New York, New York
And so we flew to New York earlier today to meet up with a group of Brits including my friend, Karen and her husband, Greg. Karen's brother Russell, my pandemic pen pal, is running the New York City Marathon on Sunday. We were invited to travel to Boston and then Chicago to cheer and support him, but other travel plans go in the way. New York was a last chance opportunity as this will be his fifth and final marathon, with the last three of them in the past year. He is in his mid-sixties so it is an even greater feat.
Joel and I are staying in the heart of Times Square with a view of where they will drop the ball on New Year's Eve. Out of our group of twelve we are the only ones staying at this hotel, but the others are in several nearby ones. Once we figured out how to use the elevators, all has gone well.
It is November already. I just celebrated a birthday, dancing at our local salsa hot spot, with our friends Joy and Alex. It is where we had also celebrated Joel's birthday last July. Time keeps winging past and as always, I am happy for the change of seasons. We will return home next week to enjoy pumpkins and autumn; dancing and spending time with friends. We will spend Thanksgiving with Connie and Curt and their family, and that weekend the Christmas decorations will come out. I always joke that my house looks like Santa Claus threw up all around it. But that's not really true. Yes, there are a lot of large poinsettias on the front porch. And I do have the tall Santa Clauses, which I have collected from Gump's, and I place in strategic spots around the house. My tree is small and decorated with photo ornaments from each year showing Joel and I together; a photo taken during that year at some event or holiday. They are joined by other momento ornaments from our travels. It's all pretty tasteful.
But back to New York. We will all have dinner together at Carmine's tomorrow night which is the night before the marathon. That will be carbo-loading, though Russell is the only one who really needs that. While we are here, our plan is to have oysters at Grand Central Station, walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, hit a salsa club, and of course, cheer on Russell at various places on his 26-mile run. Joel and I have both been to New York before. I've been here many times, so all of the touristy things are pretty been there, done that. And the only show I would really want to see is coming to Los Angeles with the same cast shortly, so we will pasadena on Broadway. Mostly the trip is about being with friends, new and old. I have known Russell since the late 1980s but we only reconnected back about fifteen years ago. During the pandemic, he was one of two pen pals with whom I engaged in mutual, epistolary support and distraction over that isolating time. Despite the miles between us, Russell and I literally got to know each other all over again.
It is late now late (EDT) so I will close this, take one more look at Times Square and get some rest for the activities to come in the wonderful town, where the Bronx is up and the Battery's down. Good night from the Big Apple!
