A Drive in the Park

 

(Photo: Town of Greenwich website)

It's Sunday and it's (hopefully) the last time I have to visit the laundromat for the foreseeable future.

In truth, it isn't an awful task. I load things in a couple of bags, drive the stuff over, stuff it in one washing machine for 30 minutes, remove it, and drive back home. Then I put it in my dryer.

My washing machine will be fixed this week.

While I wait I grab food at the nearby Greenwich Pizzeria or just sit in my car. Or, today, I sat on a bench as traffic whizzed by. 

I left the apartment in the fall uniform on a chilly morning: shorts, with layers on the upper body. Specifically, a t-shirt, a Steelers jersey* and a Yankees sweatshirt**.

* A Mean Joe Greene jersey because the defense needs to find the inspiration of the 70s to cause havoc on Tom Brady.

(Incidentally, I wrote this post back around 11:30 a.m. The final just rolled from Pittsburgh: Steelers 20, Buccaneers 18. I'm stunned.)

** Look, last night's loss was Yankees brutal. Historically brutal. As in the Yankees have never blown a lead of two or more runs when entering the ninth inning of a postseason game. They were 167-0. They're now on the verge of losing to a Cleveland team that has outplayed them. But I still have to show pride as opposed to whining about the postseason schedule or all other teams except my own.

I made my way through Bruce Park, which the Town of Greenwich describes as:

Robert Moffat Bruce donated his home (now Bruce Museum) and 100 acres to the Town of Greenwich in1908, making it the Town's oldest public park. Bruce Park includes sports & athletic fields, tennis courts, walking paths, ponds and waterways, and scenic views of Long Island Sound. The Bruce Park Playground is one of the most popular destinations in Greenwich for families with children. 

And, yeah, it was popular.

Kids were playing softball. dog walkers were out doing their thing. Bicycles and scooters dotted the roadway. Walkers and joggers moved around. Others were simply taking in the atmosphere.

I loved every piece of it as I slowly cruised through. There was a bustling but it wasn't overwhelming.

So much of what happens here will be compared to my hometown and, of course, that's because it was mostly all I ever knew. Yes, we had parks in Mahopac -- great parks. We had tons of wooded areas that I explored.

This is different for a variety of reasons, including how drivers on 95 can look right into the park as they move past Exit 3. 

As I came back from the laundromat -- mission happily accomplished -- the scene was fairly similar, though the softball game had packed up and left. 

Oh, believe me, it can be quite the "Greenwich" scene as well, as I've spied croquet being played. The participants decked out in their best all-white ensembles. Who cares? It's fun to see the whole thing, including tennis and whatever else I've noticed during the many drives through there.

I returned home. Sean is at work. The laundry is going 'round in the dryer.

Football awaits. 

Baseball later.

Preparations to take a deep breath after all is resolved will likely play out tomorrow on the radio.