Past the Apple Orchard

Drove my daughter to school this morning.  I went into the closet and pulled out a buck-fifty as we don’t yet have the Ezpass in the window of this new SUV.  I suggested we split tunes for half the ride but her phone wasn’t yet synced to our car.  “Stop!  Stop the car.”  We needed to stop because the Bluetooth won’t let you sync a new phone to the car while the vehicle is moving.  Soon we had the new Jay Hope song on, “Chicken Noodle Soup with a Soda on the Side.”  Impulsively, I’d suggested we switch at the toll both and she, who knows the ride far better than I at this hour, readily agreed.  That would be two thirds to my one third, I suggested, once I'd realized what I'd agreed to. 

I reached over and twisted the dial forever and ever on the way back, trying to get something palatable to listen to.  There was a vaguely interesting, old Herman’s Hermits song I didn’t recognize but that was atmospheric.  Going over the bridge the oldies DJ came on after the end of the song and held me longer than was healthy. I kept expecting him to play something new.  That's what I wanted. But didn't stop talking about a wine cruise on the Hudson, the last of the season and I was well into Ulster County before I realized I had no interest listen to this.  His next song was not coming any time soon.

A nice visit with my step mom and my dad.  She had a book to share with me, from her old professor, which I’ll dig into.  My dad and I laughed.  That’s a healthy tradition amidst all the other stuff we chat about.  On the way back I settled for the classical station, WQXR.  This DJ announced that the next song was, in the opinion of one composer, whose name I don’t readily recall, was the beginning of “modern music.”  A Prelude to an Afternoon With a Faun.”  I hadn’t heard it in years and the opening flute sounded some hypnotic.  I turned it up all the way as if it were something anthemic by The Who. 

Got the Mrs. to join me for a bike ride finally.  I don’t think she’d been down past the apple orchard on the rail trail and we sped past and before long were in range of Gardiner.  They have a nice café I’d been to once before, Café Mio, and I talked my wife into pedaling the extra mile so we might have an early lunch.  We joked at how we felt like retirees.  But later, after we pedaled home, I got one and then another proposal off, as I’d always intended to, for I certainly have yet to retire. 

Friday 10/04/19