I woke early because we had plans in the morning, dressed, checked my Quicken transactions (downloaded and updated), and looked at the news for any tragedies (including the killing of survivors of an attack by US forces on a declared drug runner boat). I know that in clandestine actions, killing is to protect the forces and operations, but I do not know if this operation would be classified as such. I wait for more information.
When you elect a Hoteller to run the country, I am not surprised that he treats the world as his staff. In my view, Trump sees us as Hotel America, and you are a wealthy guest or staff; it reminds me of a John Wick Movie. “Enjoy your stay at the Continental,” you say to the assassin in the movie. Here is what I see in my mind as I watch Trump make us into his hotel: Wick. I could see Pete Hegeth getting a ‘tasting’ at the Pentagon. A new service at the Continental would be ‘spin control’.
Putting aside my usual fantasy thoughts, and obviously, I have had too much coffee before writing this on Sunday morning (I have no plans), let me return to yesterday.
Clint finds me at the hotel at 8:45, and we discover that there is 1/2 half an inch of snow in Manchester, and we are thirty minutes early. We tried a nearby cafe that looked well-rated, but after driving there, we discovered they’re closed for the holiday week. We return to the Currier Museum of Art, which uses their shuttle to take us to their Frank Lloyd Wright houses.
It is cold, and the trip is short. We are lectured for thirty minutes, and we are now very cold. The Zimmerman House is the first house that they acquired as a bequest from the original owners. The house is kept as if the Zommermans just stepped out (they are buried here). It is an interesting mix of compressed spaces that suddenly and beautifully open into wonderful spaces bathed in natural light. The edges are sharp, bricks and hard lines on wood, and the place would not be somewhere to grow old in! It is smaller than I expected, but it still uses space well. The high ceiling is interrupted by a middle ceiling, creating a fantastic set of shelves and lighting options. Clint and I agree that the house is impractical in many ways that could and should have been changed. But this is the story, as I have read and heard, of Frank Lloyd Homes. Aesthetic rule.
Toufic H. Kalil House was purchased by a gift to the museum in 2019, when someone on a tour saw it was for sale and decided to cover the acquisition (we learned it was about $700K and needed work). It is a kit house made of cement bricks and a flat roof of cement too. The roof leaked as some of Frank Lloyd Wright’s inventions faltered. Also, the tolerances were too tight, and much of the work was repeated, driving the initial cost from $25K (in the 1950s) to over three times that. This house, one of the last, is an attempt to build a home that could be built for a reasonable price and with all the modern conveniences (including a top-loading dishwasher), and is one of the few Unosian Automatic houses.
The house had a high ceiling and relied less on compression and release, and seemed more practical and warmer. The white cement bricks and the wood seemed to be more welcoming. Also, the house was less dressed, and this made it seem more like a model than a home. I would have liked it better if it had larger windows (likely impractical because of the cement structure and heavy roof. The intermediate ceiling in the Zimmerman house would have been a good addition to break up the look, I think.
It was a pleasure to see my first Frank Lloyd Wright houses, and I recommend a visit. We then walked through the art museum on our return. Riley, who was quiet for most of the trip, was good at showing a twenty-something, bored but intelligent look. I did see Riley take a few pictures here and there. I think Riley liked the trip.
A quick search of the Internet, and we were at the Waterworks for lunch. Riley had pancakes and Clint, and I tried the French Dip, which was excellent (thought their roast beef was a bit tough, but not industrial). Food done, Clint dropped me off at the hotel. I rested a bit and read some news.
I reboarded the rental and took it on the now familiar twenty minutes to Clint’s and Annika’s place. Misha, Hope, and their girls (who said hello to me a few times) were here. Soon, some food was delivered by the Gaming Night folks (the house was filling up), and Misha beat me at Tiny Epic Galaxies. Later, after pizza, Clint, I, and five others tried out Root. It was messy and took until 11. The Woodland Alliance (‘Toast’) won as the player knew the game, beat on my faction (the only other player who could play), and the others (despite my pleas) just tried to run their confusing factions. The Toast just exploded and ran away with the game. What I have seen in many games is that when The Woodland Alliance or Lizards get a foothold that is not challenged. Root is a complex game, as every faction is running its own game while all play out on the same board. Root is competitive, mean (there are only so many resources that need to be snatched up), and demands conflict. When played right, a sudden victory after everyone pushes and punches to a good score is the usual. I scored zero (don’t laugh). Still, it was fun.
I chatted about board games and offered to play Scythe and teach it on my next visit. I headed back and soon was asleep in my PJs in my room around midnight. I managed to sleep.
Thanks for reading.
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