Happy New Year!

We've had a quiet New Year's Day (it's now about 2:45 p.m.)--just as we had a quiet New Year's Eve. Last night we had a fine dinner at the Cafe Tandoor in Aurora, then walked over to the nearby Cinemark to see Star Wars, about which I'll write more on Sunday. Just as we reached our seats, I heard a voice say, "Mr. Dyer?"

I looked. It was former Harmon School student Theresa Racz, there with a niece and nephew to see the film. I don't believe I'd seen her since January 1997,when I retired from the middle school.

Afterwards, we drove home, had two slices each of the fruitcake I made from my grandmother Osborn's recipe (I've used it for many years), then to bed and were pretty much out by 10:00 p.m.--past our normal beddie time, by a bit, actually.

So, weary from staying up late, we were not up and about until about 9:30 this morning. We drove back roads over to Hiram, where Joyce checked her college mail (nada), then to Garrettsville to check on what's going on after the devastating downtown fire from last year (hard to tell what's happening)--and we saw, heading south, that the former home of poet Hart Crane is for sale. I toured it once, and it's a lovely place, now listing for $250,000, I see on the realty website (link to home info).

the Hart Crane House
Garrettsville OH

Then we headed south on Rt. 88, driving past James A. Garfield HS, where my mother taught English (1956-66) and where my younger brother, Dave, graduated in 1966. We cut over on Infirmary Road and then drove through Kent, taking the back roads home to Hudson.

About 1:00, I removed from the fridge the sourdough I'd fed last night, put it on a rack to warm a bit, then headed out to LifeCenter, where Joyce and I walked two miles around the indoor track; the club was crowded with those in the grip of Resolution. Happens every year.

Home--the batter now warmer--I mixed up some pizza dough (it will rise for a couple of hours now), which I'll use for supper, employing a Christmas gift from Joyce: a portable baker that I'll be using for the first time. It has a removable stone inside. (The cries and curses you hear in the air between 5-5:30 tonight will be coming from me, should something go awry.)

ours is red

We've talked about going to another movie tonight--maybe The Big Short over in Kent--but will have to see what my, uh, psychological state is after supper! I might be curled up with a blanket in the dark.