TRANSITIONS, TRANSITIONS, TRANSITIONS!!!

'SOMETHING OF "THE FIDDLER ON THE ROOF" HERE', do I hear you remarking?

With almost three months since the last posting to this Blog, it might seem that there has not been much 'life according to Roberto' and that, in some respects, is almost the case.

I came back from Oz  to Winter in Corning. I have learned that one cannot appreciate the force and the joy of Spring without first endured at least something of Winter.  So...a calculated move on my part.  However, the Winter here turned out to be longer and colder than expected (as my heating bills testify).  Eventually, Spring has turned up although, as of this writing, those who live in the Mid-West seem still to be waiting for warmer weather and must be wondering if ever it will come.

Forbidden by the cold outside, I turned to the 'modest kitchen remodel', which story I have told in another blog.  This turned out to be quite demanding and became a very large part of my life; life according to Roberto became very much rising to the demands of that project.  Much of the work was done down in the Potting/Sun Room, or in the adjoining Laundry/Workshop.  With the approach of Spring it was touch and go that I would finish that work in time to begin 'garden work'.  It all worked out, the kitchen work is done and the potting work is well under way.  I will even have some offerings for the Garden Club's Mothers' Day Plant Sale!

Some of life continued as before.  Visits to the Gym, Sunday Eucharist at Christ Church, coffee at the Soul Full Cup or Heavenly Cup.  I bought some new Cross Country skis (most of my ski stuff is at my daughter's in Colorado) and even found some skiing over near Ithaca and would have done more had it not been for the demands of the 'modest remodel', and that it was a bit late in the season and 'good snow' has been scarce, despite the prolonged cold.

Now Spring really is here and the transition has been to garden work.  Four compact ( I think Arctic Firs) tees have been transplanted from their unsuitable original placement in front of the house to near the sidewalk, beginning my assault of the endless lawn and the first move to create a miniature forest about the house or, if you like, to make the house more part of a natural environment. 

Here you can see the first efforts.  I will tell more of the garden story in another blog, of course. For a bigger picture, just click on the images at the left.

I am now replugged into Netflix and Amazon streaming video and have buried myself in various science documentaries and TED talks since my return home.  I suppose that this is what TV might have become but, since I am not connected to any form of TV, what matters?  I do love what the Internet can provide by way of education and learning and am planning to take one course on energy use via Coursera.

I do admit to being slack in relation to French and Italian.  Amazing how Winter affects motivation!  However I feel the stirrings to return to this study, especially in regard to French, as I have in mind some cycling around Quebec, during Summer, where few folk speak English.  On the other hand, I have had some exciting reading in neurology, food, and religion, some of which I will relate in a future posting.

And...I have been back to cycling, so I am truly 'on the road again'!  Until next posting:   Here's to Life.