Dear Robins,
I love reading about you all. I am sitting in my kitchen in the quiet morning, catching my breath in the midst of much work, so I will encapsulate as much as possible before I drive to NYC.
First, a request from Mom. She doesn't blog, and yet would love to keep up on family news. A genealogist, she would like to hear from everyone (possibly you could copy your blog to an email to her? angiejoa@charter.net?) especially about family dates, marriages, births, etc. (Tyler, the new baby, and I share the Dec. 9th birthday. Whose grandchild is he?)
Jeff and I went last month to visit Ed and Nancy in Orono, ME. We did some of the tourist things they love to do, Walking around Jordan Pond and Cadillac Mtn. (I think that was its name.) We also swam in the river and had a meal in their neighbors' house overlooking the river. We walked around the Orono Bog, where Nancy volunteers as a docent, and I took her waterjogging classes with her. I have always felt close to them, and this visit felt auspicious, with Ed the younger now become the elder.
We moved up here to Mount Tremper full time two years ago. Earlier this year, we finished the renovation that transformed this house and other buildings into a full time working place for both of us. We remodelled the studio so it is both my office and a complete house for guests when they come. Our son, Henry and Natalie, his wife, went back to LA after a two week visit, and it was lovely to have the luxury of space. Know there is a place here should you decide to come to upstate NY.
In that, there are also numerous hotels nearby, some within walking distance. Should the family ever decide you want to take a reunion, maybe over Columbus Day weekend, to come here and see leaves, beautiful vistas, and waterfalls, mi casa es su casa. How about Oct. 2009 for the next family reunion? This property sits between the mountain behind us, owned by the nature- preserving Zen Mountain Monastery, and the woods in front of the property through which the Little Beaverkill creek runs. It becomes a roaring river this time of year with the heavy rains. We have had some drought conditions in the last month or so, but generally, this area is as moist as Portland, OR. We have a big yard, with lots of camping space should you want to bypass the hotel route.
Lately, I have been making my living up here. That's a complete surprise to me, since most of my work as actor has come from cities in the past. Jeff and I have done numerous photographer/writer jobs for magazines. The latest is for one called CR, a publication of the American Association of Cancer Research. That article just came out this month. As a performer, I am singing in two restaurants Fridays and Saturdays, jazz mostly, with a pianist/accompanist. In a week, I start rehearsals with a union theatre, Stageworks Hudson, in Hudson, NY, to perform in Nov/Dec. at the Proctor Theatre in Schenectady. Also, I have been teaching acting workshops to the local Shandaken Theatrical Society. The last of those ends this Saturday. Next year, I will take my pension from Screen Actors Guild.
My volunteering will once again be centered around Master Gardeners. I did that training in LA when we lived there, but this is a completely different ecosystem, of course, and I am delighted to get a second chance at the training that is provided through that program. It is so much information that it's hard to absorb it all. I am also studying piano again, and taking hand drum lessons.
Jeff is out in southern CA now, photographing the aftermath of the fires for California magazine. He hasn't been traveling to work much alone since his chemo almost three years ago. His phone conversations are heartening. Not only has he learned how to take the work at his own pace, but he makes connections now with the people he photographs in ways he never felt the time to do before.
The Joan and Fletcher clan has had a rocky year. We just passed the anniversary of my brother John's death, a particularly hard moment for my mother, Joan. There are still some things to be removed from his house before it can be sold in Jonesboro, GA. Mom and Angela have worked constantly all year in John's house, sorting through, giving things away, organizing. Angela left her job in Washington to do this and has only recently started another job. This summer, Mom had an abdominal operation which she weathered quite well. That was followed by a quick operation Harry, my brother, had to put in a pacemaker. Mom has spent some time here, Jeff and I went there during and after the operation to be of help to her. My brother Jim, and Harry have made numerous trips to aid in the sorting process. I have made a few too, but my siblings have literally carried most of the weight of the moving of John's possessions.
Angela's sons, Lani and Andrew, and their families are coming with Mom, Angela and Karen, Angela's mate, to the NYC Marathon next week. I will get to go see them next Sunday, a day between my jobs. Lani and Andrew are running.
I do still go to the city from time to time. We no longer have an apt there, but many friends have given us their keys, so it doesn't always have to be driving down and back in the same day. We live about 2 1/2 hours north driving, but there is also a bus that comes almost to our door that takes 3 hours.
Our first frost will come tonight, so I must finish bringing in the plants before I drive to the city today for a play opening a friend of mine wrote. One day I will figure out how to post pictures here.
Love to you all.
Marnie
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