Summer Holiday

Well, everyone, I'm off on vacation (or on holiday as they call it on the other side of the pond) for the next week at my family's summer home on beautiful Lake Winnisquam in New Hampshire, so I won't be blogging and will have very limited access to e-mail (a dial-up connection which is painfully slow). I will, however, be disrupting the normally peaceful lake with some waterskiing and my personal watercraft (assuming the weather cooperates fully), not to mention enjoying fresh air that is not generally considered one of the benefits of living in New York City. I'm thrilled because there is even a Starbucks there now which wasn't there the last time I was up there, so I can get my morning caffeine fix ... just not until 11:00 AM when I actually get up! I will likely also take advantage of New Hampshire's complete lack of a sales tax to buy some things at the giant outlet center which is conveniently located less than a mile away. The evenings will afford me a cocktail (using New Hampshires famed, state-owned discount liquor stores) mixed with Ocean Spray Diet Cranberry juice "drink" (the real stuff is loaded with high-fructose corn syrup, regular fructose, added sugar and other supposedly "healthy" ingredients that schools are now fighting to replace soda machines with ... but I digress), which I just discovered is now available in full-sized bottles!

In case anyone is wondering, my cat Phyllis is going, too. I just took her to the groomer for her summer coiffeur. Because she's a long-haired cat, hot summers can be quite unbearable in the city, so I typically have her clipped with a lion-style haircut, which I think she appreciates immensely since she is so patient and well-behaved for the groomer. The only issue is that she acts up if I am in the room when she is getting her hair done, so I find it easier to leave her with her groomer, Jackie, and then return about 45 minutes later. She usually comes out with a new hairstyle and smelling like Clairol Herbal Essence, her nails having been clipped and wearing a cute little bandanna around her collar.


Unlike many cats, Phyllis is actually a very good and well-seasoned traveler. I started training her when she was just a kitten living in Sunnyvale, California by taking her to the carwash or in the car to my local Safeway just so she wasn't traumatized by riding in the car. She's flown in an airplane cross-country before when I relocated to Philadelphia. At that time, Phyllis was pretty prepared and often rode in the car with me when I drove to my parents' house in Connecticut for holidays. She has been to the family summer cottage at least half dozen times or so, and has become accustomed to sitting in the window, upstairs overlooking the lake, which she enjoys immensely. Not only do cool, lake breezes keep her comfortable, but she also enjoys a terrific view of everything going on down below, not to mention a few squirrels, chipmunks, and birds that tempt her!

While you probably won't even notice I'm gone, if you'd like to get an idea of the beautiful lakeview Phyllis will be enjoying from my bedroom, there are some arial photos here. There's also a webcam located at a marina just a short distance around the bend, and although it wasn't working as of this posting, its usually only a temporary situation, so you may actually get some live-action pictures when its up and running again. Enjoy these ... I know I'll be enjoying the real thing next week!

Regards,
Scott