Bob's first reaction when he saw me...Is that you David?
Just kiddin...caught him off guard.
Harriet his lovely wife...they live near Wellsville now in the same area of Western NY where I went to college. We had a wonderful visit!
The next morning I returned to Snobsdale and warm weather!
As an only child I wanted to be heard, acknowledged, looked up to, popular, etc etc. So all my life I preached the gospel of David and missed out on the gospel of others.
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