It’s raining again this morning, but I won’t complain. Yesterday’s rain was less than expected but areas closer to the coast were flooding, including New York City. The film I watched of the flooding in Manhattan and Brooklyn was shocking. I remember this happening a couple of years ago, not long after I’d been living temporarily in Brooklyn. Some of the film showed an area relatively close to where I was living in Park Slope, near the Gowanus Canal. Not that flooding like this hasn’t happened before, but it seems to be happening more frequently. Subways flooded, streets flooded, basements flooded – many apartments are in basements. It’s dangerous. I haven’t checked on the weather in NYC this morning, but I hope the amount of water has receded.
We did have flood watches up here and I’m sure our rivers are way too high at the moment, but all is well.
Our repair work on the refrigerator seems to have done the trick. No water leaking! Every time I walk by, I stop to open the door and check the refrigerator ‘status’ but so far, so good. Hey, I think we did it! Thank heavens for YouTube, which has the provided many answers and how-tos over the years.
A stack of books from the library. Unfortunately, the large print Lisa Jewell smells of cigarette smoke, so we’ll have to see whether I’m willing to deal with that. Probably not. I’m reading The Secret Hours at the moment and I’m more than halfway through. Excellent, excellent.
Late in the afternoon yesterday, I checked TCM’s schedule and saw that Cinema Paradiso was the prime-time offering. I was thrilled and couldn’t wait to tell Don. We love, love, love that movie. I have Don to thank for introducing me to it many years ago. It certainly is in my top five best movies ever. If you haven’t seen it, you should. It’s a love letter to the magic of the cinema. It’s an Italian movie, and it takes place in Sicily. The cast is brilliant, especially the young actor who plays the main character, Toto, as a young boy. I’ve never seen a better performance from a child. But every performance is spot on, the score by Ennio Morricone is unbelievably beautiful – it’s a treasure. And it is beautifully directed. We cried at the end as we always do, and we’ve been talking about it this morning. It stays with us, lingering, bathing us in its warmth. I’ve written about it before on this blog. I always feel better for having seen it. I’ll carry it with me throughout the day.
Stay safe.
Happy Saturday.
I love having a really good movie to look forward to and enjoy! I’ve never seen that movie, but it sounds really good. Yes, the news of the flooding in New York has been shocking to see. So many people have said they’ve never seen it that bad before. We actually got some rain in the early morning hours…enough to help out the yard.
It’s terrible. With climate change, it’s going to get worse.
Stay safe, Barrie.
i love weather, looking at it, being in it and the facts of weather are interesting to me, but the extremes of it are scary and heartbreaking. prayers continue.
i’ve not seen “cinema paradiso”, but glad you and don did.
also glad your refrigerator is not leaking. great work, claudia and don! youtube has helped me as well, most often with knitting rescues (mainly dropped stitches) though i like some book and author channels, others that show house tours. i’ve watched one tour about alfredo paredes’ home on shelter island probably twenty times … beautiful, charming, comforting … as long as it was here, i could move right in to a home like that!
those books sound good (though i’d have to skip the one that smells of cigarette smoke).
i appreciate your writing about books and movies, etc.; i add them to my list.
no adverse reaction to my flu shot thursday afternoon. no rsv or covid shots yet available at my doctor’s office. lots of errands yesterday, maybe a couple more today. hoping for time to finish a dishcloth, read a couple chapters. also to get a walk in before it gets hot (we’re in and not enjoying a string of 90-degree days) … looks it, but does not feel like the last day of september.
happy weekend, everyone! stay safe.
kathy
Thanks, Kathy!
Stay safe.
The rain has been unbelievable in New York City…and the topography there along with all that concrete I’m sure does not help. I feel for those people who live in lower level apartments.
I’m glad you were able to fix your fridge. It is a wonder all that you can learn from YouTube. I know my kids have taken full advantage of the how-to’s, especially when it comes to engine repair on their cars. My husband, too, even for minor plumbing repairs. It’s all there….you just have to look.
A good movie sticks with you. Enjoy your day! ;)
It does. This one is in my thoughts off and on today.
Stay safe, Donnamae.
Saturday morning is my time to peruse the accumulaion of NY Times articles that have accumulated in my “in” box. I am seeing all the flooding due to the storms going on in New York City and surrounding burroughs, headed for the Hudson Valley, and immediately thought of you. So relieved that you sit atop a hill, in a two-story cottage, and that it is not essential for you to travel every day! Stay safe and dry. Here’ hoping the power stays on, too. It’s a mess out there, to say the least.
No real flooding around here, I think. Though I should check my local news. We live by 2 rivers, and I think all is okay. No issues with power, either. It’s far worse east of us, but we’re on the western side of the Hudson, and I think that makes a difference with this storm.
Thanks, Elizabeth.
Stay safe.
Glad that you and Don have been able to fix the refrigerator problem. I have seen Cinema Paradiso but not for a long time. As you say, it’s an enchanting film.
I am fascinated by your pile of library books as I like to see how other libraries present them.
Way more stickers than mine😀
Happy Saturday!
I would imagine that’s because these are part of a loan program that involves multiple libraries in various towns and cities. They’re all from different libraries and they’re all new books with a limited loan time.
Stay safe, Dee Dee.
Insane rain for hours and hours and hours but thankfully ok. Special shout out to the subway peeps who kept passengers (like my kid) safe yesterday!
Glad to hear you’re okay, Naomi! Insane!
Stay safe.
So glad you were able to fix your fridge. Let’s hope it lasts for many more years. The flooding in New York is hard to watch. Mother Nature is certainly throwing a major hissy fit. When will we listen to her? I have a pot of Cheesy Sausage Chowder on the stove bubbling away. It smells so good. Enjoy the rest of your weekend everyone. Hugs, Elaine
Thanks so much, Elaine.
Stay safe.
Interesting about the smelly book – I read dozens of library books and have never had one that smelled of smoke. Seems like it would happen more often!
Congratulations on the fridge fixing – we had to replace ours a few years ago and it was shockingly expensive!
Ceci
We were stunned by the prices for a basic 28 inch wide utilitarian fridge! Couldn’t believe it.
Stay safe, Ceci.
May your refrigerator repair last and last for months and months!
Take Care,
Kaye
So far, so good, Kaye!
Stay safe.
Good job on the refrigerator….we had dishwasher problems for a year or so and we managed to keep it going . I could live without the dishwasher but not the refrigerator. Like so many of the items in this old house including the occupants….wea ring out. I am currently boiling water on the stove to do the dishes since the dishwasher will not work without hot water and no hot water since the furnace is shut down…..till TUESDAY…NEW FURNACE day!
Cinema Paradiso…..saw it again a few nights ago. I always cry at the ending…..Loved TOTO the child actor. I bang out the music on my piano…..it is lovely’
Well the water has boiled…time to do the dishes.
I think I caught a glimpse of the sun…
.Not sure anymore.
I know you can’t wait for the new furnace!
Our dishwasher has never worked correctly, so we use it to store pans…
Stay safe, Maria.
Good on you and Don fixing your fridge. New kitchen appliance prices are just unbelievable. Our kitchen needed all our ancient ones replaced when we did the reno 4 yrs ago. Appliances and cabinets are the reasons new kitchens cost a king’s ransom. Whenever I watch HGTV and they quote a kitchen price, I just laugh and laugh.
I too looked at the flooding photos and videos in the NYT with horror. I know from Dean running a non-profit in water technology that there are so many things cities can do to mitigate flooding. Too much cement and blacktop leaving nowhere for the water to go is the No. 1 reason this happens again and again. Unfortunately, very few cities think they can afford, or lack the will, to use 21st century infrastructure water technology to address this.
Surprising 80’s temps today so doors are open and I’m listening to goldfinches out in the garden enjoying what’s left of the coneflowers. They’ll be gone south soon enough so I don’t take days like this for granted.
Take care,
Kay
Interesting hearing your husband’s take on the flooding. So much of the shoreline was built up, filled in, etc. You have to wonder about the lower lying areas of the Metropolitan area and how easily they are flooded.
It’s warm here, as well, and I’m enjoying it. Sad to say, my coneflowers are done.
Stay safe, Kay.
Books that smell of cigarettes! Had that happened once in a book I bought used. I put dryer sheets in it for weeks. Didn’t help. I left it open by an open window for weeks. Didn’t help. So I finally just had to say my goodbyes. And it was a copy of “The Secret Garden” with Tasha Tutor illustrations. Heart breaking. I think about the poor child who had the book and hope it was a later owner that made it smell. I can’t imagine a child living with all that cigarette smoke. But I did find another copy that smelled fine. And I now always smell the books before buying them. The flooding in NYC is terrible. It may cost billions to improve flood control.
Well, I checked this book out of the library, so I couldn’t smell it ahead of time. I’m hoping it dissipates over the next week or so.
Stay safe, Tana.
What an interesting pile of books, Claudia — and October is a good reading month! Hope your Sunday is terrific.
Thank you, Jeanie.
I’m reading a lot these days.
Stay safe.