Hot, Hot, Hot!
We're talking the weather here, of course - I just wanted to let you all know that Greenwich does not enjoy any special immunity from the excruciating heat and humidity that have been wet-blanketing much of the country. We even, as you know from a previous post, get our share (if not more) of the power outages that seem increasingly to be a part of life in the 21st century. The only redeeming feature of living and paying taxes here in Greenwich is that you get to ride the ferryboats for the price of a beach card and $2 a pop. At this time of year, they're the coolest non-airconditioned places in town.
Speaking of taxes, today is the last day to get down to Town Hall and fork over without incurring a penalty. This is the day when everyone gets to rub shoulders with everyone else while we wait in line. Last year I stood with Marlyn Tsai, ex-wife of Gerry Tsai of Wall Street fame, who indignantly showed me her large five-figure check for the tax on her beautiful Byram Shore property. Marlyn pays, according to the local rag, the highest assessed tax on a single residential property here in Greenwich (if you could see the incredible views from her house, you would know why). I, on the other hand, owe all of $8.18 this year. But we both got to stand in the same slow-moving line and be waited on by the same municipal employees who probably relish this day as their one chance to impress us with their importance. It's not that the line doesn't move - it does, of course - but one always has the impression that it could move faster if fewer clerks were taking less frequent coffee breaks.
As someone other than myself may possibly have noticed, I finally have received some comments on my prior posts. Thanks, saraclaradara! (And, BTW, what *were* your parents thinking when they named you?) Sarah is presently in Merrie Olde England, so part of what I write here is to keep her up to date on events in her home town. God forbid she lose touch with the momentous events of our daily life here on the other Greenwich Meridian.
Sarah has recently received a national award for her book, "Confessions of a Closet Catholic" - way to go, Sarah! For those of you who haven't read it yet, the heroine, Jussy, gives up Judaism for Lent and goes into her closet to confess to her stuffed bear, AKA "Father Ted". The story is tender, touching, and riotously funny. And, as I have already told you, phenomenally well-written.
Speaking of literary phenomena, Diana Peterfreund's brand-new book, "Secret Society Girl", has sold out in less than two weeks and is going into a second printing. Don't say I didn't alert you to this possibility in my very first venture into the blogosphere (see below). BTW, I find it curious that Diana's book was originally titled "Confessions of a Secret Society Girl" - and yet neither she nor Sarah know each other, or have read each other's book. Weird, huh? Gives some credence to the old saw that great minds think alike. Anyhow, congratulations to them both.
Vignette of the day: as I was jay-walking down Greenwich Avenue to the post office this morning, a squad car pulled up to me and the driver asked, "Would you like a bottle of water, Mr. Clark?" Not quite what I expected to hear, natch. Anyhow, I thanked him kindly and said I was staying well-hydrated, and he moved off to hand out bottles to the cops directing traffic on the Avenue. Some of you may possibly have received the impression that I view the GG with a jaundiced eye...I thought you should know that there are a few human beings among them.
Well, guess what - it's time to get my butt over to Town Hall, or I might incur a late fee of $2.00. In this weather, maybe that's not such a bad price to pay to stay off the streets. But then, I wouldn't be able to report on who my lucky next-in-linemate is this year, and that would be a pity. So here I go, filling my lungs with cool air before venturing out into the blast furnace....
Speaking of taxes, today is the last day to get down to Town Hall and fork over without incurring a penalty. This is the day when everyone gets to rub shoulders with everyone else while we wait in line. Last year I stood with Marlyn Tsai, ex-wife of Gerry Tsai of Wall Street fame, who indignantly showed me her large five-figure check for the tax on her beautiful Byram Shore property. Marlyn pays, according to the local rag, the highest assessed tax on a single residential property here in Greenwich (if you could see the incredible views from her house, you would know why). I, on the other hand, owe all of $8.18 this year. But we both got to stand in the same slow-moving line and be waited on by the same municipal employees who probably relish this day as their one chance to impress us with their importance. It's not that the line doesn't move - it does, of course - but one always has the impression that it could move faster if fewer clerks were taking less frequent coffee breaks.
As someone other than myself may possibly have noticed, I finally have received some comments on my prior posts. Thanks, saraclaradara! (And, BTW, what *were* your parents thinking when they named you?) Sarah is presently in Merrie Olde England, so part of what I write here is to keep her up to date on events in her home town. God forbid she lose touch with the momentous events of our daily life here on the other Greenwich Meridian.
Sarah has recently received a national award for her book, "Confessions of a Closet Catholic" - way to go, Sarah! For those of you who haven't read it yet, the heroine, Jussy, gives up Judaism for Lent and goes into her closet to confess to her stuffed bear, AKA "Father Ted". The story is tender, touching, and riotously funny. And, as I have already told you, phenomenally well-written.
Speaking of literary phenomena, Diana Peterfreund's brand-new book, "Secret Society Girl", has sold out in less than two weeks and is going into a second printing. Don't say I didn't alert you to this possibility in my very first venture into the blogosphere (see below). BTW, I find it curious that Diana's book was originally titled "Confessions of a Secret Society Girl" - and yet neither she nor Sarah know each other, or have read each other's book. Weird, huh? Gives some credence to the old saw that great minds think alike. Anyhow, congratulations to them both.
Vignette of the day: as I was jay-walking down Greenwich Avenue to the post office this morning, a squad car pulled up to me and the driver asked, "Would you like a bottle of water, Mr. Clark?" Not quite what I expected to hear, natch. Anyhow, I thanked him kindly and said I was staying well-hydrated, and he moved off to hand out bottles to the cops directing traffic on the Avenue. Some of you may possibly have received the impression that I view the GG with a jaundiced eye...I thought you should know that there are a few human beings among them.
Well, guess what - it's time to get my butt over to Town Hall, or I might incur a late fee of $2.00. In this weather, maybe that's not such a bad price to pay to stay off the streets. But then, I wouldn't be able to report on who my lucky next-in-linemate is this year, and that would be a pity. So here I go, filling my lungs with cool air before venturing out into the blast furnace....
posted by Bill Clark | 8/01/2006 12:38:00 PM
1 Comments:
Hey, Bill...
Weird story about the water. But I could have used some in your fair state last week! I'm from Flroida and I've rarely been so hot.
Anyway, wanted to let you know that the reason we dropped the Confessions was because there were so very man "confessions" books out at the time I sold mine. So there were a LOT of great minds thinking alike around then. ;-)
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