Three Amigas

OH WHAT A DAY. A glorious, fun, sensual, loving, adventurous, hedinous day.

Carol and I started the day with lunch at G's. We had such interesting conversation that the two women next to us stopped theirs and evesdropped the entire time. We talked about passion, about being middle aged but not middle of the road (!!!), what we want out of life and men, and the piece-de-resistance of the conversation was about food and sex. I of course, was totally involved in the conversation and had no idea anyone else had the slightest interest in what we were saying.

Fueled by our conversations, we met Fran and then headed north. We were set on terrorizing at least three counties.

We hit Olana first, the house of Hudson River Painter Frederick Church. It was a beautiful, crisp, cold day in the Catskill Mountains. We hiked up to the house from the lot, the trails of deer, snowshoes, and sledders dotting the landscape. The sky was a brilliant blue, the colors of Church's Italian/Moorish house brilliant in contrast against the sky. I took many photos which will be peppered in my blogs over the next week or so, and basked in the sunshine, the view of the Hudson River and the valley from our vista. The house was not open, so I knew I would be back again in the spring. It is a place of magic.

We hit Tivoli and tried to find a bar to have a glass of wine. We went all through town, from Santa Fe, to Madeline's and even to the Black Swan, but no one was open till 5 PM. I even knocked on Madeline's window as I saw them setting the tables. "Is the bar open" I queeried with a sad look upon my face? An equally sad nod told me to move on to another county - to Rhinebeck.

In Rhinebeck there were people. Terrapin was open for wine, gimlets and exotic calimari and such. After Terrapin - my house for snacks and more, then to Rosendale for movies. We saw Venus. WOW. What a strange, inspiring, sad, and comic movie, with an amazing performance by Peter O'Toole. A poignant commentary on ageing, purpose, love, and death. O'Toole makes perhaps his grand finale and examines his own mortality in this film and his last foray with lust and love, which transcends all ages, and makes us look hard at things which makes us uncomfortable.

I sit here, close my eyes for a moment, and am grateful for friends. The tears and laughter,the adventure and the support. Today I was blessed with the earth, sky, and the friendship of two very good friends.

And God, she said it was good.
patti

(photograph of Olana)