Ahh.. back home after three days in Albany with Gabe. He was down there for summer league Lacrosse.. The games were ok.. but as always for me.. hanging out with him. his friends and their folks was what makes it.  Like last night.. Gabe and his friends Marcello, David, and Jack and their moms and I went to downtown Albany to a really great Mexican restaurant (el Mariachi.. really, good mole .. and it was vegetarian !)

Afterwords, Elizabeth took us on a tour of the Albany state building complex.. if oyu haven’t seen it, you should.. It’s the weirdest and coolest mix of Disneyland meets Stalinist meets 1950’s retro modern architecture I’ve ever seen. it’s this huge plaza with giant reflecting pools, about 6 very tall buildings, a fairytale castle,  a giant egg, a bunch of sculptures.. and .. most notibly.. not a single other person.. We had the huge complex to ourselves.. which was fun and spooky.

thispicture is sort of a mistake.. but .. it looks like the building has legs.. like Baba Yaga.. (know that story ?)

This mornign we got up early and checked out of the hotel.. My high school friend Aida came to meet us at the hotel.. We were nerd friends in high school back in the 70’s.. and we haven’t seen each other since 1977. I tracked her down her a few months ago when friend Sandy told me she’d heard Aida was living in southern VT> I tried contacting her down only to find thtthat a she and her family had moved to Albany.

 

Aidia and her daughter Nawal and I went to breakfast while Gabe caught a ride with Davidd over to the Lax fiend.

It was so great catchig up wiht Aida.. we were swapping life stories.. but only made it up to about 1986. I do know that she’s an opthomoologist. Nawal just graduated from Smith and is studying education and Aidas partner Ramina is an artist doign really cool thing with plants and light.

We agreed to contine the conversation next time I’m in Albany.. It will be good to hear the next two decades of each others lives..

Aida and Nawal drove me back to the firlds.. and I quickly found our gang.

 

It was anothe rreally hot day out there .. T

 

he boys did well. both teams won their last games.. Gabe had soem really excelelnt plays.. I love watching him run..

this was the last  official event of the summer season.. so the coach gave them a pep tlak ad sent us all on our way home ..

 

we stopped for lunch.. which was long enough for me to document abes any bruises adnd scrapes from the game.

the ride home was easy.. and blissfully cool. Thank goodness for airconditioning !

Around Addison we swithched on the last part of the FiFA world cup soccor match.. US vs Japan.. It was riviting.. .. here we are right after the US gave up its 1 nothing lead with only 7 min left to play.. arghh..

we got home in toime to watch the conclusion.. the game was still tied after overtime.. and it went to penalty kikcs.. and …
japan won..!.. The cool thing is that everyone.. including the american team was at least happy that Japan could really use the boost after the terrible tsunami.As much as I was disappointed for the US, .i was really happy for Japan.

 

The day ended with us trying to make a dent in the nearly 50 (yes 50) pints of ben and herry’s that are filling our freezer..

please come help us eat it ..!

 

ok.. gotta sleep now.. more tomorrow..

 

night all, nite sam

-me