We had a really lovely 10-day trip to New York from 18 October, stopping for 3 days each in Buffalo, Rochester, and Albany. The 10th day was spent driving back to Hamilton, Ontario (just outside of Toronto) for our overnight flight home. We arrived back in Scotland on 29 October.
The weather was extraordinary for Western and Upstate New York at this time of year. It got up to 80 two days in Buffalo (and was 78 the other day), it was 80 the day we arrived in Rochester (and was 78 the next day), and remained in the low 70s or mid to high 60s while we were in Albany. At the same time last year Buffalo had a freak snowstorm which left thousands without electricity for days and caused much damage, so we were lucky indeed.
In Buffalo we stayed, as usual, with Don's cousin Ruthellen Bunis and her husband Russell Baker in their Victorian house (see photo). The night we arrived, they ordered pizza and Buffalo wings for dinner and Cousin David joined us as he was going out of town the next day. After a much-needed good night's sleep and a breakfast of yummy cinnamon buns and strong coffee, we spent the day on Friday shopping for items on our list that are either hard to find in Scotland and/or are much cheaper in the States (especially as were spending dollars rather than pounds). Of course we had to stop at Ted's for lunch and enjoy the best charcoal-grilled hot dogs and onion rings on earth.
On Friday evening, Ruthellen and Russell gave a family dinner for us which allowed us to see Aunt Esther before her annual retreat from Buffalo to Scottsdale, AZ, for the winter. Her son Philip had come down from Minnesota to accompany her and so we had the pleasure of seeing him as well. Don's late cousin Maer's wife, Audre was there along with her daughter, Leslie, and Leslie's husband Charlie. Ruthellen's daughter Abigail also came as well as long-time family friend Ruth Cohen who was long ago made an honorary member of the family. It was wonderful to get to see everyone in one place and to have the time to visit with each one.
On Saturday morning we spent some time with Jack and Kathy Howell. It was good to catch up on them and find them doing so well. Normally we would have seen them in England sometime in August before they left their Shropshire cottage to head back to the States, but their schedule didn't allow it this year, so we were doubly glad to visit with them in Buffalo.
That afternoon Rusell, Ruthellen, Don and I took in a movie--our first U.S. movie in years. We saw George Clooney's new film "Michael Clayton" and recommend it. It is highly suspenseful and features a top-notch cast. That night we said "thank-you" to Russell and Ruthellen by taking them to dinner at Rue Franklin, Buffalo's finest restaurant.
Before we took off for Rochester on Sunday morning, Russell "executed" some bagels with his bagel slicer and we enjoyed a real treat that we can't get here in Scotland. Oh they sell something called bagels over here, but so far, we haven't been able to find one that actually is a real bagel. (If we lived in a city or down in the London area, I'm sure we'd find them but up here in Rural Scotland we can't really expect to find a New York-style bagel.)
Tomorrow's blog will feature highlights from our time in Rochester.
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