NYC Journal

MFM,

I post this stuff because I love you. I think of you and how I might make the best sausage and peppers you ever had.

In today’s sausage and peppers I am trying these light green Italian peppers mostly with some red bell peppers.

Two different types of bread: One is from Terranova Bakery in the Bronx (established 1967) which is Arthur Avenue’s Award-Winning bread called a “Bastogne” covered in sesame seeds. The other is just a generic hero rolls.

Should be good tonight.

I’m going to see if the moldings are dry enough to install.

Cal
 
The peppers, onions and sausage were great. I made a big batch of peppers and onions, enough to freeze for pasta, another dose of sausage, or perhaps for a chicken dish.

The rental market near Peekskill is hot and two bedroom apartments go quick. Maybe because of the housing shortage. Also they are surprisingly mucho costly. Kinda evil.

In scouting out apartments they seem to get taken in a day. What was available yesterday is already taken today.

With the hard rain tonight I expect the cantaloupes to swell up. I use to be a produce clerk and if you press the navel and it moves the cantaloupe is ripe. I have seen housewife’s smell them to determine ripeness, but that does not work for me. I imagine a vine ripened cantaloupe to be Ambrosia, or food of the gods.

There are so many flowers, and I’m seeing other baby cantaloupes developing.

The baby watermelon plants also have mucho flowers. The biggest melon so far is about the size of a handball. As this patch progresses we will have many dozens of melons from this patch also. The baby watermelons are round instead of oblong and will be about the size of soccer balls.

The grandson will be two years old at the end of August, and already he is starting to get potty trained.

I managed to hang the rest of the dining room moldings for the windows. The room looks rather transformed, and I think the old moldings look nicer than the new moldings that were done in the kitchen that are brand new replacements made from clear pine. Both room’s moldings are gel stained by me and they strongly resemble mahogany.

It took a lot of work to restore the original moldings, but it was worth it. The dining room is turning out to be a stunning room that displays a double pocket door that can separate the living room from the dining room, and the west looking walkout bay with three windows overlooks mature Rode-A-DEN-Drums that are about 8-9 feet tall/round.

Along the way I developed skill with hand scrapers.

Next I have to install the base moldings that are six inches tall. One last molding still has to be scrapped, this is the one I only recently glued. A very short piece that is less than a foot long somehow went missing so I will have to cut a new piece.

I believe it is the grain and somewhat rough texture of the old growth wood that makes the older moldings more interesting. The translucent gel stain amplifies the texture and depth. The light gets captured in a different manner… There is some distressing that suggests age…

The in ceiling mini-split sits flush in the ceiling in between the rafters. A very neat installation that looks very smart.

The living room and the hallway are the last to finish, then the entire first floor will be done.

Cal
 
A heat advisory today in the Hudson Valley.

New York is rated as the second worse place to retire, right after Alaska. Pretty much cost of living. I earned all New York dollars over the decades, so somehow I can afford to stay.

I read a report that Vermont because of its mountains has a hydrology that makes it prone to flooding, and its infrastructure is old and needs to be hardened. At one time we considered retiring to Vermont, but it not only is too cold for me, it also is not so tax favorable.

Global warming translates into hotter air temperatures and the ability for the air to retain 7% more moisture for every 1.8 degree increase. Rainfall is expected to increase in the Hudson Valley and so is flooding risks. I have taken notice that many properties in flood zones are for sale further upstate.

As I mentioned in another post certain areas that drain into the Hudson River just north of Peekskill, near West Point, were flooded badly. The nearby mountains funneled water.

Nearby our Baby-Victorian is Blue Mountain Preserve. The 1500 acres have two mountains, and we lay at 75-80 feet above sea level, but the water gets gathered and concentrated by the mountains, and Dickey Brook runs though the marsh beyond our back-backyard.

I don’t feel vulnerable to flooding, but perhaps my basement might not remain a dry basement one day. During the 100 year event that killed a man near West Point the flooding left my basement dry thus far. My diagonal neighbor has sump pumps. Generally 2-3 days later the water from Blue Mountain Preserve percolates and eventually enters his basement at times. Eventually this might happen to us I figure.

Our natural gas line and meter will be upgraded and replaced. This work is underway after being delayed 2 years. Our road will have new blacktop. I negotiated getting a larger meter to supply a future whole house generator to bunker up. For me heat and AC are life support as we age.

Interesting that Generac, a generator company, had a ten year warrentee, that got shortened to 7 years, and recently has been abbreviated to only 5 years. Hmmm…

The over 100 year old clay pipe that was our sewer line to the street had to be replaced, it was a $7.5K bill, but somehow luckily our home owner’s insurance covered the bill except for a $500.00 deductible.

Point of all this is our infrastructure pretty much will be all new. Already have a 200 amp service to the house, and even a hundred amp service into the garage.

A big bonus for me is that we have no sidewalks. The easement kinda extends our property line, and when it snows legally I’m only responsible for the walkway to my front stoop which is very short. Also our driveway is small. I expect that snow will become less and less likely as global warming continues.

Here in Peekskill we are still in the Gulf Stream, and just north of Peekskill is a different climate zone. Often the weather reports for snow accumulations north and west of NYC does not include Peekskill, but just north and across the river in the mountains is where accumulations begin. In many ways we are located in a sweet spot of sorts.

Peekskill is a city of 25K and encompasses only 4 square miles. The city does a great job of plowing, even though we are on the outskirts of the city and in a maze of dead ends that make our neighborhood kinda private.

Anyways somehow we got very-very lucky in buying a home that no one loved. Couldn’t be better. Still about a little more than an hour’s drive to the Catskills, Hudson, and the Berkshire’s.

Cal
 
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Generally when unemployment claims are around 400K you can be assured that we are in a recession. The recent number of unemployment claims is 249K, and the new job creation number was low around 120K new jobs.

Pretty much a slowdown is clearly happening. Meanwhile the FED is suggesting a rate cut might happen as early as September.

Inflation is not below 2% the FED target zone. The dual mandate of full employment and controlling inflation is at a possible turning point. The FED likely will reignite inflation if it cuts rates too early, and I think this is a high possibility.

Gold is getting close to exceeding $2.5K a new higher high. This suggests speculation of a rate cut that might happen soon that will encourage inflation.

The real danger I think is pretty much if inflation gets a toehold again the next thing is a foothold, and once that happens inflation will ramp up again and will be much harder to control.

Meanwhile the stock markets are believing the FED has things under control.

I feel uncomfortable at this point. Remember that any rate cut is “stimulas” and that would encourage increased spending and fuel further inflation. Pretty much the devaluing of a currency.

Also at the same time the war in the Mid-East is expected to escalate due to the two killings/assassinations that happened recently. Remember 4 out of 5 recessions are caused by energy prices.

Cal
 
Sweden has been on a soft recession. By both luck and circumstance, I am in this good position that I mentioned previously. Again, Middle Eastern war plus the ongoing European war gives plenty geopolitical bonkers. I give up at catching up with news honestly, sorry about that.
Despite talk of decreasing rates, inflation holds so the brakes can't be released yet. I can get really good savings accounts at about 4% APR. I know inflation, and a very devalued currency here (not Euro) makes it shitty anyways, but at least the cash keeps up with the times.

Calzone said:
A heat advisory today in the Hudson Valley.

New York is rated as the second worse place to retire, right after Alaska. Pretty much cost of living. I earned all New York dollars over the decades, so somehow I can afford to stay.

I read a report that Vermont because of its mountains has a hydrology that makes it prone to flooding, and its infrastructure is old and needs to be hardened. At one time we considered retiring to Vermont, but it not only is too cold for me, it also is not so tax favorable.

Cal
Click to expand...
Now that you actively mention NYC retirement, I just will link an article that I referred about media et al. just dumbly comparing Big Apple to Grapes income levels...
This town is just 10 miles from where I grew up.
But anyways, being back home was many times having a preview of retirement. Glad that home is naturally snowbirding for me. With the "Overtourism discussion" I realised that the Mediterranean is very much appreciated.
It is interesting how the Gulf stream makes Europe's climate quite mild by the latitude, with much less extremes in many areas. But of course, it is going bonkers. Heat advisories are more and more common in the Mediterranean. Again, still amused why people keep asking why I don't take summer holidays there -- sometimes people are just dumb!

I recall when I visited that we discussed about the power of NYC. I know it has its issues, but could very well the capital of the world. And I would chose it (as a visitor) over London.

Don't think the transatlantic low cost flights are going much anymore, to Stewart Int'l airport. That is quite in your vicinity. I would do again such an escapade to NYC in the soulder/low season. But aside of that, I plan to do a family trip there in the near future.
 
Cal, while you may be however many feet elevation above sea level, what is your elevation above the Hudson at max tide there in Peekskill? That's really what matters to you when it comes to flood risk.
We're trying to figure out where to move in a year. Bethanne is planning to do the MFA at Purchase, so we have to find a place to live. Of course, before then, I need to find a job here, (or possibly North Jersey or even NYC?), save up enough for the move, then find a job up there. I've only been looking locally within Philadelphia, Delaware, and Montgomery counties. I could do a two hour commute for a job that pays enough, and I can always deduct commuting expenses. I need to do the paperwork and send in my pound of flesh for New Jersey credentialing as an LPC, then I'll be able to work on a much larger market.
If I wind up commuting on the SEPTA/NJT/Metro North lines, I'm definitely going to be using the folding Raleigh Twenty a lot.

Phil
 
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Phil,

From what I deduct the 75-80 feet I report is actually my height above the Hudson River. The Hudson River actually has a tide and the current flows both ways. Depending on tide our altitude above sea level varies. Know that the Hudson River in Peekskill is brackish water and you can catch blue claw crabs here.

Basically the Hudson River is sea level.

Also bunker run way up the Hudson and bunker fish kills are reported in Haverstraw and Croton that are kinda nearby.

I can tell you that rents are mucho crazy in Peekskill and the surrounding area. The kids are looking to sign a lease, and they just moved out of our house to their old house that awaits a clear-to-close and a closing date. They are looking at 2-bedrooms though…

Cal
 
Pretty much I alone will exceed the median family income in Peekskill, granted that it is an immigrant community and a city.

Combined with “Maggie’s” now fixed income we are in the top percentile as far as income goes. When I’m on a fixed income when I’m 70 or 72 our household income will even be higher.

Understand that on top of this we live way lower than our means. Those New York salaries carry a lot of earning power, but I’m not sure my dollars elsewhere would buy me as much as we have now. Pretty much we compounded our income by buying an old small house that has low taxes.

North Carolina for example was no bargain and of course was fraught with its own set of problems.

Vermont is/was a recreation/vacation destination spot. Lots of summer homes, but big property taxes is how the state gained its revenue. No bargain from New York. For us it is a place to visit, but now we would not want to live there.

Because we have such low debt which will be just a 30 year mortgage at a record low interest rate, our modest level of living compounds our freedom.

IMHO most people are mortgaging their futures and enslaving themselves through debt living beyond their means. Pretty much self inflicted, but then also compounded by governments doing the same.

Cal
 
The kids moved out today back to the house for sale that still awaits a closing date.

Pretty much the situation is like the finance book “Rich Dad: Poor Dad.”

I feel sad about the grand kids stuck with parents that are stressed and anxious. All we can do is be quiet and mind our own business. We have done all that we can, and then again perhaps too much. We don’t want to be enablers.

Live and let live…

All I can say is, “Oh-well…”

Cal
 
I guess my lifestyle makes the Baby-Victorian more of a cottage rather than a house. At around 1500 square feet it is small when compared to an average sized house, the attic really is only good for storage, and the basement also only for storage.

The only things supersized is having a two car garage, and a second building lot.

The space is not open architecture, small rooms, and a lack of closet space. Not easy to have studio space, especially with “woman-factor.”

Seems like the study of guitar best suits the space alloted.

Today’s heat is oppressive. Might mow the lawn just to free up the weekend. Tomorrow “Maggie” has a gig in Conn.

Cal
 
I have just now returned to this thread after a short (a largely photo-oriented trip of a few days, in Indonesia) absence from the scene.

So much encapsulated wisdom is many things you write. Especially so in your posts 3162, 3167, 3169, 3174.

Like you, I worked out that 1 much of what passes for life nowadays is basically boring, and 2 it's really up to us to accept this and make the best of it in what small ways we can. Work is a prime example. Also to work on deflecting stress and anxiety. Your comments on artist versus creative also hit home for me.

Not for nothing does Nokton 48 call you Devil Cal. To me, you are more a devil's advocate. Badly needed in our sadly corporatist world.

Since Covid - also long before, but all the more so post-lockdowns - inflation has been a nasty runaway, made all the more so by corporate greed, profiteering and the general money-grabby attitude of far too many people, in your case Americans, in my case Australians. Covid did change us and in many ways not for the better.

Now we are facing a triple whammy of inflation, stagflation and fast-approaching global recession hat may last a long time and have too many far-reaching negative consequences. Especially so for those who live on credit and have nothing put away.

Yet for some (I speak entirely for myself here), recessions have some positive impact. I'm an age pensioner, still active, doing all the things I put off for two decades to focus on my architectural practice, which did okay but not enough to retire to the Côte d'Azur in France or even in Florida.

We live on my fixed income - two pensions plus a $$$ pot I invested which has more than doubled its balance in eight years. Also my partner's professional salary for two-thirds time employment, soon to be a half week only as our governments chop away at all the basic services. We are seriously considering a move to Malaysia where my in-laws live, life there is good but here we have no family but many good friends, our home, the house cats and Australia's excellent medical system for me to consider before making any such move. But if things go on going down the gurgler as they seem to nowadays, well, while I still can...

Happily for us, on my fixed income I have guaranteed payments from three separate sources, so my personal economy is stable. We own our home and our small investments are carefully planned to bring in reasonable returns with little risk. We accept that we will never live on a yacht in the Mediterranean, but life in regional Australia is pleasant if rather quiet. I can afford to spend time in Asia to do photography and writing, and when I'm in Oz there are pleasant if mundane chores to be done and my partner and our cats to look after. So yes, as the Asians say, LG-LG-LG - life's good.

As for your recipes, for me small amounts of fish, tempeh and tofu replace your sausages. How I wish green peppers (known as capsicums here) didn't cost AUD $9-$12 a kilo, the reds up to $15. Our two supermarket chains would sell us air if they thought they could get away with it - they already do 'Chateau Tap' as the locals call bottled water...

Anyway, carry on, boy, you are doing a great job of keeping us on our (creative and mental) toes.
 
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DU,

Devil Dan got his name because I called him a “Clever-Devil.” If I remember correctly the “Devil” prefix first came out with my friend Christian who is mighty clever.

This prefix is not overused. I admire both of these friends because they are mucho resourceful, very creative, non-conformist, and most of all they build things and live in a realm of their own making.

Gold breached $2505.00 this morning. I see inflation persisting for a prolonged period of time. I believe in regression to the mean, and the policies from the Greenspan era: Globalization; exporting manufacturing (off-shoring); disinflation (cheap imports); Walmart, K-Mart and other warehoused selling of cheap imports; stagnant wages…

Pretty much all this all has to unwind. For decades cheap imported goods offset stagnant wages to maintain American standards of living, and what became masked was that a consumer economy thrived on throw always that are environmentally evil.

Here I promote recycling and honoring things that have enduring value that tend to be retro. I also try to spend my money once to be “one and done.” I buy the more expensive products for durability and longevity, and otherwise limit my consumption. I control costs whenever I can…

Somehow, beyond luck, everything in our retirement looks to be golden. We made no mistakes so far, but I can’t say that for most Americans.

Our gutters need cleaning. I think one of our drain spouts is clogged. A solicitation suggests a $300.00 bill to clean the six of them. Meanwhile I have on hand a power washer, and I have an extension ladder. To “Maggie” $300.00 is not a lot of money, but I’m cheap-cheap-cheap, and I would rather spend that $300.00 on other things.

My intrusive neighbors took note that I buy Milwaukee hand power tools, a premium product. They seem to have durable batteries and likely the best charging systems. Maggie bought me a Milwaukee self propelled electric lawn mower that uses two 12 amp hour batteries. The batteries alone cost about $300.00 each, and the total cost was around $1.1K for the setup.

Thing is these batteries will work on all my other Milwaukee tools. Bonus is that pretty much these tools are of great utility since I own a full sized long-bed truck. I can see all kinds of side hustles or utility if I buy a summer home further north.

Our Baby-Victorian though is the right size for a home base and is being built out as a bunker of sorts.

It is pretty amazing are the properties further north in the Hudson Valley. In a few years when my income becomes fixed I think I will have to think of what to do with spare income.

A second home might be a good place to park excess income that is not needed.

Cal
 
Morning Devil Cal,


Sinar Norma Handy Test 65mm F8 No 2 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Sinar Norma Handy Test 65mm F8 No 3 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Sinar Norma Handy Test 65mm F8 No 4 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Sinar Norma Handy 4x5 Test Ilford HP5+ 65mm F8 Super Angulon at Fll. Kingwood Gardens Mansfield Ohio, waiting for the Solar Eclipse to occur. HANDHELD camera focused hyperfocally. The cosine effect causes corners to be darker, could be improved with my 65mm F8 Schneider Center Filter. Silver image 8x10 print Omega DII 180mm Rodagon laser aligned, Arista #2 RC paper processed in Dektol 1:2. Print copied with Sony Nex 7 30mm Nex Macro Lens.
 
Devil Dan,

I don’t mind the light fall off. Also the larger format still allows for a good amount of detail.

How limiting is the hyper focal to image size? Could you print larger?

The reason I ask is the Devil Christian, a camera that was given to me as a kinda kit from Devil Christian has a 65mm F8.0 Super Angulon, but is set with a fixed focus, something like 2 meters as a street rig.

Also how stopped down are you in those shots?

Thanks in advance.

Cal
 
Devil Cal,

1/250 at F11 (one stop down) HP5+ rated at EI 250 for most copious shadow detail. Neg is sharp enough to go quite a bit bigger than 8x10. I have six 4x5 Graphmatics loaded with HP5+ and TMX400. The Schneider Sinar Norma Cone/Helical I have is marked in feet, rather than meters. I have a hyperfocal chart attached to the back of each Graphmatic, for quick reference. When I moved in on Mr. Peacock, I moved the focus forward a teeny bit.

I love this new rig and it is a joy to use. And Thanks again for the SS bolts, I used Pentax 6x7 Strap Lugs, drilled and tapped the Norma Frame to attach with your bolts.

Sinar Norma 4x5 Handy Super BubbaPack HV Battery Handy Bubble Level by Nokton48, on Flickr

MFM built me this "Super Bubbapack" which is Uber Powerful instaneous recycle. Love it too. Next Handy tests with Vivtar 365 which can be bought for "no money".
 
The report from Barbara Corcoran is circulating again. She predicts that say if the interest rates get cut, at a certain point this will stimulate demand and home prices will escalate.

She suggests that waiting for lower interest rates might be a mistake, and in the end you might be paying more.

So I’m thinking of long-term and low risk investing. Seems like the housing shortage could last at least 15 years because of the under-building that began in 2007-2008 after the housing crisis. More likely this could stretch into 20 years…

Then there is the saying, “The three best reasons to buy a property is location, location and location.” I think we did that in Peekskill. It is a river town at the gateway to the Hudson Highlands. Peekskill also is a commuter town with a Metro North station. Then there are two adjoining massive state parks right across the river.

The Catskills, Woodstock, Hudson, Kingston, and the Berkshires are about an hour’s drive away.

Our Baby-Victorian is small at 1500 square feet. The yard is about 1/5th of an acre. I wish I had more space for a serious studio, more land to have a greenhouse, more land to farm, and I need a place to park spare income that would be a safe store of money that would be a “hard asset.”

Don’t tell “Maggie,” but I have plans… I can see parking the 1966 C-10 in my barn or a garage on a property upstate.

My garage as a studio could eventually happen…

My thinking is very long-term planning…

Cal
 
The devil, clever or otherwise, does all his evil work for free. The devil's advocate can collect legal fees. Worth remembering...

Truly beautiful images, Nokton48. But a handheld Sinar, even a 4-5, oi! Even as a younger'un I had trouble handling a 6x9 Linhof Teknika.
 
Devil Dan,

I love the idea of a quick shooter.

Also I love the idea of point and shoot. Many photographers don’t use hyper focal distance focusing, but we do.

Even on night shooting with a tripod using bulb exposures I don’t use infinity, and I use a distance scale to focus somewhere around one-third of infinity to draw out a section that has critical focus.

BTW I would be cool with just printing 8x10 because of the limits of shooting fixed focus at just 2 meters.

I have only one 4x5 graphmatic. It was a gift from Devil Christian.

Cal
 
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