Snowy Day

 

I'm sitting at the bookstore in Saugerties NY trying to write and finish up this blog post before they close.  Just arrived at the upstate apartment which I haven't been to in awhile, turned up the heat, then came across the street here to write.

Snowy days up here in the Catskills are not as common as they used to be - not that I've been here forever, but the last few years have been warmer and less snowy than a few that I remember.  It's best illustrated by comparing a snowy winter - when the frequent storms leave 4"-6" storms labeled as just a dusting by February, in contrast with the snowless winters whichs leaves a trail of preemptory terror and hysterics with even a mention of snow.  I like snow.

I like the wintry nights like last nights when it snowed all night long and the windows on the older part of my home were rattling and noisy and the furnace had to keep running.  Back when we had a lot of homes going on in Sullivan County, my good friend and employee Juan and I would travel around in my old dump truck/snowplow truck, from driveway to driveway, plowing them out, shoveling the steps.  Sometimes I'd have my dog Bella along, sometimes we'd stop at the Carriage House for a beer when we nearly done.  Juan moved back to Guatemala, Bella was hit by a car a few yrs later and the Carriage House was long ago replaced on my beer stop joints by Bakers Tap Room.  I've also replaced my old dump truck with a brand new one a few years ago, and that baby is a real treat to plow with - one of those fancy plows with the blade split in two and each section can do all sorts of fancy maneuvers, maneuvers I've heard about but never really mastered.  I was famous for knocking over stone walls, getting stuck, scratching cars, and most annoyingly, getting stuck.

Just yesterday I had to run back to Bakers Tap Room to pick up my gifts, cards and assorted liquors that I had left there after my party last Friday.  For me, the party was a blast - sort of a combination of Jimmy Buffet's Margravitaville, Billy Joel's Big Shot and Joe Walsh's Life's Been Good.  Let's just say I'm glad I own the company because the last thing I remember was being on stage with Jay singing Last Christmas by Wham!, forcing a multiple refrain of the chorus - 

Last Christmas I gave you my heartBut the very next day you gave it away(You gave it away)This year to save me from tearsI'll give it to someone special


Jeanne and Deb, the famous Cottage 14 owners, were saddled up at the bar at Bakers when I got there last night.

The party was a lot of fun and was well-attended by most of our venders.  I don't know, maybe 70 people - sure, maybe I did say if I don't see you there I might not see you next year, but hey, what's the fun in being the Owner if you can't throw your weight around.

I think the folks from Village Green Coldwell Banker up in Woodstock got the 'longest trip' award, but there were a lot of close seconds - Grahamsville, Callicoon, Goshen, Middletown, etc...  I tend to get a little excited about my once a year party, and this year was no exception, where once again a lack of pictures is a testament to the diversions available at the party - this year, memorably, being Wild Turkey and Jameson shots.  Literally my stomach hurt for 3 days and I think I booted on my nice shoes at some point - at least that's what it looked like, I haven't investigated too far into it just yet to offer a final determination.  I do remember being all gushy and complementary and I'd just like to right now take about half of that back so we have something to work towards.

Now that we finished Farm 21/aka Craftsman 2, Farm 19, Cottage 39, and Barn VI, we are busy and focused in on the Glasco Cottage in Woodstock, and Farm 20 in Barryville.  I was over at Farm 20 this morning just after the snowstorm creating an end-of-job game plan.  Looking real good in all the seasons.

So 8" of snow, a late start to the morning, and a quiet week between the Christmas holiday and New Years.  Gotta finish some up and get some new ones started.