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madrobinsSo: we hit New York veeerry early on Saturday morning, having taken the red eye in. Just to make us feel at home, it was raining. Got to my aunt's apartment on West 88th, deployed everyone; Sarcasm Girl went to sleep, YG tried but was too excited: she had a big day ahead, including a concert at 11, seeing cousins that afternoon, and having a sleepover with her cousin and another old friend that night. Sarcasm Girl had discovered that it was one of her oldest friend's birthdays that day, and she crashed the party and was, effectively, a surprise birthday present. This led to another sleepover, and a good time was had. Meanwhile, spouse and I had a perfectly lovely dinner with ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
pnh and tnh, and got to meet Porco Bruno, the new hamster. He'll never be Arthur, but he is still a fine little guy.
Sunday morning we were woken by sunshine and the news that YG had thrown up in the middle of the night (too much excitement, not enough sleep) and was still feeling funky. Bless her friend's mother, who cleaned her up and put her back to bed without a qualm, rather than calling us at 3am to say "take your repulsive child home this instant!" We fetched her back to my aunt's apartment and tucked her in, and I went off to services at 4th Universalist, my old church. Going in reminded me of how much I miss that part of my life; I haven't found a congregation, UU or otherwise, out here that has the peculiar combination of warmth, spirituality, and humor that 4th U has. We spent the rest of the day fitfully going out (because YG tired easily) and finished the evening by taking my aunt out to Shun Lee, our favorite high-end Chinese place, which not only has excellent food (the dry shredded crispy beef is to die for) but has a string of immense dragons ringing the room.
Monday we hit a favorite diner (the Strand, on 96th Street, which has nothing particular to recommend it other than sentiment) and then walked up YG's old school--where she was not only recognized, but permitted to go up to her former class's current room. While we gossiped with the teacher about the school and the state of public education in NY, the Girl reunited with classmates from 1st grade. All of them look exactly the same, only huge. She also saw her first grade teacher (many hugs) and some of the paraprofessionals she knew when she was a small. We then went down to 84th Street and Sarcasm Girl's old grade school, where the first person we ran into one of her old babysitters, a former neighbor of ours. Much rejoicing, and we were given the run of the place. Saw SG's old kindergarten teacher, and the girl kept crooning "they're all so little! I was never that little.. Then we went to the girls' preschool, where they're really little. Much kvelling and joy all around. I split off after that and went down to Tor to see people, which I did; had lunch with some friends, and Spouse brought the girls in to astound the Tor folk (bear in mind that Sarcasm Girl was the first "Tor baby", and spent a good deal of her infancy lying in a portacrib in the production area...to see her as tall as me, and twice as curvy, boggled several people). Then took YG off to Queens to reune with another old friend, while SG went off to the movies. After that playdate (got SG home about nine) I went off to have coffee with old friends from Acclaim days.
Tuesday Spouse started to come down with bronchitis. SG took YG to the movies. Later we had dinner at John's Pizza (the formative pizza of my youth, and some of the best in the city). YG, who had been given a bunch of books at Tor, was ripping through Pay the Piper (by Jane Yolen and Adam Stemple) and barely noticed that it had been a low-key day.
Wednesday YG and I picked up Cousin Hannah and we went to the Central Park zoo and the carousel and a chinese restaurant for lunch. And that evening the girls and I went to see The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, which was charming and funny. Spouse still feeling rotten.
Thursday early we took off for Pennsylvania to visit Spouse's parents. After four days of gorgeous warm sunny weather, the rain returned off and on all the way down to Kennet Square. And then, weirdly, the sun came out again and it was sunny. Mother-in-law and kids and I went to Longwood Gardens, the former DuPont estate, and strolled around in the sunshine among the flowers. Very lovely. Spouse had, by this time, admitted defeat, called his doctor, and arranged for a scrip of Zithromax.
And Friday the rain set in in earnest, and we drove back from Kennet Square to Newark, dropped off the car, and got on a plane. And here we are.
It was a swell trip, a little chaotic at times, but generally lovely. I am glad to be home, but it's recharging to walk through the streets of my city. And now YG has a firm recollection of many places which were getting wobbly in her mind.
pnh and tnh, and got to meet Porco Bruno, the new hamster. He'll never be Arthur, but he is still a fine little guy.Sunday morning we were woken by sunshine and the news that YG had thrown up in the middle of the night (too much excitement, not enough sleep) and was still feeling funky. Bless her friend's mother, who cleaned her up and put her back to bed without a qualm, rather than calling us at 3am to say "take your repulsive child home this instant!" We fetched her back to my aunt's apartment and tucked her in, and I went off to services at 4th Universalist, my old church. Going in reminded me of how much I miss that part of my life; I haven't found a congregation, UU or otherwise, out here that has the peculiar combination of warmth, spirituality, and humor that 4th U has. We spent the rest of the day fitfully going out (because YG tired easily) and finished the evening by taking my aunt out to Shun Lee, our favorite high-end Chinese place, which not only has excellent food (the dry shredded crispy beef is to die for) but has a string of immense dragons ringing the room.
Monday we hit a favorite diner (the Strand, on 96th Street, which has nothing particular to recommend it other than sentiment) and then walked up YG's old school--where she was not only recognized, but permitted to go up to her former class's current room. While we gossiped with the teacher about the school and the state of public education in NY, the Girl reunited with classmates from 1st grade. All of them look exactly the same, only huge. She also saw her first grade teacher (many hugs) and some of the paraprofessionals she knew when she was a small. We then went down to 84th Street and Sarcasm Girl's old grade school, where the first person we ran into one of her old babysitters, a former neighbor of ours. Much rejoicing, and we were given the run of the place. Saw SG's old kindergarten teacher, and the girl kept crooning "they're all so little! I was never that little.. Then we went to the girls' preschool, where they're really little. Much kvelling and joy all around. I split off after that and went down to Tor to see people, which I did; had lunch with some friends, and Spouse brought the girls in to astound the Tor folk (bear in mind that Sarcasm Girl was the first "Tor baby", and spent a good deal of her infancy lying in a portacrib in the production area...to see her as tall as me, and twice as curvy, boggled several people). Then took YG off to Queens to reune with another old friend, while SG went off to the movies. After that playdate (got SG home about nine) I went off to have coffee with old friends from Acclaim days.
Tuesday Spouse started to come down with bronchitis. SG took YG to the movies. Later we had dinner at John's Pizza (the formative pizza of my youth, and some of the best in the city). YG, who had been given a bunch of books at Tor, was ripping through Pay the Piper (by Jane Yolen and Adam Stemple) and barely noticed that it had been a low-key day.
Wednesday YG and I picked up Cousin Hannah and we went to the Central Park zoo and the carousel and a chinese restaurant for lunch. And that evening the girls and I went to see The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, which was charming and funny. Spouse still feeling rotten.
Thursday early we took off for Pennsylvania to visit Spouse's parents. After four days of gorgeous warm sunny weather, the rain returned off and on all the way down to Kennet Square. And then, weirdly, the sun came out again and it was sunny. Mother-in-law and kids and I went to Longwood Gardens, the former DuPont estate, and strolled around in the sunshine among the flowers. Very lovely. Spouse had, by this time, admitted defeat, called his doctor, and arranged for a scrip of Zithromax.
And Friday the rain set in in earnest, and we drove back from Kennet Square to Newark, dropped off the car, and got on a plane. And here we are.
It was a swell trip, a little chaotic at times, but generally lovely. I am glad to be home, but it's recharging to walk through the streets of my city. And now YG has a firm recollection of many places which were getting wobbly in her mind.