Summer seems a jumble. A torn up bathroom is now back together and looking much like it belongs in this century rather than the 60-70s, I even had the opportunity to strip the wallpaper off while it was cleared out and just have to get the last of the glue off and patch and paint. Sound simple and easy, but it is not. The easy stuff is off and what is left at the hard to reach places or where the sheetrock paper came off with the paper. I absolutely hate dealing with wallpaper paste [the paper itself comes off easy] and unfortunately the previous owners of this house absolutely loved wallpaper and were heavy on the paper and paste, making just about any room a chore to redo.

The family room wood floor is in though the moldings and lack of moldings and a rug have the furniture floating in still temporary positions and it echos a bit. 

We had an unusual circumstance of most of the family being off on last Monday so, with lots of maneuvering I also took it off and we spent the day in New York City. It's about a 3 hour jaunt from where we are, and about 90 minutes to the station. We didn't have allot planned, we ended up visiting the UN and walking around that area of the city and then getting some really good Turkish food neat the Turkish UN mission. It was just a day trip and it was good to get out as a family.

So as the people from NYC come to the Berkshires for vacation, we head in their direction-if only for the day.  My oldest is also working on getting an internship in NYC so it also gave a little chance to be come more familiar and comfortable moving around the city.

It is full tourist season here, though from my limited perspective and from my kids, who work in restaurants, it is on the slow side.  The heat slowed things down, now it seems the clouds are doing the same. I don't venture out to the Tanglewood side of town except on weekends so for all I know it could be totally packed.

Vacation for me is still a few weeks away though I may get a day or so here and there. With everyone at home working and me not wanting to get in the way of the workers, the motivation hasn't been there and then there is the navigating around the vacation schedule of people at work who have structured things going on. That week or so I am off will be to lead up to the kids all going off to school and the parents heading into major depression and idleness. Not looking forward to that. As the kids were away for the week earlier in the summer the quiet around the house was not fun. So, I will have to screen posts that come out at that time, or may just keep the very generic and benign.

I have been off work for a few days and just catching up on things. Several hours spend on just clearing out piles of accumulated mail and papers. Wednesday was the Independence Day 5k which I ran along with 1200 others and finished in the top half. Not my best time but there were no walking breaks and the humidity was thick. The afternoon featured a more or less impromptu neighborhood get together planned by  neighbors the day before who  said they were pulling out their grill and table to the island that runs up the middle of our street and everyone was invited to bring something to share.  It was fun to actually get to visit with people I have just waved to driving up and down the street. About a dozen or so neighbors showed up and some passed on their regrets as they headed out to the James Taylor concert at Tanglewood that night.

I also got a few hour one afternoon in the kayak going down the river. The sun was fine and the rain and thunder just rattled in the distance

I got in a few morning runs and this afternoon got a massage at Kripalu, which is always pretty chill.

Fortunately I was just leaving as the weekend guests were arriving in packs, getting to my car to discover a flat tire, but a maintenance guy was on his way home and assisted with a couple of the lug nuts that just wouldn't budge. Trying to step on a lug wrench in sandals [me] just does match being able to pound it with boots. [him]. So I guess the karma of the place was with me as I was shortly on my way with the temporary boot.

It is very crowded around town, symphony and theater season has started.  The usual array of tourists walking around almost oblivious that there are people trying to do their every day routine. The average age in town also has markedly risen a few decades, at least with the snowbirds all being back.

It is muggy today. I started off getting ready to bake a birthday cake only to discover we we missing cornmeal that is called for in the recipe. I had seen a box in the cupboard but to my surprise it was actually grits.Not an good substitute.  So, wanting a run I grabbed my mini pack, shirt and a towel and donned the sneakers and ran into town. Of course, arriving sweaty the towel was useful before I tossed on the shirt to get my ingredients, then back on the road for the mile and a half back  After the cake came out it was back to the tire place to get the flat fixed. To no surprise it was a nail. Not all that unexpected since we have carpenters working off half the garage. Hopefully this will be the last. Tonight we are going to venture out to one of the restaurants the kids work at. One works at the Red Lion in Stockbridge and we have been there many times over the years and most recently showed up on his watch for a post high school celebratory lunch.  Tonight is Spice Dragon, which has received good reviews from the youngest especially for their spring rolls.