Choo Choo to Western Mass.

Tuesday, September 10th, 2013

Hi,

I am in Monterey, Mass.... a stone's throw from Great Barrington in the Berkshire Mountains. 20 minutes from both the Connecticut and New York state borders. There is a darling GENERAL STORE here in Monterey, with divine home made goodies and the look, smell and feel of a wooden store from the 50's. Nostaglic and handy dandy.

The air is cool, almost COLD for this Floridian gal. Took Amtrak train from South Boston on the LAKE TRAIN which continues to Chicago overnight. It was like an old time experience, with the conductor paying attention to your requests and needs. They sell blow up pillows and a blanket for the overnight journey for $8.00.... for those who do not book an actual bed on board. They were friendly and solicitous which makes for a cruise on land kind of experience (albeit, no water and no free food included) It took almost 4 hours via rail to arrive in Pitsfield, MA.... where a car would have taken half that time. It only made 4 stops, but was a leisurely way to travel, sleeping most of the way and reading long ignored PEOPLE magazine.

Watched the hiney picking NADAL and Djokovic last evening in a most exciting US OPEn tennis final. Didn't watch the end, as my kids preferred watching The Next Top Drag Queen on television.
The judges were Pamela Anderson and Jennifer Tilly among others! Television has certainly changed since SKY KING and Penny.

I had a tooth fall out from chomping on a Haribo GUMMY BEAR! Really? So, I might be in persuit of a dentist today. It is great being with my two babies - no longer babies, but forever in my heart: babies of mine. It has been far too long since I had both of them together. I knew it would be this way- as they grew and have lives of their own, but always seized the opportunity to have them close for as long as I could in ITALY for the summers.

It has just started to rain buckets outside. Dreary. Perhaps it will inspire an early morning nap.

Hope yours is a wonderful Tuesday. It is election day in NYC for mayoral race.  I am a New Yorker, but I must say that it is a strange list of candidates who are vying for that position.

Smiles,
Judy